If you hear the sound of running water the next time you call a co-worker on his or her mobile phone, don’t be surprised. Three-fourths of Americans with mobile phones say they use them in the bathroom, a new study shows.

Approximately the same number of men and women have used the phone in the bathroom, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans by 11mark, an integrated marketing agency, although men seem more attached to IT in the toilet: 30 percent of men versus 20 percent of women agreed with the statement, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone."

More than half the surveyed users (63 percent) said they have answered a phone call in the bathroom, and almost half (41 percent) reported initiating a phone call. That's not all, however. What goes on behind the walls of the stalls is anything a mobile phone is capable of. Sixty-seven percent said they have read a text, and 39 percent have surfed the Web. Men work more from the bathroom — 20 percent said they have participated in work-related calls, versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.

As expected, Gen Y respondents are the pacesetters in the "mobile everywhere" movement, with 91 percent using their phone in the bathroom. Still, older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X(1961-1981) reported using the phone in the bathroom, as did 65 percent of Baby Boomers and 47 percent of the Silent Generation.

While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. Users of iPhones are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.

"The writing is on the stall," said 11mark principal Nicole Burdette. "This study confirms what we all know: that the last private place is no longer private."

In the process, high-tech hygiene(卫生) is taking a hit, the survey found. While 92 percent of mobile phone users said they wash their hands after using the bathroom, only 14 percent said they wash their phones.

1.59.Which is the best word to replace the underlined word "initiating"?

A. receiving          B. experiencing      C. ending       D. beginning

2.60.According to his words, Nicole Buedette mainly wants to tell us that       .

A. no wonder mobile phones are used in the bathroom

B. the bathroom is a private place for people

C. it makes people have no privacy at all

D. more men have used the phone in the bathroom

3.61.What does the last paragraph of the passage imply?

A. Using phones in the bathroom has a bad effect on hygiene

B. Mobile phones should not be allowed to use in the bathroom

C. Most people care about the hygiene after using the bathroom

D. Few people wash their phones after using the bathroom

4.62.The attitude of the author to the use of phones in the bathroom is ______

A. supportive     B. disapproval

C. subjective(主观的)              D. objective(客观的)

Dickens & London Exhibition

Date: 9 December, 2011---10 June, 2012

Location: Museum of London

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens in the first major UK exhibition for his Over 40 years.

By recreating the atmosphere of Victorian London through sound and projections. You’ll be taken on an unforgettable journe y to discover the city that inspired his writings.

Paintings, photograghs, costumes and objects will illustrate different themes that Dickens wrote into his works, while rarely seen manuscripts(手稿) including Bleak House and David Copperfield ---written

in the author’s own hand ---will offer clues to his creative genius.

During your visit you’ll discover how Dickens’ childhood experiences of London were introduced into the stories he wrote. The great social questions of the19th century will also be examined, all of which set the scene for Dickens’ greatest works.

Highlights of the exhibition will inc1ude an exciting audio-visual experience bringing to life the desk and chair where Dickens worked on his nove1s, and a special film shot by one of the UK’s leading documentary filmmakers.

Packages include afternoon entry (1:00 pm ---4:00 pm) to the exhibition plus overnight accommodation at a nearby hotel. If you wish to visit the exhibition the day after your hotel stay, p1ease call our reservation department. Call: 08712212717.

Book a trip online with us, with tickets to Dickens & London Exhibition ---afternoon entry and hotel accommodation included in the price. All taxes included. No credit card fees. No booking fees. No discount.

Price Information: a package costs an adult ￡180 and a child ￡90 ( 4---15 ) ; an afternoon entry costs an adult ￡28 and a child ￡14 ( 4---15 ).

1.During the visit, visitors can ___________________

A. read three Dickens’manuscripts?????????????????????? ???????????????? ,

B. experience a vivid picture of Victorian London

C. find the great social problems in London at present

D. sit at the desk where Dickens worked hard on his novels

2.What do we know about Dickens in this passage?

A. He used to be a filmmaker .

B. He lived a hard life in his childhood.

C. He wrote different themes into his works.

D. He wrote social violence into his books.

3.If we book a trip online, we have the following benefits EXCEPT that ___________ .

A. we can book it free of charge

B. we will pay none of the taxes

C. we will pay none of credit card fees

D. we will be given a discount

4.How much should a couple with one child at 10 and another at 18 pay if they have a package ?

A. ￡360?????????? B. ￡540????????? C. ￡630?????????? D. ￡720

For better or worse, multiple marriages aren't just for actress Elizabeth Taylor （famous for her eight marriages） anymore．

More Americans than ever are tying the knot for the third time or more．

Lynn Y. Naugle, a 53-yeap-old family therapist in New Orleans, says that people's personal needs and desires simply change as their life evolves．

"What functions well in the first part of our lives may not function well in the second or third part of our lives," she explains．The first marriage lasted 21 years, her second marriage five years．Two years ago, she wed for a third time, and she describes this union as an "extremely easy marriage"．

Today, at an estimated one of seven weddings, the bride, the groom or both are making that trip down the aisle for at least the third time．That's twice as many as a generation ago, according to the US National Centre for Health Statistics．

