The word “Dutch” originally referred to Germans, and even today, the word "Deutschland" means Germany. 1. The country, which is on the coast of the North Sea between Germany and Belgium is also known as Holland.
There are many English expressions that include the word“Dutch.”2. For example, "Dutch courage" means false courage or bravery gotten by drinking alcohol. A "Dutch uncle" is a person who gives unwanted advice. A "Dutch concert" is just a lot of noise and no music. A "Dutch defense" means surrender（投降），although the Dutch never surrendered an inch of their homeland without a heroic fight.
In these phrases the English imply that the Dutch are cheap and not brave enough. 3. When most people think of Holland, they imagine huge fields of tulips（郁金香），tall windmills（风车）and children wearing wooden shoes一pleasant and positive things. So why did the English take such a contrary view of Holland?
4. But as the two countries became interested in the East Indies; they competed to control sea routes leading to the East indies and the valuable goods found there. The Dutch and the English fought three wars at sea between 1652 and 1674. In 1667. when the Dutch bravely blocked off the Thames River near London, England, the English were angry!5. Today relations between the two countries are quite friendly; but the old phrases remain.
A. Most of them have negative meanings.
B . It was during this time that the unfair war of words began.
C. Dutch is one of the closest relatives of both German and English.
D. Take advantage of any Dutch language center as you learn to speak Dutch.
E. Yet the rest of the world views Holland and the Dutch people much differently.
F. Before the 17th century, the Dutch were respected in English writing and language.
G.But in present-day English,“Dutch”refers to people and things coming from the Netherlands.
Dinosaurs ruled the planet for millions of years, and they are generally believed to have gone extinct.But the reality is that modern versions of dinosaurs are all around us. Scientists have been exploring similarities between birds and dinosaurs; and new research shows that these two types of animals are directly linked.
The connections between birds and dinosaurs are explored in a new museum exhibit called Dinosaurs Among Us at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
According to Mark Norell, the director of the exhibit and an expert at the museum, it is based on new scientific evidence collected over the last two decades. "I think this is really going to shake up the way people think of dinosaurs “ Norell told reporters.” One could argue that we still live in the age of dinosaurs."
The exhibit includes ancient fossils and lifelike models of dinosaurs of all sizes to show the evolution of dinosaurs into birds. It examines several properties that are shared between the two species, including feathers, complex brains, the shapes. And sizes of eggs, and the ability to fly. Birds today make nests, lay eggs and tend to babies. Fossil research shows that some dinosaurs also made nests and laid eggs. Also，birds have hollow（中空的）bones, which don’t weigh much and allow birds to take more air into their lungs. These adaptations help with flight. Some dinosaurs had these properties as well. In addition, the exhibit shows that there are many similarities between the legs, claws; and feet of dinosaurs and birds.
Norell noted that the research behind this exhibit is the result of advanced scientific, techniques; and new technologies. For example researchers used a scanning (扫描) process called computed tomography (CT) to look inside the brains of extinct dinosaurs. It combines with many X-rays to produce a 3D image. "Modern technology tells us more than we thought
we could ever know about the connections between dinosaurs and birds," Norell said.
1.What' s the main idea of this text?
A. Experts .have discovered many dinosaurs' fossils.
B. A new museum has opened for visitors to New York City.
C. Research has been done on the lifestyles of birds and dinosaurs.
D. An exhibit shows the connections between birds and dinosaurs.
2.What does the underlined word “properties” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. Advantages. B. Characters.
C. Changes. D. Activities.
3.One of the similarities that dinosaurs and birds share lies in________
A. their lungs B. their light bones
C. the shapes of their nests D. the number of their eggs
4.What did Mark Norell try to show by mentioning CT?
A. The importance of the research.
B. What connects dinosaurs and birds.
C. The application of modern technology.
D. How dinosaurs lived millions of years ago.
Even in the fanciest pizza restaurant, you will never feel weird if you ask for a box to take your leftovers (剩饭）home. In Italy, that will soon apply everywhere, with a new law that encourages restaurants to give people doggy bags, although in Italy it's called a "family bag."
The new law is designed to reduce food waste and open doors to companies wishing to donate wasted food. Family bags were made to avoid embarrassment at asking for leftovers, turning it from begging into good behavior.
In the U.S., taking uneaten food home is normal. In the U.K. it is fairly common. To the south, though, this practice is rare. In Spain and Italy, people might take the bones from their meat and give them to their dogs, but culturally, it's not the done thing. Also, there aren't often many leftovers, as dishes are sized according to how much people will actually eat and are rarely too big to finish unless you over-order.
In France, the laws are tougher. Last year, the French began to forbid supermarkets to throw away food. They must either give it away to charity, or make it available to be used as animal feed and compost(堆肥），If they fail to follow the law, they will be fined.
Perhaps Italy's new law is right. Food waste is now attracting international attention, but the only way to really stop it lies in whether individuals are willing to change their ways. If it becomes socially unacceptable to waste food, or to serve a huge portion in restaurants, then we have a chance.
