Dining in a completely dark room, unaware what’s on your plate while sitting next to a complete stranger may not sound like an ideal restaurant experience but it’s certainly an intriguing way to spend a rainy night in London.
Dans le Noir, close to London’s financial district, is a restaurant full of blind waiters and waitresses who become your eyes around the restaurant, whose original Paris branch opened in 2004.
In the bar with the light, you choose whether you want the fish, meat or vegetable, but the dishes themselves remain a secret, as do the ingredients of the “surprise” cocktails. Bags, coats and devices(设备) that light up, including watches and mobile phones, are kept in the bar. Placing your hand on the shoulder of your guide, you are led to a table in a black dining room that sets up to 60 people. And it is dark.
The waiters tell you when the food is being placed down in front of you, then the fun begins, trying to get food into your mouth, then identifying just what it is that’s on your plate, and finally whether you have missed any of it.
It’s also a great chance to break social convention and eat using your fingers. Those same fingers are also the only way you can tell how much wine you’re pouring into your glass.
The happy atmosphere in the dining room also made the night memorable. You can’t really avoid talking to the person next to you at the long tables and guessing what the dishes are certainly provides adequate fuel for the conversations.
All will be revealed at the end of the meal when you are led back out into the lit bar. Not only do you finally get to see what you’ve just been eating but also who you’ve been talking to for the last 90 minutes.
1. What does the underlined word “intriguing.” in the first paragraph mean?| A．Terrible. | B．Interesting. |
| C．Expensive. | D．New. |
| A．is far from London’s financial district |
| B．has its first branch opened in Britain |
| C．is very popular among blind customers |
| D．has a dining room which can seat up to 60 people |
| A．are forbidden to eat with their fingers |
| B．can talk to the strangers at table |
| C．will look at the menu in a dark bar |
| D．can take their mobile phones into the dining room |
| A．To help blind people find a job in restaurants. |
| B．To show how to open a restaurant with a new idea. |
| C．To show how to enjoy the time in a dark restaurant. |
| D．To introduce and attract customers to “Dans le Noir”. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】People don't mind if you put your elbows or arms on the table when you are not eating.But once you have started eating，you should only rest your forearms(前臂) on the table.You should let your kids know that table manners are more than about proper eating. Teaching your kids the following table manners whether they are eating in a restaurant or at home：
◆You should use a fork unless the food is meant to be eaten with fingers.
◆You should not fill your mouth with food.
◆You should chew with your mouth closed.Nobody likes to see food being chewed up or hear it being chewed on.You should not talk while your mouths full of food.
◆If you want something that is out of your reach，then just ask someone to pass it on to you.
◆You should not pick anything out of your teeth.If something is troubling you very much，you can excuse yourself and go to the restroom to pick it out.
◆You should always use a napkin to wipe your mouth，which should be placed on your lap when you are not using it.You shouldn't wipe your face or your nose with a napkin，both are unpleasant.
◆If you are eating at someone's home，don't forget to express(表达) your thanks to the host.Also，tell him how delicious the food is，even if it isn't.
1. You ________when you are eating.| A．can put your elbows on the table |
| B．can put your forearms on the table |
| C．should use your fork and fingers |
| D．should keep your napkin in your hand |
| A．你够不着 | B．你能取上 |
| C．你能靠近 | D．你能接住 |
| A．pick it out with your hand covering your mouth |
| B．ask others to help you pick it out after eating |
| C．excuse yourself and go to the restroom to pick it out |
| D．stand up quickly and go to the restroom quietly |
| A．You are not supposed to chew with your mouth closed. |
| B．Napkins are used to wipe your mouth but not your face or nose. |
| C．You don't need to thank the host if the food isn't delicious. |
| D．It's OK to talk with your mouth full of food. |
| A．What to put on the table |
| B．Teach kids how to cook |
| C．Table manners for kids |
| D．How to eat well at home |
People believe that an English Duchess first introduced the idea of afternoon tea. Her name was Anna Russell, and she was the 7th duchess of Bedford.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, most English people ate only two main meals each day—breakfast in the morning and a large supper which wasn’t usually served until seven o'clock in the evening. As a result, people often got very hungry during the long break between these two meals.
