While small may be beautiful,tall is just plain uncomfortable it seems,particularly 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 tall,has turned its attention to hotels and restaurants.Beds that are too small,shower heads that are too low,and restaurant tables with hardly any legroom all make life difficult for those of above average height,it says.
But it is not just the extratall whose needs are not being met.The average height of the population has been increasing yet the standard size of beds,doorways,and chairs has remained unchanged.
“The bedding industry says a bed should be six inches larger than the person using it,so even a kingsize bed at 6′6″ (6 feet and 6 inches) is falling short for 25% of men,while the standard 6′3″ bed caters for less than half of the male population,” said TPCGB president Phil Heinricy,“Sevenfoot beds would work fine.”
Similarly,restaurant tables can cause no end of problems.Small tables,which mean the longlegged have to sit a foot or so away from them,are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.
Some have already taken note,however.At Queens Moat Houses’ Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh,6′6″ beds are now put in as standard after requests for longer beds from taller visitors,particularly Americans. (2011·新课标全国,B)
【小题1】What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign?
| A.To provide better services. |
| B.To rebuild hotels and restaurants. |
| C.To draw public attention to the needs of the tall. |
| D.To attract more people to become its members. |
| A.7′2″. | B.7′. | C.6′6″. | D.6′3″. |
| A.They may lose some customers. |
| B.They may start businesses elsewhere. |
| C.They have to find easy chairs to match the tables. |
| D.They have to provide enough space for the longlegged. |
| A.Tall people pay more for larger beds. |
| B.6′6″ beds have taken the place of 6′3″ beds. |
| C.Special rooms are kept for Americans. |
| D.Guest rooms are standardized. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
A
Shakespeare's Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare's World
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and where he grew up. The property(房产)remained in the ownership of
Shakespeare’s family until 1806.The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the word ,for over 250 years.
Enter though the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare’s World, a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
Stand in the rooms-where Shakespeare grew up.
Discover examples of furniture and needle work from Shakespeare’s period.
Enjoy the traditional(传统的)English garden, planted with trees and flowers mentioned in the poet’s works.
pThe Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map; nearest is Windsor Street(3 minutes’ walk).
The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre, its exhibition, and the garden are accessible(可进入的)to wheelchair user.
The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
| ADMISSION: Adult £4.90 Child £2.20 Family £12.0 (2 adults +up to 3 children) |
| OPENING TIMES: 20 Mar to 19 Oct Mon to Sat: 9:00am to 5:00pm Sun:9:30am to 5:00pm 20 Oct to 19Mar Mon to Sat:9:30am to 4:00pm Sun:10:00am to 4:00pm |
| OPENING TIMES: 20 Mar to 19 Oct Mon to Sat: 9:00am to 5:00pm Sun:9:30am to 5:00pm 20 Oct to 19Mar Mon to Sat:9:30am to 4:00pm Sun:10:00am to 4:00pm |
【小题1】. How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?
| A.$9.80 | B.$12.00 | C.$14.20 | D.$16.40 |
| A.Behind the exhibition hall. |
| B.Opposite the Visitors’ Centre. |
| C.At Windsor street. |
| D.Near the Coffee House. |
A. the House B the garden C. the Visitor’s Centre D. the exhibition hall
Science can't explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure (血压) and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.
Any owner will tall you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress (紧张) levels and blood pressure in people - half of them pet owners –while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic (算术) or held a hand in ice water. Subjects completed the tasks alone, with a husband/wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did
It best .Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned
Most quickly to baseline heart rates .With pets in the room ,people also made fewer math mistakes
Than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more released (放松)around
Pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don’t judge.
A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwesterm Memorial Hospital spent a
Year studying 36 fat people and were put on a diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of
56 fat people without pets were put on a diet program. On average,people lost about 11 pounds,
Or 5% of their body weight .Their dogs did even better,losing an average of 12 pounds,more then
15%of their body weight .Dog owners didn’t lose any more weight than those without dogs but ,say
Researchers,got more exercise overall –mostly with their dogs –and found it worth doing.
【小题1】 What does the text mainly discuss?
| A.What pets bring to their owners |
| B.How pets help people calm down |
| C.people’s opinions of keeping pets |
| D.Pet’s value in medical research |
____________
| A.he has a pet companion |
| B.he has less stress of work |
| C.he often dose mental arithmetic |
| D.he is taken care of by his family |
| A.They have lower blood pressure. |
| B.They become more patient. |
| C.They are less nervous. |
| D.They are in higher spirits. |
| A.people with dogs did more exercise |
| B.dogs lost the same weight as people did |
| C.dogs liked exercise much more than people did |
| D.people without dogs found the program unhelpful |
Businesses are witnessing a difficult time, which has in turn produced influence on consumers’ desire to go green. However, shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns.
Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago, while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.
This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves. And the companies should still make efforts to become more environmentally friendly. Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies, with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company’s environmental reputation was not good enough.
Harry Morrison, chief executive(主管)of the Carbon Trust, sympathizes:“I understand this situation where survival is very important now. But from environmental considerations, the clock is ticking—we don’t have much time. In addition, cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a medium-term benefit for the brand.”
Larger companies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint, as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions(排放). Those that have taken early action will have a head start. More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which companies are environmentally responsible. This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers.
The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work companies are doing. “When companies are granted(授予)the standard, they can use a logo(标识)in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions,” Mr. Morrison said.
