【推荐2】Toys and Games for Kids

Ms. Monopoly

Hasbro launched a new version of this game in an attempt to solve the gender pay gap. Female players start the game with $1,900 in Monopoly Money and males with $1,500. The gap continues every time a player passes with women collecting $240 and men $200. It remains possible that a boy wins the game.

On sale for $ 19.99 and available at major retailers (零售商).

Barbie dolls that use a wheelchair

This summer, Barbie expanded is fashion line to showcase dolls in a wheelchair with a removable prosthetic leg (假肢), “We can start the conversation around physical disabilities by including them into our fashion doll line.” the creator Mattel said.

On sale for only $ 19.99 and available on Amazon.

The dolls inspired by children with disabilities

Lottie Doll, an Irish company, offers a host of dolls that highlight diversity, including the Mia doll, a wildlife photographer that wears a hearing aid, and the Sinead doll, the world’s first doll with dwarfism (侏儒症).

The Mia doll is $ 25. The Sinead doll is $20. All can be found on Amazon.

Plastic Army Women

A 6-year-old girl wanted to play with female plastic soldiers. She got her wish, when a Pennsylvanian company BMC Toys promised to make Plastic Amy Women. When completed, a pack of 24 figurines (小塑像) will include six different poses and should be available on the company’ website and on Amazon. The price of this set of dolls is preset at $12.29.

1. What did Hasbro update the game Ms. Monopoly for?

A．To attract more female players.

B．To raise the game’s difficult level.

C．To solve the gender pay gap.

D．To make women win the game more.

2. What do Barbie dolls and the Sinead doll have in common?

A．They were both inspired by a special kid.

B．They both include a special group of people in the design.

C．They were both made by the same company.

D．They both enjoyed popularity on the market.

3. What’s special about Plastic Army Women according to the text?

A．They have an exact price.	B．They are fit for elder children.
C．They were made by a young girl.	D．They haven’t come into the market.

【推荐1】In New York City, eating on the subway is controversial. No law bans the practice, but a Democratic state senator introduced one last week. The proposed law would ban eating on the subway system and fine first time violators $250, according to the New York Times. Supporters of the bill argue that eating on the subway attracts rates. Other say the broader target should be those who carelessly drop litter in public places, rather than those who carefully sip their coffee and eat their bread on the way to work. They also argue that “street food” is an important part of New York’s culture and history. Banning its consumption in public areas such as the subway would have negative effects.

Street food and eating in public places is along-established cultural practice in cities like New York, Beijing and Paris. But commonly, it has been traditionally thought of as what the lower classes would do. Eating in public was (and in some places, still is) associated with uncivilized, poorer people. In the 19th century, eating in public was seen as a threat to morality and public health. Putnam’s (a popular magazine at the time) stated, “Eating in public may lead to a certain freedom of manner in little ladies and gentlemen. It was something people in the Victorian era did not want to encourage. A recent New York Times article drew a link between this moral panic about street food and concern over the growing populations of Irish German, Italian and Jewish immigrants who ran food carts in the 1800s. “To Victorian society, immigrant street peddlers were called ‘hucksters’, a name that still has a bit of moral judgment to this day.”

In Australia, street food is not something you see every day. Carts selling tasty snacks only come out for festivals or market days. However, eating in public places such as parks is encouraged. Outdoor barbeques at the beach or picnics in the countryside are common. While eating on public transport is discourages, it would unlikely lead to any sort of conflict in Australia. From an Australian perspective, street food is an exciting and tasty new dining opportunity, and not one I would associate with being uncivilized.

China’s street food scene is similar to that of New York City’s: It is a culturally entrenched practice and one that adds a lot of color and flavor to the scene of streets. But whether you love eating street food, or have to eat your breakfast on the run, it’s best to be considerate when enjoying a bite in public.

1. Supporters of “street food” are against the bill, because ________.

A．eating on the subway may attract undesirable pests like mice

B．consuming food on the way to work proves their carefulness

C．banning litter-dropping is more important for the environment

D．enjoying a bite in public areas is a part of the city’s culture

2. According to paragraph 2, what can be inferred?

A．Only the uncivilized, poorer people were allowed to eat in public places.

B．Street food was seen as a threat in the 19th century because they were not heathy.

C．Eating in public was considered impolite for children in the Victorian era.

D．Immigrant street peddlers were encouraged and thus welcomed in the 1800s.

3. According to paragraph 3, what is true in Australia?

A．Eating in public like parks may be seen as ill-mannered.

B．Having food on the subway system may cause serious conflicts.

C．People may feel excited about being allowed to eat in public.

D．Tasting street food may bring much enjoyment whenever possible.

