It tastes just like chicken

Away from home, eating is more than just a way to keep your stomach full．It is a language all its own, and no words can say, "Glad to meet you ．．．glad to be doing business with you ．．．" quite like sharing a meal offered by your host．

Clearly, mealtime is not the time for you to say, "Thanks, but no thanks．" Acceptance of the food on your plate means acceptance of host, country, and company．So, no matter how difficult it may be to swallow, swallow．Or, as one experienced traveler says, "Travel with a cast-iron stomach and eat everything everywhere．"

Often, the food offered represents proudly your host country's eating culture．What would Ataiericans think of a French person who refused to take a bite of homemade apple pie or sirloin? Our discomfort comes not so much from the thing itself; it comes from our umamiliarity with it．After all, an oyster has remarkably the same look as a sheep's eye; and a first look at a lobster would remind almost anybody of a creature from a science fiction movie, not something you dip in butter and eat．By the way, in Saudi Arabia sheep's eyes are a famous dish and in parts of China it's bear's paw soup．

Can you refuse such food without being rude? Most experienced business travelers say no, at least not before taking at least a few bites．It helps, though, to slice any item very thin．This way, you minimize the taste and the reminder of where it came from．Or, " Swallow it quickly, " as one traveler recommends．"I still can't tell you what sheep's eyeballs taste like．" As for dealing with taste, the old line that "it tastes just like chicken" is often thankfully true．Even when the "it" is really rat or snake．

Another useful piece of advice is not knowing what you are eating．What's for dinner? Don't ask． Avoid glancing into the kitchen or looking at English-language menus．Your host will be pleased that you are eating the food he offers, and who knows? Maybe it really is chicken in that soup．

1.The purpose of the article is to ____．

  A．introduce unfamiliar food

  B．share the writer's personal experiences

  C．suggest ways to overcome a cultural barrier

  D．advise on how to politely refuse to eat foreign food

2.According to the writer, people hesitate at strange food mainly due to ____．

  A．the way it looks                  B．safety worries

  C．lack of information about it       D．the unfamiliar atmosphere

 

3.From the article we can infer that ____．

  A．an American may feel comfortable with sirloin

  B．one should refuse strange food after a few bites

  C．English-language menus are not always dependable

  D．one needs a cast-iron stomach to travel in other cultures

4.One may say "It tastes just like chicken．" when ____．

  A．showing respect for chicken-loving nations

  B．greeting people with different dieting habits

  C．evaluating chefs at an international food festival

    D．getting someone to try a visually unpleasant meal

 

Why do I volunteer with Big brothers / Big sisters of America? I have many reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason is that people once volunteered to help me.

Years ago, I was on the other side of the table. I was lonely and I felt lost. It’s a little embarrassing to talk about it now, but whatever the right direction in life was, I was going the opposite way. More than once, I found myself on the wrong path. If someone hadn’t stepped in when he did, I probably wouldn’t even be here now. I’d rather be in a prison or somewhere a lot smaller and deeper.

I’ve seen the work that big brothers / sisters have been doing all over the country and I’m pleased to be part of it. I’ve never done anything that made me prouder than my volunteer work. Big brothers and sisters helped me get over sadness and depression as soon as possible. Then, if I can help anyone like they helped me, I am willing to serve for as long as they will have me serve them. There are no words to describe the joy I get from helping somebody turn their life around. Every time I think that that’s me now, I’m proud and happy.

Volunteering is how I want to leave my mark on the world. I recommend volunteering work to everybody, especially to somebody who isn’t sure where they are going in life. Helping someone find their path is often the best way to find yours. Be a volunteer, and you will find your purpose in life.

1.What’s the main reason why the writer volunteers?

A．He has a lot of free time.

B．He is lonely and wants to be with others.

C．He wants others to know he is a good man.

D．He is grateful for what volunteers once did for him.

2.It is implied in Paragraph3 that the writer __________.

A．is eager to help others

B．often feels sad and depressed

C．hopes he will be helped at any time

D．travels around the country to help others

3.We can infer from the passage that the writer probably __________.

A．spent some days in prison

B．didn’t know his purpose in life

C．is dissatisfied with his life

D．doesn’t live a meaningful life

4.What is the writer’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To share his past with us.

B．to ask for some volunteer work.

C．To encourage us to enjoy our life.

D．To call on us to do volunteer work.

 

One day, when I was working as a psychologist in England，an adolescent boy showed up in my office. It was David. He kept walking up and down restlessly, his face pale, and his hands shaking slightly. His head teacher had referred him to me.  "This boy has lost his family," he wrote.  "He is understandably very sad and refuses to talk to others, and I'm very worried about him. Can you help?”