【小题1】 What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A.Businesses are finding ways to send their message to the shoppers. |
| B.Companies will soon get information about cutting carbon emissions. |
| C.Firms are making efforts to encourage customers to keep goods at home. |
| D.Firms are urged to cut carbon emissions by shoppers’ environmental awareness. |
| A.affect | B.change | C.disturb | D.reject |
| A.will benefit from cutting carbon emissions |
| B.should buy carbon allowances for shoppers |
| C.are required to make up for their carbon emissions |
| D.have encouraged shoppers to take their custom elsewhere |
| A.have a strong desire to reduce costs |
| B.use the same logo in their marketing |
| C.gain advantages by taking early action |
| D.attract more shoppers by storing goods |
It is reported that conservation groups in North America have been arguing about the benefits and dangers of wolves. Some groups believe wolves should be killed. Other people believe wolves must be protected so that they will not disappear from the wilderness (荒野)
For Killing Wolves
In Alaska,the wolf almost disappeared a few years ago,because hunters were killing hundreds of them for sport. However.1aws were established to protect the wolves from sportsmen and people who catch the animals for their fur.So the wolf population has greatly increased. Now there are so many wolves that they are destroying their own food supply.
A wolf naturally eats animals in the deer family. People in the wilderness also hunt deer for food.Many of the animals have been destroyed by the very cold winters recently and by changes in the wilderness plant life.When the deer can’t find enough food,they die.
If the wolves continue to kill large numbers of deer,their prey(猎物)will disappear some day.And the wolves will.too.So we must change the cycle of life in the wilderness to balance the ecology.If we killed more wolves,we would save them and their prey from dying out.We’d also save some farm animals.
In another northern state,wolves attack cows and chickens for food.Farmers want the government to send biologists to study the problem.They believe it necessary to kill wolves in some areas and to protect them in places where there is a small wolf population.
Against Killing Wolves
If you had lived long ago,you would have heard many different stories about the dangerous wolf.According to most stories,hungry wolves often kill people for food.Even today,the stories of the “big bad wolf'"will not disappear.
But the fact is wolves are afraid of people.and they seldom travel in areas where there is a human smell.When wolves eat other animals,they usually kill the very young.or the sick and injured .The strongest survive .No kind of animal would have survived through the centuries if the weak members had lived.And has always been a law of nature.
Although some people say it is good sense to kill wolves,we say it is nonsense! Researchers have found wolves and their prey living in balance.The wolves keep the deer population from becoming too large, and that keeps a balance in the wilderness plant life.
The real problem is that the areas where wolves can live are being used by people.Even if wilderness land is not used directly for human needs.the wolves can’t always find enough food .So they travel to the nearest source, which is often a farm.Then there is danger.The “big bad wolf” has arrived! And everyone knows what happens next.
【小题1】 According to the passage,some people in North America favor killing wolves for all the following reasons EXCET that .
| A.there are too many wolves |
| B.they kill large numbers deer |
| C.they attack cows and chickens for food |
| D.they destroy the wilderness plant life |
| A.wolves help to keep the ecological balance in the wideness |
| B.there is too small a wolf population in the wilderness |
| C.there are too many deer in the wilderness |
| D.wolves are afraid of people and never attack people |
| A.they never eat strong and healthy ones |
| B.they always go against the law of nature |
| C.they might help this kind of animals survive in nature |
| D.they disturb the ecological balance in the wilderness |
| A.farm animals will be in danger and have to be shipped away |
| B.wolves will kill people and people will in turn kill them |
| C.wolves will find enough food sources on farms |
| D.people will leave the areas where wolves can live |
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪);someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the MacDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
【小题1】Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
| A.Places where people lived. | B.People’s characters. |
| C.Talents that people possessed. | D.People’s occupations. |
| A.owned or drove a cart | B.made things with metals |
| C.made kitchen tools or contains | D.built houses and furniture |
| A.Beatrice Smith | B.Leonard Carter |
| C.George Longstreet | D.Donald Greenwood |
| A.later generations | B.friends and relatives |
| C.colleagues and partners | D.later sponsors |
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪);someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the MacDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
【小题1】 Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
| A.Places where people lived. | B.People’s characters. |
| C.Talents that people possessed. | D.People’s occupations. |
| A.owned or drove a cart | B.made things with metals |
| C.made kitchen tools or contains | D.built houses and furniture |
| A.Beatrice Smith | B.Leonard Carter |
| C.George Longstreet | D.Donald Greenwood |
| A.later generations | B.friends and relatives |
| C.colleagues and partners | D.later sponsors |
What can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you'll earn later.
The idea that popularity could have a serious impact on one's earning potential shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The researchers noted that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work.
“If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations," said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. "Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you occasionally feel depressed," said Xu. She believed that all this helps you "earn a higher salary”.
Maybe that's why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism (交友狂症). A woman even complained that the networking website Face book's 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large reserve of social contacts.
But what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency?
“Call me uncoil, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition (定义) of ‘friend',” said Meghan Daum, who works with The Los Angeles Times in the US.
【小题1】The new study from the University of Essex in Britain shows that _________.
| A.if you have more friends you will not live happily. |
| B.the more friends you have in school, the more money you'll earn in your late life. |
| C.the less friends you have, the poor lives you will live. |
| D.friends can make more money for you. |
| A.You have the ability to earn more money. |
| B.You will not feel lonely. |
| C.You are quite content with your life. |
| D.You have the ability to get along with others in various situations. |
| A.The passage mainly tells us something about the friendship. |
| B.Friends plays an more important part in our daily life than anything else. |
| C.Friends are currency. |
| D.Friends give you success. |
| A.If you have more friends, you can make a fortune in the future. |
| B.Graduating from college means that you can make a fortune in the future. |
| C.Friends means a form of currency. |
| D.Friends can make you wider social circle and make you feel better when you feel depressed. |