A British friend told me he couldn't understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds (葵花子) as a snack so much. “I've met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth; I believe that's from cracking the seeds,” he said.
I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware. I realized that whenever I'm watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn't like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so hard just to get one small seed.
When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go door - to - door on Chinese New Year's Eve to check out what every household was making.
I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. In the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with a fancy tablecloth, ready - made dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds.
Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then.
I don't think it's right to criticize one's choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem.
It's not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins their breath. They think it's a delicacy, and ifs connected with their culture. I think it's a wonderful tradition.
1. When did the writer become aware of her habit of cracking sunflower seeds?| A．She had a crack in her front teeth. | B．Her British friend reminded her. |
| C．She realized when she was watching TV | D．She typed a report about seeds. |
| A．The traditions of celebrating it disappear. |
| B．Children can eat delicious food on that day. |
| C．The families would get together for it. |
| D．Eating sunflower seeds is related to it. |
| A．One kind of food doesn't necessarily suit everyone. |
| B．It is good to form healthy eating habits. |
| C．Eating habits come from a certain culture. |
| D．Changing your eating habits will change your life. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A single cigarette sold on a street corner may not cost a lot; however, the whole costs of smoking are huge.
First, consider the cost of human life. About 10 people die of a tobacco-related disease every minute. Most of these preventable deaths happen in low-income and middle-income countries. The World Bank says each of these countries has a total national income of less than $ 12,746.
The World Health Organization says tobacco kills 6 million people yearly -a number that is expected to rise to 8 million by 2030 unless immediate action is taken.
But smoking costs more than the life of a person. It can affect the health of the whole country. The World Health Organization says low-income countries depend heavily on taxes from cigarettes. They use the money, in part, to pay the costs of health care for tobacco-related diseases.
But the illegal trade in tobacco products is further testing the economies of low-income countries. WHO officials say the illegal trade earns about $ 31 billion every year.
Douglas Bettcher is the director of the W HO s Department for the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases. He calls the illegal trade a monster with many heads. He says the trade enables young people to buy cigarettes at low prices, become addicted to tobacco and suffer from serious health problems. It also increases crime and reduces taxes.
The World Health Organization is strongly suggesting that the U. N. member states sign an agreement to end the illegal trade in tobacco products. Eight countries have agreed to the agreement. But the agreement of 32 other countries is still needed for it to become an international law.
If the agreement succeeds, governments could put people who trade illegal tobacco products in prison-another cost to countries budgets.
1. Where are people dying of a tobacco related disease mostly from?| A．Developed countries. | B．Old countries. |
| C．Underdeveloped countries. | D．New countries. |
| A．Destroying the environment. |
| B．Being harmful to human life. |
| C．Affecting the whole country’s economy. |
| D．Causing the illegal trade. |
| A．Some action has been taken by the WHO. |
| B．The illegal trade in tobacco products is harmful. |
| C．Young people who are addicted to smoking may commit a crime. |
| D．An agreement to end the illegal trade in tobacco products is being signed. |
| A．Smoking Costs More than You Think |
| B．Different Ways to Stop Smoking |
| C．The Illegal Trade in Tobacco Products |
| D．Immediate Action to Stop Smoking |
【推荐2】Summer heat can be dangerous, and heat leads to tragedy far too often. According to Kidsandcars Organization, an average of 37 young children per year die of car heat in the US, when they are accidentally left in a hot vehicle.
For Bishop Curry, a fifth grader from McKinney, Texas, one such incident hit close to home. A six-month-old baby from his neighborhood died after hours in a hot car. After hearing about her death, Curry decided that something needed to be done. Young Curry drew up a sketch(草图) of a device he called "Oasis."
The device would be attached to car seats and watch the temperature inside the car. If it reached a certain temperature in the car, and the device sensed a child in the car seat, it would begin to circulate cool air. Curry also designs the device using GPS and Wi-Fi technology, which would alarm the child's parents and, if there was no response from them, the police.
