A man claiming to be a pastor(牧师) apparently tried to stiff a waiter on a tip, explaining that his work for God allowed him not to leave one.
A photo of the receipt, posted to Reddit.com, shows a bill for $34.93 with an automatic 18 percent gratuity(小费) (or $6.29) added above a blank space for an additional tip.
“I give God 10%,” the diner wrote on the receipt, scratching out the automatic tip. “Why do you get 18?” He then wrote “Pastor” above his signature, and an emphatic “0” where the additional tip would be. (The automatic gratuity, however, had already been added to the total.)
The Reddit user who submitted the image explained in the comments section that the receipt was part of a total bill for a party of 20, which is why the gratuity was automatically added.
“Parties up to eight ... may tip whatever they’d like, but larger parties receive an automatic gratuity," the server wrote. "It’s in the computer; it’s not something I do.”
The server added: “They had no problem with my service, and told me I was great. They just didn’t want to pay when the time came.”
Scribbling(乱涂) notes on receipts has become something of a trend. Earlier this month, the manager of a North Carolina Red Robin surprised an overdue pregnant woman by comping her meal.
“Once seated, a manager came up to us and started talking,” the woman's husband told Consumerist. “He was extremely friendly and jokingly asked my wife if this was her last meal before heading to the hospital.”
When the check came, a note from the manager next to her portion of the bill read: “MOM 2 BEE GOOD LUC.”
“It was a pleasant surprise and made my tired-of-being-pregnant wife a little more cheery,” the man said.What did the pastor mean by saying, “I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?”
| A．He was bargaining with the waiter. |
| B．He didn’t mean to pay the gratuity at all. |
| C．God gave him the privilege not to pay a gratuity. |
| D．The gratuity had already been paid by his friends. |
What do you learn from the article?
| A．The pastor paid ten percent gratuity of the meal to God. |
| B．A party of six diners can choose whatever gratuity they want to pay. |
| C．According to the husband, the wife enjoyed the process of being pregnant. |
| D．The pastor paid $34.93 in total for the meal. |
What does the underlined word “stiff” mean?
| A．amuse | B．abuse | C．persuade | D．fail to pay |
Here is some information about several famous local bakeries(面包烤房) in Indiana, the US.They serve as a social gathering place for locals.
Maple Lane Bakery
At 8260 S.State Rd.Claypool, IN.(574) 566-2917, it offers a variety of cooked pies, cookies, and bread.With 20 years’ experience Maple Lane Bakery has specialized in the making of pies.The menu includes peach pie $7.19, berry pie $7.70, apple pie $7.19 and banana pie $6.99.Feel free to place an order at least 24 hours in advance.
Betty’s Cakes & Candy Shop
At 816 E.Winona Avenue Warsaw, IN.(574) 269-1231, it specializes in cakes and offers cookies and candies.The chocolate cookies are sold at $8.99 a dozen.Betty’s Cakes & Candy Shop, started half a century ago, specializes in wedding cakes and birthday cakes.Buying a cake from Betty’s will not disappoint you as they are always excellent.
Crepes’ Quality Bakery
At 217 S.Cavin Street Ligonier, IN.(260) 894-3024, this third generation bakery is located downtown Ligonier.It offers cookies and cupcakes, and specializes in rolls and bread.If you plan to buy cookies for the office or work area, you had better get there early as the building workers arrive just before 5:00 am waiting for the doors to open.
Olympia Candy Kitchen
At 136 N.Main Street Goshen, IN.(574) 533-5040, it has been welcoming visitors for almost a century in its unchanged location in downtown Goshen, Indiana.Its tradition began in 1912 when Greek Nicholas began making his own chocolates.Today this family-owned operation offers all kinds candies and boxed candies.
If you need an order, you should call ahead of time to see if they can meet your request.Which of the following pies is the most expensive?
| A．Peach pie. | B．Banana pie. | C．Apple pie. | D．Berry pie. |
If you want to order a birthday cake, you are advised to call _________.
| A．(574) 533-5040 | B．(574) 269-1231 |
| C．(260) 894-3024 | D．(574) 566-2917 |
Which of the following bakeries has the shortest history?
| A．Crepes’ Quality Bakery | B．Betty’s Cakes & Candy Shop |
| C．Olympia Candy Kitchen | D．Maple Lane Bakery |
The author wrote this passage mainly to __________.
| A．tell readers some travel information |
| B．persuade more people to eat pies |
| C．make the bakeries better known to readers |
| D．warn customers to order bakeries in advance |
Ralph and Norton can grow to be 40 feet long and live in a tank as large as a football field.What are they? They’re the only two whale sharks at a North American aquarium .
