There are 10 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four alternative choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the one that best completes the sentence. 1. True friendship must be based on __B___ the joys as well as troubles. A) participating B) sharing C) owing D) possessing
2. He was taken on for a three-month trial period before being accepted as a(an) ___D____ member of staff. A) lasting B) eternal C) persistent D) permanent
3. Belief in the ____A__ of higher education is shared by students nationwide, so there are more and more students preparing for the entrance examinations for colleges. A) utility B) profit C) function D) advantage
4. I'm interested in _C_____ architecture so I travel to Europe very often to visit various famous buildings. A) classic B) authoritative C) classical D) influential
5. The critics found her latest novel rather _____D_, and did not think highly of it. A) slight B) interesting C) decreasing D) thin
6. I never __B____ she was the guilty one until she was arrested.
A) understood B) figured C) calculated D) informed
7. Till one day my mother, a(an) __C____ woman, seeing I had changed, followed me and saw me with a beautiful white woman. A) open-eyed B) sleepless C) watchful D) noted
8. The parents lost their son in the Vietnam War, and the tragedy __D____ an eternal shadow on their lives. A) threw B) shaped C) tossed D) cast
9. Andrew has a very ___D___ way of dealing with junk mail -- he returns it to the sender. A) sensitive B) sentimental C) senseless D) sensible
10. Fixed wages and ___B___ of promotion act as a disincentive to employees, so it is urgent to carry out the reforms in wages. A) inadequacy B) lack C) want D) need
There are 10 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four alternative choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the one that best completes the sentence.
1. Cathy was shocked to __A____ the death of the old man, with whom she had talked the day before. A) learn about B) learn from C) learn off D) learn on
2. The style of the dishes is moderately spicy, similar ____D__ Thai food, but definitely with our own character. A) on B) by C) of D) to
3. Hundreds of people have been arrested and there are reports from prison that there are many people __B____. A) tortured B) being tortured C) been tortured D) torturing
4. To be frank, your project is not ___D___ with our company's long-term aims; we can't approve it. A) competitive B) comparative C) convertible D) compatible
5. To those who understand ___B___ service, it is no surprise that tension and emotional problems are so prevalent in our me-first society.
A) self B) selfless C) self-sufficient D) selfish
6. The General Manager is responsible ___C___ the Board of Directors for the management and organization of the on-campus student accommodation. A) in B) of C) to D) for
7. I end up getting my heart __A____. For so many years, I was never expressive with my feelings. A) hardened B) hardening C) hardens D) being hardened 8. It wounded her delicate __A____ to be addressed in such a vulgar manner. A) sensibilities B) sensibility C) sensitivities D) sensitivity
9. \said the boy, ___C___ to the man, his eyes ______ wide, and his right hand raised. A) turned ?opened B) turning ?opening C) turning ?opened D) turned ?opening
10. This all changed in 1934 with the discovery of The Book of Margery Kempe in a library where it had __D____ for four hundred years. A) laid hidden B) lied hidden C) lain hiding D) lain hidden
There are 10 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four alternative choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the one that best completes the sentence.
1. A priest who looks after the ___B___ needs of an organization such as a university, hospital or prison is a chaplain. A) financial B) religious C) spiritual D) medical
2. She was sorry for her not having phoned. But she had been __D____ busy preparing for the next exam. A) unavoidably B) inevitably C) inextricably D) incredibly
3. It is universally believed that an autobiography is often less _A_____ than a biography. A) truthful B) true C) reliable D) honest
4. Believe it or not, I have done nothing wrong. At least I can face them with a clear ___B___. A) look B) conscience C) mind D) face
5. The __C____ of understanding is for two ends: first, our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others. A) rise B) reason C) improvement D) decline
6. Under democracy one party always __D____ its chief energies to trying to prove that the other parties are unfit to rule. A) diverts B) turns C) dedicates D) devotes
7. It has been __A____, and now even crucial, for China to invite experienced professionals from abroad. A) unavoidable B) inevitable C) sure D) certain
8. Religion is something left over from the infancy of our intelligence, it will fade away as we __B____ reason and science as our guidelines. A) adapt B) adopt C) abandon D) adore
9. These diseases __D____ a vicious circle of poverty and hopelessness by depressing production.? A) increase B) worsen C) deteriorate D) reinforce
10. Peter loves his mother very much and he also loves his wife. To him, they ___B___ equally.
A) value B) count C) weigh D) counter
There are 10 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four alternative choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the one that best completes the sentence.
1. Kittens are more likely than older cats to carry the bacteria and to ___C___ the infection to humans. A) transfer B) transplant C) transmit D) transform
2. Two Indonesians ___B___ bird flu, apparently after contact with sick chickens, raising the country's death toll to 115. A) have died from B) have died of C) have died for D) have died out
3. The writer was _C_____ in his writing that he forgot to flick the ashes from his cigar. A) devoted B) dedicated C) absorbed D) focused
4. Despite the financial tsunami, the committee could see no __B____ for a pay cut. A) excuse B) justification C) defense D) indication
5. The successful series was first co-hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark, and later on they appeared only occasionally, ___A___ for various guest hosts. A) having made room B) have made room C) making rooms D) having made a room
6. At least eight species have been ___D___ from human patients with phaeohyphomycosis(暗色丝饱霉病), causing infections that range from superficial skin lesions(损害、损伤)to disseminated diseases. A) suspended B) set apart C) secluded D) isolated
7. She would not feel nervous about having to teach that class. By October she ___B___ teaching for fifteen years. A) has been B) will have been C) is to be D) is going to be
8. If there is such an illness, we must concern ourselves ___A___ it as though we were having that illness. A) with B) about C) to D) on
9. The situation requires that citizens ___B___ vote for a President who has the ability to improve the quality of life in the United States. A) could B) should C) ought D) would
10. The teacher wishes the students ____C__ more motivated, but he still helps the class as a whole, not just the ones who show promise. A) are B) would have been C) were D) would be
There are 10 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four alternative choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the one that best completes the sentence.
