Many of us already know about several American superstitions(迷信). Having a black cat cross your path, walking under a ladder, and breaking a mirror are all bad luck. In addition to these, there are many other superstitions that are worth knowing. Understanding them will keep you safe from evil spirits—if you believe in such things—and impress your American friends when you mention them.
Like the superstitions in other cultures, American superstitions often involve the things important in daily life, such as health, numbers, and marriage. For example, have you ever had a cough that would not go away? According to one American superstition, you should take a piece of your hair and put it between two slices of buttered bread. Next, feed this hair sandwich to a dog and say, “Eat well, you hound, may you be sick and I be sound.”This will trick the evil spirits and help your cough. It will also raise some eyebrows if you try it.
In American superstitions, the number three is very important. Often, Americans will say, “All things come in threes.” Three is lucky because it represents the traditional family: mother, father, and child. Therefore, gifts, letters, and guests will often arrive at your home in groups of three. However, it is also possible for bad events, like accidents and funerals, to come in threes as well.
Another time people pay attention to superstitions is when they get married. During a wedding, brides must wear or carry“something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”The old and borrowed things will bring luck to the person who gives them to the bride. The new and blue things will bring good fortune to the bride herself. The next time someone you know is getting married, be sure to recite this phrase.
As it would be unlucky to discuss one more superstition, we will wind things up here. Keep your fingers crossed, and stay lucky!
【小题1】The passage is most probably entitled(命名)“       ”.

A.American’s Bad LuckB.Cross-culture and Superstitions
C.American SuperstitionsD.Daily Life in Superstitions
【小题2】The underlined sentence in the second paragraph“It will also raise some eyebrows if you try it”means:       .
A.When you try it, the dog will raise its eyebrows
B.You will make some people surprised when you try this trick
C.Only if you raise your eyebrows can the trick work
D.You will believe in the trick after you try it
【小题3】In American’s view, the number three is a(n)       number.
A.luckyB.unluckyC.specialD.ordinary
【小题4】On the wedding, the bride often uses old and borrowed things so as to       .
A.save some money for the wedding
B.bring good luck to the people who give them to the bride
C.give the good luck to the bride herself
D.pass the bad luck to others

While small may be beautifultall is just plain uncomfortable it seemsparticularly when it comes to staying in hotels and eating in restaurants.

The Tall Persons Club Great Britain (TPCGB)which was formed six months ago to campaign for the needs of the tallhas turned its attention to hotels and restaurants.Beds that are too smallshower heads that are too lowand restaurant tables with hardly any leg?room all make life difficult for those of above average heightit says.

But it is not just the extra?tall whose needs are not being met.The average height of the population has been increasing yet the standard size of bedsdoorwaysand chairs has remained unchanged.

“The bedding industry says a bed should be six inches larger than the person using itso even a king?size bed at 66 (6 feet and 6 inches) is falling short for 25% of menwhile the standard 63 bed caters for less than half of the male population” said TPCGB president Phil Heinricy“Seven?foot beds would work fine.”

Similarlyrestaurant tables can cause no end of problems.Small tableswhich mean the long?legged have to sit a foot or so away from themare enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.

Some have already taken notehowever.At Queens Moat Houses’ Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh66 beds are now put in as standard after requests for longer beds from taller visitorsparticularly Americans.????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? ????????????? (2011·新课标全国,B)

1.What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign?

ATo provide better services.

BTo rebuild hotels and restaurants.

CTo draw public attention to the needs of the tall.

DTo attract more people to become its members.

2.Which of the following might be a bed of proper length according to Phil Heinricy?

A72.? B7.? C66.? D63.

3.What may happen to restaurants with small tables?

AThey may lose some customers.

BThey may start businesses elsewhere.

CThey have to find easy chairs to match the tables.

DThey have to provide enough space for the long?legged.

4.What change has already been made in a hotel in Edinburgh?

ATall people pay more for larger beds.

B66 beds have taken the place of 63 beds.

CSpecial rooms are kept for Americans.

DGuest rooms are standardized.

 

People go fishing for many reasons, for one they like the sport of it, reeling in (搜卷轴拉近鱼钩) the big catch after a long day of work or just having a few drinks on the water with some friends and letting all the stress just go. Whatever the reasons may be, it is absolutely therapeutic.

People in the south sometimes do a strange type of fishing where they reach their arm inside a hole in the bank and pull out cat fish the size of a boat. There is one form called jug fishing where you get a milk jug or water jug and tie a heavy fishing line with a big hook, put on a small brim(容器的口)and throw it in the water. The next morning you get up and see what’s on the hook. There is fly fishing which is with a lighter string and top water jigs(滚钩)such as bugs that lay on the top of the water until the trout(鳟鱼)comes and takes it. It takes longer to reel them in because the line is so light and the fish are heavy.

Ice fishing is a dangerous kind of fishing in the north. You cut a hole in the ice, drop in your bait(诱饵)and wait for a fish to bite. You have to be careful that the fish doesn’t pull your line into the side of the ice and snap it. That is one problem with ice fishing but the fish are usually bigger and worth the trouble.

Going out on the lake with a couple of friends or alone with a couple of drinks and a fishing pole can be the most stress releasing thing you can do sometimes. Just to feel the waves rocking the boat and a good conversation is all the therapy you will need sometimes. Catching a fish is always a great bonus(奖励).

1. The underlined word “therapeutic” may be replaced by ________.

A.beneficial         B.caring            C.curable           D.healthy

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A.Some characters about fishing

B.Some different fishing in the south

C.Three common fishing in America

D.People’s creative fishing in the north

3.How many ways of fishing have been introduced in the passage?

A.Two              B.Three             C.Four             D.Five

4.What problem should people pay attention to when going ice fishing?

A.Dropping in the bait several times

B.Waiting for the fish more patiently

C.Cutting a big enough hole on the ice

D.Taking care of the lines of their poles

5. Fishing is becoming more and more popular mainly because _______.

A.it is a good way to harvest much fish from the rivers

B.it can help people have a good time with their friends

C.it can help people relax themselves to the fullest

D.it is a good way to exercise the strength of their arms

 

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