I looked at David and showed him to a chair. How could I help him? There are problems psychology doesn’t have the answer to, and which no words can describe. Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and sympathetically

The first two times we met, David didn't say a word. He sat there, only looking up to look at the children's drawings on the wall behind me. I suggested we play a game of chess. He nodded. After that he played chess with me every Wednesday afternoon--in complete silence and without looking at me. It's not easy to cheat in chess, but I admit I made sure David won once or twice.

Usually, he arrived earlier than agreed, took the chess board and pieces from the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down. It seemed as if he enjoyed my company. But why did he never look at me?

"Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with," I thought. "Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering.” Some months later, when we were playing chess, he looked up at me suddenly.

"It’s your turn," he said.

After that day, David started talking. He got friends in school and joined a bicycle club. He wrote to me a few times about his biking with some friends, and about his plan to get into university. Now he had really started to live his own life.

Maybe I gave David something. But I also learned that one一without any words一can reach out to another person. All it takes is a hug, a shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch, and an ear that listens.

1.When he first met the author, David .

A. felt a little excited         B. walked energetically

C. looked a little nervous      D. showed up with his teacher

2.As a psychologist, the author .

A. was ready to listen to David

B. was skeptical about psychology

C. was able to describe David’s problem    

D. was sure of handling David’s problem

3.What can be inferred about David?

A. He recovered after months of treatment.

B. He liked biking before he lost his family.

C. He went into university soon after starting to talk.

D. He got friends in school before he met the author.

4.What made David change?

A. His teacher’s help.

B. The author’s friendship.

C. His exchange of letters with the author.

D. The author’s silent communication with him.

 

“Cool” is a word with many meanings．Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold．As the world has changed，the word has had many different meaning．
“Cool” can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything．
When you see a famous car in the street，maybe you will say，“It's cool．”You may think，“He's so cool，”when you see your favorite footballer．
We all maximize（扩大） the meaning of “cool”．You can use it instead of many words such as “new” or “surprising”．Here's an interesting story we can use to show the way the word is used．A teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall（瀑布）they had visited．On one student's paper was Just the one sentence，“It's so cool．Maybe he thought it was the best way to show what he saw and felt．
But the story also shows a scarcity（缺乏）of words．Without “cool”，some people have no words to show the same meaning．So it is quite important to keep some credibility（可信性）．Can you think of many other words that make your life as colorful as the word “cool”？ I can．And I think they are also very cool．
【小题1】We know that the word "cool" has had ________.

A．only one meaning	B．no meanings
C．many different meanings	D．the same meaning

【小题2】In the passage，the word “express” means “________”.

A．see

B．show

C．know

D．feel

【小题3】If you are _______ something，you may say，“It’s cool.”

A．interested in

B．angry about

C．afraid of

D．unhappy with

【小题4】The writer takes an example to show he is ______the way the word is used．

A．pleased with

B．strange to

C．worried about

D．careful with

【小题5】In the passage，the writer suggests（暗示）that the word “cool”________．

A．can be used instead of many words

B．usually means something interesting

C．can make your life colorful

D．may not be as cool as it seems

Mother’s Day is the time you say “thank you” to your mom. Stop shopping at the store. Flowers and other things in stores are too common to mention. You can choose a special gift for Mother’s Day! Just try staying close to home—and heart —write a Mother’s Day poem for her.
Use your head. Think of special moments when you were a child, times you’ve shared with your mom, things she did for you, and why you love her. Write down how those moments influenced you. Write down everything you can think of. This is your inspiration for the poem.
Look at what you wrote and pick out those things that are connected(有联系的). See if any words rhyme(押韵). It’s fine to write a free poem(one without rhymes), but many people find poems with rhymes are easier to work with, easier to read and quite catchy(容易记住的). If no words rhyme but you want your poem to, try to find connecting words that can help connect memories.
Once you have a few sentences, put them in a good order. For example, you could start with a childhood memory and end with something you remember from last month.
Add a title that shows the feeling of the poem. Even something as simple as “For Mom” can work, although something more personal might be better.
Write it in pen if you have beautiful handwriting. Read the poem over breakfast on Mother’s Day, and then hand it to your mom. Let’s wait and see the smile and tears of happiness on her face.
【小题1】Why does the author suggest writing down everything you think of?
A. Because it will show your mother’s love.
B. Because it will bring you inspiration.
C. Because it can be shared with others.
C. Because it can help answer questions.
【小题2】It’s better to write a poem with rhymes because     .

A．it is easier to read and remember

B．it makes the poem more interesting

C．it shows the unforgettable moments

D．it shows how things are connected

【小题3】The best title for the poem should be one that        .

A．can be read easily and quickly

B．includes a few sentences

C．has some special words.

D．shows the feeling of words.

【小题4】The passage mainly tells us         .

A．what to do on Mother’s Day.

B．what to buy for Mother’s Day.

C．how to write a Mother’s Day poem.

D．how to write good poems for Christmas.