1. There are so many universities in China that it takes time to find one that will ___C___ your child's needs. A) match B) fit with C) suit D) suit with
2. As a matter of fact, when you ___B___ it, most of what he says doesn't make sense. A) think of B) think about C) think out D) think through
3. The taxi that he had ordered ___D___ arrived and we drove off immediately so that we made it to the airport on time. A) just B) finally C) soon D) duly
4. Fresh watermelons are ____D__ available in most grocery stores when they are in season.
A) very B) commonly C) easily D) readily
5. Opening the door, he found himself __C____ a dozen policemen with guns. A) confronting B) confronted with C) confronted by D) confronting at
6. Gina Fratini, David Neil and Benny Ong, __D____, became famous when the princess wore their designs. A) so on and so forth B) in addition C) as a whole D) to name just a few
7. More women are __B____ positions of power in public life now no matter whether they're in developed countries or in developing ones. A) retaining B) attaining C) containing D) attending
8. After a violent earthquake, buildings and structures may __A____ serious secondary disasters. A) induce B) introduce C) increase D) reduce
9. It's impossible to conceive how any rational being could __B____ happiness to himself from the exercise of power over others. A) commit B) propose C) compose D) devote
10. People usually __D____ Japan with such high-tech consumer products as DVDs, mobile phones and digital cameras. A) relate B) consume C) link D) associate
There are 10 incomplete sentences in this part. For each sentence there are four alternative choices marked A), B), C) and D). Choose the one that best completes the sentence. 1. In fact, the talks resulted ___C___ reducing the number of missiles. A) at B) from C) in D) upon
2. It took some time for Theresa to get used to her husband's __A____. A) peculiarities B) traits C) features D) characteristics
3. Firms can no longer safely __B____ that every employee walking in the door has similar beliefs or expectations. A) suppose B) assume C) presume D) postulate
4. The quality- __C____ life year (QALY) is a measure of disease burden, including both the quality and the quantity of life lived. A) adapted B) adapting C) adjusted D) adjusting
5. Tools help people co-operate only __D____ they help them share goals and terminology. A) when B) on the condition that C) so that D) to the extent that
6. Many of these individuals ___A___ the creation of this website, by contributing valuable observations and practical information about culture. A) have shared in B) have shared with C) have been shared D) are sharing
7. On her feet she wore linen stockings and prison shoes, and round her head was tied a white handkerchief, ___B___ a few locks of black hair were brushed. A) from which B) from under which C) out of which D) under which
8. The new secretary is a quick, __D____ employee, and the boss is quite satisfied with her. A) effective B) effectual C) infective D) efficient
9. To be considered chronically homeless, persons __B____ in a place not meant for human habitation or in an emergency shelter during that time.
A) must be sleeping B) must have been sleeping C) should have been sleeping D) should sleep
10. In recent years, New Zealand's earliest colonial heritage and _C_____ landscapes are affected by encroaching incompatible development. A) associating cultural B) associated culture C) associated cultural D) associating culture
听力 Listening Comprehension
Listen to a long conversation. At the end of the conversation, five questions will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. A) To invite Han Meimei to visit him. B) To ask Han Meimei to attend his sister's birthday party. C) To tell Han Meimei to send a present for Bob's birthday. D) To tell Han Meimei he would return for the National Day. 2. A) He is a nurse. B) He has a serious illness. C) He is a doctor. D) His birthday is around the corner. 3. A) Athletic B) Shy C) Pretty D) Strong 4. A) 4 B) 5 C) 6 D) 7 5. A) Classmates. B) Husband and wife. C) Friends. D) Brother and sister. Listening Comprehension
Listen to 8 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, one question will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. A) She agrees with the man. B) She is upset. C) She does not agree to it. D) She is indifferent.
2. A) She should be criticized. B) She did nothing wrong. C) She is too young. D) She has already grown up. 3. A) Because there was no food at home. B) To celebrate her birthday. C) To look for her husband. D) To celebrate her 30th year of marriage. 4. A) Because the furniture is broken. B) Because they are going to change the furniture. C) Because they have moved into a new house. D) Because the furniture does not suit the new house.
5. A) A store. B) A hotel. C) A restaurant. D) A hospital. 6. A) He would like to propose to Jenny. B) He would like to date Jenny. C) He would like to meet Jenny. D) He would like to introduce himself to Jenny. 7. A) There's plenty of fish in the sea. B) He and Helen have fallen in love.
C) He and Helen have broken up. D) He and Helen have been engaged. 8. A) Have a meeting with his client. B) Have a meeting with all his staff. C) Have a break. D) Pick up his client at the airport.
Listen to 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, some questions will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Passage One
1. A) Because there are different languages. B) Because the English word \ C) Because of cultural differences. D) Because there is a debate.
2. A) We can't determine what isn't love. B) Hate is a general expression of negative sentiment. C) There is always a clear boundary between love and friendship. D) Theoretically speaking, love seldom refers to interpersonal relationships. 3. A) They appear before the Middle Age. B) They are written in ancient poetry. C) They have little changed. D) They come from Europe. Passage Two
1. A) Because it is a togetherness of 50 or 60 years. B) Because it proves the possibility of a lifelong loving relationship. C) Because they are loyal to marriage. D) Because they woke up and saw each other many thousands of days. 2. A) Staying truly in love with only one person is a wonder. B) A lifelong love is a choice. C) It demands a lot of effort to maintain a loving relationship. D) Grandparents stayed in love with little hard work. 3. A) Sharing his or her thoughts with their partner. B) Depending on his or her partner. C) Knowing that marriage is a must. D) Keeping some privacy.
4. A) Saying your ideas out loud. B) Keeping resentments from one's spouse. C) Listening. D) Communicating. Passage Three
1. A) The pope. B) The Roman Emperor C) A Roman who died on Feb. 14. D) The jailor's daughter. 2. A) On February 14, 269 A.D. B) In 1800's. C) On February 14, 496 A.D. D) Not Given.
3. A) She was the first American who sent Valentine's Day cards. B) She was the person who invented Valentine's Day cards. C) She was the one who introduced Valentine's Day to the U.S. D) She was living in Colorado. Listening Comprehension
Listen to a long conversation. At the end of the conversation, five questions will be asked. Choose
the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. A) Johannesburg. B) Cape Town. C) Durban. D) New York. 2. A) It is the biggest city in South Africa. B) It is a dense city. C) It is the capital of South Africa. D) It is the business centre in South Africa. 3. A) Cape Town B) Johannesburg C) Durban D) New York 4. A) The black people. B) The colored people. C) Indians. D) The white people. 5. A) The black people. B) Asian people. C) Mixes of all races. D) A mixture between black and white. Listening Comprehension
Listen to a long conversation. At the end of the conversation, five questions will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. A) At the man's home. B) In a clinic. C) In a hospital. D) In a café?