You can see Ralph and Norton at the world’s largest aquarium, the new Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
The aquarium’s giant tanks hold eight million gallons of water and will be home to about 100,000 fish!
The aquarium was designed to look like a giant ship breaking through the waves.It has 60 different habitats from the sea and five galleries (展馆), each with a different theme.About 2.4 million visitors are expected to come each year.“We want to be the world’s most engaging aquarium.” Said Jeff Swanagan, the aquarium’s executive director.
Ralph and Norton arrived in June, 2005 from Taiwan.They were only 15 and 13 feet long, but they may grow to be more than 40 feet long! Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish.Three full-time vets will work there to make sure that Ralph, Norton, and all of the aquarium’s sea life stay healthy.Students from the University of Georgia will help run the aquarium and conduct research at the animal hospital.
The aquarium was paid for almost completely by a $ 200 million gift from Bemie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot Inc, and his wife, Billi.“It’s going to be the most unique aquarium in the world,” said Marcus.Marcus said the aquarium was a “thank you” note to the city of Atlanta and the State of Georgia, where the Home Depot first opened for business.According to this passage, Ralph and Norton are ______.
| A．polar bears | B．penguins | C．whale sharks | D．dolphins |
The world’s largest aquarium is located in ____.
| A．Los Angeles | B．Atlanta | C．New York | D．Miami |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Marcus helped to build the aquarium to show his thanks to Atlanta. |
| B．The aquarium’s giant tanks can hold eighteen million gallons of water. |
| C．Ralph and Norton arrived in June, 2005 from Japan. |
| D．The aquarium was designed to look like a giant shark. |
By saying “We want to be the world’s most engaging aquarium” Jeff Swanagan means ___.
| A．the aquarium will be the largest habitat for sea life |
| B．the aquarium will be home to very special sea animals |
| C．the aquarium will be rebuilt and will be made even larger |
| D．the aquarium will attract a large number of visitors |
Research suggests that a newly-identified gene known as insomniacs(失眠症患者) may play a role in keeping us asleep. By cloning and testing this gene in about 21,000 fruit flies, Rockefeller University researchers say they have discovered an entirely new mechanism (机制) by which sleep is controlled.
By studying these flies, the researchers discovered that mutations(变异) in the insomniac gene were associated with a great reduction in sleep. While a typical fruit fly slept for an average of 927 minutes a day, the mutant flies slept for just 317. They also slept for shorter periods of time, and slept and woke more frequently.
“The results showed a great loss of both the time that the flies’ sleep lasted and their ability to remain asleep after they slept,” says researcher Nicholas Stavropoulos.
The researchers also examined the link between sleep and lifespan, finding that flies with mutations to the insomniac gene lived only about two-thirds as long as unchanged flies. But when the scientists removed insomniac only in neurons（神经细胞）---allowing it to remain in the rest of the flies’ bodies---this difference disappeared; the resulting animals slept poorly but lived just as long.
“This suggests that reduced sleep can be ‘uncoupled’(分开) from reduced lifespan, supporting the idea that some interruptions of sleep do not affect overall health, at least as far as lifespan is concerned,” Stavropoulos says.
Although flies and humans would appear to have little in common when it comes to lifestyle, scientists say that the mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness are likely to be quite similar.
“Sleep is a fundamental behavior in all animals, and it is poorly understood from a scientific standpoint, says Stavropoulos. This work could prove useful in understanding and treating sleep disorders”The text is mainly about____.
| A．the progress in cloning fruit flies |
| B．the methods of cloning fruit flies |
| C．the link between gene and lifespan |
| D．the influence of a gene on the ability to sleep |
According to paragraph2, the mutant flies________.
| A．slept about 5 hours a day |
| B．had problems waking up |
| C．didn’t seem sleepy at all |
| D．could not fall asleep |
We can conclude from the text that________.
| A．sleep and health go hand in hand |
| B．sleep can be controlled by humans |
| C．research into sleep is very fruitful |
| D．the findings are useful in medical treatment |
War Horse is a historical story by Michael Morpurgo. It is written for kids ages 8 to 12. Now just sit and get through the introduction to the plot.
