An international group of coffee experts has considered Ethiopia’s coffee as the best in the world. Coffee is a top export of the country. But at home, it is seen as national pride. Ethiopians feel good about their coffee, and enjoying a drink with friends is a long tradition.
International coffee experts travel the world to find the best coffee. They keep returning to Ethiopia. Some people say the climate produces quality beans. Morton Wenner is a coffee importer. He said, “Ethiopia has different ancient types of coffee. They are planted in places with perfect soil, perfect altitude, and climates that are really suitable for coffee processing, such as drying and things like that.”
Finding the best quality beans is often an issue of taste. The process is known as cupping — tasting and comparing coffee from different roasted beans, grading and then pricing them.
But before international experts come to taste, coffee beans are studied in small coffee laboratories. Helen Assefa, a lab technician, describes the process, “When the coffee comes to the lab, we assess its quality first by recording the details. Then we weigh the wetness level and screen the beans for analysis. After that we polish the coffee beans and taste the samples. At the end we check for imperfect beans.”
Ethiopia is making big profits on its coffee reputation by exporting coffee to more than 120 countries. The country has an export income of more than $840 million a year. But not all the best coffee leaves Ethiopia. Forty percent of the coffee grown in the country stays there. It remains an important part of everyday life at work, at home and at ceremonies just to celebrate that special cup.
1.Where does the Ethiopian’s pride mainly come from?
A. Traditional practices. B. Food export. C. International experts. D. Best coffee.
2.Ethiopia produces best coffee because of ____________.
A. the special coffee taste B. the long-standing tradition
C. the satisfactory mild climate D. the favorable growing environment
3.Which of the following describes the process of studying coffee beans in the lab?
a. polish and taste
b. weigh the dampness level
c. record quality facts
d. analyze the beans
e. check for imperfection
A. d-c-b-a-e B. c-b-d-a-e C. e-c-a-b-d D. c-d-a-b-e
4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. Coffee is essential in Ethiopians’ daily lives.
B. Coffee is the most profitable industry in Ethiopia.
C. Most of the coffee production remains in Ethiopia.
D. Ethiopians often hold ceremonies to celebrate harvest.
Kieron Graham has known from a young age that he was adopted. While he loves his adoptive family, he has always wondered about his birth mother and brother. When his adoptive mom gave him a DNA test tool, they both hoped it might lead to his birth family. But neither guessed it would work so quickly, or that when it did, Graham would learn he and his long-lost brother may have crossed paths every day.
It took just one week from the time Graham, a college student at Georgia's Kennesaw State University, received his DNA results on Ancestry.com for him to connect with his brother. Graham's DNA results showed that his closest match was a man named Vincent Ghant, and it turned out Ghant lived just a few minutes away.
Graham reached out and learned that the two were in fact long-lost brothers. Their mother, Shawn Ghant, made the difficult decision to place Kieron in adoptive care when he was just a baby. And she has worried and wondered about her youngest son ever since. Graham has since been reunited with his mother and both of his brothers on his mother's side.
“It’s all surreal(离奇的), too many emotions to describe exactly what I’m feeling about the entire situation, but it’s a good situation,” Graham tells MNN.
As fate would have it, Kieron and Vincent are both students at Kennesaw State. They even have the same major: political science. So it's a safe bet the two crossed paths many times over the past three years. And now, thanks to some DNA sleuthing(筛查), the two will cross paths many more times in the years to come.
“We’re getting together on Christmas with everyone, birth mother included,” Graham says. “That's sure to be a very indelible Christmas indeed, which will always be treasured by us.”
1.According to the passage, Graham ___________.
A. is quite familiar with his birth family
B. relied on a website to find his birth family
C. happens to be working in Ancestry.com
D. is studying engineering in the state university
2.What can we infer from the third paragraph?
A. It was hard for Shawn to place her son in adoptive care.
B. Graham has three adoptive brothers on his mother’s side.
C. It was too difficult for the whole family to get united.
D. Shawn Ghant loves her older sons more.
3.What does Graham probably think of his experience?