Curry's father believes that the invention has potential. "The cool thing about Bishop's thinking is none of this technology is new," he said. "We feel like the way he's thinking and combining all these technologies will get to production faster." His father even introduced the device to Toyota, where he works as an engineer.
In January, Curry's father launched a campaign for the invention. They hope to raise money to finalize the patent, build models, and find a manufacturer. They have raised more than twice that--over $46,000.
"I was so proud of him for thinking of a solution," the father said. "We always just complain about things and rarely offer solutions."
1. What inspired Curry to invent Oasis?| A．His narrow escape from death after being locked in a car. |
| B．His knowledge of many children's death because of car heat. |
| C．The death of his neighbor's baby after being left in a hot car. |
| D．The injury of 37 children in his school in a car accident. |
| A．It would inform the parents or even the police. |
| B．It would pump out the hot air in the car. |
| C．It would sound the alarm attached to the car. |
| D．It would get the window open to save the child. |
| A．It used some of the most advanced technology. |
| B．It simply combined technologies that existed. |
| C．It could accelerate production of new technology. |
| D．It is the most advanced among similar products. |
| A．To conduct experiments to test the invention. |
| B．To get other children devoted to inventions. |
| C．To support a charity of medical aid for children. |
| D．To get the patent and bring it to production. |
【推荐3】The Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport announced that the capital will build 20 cycle tracks connecting popular tourist sites and another 20 linking the countryside. Also, all roads that are wider than 12 meters must have cycle lanes (车道).
It is good of the city’s transport department to care for cyclists. Cycling is, without doubt, one of the greenest ways of traveling. It uses no gas, so there are no carbon emissions (碳排放), and it also helps the cyclists become strong and reduce fat.
That’s why, in this age of automobiles, bicycles have suddenly become a popular means of transport. Today people ride cycles not for shortage of other means of transport, but for their own health. Data show that over 100 million people ride bicycles as a kind of sport.
However, to encourage more people to choose this green means of transport, good bicycle lanes are a necessity. Anybody with any cycling experience must have come across the following problems at some point of time; that there might be no cycle lanes beyond a certain point, or that the signs for cyclists might become unclear; worst of all, there might be whole rows of cars parked on the bicycle lanes or cyclists might have to compete with cars on the same lane.
The law prevents parking on bicycle lanes, but some car owners couldn’t care less. The law gives cyclists right of passage over automobile drivers, but that is often forgotten. With automobiles pushing cyclists to one side of the road, cycling often loses its attraction. Sometimes people prefer cycling on exercise bikes indoors than on the roads.
To make cycling a pleasurable experience, the governments need to do their jobs better. Apart from designing new bicycle lanes, they should also take effective actions to protect the rights of cyclists and make the sport more enjoyable.
1. Which advantage of cycling is not mentioned in this passage?| A．Cycling can help lose weight. | B．Cycling is environment-friendly. |
| C．Cycling can help build up bodies. | D．Cycling can reduce heavy traffic. |
| A．To call on more people to ride bikes. |
| B．To prevent parking on bicycle lanes. |
| C．To compete with cars on the same lane. |
| D．To encourage people to cycle on exercise bikes. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Cycling, new workout trend |
| B．No more parking on bicycle lanes |
| C．Here come the cyclists, make room |
| D．Cycle tracks to be widened in Beijing |
【推荐1】What is the most important day of your life? For many people the answer is your Wedding Day—the day when you marry another person and promise to live together as husband and wife for the rest of your lives.
Wedding celebrations differ from country to country—in China the bride wears red while in India the wedding continues for three days. However, in Britain the bride wears white and wedding usually only lasts for one day.
In the UK it is possible to get married in a religious or civil ceremony. A religious ceremony takes place in a church. A civil ceremony, on the other hand, can be held in an office, in a hotel, or even on a boat.
