You’ve just come home, after living abroad for a few years. Since you’ve been away, has this country changed for the better—or for the worse?
If you’ve just arrived back in the UK after a fortnight’s holiday, small changes have probably surprised you—anything from a local greengrocer suddenly being replaced by a mobile-phone shop to someone in your street moving house.
So how have things changed to people coming back to Britain after seven, ten or even 15 years living abroad? What changes in society can they see that the rest of us have hardly noticed—or now take for granted? To find out, we asked some people who recently returned.
Debi: When we left, Cheltenham, my home town, was a town of white, middle-class families—all very conservative (保守的). The town is now home to many eastern Europeans and lots of Australians, who come here mainly to work in hotels and tourism. There are even several shops only for foreigners.
Having been an immigrant (移民) myself, I admire people who go overseas to find a job. Maybe if I lived in an inner city where unemployment was high, I’d think differently, but I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they’re more open-minded and often work harder than the natives.
Christine: As we flew home over Britain, both of us remarked how green everything looked. But the differences between the place we’d left behind and the one we returned to were brought sharply into focus as soon as we landed.
To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening—in Cyprus, they’re very relaxed—and I got pulled over by customs officers just for taking a woolen sweater with some metal-made buttons out of my case in the arrivals hall. Everyone seemed to be on guard. Even the airport car-hire firm wanted a credit card rather than cash because they said their vehicles had been used by bank robbers.
But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country. I just wish more people would appreciate what they’ve got.
1.After a short overseas holiday, people tend to _______.
A. notice small changes
B. expect small changes
C. welcome small changes
D. exaggerate small changes
2.How does Debi look at the foreign settlers?
A. Cautiously.
B. Positively.
C. Sceptically.
D. Critically.
3.When arriving at the airport in Britain, Christine was shocked by _______.
A. the relaxed policemen
B. the messy arrivals hall
C. the tight security
D. the bank robbers
4.Which might be the best title for the passage?
A. Life in Britain.
B. Back in Britain.
C. Britain in Future.
D. Britain in Memory.
It was a winter afternoon. Some friends and I were eating at a restaurant and talking. We talked and talked and soon became the topic. Suddenly I hit upon an idea. “Wouldn’t it be fun to go ? Others go in winter, but why couldn’t we? , we could be healthier if we did. ” I told them about this, and they all said it was a good idea . Early the next morning, we four were standing at the bus stop, with bags in our hands, for a bus to take us to the . The sky was clear; the sun was shining. But it was very cold all the same. our heavy overcoats were not enough to keep us warm. We all felt we should go back, but no one wanted to speak out.
We soon reached the sands. There was there, but we were not discouraged. Instead we were that we were the only ones that dared to challenge the weather. we changed our clothes quickly. But things were not going so . The freezing sea wind was blowing. We felt very cold and trembled all over. At we made up our minds to go into the water. We put our feet in first to take them back very quickly. The water was unbelievably cold. Then I suggested we all jump in . We all went back ten steps. I gave the , and we all rushed forward and jumped in. I shall never forget the moment I was in the water. I was up and rushed again to the shore. it was with my friends. We put on our clothes as quickly as possible.
On the way back home, we talked about this unforgettable . The four of us did not school for the following three days. We all suffered a lot a very bad cold. But we thought it was all worth it.
1.A. film B. music C. sports D. play
2.A. swimming B. skating C. skiing D. camping
3.A. Specially B. Besides C. Really D. Clearly
4.A. indeed B. fully C. certainly D. truly
5.A. looking B. searching C. waiting D. asking
6.A. river B. lake C. pool D. sands
7.A. Even B. Yet C. But D. Just
8.A. somebody B. nobody C. everybody D. anybody
9.A. excited B. happy C. proud D. lonely
10.A. So B. But C. Still D. Yet
11.A. wrong B. right C. bad D. smooth
12.A. first B. all C. last D. once
13.A. just B. then C. only D. but
14.A. one by one B. one after another C. separately D. at the same time
15.A. message B. order C. mark D. information
16.A. slowly B. nervously C. late D. immediately
17.A. Nor B. And C. So D. Or
18.A. idea B. experiment C. chance D. experience
19.A. attend B. reach C. enter D. go
20.A. by B. with C. from D. of
The officer insisted that Michael did not follow the correct ________ in applying for a visa.
A. pattern B. procedure C. program D. perspective
It is important to have your eyes examined regularly to check for any sign of eye disease that may not have any ________.
A. symptom B. similarity C. sample D. shadow
Whether the buildings in this area should be pulled down has remained ________; people are still looking for other possible solutions.
A. unchallenged B. relevant C. controversial D. contradictory
Can you tell the ________ difference between the words “require” and “request”? I sometimes get puzzled by their meanings.
A. dramatic B. regional C. apparent D. subtle
