Do you like to eat out? Do you like to eat quickly? Do you like inexpensive food? Some people go to
fast-food restaurants for these reasons. In the past, people usually went to diners (路邊小餐館) for these reasons. In fact, many people in the State still go to diners today for the same reasons.
     A man named Walter Scott had the first "diner" in 1872. It was not really a diner. It was only a food
cart. People on the street walked up to the cart to buy food. These carts served late-night workers who
wanted a cup of coffee and all late-night meal. The meal was a sandwich or boiled eggs. In 1887, Samuel
Jones built the first diner big enough to allow the customers to come inside. However, they did not sit
down. Later, people built diners with counters and stools and people sat down while they ate.    
     Before long, many diners stayed open around the clock. In other words, people were able to eat in a
diner at any time. Diners changed in other ways, too. The original menu of sandwiches and coffee became bigger. It included soup, favorite dish, and a breakfast menu. In addition, diners soon became permanent
buildings. They were no longer carts on wheels.
     Diners today look similar to the diners of the early 1900s. They are usually buildings with large windows. Inside, the diners have shining counters with stools, booths, and tables and chairs. People can eat all
three meals in a modern diner.
     Today, many people eat in fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's and Burger King. However, the
diner remains an American tradition, and thousands of people still enjoy eating there. It was popular a
entury ago, and it is still popular today.

1. A man named Walter Scott had the first "diner" in 1872. Why is diner in quotation marks(引號(hào))?

A. Because it is spelled differently from "dinner".
B. Because diner was a new word.
C. Because the first diner was not a real diner.
D. Because it is a special kind of restaurant.

2. What meals did the first diners serve?

A. Only breakfast.      
B. Only night-meals.  
C. Only lunch.              
D. All of the above.

3. According to paragraph 3, diners changed in _______.

A. two ways  
B. three ways
C. four ways
D. five ways

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Diners existed before fast-food restaurant.
B. The menu included more food than sandwiches and coffee.
C. Burger King is a fast-food restaurant.
D. Sandwiches became bigger.

5. The main idea of the passage is that ________.

A. the diner is a traditional and popular place to eat in the United States
B. Samuel Jones built the first diner big enough to allow the customers to come inside
C. American diners serve many types of food 24 hours a day to their customers
D. diners are different from fast-food restaurants in many ways

     We now think of chocolate as sweet, but once it was bitter. We think of it as a candy, but once it was
a medicine. Today, chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or just a snack. Sometimes it's an
ingredient (配料) in the main course of a meal. Mexicans make a hot chocolate sauce called mole and
pour it over chicken. The Mexicans also eat chocolate with spices (香料) like chili peppers.
     Chocolate is a product of the tropical cacao tree. The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys say "Ugh!" and run away. Workers must first dry and then roast the beans. This removes the bitter taste.
     The word "chocolate" comes from a Mayan word. The Mayas were an ancient people who once lived
in Mexico. They valued the cacao tree. Some used the beans for money, while others crushed them to
make a drink.
     When the Spaniards came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they started drinking cacao too.
Because the drink was strong and bitter, they thought it was a medicine. No one had the idea of adding
sugar. The Spaniards took some beans back to Europe and opened cafes. Wealthy people drank cacao
and said it was good for the digestion.
     In the 1800s, the owner of a chocolate factory in England discovered that sugar removed the bitter
taste of cacao. It quickly became a cheap and popular drink. Soon afterwards, a factory made the first
solid block of sweetened chocolate. Later on, another factory mixed milk and chocolate together. People
liked the taste of milk chocolate even better.
     Besides the chocolate candy bar, one of the most popular American snacks is the chocolate chip
cookie. Favorite desserts are chocolate cream pie and, of course, an ice cream sundae with hot fudge
sauce.