On the day of the wedding the bride and groom are kept separate until the ceremony. It is said to be bad luck if the groom sees the bride in her dress before the wedding. The bride arrives at the ceremony accompanied by her father and bridesmaids. They officially give her away to her new husband. During the ceremony the happy couple exchange vows and give each other wedding rings which they will wear forever. At the end of the ceremony they kiss.
Afterwards they go outside where friends and family throw rice or color papers over them and then they go on to the reception where there is a lot of food and drink. After the meal the father of the bride and the best man make speeches. Then the bride and groom take the first dance. It is a lot of fun. Finally, at the end of the party the newly-weds leave to go on honeymoon, usually to a very romantic destination.
1. What function is the first two paragraphs?| A．To tell us that we have most important day in our life. |
| B．To tell us Wedding day is the day when you marry another person and promise to live together. |
| C．To tell us that people hold wedding. |
| D．To attract reader's attention to the topic weddings in Britain. |
| A．The bridegroom. | B．The bride. |
| C．The newly-married couple. | D．The best man. |
| A．People all over the world pay a great deal attention to Wedding Day. |
| B．In Britain the bride wears white. |
| C．Wedding celebrations differ from country to country. |
| D．In India the wedding can continue for three days. |
| A．People in Britain usually get married in a religious or civil ceremony. |
| B．On the wedding day, the bridegroom can't see the bride in a dress. |
| C．The bride's father will give her away to the bridegroom. |
| D．The bride and bridegroom will take the first dance. |
【推荐2】The Sahara Festival is a celebration of the very recent past. The three-day event is not fixed to the same dates each year, but generally takes place in November or December. It is well attended by tourists, but even better attended by locals.
During the opening ceremonies, after the official greetings from the government leaders, people who attend the festival begin to march smartly before the viewing stands, and white camels transport their riders across the sands. Horsemen from different nations display their beautiful clothes and their fine horsemanship. One following another, groups of musicians and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turns to show off their wonderful traditional culture. Groups of men in blue and yellow play horns (号) and beat drums as they dance in different designs. On their knees in the sand, a group of women in long dark dresses with dance with their hair: their long, dark, shiny hair is thrown back and forth in the wind to the rhythm (节奏) of their dance.
The local and visiting Italian dogs are anxious to run after hares (野兔). The crowd is on its feet for the camel races. Camels and riders run far into the distance, and then return to the finish line in front of the cheering people.
Towards the evening, there comes the grand finale of the opening day, an extremely exciting horserace. All the riders run very fast on horse back. Some riders hang off the side of their saddles (马鞍). Some even ride upside down — their legs and feet straight up in the air — all at full speed. Others rush down the course together, men arm in arm, on different horses. On and on they went. So fast and so wonderful!
1. The Sahara Festival is a festival which ________.| A．has a very long history in North Africa |
| B．is held in the same place on the same day |
| C．is attended mainly by the people in the Sahara |
| D．is celebrated mostly by travelers from different countries |
| A．musicians, dancers, horses and hares |
| B．camel riders, musicians, dogs and hares |
| C．horsemen, dancers, camels and dogs |
| D．musicians, officials, camels and horses |
| A．what happens on the opening day of the Sahara Festival |
| B．how people celebrate during the three-day Sahara Festival |
| C．what takes place at the closing ceremonies of the Sahara Festival |
| D．how animals race on the first and the last days of the Sahara Festival |
【推荐3】Wearing a red nose for a day may seem like a strange way to raise money for charity. However, it seems to work in Britain.
Red Nose Day (RND) is a well-known event the UK. The aim of the day is to raise money for a charity called Comic Relief which helps people in need in Africa and in the UK.
Red nose?
Comic Relief was started in 1985 by the scriptwriter Richard Curtis. It’s called Red Nose Day, as on this day many people buy a plastic red nose to wear! The money made from selling red noses goes to the charity.
When is RND?
Red Nose Day takes place every two years in the spring and is now so famous that many people consider it to be an unofficial national holiday. For example, many school have non- uniform days. The fast Red Nose Day was on 13th March 2015.
