Culture and Cuisine
The United States is known for jazz and blue jeans．But travel to Paris and ask your average French citizen about American cuisine (烹饪) and he’s likely to answer，“ McDonalds．” Ask the same thing of any American citizen on any American street and I’m afraid you’d get the same answer，or something close to it．
Hamburgers and hotdogs and fries are all fine，but with American malls and other outlets standardizing everything from clothing to food，the sad truth is that American cuisine is becoming more homogeneous―all the same―no matter where you live．True，many Americans are eating more varied foods these days，but these are largely the cuisines of immigrant groups，and they are quite likely to be affected by homogenization of American cuisine．
So what exactly is American cuisine？ Well，to some extent it is a reflection of our melting pot culture，meaning that Europeans made huge contributions in the form of wheat，dairy products，pork，beef and poultry．But American cuisine also includes products that once were known only to the New World，including potatoes，corn，pumpkin，sweet potatoes，and peanuts．
The one region of the country where you still find all these things in daily use is the Deep South．The South lost the Civil War，but children of the southerners are winning the battle to preserve and advance their cooking traditions—and in this case one of the few cuisines can truly be called American，which is why we’re pleased to have Low Country cuisine in this issue of food creation．That’s right，grits and gravy are back in a big way in cities like Charleston and Savannah．Truth is，they never really left，but up until a decade ago Low Country cuisine was more common at home than in restaurants．
In fact，a large number of tourists now go to the lower Atlantic region in order to experience this extraordinary cuisine for themselves．Time will tell whether Low Country cuisine becomes popular in other regions of the country in the way that，say，Italian cuisine has，but it’s amazing and heartening to see one of our true cultural treasures enjoying renewed popularity in these increasingly homogeneous times．According to the passage，American cuisine impresses people as being _______．
| A．dull and changeless |
| B．rich and various |
| C．popular and delicious |
| D．disagreeable and unpleasant |
It can be seen that the writer feels regretful that _______．
| A．cuisines of other countries play a more important role in America |
| B．American cuisine has become increasingly lacking in variety |
| C．American cuisine tends to vary because of immigration |
| D．American cuisine is being changed by foreign cuisines |
From the passage，we know that grits and gravy _______．
| A．were cooked with new materials after the Civil War |
| B．are gaining popularity in the south of America |
| C．were more popular over ten years ago |
| D．are seldom served in restaurants |
What’s the writer’s attitude towards the renewal of Low Country cuisine in America？
| A．Concerned and cautious． |
| B．Hopeless and doubtful． |
| C．Positive and supportive． |
| D．Critical and disapproving． |
Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn't exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin's work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of imagination, ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin's grand entrance for a long time!The text is mainly about ________.
| A．a strange man |
| B．an unusual party |
| C．how roller skating began |
| D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century |
People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he ________.
| A．often gave others surprises | B．was a gifted musician |
| C．invented the roller skates | D．was full of imagination |
Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________.
| A．impress the party guests | B．arrive at the party sooner |
| C．test his invention | D．show his skill in walking on wheels |
What is the main point that the writer tries to convey(表达) in the last paragraph?
| A．The roller skates was dangerous and harmful. |
| B．The party guests thought Merlin was a fool. |
| C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation. |
| D．Merlin should never do that again. |
I got your letter and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again in Tennessee, promising to do better for me than anybody else can.
Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again and see Allen, Esther, Green, and Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this.
I want to know particularly what the good chance is you propose to give me. I am doing tolerably well here in Ohio. I get twenty-five dollars a month, with food and clothing; have a comfortable home for Mandy, the folks call her Mrs. Anderson; and the children—Milly, Jane, and Grundy—go to school and are learning well. The teacher says Grundy has a head for a preacher. We are kindly treated.
Now, if you will write and say what wages you will give me, I will be better able to decide whether it would be to my advantage to move back again. We have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores and rely on your justice and friendship in the future. I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, and Mandy twenty years. At twenty-five dollars a month for me, and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand six hundred and eighty dollars. Add to this the interest for the time our wages have been kept back, and deduct（扣除）what you paid for our clothing, and three doctor’s visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past, we can have little faith in your promises in the future.
In answering this letter, please state if there would be any safety for my Milly and Jane, who are now grown up, and both good-looking girls. I would rather stay here and starve—and die, if it should come to that—than have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young Masters. You will also please state if there has been any schools opened for the colored children in your neighborhood. The great desire of my life now is to give my children an education and have them form virtuous habits.