2. A) Some food. B) A cup of tea. C) A tree. D) A book. 3. A) Yes, he has a headache. B) No, he only feels sick. C) Yes, he has diarrhea or vomiting. D) Yes, he's getting the chills. 4. A) During the day. B) During the night. C) Both day and night. D) She'll be on vacation.
5. A) Jay Adams. B) Jack Adams. C) Jack Adam. D) Not given.
Listen to 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, some questions will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Passage One
1. A) Through body contact with an AIDS patient. B) Through daily contact with an HIV positive person. C) Through contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is HIV positive. D) Through body contact with someone who is HIV positive. 2. A) To produce blood. B) To help fight disease by killing viruses. C) To repair damaged cells. D) To help digest.
3. A) He may feel perfect for a long time and knows nothing about his infection at all. B) He becomes weak immediately. C) He is always ill. D) He knows that he is infected from the very beginning. Passage Two
1. A) The equivalent of the brain. B) The organism inside the head. C) An abstract term for the workings of the brain. D) Not given.
2. A) The mind-body problem is still to be resolved. B) The brain is directly connected by nerves to all other parts of the body. C) It is easy for us to consider the mind independent from the body. D) Humans are always aware of what is going on in their brains.
3. A) Body and mind are two independent and possibly interrelated entities. B) Body and mind are two dependent and interrelated entities. C) Body and mind are two absolutely independent entities. D) Body and mind are two definitely interrelated entities. 4. A) The soul remains instead of the body when someone dies. B) The spirit departs from the body when someone dies. C) The mind takes the place of the body when someone dies. D) Neither the mind nor the body will remain when someone dies. Passage Three
1. A) By telephone. B) By questionnaire. C) By email. D) By mail.
2. A) The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus three percentage points. B) 26% U.S. residents believed the administration would not be able to make real progress in reforming the health care system. C) More than 1/4 U.S. residents approve to raise taxes on families and businesses with incomes of more than $200,000 annually. D) The survey was done on Jan. 11.
3. A) New York Times/CBS News B) Washington Post/ABC News C) Washington Post/CBS News D) New York Times/ABC News Reading Comprehension Listening Comprehension
Listen to 8 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, one question will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. A) She is on business. B) She is traveling. C) She is visiting her friend. D) She is studying there. 2. A) At the theatre. B) At the railway station. C) At the restaurant. D) At the airport. 3. A) He wants to get the advertised position. B) He wants Sunday's Times. C) He wants to publish an advertisement in Sunday's Times. D) He needs help.
4. A) He wants to change the time of the appointment. B) He has a headache. C) He wants to have his annual check-up. D) He has a stomachache. 5. A) By cash. B) With Visa. C) With Master Card. D) With American Express. 6. A) At the man's home. B) At the woman's home. C) At Rex. D) At the Italian restaurant.
7. A) The woman needs to arrive earlier. B) The man has to work overtime. C) The woman dislikes air travel. D) The man has to go to the bank first. 8. A) Answer his phone. B) Call his lawyer. C) Pick up the newspaper. D) Take notes at the meeting.
Listen to 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, some questions will be asked. Choose the
best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Passage One
1. A) To build Project Hope primary schools in poor rural areas. B) To establish Project Hope scholarships. C) To carry out distance education initiatives and training rural teachers. D) All the above.
2. A) 93.9 percent. B) 63.5 percent. C) 80 percent. D) 16 percent. 3. A) All the money that Project Hope received is domestic donations. B) All Project Hope primary schools and students aided by the project are in China's middle and western regions. C) There are still some 34 million students from poor families that need aid nationwide. D) Project Hope is the largest and most influential non-government welfare project in China.
Passage Two
1. A) She is a resident in the neighborhood. B) She is an education official. C) She is a school teacher. D) She is a City Councilwoman.
2. A) Because the plan would further divide the 1.1 million-student school system into layers. B) Because they wanted neighborhood children to have priority in admission to the new school. C) Because in the original plan, the new high school is a 1,650-student school. D) Because the new high school would bring an influx of teenagers and traffic to the already crowded area.
3. A) The students living in all the Queens school districts. B) The students living in three of the Queens school districts. C) The students attending five schools that Ms. Crowley had specified. D) The students in Maspeth.
4. A) It is expected to open in 2012. B) It is to be built on the site of the former Restaurant Depot. C) It is to be built on 74th Street and 57th Avenue. D) The land on which the new school is to be built has been purchased by the city. Passage Three
1. A) University of Southern California. B) U.S.C.'s Office of International Services. C) California State Government. D) The Institution of International Education in New York.
2. A) Because the American students don't want to make friends with them. B) Because international students often want to spend their free time with friends from their own country or group. C) Because the offices do not look for ways to help them. D) Because they have language problems.
3. A) Helping international students work out their course schedule. B) Helping international students get involved in school life and make American friends. C) Helping family members who come to the United States with international students.
D) Organizing programs to help foreign students feel more at ease in their new surroundings. Listening Comprehension
Listen to 8 short conversations. At the end of each conversation, one question will be asked. Choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). 1. A) He had been thinking about finding a new job. B) He had been thinking of the position in the accounts department. C) He had been thinking of getting promoted. D) He had been thinking of stepping into big business. 2. A) He should ask the girl on a date directly. B) He should sit down next to the girl and begin a conversation naturally. C) He should invite the girl to a cafeteria. D) He should ask the girl to go out with him.
3. A) Looking for a restaurant. B) Discussing on an address. C) Waiting for a male friend. D) Waiting for a female friend. 4. A) Pan seared salmon steak. B) Sweet and sour shrimp. C) Tip of sirloin with sauted mushrooms. D) A vegetarian entr閑. 5. A) Tennis. B) Karate. C) Windsurfing. D) Judo.
6. A) In the city. B) In the country. C) With her family. D) With the man. 7. A) A desk. B) A coffee table. C) A bookshelf D) A high chair. 8. A) Because the salary is not good. B) Because he prefers to stay at university. C) Because he is so busy that he does not have time to enjoy life. D) Because he does not like his current job.
