An Italian couple are becoming the world’s oldest divorcees, after the 99—year—old husband found that his 96—year—old wife had an affair(婚外情) in the 1940s.
The Italian man, called by lawyers in the case as Antonio C，looking through an old drawer when he made the discovery a few days before Christmas.
In spite of the time that had passed since the affair, he was so upset that he immediately asked his wife of 77 years, named as Rosa C, whether it was true, and demanded a divorce.
Stricken by the guilt, she reportedly admitted everything but was unable to persuade her husband to reconsider his decision, though her children also did much more work.
She wrote letters to her lover during a secret affair in the 1940s, according to court papers released in Rome this week , which made people know the truth.
The couple are now preparing to split, though the marriage they built has lasted over nearly eight decades- they have five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great- grand child.
The discovery of the letters was the final problem for their marriage which had already run into difficulty- 10 years ago the husband briefly left their house in Rome and moved in with one of his sons, only to return a few weeks later.
The Italian thought the fierce split resulted from the couple’s southern blood- he is originally from Olbia in Sardinia, while his wife was born in Naples. The couple met during the 1930s when Antonio served as a young officer.
The case appears to set a new record, at least for the age of the oldest figures- the previous oldest couple to divorce were Bertie and Jessie Wood, both aged 98, from the UK.
That pair ended their 36- year marriage in 2009 when they were both two years away from their 100th birthdays. They got married in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in 1972 having both ended previous marriages, before moving to Falmouth, Cornwall four years later.
Which is true according to the text?
| A．To find his wife’ affair, Antonio C looked through an old drawer. |
| B．Rosa C’ lover may be Bertie. |
| C．Rosa C admitted what she did because she was sorry for her guilt. |
| D．The Italian thought the fierce split resulted from the discovery of the letters. |
Which word can replace the underlined one in passage5?
| A．advertised | B．announced |
| C．concluded | D．expressed |
Which of the following best describe Antonio C?
| A．a childish man | B．a rude man |
| C．a romantic man | D．a stubborn（固执）man |
The marriage of Antonio C and Rosa C .
| A．may come to an end because the husband sticks to his decision |
| B．appears to set a new record |
| C．may have lasted over 36 years |
| D．began in the 1930s before both ending previous marriages |
This passage may come from .
| A．a text book | B．a newspaper |
| C．a history book | D．an advertisement |
Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum
Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don’t need to book. They end around 21:00.
November 7th
The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of nanal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early “civil enginerrs”.
December 5th
Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London’s ice trade grew.
February 6th
An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Smoudwater Canal is moving towards reopenling. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play.
March 6th
Eyots and Aits- Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames had many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest.
Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book
More into:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson
London Canal Museum
12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT
www.canalmuseum.org.uk www.canalmuseum.mobi
Tel:020 77130836When is the talk on James Brindley?
| A．February 6th. | B．March 6th. |
| C．November 7th. | D．December 5th. |
What is the topic of the talk in February?
| A．The Canal Pioneers. |
| B．Ice for the Metropolis |
| C．Eyots and Aits- Thames Islands |
| D．An Update on the Cotsword Canals |
Who will give the talk on the islands in the Thames.
| A．Miranda Vickers | B．Malcolm Tucke |
| C．Chris Lewis | D．Liz Payne |
Does this situation seem familiar to you? Your English is progressing well, the grammar is now familiar, the reading comprehension is no problem, you are communicating quite fluently, but: Listening is STILL a problem! First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult job for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen as often as possible. The first step is to find listening resources. The Internet is really a useful tool for English students. You can download The RealPlayer from RealMedia.com. The RealPlayer allows you to use the Internet like a radio station.
Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated (懊恼) by limited understanding. What should you do?
Here is some of the advice I give my students:
●Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
●Stay relaxed when you do not understand — even if you continue not to understand for a long time.
●Do not translate what you hear into your native language.
●Listen for the general idea of the conversation. Don’t concentrate on detail until you have understood the main ideas.
I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn’t understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This method usually resulted in confusion. Then, after the first six months, I discovered two very important facts. Firstly, translating creates a wall between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, I noticed that — even if I didn’t pay much attention, I could usually understand what the speaker had said.The best way to improve our listening is to _____.
| A．practise as much as possible |
| B．find as many listening resources as possible |
| C．use the Internet like a radio station |
| D．speak naturally and read as much as possible |
Which of the following is a good habit when listening?
| A．Try to understand everything. |
| B．Try to get the main ideas. |
| C．Pay much attention to details. |
| D．Translate each word in your mind. |
Why did the writer mention his / her experience in Germany?
| A．To prove the importance of translating. |
| B．To show the problems of speaking a foreign language. |
| C．To tell us the importance of staying calm. |
| D．To point out an ineffective method of listening. |
The underlined part “a wall” in the last paragraph refers to “_____”.
| A．a communication barrier (障碍) |
| B．culture shock |
| C．language understanding |
| D．a little misunderstanding |
Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones. They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. Some are shy "in real life" but are confident to communicate with others online; others find support from people of their own age on relationship problems, or problems at home.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can introduce problems, such as cheating or arguments. Going online is great fun, but there are also a few people who use the Internet to do bad things. Children must know that there are both the good things and the dangers on the Internet.
