What’s delicious to eat and comes in a variety of colors? Eggplant! And no, it has nothing to do with chickens! This strangely named vegetable is, however, as versatile as an egg．It can be steamed, fried, and baked．It can be eaten by itself or combined with meats and other vegetables．
Eggplant was first grown in India in the 5th century BC．Its popularity soon spread to China and then throughout Asia．Finally, during the Middle Ages the vegetable made its way to Europe．At that time, eggplant was not the shiny purple vegetable most people know today．Instead, it’s like a white egg．Due to this egg - like appearance, eggplant got its name．In its early days, the vegetable was so bitter that people often called it a “mad apple.” This nickname started because people believed its bitterness was bad for one' s health．People actually thought eggplant could cause madness and cancer．
Fortunately today people know that eggplant doesn't cause insanity or cancer．In fact eggplant is so healthy that it may prevent cancer．In addition, the brain and the heart benefit from this super vegetable．Since it's high in fibre, eggplant can improve digestion．
Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of eggplant in the world today．Depending on its location, eggplant may be purple, green, orange or yellow - white．And it can be as small as a tomato or as large as a cucumber．Dish varieties range from simple to complex, with all of them being delicious．
Today, thousands of people gather in Loomis, Calif, for the annual Loomis Eggplant Festival．The main activity at the festival is eating delicious eggplant dishes．There is plenty more to do and see, though．Recipe contests, arts and crafts, performers, races and children's activities all “egg – cite” festival - goers．Most people at the festival would agree—eggplant is an “egg—cellent” vegetable．Eggplant got its name because of its _____．
| A．appearance | B．taste | C．color | D．value |
Which of the following does NOT belong to the qualities of eggplant?
| A．It can be cooked in various ways． |
| B．It is easy to digest． |
| C．It can prevent cancer． |
| D．It is valuable and priceless． |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Eggplant can be eaten to cure cancer |
| B．Eggplant used to taste bitter． |
| C．India produce the most eggplant in the world today． |
| D．Eggplant has a history of nearly 1,000 years． |
Most people come to the Loomis Eggplant Festival to_____．
| A．see arts and crafts |
| B．enjoy food with eggplants |
| C．take part in recipe contests |
| D．promote eggplant |
Growing up in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and he quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills greatly during a year abroad before college, learning from a cook in Italy and studying local specialties(特色菜) in Germany, Spain, and France.
At Yale, he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handedly frying and baking while mixing drinks for dozens of friends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named campus cuisine about his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmates how to do things like making drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around, with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network.
Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the network television. He says Lieberman’s charisma is key. “Food TV isn’t about food anymore,” says Flay. “It’s about your personality and finding a way to keep people’s eyeballs on your show.”
But Lieberman isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful, inexpensive and easy- to-make menu to serve on its flights. Lieberman got the job.
We can learn from the text that Lieberman’s family_______.
|
The Food Network got to know Lieberman_________
|
What does the word “charisma” underlined in the text refer to?
|
Why did the airline company give Lieberman the job?
| A．He could prepare meals in a small kitchen. |
| B．He was famous for his shows on Food TV. |
| C．He was good at using eggs to make sandwiches. |
| D．He could cook cheap, delicious and simple meals |
Footracing(竞走)is a popular activity in the United States．It is not only seen as a competitive sport，but also as a way to exercise，and to donate(捐赠)money to a good cause．Though serious runners may spend months training to compete，other runners and walkers might not train at a11．Those not competing to win might run in an effort to beat their own time，or simply to enjoy the fun and exercise．People of all ages, from those less than one year old to those in their 80s, enter into this sport．The races are held on city streets，on college campuses，through parks，and in suburban areas，and commonly 5 to 1 0 kilometers in length．
The largest footrace in the world is the 1 2-kilometer Bay to Breakers race that is held in San Francisco every spring．This race begins on the east side of the city near San Francisco Bay and ends on the west side at the Pacific Ocean．In 1 993 there were 80，000 people running in this race through the streets and hills of San Francisco．In the front are the serious runners who compete to win，and who might finish in as little as 34 minutes．Behind them are the thousands who take several hours to finish．In the back of the race are those who wear costumes just for fun．In 1 993 there was a group of men all of whom dressed up like Elvis Priestly．There was a group of firefighters who were all tied in a long line and were carrying a fire—hose(水龙带)．One year there was a wedding party in which the bride dressed in a long white gown(长袍)and the groom wore a tuxedo(晚礼服)．They threw flowers to by-standers，and were actually married at some point along the route．The main purpose of this text is to__________．
| A．describe a popular activity |
| B．encourage people to exercise |
| C．make fun of runners in costume |
| D．give reasons for the popularity of footraces |
Which of the following is implied by the author?
| A．Walkers don’t compete for prizes． |
| B．Footraces appeal to a variety of people． |
| C．Entering a race is a way to make friends． |
| D．Running is a good way to strengthen the heart． |
The underlined words “to a good cause” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by ___________.
