The Best Rice Cookers

☆☆☆☆Tefal Automatic 2W3 Classic Rice Cooker

One of the largest rice cookers on the market, with a 2-litre capacity （容量）（up to 12 servings）．It looks "rather utilitarian", but gives "the least sticky results" and its removable power cord means it can be taken outdoors or to the table．It comes with eight recipes and once cooking is completed it automatically switches to "keep-warm mode"．Price; $29．99．Call 0800-616413 for stockists．

☆☆☆ Keiswood Rice Cooker and Steamer RC310

A "stylish looking machine with a heavy glass lid and a steam tray for steaming fish and vegetables．It cooks up to ten portions of rice（l．8-litre capacity）, and produces "good results" although the rice tends to get sticky on the bottom layer．It keeps the rice warm once cooking is completed, but the power cord is not removable．Price:$34．99．Call 01705-392333 for stockists．

☆☆☆Zojurushi Rice Cooker / Warmer NDAQ – N10W

This cooker has a one – litre capacity (five portions of rice) and keeps rice warm for up to 12 hours after cooking. The lid has a clip – lock and is sealed so cooking is pressurized. It cooks rice “perfectly”, though “at a price”. Price: $ 109.90. Call 0181 – 9982100 for stockists.

☆☆☆Magimix – 2 – Tier Steamer

    A double – layer steamer with two large stainless – steel steam baskets. Rice is cooked in a heat – proff dish which is inserted in the bottom tier (层). It is “perfectly done” in just 20 minutes, with “no stickiness or scorching (烧焦).” The rice can also be kept warm on half power. Price: $ 89.95. Call 04183 – 427411 for stockiest.

☆☆☆Lakeland Ltd Microwave Multi – Steamer (Raf 4241)

    A four – portion steamer which takes just ten mantes in the microwave to cook four “fluffy” portions of rice. It is alos suitable for vegetables, noodles and pasta and is “great for smallest quantities”. Price: $ 5.95. Call 015394 – 88100 to order.

☆☆Hinari Steam Supreme

A double – layer steamer which comes with an additional rice bowl and lid. Its main drawbacks are “time and capacity”; the rice bowl can only hold two portions and this takes 55 minutes to cool. The instructions are also confusing. “Good as a general steamer, mediocre as a rice cooker”. Price: $ 19.99. Call Alba Ltd on 0181 – 7873111 for stockiest.

Which of the following is unlikely to be considered by a housewife who hates washing sticky cookers?

       A．Tefal Automatic 2003 Classic Rice Cooker

       B．Kenwood Rice Cooker and Steamer RC 310

       C．magimix 2 – Tier Steamer

       D．Lakeland Ltd Microwave Multi – Steamer (Ref 4241)

      may not be so popular with customers as others because it is time – consuming, low in capacity and vague in instructions.

       A．Zojurushi Rice Cooker / Warmer NDAQ – N10W

       B．Lakeland Ltd Microwave Multi – Steamer (Ref4241)

       C．Hinari Steam Supreme

       D．Kenwood Rice Cooker and Steamer RC 310

The phrase “at a price” describing Zojurushi Rice Cooker / Warmer NDAQ – N10W implies that its price is           .

       A．low   B．high  C．above average  D．reasonable

下面文章中有5处(第61～65题)需要添加小标题。请从以下选项(A、B、C、D、E和F)中选出符合各段意思的小标题。选项中有一项是多余选项。

A. Control of Respiration

B. Basic tips for preserving cut flowers

C. Role of Respiration

D. Most Important Aspect of Flower Care

E. Need for Clean Water

F. Ways of Stopping Respiration

1. __________

????????????? While everybody enjoys fresh cut flowers around his house, few people know how to keep them for as long as possible. This may be done by keeping in mind a few simple facts. The key to keeping fresh cut flowers for a week or more without floral preservatives (which contain biocides that kill bacteria and fungus) is to keep the water fresh and the stems free of air pockets so they can continue to draw up water.

2.__________

????????????? An important thing to remember about cut flowers is that they are sensitive to temperature. For example, studies have shown that cut carnations(康乃馨) retain their freshness eight times longer when kept at 12℃ than when kept at 26℃. Keeping freshly harvested flowers at the right temperatures is probably the most important aspect of flower care.

3.__________

????????????? Flowers are not intended by nature to live very long. Their biological purpose is simply to attract birds or insects, such as bees, for pollination (授粉). After that, they quickly dry up and die. The process by which flowers consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide, called respiration (呼吸), generates the energy the flower needs to give the flower its shape and color. The making of seeds also depends on this energy. While all living things respire, flowers have a high level of respiration. A result of all this respiration is heat, and for flowers the level of heat relative to the mass of the flower is very high. Respiration also brings about the eventual death of the flower. Thus the greater the level of respiration, the sooner the flower dies.

4. __________

????????????? How, then, to control the rate at which flowers die? By controlling respiration. How is respiration controlled? By controlling temperature. We know that respiration produces heat, but the reverse is also true. Thus by maintaining low temperatures, respiration is reduced and the cut flower will age more slowly.

