You’ve heard of fast food, but what about slow food?

Slow food is an international movement. It promotes home cooking, and the use of fresh, unprocessed produce. It was founded as reaction to the popularity of unhealthy fast food. It also encourages people to buy food from local businesses, rather than large supermarkets.

The movement began in 1986. At that time, McDonald’s wanted to open a restaurant in the centre of Rome (Italy). Food writer Carlo Perini, along with others, was against this. So, the Slow Food Organization was born. Today, it has overt 100,000 members in 132 countries. And its symbol is one of the world’s slowest moving creatures, the snail. The organization’s website explains, “The snail was chosen because it moves slowly, and calmly eats its way through life.”

But Slow Food isn’t just about the food we eat. It’s also about how we eat it. Slow foodies say that in our fast-food world with very little time, we’ve forgotten that eating should be a social activity. They believe families should eat together and talk, rather than watch TV with their dinner while sitting in front of it. In fact, research has shown that if children grow up in a family that eats together at the table, they are more likely to do well in school, and less likely to have behavioral problems or develop eating disorders.

And there’s more! Slow Food has sparked an entire Slow Food Movement. This encourages people to slow down the pace of their busy lives. And now, within the movement, there’s Slow Money, Slow Travel, Slow Parenting, Slow Art and Slow Media, among many others. In 1999 the World Institute of Slowness was formed. One of the Institute’s slogans is a quotation by the famous American actress Mae West. She said, “Everything worth doing in life is worth doing slowly.” Do you agree? No need to answer straight away. Have a long hard thought about it. Take your time. And get back to us when you can.

51. If you are a member of the Slow Food Organization, you may _______.

A. react to fast food slowly                                 B. buy food from large supermarkets

C. like the animal of snails                                   D. like to cook at home

52. Why did people start the Slow Food Movement?

A. Because food writers are against fast food restaurant everywhere.

B. Because they have plenty of time to enjoy their dinner.

C. Because they think eating should be an enjoyable family occasion.

D. Because they want to slow down the development of society.

53. What can we infer from the text?

A. Slow Food Movement has little effect on the whole society.

B. Children growing in slow food families usually behave well.

C. Mae West thought that everything should be done slowly.

D. Slow foodies don’t like to watch TV and other entertainment.

54. What is the author’s purpose in writing this article?

A. To call on people to join Slow Food Movement.

B. To tell people what Slow Food Movement is about.

C. To tell people to think about their life and their food.

D. To call on people to object to fast food.

There was a rich man who wanted to choose a husband for his only child from a great number of pursuers. The man 31)_______ all the pursuers to a river and pointed to the crocodiles there, saying, “Anyone who can swim across the river safely will marry my 32)_______.” The pursuers looked at each other and no one 33)_______ take action. At that moment, a man plunged into the river and swam 34)_______ surprising speed to the other side. All the people there 35)_______ him with a great sense of admiration for his courage. 36)_______, the man, after landing on the bank, shouted 37)_______, “who pushed me into the river just now?”

Maybe the man, 38)_______ thinking about the whole 39)_______ and the happy consequences of his act, will eventually be 40)_______ to the one who pushed him into the river. In life it is fairly 41)_______ for disadvantages to turn into advantages and misfortunes into fortunes! But many of us are 42)_______ to realize the true 43)_______ of our “rivals” to success. Generally speaking, many people would see the one who “pushes him into the river” as an opponent. However, the one who “pushes him into the river” gives you a feeling of urgency and stimulates your ambition and 44)_______ to strive for success! You try your best to 45)_______ your difficulties and progress to the next stage in life!

If a man does not have rivals, he 46)_______ be satisfied with the present and will not strive to improve his 47)_______. He would 48)_______ in the face of difficulties and sink into laziness. Therefore, you rivals are not your opponents. Instead, they are good 49)_______! In our lives, we need some rivals to “pushes him into the river,” leading us to strive ahead in difficulties and competitions. Thank to our rivals, we can show our 50)_______ to its best. Thanks to our rivals, we are able to make continuous progress while competing with them!

31. A. walked                   B. led                        C. drove                   D. brought

32. A. daughter                 B. son                       C. brother                 D. sister

33. A. could                     B. would                   C. dared                    D. must

34. A. in                           B. at                         C. for                       D. with

35. A. welcome                B. observed               C. applauded             D. approved

36. A. But                        B. However               C. Meanwhile            D. Furthermore

37. A. angrily                    B. desperately            C. happily                 D. surprisingly

38. A. while                      B. before                   C. unless                   D. after

39. A. result                     B. program                C. process                D. accident

40. A. grateful                  B. satisfied                C. devoted                D. close

41. A. general                   B. ordinary                C. usual                    D. common

42. A. unable                    B. able                      C. willing                  D. unwilling

43. A. meaning                 B. significance           C. tendency               D. answer

44. A. demand                  B. deed                     C. desire                   D. defense

45. A. ignore                    B. overcome              C. overlook               D. meet

46. A. is bound to             B. is meant to            C. is intended to        D. is fit to

47. A. contribution            B. occasion               C. ambition               D. situation

48. A. hold out                  B. hold back              C. hold on                 D. hold off

49. A. rivals                      B. enemies                C. friends                  D. relatives

50. A. potential                 B. preference          C. character         D. knowledge

 _____ by his accent, she must be from Northeast China.

A. Judging               B. Judged              C. Being judged         D. To be judged

 _____ the test paper, the student put down his pen, _____ with a smile on his face.

A. Having finished; satisfied                     B. Finished; satisfied

C. Finishing; satisfying                         D. To Finish; satisfying

 Not only _____ to New York but also _____ there for a time.

A. he has been; did he work                     B. has he been; he worked

C. has he been; did he work                    D. he has been; he worked

 _____ the airport, he was arrested by the police.

A. As soon as arriving                          B. Upon he arrived

C. Upon arrival at                              D. On arriving

 He _____ on the ground _____ to me that his hen _____ two eggs a day.

A. lied; laying; had laid                         B. lay; lied; has laid

C. laid; lay; had lain                            D. lay; lying; had laid

 After his first novel was published, he was _____ one of the most outstanding new authors of his generation. Which is wrong?

A. looked upon as         B. seen as              C. taken as             D. thought as

 He _____ his voice so that everybody in the room could hear him.

A. lifted                 B. held                C. raised                D. rose

 We are _____ water. We’d better store some.

A. running out of         B. running out           C. run out              D. run out of