A. Unbelievable and exciting. B. Surprising but common.
C. Undoubted and inspiring. D. Moving but painful.
4.What does the underlined word “indelible” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Normal. B. Silent. C. Traditional. D. Unforgettable.
Springtime In Paris
Departure: May 5, 12, 19 and June 9
4 days for £129 per person
Paris in the springtime was, is and always will be something rather special. Why not experience it for yourself with this excellent break for four days? This attractive city has something to offer everyone and with prices at just ￡129, it's great value too.
Your break begins with executive coach transfer from regional pickup points and travel to Paris is via cross-channel ferry, arriving at your hotel in the evening. The hotel is an excellent quality one with private facilities in all rooms: satellite TV, radio, telephone and alarm clock. It has a bar and restaurant and is situated about two miles south of Notre Dame enabling you to explore Paris with ease.
The following day, after continental breakfast(included), the coach takes you on a comprehensive sightseeing tour of the city, during which you will see the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, L'Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and in fact almost every famous landmark you have ever heard of. You then leave Paris and take a short drive to the magnificent Palace of Versailles, the home of Louis XIV. The tour ends mid-afternoon back in Paris where you will have the remainder of the day at your leisure. In the evening there is a "Paris By Night" tour showing you the beautiful buildings with bright lights.
Day three takes you to Montmartre, perhaps the most picturesque of Paris and home of the Saere Coeur and the Moulin Rouge. In the afternoon you are free to explore this beautiful city as you wish, perhaps a pleasure voyage on the River Seine, wander around the picturesque gardens or look through among the antique shops. In the evening you will have the opportunity to visit the best nightclub in the city, the splendid Paradis Latin. On the final day we're back to the U.K. via channel ferry.
Included in the price of ￡129 per person
Return executive coach travel to Paris
Return ferry crossings
3 nights accommodation in a twin bedded room in a Central Paris hotel with private facilities
Continental breakfast during your stay
Guided sightseeing tour of "Paris By Day" and "Paris By Night"
Visit to Chateau of Versailles (admission not included)
Tour on Montmartre
Services of an experienced bi-lingual tour guide at all times
1.During the stay in Paris, the tourists will have ___________.
A. free time for more than half a day
B. a “Paris By Night” tour on the first evening
C. a pleasure voyage on the River Seine together
D. a chance to live in a hotel two miles away from Paris
2.Which of the following can we learn about the travel schedule from the text?
A. The tourists will return on June 9.
B. The tourists may set off on May 12.
C. The tourists may explore Notre Dame in depth.
D. The tourists will spend one night in Paradis Latin.
3.After paying ￡129, the tourists will have to pay ____.
A. the continental breakfasts
B. the tour on Montmartre
C. admission ticket to Chateau of Versailles
D. services of a bi-lingual tour guide
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why couldn’t Susan come with Richard to meet Jason?
A. Because she had to deal with something urgent in the office.
B. Because she had an appointment in the office.
C. Because she caught a cold.
2.How does Richard feel about married life?
A. He feels that he gets angry more often now.
B. He feels that he has much more freedom now.
C. He feels that he has less freedom now.
3.What kind of life does Jason prefer to have?
A. Stable and quiet. B. Changing and surprising. C. Nice and comfortable.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What kind of competition has the man taken part in?
A. A Chinese Speaking competition.
B. An English Speaking competition.
C. A debate.
2.According to the man, what are the important factors in delivering a successful speech?
A. Proper body language.
B. Pronunciation and intonation.
C. All of the above.
3.This competition brings the man something except ________.
A. more opportunities.
B. a chance to test his Chinese.
C. a chance to test his English.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What makes the woman worried?
A. Her daughter always takes her advice.
B. Her daughter can’t decide about college.
C. Her daughter will not go to college.
2.What does the woman actually mind?
A. Her daughter may not be able to go to college.
B. Her daughter is a teenager already.
C. Her daughter always disagrees with her.
3.What does the man suggest to the woman?
A. To leave her daughter alone.
B. To encourage her daughter to make her own decision.
C. To give her daughter some tips.
