Food festivals around the world

Stilton Cheese Rolling

    May Day is a traditional day for celebrations, but the 2,000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include cheese rolling in their annual plans. Teams of four, dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes, roll a complete cheese along a 50-metre course. On the way, they must not kick or throw their cheese, or go into their competitors’ lane (赛道).Competition is fierce and the chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos (disappointingly, but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones). All the competitors are served with beer or port wine, the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese.

Fiery Foods Festival—The Hottest Festival on Earth

    Every year more than 10,000 people head for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They come from as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and China, but they all share a common addiction—food that is not just spicy, but hot enough to make your mouth burn, your head spin and your eyes water. Their destination is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three days every March. You might like to try a chocolate covered habanero pepper—officially the hottest pepper in the world—or any one of the thousands of products that are on show. But one thing’s for sure—if you don’t like the feeling of a burning tongue, this festival isn’t for you!

La Tomatina—The World's Biggest Food Fight

On the last Wednesday of every August, the Spanish town of Bunol hosts La Tomatina—the world’s largest food fight. A week-long celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week’s events. The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes—official fight-starters get things going by casting tomatoes at the crowd.

The battle lasts little more than half an hour, in which time around 50,000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves, runs, or fights back. Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again—and for a much-needed wash!

11. In the Stilton cheese rolling competition, competitors on each team must ________.

   A. wear various formal clothes                            B. roll a wooden cheese in their own lane

   C. kick or throw their cheese                       D. use a real cheese weighing about four kilos

12. Where is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival held?

   A. In New Mexico.  B. In the Caribbean.      C. In Australia.              D. In China.

13. The celebration of La Tomatina lasts ________.

   A. three days           B. seven days              C. less than three days   D. more than seven days

    It was Mother’s Day morning last year and I was doing my shopping at our local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were leaving, we found that only minutes earlier an elderly woman had fallen over at the entrance and had hit her head on the concrete. Her husband was with her, but there was blood everywhere and the woman was embarrassed and clearly in shock.

    Walking towards the scene, Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple. He said to me, “Mum, it’s not much fun falling over in front of everyone.”

At the front of the supermarket a charity group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds. Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower. “It will make her feel better,” he said. I was amazed that he’d come up with such a sweet idea. So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up. “Just take it,” she replied. “I can’t take your money for such a wonderful gesture.”

By now paramedics (救援人员) had arrived, and were attending the injured woman. As we walked up to her, my son became intimidated by all the blood and medical equipment. He said he was just too scared to go up to her.

Instead I gave the flower to the woman’s husband and told him, “My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better.”

At that time, the old man started crying and said, “Thank you so much, you have a wonderful son. Happy Mother’s Day to you.”

    The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from. Though badly hurt and shaken, the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.

14. What dose the author intend to tell us?

   A. One can never be too careful.                   B. Actions speak louder than words.

   C. Love begins with a little smile.                  D. A small act of kindness brings a great joy.

15. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   A. The elderly woman was knocked down by Tenyson.

   B. Tenyson’s idea of buying a flower gained his mother’s support.

   C. Tenyson’s care for the elderly woman puzzled the flower seller.

   D. The elderly woman was moved to tears by Tenyson’s gesture.

16. The underlined word “intimidated” in the fourth paragraph probably means “________”.

   A. astonished            B. struck                  C. frightened                D. excited

17. What would be the best title for the passage?

   A. Flower Power                                       B. Mother’s Day          

   C. An Accidental Injury                                D. An Embarrassing Moment

    Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.

    But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement. Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many, many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day.

According to US government reports, emissions (排放) from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 million tons. The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of “Green thinking” has become part of practices.

Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling (回收利用) programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.

    Twenty-five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it’s hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program.” “Until we do that, nothing else will change!” says Bruce Anderson.

18. According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ________

   A. the social movement                    B. recycling techniques

   C. environmental problems                 D. the importance of Earth Day

19. Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?

   A. The grass-roots level                    B. The business circle

   C. Government officials                   D. University professors

20. What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?

   A. They have cut car emissions to the lowest.

   B. They have settled their environmental problems.

   C. They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.

   D. They have reduced pollution through effective measures.

21. What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?

   A. Education                             B. Planning

   C. Green living                           D. CO reduction

    Doctors say you had better use it before you lose it. The more you sit each day, the more chance you have of getting sick.

Richard Rosenkranz of Kansas State University was among the researchers. He said people who sat for long periods were at great risk of diseases when compared with those who sat less. He said that was especially true for some chronic (慢性的) diseases.

Richard Rosenkranz studied the relationship between sitting and chronic diseases in middle-aged Australian men. He worked with researchers from the University of Western Sydney. They examined the health records of more than 63,000 men from New South Wales. The men were between the ages of 45 and 65. The men reported about what diseases they had, or did not have. And they kept a record of the amount of time each day that they sat.

    The study also showed that exercising every morning for 30minutes did not reduce the health risk if you spend the next eight hours sitting at the desk. Mr. Rosenkranz said it was important to make sure you exercise. But he said it was also important to find ways not to sit so much during the day.

    Many jobs today require sitting and working at the desk all day. James Levine works at the Mayo Clinic in the United Sates. He suggests working while standing at a high table some of the time instead of sitting at a desk. Dr. Levine also suggests standing while using the telephone or eating. Or he advises walking with the people you work with for an on-foot meeting. And he notes that if you spend more time on your feet, you may have muscle activity that helps burn fats and sugars in your body.

22. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ________.

   A. doctors should treat all the patients well

   B. doctors should make use of every method

   C. one should value his health before he loses it

   D. one should depend on himself to keep healthy

23. How did Richard Rosenkranz make the study?

   A. By examining some records and reports.

   B. By making some laboratory experiments.

   C. By talking with the doctors and patients.

   D. By watching the men’s daily performance.

24. According to Dr. Levine, if one does not want to be affected by long-time sitting, he should   

    ________.

   A. go on a diet                              B. change his job

   C. see a doctor from time to time          D. stand or walk at work for some time

25. Where does this text probably come from?

   A. A medical journal                            B. A health magazine

   C. A biology textbook                         D. A life guide

This morning, I remembered a childhood experience. It made me realize that some of the acts of kindness might never be forgotten by others.

I was six years old then.   26   One morning she sent me to the store for a sack of flour. On the way back home I was doing what any six-year-old would have been doing – playing. Because of that I dropped the bag of flour and it burst open spilling the flour all over the ground. I knew this meant I would be in big trouble when I got home. So I ran back to the store and asked the clerk if I could have an empty bag and a scoop (铲子) so I could gather up as much of the flour as possible.    27   

Returning to the scene of the accident, to my horror, I saw a car driving right on top of the flour! There was no chance of collecting it now!

   28   He came over to me and asked what was wrong. I told him that I would probably get a hell of a beating if I went back without the flour.

He took me by the hand and led me back to the store where he bought me a new sack of flour and some candy!   29   

I never told my foster mother about the kind gentleman.    30   

A. My father was hard on me.

B. Then he went to see my foster mother with me.

C. There was no way I was going home empty-handed.

D. The driver saw the sadness on my face and pulled over.

E. Then he wiped my tears and sent me home.

F. My stepmother was not the kind of person I would have chosen to stay with.

G. But I’m twenty-three years old now and I still remember him and his kindness.