Michael and I did not know when the waiter put the plates on our table. At the time we were sitting in a small restaurant, hidden from the busy Third Street, in New York City. Even the smell of fresh serving blintze did not interfered our conversation. In fact, we let the blintze soaked in the sour cream. We just enjoy the conversation too much that we forgot to eat. Our conversation was so delightful though we did not speak about important things. We laughed and spoke about the film which we have just watched.
While our fun conversation continued, my eyes went across the room and stop on the corner. A couple of old folks sat in there. The woman wearing the flower dress with faded color, the same with the pillow where she laid her pallid handbag. The man’s top head shined just like the boiled egg which he ate very slowly. The woman chewed her oatmeal(燕麦片) very slowly too, seemed with very much effort.
But what made my mind thought about them was the silence around them. Michael and I paid our food and went on. When we passed the corner where the couple sat, my wallet fell. When I stopped to get it, I saw under the table, they were tenderly holding each other’s hand. They were eating in silence while holding each other’s hand! I was very touched to see the simple yet the very meaningful action reflecting the close relationship of the couple.
Their silence was the pleasant and relaxing one, it was the expression of the tender love and it did not always need the words to express it. They might spend the hours holding each other’s hand like this in the morning.
When I and Michael went out of the restaurant, I thought, maybe it was nothing bad at all if some day we have something like that. Maybe, it will become the expression of the tender and complete love.
1.From the first paragraph we may know the fact that the author and Michael ___________.
A.saw a film just now
B.were talking about something important
C.talked about a film about the couple
D.laughed when they were eating
2.What did the author see on the corner of the restaurant?
A.A boiled egg.
B.A wallet.
C.Two people.
D.Delicious food.
3.We can infer from the passage that ___________.
A.the author paid little attention to the couple
B.the couple kept talking while eating
C.the author paid for the couple’s food
D.the author was moved by the couple’s action
4.Why did the author think the silence around the old couple pleasant and relaxing?
A.Because they had nothing important to talk about.
B.Because the silence expressed the tender love between them.
C.Because they spent hours keeping in silence every morning.
D.Because they were eating very slowly.
More often than not, we think the taste of food is largely to do with the way it's cooked. However, according to a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, sitting and standing also affect the taste.
Lead author Dipayan Biswas, a professor from the University of South Florida in the US, looked specifically at how the vestibular（前庭的）sense, which is responsible for balance, posture（姿势）and location awareness, works with our sense of taste.
He found that standing for even a few minutes causes people to feel physical stress. Gravity pushes blood to the lower parts of the body, causing the heart to work harder. This increases the heart rate and leads to increased stress hormones（荷尔蒙）.All of these reduce sensory sensitivity, which affects taste. Our mouths fail to taste or feel temperature as well when this happens. When people experience discomfort, foods that normally taste good aren't as pleasing, says Science Daily.
Biswas gave 350 participants each a piece of biscuit and had them rate its tastiness. Those who stood while eating gave it a lower rating than those who sat in comfortable chairs. Next, Biswas and his team gave participants bite-sized cookies from a well-known local restaurant. These cookies are widely considered to be very tasty. Those who sat down to eat rated them highly. However, when the baker added extra salt, the results were opposite. Participants who stood up to eat the cookies didn't notice that the cookies tasted saltier, while those who were seated found the cookies weren't so tasty.
So if you really want to enjoy your meal, try to find yourself a comfortable seat. But if you're trying to lose weight, eating while standing could be helpful because people tend to eat less while standing.
1.What's the common belief about the taste of the food in the text?
A.It seems associated with people's preferences.
B.It is largely to do with how people sit or stand.
C.It has little to do with the way people eat food.
D.It is mainly determined by how food is cooked.
2.Why do people who stand less enjoy food?
A.Their mental health declines. B.Their hearts work more slowly.
C.They are less sensitive to taste. D.They have no sensory sensitivity.
3.How did Dipayan Biswas get his conclusions in paragraph 4?
A.By classifying examples. B.By doing experiments.