阅读 Passage One
College students who want to be rich with lifelong friends need to invest time and seek out opportunities to develop their interests now, says a Purdue University communication expert. \there are many technological and media distractions,\says Glenn Sparks, a professor of communication who studied the 19-year friendships of a group of 1983 college graduates. The geographic and personal distance between people continues to grow, and there are some harmful effects for those who lack quality relationships. Friends are essential because they provide emotional stability in a person's life. \make investments, and it is never too early to start.\
Sparks was part of a research team that followed the friendships of 32 pairs of same-sex and 13 pairs of male-female best friends from 1983 to 2002. The initial quality and closeness of their friendships were measured in different ways, including how well they played a game that assessed levels of communication and understanding. Follow-up studies took place in 1987 and 2002. Sixty-four of the individuals, including at least one friend from 38 of the pairs, participated in the 2002 study.
On average, the participants in this study moved six times during 19 years, and the typical distance between friends was 895 miles. In addition to geographic distance, friendships also were affected
by romantic relationships, careers and children.
\can be a rarity in today's changing environment,\in this age of constant mobility. When something good or bad happens, pick up the phone to share the news with a close friend. Every time you do this it reinforces the friendship, and that can add up over the years.\
Sparks said he is concerned that today's college students' emerging friendships will be influenced by technological distractions, such as the Internet, television and online games. Some college students may not be as likely to meet new people because they are using the Internet to communicate with friends at home. \offers great capabilities to keep in touch with people, but it also can keep us from really getting to know someone,\
And for those no longer in college, Sparks says there is indirect evidence from this study that lapsed friendships may be restarted successfully even after a lull in communication for years. \find a friendship that will last your whole life, and that is a great thing.\
1. Which of the following factors is NOT mentioned to lead to the difficulty in maintain long-term true friendships? A) Marriage distraction. B) Technological distraction. C) Distance distraction. D) Media distraction.
2. What kind of research method is adopted by Spark's team? A) Longitudinal study(历时研究). B) Experiment. C) Interview. D) Questionnaire.
3. According to Spark's study, all of the following are factors affecting relationships except __________. A) geographic distance B) romantic relationship C) career D) personality
4. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word \ A) secure B) host C) attach D) fasten 5. Which of the following statements is true? A) There are no harmful effects for those who lack quality friends. B) It is too late to make investments to friendship for a college student. C) From Spark's study, it is obvious that one can maintain the lost friendship even after a lack of communication for years. D) To some extent, the Internet strengthens the affectionate ties between college students and their friends because of its convenience. Passage Two
I remember the day I found out Ross and Rachel were going to kiss. It was two days before the episode(电视剧集), and I was at lunch with some friends. The word was: Don't miss this week's show. I know how strange that may sound. It certainly wasn't one of the more significant events of the past 10 years, and it was, you know, fictional. But every decade has its defining pop culture moments, and for millions of us who were 20-somethings in the 1990s, that was one.
From the moment Friends first appeared on our screens in 1994, it stood out. The six characters
were friends of mine from college, friends from high school, peers from just being a middle-class, white American entering the post-college world. And I always felt Friends respected me -- and my intelligence. Mostly because the show never seemed to be trying to make the audience laugh. It was more like the characters were laughing with us.
Friends helped restore the \jokes -- and almost always came from situations that the characters themselves didn't realize were funny. To me, that's always been one of the greatest strengths of the show's writing, and has put so many other comedies to shame. After 10 years, according to my math, I've spent more than 85 hours of my life watching Friends. And I don't regret a second.
Whenever newspapers and magazines have written about the Friends phenomenon, they've inevitably followed up with some perplexing letters to the editor. People write in decrying the \like the show, don't watch it.
Of course, some of the complaints do touch on truths. Yes, Friends isn't actually real, and has taken pains to avoid anything remotely controversial -- no real talk about politics or religion -- and has had a notable paucity(少量) of racial diversity. It's not a complete picture of anything in the real world, and it's not supposed to be. However, it has successfully captured a slice of life. And if, decades from now, people look back on this show -- among other things, of course -- to get some insight into the pop culture zeitgeist(时代精神) of 1994?004, that's fine by me.
So now I say goodbye to the program that's achieved so much. It's sad, but not because I'll miss the show. It really is time for it to end. It's sad because the end of Friends means, in this one little way, the end of an era. Basically, it's a reminder that my friends and I are growing up. We're not 20-somethings in coffee shops anymore.
1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A) The author was probably born in 1970s, and is in his thirties with the end of Friends. B) The six characters in Friends were the author's schoolmates and friends in college. C) The author cannot agree with some people's complaints about Friends. D) The author holds that in Friends, characters were laughing at the audience rather than make them laugh.
2. Which of the following statements is NOT the correct understanding of paragraph three? A) In the first sentence, the first \means \development and status of comedies\characters\ B) In the comedy Friends, humor almost came from natural situations and thus doesn't sound pretentious and artificially-made. C) Characters in Friends themselves do not think the humor they present are funny. D) The author's distribution of long hours on Friends shows his strong affection with Friends.
3. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word \ A) Laugh. B) Condemn. C) Disbelieve. D) Disagree.
4. According to the author, which of the following is NOT the weakness of Friends? A) Avoidance of controversial social issues. B) Enlightenment to the popular culture spirit. C) Fiction rather than actual reality.
D) A lack of various races.
5. Where might this article NOT be found? A) In one's personal blog. B) In a newspaper. C) In an entertainment magazine. D) In an academic journal. Passage One On July 1, 2000, Vermont became the first state in the country to legally recognize civil unions between gay or lesbian couples. Building on a state Supreme Court decision in Dec. 1999, which ruled that denying gay couples the benefits of marriage was unconstitutional discrimination, the ground-breaking law grants the same state benefits, civil rights, and protections to same-sex couples as to married couples. In Oct. 2005, Connecticut became the second U.S. state legalizing civil unions. New Jersey became the third in Dec. 2006, and New Hampshire the fourth in 2007. Same-sex unions have provoked enormous controversy on moral and philosophical grounds, but separate from these issues, they have raised a legal quagmire: can a couple of the same sex be married, given that the very definition of marriage is the legal union of a man and a woman? To solve this problem and to protect the legal institution of marriage, Vermont's legislators adopted a different term -- \thus be entitled to the same legal rights as married couples. Vermont was not the first state to attempt socially progressive legislation benefiting gays. In 1993, two men in Hawaii applied for a marriage license and were turned away. The couple brought their case to Hawaii's Supreme Court, which ruled in May 1993 that the denial of the license was equivalent to discrimination -- a violation of the state's constitution. In 1998, the Hawaii legislature took up the issue, and passed a state constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriages, thus rendering the earlier decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court unconstitutional. The progressive Vermont law stands in stark contrast to the antigay marriage laws of more than 32 states and the federal government. Just months before passage of the Vermont law, California -- with an eighth of the United States' population -- voted against recognition of gay unions. Proposition 22, passed on March 7, 2000, ensures that most state benefits of married couples are not extended to same-sex couples. California is not alone. In total, 32 states have passed similar legislation, and on the federal level, the Defense of Marriage Act was passed in 1996, barring federal benefits to same-sex partners. On the other hand, several states in 2000 defeated bills that would have banned state benefits for same-sex unions, including Mississippi, New Hampshire, and New Mexico. In 2008, New York and Oregon became two more states to recognize same-sex unions.