The Duchess came up with a clever idea to solve this problem. She invited some of her friends to join her for an afternoon meal. The meal was held between four and five o'clock. It included cakes and sandwiches, and tea was served to wash down the food. To make the afternoon meal more important, she used cups and plates made from fine china, and teapots, knives, forks and spoons make from silver.
Afternoon tea parties soon became popular social occasions, which is a trend that continues today. They still play an important part in the social life in modern Britain.
1. Why did the Duchess of Bedford invite friends to come for tea in the afternoon?（不多于3个单词）2. What is still a trend in the social life in modern Britain?（不多于3个单词）
【推荐3】What comes into your mind when you think of British food? Probably fish and chips, or a Sunday dinner of meat and two vegetables. But is British food really so uninteresting? Even though Britain has a reputation for less-than-impressive cuisine, it is producing more top class chefs who appear frequently on our television screens and whose recipe books frequently top the best seller lists.
It’s thanks to these TV chefs rather than any advertising campaign that Britons are turning away from meat-and-two-veg and ready-made meals and becoming more adventurous in their cooking habits. It is recently reported that the number of those sticking to a traditional diet is slowly declining and around half of Britain’s consumers would like to change or improve their cooking in some way. There has been a rise in the number of students applying for food courses at UK universities and colleges. It seems that TV programmes have helped change what people think about cooking.
According to a new study from market analysts, 1 in 5 Britons say that watching cookery programmes on TV has encouraged them to try different food. Almost one third say they now use a wider variety of ingredients (配料) than they used to, and just under 1 in 4 say they now buy better quality ingredients than before. One in four adults say that TV chefs have made them much more confident about expanding their cookery knowledge and skills, and young people are also getting more interested in cooking. The UK’s obsession (痴迷) with food is reflected through television scheduling. Cookery shows and documentaries about food are broadcast more often than before. With an increasing number of male chefs on TV, it’s no longer “uncool” for boys to like cooking.
1. What do people usually think of British food?| A．It is simple and plain. |
| B．It is rich in nutrition. |
| C．It lacks authentic tastes. |
| D．It deserves a high reputation. |
| A．20%. |
| B．24%. |
| C．25%. |
| D．33%. |
【推荐1】In order to be recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), you have to be doing something right. Since Sheryl Page, president and CEO of Page One Consultants in Orlando, was named Woman-owned Small Business Person of the Year by the State of Florida SBA in 2017, a lot of people have started to look at what she’s doing and how her company has become so successful.
Page, who runs an engineering and construction consulting firm, started the business back in 1993, but sort of dragged along for many years with no big success. There were plenty of times when Page could have thrown in the towel, but she kept pushing through.
Starting out in an industry mainly made up of male-owned businesses wasn’t easy, nor was the potential of finding enough money to support the quality services she had to provide client (客户) with. Page used as many as 15 credit cards to help the company stay in business in the early-to-mid 1990s. Then, she received a ﹩250,000 SBA guaranteed loan in 2001 to keep the company afloat after nearly a decade in business.
Since then, the company has doubled profits, hired more than two dozen new team members, acquired more than a dozen new company vehicles, and almost doubled its square footage. It’s a huge growth increase for a company that’s been around for nearly 25 years and speaks of the hard work and commitment of Page and her team.
When asked what her biggest piece of advice to small business owners would be, Page says, “Keep your faith and be patient. Don’t give up…don’t quit!” Those words have been heard in many cases and do sound cliché (陈词滥调), but when they come from someone like Sheryl Page, who is living proof of the good that can come from being patient, they ring truer than ever. If you learn anything from her company’s success, it should be that growth is rarely immediate, but that doesn't mean it isn’t coming.
1. What does the underlined part “thrown in the towel” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Given up. | B．Sought help. |
| C．Come to a new level. | D．Taken up something else. |
| A．When there were few wise clients. |
| B．When the whole business was slow. |
| C．When it didn’t have much development potential. |
| D．When businesswomen were not generally accepted. |
| A．She started working for the SBA. |
| B．She put it into expanding her business. |
| C．She used most of it to start another company. |
| D．She first increased the team members’ income. |
| A．It isn’t detailed. |
| B．It isn’t in line with the truth. |
| C．It can have an immediate effect. |
| D．It mirrors Page’s personal experiences. |
【推荐2】At only 8 years old, Kayzen Hunter has already displayed more character than some people ever manage. It all started about a year ago when the child became a regular diner at the Waffle House in Little Rock, Arkansas. His family goes for breakfast there at least once a week, and they always choose to sit in a certain waiter’s section.