4. The word “entrenched” in paragraph 4 maybe closest in meaning to ________.

A．deep-rooted

B．eye-catching

C．well-known

D．far-reaching

【推荐3】Growing up in America, I enjoyed the convenience of eating the most attractive, well-packaged foods of the 20th century, including all the candies we often see near the cash register. During those times I wasn't aware how bad sugar was, and in fact, neither was anyone around me. So J continued to spread jam on my toast and eat ice cream daily.

Strangely enough, I felt that sweet was some sort of wonderful drug which gave me the energy to function properly, to feel good and to perform at my best, all of which seemed necessary for growth. So why should I avoid it?

Years later, huge food companies, like General Mills and Post, began pumping more sugar into their products, and then more and more people appeared with bigger bellies(腹部). It finally came to my awareness that our society was becoming more miserable and unfit. And from what? From sugar! I began to do some research into sugar and what it did exactly to our bodies. To my amazement, I found its damage was just                           as bad as, if not worse than, what alcohol and cigarettes brought about. You see, when you take in more sugar than you need or burn, your body and brain become over-active. This, in effect, causes your cognitive(认知的) abilities to slow down, your mood to get to the extremes, your skin to age faster, your blood to become thicker and your liver and kidneys to be worn out.

But what surprised me most, out of all of these horrible side effects, was that sugar adds extra pounds to your waistline, even if you do exercise regularly. And what I've always wanted, for the past few years, is to remove that extra fat around my belly so that I could finally see my abs(腹肌).

I just didn't know, this whole time, what damage I had been doing to myself and my dreams , but I knew I had to do something I had never done before.

1. What did the author use to do?

A．He took in much sugar.	B．He learnt to cook foods.
C．He sold ice cream daily.	D．He had candies packaged.

2. What made the author begin to doubt the benefits of sugar?

A．Sugar was unable to provide necessary energy.

B．More people eating sugary foods became unfit.

C．Some companies avoided adding sugar to foods.

D．Many customers stopped buying sugary products.

3. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The author's comments on sugar.

B．The detailed process of the research.

C．The harmful effect of sugar on health.

D．The reasons why the research is done.

4. What does the author probably decide to do at last?

A．Eat less food.	B．Cut down sugar.
C．Do more exercise.	D．Add extra pounds.

【推荐1】In recent years, Chinese food-lovers have grown increasingly voices in demanding that UNESCO add some of the country’s native cuisine to the “Intangible Cultural Heritage” list. After all, the argument goes, if the French and the Mexicans are listed - not to mention spicy South Korean gimjang, and mouthwatering Japanese washoku - why not the country that has given the world Sichuan peppercorn soup, Peking duck, and - erm - chicken feet?

There have already been several attempts to win recognition for China's culinary culture (饮食文化). In 2011, the China Cuisine Association (CCA) applied for the country's food to be given “Intangible Cultural Heritage” status, but the request was turned down. And then another attempt in July 2014 also came to nothing.

One possible reason for the exclusion of Chinese cuisine from the UNESCO list may be our misunderstanding of the legacy(遗产) of our culinary culture. The international community has historically placed value on keeping the customs and ceremonies that go along with a nation’s food culture. Gimjang - the process of pickling and preserving vegetables to make kimchi, the national dish of South Korea - made the list not because of its fine preparation, but because life on the Korean Peninsula has centered around such seasonal pickling techniques for centuries. Kimchi has enabled cultural exchange across the peninsula and beyond, and has deeply changed the Koreans’ way of life.

On the contrary, much of the Chinese understanding of culinary cultural heritage centers on the skills involved in making a certain dish. This might mean the cooking techniques of regional cuisines or the processes behind the creation of different teas, liquors, and sauces. This is against one of the principles behind inclusion on UNESCO’s list, which requires the country’s general population to have inherited the unique culinary culture. China’s 2011 application, however, defined those who have benefited most from Chinese cuisine merely as “the chefs of China.”

1. What can we infer from the argument of Chinese food-lovers?

A．China should apply to the UNESCO for its food culture.

B．Chinese food is as good, if not better than, as the food listed.

C．The food on the UNESCO list is either spicy or mouthwatering.

D．The French and the Mexicans haven’t made the UNESCO list yet.

2. What nationality might the writer be?

A．South Korean.

B．Mexican.

C．Chinese.

D．Not known.

3. What is “the legacy of culinary culture” in the eyes of Chinese people?

A．It centers around skills involved in making a certain dish.

B．It enables cultural exchange and influences the way of life.

C．The customs that go along with food culture should be kept.

D．The general population should inherit the unique food culture.

4. Why does the writer write this text?

A．To promote Chinese culinary culture to the whole world.

B．To voice the disagreement with the decision from UNESCO.