In 1914, a young horse named Joey is sold to a farmer. The farmer' s son, Albert, is thrilled. He cares for Joey. When the family begins to feel the financial impact of war, Albert' s father secretly sells Joey to an army officer named Captain Nicholls. Albert begs the captain to let him join the army. Albert is too young, but Nicholls promises to take good care of Joey for him.
Nicholls treats Joey well. Though Joey still remembers Albert, he grows to like his new master. He develops a friendship with another horse, Topthorn., who belongs to Nicholls' friend, Captain Stewart. The horses and men are shipped overseas for battle. They soon face their own battle in France, and Captain Nicholls is killed.
A young soldier named Warren becomes Joey’s new owner. Joey and Topthorn do well in battle, but the Germans capture Warren and Stewart and their horses. The horses' duty of pulling carts full of wounded German soldiers earns them praise. An old farmer and his granddaughter, Emilie, dote on the horses as well. When the German army moves out of the area, Emilie and her grandfather keep the two horses. Joey and Topthorn are content to work the farm until another band of soldiers takes them. They become workhorses under bad conditions. Joey is very upset when Topthorn dies of exhaustion.
Alone and frightened, Joey wanders into "no-man's-land” between the German and English camps. An English soldier takes him back to camp.
Joey is reunited with Albert. As the war ends, Albert' s officer announces the horses will be sold in France. An old Frenchman buys Joey. The man, Emilie' s grandfather, tells Albert how Emilie lost the will to live after the horses were taken. However, he eventually sells Joey to Albert for one penny, as long as Albert promises to share Emilie' s story so her life will not be in vain. Joey and Albert return home.Why does Albert's father secretly sell Joey?
| A．Because he’s in need of money. |
| B．Because Captain Nicholls is fond of Joey. |
| C．Because Albert is too young to care for Joey. |
| D．Because he believes Joey will contribute to the country. |
Which of the following is TRUE about Captain Nicholls?
| A．He’s a rich man. |
| B．He’s a Frenchman. |
| C．He’s a man of his word. |
| D．He doesn’t win Joey’s trust. |
The underlined phrase "dote on" in Paragraph 4 probably means ____.
| A．train | B．ride | C．raise | D．love |
Which of the following words can be used to describe Emilie’s grandfather?
| A．Brave. | B．Generous. | C．Hardworking. | D．Humorous. |
The Greenbelt, a wide belt of open land around the cities and towns of the San Francisco Bay Area, includes about 3.75 million of the Bay Area’s 4.5 million acres. The Bay Area Greenbelt is one of the largest areas of open land in any U.S. urban area. Open land is land that has few buildings and lots of natural areas. The Greenbelt’s open land includes parks, forests, beaches, and more than 8,500 farms.
What are the advantages of the Greenbelt?
The Greenbelt has many advantages for people in the Bay Area, which include:
l walking and biking areas close to the cities and towns;
l places for wild plants and animals;
l cleaner air and water;
l income from farms.
Is the Greenbelt in danger?
Five hundred seventy thousand acres of the Greenbelt are in danger. There are builders who want to build suburbs on them. If those acres become suburbs, many things will change:
l the urban and suburban area will almost double;
l many farms will disappear;
l traffic will become worse;
l the air will become dirtier.
What is Greenbelt Alliance (联盟)?
Greenbelt Alliance, an organization that saves land in the San Francisco Bay Area, works alone and with other groups to save the Greenbelt in four ways:
1. Try to persuade people to build new buildings on land that is already urban, not on open land.
2. Make sure that the city and town governments are all making plans to save the Greenbelt.
3. Help Bay Area towns and cities to buy pieces of open land to make into natural areas.
4. Teach people in the Bay Area why the Greenbelt is important and what they can do to help save it.What can we learn about the Greenbelt from the first paragraph?
| A．The Greenbelt is the largest open land in the United States. |
| B．The Greenbelt covers much more than half of the Bay Area. |
| C．There are few farms on the open land of the Greenbelt. |
| D．There are more than 8,500 natural areas on the Greenbelt. |
One of the advantages of the Greenbelt for people in the Bay Area is __________.
| A．convenience for exercise | B．income from sightseeing |
| C．cleaner city streets | D．more plants and animals |
The Greenbelt is in danger because __________.
| A．traffic is getting worse |
| B．some plans to build suburbs on it |
| C．the suburban area has doubled |
| D．pollution is becoming serious |
Which of the following is TRUE about Greenbelt Alliance?
| A．It builds new buildings on open land. |
| B．It buys large open land for the Bay Area. |
| C．It educates people how to save the Greenbelt. |
| D．It helps the city governments make plans. |
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