Say howdy to George Carter, and thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me.According to the passage, the letter was written by Jourdon to his former _______.
| A．friend | B．master | C．neighbor | D．relative |
Which of the following is RIGHT according to the passage?
| A．The family name of this letter writer is Anderson. |
| B．The writer is paid the same as he was in Tennessee. |
| C．The writer will certainly get at least 11,680 dollars. |
| D．Safety rather than education weighs a lot to the writer. |
The writer’s description of his present situation implies that _______.
| A．he shows his intention of going back in Tennessee |
| B．he is somewhat richer and does not need to go back |
| C．his life is relatively good but still needs improvement |
| D．he is not a little satisfied with his present life in Ohio |
The purpose of the writer’s asking for his pay back is _______.
| A．to show he needs that amount of money urgently |
| B．to show he is determined to get what he deserved |
| C．to test whether the letter receiver is worthy of trust |
| D．to tell the letter receiver he still has faith in him |
From the passage, we can see the writer is very _______.
| A．wise | B．stupid | C．greedy | D．generous |
A new report said scientists may not be far from giving apes the ability to think and talk like humans. The report is about experiments which transplant human cells into animals for medical purposes.
It claimed that concerns about the creation of talking apes should be taken seriously. It should also draw people’s attention to the possibility that the medical research about creating “humanised” animals is going to generate monsters.
A regulatory（监管的）body is needed to closely monitor any experiments that many risk creating animals with human-like consciousness or giving them any appearance or behavioural traits that too closely resemble humans, the report said.
Scientists would, for example, be prevented from replacing a large number of an ape’s brain cells with human brain cells until more is known about the potential risks. This has already been done in simpler animals like mice, which is judged to be less risky.
Under the new UK guidelines, the power to regulate tests on animals containing human material would be transferred to a body with wider responsibility for animal testing in the Home Office.
While there is no risk from experiments currently being carried out in Britain, it is possible that ethical (道德的) boundaries could be crossed within the next few years if scientists are not careful, the experts said.
Professor Thomas Baldwin, a member of the Academy of Medical Sciences working group that produced the report, said the possibility of humanised apes should be taken seriously.
He said, “The fear is that if you start putting very large numbers of human brain cells into the brains of primates（灵长类动物）you might transform the primates into something that has some of the abilities that we regard as distinctly human, such as speech, or other ways of being able to manipulate or relate to us.”
Professor Martin Bobrow, chair of the academy working group that produced the report, said, “The very great majority of experiments present no issues beyond the general use of animals in research and these should continue to proceed under the current regulations.”
Lord Willis, chair of the Association of Medical Research Charities, said, “AMRC only supports research that is absolutely necessary and where no suitable alternative methods are available.”What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Ethical rules to limit humanised animals. |
| B．The potential results of humanised apes. |
| C．The possibility of humanised animals. |
| D．The danger of human-like animals. |
The underlined word “manipulate” in the passage probably means “_______”.
| A．appeal | B．possess | C．control | D．associate |
Which of the following statements might Professor Thomas Baldwin agree with?
| A．It is necessary to do some experiments about humanised animals. |
| B．Experiments about humanised animals should be done within the law. |
| C．It would be dangerous to do experiments about humanised animals. |
| D．It is urgent to ban experiment about humanised animals. |
It can be inferred that _______.
| A．people should be careful when creating talking apes |
| B．Thomas Baldwin and Lord Willis are from the same organization |
| C．creating humanised animals is difficult in Britain now |
| D．scientists must be cautious not to cross ethical boundaries |
Researchers at Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology say they have found further proof that the wolf ancestors of today’s dogs can be from southern East Asia -- findings that are contrary to theories placing the birth place in the Middle East. Dr Peter Savolainen, KTH researcher in evolutionary genetics, says a new study released Nov. 23 confirms that an Asian region south of the Yangtze River was the principal and probably the only region where wolves were domesticated（驯化）by humans.
Research data show clearly that dogs are descended from wolves, but there’s never been scientific agreement on where in the world the domestication process began. “Our analysis of Y-chromosomal（染色体）DNA now confirms that wolves were first domesticated in Asia south of Yangtze River -- we call it the ASY region -- in southern China or Southeast Asia,” Savolainen says.
The Y data supports previous evidence from mitochondrial（线粒体）DNA. “Taken together, the two studies provide very strong evidence that dogs appeared first in the ASY region,” Savolainen says.
Archaeological data and a genetic study recently published in Nature suggest that dogs originate from the Middle East. But Savolainen rejects that view. “Because none of these studies included samples from the ASY region, evidence from ASY has been overlooked,” he says.
Peter Savolainen and PhD student Mattias Oskarsson worked with Chinese colleagues to analyse DNA from male dogs around the world. Their study was published in the scientific journal Heredity.