C．To compare the culinary culture between China and South Korea.

D．To reflect on the exclusion of Chinese cuisine from UNESCO list.

【推荐2】Kakano means “seed” in Māori. For Jade Temepara, a Māori woman who was crowned New Zealand’s Gardener of the Year in 2012, though, it means a lot more. Temepara owns Kākano, a Māori restaurant and cooking school in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island.

Even a first-time tourist to New Zealand will notice the presence of the Māori culture and language everywhere. Now, so many non-Māori young people learn the language — a trend that picked up after the passage of the Māori Language Act in 1987 — that it’s not unusual to hear teens and twenty somethings of European descent in Auckland asking their friends if they want to hang out and get some kai (food) later. That’s a striking contrast from several generations ago, when New Zealand law banned Māori in schools, either in written or spoken form.

While Temepara was happy to see the Māori language make a comeback, there were still parts of her native culture that were less present in New Zealand’s daily life. She felt that too few Māoris of her generation were trained in their culture’s traditional cooking methods and native ingredients (原料). That’s when Temepara came up with the idea of launching a cooking education program that would go into Māori schools and other community gathering places to teach classes in traditional Māori cooking and food preparation.

The idea was so successful that it eventually led to a brick-and-mortar cafe and shop in central Christchurch. There, Temepara trades in traditional kai — look for cold smoked mussels, karengo (a native seaweed), Manuka honey and a native variety of sweet potato called kumara.

Although many of the ingredients grow wild in New Zealand, that doesn’t mean just anybody can harvest them.

“The Māori subtribe Katti Menguai are the only ones that are allowed to have some, if they come from a lineage of chiefs. It is by bloodline only. You can’t even be invited. If you’re not blood, that’s it, you can’t go. My family is of that lineage. And so, traditionally we would harvest the birds.” This is both a tribal (部落的) practice and an accepted national law.

1. Why is the Māori language popular again in New Zealand?

A．Its food is becoming welcome.

B．The language law supporting it has been passed.

C．The young are more interested in its culture.

D．Speaking it becomes a status symbol.

2. How does Temepara feel about the return of the Māori language?

A．Worried.	B．Confused.
C．Excited.	D．Surprised.

3. What is the purpose of the cooking education program?

A．Making a profit from doing good.

B．Responding to local communities’ request.

C．Making Christchurch a perfect place for business.

D．Making Māoris feel accepted and proud of their identities.

4. What can be inferred from Temepara’s words?

A．A few have the privilege of harvesting the birds.

B．The ingredients for Māori food are hard to gain.

C．Her family are invited to gather the birds.

D．Her family has special blood types.

【推荐3】I have seen Charlotte waiting for a bus many times. She is in her 80s. She is small and thin. She lives in a nursing home near my home. I have got to know her as I stop and give her a lift any time I see her. Even if I am going in the opposite direction or I have just been out for a pint of milk, I still give her a lift.

Charlotte looks elderly and weak but last time I gave her a lift she told me she’d been on a helicopter ride, even showing photos to prove it! She had gone with her daughter and granddaughter and she looked as if she enjoyed the whole experience! I told her she was braver than I was! I also loved to do that in this technological age, and her family were considerate enough to print the photos out for Charlotte.

I met her recently in Lisburn town center where we both live. She was sitting on a bench with a few items of shopping. I asked her if I could give her a lift home, though she didn’t recognize me, as I was out of context for her - that is, I was not in my car. She explained she was going to visit the elderly in a nearby home. She thanked me for my offer but did not want to take me out of my way and was happy to take a bus as she usually do when going there. I told her it was my pleasure and planned to meet her a few minutes later when I had picked up my shopping. Charlotte happily agreed. I picked her up and dropped her off at the home. She told me someone else usually brought her home.

Charlotte might look like a thin weak old lady in her 80s but I can see through that, she’s young at heart, she can soar high into the sky and at the same time she’s grounded enough to visit “the elderly” who may need a visit, company and a friendly face.

When I grow up I want to be as young as Charlotte.

1. Why does the author mention the helicopter ride in Para.2?

A．To show Charlotte’s passion for life.

B．To praise Charlotte’s considerate family.

C．To explain Charlotte’s interest in aircrafts.

D．To prove Charlotte’s good physical condition.

2. What can we learn from Para.3?

A．Charlotte recognized me the moment she saw me.

B．That day Charlotte took a bus to the nearby home.

C．It was a habit for Charlotte to visit the elderly in the nearby home.

D．Later I drove over to pick Charlotte up and brought her back.

3. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Tips on How to Grow Old

B．Happiness and Fun in the Old Age

C．Friendship Formed on Car Rides

D．A Young Lady Called Charlotte