Whether you’re eating at a fancy restaurant or dining in someone’s home, proper table manners are likely to help you make a good impression. According to a US expert, Emily Post, “All rules of table manners are made to avoid ugliness.”
While Henry Hitchings of the Los Angeles Times admits that good manners can reduce social conflict, he points out that mostly their purpose is protective — they turn our natural warrior_ like selves into more elegant ones.
So where did table manners come from?
In medieval England, a writer named Petrus Alfonsi took the lead to urge people not to speak with their mouths full. And King David I of Scotland also proposed that any of his people who learned to eat more neatly be given a tax deduction (减除).
Disappointingly, that idea never caught on. It was during the Renaissance, when there were real technical developments, opinions of correct behavior changed for good. “None of these was more significant than the introduction of the table fork,” wrote Hitchings. “Gradually, as forks became popular, they brought the new way of eating, making it possible, for instance, to consume berries without making one’s fingers dirty.”
Forks were introduced to Britain in 1608 and 25 years later, the first table fork reached America. Yet while most of the essentials (基本要素) are the same on both sides of the Atlantic, there are a few clear differences between what’s normal in the US and what holds true in the UK. For example, in the US, when food needs cutting with a knife, people generally cut a bite, then lay aside the knife and switch the fork to their right hand. Then they pick up one bite at a time. By contrast, Britons keep the fork in the left hand and don’t lay the knife down.
Though globalization has developed a new, simpler international standard of table manners, some people still stick with the American cut-and-switch method. The Los Angeles Times noted, “They are hanging on to a form of behavior that favors manners above efficiency.”
1. What does the story mainly talk about?| A．The importance of proper table manners. |
| B．The development of table manners in Western countries. |
| C．Some unwritten rules of table manners in the US and UK. |
| D．Differences between American and British table manners. |
| A．worked in practice |
| B．became popular |
| C．drew attention |
| D．had a positive effect |
| A．The introduction of forks. |
| B．The tax deduction policy. |
| C．The rise of the Renaissance. |
| D．Petrus Alfonsi’s efforts in promoting table manners. |
| A．British and American table manners are completely different from each other. |
| B．American people pay more attention to their table manners than British people do. |
| C．With globalization, the American cut-and-switch method has been abandoned in the US. |
| D．British people’s way of using a knife and fork may be more efficient than American people’s. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】It is surprising that eating three meals a day-breakfast, lunch and dinner-has been a custom only since 1890. Before this time, people only had two meals a day-breakfast and dinner.
In the 16th century, breakfast was only to break one’s fast(随便吃一点). But 200 years later it had become a large meal, not just for family, but for numbers of guests as well. It was a social event. It began at 10 a.m. and lasted until 1 p.m. Then breakfast began to be less popular. It became, instead, a lighter meal and was taken at a much earlier hour. By 1850 it had been pushed back to 8 a.m. and became a family meal.
Dinner, however, went to the other way. In the 16th century it was eaten at 11 a.m. Years later, it had moved to the early afternoon, then to 5 p.m. By 1850 dinner time had reached 7 p.m. Lunch is a recent idea. It first appeared as a snack to fill the gap between breakfast and dinner.
1. People did not have lunch ________ .| A．after 1890 | B．until 1890 | C．since 1890 | D．by 1890 |
| A．Dinner didn’t go there with breakfast |
| B．Dinner took the same way with breakfast |
| C．Dinner is different from breakfast |
| D．Dinner is the same with breakfast |
| A．what people eat for breakfast | B．the history of the three meals |
| C．the history of supper | D．what people eat for dinner |
| A．19th | B．18th | C．17th | D．16th |
【推荐2】Earlier this month, 6-year-old Isaac went on vacation to Fort Walton, Florida, with his family. While they were there, his mother Garrett learned about LuLu, a restaurant that offers food to customers with food allergies(过敏).