1. It was _____that discovered sugar could remove the bitter taste of cacao.     

A. The workers in the chocolate factory        
B. The Spaniards
C.  The people in England                         
D. The owner of a chocolate factory

2.The Spaniards think that cacao was a medicine because_____   

A. it was strong and bitter.                          
B. it was good for digestion.
C. it cured man's diseases.                            
D. it was a kind of drink for good health.

3.Which is the right time order of the events regarding chocolate?
       a. Chocolate became a cheap and popular drink in England.
       b. A factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate.
       c. The Spaniards started drinking cacao.
       d. It was found that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao.
       e. A factory mixed milk and chocolate together. 

A. a-b-c-d-e          
B. c-d-e-b-a         
C. c-d-a-b-e          
D. c-d-b-e-a

4. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.    

A. chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or a candy bar
B. Mexicans like chocolate very much
C. chocolate is a product of the cacao tree
D. people liked the taste of chocolate mixed with milk

    The Wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since
1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions.   1  He was said
to only accept men as members of his gang who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.
       2  A large number of competitors, people, and journalists from Finland to Canada attend the
Wife-carrying World Championship every year.
      3  The Wife-carrying World Championship is held on a 253.5 meters long official track. The track
has two dry obstacles and a water obstacle, about a meter deep. The wife to be carried may be your
own, or your neighbor's. The minimum weight of the wife to be carded is 49 kg. If she is less than 49 kg,
the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be
fined 15 seconds.    4  
    Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance
is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official "wife-carrying drink". Then he may continue the race.  5  
    While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a
wife-carrying dance and other forms of entertainment.

A. There are a few basic rules.
B. People everywhere hold the event.
C. A special prize is awarded to the team.
D. Do you know how these traditions restarted?
E. This event is becoming increasingly popular.
F. The winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time.
G. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area.

      Some Chinese shops have stopped selling Japanese goods in protest against Tokyo's approval of a
school history book they say whitewashes Japan's militaristic past.
       It was not clear how many Chinese stores had stopped selling Japanese products, but one
association official told Renters that the boycott had begun in Shanghai, the country's business center, and
the northeast city of Shenyang.
       Chinese protests against Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council. Millions of
Chinese have already signed an online demand against giving Japan a permanent seat.
       South Korea also has criticized the Japanese text book decision. The Korean English-language
newspaper Korea Times ran an article on Monday criticizing that action.
       It said: "A civic education text even has a picture of Tokto (獨(dú)島) as Japanese district on its cover.
We cannot help but wonder how many countries in the world would be teaching their children in such
wrong words."
       It went on to say: "The country is already a global power and should show regional leadership, not
by force but by moral superiority. Tokyo doesn't appear to be reaching forward in this direction."    

1. From the passage, the word "whitewash" in the first paragraph probably means  _____.   

A. use something for painting
B. say some good words to hide the errors, faults
C. mix white chalk with water
D. make somebody beautiful by making up

2. How many cities which led a boycott of the goods are listed in the passage?   

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

3. Which of the following statement is TRUE?    

A. The Chinese led a boycott because Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council.
B. Shenyang is the business center of China.
C. Japan nowadays shows its regional leadership by moral superiority.
D. There has been much argument over an island between Japan and South Korea.

