Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach’s Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel’s “me” time. And like more Americans, she’s not alone.
A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half(53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half(46 percent) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.
“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know?” Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today, I just wanted some time to myself,” she said.
Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he’s on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction(交流). “I reflect on how my day’s gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “It’s a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”
That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn’t feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,” said Laurie Demeritt, whose company provided the statistics for the report.
1.What are the statistics in paragraph 2 about?
A.Food variety.
B.Eating habits.
C.Table manners.
D.Restaurant service.
2.Why does Bechtel prefer to go out for lunch?
A.To meet with her coworkers.
B.To catch up with her work.
C.To have some time on her own.
D.To collect data for her report.
3.What do we know about Mazoleny?
A.He makes videos for the bar.
B.He’s fond of the food at the bar.
C.He interviews customers at the bar.
D.He’s familiar with the barkeeper.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.The trend of having meals alone.
B.The importance of self-reflection.
C.The stress from working overtime.
D.The advantage of wireless technology.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Broken Wings
1-4 Aug: Musical adaptation of the poet Kahil Gibran's 1912 masterpiece. Set in New York in 1923, it transports you to turn-of-the-century Beirut.
7:30pm (& 2. 30pm 4 Aug). Tickets:￡l0-￡96. so. www. trh. co. uk. Theatre Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, SWIY 4HT. T: 020-7930 8800. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.
Chicago the Musical
Martin Kemp stars as Billy in this jazz musical based on real murder cases which shocked Chicago in the 1920s.
Mon-Sat 7:30pm; Wed & Sat 2:30pm Tickets: ￡25-￡150. www. phoenixtheatrelondon co. uk
Phoenix Theatre, 110 Charing Cross Rd, WC2HOJP. T: 0843-316 1082. E7. Station: Tottenham Court Road
Dreamgirls
Musical about a female singing group from Chicago. Classic songs include I Am Telling You I'm Not Going, I Am Changing , and Listen and One Night Only. Join these friends as they go on a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit.
Mon-Sat 7: 30pm; Wed & Sat 2:30pm Tickets: ￡15-￡75. www. savoytheatre org. savoy.
Strand WC2R OET. T: 0844-871 7687. E8. Station: Covent Garden.
Everybody ' s Talking about Jamie
This feel-good musical is set on a council estate in Sheffield, northern England, and tells the story of 16-year-old Jamie and how he overcomes bullies and prejudice. This is inspired by a true bully story.
Mon-Sat 7: 30pm; Wed & &t 2 30pm Tickets: ￡20-￡85. www. everybodystalkingaboutjarmie.co. uk
Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Ava WID 7ES T: 0330-333 4809. E7. Station: Piccaddly Circus
1.Which number can one call to get more information on the musical about a murder story?
A.020-7930 8800. B.0843-316 1082.
C.0844-871 7687. D.0330-333 4809.
2.Which one of the musicals isn’t set in the U. S. ?
A.Dreamgirls. B.Chicago the Musical.
C.Broken Wings. D.Everybody's Talking about Jamie.
3.If one wants to enjoy classic songs, which website should he visit to book tickets?
A.www. trh. co.uk. B.www. phoenixtheatrelondon. co. uk.
C.www. savoytheatre. org. savoy. D.www. everybodystalkingaboutjamie.co. uk
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Can you trust your very first childhood memories? Maybe not, a new study suggests.
Past researches show that people's earliest memories typically form around 3 to 3. 5 years of age. But in a recent survey of more than 6,600 people, British scientists have found that 39 percent of participants claimed to have memories from age 2 or younger. These first memories are likely false, the researchers said. This was particularly the case for middle -aged and older adults.
For the study, researchers asked participants to describe their first memory and the age at which it occurred. Participants were told they had to be sure the memory was the one that had happened. For example, it shouldn't be based on a photograph, a family story or any source other than direct experiences. Then the researchers examined the content, language and descriptive details of these earliest memories and worked out the likely reasons why people would claim to have memories from an age when memories cannot form.
As many of these memories dated before the age of 2, this suggests they were not based on actual facts, but facts or knowledge about their babyhood or childhood from photographs or family stories. Often these false memories are fired by a part of an early experience, such as family relationships or feeling sad, the researchers explained.