1. According to the passage, \ A) is an equivalent to \ B) only refers to gay marriages C) is a term first adopted in Vermont D) deprives same-sex couples of their legal rights
2. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word \ A) A difficult situation. B) A confusion. C) A challenge. D) A chance.
3. What is California's attitude towards same-sex marriages according to the passage? A) Most of its population approve of same-sex marriages.
B) It has banned certain state benefits for same-sex couples. C) It is the same with Hawaii. D) It has recognized same-sex marriages.
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A) Same-sex unions are still barred in Hawaii. B) It is considered unconstitutional to deny same-sex marriages in Vermont. C) More than half of the states have passed legislation against same-sex unions. D) On the federal level, gay marriages are recognized.
5. According to the passage, _______ states have recognized same-sex marriages by 2008. A) eight B) seven C) six D) five Passage Two A good marriage is one that lasts. Where's divorce in the formula of a good marriage? Merriam Webster defines marriage as the legal relationship into which a man and a woman enter with the purpose of making a home and raising a family. With just its definition, marriage is not a simple thing to get into. It calls for a lot of hard work and effort to survive the stress of marital issues like finances, children, household chores, and more. Divorce offers a grand exit away from quarrelling and fights, from hurt and from other problems that marriage brings. On the other hand, it's also the bus that will take you away from those long and worthwhile conversations with your spouse, from the love and security your marriage offers. It's also the sign that the once brave person who got married is no longer as brave and actually became a coward that takes the easy way out. If you have been brave once, be even more brave and stand up for your marriage. Remember that considering divorce is not a key to a good marriage. There are keys to making your marriage a good one despite some marital clouds. Compromise plays an important role to keep couples together and have a good marriage. Compromise means arriving to an agreement after a dispute because each or both partners have given up their demands and arguments. They both recognized their parts on the issue at hand. With constant compromise, marital issues can be settled without even putting divorce in the picture. When someone feels the hurt is already too much, ending the relationship or marriage is a seemingly good option. But have you tried to forgive your spouse before you even thought of giving up on your marriage? Forgetting previous conflicts is hard to do since it leaves a mark in your memory. But dwelling on those negative emotions has a very destructive effect on you, your partner, and your marriage. Consider trial separation rather than divorce. Some time to cool down is perhaps what you need. If you and your partner just can't stop fighting over almost everything, rest. Give each other a chance to rediscover buried feelings of love, respect, and trust. It is also a great time to remember your good times together as a couple. It also might help you find ways on how to get those times back.
1. According to the definition given by Merriam Webster, which of the following statements is NOT true? A) Marriage is the legal relationship between man and woman. B) The purpose of marriage is to raise a family. C) Divorce offers a way by which people get away from the problems caused by marriage. D) A good marriage demands a lot of hard work. 2. Divorce _______.
A) deprives you of the happiness in marriage B) separates you from the whole family C) turns you into a coward D) is the key to get rid of marital clouds 3. What is \ A) It is the most important element of a good marriage. B) It denies any disagreement or dispute. C) Constant compromise makes divorce unnecessary. D) It requires both partners to give up their claims after a dispute. 4. Why is forgiveness so important in marriage? A) Because there is too much hurt. B) Because it helps you shake off the negative feelings. C) Because it is hard to forget previous conflicts. D) Because you will never think of divorce if you try to forgive. 5. Couples may turn to trial separation _______. A) if they fail to reach compromise in disputes B) if they need time to rest C) when they would like to recall good times D) after a dispute Passage One
Unhappiness used to be considered an unavoidable part of human existence. Knowledge and rationality can help us overcome this dilemma.
Most people oscillate between bursts of happiness and long periods of unhappiness. Only recently have we realized that happiness need not merely be an involuntary emotional response to outside events.
Unhappiness can exist only when our actions, perceptions or expectations are not in alignment with objective reality: when we do not understand what is really happening in Objective Reality, then what is Objective Reality?
Objective Reality is everything that simply exists. Nature is the small part of Objective Reality that surrounds us and people are just as much part of Objective Reality, as trees, the ocean or other galaxies.
If we could have total knowledge of Objective Reality, we would be in complete alignment with the world. Conflicts and problems would disappear because they only arise when our perceptions are in conflict with Objective Reality.
In order to understand Objective Reality, we need to have a view of the way the world really is. We need to separate relevant knowledge, such as Gravity and Probability, from knowledge that is irrelevant to human existence, such as the Big Bang. From cosmology to geology, from evolution to psychology, we need to provide ourselves with the clearest possible perspective of the way things really are.
Above all, he must understand that human \with reality. In order to be aligned with objective reality we need to separate the wheat from the chaff(谷壳). The more we dig, the more chaff we have to shovel, from politics to love, from economics to sex.
Persons who rely on religion for guidance through the hardships of life have to overcome an obstinate hindrance: They need to abandon the illusory comforts of a belief system that is filled with irrationality.
Many people are ineffective in recognizing the reality of problematic situations and thus can not choose between happiness and unhappiness. However, it is within the grasp of modern man to
acquire a thorough understanding of Objective Reality.
Yet, even with modern science, it is still impossible for man to have total knowledge of reality. Therefore it is not possible for him to be in total alignment with Objective Reality at all times. Conflicts and problems are unavoidable. Yet, by perceiving Objective Reality as clearly as possible, we can minimize our conflicts and thus optimize our happiness. 1. According to the passage, ______ can help people avoid being unhappy. A) education B) Objective Reality C) knowledge and rationality D) irrationality
2. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word \ A) Hesitate. B) Move back and forth. C) Change. D) Go.
3. Which of the following knowledge is NOT relevant to human existence? A) Gravity. B) Geology. C) Evolution. D) Big Bang.