5. __________

????????????? Another vital factor in keeping cut flowers is the quality of the water in which they are placed. Flowers find it difficult to “drink” water that is dirty or otherwise polluted. Even when water looks and smells clean, it almost certainly contains harmful substances that can endanger the flowers. To rid the water of these unwanted substances, household chlorine bleach (含氯漂白剂) can be used in small quantities. It is recommended that 15 drops of chlorine bleach (at 4% solution) be added to each liter of water. The water and solution should also be replaced each day.

English families face being limited to 80 bags of rubbish a year. Households throwing away more waste will have to take it to the tip (垃圾站) or buy a limited number of extra bags.

Doretta Cocks, protester of the Campaign for Weekly Waste Collections, said, “They must think we are fools. How can they claim to be concerned for the environment when they tell people to drive to the local tip? And what do you do if you don’t have a car? Walk?”
The plan ignores the voice from ministers to end such heavy – handedness (笨拙).
It is to be carried out by the Tory – led council (市政厅) in Wokingham, Berkshire, and is already in operation in Brozbourne in Hertfordshire.
Many of the 180 councils that still offer unlimited weekly rubbish collections are watching the trial.
Wokingham officials have told residents that 75 – litre bags will be given to each household and anything not left in them will not be collected.
“Every household will receive 80 bags every year,” it said. “You can buy extra bags in rolls of ten but this will not be encouraged.”
Families of five will get 100 rubbish bags a year and households of six or more will get 120.
Residents will have a weekly recycling collection limited to cans, paper and cards, plastic bottles and so on.
Plastic packaging and glass including bottles must either go with the general waste or be taken to recycling points. Green waste pick – ups cost an extra ￡60 a year.
The council has told residents it will save ￡922,000 a year under the new system. There will be no local consultation (商讨) before it is introduced next April.
【小题1】What’s Doretta Cock’s attitude towards the new plan?

A．English families are limited to 80 bags of rubbish a year

B．English families can’t clear away their rubbish

C．English families are angry with their government

D．English government pays no attention to residents’ interest

We use an average of 158 liters of water a day in Britain, for which we pay a bargain price of 28p a liter, but much of this is just cash down the drain, according to water companies.
Most are campaigning to cut the amount we use. And the frontline weapon in their campaign is the water meter (计量器). They want us all to have one and one company is seeking powers to make this compulsory.
The Government is anxious for us to use less water, too. Elliot Morley, the Environment Minister, says he is impressed by the savings when a meter is installed. In most homes, consumption drops by 20 percent.
He also thinks consumers get a good deal from meters. He said, “Most people would find that they would either be exactly the same or better off with water meters and it is a fairer way of paying for water.”
At present, only 25% of households have meters and most of those are in East Anglia. They are installed by water companies, and households then have about ￡43 added to each bill to cover the cost of installing and reading the meter.
Barrie Clarke, a spokesman for Water UK, said, “We want everyone to be more water wise—to think about the amount of water they use. But with our climate change and different weather patterns, over time it will make economic and environmental sense to think how we use water. This may mean meters.”
Mr. Clarke believes the easiest way to save water is to use less in the garden. In one hour, a sprinkler uses the same amount of water as the average family of four uses in a day—about 632 liters. He said that gardeners should water in the evening so that it dose not evaporate in the heat of the day and that every household should have a water butt to collect rainwater for use in the garden.
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT the advantage of installing water meters?

At one time or another most farmers have problems with mice. This is especially true for grain farmers. Mice eat a lot of grain. They also carry diseases(疾病), which people can get from eating or touching grain the mice have made dirty. Farmers can use special grain storage building or they can kill the mice. However, both methods can be costly. Farmers must buy materials to build the special grain storage buildings or chemical poisons to kill the mice.
Here is a way to kill mice without spending a lot of money. It is a simple but effective king of mouse trap. The method is first used by some farmers in the west African country of Mali. An agricultural expert in Mali reported about the Mali mouse trap in a magazine. The expert reported that his gardener caught 150 mice in just one night. The gardener used four traps. The trap is easy to make. First, remove the top from a 20 liter metal or plastic container(容器). Put it n a hole in the ground. The top edge of the container should be the level with the surface of the ground. Fill the container with water to within eight centimeters of the top. Add tiny pieces of grain wastes. They should float on the water. Also put some wastes on the ground near the trap. During the night, mice will come out to eat the grain wastes. They will fall into the container and drown. Replace the food in the trap every night.
56. According to the passage,       used the mouse trap first.
A. an agricultural expert in the west Africa      B. farmers in the United States
C. an American gardener                    D. farmers in Mali
57. What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. A simple and effective method used by farmers to kill mice.
B. Methods used by farmers to kill mice.
C. Farmers have problems with mice.
D. How to kill mice.
58.      is not needed in making the mouse trap.
A. Water                            B. A container
C. chemical poison                    D. Food
59. Which of the following can’t protect grain from being eaten by mice?
A. A special grain storage building.          B. Chemical poisons.
C. A mouse trap.                        D. A hole in the ground.