At LuLu, Isaac could eat a salad and a bowl of chicken soup with rice. “Isaac looked at me as if asking, ‘Is this OK?’ ” Garrett said. Once his mom gave the OK, Isaac enjoyed for the first time the experience of eating at a restaurant. “That look on his face was like, ‘This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done,’ ” Garrett added.
Garrett and her family rarely eat out because of Isaac’s food allergies. When they do, she cooks something for Isaac at home before they leave and brings it with her to the restaurant. “It’s not fun and it feels unfair,” she said.
Their night at LuLu marked a celebration for Isaac. Garrett shared the moment on the restaurant’s Facebook page. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving Isaac this wonderful experience,” she wrote in her post.
Barnett, the restaurant’s manager, said, “When customers tell the staff that someone in their group has a food allergy, I assist with the order by passing it to the kitchen, ensuring it’s cooked in a separate station and delivering the finished food to the guests. We have been improving this process over the past ten years since our allergy program was started.”
On Garrett’s Facebook post, LuLu thanked Garrett for sharing her story. “Thank you for sharing your experience with us,” the restaurant wrote in a comment, “We are excited to see your son so happy!” Garrett is hoping her post’s popularity will persuade other restaurants to be more considerate. “LuLu takes it seriously as we take it – nothing could make us happier than that,” she said.
1. What does the underlined word “This” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Eating chicken soup with rice. |
| B．Eating at a restaurant. |
| C．Eating with her mom. |
| D．Being on vacation with her family. |
| A．He will personally assist with the order. |
| B．He will deliver the menu to them. |
| C．He will introduce the allergy program. |
| D．He will cook dinner in a separate station. |
| A．The popularity of her post made Garrett excited. |
| B．Garrett is unsatisfied with other restaurants. |
| C．LuLu thanks Garrett for eating in the restaurant. |
| D．Garrett hopes more restaurants will follow LuLu’s steps. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A research paper. | D．A travel brochure. |
【推荐3】Snacking is a popular American pastime. When done correctly, it can be a good thing, helping you prevent overeating and keeping your blood sugar and energy level stable. But most snacks tend to be highly processed, low in nutrients and high in sugar. They can give you temporary energy, but very quickly you’ll feel hungry again.
Put it on a plate.
The best snack is one that provides carbohydrates, protein and fat. Carbs provide a source of energy, while fat and protein help to slow digestion, stabilize blood sugar levels and sustain that energy longer. This nutrient combination keeps cravings(渴望) at bay and ensures you’ll feel full and satisfied until your next meal.
Eat regular meals.
If you’re unable to go more than an hour or two before reaching for a snack, it’s time to look at your meals. While it’s normal for some people to feel hungry between meals, your main meals should keep you full for at least two to three hours.
Be prepared.
Keep nutritious foods on hand in case a meeting runs late or you’re out and about between meals.
| A．Make it balanced. |
| B．Pay attention to your body. |
| C．Follow these tips to snack responsibly. |
| D．So you don’t end up empty-handed when you feel hungry. |
| E．Before reaching for a snack, ask what you’re really in the mood for. |
| F．Eating food directly out of a bag or box encourages mindless eating. |
| G．If you feel hungry sooner, make sure you’re getting plenty of protein, fiber and fat. |
【推荐1】While learning the science lessons, I used to get a doubt—why ears, nose, tongue and eyes should be called as special senses? The basic reason is that these are the channels through which we maintain contact with the surroundings. Though apparently it may feel like these are individual sensory organs, they do show some connectivity. Interestingly, our hearing is less sharp after we eat a heavy food. Isn’t it good for a sound nap after a stomach-full meal? That does not mean we go deaf after a meal, but the hearing pitch (强度) does change after a heavy meal.
We usually give credit of the taste to our tongue, but do you know that unless saliva (唾液) dissolves something, our tongue cannot recognize the taste of the food eaten. Taste is nothing but the food chemicals dissolved in the saliva being sensed by the taste buds present on the tongue. Try to dry off your tongue and mouth with a tissue paper and then taste something.
