The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched (草盖的) roof cottages around a church; a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white; the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings—these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside.
Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts practiced in the British Isles(英伦诸岛). Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches too.
Thatching is a solitary (独立的) craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practiced today has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today, maintaining and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world lives under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often reluctant to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to import the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defiance against the heat. Which of the following remains a unique feature against the heat_______.
| A．Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses. |
| B．Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings. |
| C．Cottages with thatched roofs. |
| D．Churches with cottages around them. |
What do we know about thatching as a craft?
| A．It is a collective activity. |
| B．It is practised on farms all over England. |
| C．It is quite different from what it used to be. |
| D．It is in most cases handed down among family members. |
People in developing countries also live under thatch because .
| A．thatched cottages are a big tourist attraction |
| B．thatched roof houses are the cheapest |
| C．thatch is an effective defense against the heat |
| D．they like thatched houses better than other buildings |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．thatched cottages in England have been passed down from ancient times. |
| B．thatching is a building craft first created by the English people. |
| C．the English people have a special liking for thatched houses. |
| D．most thatched cottage in England are located on hillsides. |
On the island of New Zealand, there is a grasshopper-like species of insect that is found nowhere else on earth. New Zealanders have given it the nickname weta, which is a native Maori word meaning “god of bad looks”. It’s easy to see why anyone would call this insect a bad-looking bug. Most people feel disgusted at the sight of these bulky(笨重的)，slow-moving creatures.
Wetas are natural creatures; they come out of their caves and holes only after dark. A giant weta can grow to over three inches long and weigh as much as 1.5 ounces. Giant wetas can hop up to two feet at a time. Some of them live in trees, and others live in caves. They are very long-lived for insects, and some adult wetas can live as long as two years. Just like their cousins grasshoppers and crickets, wetas are able to “sing” by rubbing their leg parts together, or against their lower bodies.
Most people probably don’t feel sympathy for these endangered creatures, but they do need protecting. The slow and clumsy wetas have been around on the island since the times of the dinosaurs, and have evolved and survived in an environment where they had no enemies until rats came to the island with European immigrants. Since rats love to hunt and eat wetas, the rat population on the island has grown into a real problem for many of the native species that are unaccustomed to its presence, and poses a serious threat to the native weta population..According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
The weta is a newly discovered insect species.
The Maoris nicknamed themselves “Wetas”.
The Europeans brought wetas to New Zealand.
Wetas are unpleasant to the eye. .The strange thing about wetas is that they can produce pleasant sounds by ________.
| A．rubbing their body parts |
| B．moving slowly on the ground |
| C．hopping up to two feel at a time |
| D．coming out only at night |
Which of the following descriptions of wetas is accurate?
| A．They are quick in movement. |
| B．They are decreasing in number. |
| C．They are very active in the daytime. |
| D．They have a short lifespan for insects. |
The underlined word “its” in the last paragraph is the closest in meaning to “_________”.
| A．The dinosaur’s | B．The weta’s |
| C．The island’s | D．The rat’s |
From which of the following is the passage LEAST likely to be taken?
| A．A science magazine. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A business journal. | D．biology textbook. |
“Soon, you’re going to have to move out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind, or at least known in my neighborhood.
One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1.25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door.
Roses require a good deal of care, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth the work. As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year. bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later. It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant. A big mistake.
Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes. The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush. The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves.
Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is twofold; First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves, which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw(缩回) my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won. I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June. But they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light.
Here I am faced with a painful small decision To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses. Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind, I’ll think about that tomorrow.．What are the requirements for the healthy growth of rose?
| A．Frequent pruning and fertilizing. |
| B．A lot of care and the right soil. |
| C．Tomato plants grown alongside. |
| D．Cages placed around the roots. |
．The writer planted the tomato because _________.
| A．there was room for it in the garden |
| B．the soil was just right for it |
| C．it cost only $1.25 |
| D．the roses’ branches needed to be covered |
．This year the writer’s roses were __________.
| A．removed from the rose bed |
| B．largely hidden under the tomato plant |
| C．mostly damaged by too much sunlight |
| D．picked along with the tomatoes |
．By saying “the prize so dearly won” in paragraph 5, the writer wants to ________.
| A．express her liking for the roses |
| B．show the hardship of growing the roses |
| C．show the difficulty in picking the tomatoes |
| D．express her care for the tomatoes |
．In the situation described in the text, one good thing is that ________.
| A．the roses cost the writer little money |
| B．the writer has a daily harvest of tomatoes |
| C．someone will help the writer make the decision |
| D．the writer can now enjoy both the roses and tomatoes |
Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.
