Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach’s Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel’s “me” time. And like more Americans, she’s not alone.

A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half(53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half(46 percent) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.

“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know?” Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today, I just wanted some time to myself,” she said.

Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he’s on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction(交流). “I reflect on how my day’s gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “It’s a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”

That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn’t feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,” said Laurie Demeritt, whose company provided the statistics for the report.

77．What are the statistics in paragraph 2 about?

A．Food variety.

B．Eating habits.

C．Table manners.

D．Restaurant service.

78．Why does Bechtel prefer to go out for lunch?

A．To meet with her coworkers.

B．To catch up with her work.

C．To have some time on her own.

D．To collect data for her report.

79．What do we know about Mazoleny?

A．He makes videos for the bar.

B．He’s fond of the food at the bar.

C．He interviews customers at the bar.

D．He’s familiar with the barkeeper.

80．What is the text mainly about?

A．The trend of having meals alone.

B．The importance of self-reflection.

C．The stress from working overtime.

D．The advantage of wireless technology.

  Many of us love July because it’s the month when nature’s berries and stone fruits are in abundance. These colourful and sweet jewels form British Columbia’s fields are little powerhouses of nutritional protection.

Of the common berries, strawberries are highest in vitamin C, although, because of their seeds, raspberries contain a little more protein (蛋白质), iron and zinc (not that fruits have much protein). Blueberries are particularly high in antioxidants (抗氧化物质). The yellow and orange stone fruits such as peaches are high in the carotenoids we turn into vitamin A and which are antioxidants. As for cherries (樱桃), they are so delicious who cares? However, they are rich in vitamin C．

When combined with berries of slices of other fruits, frozen bananas make an excellent base for thick, cooling fruit shakes and low fat “ice cream”. For this purpose, select ripe bananas for freezing as they are much sweeter. Remove the skin and place them in plastic bags or containers and freeze. If you like, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on the bananas will prevent them turning brown. Frozen bananas will last several weeks, depending on their ripeness and the temperature of the freezer.

If you have a juicer, you can simply feed in frozen bananas and some berries or sliced fruit. Out comes a “soft-serve” creamy dessert, to be eaten right away. This makes a fun activity for a children’s party; they love feeding the fruit and frozen bananas into the top of the machine and watching the ice cream come out below.

81．What does the author seem to like about cherries?

A．They contain protein.                                 B．They are high in vitamin A．

C．They have a pleasant taste.                          D．They are rich in antioxidants.

82．Why is fresh lemon juice used in freezing bananas?

A．To make them smell better.                         B．To keep their colour.

C．To speed up their ripening.                          D．To improve their nutrition.

83．What is “a juicer” in the last paragraph?

A．A dessert.                                                  B．A drink.

C．A container.                                               D．A machine.

84．From which is the text probably taken?

A．A biology textbook.                                   B．A health magazine.

C．A research paper.                                       D．A travel brochure.

Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat—and when and how we eat them—are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural (农村的) and urban areas within one country.

Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion (时刻) or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.

Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (兴旺) in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies (预示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.

Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.

Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.

261．According to the passage, sharing bread______.

A．indicates a lack of food

B．can help to develop unity

C．is a custom unique to rural areas

D．has its roots in birthday celebrations

262．What does the coin in vasilopita signify for its receiver in the New Year?

A．Trust.                                                       B．Success.

C．Health.                                                     D．Togetherness.

263．The author explains the role of food in celebrations by______.

A．using examples                                          B．making comparisons

C．analyzing causes                                        D．describing processes

264．What is the passage mainly about?

A．The custom of sharing food.

B．The specific meaning of food.

C．The role of food in ceremonies.

D．The importance of food in culture.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Some people think that porridge ( 粥 ) is not 1 ． (taste). But for me, porridge is delicious. It can be a convenient and very 2 ． (health) way to start a day.

Porridge is a kind of food 3 ． (serve) for breakfast in China. It is usually a type of grain, like maize or oat, mixed with either milk or water. It is soft and sticky — 4 ． (thick) than liquid, but not solid. Porridge is very easy to digest, so it's very good for people 5 ． are ill.

Porridge preparation — the amount of ingredients and cooking time — 6 ． (depend) on what you choose to use as your porridge base. If I'm cooking for myself I put some rolled oats in a pan, add some water and milk, and then let the mixture boiled. I stir the porridge constantly.

Once it 7 ． (cook), the fun part is adding the flavors. Porridge alone doesn't have 8 ． very strong flavor. Although some people think this makes porridge boring, I think this is 9 ． makes porridge exciting! It is like a blank piece of paper — you can add almost anything you want to the porridge base. Seeds, nuts and dried fruits are a very good 1 0 ． (choose) to add and can give you energy for the day.

根据课文内容填空

The feeling of happiness and sense of belonging can become particularly important for people who move away from their home country. According to some food experts, there are some aspects of culture 1 ． people will lose right away, but with food, there are more 2 ． to connect to memory, family and place. It is hardest to give up the food that you grow up with. Of course, each person’s comfort food 3 ． depends on where they come from —for a Chinese it might be a plate of dumplings with a saucer of vinegar, and for a native of the UK it might be the classic fish and chips, served hot, salty and sour. One 4 ． of comfort food takes us back to our cultural roots, giving us the “taste of home” that we cry out for and 5 ． feelings of homesickness.