Women are much better smellers than men. They are born with this characteristic ability and can correctly pinpoint the exact fragrance of the sample. We all can store almost 50, 000 different scents (气味), which are strongly tied to the memories.
Pupils (瞳孔) do not respond to light alone, but to the slightest bit of noise around too. Thus surgeons, watchmakers and those professionals who have to perform a much delicate job do prefer to have a sound-free environment. Even a small noise can dilate (扩大) their pupils, change the focus and blur (使模糊) their vision. If you do not wear glasses or contact lens due to having a 6/6 vision, you are just among the one third of the human population. It is now statistically proved that only one third of the population has perfect vision, rest all are either wearing glasses or are trying to read with a compromised vision.
Each and every one of us has a particular or individualistic or characteristic smell, which is unique to us, except for the identical twins. This smell is very subtle (微妙的) yet can be sensed even by a newborn. It may be due to this scent that the newborn recognizes the presence of his parents around. Many of us can pinpoint the smell of our significant friends and colleagues. A significant part of this phenomenon is guided by genetics but it is also changed by the environment, diet and personal hygiene. This all together creates the unique chemistry that is individualistic for each person.
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.| A．sensory organs’ functions can never be changed for their particular character |
| B．our hearing is as good as before we have a full meal |
| C．we feel and learn about the world around us through our eyes, ears, nose and tongue |
| D．all sensory organs are connected and can be exchanged |
| A．Your hearing pitch may decrease. |
| B．Your eyes become dim. |
| C．Your tongue may lose the function of taste. |
| D．You may feel energetic and fresh. |
| A．If your tongue is dried with a tissue paper, it may work as well as before. |
| B．Our tongues can’t be dried while eating something. |
| C．A tissue paper is the only thing that can be used to dry our tongues. |
| D．If your tongue is dried without any saliva on it, it will not work. |
| A．The number of sensory organs. |
| B．The particular smell of a person. |
| C．The style of one’s behavior. |
| D．The functions of sensory organs. |
| A．A newborn’s senses of the sensory organs. |
| B．The functions of sensory organs. |
| C．The connectivity of our tongue and ears. |
| D．The differences of senses between women and men. |
【推荐2】One of the biggest worries we have is that we’re not getting enough hours of sleep, which means that we’re doomed to (命中注定) bad health, everything from high blood pressure to Alzheimer’s disease. But there are two disadvantages with this kind of messaging.
The first is that it is not completely accurate. Seven to eight hours of sleep, while recommended for adults, is just an average. And while messages have to be simplified for health communication to the public, sometimes important nuances (细微差别) get lost. It’s true that not getting enough sleep in the long term is associated with health problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression. But focusing only on seven to eight hours ignores the fact that there’s a range of sleep that people need. Some adults need eight, but some are just fine on six.
The second error with this kind of messaging is that it can be counterproductive (适得其反的), especially for people who do have trouble sleeping. For instance, it was estimated that 21 percent of adults in the US were wearing sleep tracking devices. It’s fascinating to see how much sleep you’ve gotten each night and what part of your night was spent in deep sleep. But having all of that sleep data is causing some people to become addicted to it; so much so that it’s leading to a condition some call orthosomnia (完美睡眠主义), which is causing more sleep problems.
So stop focusing on the number because that can lead to unrealistic expectations of sleep. The basic questions you should ask yourself are: Do I generally sleep through the night without disturbances? If I wake, do I fall back asleep easily? Can I stay awake through the day without unconsciously falling asleep? If your answers are yes, there’s no need to worry about your sleep. If you’re struggling with your sleep, instead of buying expensive sleep trackers, try talking with your doctor to make sure there aren’t any medical conditions that need to be explored first and accept necessary therapies when advised.