4. By using the analogy of separating wheat from chaff, the author means that \ A) politics, love, economics and sex are just like chaff B) in order to get more wheat, we have to shovel more chaff C) in order to be aligned with Objective Reality, we have to know how to separate relevant knowledge from the knowledge irrelevant to human existence D) human 'problems' are actually the result of our misalignment with reality 5. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A) A belief system is illusory because it is filled with irrationality. B) Many people don't know how to be happy because they do not recognize the reality of problematic situations. C) By perceiving Objective Reality, we can be the happiest. D) It is impossible for man to have total knowledge of reality. Therefore it is not possible for him to be in total alignment with Objective Reality at any time. Passage Two
New research from Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Diego suggests that happiness is influenced not only by the people you know, but by the people we don't know. The study showed that happiness spreads through social networks, sort of like a virus, meaning that your happiness could influence the happiness of someone you've never even met.
\and another's,\
\this study shows that indirect relationships also affect happiness. We found a statistical relationship not just between your happiness and your friends' happiness, but between your happiness and your friends' friends' friends' happiness.\
Fowler and Harvard social scientist Nicholas Christakis, have been studying social networks for several years. Last year the pair made headlines when they reported that obesity seems to spread through social groups, so that your chances of becoming overweight are greater when your friends and their friends gain weight.
A related study, published earlier this year, found that smokers were more likely to give up cigarettes when their family, friends, and other social contacts stopped smoking.
Their latest research was designed to determine whether happiness spreads through social networks in a similar way.
The researchers recreated the social networks of 4,739 participants whose happiness was measured from 1983 to 2003. Important family changes for each participant -- such as birth, death, marriage, or divorce -- were also recorded. The participants were also asked to name family members, close friends, co-workers, and neighbors.
After the researchers identified more than 50,000 social and family ties and analyzed the spread of happiness through the group, they concluded that the happiness of an immediate social contact increased an individual's chances of becoming happy by 15%.
The happiness of a second-degree contact, such as the spouse of a friend, increases the likeliness of becoming happy by 10%, and the happiness of a third-degree contact -- or the friend of a friend of a friend -- increases the likelihood of becoming happy by 6%. The association was not seen in fourth-degree contacts.
Having more friends also increased happiness, but having friends who were happy was a much bigger influence on happiness.
Fowler says the findings do not mean you should avoid unhappy people, but that you should make an effort whenever you can to spread happiness.
1. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word \ A) Bad habit. B) Disease. C) Gaining weight. D) Being very fat.
2. Which of the following social contact of a person is fourth-degree? A) His wife. B) His child's teacher's friends. C) His friends' friends' friends. D) His wife's friends' friends' friends.
3. Which social contact is the contact whose happiness has the greatest influence on a person? A) Immediate. B) Second-degree. C) Third-degree. D) Fourth-degree.
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A) Having more friends can make one happier. B) Having friends who are happy is even more important than having more friends if one wants to be happy. C) The people who have closer social ties with a person may have greater influence on that person's happiness. D) The researchers found certain relationship between a person's happiness and his fourth-degree contact's happiness.
5. The most appropriate title for this article should be ______. A) Happiness Is Contagious B) The More Friends We Have, The Happier C) Relationships Affect Happiness D) Spread Happiness Whenever We can Passage One
WHO has received US$ 9.7 million in grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work with UNICEF to conduct crucial research in children's medicines, with the aim of increasing the number of child-size medicines designed and formulated specifically for children.
Currently, many medicines are only designed for adults. More than 50% of medicines prescribed for children have either not been developed specifically for children or have not been proven to be effective and safe for their use. Therefore, many children lack access to essential treatment
because no suitable pediatric dosage or formulation of the necessary medicine exists, or those that do exist are not available or are too expensive.
\must take the guess work out of medicines for children,\said Carissa Etienne, Assistant Director-General, WHO. \lack the critical evidence needed to deliver appropriate, effective, affordable medicines that might save them.\
As an unsafe alternative to missing pediatric medicines, health-care workers and parents often use fractions of adult dosage or prepare makeshift prescriptions of medicines by crushing tablets or dissolving portions of capsules in water. Other challenges include the need for more clinical trials and research to be carried out on pediatric medicines.
\children that have never been properly tested for them,\said Dr. Hans Hogerzeil, Director of Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies, WHO. \coordination of United Nations agencies and key experts in the world to address this urgent problem.\
Globally, 1,000 children under the age of five die every hour. Diarrhea(腹泻)diseases account for 17% of these deaths. The optimal treatment for diarrhea is zinc with oral rehydration salts(口服补液盐). Yet, in a recent study of health facilities zinc was the least available of all pediatric medicines. And when zinc is available, it is not licensed as a treatment to reduce diarrhea -- leaving pharmacists to concoct doses -- and it is both unpleasant tasting and difficult to administer. To reduce child mortality in this area, easy-to-use, palatable and appropriate dosages are needed. Another major cause of under-five mortality is pneumonia, leading to 17% of deaths each year. Effective treatment of pneumonia requires 50mg of amoxicillin(阿莫西林)per kilogram of child's weight per day for three to five days. An easy-to-use package of oral amoxicillin providing the appropriate dose would ensure the right course of medicine is taken, and thus help reduce child mortality.
1. Why do WHO and UNICEF conduct the research in children's medicines? A) Because it is quite profitable. B) Because children can't take the medicines for adults. C) Because children are in great need of medicines designed and formulated specifically for them. D) Because Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated a large amount of money.
2. What is the possible meaning of the underlined phrase \ A) Children's medicines. B) Secure medicines. C) Internal medicines. D) External medicines.
3. When a child needs to take some medicines, what do the parents often have to do? A) Decide the dosage by themselves. B) Choose tablets instead of capsules. C) Make the medicines taste better.
D) Choose medicines that are not suitable for children in dosage and formulation. 4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A) Despite some progress in research, many medicines are yet not secure enough for
children. B) Experts of WHO will play the leading role in this research. C) Certain children's medicines are either unavailable or too expensive when in need. D) Zinc with oral rehydration salts is the best treatment for Diarrhea. 5. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A) Diarrhea and pneumonia have caused more than 1/3 of the deaths of children under the age of five. B) Zinc is illegal as a treatment even though it is quite effective for Diarrhea. C) Antibiotics are not used to fight pneumonia. D) Amoxicillin is for external use only. Passage Two
The use of IQ tests in the educational placement of mildly retarded children (who are sometimes called the \in recent years. The controversy is not merely abstract or theoretical: it has been the focus of two lawsuits in federal courts. Plaintiffs have charged that IQ tests are biased against minority children, that they systematically underestimate their abilities, and that this bias leads to a disproportionately large representation of minority students in EMR classes.