Devonte Gardner is a father of two who works hard for his living. He always has a smile on his face, and he quickly formed a friendly relationship with Kayzen and his family. “I come with a positive attitude,” Devonte said. “I treat everybody with smile. I also love to see everybody smile.” His kindness affected Kayzen. “Devonte is just a really nice person,” he explained. “Really good guy. Super nice to everyone he meets.”
After a year of contact, the child’s family learned the truth behind Devonte’s bright smile. Devonte, his wife, and their two young daughters have been living in a cheap motel for the past eight months. Their former apartment was filled with bugs and had black mold(黑霉), which made his kids sick. Every cent Devonte makes goes toward keeping his children fed, clothed, and housed, and the struggle was overwhelming. Since he can’t afford a car, he also walks to and from work every day. Even so, he showed up at work every day with a smile on his face, ready to serve and make friends with customers like Kayzen.
Kayzen knew right away that he wanted to help his friend. He went home and told his mom, Vittoria Hunter, that he wanted to start a GoFundMe to help Devonte get money for a new car.
“Devonte is one of the most joyous and positive people you’ve ever met!” Vittoria and Kayzen wrote on the GoFundMe. “He always greets us with the biggest smile. I hope you will help me spread kindness in the world. ” Their initial goal was $5,000, but word quickly spread in their community. The GoFundMe currently sits at over $100,000!
1. Why are Kayzen and his family mentioned in paragraph 1?| A．To explain the importance of a smile. |
| B．To show the great popularity of the restaurant. |
| C．To introduce the main character of the text. |
| D．To present the relationship of characters. |
| A．The influence of Devonte’s smile on Kayzen. |
| B．The tough situation of Devonte and his family. |
| C．The reason why Devonte always wears a smile. |
| D．The process and result of Kayzen’s investigation. |
| A．Devonte’s positive attitude. | B．Devonte’s financial struggle. |
| C．Devonte’s love for seeing smiles. | D．Devonte’s relationship with his family. |
| A．Sociable and positive. | B．Stressful but optimistic. |
| C．Helpful and kind-hearted. | D．Unfortunate but warm-hearted. |
【推荐3】One night Buck woke up and heard the call again, a long howl. He ran into the forest. And there, his nose pointing to the sky, sat a wolf. The wolf started to run, and Buck followed him. They ran for hours through the forest, and then suddenly Buck remembered John Thornton. He turned and started to run back.
Thornton was eating dinner when Buck returned. Buck jumped all over him, and for two days never left his side. But after two days the call of the wild came again, and he remembered the forest and the wolf that had run with him.
He started to sleep out in the forest at night, sometimes staying out for three or four days. He ate well, and he grew stronger and quicker and more alive. His golden brown coat shone with health as he ran through the forest, learning its every secret, every smell, and every sound.
Nobody saw the change that happened when Buck was inside the forest. At once he became a thing of the wild, stepping softly and silently, a passing shadow among the trees.
In the autumn, Buck started to see moose (驼鹿) in the forest. One day he met a group of about twenty. The largest was two meters tall, and his antlers were more than two meters across. When he saw Buck, he got very angry. For hours Buck followed the moose; he wanted the big one, but he wanted him alone. By the evening Buck had driven the big old moose away from the others, and then he began his attack.
The animal weighed six hundred and fifty kilos—he was big enough and strong enough to kill Buck at once. Patiently, Buck followed him for four days, attacking and then jumping away. He gave him no peace, no time to eat or drink or rest, and slowly the moose became weaker. At the end of the fourth day Buck pulled the moose down and killed him. He stayed by the dead animal for a day and a half, eating, and then turned towards camp and John Thornton.