Money
Across Britain, people are encouraged to “Do Something Funny for Money”. The money that is collected helps children to go to school, and educates the adults with HIV and AIDS. Comic Relief also works closely with disabled and elderly people to make sure they have equal rights and a better life.
So, if you are ever in the UK an Red Nose Day, now you know why you may find normal people wearing red noses and doing silly things! It’s all for a good cause! If you want to find out more about the day, have a look at the official Red Nose Day website.
1. Why do people celebrate Red Nose Day?| A．To raise money for Comic Relief. |
| B．To encourage people to make money happily. |
| C．To raise money to help the poor all over the word. |
| D．To encourage more American people to join the charity. |
| A．It was started in 1895. |
| B．It helps people from all over the world. |
| C．It offers help to both children and adults. |
| D．It mainly aims to make disabled people have a better life. |
| A．Making red noses. | B．Working for money. |
| C．Painting your body red. | D．Making your face funny. |
【推荐1】After I entered high school, I attended advanced classes and I had a teacher who made me think I was stupid.
In my freshman year, I had trouble writing essays for that teacher. She was strict. She made fun of me, sometimes in front of the class. It didn’t help that my friend was a genius (天才) who would text me the night before our essay was due (到期) and ask, “What is the essay about again?” She would receive a 97 and I would receive an 80 even though 1 had revised (修正) and edited that piece for two weeks. Once I got a 97 on a project that took me two and a half weeks to complete, and I was asked how much help my mom had given to me. In the second grade, I had trouble with my essay writing once again. Besides, I had problems in Maths even though I understood the concepts.
Now I am in a new school and taking many subjects and I am doing well. Actually in the beginning, I was nervous. I thought I would fail all of my classes because my previous teachers had failed me and made me ashamed to try. I thought 1 was just going to get another 80 on an essay. It is hard indeed. They are fast-paced courses and it isn’t easy to keep up with all the readings and when my next lab will be. But with so much adjustment (调整) to the stress, I have become confident. Now I know how much time I need to perfect that essay, and when to set aside time to meet with my tutor (老师) before my next biology exam.
I am writing this blog to the kids that have gotten lost in the mix—any adjusting freshmen, any lost kids in advanced classes, and the hidden genius in everyone. I went through two years in high school, thinking I was a little slower than the other kids in advanced classes. But in this new environment, with the experience I have received and my new-found confidence, I can say, “I’m Anne Hilker and I am smart!” We are all smart.
1. What did the author want to show by mentioning her friend?| A．She faced a lot of competition. | B．Her friend was a great help to her. |
| C．Her friend made her feel even worse. | D．Her teachers loved students like her friend. |
| A．She felt very happy for the author. |
| B．She praised the author in front of the class. |
| C．She wasn’t pleased with the author’s mother. |
| D．She didn’t believe it was finished by the author alone. |
| A．Hard work doesn’t pay off. | B．She isn’t as stupid as she feared. |
| C．Fast-paced courses don’t benefit her. | D．Advanced classes aren’t suitable for her. |
| A．To show students should study very hard. |
| B．To tell teachers to believe in their students. |
| C．To show teachers should be kind to their students. |
| D．To tell students to learn to face stress and have confidence. |
【推荐2】A famous doctor Lord Robert Winston took a train from London to Manchester, and he found himself becoming angry. A woman picked up her phone and began a loud conversation, which lasted an unbelievable hour. Furious, Winston took pictures of the woman and post them on the social media.
As the train arrived at its destination, Winston had had enough of the woman’s rudeness. Meanwhile the press were waiting for her on the platform. And when they deliberately showed her the message, she used just one word to describe Winston’s actions: rude.
The story of Winston is something of a microcosm (缩影) of our age of increasing rudeness fueled by the social media. What can we do to fix this?
Studies have shown that rudeness spreads quickly and virally, almost like the common cold. Once infected, we are more aggressive, less creative and worse at our jobs. The only way to end this is to make a conscious decision to deal with it. We must have the courage to point it out, face to face. We must say, “Just stop.” For Winston, that would have meant approaching the woman, telling her that her conversation was disturbing other passengers and politely asking her to speak more quietly or make the call at another time.
