One thing that British and Chinese cultures share is a love for fine tea. Today, when we think of Western tea culture, we often think of the English and beautiful china tea cups.
Afternoon tea
People believe that an English lady, Anna, first introduced the idea of afternoon tea. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the English ate only two main meals each day: breakfast and a heavy supper that would last for several hours in the evening. As a result, people often got very hungry during the long wait between these two meals. To solve this problem, Anna came up with the clever idea of inviting some friends to join her for an afternoon meal between four and five o’clock. This meal included cakes and sandwiches. And tea was served(供应) to wash down the food. In order to make this afternoon meal important, fine china cups and plates and silver teapots, knives, forks and spoons were used. Soon, afternoon tea parties became popular social occasions. Today, afternoon tea parties continue to play an important part in the social life in modern Britain.
Will you come for coffee?
Coffee also has an important role in British culture. People often use the words “Will you come for coffee” to mean “Would you like to come to my home for a chat?” Normally, several different drinks such as tea, hot chocolate or a soft drink like orange juice will be served as well as coffee, and you will be asked what you would like. However, you will not normally be offered wine at a “coffee” party.
Coffeehouses and the London Stock Exchange
In the 17th century London, coffeehouses were busy and noisy places. Businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses to do their business, as well as to drink coffee. In fact, the London Stock Exchange(伦敦股票交易所) is believed to have started from these coffeehouses.
1.Anna introduced the idea of drinking afternoon tea because she ______.
A. enjoyed chatting with her friends at home
B. loved fine tea and beautiful china tea cups
C. wanted to share nice food with her friends
D. found people felt hungry during the long wait between the two meals
2.What does “social occasions” mean in Chinese?
A. 集体婚礼 B. 社交活动 C. 社区表演 D. 公共场合
3. If someone says to you “Will you come for coffee,” you ______.
A. will be offered coffee only
B. are asked what you would like to drink
C. will be asked to have a chat with him or her
D. you are invited to take part in an afternoon tea party
4. From the last paragraph we can see______
A. a new business was started in coffeehouses.
B. coffeehouses are still used by businessmen and bankers.
C. businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses just for coffee.
D. most people wouldn’t like to go to coffeehouses because of the noise.
5. Which is the best title of the article?
A. British and Chinese cultures. B. The beginning of Tea and Coffee.
C. Coffeehouse and Business. D. English tea and coffee culture.
As prices and building costs keep rising, the “do-it-yourself” (DIY) is getting more and more popular in the USA.
“We needed furniture for our living room,” says John Rose,” and we just didn’t have enough money to buy it. So we decided to try making a few tables and chairs.” John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Roses took a 2-week courses for ＄280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has much work at home as well as a job in a shoe-making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for＄420. “I was deeply unhappy about it. Now I’ve finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself.”
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can do to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a DIY, you can go to DIY classes. And for those who didn’t have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself.
1.Many newly married people in the USA ______.
A. find it hard to pay for what they need
B. must take some courses
C. have to learn to make their own furniture
D. seldom go to a shop to buy things.
2.John and his wife went to evening classes to learn how to ______.
A. make furniture B. make or repair things
C. improve the quality of life D. save time and money
3. Jim Hatfield’s job is to ______.
A. make shoes at home B. do housework in a shoe factory
C. run a shoe-making factory at home D. work in a shoe factory
4.Jim decided to become a DIY when ______.
A. he enjoyed doing everything by himself
B. he becomes an unusual person
C. his car repairs cost very much
D. the car repair class wasn’t helpful
5.Which of the following statement is right?
A. If you want to become a DIY, you can only go to DIY classes.
B. People who take DIY courses are quite different from the others.
C. DIY is becoming more and more popular because of the raising living cost.
D. Most families in the country are doing everything because they enjoy the life style.
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C 和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Have you ever heard of Agatha Christie, an excellent writer? Agatha Christie is, without a doubt, 16 mystery writer in the world. Her books have been translated into more than 100 languages. All 77 novels and story collections she wrote are still on the market 25 years after her 17 .
Agatha Christie was born in 1890 in a southwest England seaside town. She enjoyed a very comfortable childhood in a big house with 18 servants(仆人). Agatha was known 19 an imaginative child. With her sister and brother away at school, she often played alone. She passed the time by making up stories which she told to 20 .
Agatha Christie’s first novel was published in 1920. In it, she 21 one of her most popular characters, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. He went on to appear in 33 of her novels, and in several movies 22 . Although Poirot appears again and again in her novels, Christie certainly could not be considered as repeating her ideas. Her powers of invention and her ability to surprise continue to attract 23 readers around the world.
Christie also wrote several 24 . One of these, “The Mousetrap”, became the longest-running play in the history of theater. It is about a murder mystery that 25 in a country house. All these mysterious stories earned her the title “Queen of Crime”.
1.
A. more practical B. more famous
C. the most famous D. the most practical
2.
A. loss B. birth C. death D. arrival
3.
A. much B. plenty of C. lots D. a lot
4.
A. as B. like C. by D. for
5.
A. her brother B. her C. herself D. her sister
6.
A. created B. produced C. built D. continued
7.
A. also B. besides C. as well D. either
8.
A. million B. millions C. millions of D. million of
9.
A. stories B. plays C. movies D. comedies
10.
A. takes place B. takes in C. takes off D. takes down
–Jim, we’re going to go camping tomorrow. Will you join us?
--______, but I promised to go cycling with Tom yesterday.
A. Never mind B. That’s right C. My pleasure D. I’d love to
--Is the man standing outside the teacher’s office Mr. Zhou?
--No, it ______ be him. He has gone to Hong Kong for an academic conference.
A. mustn’t B. can’t C. needn’t D. couldn’t
Parents shouldn’t do all the things for their children because too much ______ prevents children’s development.
A. protection B. pollution C. exploration D. application