1.What does the underlined word “weird” in paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Difficult. B. Strange
C. Relaxed. D. Disappointed.
2.Why do the Spanish seldom take leftovers home from restaurants?
A. They don’t bother to do it.
B. It is their custom to eat food up.
C. It is not acceptable in their culture.
D. They usually order small portions.
3.According to the author, how can we reduce food waste?
A. By introducing stricter laws.
B. By donating food to the needy.
C. By restaurants only serving small portions.
D. By everyone taking action and saying no to it.
4.What’s the text mainly about?
A. Way of reducing food waste.
B. Italy’s plans to use family bags.
C. How doggy bags come into being.
D. The increasingly serious food waste.
Before World War II，all bank tellers（出纳）were men. But as men went to war during the early 1940s, banks trained women to take their place. I was among 20 women selected by Bank of America to work as a teller at a small branch in Los Angeles.
November 23，1942 was a day I'll never forget when I was 22 years old and just two months on the job. When a well-dressed man in a suit, tie and hat came to my window. I greeted him with a friendly “Good afternoon.” But he shouted,“This is it!”
'The man placed a brown bag on the counter and said; "Fill it up.”Because of 'the way he was dressed, it didn't dawn on me that this was a hold-up（持枪抢劫）. I was sure it must be a test of the new tellers' ability to follow bank rules. Eager to pass such a test, I coolly opened the bag, and then calmly filled it with marked bills.
“None of these!” the man shouted, insisting that I fill the bag with cash from another teller’s drawer. Well, that was a big no-no from training: You never touch another teller's cash! I firmly told him it was against bank rules. You can imagine the disbelief on the robber' s face. Other tellers later told me they couldn't believe I refused the robber's demands.
When the man told me to stand in front of the other staff along the wall, threatening to shoot me if anyone moved, I finally realized this was real. After the robber fled the bank, the manager got his gun and went after the robber but he failed to catch him. The robber was caught after another bank hold-up, and I was told I was the first female teller to be held up in California, which was a fact that attracted many reporters.
1.Why was it easy for the author to become a bank teller?
A. Females were thought responsible.
B. There was a lack of male workers.
C. She worked far better than men
D. Women could be trained easily.
2.Why did the author feel calm at the beginning of the incident?
A. She was well trained.
B. She took it for a test.
C. She knew the man had no gun with him.
D. She had experienced the same thing before.
3.How did the robber feel when he heard the author's words in Paragraph 4?
A. Worried. B. Disappointed.
C. Skeptical. D. Ashamed.
4.What can be inferred about the author after the incident?
A. She was the subject of many news stories.
B. She caught the robber in another hold-up.
C. She was to blame for losing money.
D. She succeed in changing her job.
Looking for volunteers
Hi，all,
Fancy running a programme item or two?
We are looking for volunteers to run a number of programme items. If you meet one or more of the following requirements, we are very happy to hear about them at programme@dwcon.org.
Have guitar, will travel
We have two sing-along items planned (one of them aimed specifically at kids). Unfortunately, one organizer had to leave for some personal reasons, so we need one or two people. We are happy to discuss what we had in mind, but this can be run in any way you want.
Have questions, can point
We have two panels(专家咨询组）for this year: panel on writing and panel on story archetypes(原型）.
We are looking for two volunteers to run these panels as chair. The main responsibility will be to point at people with questions, and have a few questions /remarks(评述）ready in case the audience has no ideas yet. Or if you always want to know something of course.
Play recorder
On Friday evening we will have a karaoke-like programme item, and we are looking for one or two volunteers to act as “DJ”. Music and equipment will be provided, so we mostly expect you to keep track of whose turn it is to sing
Have eyes for colour
Guess what, this is a paint-related item. We would like to make “rock puppets(木偶）,and we need one or two volunteers to guide that. Paint and rocks will be provided.
1.The volunteers who will work on the two panels should __________
A. be experts on writing.
B. be skilled at telling stories.
C. be good at asking questions
D. be experienced in chairing competitions
2.What is the duty of a volunteer “DJ”?
A. To make sure the equipment works well.
B. To play records for the person who will sing.
C. To make plans for the karaoke-like programme.
D. To choose the right music for the person to sing.
3.What should the volunteers work as for the paint-related item?
A. Guides. B. Painters.
C. Organizers. D. Chairpersons.
最近，家庭生养二胎已成社会热门话题。很多孩子都强烈反对自己的父母生养二胎。某英文报小编想听听你就此现象的看法。假设你是李华，请给报社小编写一封信，简要说明当今孩子反对自家生养二胎的可能原因及你对此事的看法。
注意：
1．词数100左右；
2．信的开头已为你写好。
Dear Editor,
I’m writing with regard to the topic in your newspaper that some children are strongly against their parents’ having another child.
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Yours,
Li Hua