The anger and injustice we feel at the rude behaviour of a stranger can drive us to do odd things. In my own research, I surveyed 2,000 adults, and discovered that the acts of revenge people had taken ranged from the ridiculous to the disturbing. Winston put the spotlight on the woman’s behaviour — but in a way that shamed her.
We must fight with rudeness directly. When we see it occur in a store, we must step up and say something. We must defend strangers in the same way we’d defend our best friends. But we can do it with grace, by handling it without any trace of aggression and without being rude ourselves. Because once rude people can see their actions through the eyes of others, they are far more likely to end that rude behaviour themselves.
1. Why did the woman use the word “rude” to describe Winston’s actions?| A．He said rude words to the woman. |
| B．He lost his temper due to other people’s rudeness. |
| C．He behaved improperly and spoke loudly on the train. |
| D．He pointed out the woman’s rude behaviour in a wrong way. |
| A．To draw a conclusion from the above story. |
| B．To form a connecting link between the previous and the following. |
| C．To tell us the ways to deal with rudeness. |
| D．To show us the positive and negative effects of the social media. |
| A．We can deal with rudeness in an indirect way. |
| B．Rudeness and manners can hardly coexist in a civilized society. |
| C．Both strangers and acquaintances deserve our friendly warning. |
| D．Rude people can’t see their rudeness through others’ eyes. |
| A．Don’t Ignore Online Rudeness | B．Civilization Calls for Civility |
| C．How to Handle Rudeness Spread Online | D．Rude Behaviour Makes a Rude Society |
【推荐3】A few years ago I had an “aha!” moment regarding handwriting.
I had in my hand a sheet of paper with handwritten instructions on it for some sort of editorial task. It occurred at first that I did not recognize the handwriting, and then I realized whose it must be. I finally became aware of the fact that I had been working with this colleague for at least a year, maybe two, and yet I did not recognize her handwriting at that point.
It was a very important event in the computerization of life—a sign that the informal, friendly communication of people working together in an office had changed from notes in pen to instant messages and emails. There was a time when our workdays were filled with little letters, and we recognized one another’s handwriting the way we knew voices or faces.
As a child visiting my father’s office, I was pleased to recognize, in little notes on the desks of his staff, the same handwriting I would see at home in the notes he would leave on the fridge—except that those notes were signed “dad” instead of “RFW”.
All this has been on my mind because of the talk about The Rise and Fall of Handwriting, a book by Florey. Sire shows in her book a deep concern about the fall of handwriting and the failure of schools to teach children to write well, but many others argue that people in a digital age can’t be expected to learn to hold a pen.
I don’t buy it.
I don’t want to see anyone cut off from the expressive, personal associations that a pen still promotes better than a digital keyboard does. For many a biographer, part of really getting to know their subjects is learning to read their handwriting.
What some people advocate is teaching one of the many attractive handwritings based on the handwriting of 16th-century Italy. That may sound impossibly grand—as if they want kids to learn to draw by copying classical paintings. However，they have worked in many school systems.
1. Why was the author surprised at not recognizing his colleague’s handwriting?| A．He had worked with his colleague long enough. |
| B．His colleague’s handwriting was SO beautiful. |
| C．His colleague’s handwriting was SO terrible. |
| D．He still had a lot of Work to do. |
| A．talk more about handwriting |
| B．take more notes on workdays |
| C．know better one another's handwriting |
| D．communicate better with one another |
| A．to both his family and his staff |
| B．to his family in small letters |
| C．to his family on the fridge |
| D．to his staff on the desk |
| A．are harder to teach in schools |
| B．attract more attention |
| C．are used only between friends |
| D．carry more message |
| A．thinks it impossible to teach handwriting |
| B．does not want to lose handwriting |
| C．puts the blame on the computer |
| D．does not agree with Florey |