In part, the sudden change in multiple marriages is a side effect of the 1970s divorce increase that has supplied an ever expanding pool of divorced singles．Even the simple fact that people are living longer has opened the door to marrying more often．No fault divorce laws （meaning no one is blamed for the failure of the marriage）, and cultural changes have also meant there's less pressure than in past generations to stay in a joyless or abusive marriage．

While a single divorce didn't block either Ronald Reagan or Bob Dole from seeking the most highly demanding job in America—the US presidency—modern society still raises an; eyebrow at more than one

marriage mistake．

Indeed, there are signs that attitudes are changing．"It's coming out of the closet or becoming more accepted," says Glenda Riley, who wrote a book on the history of divorce in the US．"There's still embarrassment on the personal level, while there is growing acceptance on the public level for three or more marriages in a lifetime．"

There is no guarantee, of course, that the third time is the best．To the contrary, second and third marriages run an equal or greater risk of divorce than first marriages, which today are given 4 out of 10 odds of failing, and they tend to end more quickly．Divorce statistics show that failed second marriages typically end two years sooner than first marriages, lasting six years on average rather than eight．That leaves some doubly divorced people open for a third try at a relatively young age．

1.What does the underlined phrase "tying the knot" （Para．2） mean?

    A．Getting married．                    B．Getting engaged．

    C．Having babies．                      D．Attending funerals,

2.What is NOT the reason for the increase in multiple marriages according to the passage?

    A．People are healthier and enjoy a longer life than ever before．

    B．Many people have become single after a divorce boom in the past years．

    C．There is no divorce law restricting people to getting divorced．

    D．People have less pressure to leave a joyless marriage．

3.What can we learn from the seventh paragraph?

    A．Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole failed in seeking the job （the US presidency） because they were divorced．

    B．Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole succeeded in seeking the job （the US presidency） because they were not divorced．

    C．Modern society accepts multiple marriages completely．

    D．There is still prejudice against multiple marriages in modern society．

4.Which of the statement is WRONG?

    A．Acceptance to multiple marriages is different on personal level and public level．

    B．Because second marriages end sooner than first ones, people get married for the third time at a relatively young age．

    C．People learn from experience so that a second or third marriage is more stable

    D．The first marriage lasts eight year on average．

Alia Sabur, from Northport, N. Y., US, went to college at age 10. And four years later, Sabur became a bachelor of science in. Applied Mathematics summa cum laude（以最优等成绩）from Stony Brook University -- the youngest female in US history to do so.  Her education continued at Drexel University, where she earned a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy (哲学博士) in Materials Science and Engineering.

With an unlimited future ahead of her, Sabur directed her first career choice to teaching. "I really enjoy teaching," she said. She was three days short of her 19th birthday in February, 2008, when she was hired to become a professor at Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea.  This distinction made her the youngest college professor in history, according to the Guinness' Book of Worm Records, beating the previous record held by Colin Maclaurin, a student of Isaac Newton, in 1717.

Although she doesn't start until next month, Sabur has taken up teaching math and physics courses at Southern University in New Orleans. Sabur is old enough to teach in the city, but not to join her fellow professors in a bar after work. In Korea, where the drinking age is 20, she might have more luck.  In traditional Korean culture, children are considered to be 1 year old-when they are born, and add a year to their age every New Year instead of their actual birthday, so in Korea Sabur is considered 20.

On top of her unprecedented (空前的) academic achievements, Sabur has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do (跆拳道黑带). She is also a talented clarinet (竖笛) player who has performed with musicians like Lang Lang and Smash Mouth. So is there anything Sabur can't do?

1.We can learn from the passage that Sabur is ________.

2.When Sabur was hired as a professor, her actual age is ________.

3.What does the author mean by saying "she might have more luck" (in Paragraph 3)?

4.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

Hee-haw! Scores of farms across the country are opening up to overnight guests. The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn ----- plus here a moo, there a moo.

Sure, you and your kids plan to conquer the theme parks. In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation.

LIBERTY HILL FARM

Rochester, Vt.; 802/767-3926; www.libertyhillfarm.com. Adults$75, teens $50,kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths.

Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook. You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough（生面团） for a pie. Bob’s busy with other work. Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs. Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 a.m. to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season.

HULL-O FARM

Durham, N.Y.; 518/239-6950; www.hull-o.com; Adults $110, kids 10—14 $60, 5—9 $50, 2—4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths.

It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices. But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it. As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch（入口处）of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar. Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride（乘坐装满干草的牛车出游）.

MERAMEC FARM CABINS

Bourbon, Mo.; 573/732-4765; http://www.wine-mo.com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person. Trail and riding fees extra.

Climb onto the back of the Ford pickup and catch up with the herd. One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back. At the barn（牲口棚）, Carol will introduce you to the horses ---15 Missouri Fox Trotters --- and lead you on a trail ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims. Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river. When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants or wineries（酿酒厂）, within 20 miles of the farm.

1.The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ___________.

2.We can learn from the three ads that _____________.

3. The Browns have a 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. If they stay on Liberty Hill Farm for one night, how much will they pay?

4.Who will be most likely interested in the webpage?