4. Which of the following can be the proper title of the news?  

A. Chinese and Korean Displeasure
B. China, South Korea and Japan
C. The Reform of U. N.
D. A New History Textbook

     Besides entertainment and beautiful lanterns, another important part of the Lantern Festival , or
Yuanxiao Festival is eating small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour. We call these balls Yuanxiao
or Tangyuan. Obviously, they get the name from the festival itself. It is said that the custom of eating
Yuanxiao originated during the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the fourth century, then became popular during the
Tang and Song periods.
     The fillings inside the dumplings or Yuansiao are either sweet or salty. Sweet fillings are made of sugar, Walnuts, sesame (芝麻), osmanthus flowers (桂花), rose petals, sweetened tangerine (橘子)peel, bean
paste, or jujube paste (棗子醬). A single ingredient or any combination can be used as the filling . The
salty variety is filled with minced meat (肉末兒), vegetables or a mixture.
     The way to make Yuanxiao also varies between northern and southern China. The usual method
followed in southern provinces is to shape the dough of rice flour into balls, make a hole, insert the filling,
then close the hole and smooth out the dumpling by rolling it between your hands. In North China, sweet
or nutmeat stuffing is the usual ingredient. The fillings are pressed into hardened cores, dipped lightly in
water and rolled in a flat basket containing dry glutinous rice flour. A layer of the flour sticks to the filling,
which is then again dipped in water and rolled a second time in the rice flour. And so it goes, like rolling a
snowball, until the dumpling is the desired size.
     The custom of eating Yuanxiao dumplings remains. This tradition encourages both old and new stores
to promote their Yuanxiao products. They all try their best to improve the taste and quality of the dumplings to attract more customers.

1. Which of the following is NOT true? 

A. The custom of eating Yuanxiao dates back to the fourth century.
B. Sugar, rose petals and minced meat are all fillings of Yuanxiao.
C. Sweet Yuanxiao are usually made in southern China.
D. People in northern China usually make Yuanxiao by rolling like a snowball.

2. Which country does the Lantern Festival come from?

A. China     
B. South Korea    
C. Jin Dynasty      
D. Tang and Song periods.

3. Choose the right order of making Tangyuan in southern provinces.
  ① make a hole and insert the filling  
  ② roll the dough between your hands  
  ③ shape the dough of rice flour into balls  
  ④ close the hole  
  ⑤ prepare some rice flour

A. ⑤③②①④  
B. ③⑤①②④  
C. ③①④②⑤  
D. ⑤③①④②

      1  
    With Father's Day 20 lI here,find out how the holiday started,why Dad doesn't mind being
shortchanged on gifts,and more.
    Father's Day traditionally takes a backseat to Mother's Day,and,for the most part,dads are
cool with that,experts say.Nevertheless,as traditional roles around the house gradually change.
fathers are gaining more attention on their special day,at least as measured in the monetary value
of gifts estimated to be given on June l 9,20 11,when the holiday will be celebrated in dozens of
countries.    
       2   
    Where did Valentine's Day come from?What does it cost?And why do we fall for it.year
after year?
    Where did this most popular day for couples come from?And how does it come into beings,
year after year?Noel Lenski,professor of the University of Colorado,said the lovers'holiday traces
its roots to raucous annual Roman festivals held every year on February l 5 and remained wildly
popular well into the fifth century A.D.
      3   
    After 40 years,outsourced activism is replacing traditional Earth Day activities,and green's gone
mainstream,experts say.So what's the point?
    The first Earth Day in l970 was a raucous, radical teach--in that helped spur clean-air, clean-water,
and endangered species legislation in the United States.Now,40 years later,Earth Day is every day,
as the saying goes. The thing is, it's also everyday-- environmentalism has become a routine with
greenness as much a marketing tactic as a moral pursuit.
      4   
    How did Founding Fathers Celebrate 4th of July?How many 4th of July fireworks explode each
year?Answers and more.
    Cookouts,fireworks,and,of course,a chance to wish Uncle Sam a big "happy birthday"-the day
means summer in full swing across the United States and beyond.Besides the founders of the US,
Fireworks,first authorized by Congress in l777,are another legacy.More than l 4,000 fireworks
displays light up U.S.skies each year.    '
      5   
    Before the big dinner,debunk the myths-for starters,the first"real" Thanksgiving wasn't until the
l800s-and get to the roots of Thanksgiving 2010.
    Some 242 million turkeys were raised in the U.S.in 2010 for slaughter,according to the U.S.
Depmment of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.Last year'S birds were worth
about U.S.$3.6 billion. Before the big dinner, debunk the myths,we need to know that the first
"real"U.S.Thanksgiving wasn't until the l800s and get to the roots of Thanksgiving 2010.