1. Which is a reason that the text discusses why we should stop worrying about sleep?| A．High-tech sleeping monitoring devices are just a fraud. |
| B．The existing scientific researches are not reliable at all. |
| C．Such worries may work against improving sleeping quality. |
| D．A lack of sleep would not cause any physical health problems. |
| A．The specific definition of high blood pressure. |
| B．Messages concerning the time we should sleep. |
| C．The correlation between sleep and various diseases. |
| D．Worries that people possess due to sleep problems. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Curious. |
| A．Try to become a habitual self-examinator. |
| B．Treat your sleep issues with proper actions. |
| C．Always remember to seek help from doctors. |
| D．Say “no” to any products about personal health. |
【推荐3】An open letter, attracting signatures from the likes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, was released early last week. It advocates a 6-month stop to give Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies and regulators time to make safeguards to protect society from potential risks of the technology.
AI has progressed at an alarming speed since the launch of ChatGPT, from the Microsoft-backed company Open AI. ChatGPT reportedly reached more than 100 million users by January, 2023, and major tech companies are racing to build generative AI into their products, which have caught many off guard.
“I think many people aren’t well prepared for the pace and scale of these AI models. They are ideal for spreading misinformation, cheating people out of their money and convincing employees to click on dangerous links in emails,” says Michael Osborne, a machine learning researcher of AI company Mind Foundry, who signed the letter. “I feel that a 6-month pause would give regulators enough time to catch up with the rapid pace of advances.”
Privacy is another emerging concern, as critics worry that systems could exactly reproduce personal information from their training sets. Italy’s data protection authority prohibited ChatGPT on 31 March over concerns that Italians’ personal data are being used to train Open AI’s models. Some technologists warn of deeper security threats. Planned ChatGPT-based digital assistants that can read and write emails could offer new opportunities for hackers.
Unfortunately, many problems of today’s AI models don’t have easy solutions. One tricky issue is how to make AI-generated content easy to detect. Some researchers are working on “watermarking” — creating a digital signature in the AI’s output. However, a recent research finds that tools which slightly change AI-produced text can easily defeat this approach.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates tells Reuters the proposed pause won’t “solve the challenges” ahead. He notes the people behind the letter are heavily involved in the tech world, which he thinks gives them an arrow perspective on the potential risks.
1. What’s the purpose of the open letter?| A．To draw the attention of AI giants. |
| B．To present the risks of AI technology. |
| C．To call for a pause on the AI development. |
| D．To turn down the application of AI programs. |
| A．AI models threaten human survival. |
| B．AI users have expanded out of control. |
| C．AI development brings potential dangers. |
| D．AI technology will replace human beings. |
| A．It is hard to sign digitally. | B．It is easy to detect AI’s output. |
| C．It is wise to leave a water mark. | D．It is tough to settle AI problems. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Negative. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Tolerant. |
【推荐1】For the 17 years my life was very happy. Then the first sad thing happened. My mother became very ill, and soon she knew that she was dying. Just before she died, she asked Elizabeth and me to go to her room. She held our hands and said, “Victor and Elizabeth, my children, I’m very happy because you love each other, and because one day you’ll get married. Everyone in the family loves you, Elizabeth. Will you take my place in the family, my dear? I can die happy if you look after them when I have gone.”
My mother died and we were very sad, because we loved her dearly. Elizabeth was brave and helped us; her sweet smile gave us some happiness in the unhappy days after my mother’s death. The time came for me to go to university. I didn’t want to leave my sad family, but we all knew that I should go. It was hard to leave, too, because the parents of my good friend Henry would not let him go to university with me. So I had gone alone.
On my first day at university I met my teacher, Professor Waldman, who was one of the greatest scientists in the world. He gave a wonderful talk to all the students who were starting at the university. He ended his talk by saying, “Some of you will become the greatest scientists of tomorrow. You must study hard and discover everything that you can. This is why God made you intelligent—to help other people.”
After the professor’s talk, I thought very carefully. I remembered the storm when I was 15; I remembered how the lightning had destroyed the tree. From then on, I wanted to use electricity to help people, and I wanted to discover the secrets of life. I decided to work on these two things.
