Where to Stay in Rio, Brazil?

21. The four places all provide the service or facilities of ___________.

A. free Wi-Fi                                             B. free parking                    

C. free physical exercising facilities            D. free safe deposit box

22. What do we know about Ibis RJ Santos Dumont?

A. It is the only place allowing taking pets in.

B. It is the only place providing the service of Brazilian dishes.

C. It is the nearest to the Galeão International Airport.

D. It is the closest to the beach.   

23. If a rich family wants to enjoy French dishes and sunbathing on the beach, they may ___________.

A. call (+55) 21/979049542                        B. call (+55) 21/35064500

C. call (+55) 21/36872000                          D. call (+55) 21/25251232

24. Which might be your best choice if you and your seven poor roommates are interested in sports?

A. Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Copacabana           B. Golden Tulip Ipanema Plaza

C. Ibis RJ Santos Dumont                          D. Casa Mamoré 93

Yesterday mother and I were watching for a cab in the rainy street without an umbrella when an old gentleman sheltering under an umbrella approached us to ask a favor.

“I’ve forgotten my wallet. You see, old people like me often become terribly forgetful…”

Mother suspiciously looked at him, a well-dressed and well-spoken man. “Are you asking me to give you money? Do hurry up. We’re getting soaked to the skin here.”

“And that is why I’m offering you this umbrella of mine, and to keep forever, if only…”

“If only what?”

“If only you could give me in return a pound for my taxi-fare just to get me home.”

“Then how did you get here?”

“I walked.”

“Why don’t you walk home now?”

“Oh, I wish I could. But I couldn’t manage it on these silly old legs. I’ve gone too far away.”

Mother began to melt. The idea of getting an umbrella to shelter must have tempted her a good deal. But she didn’t want to take advantage of a tired old man in this way. So mother simply gave him the fare but he insisted we take the umbrella. Then the transaction was made and everyone was happy.

As mother was proudly explaining the importance of correctly judging people, I noticed that the old man quickly crossed the street and was hurrying away, not looking tired!

Mother was unhappy. So we followed him as he rushed until we eventually found him at a pub where he ordered a glass of whisky with the pound and swallowed in one go! Then he collected his coat and hat. Just before he left, he smoothly took a wet umbrella from the coat rack (衣帽架). Then he headed back to the main street and sold the umbrella to another unsuspecting person.

25. Why did mother ask the man so many questions before giving him the money?

       A. Because mother was just joking with him.

       B. Because mother was not a kind-hearted person.

       C. Because mother liked him and would like to talk more with him.

       D. Because mother wanted to satisfy herself that he was telling the truth.

26. What did the man really do with the money at last?

       A. He spent it on alcohol.                           B. He kept it to himself.

       C. He took a taxi with it.                                   D. He bought another umbrella with it.

27. Which word may best describe the man in the text?

       A. stupid        B. tricky                   C. sympathetic       D. forgetful

28. What lesson can we learn from the story?

A. A friend in need is a friend in deed.               

B. Kindness is the sunshine of social life.

       C. Don’t judge a book only by its cover.           

D. Think twice before you jump.

A joint research project by researchers from several British universities and institutes has attracted people’s attention to the toothbrush again.

Researchers have found that your toothbrush is home to more than 100 million bacteria. But there are hundreds of microorganisms in the mouths and your toothbrush probably won’t make you sick unless there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria. Our immune system can usually take care of bacterial invaders. However, if others use your toothbrush, or you use someone else’s, bacteria can be spread.

They have also found the toothbrush holders are the third-most dirty household items (behind dish sponges and kitchen sinks), thus advocating cleaning the toothbrush holder regularly.

The storage of your toothbrush in your bathroom is also important. Here are some storage tips from the researchers to keep your toothbrush as healthy as possible:

²        Put your toothbrush as far away as possible from the toilet flushing.

²        Let your toothbrush dry thoroughly between brushings.

²        Don’t use toothbrush covers, which can create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

²        Keep your toothbrush upright in a holder, rather than lying down.

²        Keep toothbrushes separate. If toothbrushes touch, they can exchange and spread bacteria.

There are products available that claim to sanitize (消毒) your toothbrush. While some of these products do kill some bacteria, there is no evidence that using them will reduce your risk of illness, according to the researchers.

They recommend replacing your toothbrush every three to four months or more often if you are sick or if you have a weakened immune system. Children’s toothbrushes may need to be replaced more often than adult brushes.