"We suggest that what a rememberer has in mind when recalling fictional early memories is …a mental representation consisting of remembered pieces of early experiences and some facts or knowledge about their own babyhood or childhood, " study author Shania Kantar said in a journal news release, "Additionally, further details may be unconsciously inferred or added. Such memory-like mental representations come~ over time, to be collectively experienced when they come to mind, so for the individual, they quite simply are memories, which particularly point to babyhood. "
"Importantly, the person remembering them doesn't know this is fictional," study co-author Martin Conway said "In fact, when people are told that their memories are false they often don't believe it. "
1.What can we learn from a recent study?
A. Memories form after the age of 3. B. Participants are good at telling stories
C. Adults are likely to form false memories D. Earliest memories may play a trick on us
2.Which source did the researchers require for the earliest memories?
A. A direct experience. B. A family story.
C. A family photo. D. A sad feeling.
3.What are these fictional early memories according to Kantar?
A. They are repeated mental representations.
B. They are a collection of early experiences.
C. They are a combination of both facts and fictions.
D. They are further details of remembered experiences.
4.Which part of a newspaper is this text probably taken from?
A. Society. B. Psychology. C. Technology. D. Health.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
For the past two years I have been travelling and living abroad. Home has become more of a feeling than a place. I feel at home when I am with my family in London, but I also feel at home in Italy with friends I love. Home is no longer a picture of a house with a front door and some windows. It is more complicated than that.
This is one of the reasons that celebrating the new year has become very important for me. I do not care about "New Year’s resolutions(愿望)” - living abroad has made me constantly reconsider what kind of person I want to be and how I will live my life, so I don't feel the need to plan for change: I live for change.
New Year’s Eve has become my time to reconnect with the friends that makes me feel at home. Every year we try to reunite wherever we are and remember the time when we knew each other so well that we felt like a family. It is a moment to reconnect and get to know each other again. Last year, we travelled to a cottage in Ireland where we had no internet and no neighbours. In the middle of the countryside, away from our big and constantly changing lives, we were able to become like a little family again.
This year, we went to Barcelona. It was a very big change. We were surrounded by culture and life and joy. There were bars and parties. It was different, but one thing stayed very much the same-I felt at home again and we felt like a family again.
A lot of people feel that New Year’s Eve cannot live up to expectations. Ideas such as the "New Year's kiss" and "resolutions" create a lot of pressure for people to have a night to remember, a night that will change their lives and perhaps make the next year one worth living. I think those people are missing the point. If Christmas is about family, why can't New Year be about friends?
1.What does the underlined word "It" in Paragraph I probably mean?
A. Family. B. Living abroad.
C. Home. D. Staying with friends.
2.Why doesn't the author care about "New Year's resolutions"?
A. New Year’s resolutions cannot be reached.
B. His lifestyle makes him always ready for change.
C. It's meaningless to make any big changes in life.
D. Making New Year's resolutions creates much pressure.
3.What does the author try to convey through his experiences in Ireland and Barcelona?
A. Life is peaceful and enjoyable.
B. Living abroad is a happy experience.
C. Staying with friends makes one feel at home.
D. Travelling abroad enriches one's life experience.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. New Year's Celebration:How? B. True Friendship: What?
C. Living Abroad: Comfortable or Complicated? D. Change:Plan it or Make it?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It is 5 am and it’s too dark to see the fields of volcanic rock and trees on either side of the highway. But over the lights of my car, I get a taste of the _________ I’m really here for, as a few stars Pierce (渗透) the inky _________ sky.
Today our relationship to the universe is largely connected byes _________, such as telescopes and NASA assignments. But for thousands of years, humans could _________ look up on a clear night to be _________ at the bright spots that stretched (延伸) directly over them.
But over time, we’ve _________ ourselves from our sky, building a covering of artificial light between ourselves and the dark depth of space. Our _________ , neon signs (霓虹灯), and other electric lights are increasingly flooding the night sky and _________ the stars. _________ , about one third of the world’s population cannot see the Milky Way from where they live. And some can’t even recognize it. The sense of wonder for the night sky __________, and that means something vital to humanity is lost as well.
That’s why I’ve dragged myself out of bed hours before __________. Like 99 percent of Americans, I live with __________ pollution and I’ve never seen a truly night sky. So I’m here to __________ my first glance.
As I __________ out of the car, I __________ raise my face up towards the sky, worrying whether I can make it. There it is, __________ across the sky as far as I can see. The Milky Way is so vivid that my eyes don’t even have to __________ the dark to see it.