C.By studying previous theories. D.By analyzing abundant data.
4.What's the best title for the text?
A.Sitting Has Various Effects on Eating
B.Posture Affects How People Enjoy Food
C.Eating While Standing Helps to Lose Weight
D.Sitting and Standing Are Common Postures
When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to shout at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人). I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing(令人相信的), “This is Mrs. Tan.”
And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don’t send me check already two week late.”
And then, in perfect English I said : “I’m getting rather concerned .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.”
Then she talked more loudly. “What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t tolerate(容忍) any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.”
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.
When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed(使尴尬) me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape(影响) the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.
1.Why was the author’s mother poorly served?
A.She was unable to speak good English. B.She was often misunderstood.
C.She was not clearly heard. D.She was not very polite.
2.From Paragraph 2, we know that the author was ________.
A.good at pretending B.rude to the stockbroker
C.ready to help her mother D.unwilling to phone for her mother
3.After the author made the phone call, ________.
A.they forgave the stockbroker B.they failed to get the check
C.they went to New York immediately D.they spoke to their boss at once
4.What does the author think of her mother’s English now?
A.It confuses her. B.It embarrasses her.
C.It helps her understand the world. D.It helps her tolerate rude people.
In a hot summer, there’s no better place than a UK beach—these shores offer walks and wildlife, picnics and rockpools.
Runswick Bay, North Yorkshir
It is a popular destination for rock poolers, walkers and hunters. Many of the homes are now holiday accommodations, linked by paths and walkways rather than streets. The Royal Hotel, at the heart of the village, offers homemade cakes and coffee alongside a simple but tasty bar menu and local Black Sheep bitter on draft.
Stay in Castle House (sleeps six, three nights from £500) at the top of the village; has sweeping views of the bay from a comfortable window seat.
South Shore, Brownsea Island, Dorset
Reached by ferry from the moneyed shores of Sandbanks, Brownsea Island is a pocket of safe wilderness in Poole harbour. Famous for its red squirrel population and as the site of Baden-Powell’s first Scout camp, its mixture of woodland, wildland, and ponds suits a day of exploration and adventure. Push yourself into the sandy banks and enjoy views across the harbour in the company of various sea birds.
Stay in National Trust-owned Custom House on the seaport (sleeps four, three nights from £622); offers a real Brownsea experience.
Kingsgate Bay, Broadstairs, Kent
The lack of a convenient car park means that Kingsgate Bay, between Margate and Broadstairs, is quieter than other beaches on the Thanet coast. A short walk from the car park at neighboring Joss Bay (popular with surfers), however, will take you to this sheltered sandy bay with its sea caves. It is also a safe place to swim and canoe.
Stay in the Botany Bay Hotel (family rooms from £80 B&B); has some dog-friendly rooms.
1.Which of the following suits you most if you are an animal lover?
A.Joss Bay. B.Kingsgate Bay.
C.South Shore. D.Runswick Bay.
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Runswick Bay can be accessible by ferry.
B.Your pet dogs are admitted into the Botany Bay Hotel.
C.There are lots of convenient car parks for visitors at Kingsgate Bay.
D.You can enjoy homemade cakes during your stay in the Botany Bay Hotel.
3.What kind of people is the text mainly written for?
A.Scientists. B.Students.
C.Tourists. D.Artists.
假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Lisa想要学习弹古筝，但是她的父母因怕影响她学习而不允许，她现在很难过。请你给她写封邮件，内容包括：
1. 给予安慰和理解；
2. 给出建议；
3. 表达祝愿。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：古筝 guzheng
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last Friday I took the subway home as usually. Since our physics teacher had just teach us in class that the escalator（自动扶梯） worked, I decided to see how fast the escalator went. To my surprise, it went a speed of about 40 m/min. The next day, I went to a department store with her cousin Emily. I times the escalator here too. I found that it was much slower, going about 30 meter every minute. Why? I check on the Internet and found the reason. Stores slow down escalators on a purpose, allowing customers more time to looking at their products.
