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.”
1.The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A．show the relationship between parents and children
B．teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C．report on the findings of a study
D．give information about family problems
2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because ____________.
A．they are busy serving food to their children
B．they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
C．they have to pay more attention to younger children
D．they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
3.By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.
A．have to help their parents to serve dinner
B．get the least attention from the family
C．are often kept away from the dinner table
D．find it hard to keep up with other children
4.Lewis’ research provides an answer to the question _________.
A．why TV is important in family life
B．why parents should keep good order
C．why children in small families seem to be quieter
D．why middle children seem to have more difficulties in life
5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A．It is important to have the right food for children.
B．It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C．Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
D．Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner
Welcome to Adventureland!
Everyone loves Adventureland! The Parks and Exhibitions were built for you to explore（探索）, enjoy, and admire their wonders. Every visit will be an unforgettable experience. You will go away enriched, longing to come back. What are you going to do this time?
The Travel Pavillon
Explore places you have never been to before, and experience different ways of life.
Visit the Amazon jungle（丛林）village, the Turkish market, the Tai floating market, the Berber mountain house and others. Talk to the people there who will tell you about their lives, and things they make. You can try making a carpet, making nets, fishing…
The Future Tower
This exhibition shows how progress will touch our lives. It allows us to look into the future and explore the cities of the next century and the way we’ll be living then. Spend some time in our space station and climb into our simulator（模拟装置）for the Journey to Mars!
The Nature Park
This is not really one park but several.
In the Safari Park you can drive among African animals in one of our Range Cruisers: see lions, giraffes, elephants in the wild. Move on to the Ocean Park to watch the dolphins and whales. And then there is still the Aviary to see…
The Pyramid
This is the center of Adventureland. Run out of film, need some postcards and stamps? For all these things and many more, visit our underground shopping center. Come here for information and ideas too.
1.The Travel Pavilion is built to help visitors .
A．realize the importance of travelling
B．become familiar with mountain countries
C．learn how to make things such as fishing nets
D．learn something about different places in the world
2.If you are interested in knowing about what people’s life will be, you may visit .
A．the Travel Pavilion B．the Future Tower
C．the Safari Park D．the Pyrmid
3.If you want to get a toy lion to take home, where will you most likely go?
A．The Pyramid. B．The Nature Park.
C．The Future Tower. D．The Travel Parvilion.
MONTREAL (Reuters) – Crossing the US-Canada border（边界）to go to church on a Sunday cost a US citizen ＄10,000 for breaking Washington’s strict new security（安全）rules.
The expensive trip to church was a surprise for Richard Albert, who lives right on the Canadian border. Like the other half-dozen people of Township 15, crossing the border is a daily occurrence for Albert. The nearby Quebec village of St. Pamphile is where they shop, eat and go to church.
There are many such situations in these areas along the largely unguarded 5,530-mile border between Canada and the US-which in some cases actually runs down the middle of streets or through buildings.
As a result, Albert says he did not expect any problems three weeks ago when he returned home to the US after attending church in Canada, as usual. The US customs（海关）station in this
are is closed on Sundays, so be just drove around the locked gate, as he had done every weekend since the gate appeared last May, following a tightening of border security. Two days later. Albert was told to go to the customs office, where an officer told him be had been caught on carnera crossing the border illegally（非法）.
Ottawa has given out special passes to some 300 US citizens in that area so they can enter the country when Canadian customs stations are closed, but the US stopped a similar program last May. That forces the people to a 200-mile detour along hilly roads to get home through another border checkpoint.
Albert has requested that the customs office change their decisions on the fine, but he has not attended a Sunday church since. “I feel like I’m living in a prison,” he said.
1.We learn from the text that Richard Albert is .
A．an American living in Township 15
B．a Canadian living in a Quebec village
C．a Canadian working in a customs station
D．an American working in a Canadian church
2.Albert was fined because he .
A．failed to obey traffic rules B．broke the American security rules
C．worked in St. Pamphile without a pass D．damaged the gate of the customs office
3.The underlined word “detour” in paragraph 5 means .