1. Why did Buck run into the forest according to Paragraph 1?| A．He was curious about the call. |
| B．He wanted to find something to eat. |
| C．Thornton was there studying the sky. |
| D．He wanted to do some morning exercise. |
| A．He enjoyed staying out in the forest. |
| B．He made friends with wild animals. |
| C．His fur changed from brown to golden. |
| D．He ate a lot and put on too much weight. |
| A．He insisted on fighting Buck alone. |
| B．Buck got timely help from his friends. |
| C．He was too old and weak to fight Buck. |
| D．Buck had employed effective strategies. |
| A．Gentle and cautious. | B．Patient and smart. |
| C．Realistic and motivated. | D．Energetic and caring. |
The success of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games depends on your contribution！Join us as a Games Volunteer！
Games volunteers will be directly involved in assisting Games operations before, during and after the Tokyo 2020 Games. Games volunteers will guide athletes around, welcome important people and help lost visitors.
Number of Volunteering Days and Daily Hours
※The Tokyo Olympic Games will be held from Friday 24 July to Sunday 9 August 2020. In principle, Games volunteers will be required to work for at least a fortnight before, during and after the Olympic Games.
※Games volunteers will work eight hours per day including rest breaks. Actual shift lengths depend on event schedules, activities, activity sites, etc.
Age and Residential Requirements
Applicants must fulfill the following two requirements:
※Born on or before April 1, 2002.
※Japanese national or person with valid visa permitting residence in Japan during the volunteer period (temporary visitors included). Native speakers of English will be preferred.
Number of Games Volunteer Opportunities
80,000.
Method and Applicant Categories
※Applications will be submitted online.
※Individuals only.
Offers and Confirmation
Those applicants who attend the training sessions(会议) and are assigned a volunteer role will be offered to become a Tokyo 2020 Games volunteer.
Please note that the above offer will be cancelled in the event of any of the following:
※If the volunteer engages in any activity that damages the image of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
※If the volunteer engages in any activity that severely damages teamwork.
※If any information contained in the original application form is clearly found to be false.
Items and Welfares Provided to Volunteers
Volunteers will be provided with a set of free Olympic Games volunteer uniforms and meals during the work day.
1. How long will a Games volunteer be required to work at least?| A．One week. | B．Two weeks. |
| C．Three weeks. | D．Four weeks. |
| A．A Chinese. | B．A Russian. |
| C．An Australian. | D．A German. |
| A．Clothing. | B．Accommodation. |
| C．Transportation. | D．Amusements. |
【推荐2】Below is a housing guide for students going to London.
University accommodation(住所) offices Many university accommodation offices have their own list of registered landlords (房东). Others also provide information on accommodation agencies and other housing organizations. The advantage of using your university accommodation office is that you can get some support if you have a problem. The disadvantage is that they are unlikely to have enough registered landlords to house all their students. Property papers: Loot and Renting Loot is an important source (来源) of information about private housing for co-renters. The offers are from private landlords, agencies and individuals looking for other co-renters. They also have a website: www. loot. com. The advantage of using Loot is that there are some excellent bargains. The disadvantage is that there is no quality control over the offers. Renting is another useful paper. The offers in this paper are mainly from accommodation agencies. Their website is at www. Renting.co. uk. Accommodation agencies The majority of rented accommodation in London is probably advertised through accommodation agencies. The advantage of using accommodation agencies is that you will have access to a large number of accommodations. A good agent will listen to your requirements and can save you time in looking for the right accommodation. The disadvantage is that they will make a range of charges to potential renters. Noticeboards Around the universities you will find a number of noticeboards where offers of accommodation will be posted. These will either be from landlords or from students. Some universities will also have online noticeboards where students can advertise to other students. Advertisements from students can be an excellent way to find accommodation. However, advertisements from landlords can be problematic. Word of mouth Some of the best housing in London is never advertised but is passed on from one group of students to another by word of mouth. It might be that you can find out about good offers from final year students. However, don’t suppose that just because you have found out about housing from a friend it is necessarily, going to be better than that found through any other source. Family Faced with the very high rents charged in London, some students and their parents will consider buying as an alternative. In some cases this might be a good choice. |
1. What is the advantage of using Loot?
| A．There are some good bargains. |
| B．Their website is designed mainly for students. |
| C．It gives you personal information about other co-renters. |
| D．It has more offers from accommodation agencies than Renting. |
| A．know more people |
| B．find cheap accommodation |
| C．get the right accommodation quickly |
| D．get free information about most accommodations |
| A．University accommodation offices. | B．Loot and Renting. |
| C．Noticeboards. | D．Family. |
【推荐3】The owner of a dog has received a message saying her dog would be killed unless she paid 1,000 pounds. Cathryn Hussain said her Christmas had been “a washout” of “sick” prank (恶作剧) calls about her dog.