I started to work the next day. I worked very hard and soon Professor Waldman and I realized that I could learn to be a very good scientist.
The professor helped me very much, and other important scientists who were his friends helped me, too. I was interested in my work and I did not take one day’s holiday during the next two years, I did not go home, and my letters to my family were very short.
After two years, I had discovered many things and I built a scientific machine that was the best in the university. My machine would help me answer the most important question of all. How does life begin? Is it possible to put life into dead things? To answer these questions about life I had to learn first about death. I had to watch bodies from the moment when they died and the warm life left them. In the hospital and in the university, I watched the dying and the dead. Day after day, month after month, I followed death, so it was a dark and terrible time.
I built a tall mast about 150 meters high, which is higher than the tallest building in the city, to catch lightning and send the electricity down to my machine in the lab. I believed I could use that electricity to give life to things that were dead.
Then one day, the answer came to me. Suddenly I was sure that I knew the secret of life.
1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?| A．Victor did not want to leave his family because his mother died not long before. |
| B．Elizabeth married shortly after Victor’s mother died. |
| C．Elizabeth was a brave girl who loved Victor and gave him much help. |
| D．Victor’s mother was very angry when she knew he loved Elizabeth. |
| A．he discovered many things and built a scientific machine |
| B．he learnt much about death both in the hospitals and in the university |
| C．he built a tall mast to catch lightning and send the electricity down to the lab |
| D．he worked hard and took only one day’s holiday during the next two years |
| A．use electricity to cure diseases |
| B．build the best machine to learn about death |
| C．become the greatest scientist of tomorrow |
| D．give life to things that were dead by using electricity |
① Victor’s mother passed away.
② Victor got help from the professor and other scientists.
③ Victor went to university and attended the professor’s talk.
④ Victor found the answer to giving life to things that were dead.
⑤ Victor experienced a storm, seeing the lightning destroying the tree.
| A．①②③④⑤ | B．⑤①③②④ | C．①③②⑤④ | D．⑤①②④③ |
【推荐2】The Harker School is searching for part-time teachers to join our team. Here are the top 5 reasons to work at Harker:
• A stepping stone to a career in education.
• Opportunities to learn from experienced teachers.
• A schedule that works for students in college.
• Free breakfast and lunch provided to staff.
• A place to be creative, inspired, and have fun!
Duties & Responsibilities:
Supervise (监督)student’s activities and play in a non-academic setting.
Provide a positive environment for students to learn and develop lifelong skills.
Ensure the physical and emotional safety of the children at all times.
Terms of Employment:
These positions are part-time for the 2018 academic school year which runs from August 15th, 2017 to June 8th, 2018. There are no benefits associated with this position. Required availability Monday through Friday, 3:00 pm~6:00 pm, with additional hours depending on applicant’s availability — including Monday through Friday, 7:30 am~8:30 am and 11:45 am~1:15 pm.
Minimum Qualifications:
•Must be at least 18 years of age.
•Must hold current certification in both first aid and CPR or obtain certification within 1 month of employment.
•Must have previous experience of working with children in a school or camp setting.
•Ability to communicate and work with groups of all ages and skill levels, and provide necessary direction and instruction to students.
•Ability to communicate in effective English with staff, parents, and children.
We will respond only to those candidates who meet the requirements of the position.
1. What is the advantage of working in the Harker School?| A．Chances of learning abroad. |
| B．Paid annual leave and bonus. |
| C．Free accommodation and meals. |
| D．Inspiration and happiness from the work. |
| A．Wednesday, 6:00pm~7:00pm. |
| B．Tuesday, 1:15pm~3:00pm. |
| C．Friday, 4:00pm~5:00pm. |
| D．Monday, 8:30pm~11:45pm. |
| A．The ability to speak French. |
| B．Related previous experience. |
| C．A sense of direction and humor. |
| D．A current certification in first aid. |
【推荐3】Welcome to AMDA
Your future in the performing arts doesn’t have to be a dream. For over 50 years, AMDA has launched some of the most successful careers in theatre, film and television. AMDA creates industry professionals who don’t just wait for life to happen—they stage their own career path. Now it’s your turn.