To keep children safe ,your management must cover the family computer. Just as you decide which TV programs are suitable, you need to do the same for the websites and chatrooms your children visit. Remind your children that online friends are still strangers and there are dangers too.
Computer studies are part of schoolwork now, so it's likely that your children may know more than you do. We get left behind when it comes to the interactive areas of websites, like chatrooms and message boards, which are especially strange. The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. Chatters love to use abbreviations (缩写) such as: atb--all the best, bbfn--bye bye for now, cul8er—see you later, gr8--great, Idk--I don't know, imbl--it must be love, kit--keep in touch, paw--parents are watching, lol-- laugh out loud, xlnt--excellent!
It seems like another language, and it is!The passage is meant for
| A．children | B．teachers |
| C．parents | D．Net bar owners |
In order to keep children safe online, you'd better
| A．not allow them to use the Internet |
| B．surf the Internet together with them |
| C．teach them to use correct Net words |
| D．choose suitable websites and chatrooms for them |
If you stand beside him when your son is chatting about something secret online, he may use
A. bbfn B. 1ol C cul8er D. pawWhich of the following will the author probably agree with?
| A．The chat language is strange to adults. |
| B．The Internet is not good for children. |
| C．Children can chat so much online. |
| D．The Internet is a good place for children. |
Shopping is not as simple as you may think! There are all sorts of tricks at play each time we reach out for that particular brand of product on the shelf.
Coloring, for example, varies according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packaged in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors. Ice cream packets are often blue and expensive goods, like chocolates, are gold or silver.
When some kind of pain killer was brought out recently, researchers found that the colors turned the customers off because they made the product look weak and ineffective. Eventually, it came on the market in a dark blue and white package—blue because we think of it as safe, and white as calm.
The size of a product can attract a shopper. But quite often a bottle doesn’t contain as much as it appears to.
It is believed that the better-known companies spend, on average, 70 percent of the total cost of the product itself on packaging!
The most successful producers know that it’s not enough to have a good product. The founder of Pears soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to promote (推销) their goods, came to the conclusion: “Any fool can make soap, but it takes a genius to sell it.”Which of the following may trick a shopper into buying a product according to the text?
| A．The cost of its package. |
| B．The price of the product. |
| C．The color of its package. |
| D．The brand name of the product. |
The underlined part “the colors turned the customers off” (in Para.3) means that the colors _________.
| A．attracted the customers strongly |
| B．caused the customers to lose interest |
| C．tricked the customers into shopping |
| D．had weak effects on the customers |
Which of the following is the key to the success in product sales?
| A．The way to promote goods. |
| B．The team to produce a good product. |
| C．The discovery of a genius. |
| D．The brand name used by successful producers. |
Which of the following would be the best title for this text?
| A．Choice of Good Products |
| B．Disadvantages of Products |
| C．Effect of Packaging on Shopping |
| D．Brand Names and Shopping Tricks |
Knowing about yourself not only means finding out what you’re good at and what you like, but also means discovering what you’re not good at and what you don’t like. Both help you to see your aim （目标）in life.
Although most students would be unhappy if they failed a very difficult physics examination, they have in fact learned a lot about themselves. They know that they should not become engineers or physical scientists. So failing can help a student to live a happier life if he learns something from it. They may then decide on their aims and choose the work they like and are fit for.
It is impossible to decide whether you like something until you have tried it. If you decide to play the piano, you need to take more than one lesson before knowing whether you are really interested in it or able to do well. It is not enough if you want to be a great pianist. You also have to like the hard practice and long training. If you enjoy being a great pianist but hate the work, forget it.
It’s a good plan to try as many ideas as possible when you are young. Then you will find out what your true interests are.If you say you really know yourself,_______________.
| A．you know what you don’t like |
| B．you know what you are good at |
| C．you have no interest in your work |
| D．you’ve got the whole picture of yourself |
Failing can turn into something good ______________.
| A．if you have aim in life |
| B．if your decision is fight |
| C．if you lead a happier life |
| D．if you learn something from it |
What can we learn from the second paragraph?
| A．Failure is a better mirror |
| B．No one is fit for the job of a physical scientist |
| C．Success is more helpful |
| D．Physics can help students live a better life |