He met her at a party. She was outstanding; many guys were after her, but nobody paid any attention to him. After the party, he invited her for coffee. She was surprised! In order not to appear rude, she went along.
As they sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything and she felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, he asked the waiter, “Could you please give me some salt? I’d like to put it in my coffee.”
They stared at him. He turned red, but when the salt came, he put it in his coffee and drank. Curious, she asked, “Why salt with coffee?” He explained, “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing on the sea. I could feel it salty, like salty coffee. Now every time I drink it, I think of my childhood and my hometown. I miss it and my parents, who are still there.”
She was deeply moved. A man who can admit that he’s homesick must love his home and care about his family. He must be responsible. She talked too, about her far away hometown, her childhood, her family. That was the start to their love story.
They continued to date. She found that he met all her requirements. He was kind, warm and careful. She thought she would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee! So they married and lived happily together. And every time she made coffee for him, she put in some salt, the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away and left her a letter which said:
My dearest, please forgive me my life-long lie. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous that I asked for salt instead of sugar. Sweetheart, I don’t exactly like salty coffee. But as it means so much to you, I’ve learned to enjoy it. Having you with me was my greatest happiness. If I could live a second time, I hope we can be together again, even if it means that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life.
1.Why did the man ask for salt instead of sugar?
A. Because he missed his hometown and his family.
B. Because he wanted to catch the attention of the lady.
C. Because he was very nervous and made a mistake.
D. Because he liked salty coffee instead of coffee with sugar.
2.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. The man was outstanding at the party.
B. The man was good at telling a lie.
C. The man was once a fisherman.
D. The man loved the lady very much.
3.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. A Life-long Lie B. Salty Coffee
C. A Mistake for love D. A Homesick Man
Hong Kong Science Museum
You might really like the Science Museum if you are interested in science. The Museum wants to teach kids science. It gives them a place to have fun with the equipment there. However, adults can learn some science too.
The Museum has 6,500 square metres. There are over 500 exhibits, and nearly 70 percent of them are suitable for visitors of all ages. Since its opening in April 1991, the Hong Kong Science Museum has proven itself to be a good place for learning science. Through having better exhibits and fun science programs in an enjoyable environment, the Museum wants to popularize science to the public and the support science education in schools. Visitors at the Science Museum can visit the exhibition in their own way and enjoy the fun of discovery learning.
If you want to have a visit, you’d better read the information carefully.
Opening hours
Monday to Wednesday, Friday: 10 am~7 pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10 am~9 pm
Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve: 10 am~5 pm
Closed on Thursdays, and the first two days of the Chinese New Year
Ticketing information
Standard Ticket: HK$ 20
Group Ticket: HK$14
Opening hours
Monday to Wednesday, Friday: 10 am~7 pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10 am~9 pm
Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve: 10 am~5 pm
Closed on Thursdays, and the first two days of the Chinese New Year
Ticketing information
Standard Ticket: HK$ 20
Group Ticket: HK$14
1.What can children do in the Museum according to the text?
A. They can learn history knowledge.
B. They can have fun when learning science.
C. They are encouraged to help each other.
D. They are allowed to have lunch for free.
2.How much should a member of a tour group pay to visit the Museum?
A. HK$6. B. HK$20. C. HK$34. D. HK$14.
3.When does the Museum close on weekends?
A. 5:00 pm. B. 7:00 pm. C. 9:00 pm. D. 10:00 pm.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is the talk mainly about?
A. An English dictionary. B. A bookstore. C. A grammar book.
2.When will the sale end?
A. On 5th. B. On 7th. C. On 11th.
3.Where is the talk given?
A. At a company. B. At a school. C. At an exhibition.
4.What is the speaker?
A. A bookstore owner. B. An English teacher. C. A bookseller.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Who will meet the woman?
A. The man. B. The man’s driver. C. The man’s workmate.
2.Why did the woman fail to be picked up?
A. The driver got the wrong arrival time.
B. The man forgot the time change.
C. She didn’t e-mail the man about the change in time.
3.Where does the man want to meet the woman?
A. At the hotel. B. At an airport. C. At the man’s office.
4.What will the woman do next?
A. Go to meet the man.
B. Have a good sleep.
C. Have dinner with the driver.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where is the man?
A. At the woman’s office. B. At a factory. C. At school.
2.Why does the man dislike the woman’s first suggestion?
A. That topic isn’t a serious problem.
B. Too many people are doing that topic.
C. There is little information on that topic.
3.What will the man’s project be about probably?
A. Greenhouse effect. B. Noise pollution. C. Water pollution.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What happened to the man?
A. He lost his money. B. He fell into a pool. C. He was hit by a bus.
2.How did the man get home?
A. By bus. B. By taxi. C. On fool.