Program description
At AMDA, we believe a performer must perform. From the first day, you’ll find many performance opportunities in the three core areas of acting, musical theatre and dance, both in and out of the classroom, plus individual voice lessons. Over the course of your four semesters (学期), you’ll also improve your performance technique through an intensive curriculum that focuses on both foundational and advanced concepts in acting, musical theatre and dance. Finally, through courses in career preparation, you’ll learn how to apply all of this training to a successful career on stage and screen.
Philosophy and mission
AMDA is committed to providing a splendid performing arts education to a diverse community of creative artists. AMDA serves as both school and stage, where students are given the support and opportunity to identify their own personal objectives and to develop and improve their own distinctive artistic voices. AMDA tries to create an environment for students to develop the skills, confidence, imagination, and power to contribute to their community as artists, businesspeople, lifelong learners, and hard-working citizens of the world Above all, AMDA wants to teach students that commitment and passion are the marks of a successful and joyous career.
Registration
6305 Yucca Street Los Angeles
800-367-7908
https: //www.amda.edu
1. What is the curriculum of AMDA about?| A．Drawing. |
| B．Philosophy. |
| C．Performing |
| D．Photography. |
| A．One semester. |
| B．Two years. |
| C．Three semesters. |
| D．Four years. |
| A．How to sing beautifully. |
| B．How to train a performer. |
| C．The way to build a stage. |
| D．The way to be a director. |
【推荐1】The bed should be used as a place for sleep, but more and more people like to read an iPad a lot in bed before they go to sleep.
Charles Czeisler, a professor at Harvard Medical School, and his coworkers got a small group of people for an experiment. For five days in a row, these people read either a paper book or an iPad for four hours before sleep. Their sleep patterns were monitored all night. Before and after each trial period, they took hourly blood tests to paint a day-long picture of just how much melatonin(褪黑激素) was in their blood at any time.
When the people read the iPad as compared to the paper books, they felt less sleepy at night and less active the following morning. People also took longer to fall asleep on the iPad nights, and the blood tests showed that their melatonin secretion(分泌) was delayed by an hour and a half.
The researchers concluded that because of the rise of e-readers and the widespread use of e-things among children and teenagers, more research into the "long-term influence of these e-things on health and safety is urgently needed." Czeisler and coworkers went on, in the research paper, to point out that reading an iPad in bed may increase cancer risk.
However, software has been developed that can reduce some of the blue light from the screens of phones and computers, and there are also glasses that are made to reduce short wavelengths. While they seem like a logic solution for the nighttime tech users, it needs more research.
1. In Charles Czeisler's experiment, the group of people were asked to_______.| A．sit in a row and receive the strict tests |
| B．have their sleep patterns observed all night |
| C．read a paper book and an iPad before sleep |
| D．have their blood tested per hour during the trial |
| A．feel less sleepy and tired in the day |
| B．fall asleep more easily after reading |
| C．become less energetic the next morning |
| D．have a lot more melatonin secretion |
| A．reduce the blue light from the screens completely |
| B．help prevent eyes being harmed by short wavelengths |
| C．reduce the harm caused by doing nighttime e-reading |
| D．be used in all the e-things widely and safely |
| A．No e-reading in bed before sleep |
| B．New software for night e-readers |
| C．Wrong things to do before bedtime |
| D．No games on iPad in bed |
【推荐2】LONDON——Global auction(拍卖）sales of Chinese art and antiques fell in 2019 to $ 5.7 billion, a 10 percent drop year-on-year, and the lowest level for the collecting category since 2010. The Global Chinese Art Auction market report, compiled by Artnet and the Chinese Association of Auctioneers, found this was clue to trade tensions between the United States and China, as well as a slowdown of GDP in China.