The battle has been fought in federal courts in California and Illinois. Though the issues were virtually identical in the two cases, the outcomes were not. In 1979, the California public schools were enjoined from using standardized IQ tests in the placement of minority school children in EMR classes. The court became convinced, after hearing extensive expert testimony from both sides, that the rights of minority children under the Constitution and various federal antidiscrimination statutes were violated by the use of the tests. A federal judge in Illinois, on the other hand, after hearing very similar testimony and considering the same legal theories, permitted the Chicago public schools to use the tests condemned by the California judge. The Illinois judge based his decision that the tests were not biased primarily on his personal examination of the test items, rather than on the expert testimony that was presented. In both the California and Illinois cases, the losing sides appealed. The ultimate legal outcome is uncertain, and the matter may well reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Both the scientific and legal issues involved in these cases are extremely complex. The concept of %under some definitions and yet be unbiased under others. Another important question, of course, is whether placement in an EMR class benefits children, or whether, as the plaintiffs in these lawsuits charged, such placement \the children and impedes their educational progress. The data on this question are not unequivocal.
Even if the tests can be shown to have a discriminatory impact, it is not yet clear whether, on that account alone, their use would be unlawful. It may be necessary to show an \to discriminate to prove a violation of the rights of minority children. The law in this area is not yet settled.
1. What is the aim of IQ tests in this passage? A) To select the most intelligent children. B) To separate minority children from others. C) To identify who are the EMR children. D) To decide who are educable.
2. In both cases, the IQ tests are charged ______. A) to deliberately underestimate the ability of minority children B) to be unfair for minority children C) to make minority children isolated in EMR classes D) to fail to identify the EMR children
3. Which of the following may be the equivalent of the underlined word \in Paragraph 1 and 3? A) Accusers. B) Lawyers. C) Law officers. D) Victims. 4. Why did the two cases have different outcomes? A) Because the issues involved were different. B) Because the Constitution was violated in the California case while it wasn't in the Illinois one. C) Because the Illinois judge gave his decision after examining the test items personally, whereas the California judge tended to accept expert testimony. D) Because laws are different in the two states.
5. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A) A universal concept has been given for \
B) Minority children can't benefit from the placement in an EMR class. C) In EMR classes, certain children have progressed a lot.
D) Some legal issues concerning IQ tests are yet to be resolved for IQ tests. Passage One
Budget-cutting measures being pursued in higher education are often based on faulty premises and insufficient information. These measures too quickly cut to institutions' educational core, unnecessarily compromising quality and productivity.
To many people, it makes sense that faculty should be major targets for savings. They share the widespread beliefs that higher education has high labor costs and faculty are the principal labor cost driver. They reason that to achieve major savings, you address the major costs.
But the reasoning is faulty, based on an inaccurate view of higher education costs and faculty. Permanent faculty often represent less than a quarter of institutional employees and of total institutional costs. Moreover, faculty costs have not been rising significantly. What has been rising is the use of less costly contemporary faculty. Finally, faculty salary increases have been well below tuition increases and salary increases for senior administrators. The growing costs in the academy lie outside the academic core.
Current choices are frequently being made without careful analysis and deliberation. Faculty and other campus community members often have insufficient access to information about finances, even when administrators call for extraordinary measures. Often, there is insufficient consultation with faculty or other constituencies, and insufficient consideration of cost saving options provided by the very professionals who understand best how the institution works and who can identify strategies for achieving efficiencies without undercutting quality and productivity.
Finally, current measures too often cut to the core not of institutional costs, but of educational quality and productivity. Faculty are not just labor costs; they are intellectual capital. They generate value for the organization and society. They do not just cost money, they produce revenue.
The common aims of cutting waste or unneeded academic programs ignore the realities: We are hitting vital organs while spending on matters outside the core educational function. Our objective should be to pursue measures that reduce costs and protect our core, not unduly compromising the quality, production and revenue generation to which faculty are central.
1. According to the author, which is the faulty premise on which budget-cutting measures being pursued in higher education are often based? A) Faculty should be major targets for savings. B) Higher education has high labor costs and faculty are the principal labor cost driver. C) To achieve major savings, people should address the major costs. D) The use of less costly contemporary faculty has been rising. 2. The conclusion of paragraph 3 is that ________. A) the reasoning is wrong for it is based on an unscientific assumption B) Faculty costs have not been rising significantly C) Faculty salary increases have been below other costs increases D) Faculty don't account for the growing costs in higher education
3. In the author's opinion, in order to cut the budget in higher education, we need to consult more with the following people except ________. A) faculty B) other constituencies C) administrators D) professionals
4. Why can't faculty be of any help in the higher education budget-cutting? A) Because they are the major targets for savings. B) Because they don't have sufficient access to the information about finances. C) Because they don't know finances. D) Because the administrators do not ask for their advice.
5. According to the author, the efficient budget-cutting measures should aim at ________. A) cutting the educational quality and productivity B) cutting the faculty salary C) cutting the revenue generation D) cutting the institutional costs Passage Two
Plagiarism is the act of representing another person's words or ideas as your own. The offense may be as small as a sentence copied from a book. Or it may be as extensive as a whole paper copied -- or bought -- from somebody else.
Intellectual dishonesty is nothing new. The only difference now is that the Internet has made it much simpler to steal other people's work. Yet the same technology that makes it easy to find information to copy also makes it easier to identify plagiarism.
Teachers can use online services that compare papers to thousands of others to search for copied work. The teacher gets a report on any passages that are similar enough to suspect plagiarism. These services are widely used. The website Turnitin.com, for example, says it is used in more than one hundred countries and examines more than one hundred thirty thousand papers a day. Professional writers who plagiarize can be taken to civil court and ordered to pay damages. In schools, the punishment for cheating could be a failing grade on the paper or in the course. Some schools expel plagiarists for a term; others, for a full academic year. Some degrees have even been withdrawn after a school later found that a student had plagiarized.
Accidental plagiarism can sometimes result from cultural differences.