The new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.
As a result, the student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified, and the deposit (押金) required to study in Australia has been reduced. Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.
Also, overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be granted a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation, as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.
"This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas," says Wang Lan, a consultant from Education International Cooperation Group (EIC), a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.
However, in the past few years, many of Wang's student clients (客户) could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements, visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were tough. The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia, Wang says.
A 22-year-old female student surnamed Li, in Beijing, who is planning to do her postgraduate studies in Australia, learned about the policy change several weeks ago.
"According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa, my family was required to put down 550,000 yuan ($86,850). Now we only need to prepare 410,000 yuan. This is a relief for my parents," Li says.
She also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.
"I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China," she says.
Gaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad, according to the report by EIC.What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．Australia widens window of opportunity for international students. |
| B．Australia is a most attractive place for students in China. |
| C．Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia. |
| D．More students will work in Australia after their graduation. |
Which of the following is NOT the content of the new regulations?
| A．The student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified. |
| B．Language requirements for overseas students have been more difficult. |
| C．The deposit required to study in Australia has been reduced. |
| D．After graduation, some overseas students can get a working visa in Australia. |
After the new regulations are passed, _______.
| A．more students will come to Australia to work |
| B．more Chinese students will choose to live in Australia. |
| C．more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia |
| D．the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students |
How much can Li's parents save according to the new regulations?
| A．550,000 yuan | B．86,850 yuan | C．410,000 yuan | D．140,000 yuan |
Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation?
| A．They can earn more money in Australia. |
| B．The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness. |
| C．Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever. |
| D．They have to do so according to the new regulations. |
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping(录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings(兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”．The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
| A．report on the findings of a study |
| B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table |
| C．show the relationship between parents and children |
| D．give information about family problems |
．Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
| A．they are busy serving food to their children |
| B．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family |
| C．they have to pay more attention to younger children |
| D．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table |
．By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children ______.
| A．have to help their parents to serve dinner |
| B．find it hard to keep up with other children |
| C．are often kept away from the dinner table |
| D．get the least attention from the family |
．Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.
| A．why TV is important in family life |
| B．why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life |
| C．why children in small families seem to be quieter |
| D．why parents should keep good order |
．Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
| A．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently. |
| B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner. |
| C．It is important to have the right food for children. |
| D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner |
“Have a nice day” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless expression. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well.
“Have a nice day. Next!” The version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words came out in the same tone ( 腔调 ) with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else’s is the management’s attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don’t know what to say. “Oh, you just had a tooth out? I’m terribly sorry, but have a nice day”
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don’t know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it’s nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don’t care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.How does the author understand Maxie’s words?
| A．Maxie shows her anxiety to the author. |
| B．Maxie really worries about the author’s security |
| C．Maxie encourages the author to stay happy. |
| D．Maxie really wishes the author a good day. |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．The salesgirl says the words as a routine. |
| B．The salesgirl is bored. |
| C．The salesgirl cares about me. |
| D．The salesgirl is rude. |
By saying “Have a nice day”, a stranger may _____.
| A．give his blessing to you |
| B．express respect to you |
| C．try to be polite to you |
| D．share his pleasure with you |
According to the last paragraph, people say “Have a nice day”_______.
A. sincerely B as a habit C. as thanks D. encouraginglyWhat is the best title of the passage?
| A．Have a Nice Day—a Polite Ending of a Conversation |
| B．Have a Nice Day—a Pleasant Gesture |
| C．Have a Nice Day—a Heart-warming Greeting |
| D．Have a Nice Day—a Social Custom |
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