The report, now in its eighth edition, noted that the value of total auction sales within the Chinese mainland declined by 10 percent in 2019 to $ 3.7 billion, the lowest total since 2010. Outside China, there was also a 9 percent drop in sales of Chinese art and antiques.
“The combination of such slowdowns resulted in a weakening of collectors' confidence and a more cautious attitude among buyers making decisions on investing in art in 2019," said the report.
However, despite the downturn in total sales value for Chinese art and antiques in 2019, the European market showed some positive trends emerging. Significant peaks in lots offered and lots sold in Europe, combined with a strong sell through rate（卖出率）of 61 percent in 2019.
Europe accounted for 29 percent of all Chinese art and antique lots sold overseas in 2019 , according to the report, closing in on（接近）the North American market's share.
The annual report also found strong performances with 20th century and contemporary Chinese art in both the Chinese mainland and overseas, boosted by a younger generation of Chinese collectors.
The average price for the category increased in the Chinese mainland, up by 23 percent year- on-year, and overseas sales saw a nine-year high in 2019. But fine Chinese paintings and calligraphy, the largest collecting category on the Chinese mainland, did not perform as well.
According to the report this category “continued to spiral(螺旋式的）downwards, reaching its lowest point in sales since 2013”. The number of lots dropped by 10 percent year-on-year, almost half of that of 2013 and it also struggled elsewhere, with the overseas total falling to a seven-year low.
1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?| A．The result of a weakening of collectors' confidence in buying art. |
| B．The advantage of buyers' making decisions on investing in art. |
| C．The advantage of the decline of the value of total auction sales. |
| D．The result of the decline of the value of total auction sales. |
| A．Their standards were not so high. |
| B．Their prices were not so satisfying. |
| C．They are the largest collecting category. |
| D．The average price for the category rose sharply. |
| A．Took up. | B．Took off. |
| C．Took away. | D．Took on. |
| A．A Slowdown of GDP in China in 2019 |
| B．A Report on the Global Chinese Art Auction Market |
| C．Trade Tensions Between the United States and China |
| D．Global Auction Sales of Chinese Antiques and Art Fall to a 10-year Low |
【推荐3】All eyes were on Jack Ma. The chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd stepped down on Teachers’ Day from leading the e-commerce giant he founded 20 years ago.
“I still have lots of dreams to go after,” Ma wrote in an open letter last year to announce his parting. “The world is big, and I am still young, so I want to try new things.”
The 55-year-old businessman showed that he was ready for new things by arriving at his farewell party dressed up like a rock star.
In fact, his rags-to-riches story is a good example of doing something different. Visiting the United States in 1995, Ma saw the internet and had the idea of setting up his own trading website. In 1999, he founded Alibaba with a group of friends in a shared apartment, struggling for years to get it off the ground. With all the challenges, the company slowly brought e-commerce to China.
Although his success has inspired a number of Chinese tech businessmen, Ma pointed out that the key is having a dream. “It’s the dreams that keep us never afraid of setbacks,” Ma said in a video posted on Sept 9. Now the experienced businessman is looking to focus on education. What can he offer? “I’m not gonna teach English; I’m not gonna teach business. But I’m gonna teach young people how to face challenges,” he told Bloomberg News. Skilled sailors were never made on calm waters.
As Ma said, “Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. But the day after tomorrow is beautiful.”
1. Why did Jack Ma attract all the attention on Teachers’ Day in 2019？| A．He led the Alibaba Group to celebrate the Teachers’ Day. |
| B．He would become the former chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. |
| C．He and a group of friends founded Alibaba Group 20 years ago. |
| D．He gave a special show dressed up like a rock star. |
| A．He will be an English teacher. |
| B．He will be a rock star. |
| C．He will continue to be a businessman. |
| D．He will try something new related to education. |
| A．Ma’s success lies in pursuing his dream and making great effort. |
| B．Jack Ma was worried about the future of education in China. |
| C．Jack Ma always wants to challenge himself in new fields. |
| D．Jack Ma would like to encourage young people to overcome difficulties. |