Five days before Christmas, Waffle, a six-month-old labradoodle, was stolen in St Austell while the owner Cathryn took him for a walk in Belmont. Cathryn said she was approached by a male holding what she believed to be a knife. The suspect was dressed in black and spoke with a foreign accent.
Sergeant Steve White from Devon and Cornwall Police said: “The family of Waffle are very upset at the theft of their pet dog. All of the officers at the police station dealing with this crime also feel very sad for the family over what is a cruel and mean-spirited crime, especially during the Christmas period.” Officers have been checking local CCTV and making enquiries into the theft of Waffle.
Waffle still hasn’t been found. Police are trawling through lots of CCTV.
“We are all just a bit fed up of the prank calls that all seem to go through to my daughter’s phone. We received a text from someone saying they wanted 1, 000 pounds or Waffle would be beheaded.” Police have traced the person who was a male and not from Cornwall. “How dare someone use Waffle’s disappearance to make money. ”
“Christmas was difficult as I’ve got a five-year-old grandson so I had to force a smile for him. We haven’t told him exactly what happened to Waffle yet. Christmas really was a washout and was extremely upsetting for us. We just want Waffle to go home and things to go back to normal.”
1. What does the underlined word “washout” mean?| A．Failure. | B．Surprise. | C．Shock. | D．Fortune. |
| A．A man stole the dog from the owner’s house. |
| B．The owner walked the dog and it ran away by itself. |
| C．The dog lost its way when wandering around. |
| D．Someone threatened the owner and the dog was stolen. |
| A．The family have been troubled by prank calls during Christmas. |
| B．The police have traced the person who was a female from Cornwall. |
| C．The grandson was upset when he knew the dog’s disappearance. |
| D．The family wanted to pay 1000 pounds to let the dog back. |
| A．A sad owner of a pet dog | B．A valuable pet dog stolen at Christmas |
| C．Prank calls about a pet dog during Christmas | D．A lost pet dog found during Christmas |
【推荐1】Many people believe eating healthily is expensive—and more costly than buying junk foods. But our new research, published in the BMC Pubic Health，shows this isn't the truth.
Most of the Australian family food budget(预算)is being spent on junk foods and drinks that are high in fat, sugar and salt.
Less than 7% of Australians eat healthily. The Australian adults（成年人） get at least 35% of their energy from junk foods and drinks. As a result, twothirds of adults (63%) and onequarter of children are overweight.
We used the Australian Health Survey 2011－2013 and the suggestions of the Australian Dietary Guidelines to model healthy diets(饮食) for a family of two adults and two children every two weeks. We collected food prices in supermarkets and stores in high and lowsocioeconomic (社会经济地位低的)areas in Brisbane，and compared the diet prices with family incomes（收入）.
In both areas, a family of two adults and two children spend about 18% more on present diets than would be required to buy healthy diets. About 58% of the food budget for present diets is spent on junk foods, including takeaway foods(14%)，and sugary drinks(4%)．
In the lowsocioeconomic area，a family of two adults and two children spend $640.20 every two weeks on their present diets，but could buy a healthy diet for $560.93 every two weeks. In the highsocioeconomic area，these numbers are $661.92 and $580.01.
Supermarket food prices were about 3% higher in the highsocioeconomic areas. Takeaway foods were also relatively more expensive，but sugary drinks were priced similarly in both areas.
Present diets cost more than healthy diets，so it is surely not the price that helps to drive preferences for unhealthy choices.
