Grandma celebrated her fifty-third birthday just weeks before grandpa died of cancer in 1965. Although his passing was very difficult for her, I think their shared struggle to make his life longer taught grandma that good health was not to be taken for granted, and she made up her mind to live the rest of her own life as fully and as long as she could. One day, when she announced to attend lessons at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Portland, Oregon, where she lived, we rolled our eyes in embarrassment and helplessly wished she would just stay home and bake cookies as normal grandmothers did. Many years filled with countless dance lessons passed before we learned to appreciate the wonder of having a dancing grandma.

I suppose grandma's primary motivation for wanting to learn to dance was social. She had been a shy girl, always very tall and heavy, and had married into grandpa's quiet lifestyle before developing any elegance or confidence in her personal appearance. Dancing, on the other hand, filled her life with flash lights, wonderful parties, beautiful dresses, handsome young dance instructors, and the challenge of learning. Although the weekly dance lessons did not change her ample, two-hundred-pound figure, grandma surprised everyone with energetic performances on the dance floor, which soon gave her as much elegance and confidence as any Miss American competitor.

Having taken weekly dance lessons for years, my grandma learned various dances easily and was soon participating in dancing matches all over the Northwest. When I was fourteen, grandma proudly invited me to watch her compete in one of these matches to be held in the grand ballroom of the Red Lion Inn. My attitude was still unenthusiastic at that point, but to make her happy, my mother and I attended the match. As if to prove me wrong, grandma made a wonderful showing in every event she entered. I thought she was truly the queen of the ball during the dance, and my thoughts were shared by the judges a short time later when she was awarded a gold cup for her outstanding performance.

1.What did grandma learn from grandpa's death?

A. Good health was not there for everyone.

B. She should take dance lessons.

C. She had to struggle to live a better life.

D. She should wear beautiful dresses.

2.Normal grandmas usually ________ in the author's point of view?

A. took dance lessons

B. did some exercises at home

C. took care of grandchildren at home

D. did some housework at home

3.The author felt ______ when he was invited to watch grandma's match.

A. happy B. proud

C. excited D. uninterested

The latest fashion in kitchen is the food steamer. All the stores are selling them; everyone wants one. Steaming is one of the simplest and healthiest ways of cooking food.However, that cooking time is usually longer than with other methods. In case you’re thinking of buying a steamer, I've done a survey about the steamers available on the market to help you decide which will suit you best.

●Folding Steamer

The simplest and least expensive is the folding stainless-steel (不锈钢)version.

Advantages: This is a good, basic design which sits inside a variety of different shapes of pans with the water under it; a ring in the center allows for easy lifting and it's easy to clean.

Disadvantages: It only holds small dishes. Also, if you put too much water in the pan, it will boil up through the vegetables and they will be watery. If you put too little water in and let it get dry, you will burn the pan and get strange-smelling vegetables.

●Steaming Pan

This is a three-layered black Teflon-coated version with a lid and two double-handled steamers, which sits on the oven ring. The brand I bought is called Nutritious Living.

Advantages: This is an excellent steamer, lightweight, easy to clean, and of all the steamers I've tried, this cooks the fastest. Fish and chicken can be cooked on the bottom with rice or vegetables on the top. It's easier to store.

Disadvantages: Water can boil away until the pan is dry, but if you make sure you fill the pan up to the suggested level and do not overcook the food, this should not happen.You cannot see the food cooking from the top. It doesn't supply a dish for cooking rice.

For serious users of steamers, I recommend having one of each version. If you just want to try it, get the folding stainless-steel type.

1.Why did the author carry out the survey?

A.To inform people of different steamers

B.To run an advertisement for steamers

C.To find out a suitable steamer to buy

D.To learn how to cook with steamers

2.What can we learn about the folding steamer?

A.It comes in different kinds of shapes and sizes.

B.It is designed for large families.

C.It is able to clean itself.

D.It is easy to take out.

3.The Nutritious Liuing steamer

A. is more difficult to store

B. provides a dish to cook rice with

C. cooks different foods at the same time

D. cooks fish and chicken faster than vegetables

4.According to the author, you should

A. use steamers to save cooking time

B. buy a steamer with dishes supplied

C. do a survey before choosing a steamer

D. buy a folding steamer if you want to try

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