18．Afternoon tea became popular about 150years ago，when rich ladies invited their friends to their houses for an afternoon cup of tea．Usually taken in the late afternoon，it is also called"low tea"as it is served at a low table．Since this isn't a meal，but rather like a late afternoon snack，finger foods such as sandwiches，scones and pastries are common．People are not merely taking tea to get nutrition or satisfy hunger，but to take time to relax，chat and enjoy the company of dear friends．In England，the traditional time for tea is four or five o'clock in the afternoon and no one stays after seven o'clock．
This very British tradition is said to have been started around 1840by Duchess Anna Maria，wife of the 7th Duke of Bedford，England．During the long time between an early breakfast and very late dinner，she experienced what she called"a sinking feeling"at about 4or 5in the afternoon．So she asked her maid to bring her a pot of tea，a little bread and butter and cake in her room．She found this arrangement so pleasing that she began asking her friends to join her．
High tea，a term often mixed with afternoon tea，usually takes the place of supper．In the past the British working population did not have afternoon tea．They had meals about noon and after work between five and seven o'clock．The table would be set with dinner foods like meat，bread，butter，potatoes，cheese and of course tea．It was called"high tea"because it was eaten at a high dining table rather than a low tea table．
How much do people enjoy the afternoon tea moment？As a famous writer named Henry James said，"There are few hours in life greater than the hour dedicated to（献给） the ceremony known as afternoon tea．"
28．Who started the tradition of high tea according to the passage？D
A．Duchess Anna Maria B．the 7th Duke of Bedford
C．Henry James D．Some unknown working people
29．What does the underlined phrase"a sinking feeling"probably refer to？B
A．a feeling of being bored B．a feeling of hunger
C．a feeling of missing friends D．a feeling of shyness
30．Why does the writer mention Henry James'words？C
A．To tell us how the name"afternoon tea"came．
B．To tell us that afternoon is in fact a ceremony．
C．To show how popular afternoon tea is．
D．To show the difference between afternoon tea and high tea．
31．Which of the following statements about high tea is true according to the passage？A
A．High tea got its name because it was eaten at a high dining table．
B．Finger foods such as sandwiches and scones are common for high tea．
C．High tea is served between breakfast and lunchtime．
D．High tea has taken the place of low tea as afternoon tea．
分析 这是一篇说明文，讲的是有关下午茶和傍晚茶的起源．
解答 28-31DBCA
28．答案：D 细节理解题．由第三段"High tea，a term often mixed with afternoon tea，usually takes the place of supper．In the past the British working population did not have afternoon tea．"可知high tea是由工人们发起的，所以答案选D．
29．答案：B 猜词测义题．由第二段"During the long time between an early breakfast and very late dinner，she experienced what she called"a sinking feeling"at about 4 or 5 in the afternoon．"可知由于早餐吃的很早，晚餐又很晚，所以a sinking feeling是一种很饥饿的感觉，所以答案选B．
30．答案：C 写作意图题．由最后一段"How much do people enjoy the afternoon tea moment？As a famous writer named Henry James said，"There are few hours in life greater than the hour dedicated to（献给） the ceremony known as afternoon tea．""可知作者提Henry James说的话，是为了表达人们对下午茶的喜爱，下午茶很受欢迎，故答案选C．
31．答案：A 细节理解题．由第三段"The table would be set with dinner foods like meat，bread，butter，potatoes，cheese and of course tea．It was called"high tea"because it was eaten at a high dining table rather than a low tea table．"可知high tea的由来是因为人们经常在很高的吃晚餐的桌子上吃，所以叫"high tea"，故答案选A．
点评 做阅读时经常犯错的主要原因是，仅凭读过文章后残留在脑海中的一丝印象来勾选答案，这样便很容易掉入出题人故意设布下的题目陷阱．所谓阅读理解，对于题目的理解一定要忠实于原文，因此，每一道题都应该与原文作全面的对比与核查，再得出答案．也就是说，阅读理解的每一道题目，在原文都应该有明确的出处，我们把这一出处叫做原文相关句，（1）排除与原文相关句主题不一致的选项（2）排除与原文相关句态度相反的选项 （3）排除用于过于极端或负面的选项（4）注意结合文章主旨和主题去排除．