1. What did the researchers find?| A．Most Australian kids have fat problems. |
| B．Half Australians live on junk foods. |
| C．Most Australians eat unhealthily. |
| D．Australians have a preference for sweet foods. |
| A．By doing the study online. |
| B．By making a comparison. |
| C．By carrying out interviews. |
| D．By asking personal questions. |
| A．Australian foods are healthier. |
| B．Healthy foods are becoming more expensive. |
| C．People choose junk foods for their low prices. |
| D．A healthy diet is actually cheaper. |
| A．Why people choose junk foods. |
| B．The harm of junk foods. |
| C．How we can eat healthily. |
| D．The advantages of a healthy diet. |
【推荐2】Ever wonder how your brain works when making decisions bigger than medium versus spicy salsa, like buying a car or accepting a job offer? Researchers from the University of Dundee in Scotland conducted a study that clarifies why you may want to have a small bite before making that big decision.
Benjamin Vincent from the University of Dundee’s Psychology department and his co-author Jordan Skyrnka tested 50 people two times: once when they followed their normal eating patterns and once when they did not eat anything during the day. Using three different types of rewards (food, money, and song downloads), the team discovered when presented with the choice of receiving the reward now versus double the award at some point in the future, participants would usually volunteer to wait for 35 days to earn a larger bounty, but when they were hungry, they said they would only wait three days.
“We wanted to know whether being in a state of hunger had a specific effect on how you make decisions only relating to food or if it had broader effects, and this research suggests decision-making gets more present-focused when people are hungry,” Vincent said in a story about the study on the university’s website. “You would predict that hunger would impact people’s preferences relating to food, but it is not yet clear why people get more present-focused for completely unrelated rewards. Hunger is so common that it is important to understand the non-obvious ways in which our preferences and decisions may be affected by it,” he said.
In an earlier study of the subject by a team at Cambridge University in England, the researchers noted that serotonin plays a major role in the decision-making process. “Since the raw material for making serotonin—an amino acid called tryptophan — only comes from diet, levels of the chemical decline between meals,” reports a piece in the Telegraph about the study. “This can lead to aggressiveness and impulsiveness,” say the team.
1. How did Benjamin Vincent and Jordan Skyrnka carry out their research?| A．By analyzing reasons. | B．By making comparison. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By filling questionnaires. |
| A．bonus. | B．quantity. | C．income. | D．fortune. |
| A．It’s common to make a wrong decision if you are hungry. |
| B．Make sure you are not hungry before making a big decision. |
| C．The more hungry you are, the quicker you will make a decision. |
| D．Being hungry drives you to make a decision connected with food. |
| A．What should be eaten to make a wise man. |
| B．How can we get enough serotonin from our diet. |
| C．What other factors will influence one’s decision-making. |
| D．How does a chemical function in the course of making a decision. |
【推荐3】Here are some fun and engaging ways to learn about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and what you can do to take action to make them a reality.
Freerice from WFP
Freerice is a free online educational game where people of all ages can do their part—simply by playing. Every right answer on Freerice brings a real financial donation to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) from sponsors worth about 10 grains of rice. Use your time and knowledge to help provide food for people in need.
Frieda
Storytelling is a powerful communications tool and helps children remember lessons and virtues that they will use in everyday life. The idea behind the production of the story of Frieda was to simplify the lessons of the SDGs so young children can better understand the SDGs.
SDG Pandas
Inspired by real life animal ambassadors（大使）Qiqi and Diandian, SDG Pandas are stickers that you can use in your WhatsApp conversations to help spread the SDGs and inspire action for a better world.
SDG Elyx
Elyx, the United Nations' digital ambassador, uses various expressions and actions to help demonstrate the meaning of each Sustainable Development Goal. Created by French artist YAK, Elyx has no race, sex or nationality and is a universal character promoting the importance of the United Nations' work.
1. Which program uses a game to promote the SDGs?| A．Freerice from WFP. | B．Frieda. |
| C．SDG Pandas. | D．SDG Elyx. |
| A．The WFP's programs. | B．Frieda's stories. |
| C．The virtual stickers. | D．The digital ambassadors. |
| A．Promote students' story-telling ability. |
| B．Encourage financial donation for the SDGs. |
| C．Guide children in practicing virtues in daily life. |
| D．Make the SDGs easier for children to understand. |