29. The text is especially helpful for those who care about __________.

       A. their heath         B. their house                C. their money                   D. their diets

30. What are people advised to do in the text?

       A. Have the toothbrush dry partly between brushings.

B. Keep the toothbrush lying down after the use.

C. Clean your toothbrush holder regularly.

       D. Keep the toothbrush covered after the use.    

31. What can we infer from the text?

       A. Products of sanitizing the tooth brush are of no use at all.

       B. Adults need to replace toothbrushes more often than children.

       C. Sharing your toothbrush with others may be harmful to your health.

       D. Your toothbrush will probably make you sick if there is a healthy balance of bacteria.

32. Which might be the best title for the text?

       A. How to Use Your Toothbrush Properly?  

B. How to Store Your Toothbrush Healthily?

       C. How to Clean Your Toothbrush Correctly?     

D. How to Replace Your Toothbrush Economically?

Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake

With the Mid-Autumn Festival coming, the time for crabs is around the corner! Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake in China are believed to be the best freshwater crabs.

       “They are delicious, because the bottom of Yangcheng Lake is hard and the crabs grow strong by walking on such a hard surface,” said one sales manager in Suzhou.

Li Lei, a crab lover from Beijing, said “It’s very delicious! But there are too many fake Yangcheng Lake Dazha Crabs”.

“Maybe the crabs from other regions can appear to be glistening green back, white belly after people wash them, but the golden fine hair on crab claws is still a point of pride and is exclusive to Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake,” said the manager.

The best time for enjoying them is during September and October of Chinese lunar calendar. “When the season for crabs arrives, the Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake are flown to various cities so that people’s appetites can be satisfied,” said the sales manager. “They are really expensive here, sometimes more than 320RMB/500g, 10% of my salary!” said Li Lei.

       Dazha Crabs are usually steamed or boiled for within 20 minutes before they come on the dinner table. They are often enjoyed with vinegar mixed with minced ginger to add flavor and get rid of the cold. People who are particular about how they eat crabs also need to have high-grade Shaoxing rice wine to warm their stomachs.

There is much work required to eat crabs. So much shell! Most people use both hands and teeth while eating Dazha Crabs. “The eating way is not graceful or elegant,” said Huck. “However, some professionals of eating crabs can use tools to take all the meat out of the crab without damaging a single bite and the crab can be restored to its original shape if the empty shells are pieced together!” said Han Mei, another Dazha crab lover.

33. What do we know about Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake from the text?

       A. They belong to seawater crabs.

       B. You must use tools to eat them.

       C. The best time for eating them lasts over three months.

       D. Vinegar, ginger and rice wine can be enjoyed together with them.

34. The underlined word “exclusive” in Paragraph 4 probably means ___________.

       A. expensive          B. unique               C. entire             D. similar

35. Which of the following is correct according to the passage?

A. The sales manager believes the living environment contributes nothing to the good taste of Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake.

B. Li Lei has mixed feelings about Dazha Crabs from Yangcheng Lake.

C. Han Mei thinks little of some professionals of eating crabs.

D. Huck supports the way that most people eat crabs. 

Have you asked yourself the question “what do I really want to do with my life”? The question can come when you’re 18 or when you’re 50, and it’s always a difficult process to work through. It’s not hopeless, though!    36   

l         Think about where you’ll be in five years.

The question works in either job interviews or financial plans.    37    Thankfully, that’s okay, and sometimes just trying to answer the question is all you need.

l         Write your personal beliefs.

The ideas might sound a little silly on the surface.    38    Silly or not, the ideas are to give yourself a call to action to define how you want to do things.

l         Volunteer or shadow someone in a job you’re interested in.

Want to write a book? Go to grad school!    39    Just take a couple days to try on the lifestyle. To do this, you can try volunteering or shadowing someone at their job.

l            40   

Sometimes, the best way to really figure out what you want to do with yourself is good old trial and error. In a lot of cases, this just means trying out various side projects you’re interested in with all the free time you have.

A. Follow your passion.

B. Dig into those side projects.

C. Here are a few ways to help you figure it out.

D.              Thinking about being a lawyer? Apply for law school!

E. But it’s one of those annoyingly difficult questions to answer.

F. It’s easy to write your own beliefs but you don’t have to do it in a specific way.

G.              But if you know what ideas you stand on, you might be clear about a possible career or lifestyle path.