I expect to feel the __________ of the sky, perhaps as though I’m falling into a bottomless hole. Instead, the blanket of stars above me is so thick that it is hard to __________. In black and white, the whole scene feels surreal.
As I get back in the car, I pass a __________ that says “Never Stop Looking Up.”
1.A.view B.issue C.event D.cause
2.A.clear B.black C.blue D.dirty
3.A.emotion B.survey C.imagination D.technology
4.A.completely B.hardly C.simply D.rarely
5.A.depressed B.frightened C.confused D.amazed
6.A.excused B.distanced C.freed D.defended
7.A.shops B.decorations C.streetlights D.buildings
8.A.covering B.beating C.unlocking D.reflecting
9.A.Moreover B.Instead C.Therefore D.Meanwhile
10.A.increases B.disappears C.struggles D.pours
11.A.sunrise B.dark C.sunset D.dusk
12.A.noise B.air C.waste D.light
13.A.turn out B.search for C.apply for D.figure out
14.A.step B.look C.wonder D.think
15.A.formally B.confidently C.nervously D.casually
16.A.putting B.walking C.cutting D.stretching
17.A.adjust to B.turn to C.depend on D.throw away
18.A.length B.width C.depth D.strength
19.A.test B.weigh C.catch D.measure
20.A.note B.sign C.letter D.signal
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It is back to school time in much of the world. Calm, easy mornings are replaced with busy, hurried ones. Children wake up early and get ready for school. Many parents are also getting ready for work, helping their children and preparing food for lunches. 1.. But that may be a big mistake for students, Whether at home, on the way to school or at school, eating something healthy for breakfast may help a student get better grades.
2.? The answer is yes. Experts at Healthy Children. org say that in the United States about 8 to 12 percent of all students in grade school (Kindergarten through 8th grade) do not eat breakfast. By the time students are in high school ( grades 9-12), 20 to 30 percent of them ignore the morning meal.
3.. This gives your body the energy it needs to think clearly and to remember what it learns. When it comes to giving the brain what it needs to work at its highest level, not all breakfasts are created equal. The best breakfast should include complex sugar that slowly release energy to the body. 4..
A good breakfast is not just helpful for school-aged children. 5..
A.Do many children hate breakfast
B.Some people ignore breakfast to save time
C.Lunches are also important for students’ health
D.Whole grain bread and low-sugar cakes are examples
E.The best breakfast is a combination of sugar, protein and fat
F.Are there really that many children who do not eat breakfast
G.We all may gain from eating something healthy in the morning
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式
Xu Lizhen, a 74-year-old lady, has been acting as a tour guide for nearly 20 years in Yang Shuo, Gui Lin,1.is a city known both in China and abroad for its beautiful landscape. 2. she attended only primary school when she was young, she can now speak approximately 11 foreign languages3.(fluent).
Since 20 years ago, tourists4.( show )affection for Yang Shuo, including a great many foreigners, In order to make a5.(live), Xu Lizhen began to sell water. However, she could hardly make any money at first because foreigners didn't understand her accent. She tried to imitate the6.(pronounce) of the foreigners, take notes and learn them7.heart. If she came across tourists who can speak both Chinese and a foreign language, she would ask them to translate their words many times so that she could remember them8.(well). It is in this way that the old granny masters 11 languages, such as English, French, Russian, Korean. Now, she has no difficulty at all9.(communicate) with foreign friends in simple oral English. She is also 10.(refer) to as Mother Moon for her kindness among tourists.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分
Dear Joes,
I am more than delighted to sincere invite you to be a judge for a speech contest. I hope you can agree to come. For your reference, I will share with you the details as follow. First of all, this contest focuses on Man and Nature, that is scheduled to start at 2 p.m., and ends at 4 p.m. next week at Classroom 301. Ten players will attend the contest, give their prepared speeches. In my opinion, not only can you provide us with our professional judgment, but also you can enjoy the scenery around our school. You will surely have good time on this beautiful spring day.
I'll be very much grateful if you can accept my invitations. I am looking forward to your arrival.
Yours,
Jenny
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，看到英语校报上正招聘在暑假期间帮助引领外国游客的中学生导游。你对此十分感兴趣，请写一封申请邮件。要点如下：
1.写信目的；2.自我简介；3.你的竞聘优势；4.你对这份工作的认识。
Dear sir or madam,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析