| A．for a good reason | B．to support a sound principle |
| C．for a good purpose | D．to protect an excellent player |
Crosstalk(相声)，a traditional form of comic storytelling，is making a comeback in China’s tea houses and theaters．
Audiences can laugh the night away every Saturday at the Qianxiangyi Teahouse in Tianjin，entertained by the apprentices(学徒)of Hou Baolin，Ma Sanli or Yin Shoushan—all leading crosstalk artists of years past—for only 20 yuan($2．40)．
The success in Tianjin has also caused the rejuvenation(复活) of crosstalk in Beijing and other places．
Although the art form originated in Beijing in the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911)，Tianjin became a place where rising stars formed their styles and new pieces were tried out．The city was well—known nationwide for the quality of its crosstalk performances．
Known in Chinese as xiangsheng(1iterally，“face and voice”)，crosstalk was the predominant(支配的)form of comedy throughout most of the 20th century．In the old days in Tianjin and elsewhere，temple fairs and markets were the main places for crosstalkers to perform，although they occasionally also appeared in teahouses or theaters．
Crosstalk pieces draw on every aspect of Chinese culture，from history and folk tales to social issues of the time．Although there’re hundreds of traditional pieces，they’re constantly rewritten to suit the times and the audience, while new works are written as well．It’s one of the features that have made crosstalk a
public art form throughout its history．
“Crosstalk was in the doldrums(萎靡不振)with competition from other art forms，especially TV，”said Wang Xiaochun，headmaster of the Northern Storytelling Arts School of China(NSAS)．“But it has regained its status with crosstalk fans，especially young people，growing aware of its rare qualities．”
“More and more students are coming to NSAS to study crosstalk，including some girl students，”said Wang, “They’re sure that crosstalk will have a strong market.”Crosstalk means“__________ ”in Chinese．
| A．storytelling | B．face and voice | C．folk tale | D．dialogue |
According to the text, crosstalk is so popular throughout its history because____________．
| A．it is constantly changed and renewed | B．it is often performed at temple fairs |
| C．it is different from other arts | D．it is comic and humourous |
Crosstalk makes a comeback mainly because__________．
| A．it is a popular traditional art after all |
| B．the pieces contain some famous folk tales |
| C．the crosstalkers make it return to teahouses |
| D．the pieces are made to suit the times and the audience |
We can learn that the future of crosstalk first lies in ____________．
| A．setting up more storytelling art schools | B．beating TV and other arts |
| C．young people’s awareness of its value | D．a strong market |
Guitar Lessons for Guitar Players
Playing the same things over and over again when you pick up the guitar? Teaching yourself for years but you hit a wall? Don’t know what to do next? Whether you’re a total beginner, or an old guitar player, we’ll get you working on something you can benefit from. I’m a professional teacher, over 30 students at my studio in downtown Berkeley and several music schools in San Francisco, Alameda, and Mountain
View.
No matter what style you’re into, I guarantee there are songs by your favourite bands that you could learn.
Call at 510-333-9091 or e-mail at blueschool147@gmail.com
Dance Classes for Students 2.5 Through Adults
Motion Dance Center in Martinez is now accepting registration(注册 )for all dance classes. There are classes offered in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip-hop, Contemporary and Cheerleading. Classes run like the school year Sep. through June. Prices are very reasonable at only $45 a month. That’s for a one-hour class once a week for a month. This studio is known for their younger child program. We are always looking for talented instructors too. If you want more information call Deena at 925-229-5678.
Qi Gong with Angie
Qi Gong is the perfect activity for anyone at any age. It combines gentle movement and meditation( 冥想), breathing regulation and relaxation. The exercises are designed to reduce stress and anxiety and improve blood and energy circulation( 循环) throughout the body, therefore increasing immune (免疫的) function, improving energy levels and sleep.
Thousands of Qi Gong lovers around the world have experienced the extraordinary benefits of this gentle, ancient Chinese exercise form and are healthier and happier for it. Join us to experience the benefits for yourself!
WHEN: Tuesdays from noon----1pm
WHERE: Halanda Studio 1062 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
COST: $12 per class drop – in ( 即到即学的) or $45 for a pre-paid set of 4 classes
CONTACT: Angie at angie@lokahiacupuncture.com, 408-887-6000The purpose of the first advertisement is to _______.
| A．build a bridge between guitar players |
| B．look for teachers for several music schools |
| C．attract guitar players to attend music classes |
| D．help guitar beginners to improve their techniques |
Who will probably contact 510-333-9091?
| A．A music lover | B．A Hip-Hop lover | C．A dance lover | D．A Qi Gong lover |
Sarah and Jessey decide to attend the dance classes for six months. They each will have to pay _________ .
| A．$135 | B．$270 | C．$540 | D．1,080 |
According to Angie, the Qi Gong exercise is _______.
| A．traditional, gentle but unpopular | B．ancient, positive but complex |
| C．simple, effective but a little violent | D．traditional, gentle and effective |
One day a mime(哑剧演员)is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw a crowd，a zookeeper drags him into his office．The zookeeper explains that the zoo's most popular attraction，a gorilla(大猩猩)，has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance（出席人数） at the zoo will fall off．He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla. The mime accepts．
The next morning the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes．He soon discovers he can sleep all he wants，play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime—the job he likes but loses．
However, with days going by，he begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his．Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience, he climbs to the top of his cage，crawls across a partition(隔墙)，and dangles(悬挂)from the top to the lion’s cage. The lion gets angry at this. The scene is a fuel to the crowd．
At the end of the day he is given a raise for being such a good attraction—Well，this continues for some time．The crowds grow larger，and the mime’s pay keeps going up.
Then one day when he is dangling over the lion he slips and falls．The mime is terrified. He starts screaming， “Help me!”，but the lion is quick．The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says, “Shut
up you fool! Do you want to get us both fired?”The mime accepts the zookeeper’s offer because______________·
| A．he has been out of work |
| B．he doesn’t like being a mime |
| C．he likes performing at the zoo |
| D．he is offered a higher pay there |
How does the mime find the job dressing up as the gorilla?
| A．Hard and tiring． | B．Dangerous. |
| C．Easy and funny． | D．Boring. |
The mime’s first contact with the lion is to_________·
| A．find pleasure for himself | B．get the lion’s attention |
| C．get his pay raised | D．win back his audience |
The underlined words “a fuel” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by __________.
A. frightening B common C．exciting D. familiar
粤公网安备 44130202000953号