A．a drive through the town B．a race across the fields
C．a roundabout way of travelling D．a journey in the mountain area
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A．A Cross-country Trip B．A Special Border Pass
C．An Unguarded Border D．An Expensive Church Visit
Pet owners are being encouraged to take their animals to work , a move scientists say can be
god for productivity , workplace morale (士气), and the well-being of animals .
A study found that 25% of Australian women would like to keep an office pet . Sue Chaseling of Petcare information Service said the practice of keeping office pets was good both for the people and the pets . “On the pets’ side , they are not left on their own and won’t feel lonely and unhappy,” she said . A study of major US companies showed that 73% found office pets beneficial (有益的) , while 27% experienced a drop in absenteeism (缺勤).
Xarni Riggs has two cats walking around her Global Hair Salon in Paddington . “My customers love them . they are their favorites ,” she said . “They are not troublesome . They know when to go and have a sleep in the sun .”
Little black BJ has spent nearly all his two years “working” at Punch Gallery in Balmain . Owner Iain Powell said he had had cats at the gallery for 15 years . “BJ often lies in the shop window and people walking past tap on the glass ,” he said .
Ms Chaseling said cats were popular in service industries because they enabled a point of conversation . But she said owners had to make sure both their co-workers and the cats were comfortable .
1.The percentage of American companies that are in favor of keeping office pets is .
A．73% B．27% C．25% D．15%
2.We know from the text that “BJ”
A．works in the Global Hair Salon B．often greets the passers-by
C．likes to sleep in the sun D．is a two-year-old cat
3.The best title for this text would be .
A．Pets Help Attract Customers B．Your Favorite Office Pets
C．Pets Join the Workforce D．Busy Life for Pets
阅读下面短文，撑握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项
One afternoon I was sitting at my favorite table in a restaurant , waiting for the food I had ordered to arrive . Suddenly I 1that a man sitting at a table near the window kept glancing in my direction , 2he knew me . The man had a newspaper 3in front of him , which he was 4to read , but I could 5that he was keeping an eye on me . when the waiter brought my 6the man was clearly puzzled (困惑) by the 7way in which the waiter and I 8each other . He seemed even more puzzled as 9went on and it became 10that all the waiters in the restaurant knew me . Finally he got
up and went into the 11. When he came out , he paid his bill and 12without another glance in my direction .
I called the owner of the restaurant and asked what the man had 13. “Well,” he said , “that man was a detective (侦探) . He 14you here because he though you were the man he 15.” “What ?” I said , showing my 16. The owner continued , “He came into the kitchen and showed me a photo of the wanted man. I 17say he looked very much like you ! Of course , since we know you , we told him that he had made a 18.” “Well , it’s really 19I came to a restaurant where I’m known ,” I said . “ 20, I might have been in trouble .”
1.A．knew B．understood C．noticed D．recognized
2.A．since B．even if C．though D．as if
3.A．flat B．open C．cut D．fixed
4.A．hoping B．thinking C．pretending D．continuing
5.A．see B．find C．guess D．learn
6.A．menu B．bill C．paper D．food
7.A．direct B．familiar C．strange D．funny
8.A．chatted with B．looked at C．laughed at D．talked about
9.A．the waiter B．time C．I D．the dinner
10.A．true B．hopeful C．clear D．possible
11.A．restaurant B．washroom C．office D．kitchen
12.A．left B．acted C．sat down D．calmed down
13.A．wanted B．tried C．ordered D．wished
14.A．met B．caught C．followed D．discovered
15.A．was to beat B．was dealing with C．was to meet D．was looking for
16.A．care B．surprise C．worry D．regret
17.A．must B．can C．need D．may
18.A．discovery B．mistake C．decision D．fortune
19.A．a pity B．natural C．a chance D．lucky
20.A．Thus B．However C．Otherwise D．Therefore
The chairman thought necessary to invite Professor Smith to speak at the meeting .
A．that B．it C．this D．him