At Indiana University, sixty percent of students who use the Office of Writing Tutorial Services are non-native English speakers. The director, Joanne Vogt, says some have no idea that copying from published works is considered wrong. She says students from China, for example, may think they are insulting readers if they credit other sources. They believe that educated readers should already know where the information came from.
The more you give credit, the less you risk accusations of plagiarism. Any sentences taken directly from a source should appear inside quotation marks. And even if you put those sentences into your own words, you should still give credit to where you got the information.
1. According to the passage, which of the following acts is NOT considered as plagiarism? A) Putting sentences into one's own words and representing them as one's own. B) Putting those sentences taken directly from some source into quotation marks. C) Handing in a paper copied from the Internet as one's own. D) Using a paper bought from someone else.
2. What is the top punishment a student will face if he is found to have plagiarized? A) A civil court charge. B) A failing grade on the paper or in the course. C) An expulsion from school for a full academic year. D) Withdrawal of degree.
3. The example of the plagiarism committed by students from China is intended to illustrate that ________. A) Chinese students are apt to plagiarize B) non-native English speakers are apt to plagiarize C) plagiarism can sometimes result from culture D) they don't credit other sourses because they don't want to insult others 4. According to the author, how can we avoid being accused of plagiarism? A) Do not quote other people's sentences. B) Put all other people's words into quotation marks. C) Use more advanced online services. D) Give as much credit as possible.
5. What is the most suitable title for this passage? A) Act of Plagiarism B) How to Catch Plagiarists C) How to Avoid Being Accused of Plagiarism D) Plagiarism And Culture (Reading in Depth) Passage One
The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, proclaimed in 2001 by UNESCO, has been celebrated each year for six years by a World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
The recurrence of this major event affords us an opportunity to gauge our capacity to promote, on the basis of what is now a coherent standard-setting foundation, an integrated vision of culture in the complex problem areas of development, innovation, dialogue and social cohesion.
Of the seven international conventions promoted by UNESCO to strengthen cultural diversity throughout the world, the most recent, now ratified and in force, are entering in their turn an operational phase. This is the case, in particular, of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which thus supplement the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
We find ourselves, therefore, at the end of one cycle and the start of another which is more practical, more concrete. This new joined-up activity, moving from laws to deeds, puts us in a position to prove, on the basis of the universal principles enshrined in our standard-setting instruments, that cultural diversity is indeed an engine of sustainable development and, as such, a decisive weapon in the fight against poverty.
There is a critical issue at stake here for the international community: for culture, unlike education, does not itself feature among the Millennium Goals, though it is essential if they are to be achieved, as the Millennium Declaration rightly says.
Cultural diversity is not decreed, it is observed and practiced. The aim of this Day is thus to nurture the experience of this diversity in a spirit of curiosity, engaging in dialogue and listening to one another, and so, to test out the practical possibilities of development offered by cultural enterprises, creative industries, cultural tourism and the safeguarding of cultural heritage, not least within the framework of national development plans and the common country programming of the United Nations system.
We must now give greater recognition to culture as a contributor to truly sustainable development that respects people and environments, and serves the cause of dialogue and peace. In this way we shall be able to recover the sense of our joint commitment to promoting \solidarity of mankind\
1. The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is to ________. A) celebrate the foundation of UNESCO B) help us increase our capacity to promote an integrated vision of culture in various problem areas C) to help reduce cultural diversity D) to celebrate The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity proclaimed by UN 2. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A) Seven international conventions have been ratified by UNESCO in order to strengthen cultural diversity. B) The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is yet to be modified. C) The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions has been brought into effect. D) The 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is to be replaced.
3. According to the passage, cultural diversity ________. A) promotes sustainable development B) is a new joined-up activity C) leads to poverty
D) is negative for sustainable development in impoverished areas 4. Cultural diversity may be developed by means of ________. A) cultural tourism B) dialogue
C) UN's program D) listening to one another
5. According to the passage, truly sustainable development ________. A) recognizes culture as its contributor B) respects both man and environments C) demands dialogue and peace D) reminds us of our joint commitment Passage Two
Tea, that most quintessential of English drinks, is a relative latecomer to British shores. Although the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was not until the mid 17th century that tea first appeared in England.
Afternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840. The Duchess would become hungry around four o'clock in the afternoon. The evening meal in her household was served fashionably late at eight o'clock, thus leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner. The Duchess asked that a tray of tea, bread and butter (some time earlier, the Earl of Sandwich had had the idea of putting a filling between two slices of bread) and cake be brought to her room during the late afternoon. This became a habit of hers and she began inviting friends to join her.
This pause for tea became a fashionable social event. During the 1880's upper-class and society women would change into long gowns, gloves and hats for their afternoon tea which was usually served in the drawing room between four and five o'clock.
Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty sandwiches (including of course thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches), and scones served with clotted cream and preserves. Cakes and pastries are also served. Tea grown in India or Ceylon is poured from silver tea pots into delicate china cups.
Nowadays however, in the average suburban home, afternoon tea is likely to be just a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea, usually produced using a teabag. Sacrilege!
To experience the best of the afternoon tea tradition, indulge yourself with a trip to one of London's finest hotels or visit a quaint tearoom in the West Country. The Devonshire Cream Tea is famous worldwide and consists of scones, strawberry jam and the vital ingredient, Devon clotted cream, as well as cups of hot sweet tea served in china teacups. Many of the other counties in England's West Country also claim the best cream teas: Dorset, Cornwall and Somerset.
There is a wide selection of hotels in London offering the quintessential afternoon tea experience. Hotels offering traditional afternoon tea include Claridges, the Dorchester, the Ritz and the Savoy, as well as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason.
1. According to the passage, the Chinese began to drink tea ________. A) later than the British B) a few years earlier than the British C) about 3,000 years ago D) about 5,000 years ago
2. The Duchess introduced afternoon tea on the ground that ________. A) she felt hungry during the long period between lunch and dinner in her household B) she liked tea very much C) she led a fashionable life D) she was gluttonous
3. In the late 19th century, what would upper-class women do for their afternoon tea? A) They would wear a lot. B) They would dress formally. C) They would go to the finest hotel. D) They would visit a quaint tearoom. 4. ________ would NOT be served for traditional afternoon tea. A) Sandwiches B) Indian tea
C) Tea produced by a tea bag D) Pastries
5. Why is the Devonshire Cream Tea so distinguished? Mainly ________. A) because of the scones
B) because of the strawberry jam C) because of Devon clotted cream
D) because Devonshire is in the West Country of England