A. 4th of July Facts:1 st Fests,Number of Fireworks.More
B. Father's Day Shortchanged? Humble History,Fewer Gifts
C. Is the Spring Festival changing little by little?
D. Thanksgiving 2010 Myths and Facts
E. Valentine's Day Facts: Gifts,History,and Love Science
F. The fact of the Intrnational Labour Day
G. Earth Day at 40: What Good Is It Now?

editor,
     You can find language pollution whenever you open a newspaper or turn on your TV set, listen to a
popular song at various advertisements. Language pollution exists almost everywhere and can be seen in
the following places:
     1. Chinese characters are written in the complex (復(fù)雜的 ) form. Although simplified Chinese
characters were accepted for use many years ago, it seems that more and more people like Chinese
characters written in the complex form.
     2. Many goods are produced in China but carry foreign names, which sound strange and have no
meaning at all.
     3. Words and expressions being used have a bad meaning. "Ba"(霸), which means bully in Chinese,
is one example. Now there are a lot of goods, restaurants, even factories or firms, with "Ba" in their names.
     4. There are too many incorrect grammatical expressions. Some films have strange names and
incorrect grammatical structures. "Ai ni mei shang liang', which means "I love you without consulting", is
grammatically incorrect and this kind of expression is now becoming popular.
     Some language experts point out that language pollution must be done away with, which is an idea
shared by myself and many others.        
                                                                                                   Fan Yongqian

1. The writer of the letter suggests that ______.

A. something be done to make our language pure (純正)    
B. the Chinese language not have the word "ba"    
C. everything have a good name and a good meaning    
D. everybody try their best to stop pollution

2. What the writer wants to say is that ____.

A. great difference exists between the Chinese characters written in the complex form and 
    simplified form    
B. many people agree with the experts on language pollution in China    
C. our newspapers, TV programs, pop songs and advertisements are getting polluted    
D. some film writers haven't studied Chinese grammar

3. The expression "do away with" in the last paragraph means "_______".

A. clean        
B. recycle        
C. get away            
D. end

4. What do you guess Fan Yongqian is? He or she probably is _____.

A. a reader    
B. a singer of pop songs  
C. a language expert  
D. an expert of grammar

     Australian Flag Designs by Readers of the Sun-Herald
     We received dozens of responses after inviting readers to send in their designs for a new flag. The designs we received include:
     James Anthony, Drummoyne
     James reduces the Union Jack down in size and changes its shape to become a reminder of the British tradition rather than canceling it altogether. At the same time he suggests enlarging the stars of the Southern Cross. His design attempts to use the best of both worlds in a newly designed flag.
As he says, "the British part of the Australian Flag is too big and the Australian bits are too small. When you make the stars bigger the Australian flag can look impressive."
     Joe Bollen, Turranmurra
     Joe's flag has the main elements of a risen sun, white horizon(地平線(xiàn)), red earth at the base and the Southern Cross. He intends to make the risen sun a special Australian symbol on the flag. He believes it represents life. The Southern Cross shows that we live in the Southern Hemisphere. (半球)
     Maria Ieraci, Sydney
     Maria deleted the Union Jack but otherwise kept the flag as is with the Southern Cross and Federation Star. She says, 'There is only one correct way to change the Australian flag" and that is "to drop the Union Jack-when Australia becomes a Republic", which she hopes will be before 2010.
     Ron Bennett, Sydney
     Ron recommends using the Aboriginal colors but replacing their image of the sun with the map of Australia. He says, "Australia is unique being an island continent with an instantly recognizable outline at that" and "this will leave no doubt as to which country the flag belongs."

1. Which of the four designs can remind you of the past of the country?

A. Joe's  
B. Maria's  
C. Ron's  
D. Jame's

2. The Southern Cross in some of the designs represents _________.

A. the spirit of the nation  
B. the position of the country  
C. the tradition of Britain  
D. the expectations of the people

3. What does the Union Jack refer to?

A.the British flag    
B. A former British ruler  
C. group of stars      
D. A former symbol of Australia