Approximately half of the gene pool was universally shared everywhere in the world, while only the ASY region had the entire range of genetic diversity. “This shows that gene pools in all other regions of the world most probably originate from the ASY region,” Savolainen says.
“Our results confirm that Asia south of the Yangtze River was the most important -- and probably the only -- region for wolf domestication, and that a large number of wolves were domesticated,” says Savolainen.
In separate research published recently in Ecology and Evolution, Savolainen, PhD student Arman Ardalan and Iranian and Turkish scientists conducted a comprehensive study of mitochondrial DNA, with a particular focus on the Middle East. Because mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother in most species, it is especially useful in studying evolutionary relationships.
“Since other studies have indicated that wolves were domesticated in the Middle East, we wanted to be sure nothing had been missed. We find no signs whatsoever that dogs originated there,” says Savolainen.
In their studies, the researchers also found minor genetic contributions from crossbreeding between dogs and wolves in other geographic regions, including the Middle East.
“This subsequent dog/wolf hybridisation（混合淡化技术）contributed only modestly to the dog gene pool,” Savolainen explains.What does Dr. Peter Savolainen believe?
A. Dogs’ ancestors came from the Middle East.
B. Wolves were probably first trained to work for humans in the ASY region.
C. Analysis of Y-chromosomal DNA should be combined with mitochondrial DNA.
D. Samples of the previous studies are enough to support the conclusion.We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．there is a universal agreement on the place of first domestication |
| B．data from ASY may highlight where dogs came from |
| C．Dr. Savolainen’s research mainly focuses on the Middle East |
| D．the dog/wolf hybridization makes up most of the dog gene pool |
What is special about mitochondrial DNA?
| A．It is only used in studying evolutionary relationships. |
| B．It alone can provide hard evidence for Savolainen’s research. |
| C．It is the most useful in finding out the birth place of dogs. |
| D．It comes from the mother of most animals and plants. |
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Office of Admissions
Financial Aid
Our goal in admissions and financial aid is clear: We want to bring the best people to Harvard, regardless of their ability to pay — and we do. About 70 percent of our students receive some form of aid, with over 60 percent receiving need–based scholarships.
Two principles guide us:
· Admission to Harvard is need-blind, by which we mean that financial need is not a barrier to admission. International students have the same access to financial aid as United States citizens.
· Financial aid at Harvard is entirely need–based and we are committed to meeting the demonstrated need of all students. Students apply for aid annually and every year we review our financial aid program, considering such things as any changed student or family circumstances, university resources, and demand.
Removing Economic Barriers
In the past decade we have increased financial aid for low and middle income families by over 180%. No contribution is expected from parents with incomes under $65,000. Beginning with the class of 2016, those parents with annual incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 are asked to contribute from zero to ten percent of their income. Some families with incomes above $150,000 still qualify for aid. Families at all incomes who have significant assets（资产）will continue to pay more than those in less fortunate circumstances. Students are also asked to contribute to the cost of their education through term-time and summer work.
Families with higher incomes facing unusual financial challenges may also qualify for need–based scholarship assistance, yet those with significant assets at all income levels are asked to contribute proportionately（成比例的）more.
Our financial aid program includes an array of financing options beyond our need–based scholarship program, such as a parent monthly payment plan, various loan programs and the opportunity to pre–pay tuition for four years at a student’s freshman year rate.
There are also other forms of financial assistance such as the Faculty Aide Program, the Harvard College Research Program and the Dean’s Summer Research Program that enable students to create paid partnerships with teachers on academic projects of mutual interest. Over two-thirds of Harvard students choose to work during their time in Cambridge and gain valuable job experience working in a wide array of University settings, including our libraries, dining halls, museums and academic departments.
We hope you will visit our websitesfor a fuller description of our comprehensive program of financial assistance.Admission to Harvard is need-blind in that _______.
| A．Harvard does take into account students’ economic situations |
| B．Students’ ability to pay does not affect their admissions to Harvard |
| C．Students need to pay big money to Harvard after they are admitted |
| D．The majority of students in Harvard do not need financial aids |
Based on the requirements above, we can learn that _______.
| A．parents with annual incomes of over $ 150,000 needn’t contribute |
| B．financial aids are not intended for families with higher incomes |
| C．wealthier families are expected to contribute more to Harvard |
| D．students are not encouraged to pay the cost of their education |
In what way can students get financial assistance from Harvard?
| A．Students can be offered paid-work opportunities outside Harvard. |
| B．Students can have opportunities to get loans for their education. |
| C．Students can pay for their education in Harvard within one month. |
| D．Students earn money by assisting teachers in Cambridge University. |