Unlike most Europeans, many Americans ______ bacon and eggs for breakfast every day. ( )
A.used to eating
B.used to eat
C.are used to eat
D.are used to eating
A.used to eating
B.used to eat
C.are used to eat
D.are used to eating
Proto-Indo-European is believed to be the ancestor of most European languages, such as Greek, German, Spanish, French and Italian.()
The revival of the language, particularly among young people, is part of a resurgence of national identity sweeping through this small, proud nation. Last month Wales marked the second anniversary of the opening of the National Assembly, the first parliament to be convened here since 1404. The idea behind devolution was to restore the balance within the union of nations making up the United Kingdom. With most of the people and wealth, England has always had bragging rights. The partial transfer of legislative powers from Westminster, implemented by Tony Blair, was designed to give the other members of the club-Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales—a bigger say and to counter centrifugal forces that seemed to threaten the very idea of the union.
The Welsh showed little enthusiasm for devolution. Whereas the Scots voted overwhelmingly for a parliament, the vote for a Welsh assembly scraped through by less than one percent on a turnout of less than 25 percent. Its powers were proportionately limited. The Assembly can decide how money from Westminster or the European Union is spent. It cannot, unlike its counterpart in Edinburgh, enact laws. But now that it is here, the Welsh are growing to like their Assembly. Many people would like it to have more powers. Its importance as figurehead will grow with the opening in 2003, of a new debating chamber, one of many new buildings that are transforming Cardiff from a decaying seaport into a Baltimore-style. waterfront city. Meanwhile a grant of nearly two million dollars from the European Union will tackle poverty. Wales is one of the poorest regions in Western Europe-only Spain, Portugal, and Greece have a lower standard of living.
Newspapers and magazines are filled with stories about great Welsh men and women, boosting self-esteem. To familiar faces such as Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton have been added new icons such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, the movie star, and Bryn Terfel, the opera singer. Indigenous foods like salt marsh lamb are in vogue. And Wales now boasts a national airline. Awyr Cymru. Cymru, which means "land of compatriots", is the Welsh name for Wales. The red dragon, the nation's symbol since the time of King Arthur, is everywhere-on T-shirts, rugby jerseys and even cell phone covers.
"Until very recent times most Welsh people had this feeling of being second-class citizens," said Dyfan Jones, an 18-year-old student. It was a warm summer night, and I was sitting on the grass with a group of young people in Llanelli, an industrial town in the south, outside the rock music venue of the National Eisteddfod, Wales's annual cultural festival. The disused factory in front of us echoed to the sounds of new Welsh bands.
"There was almost a genetic tendency for lack of confidence", Dyfan continued. Equally comfortable in his Welshness as in his membership in the English-speaking, global youth culture and the new federal Europe, Dyfan, like the rest of his generation, is growing up with a sense of possibility unimaginable ten years ago. "We used to think. We can't do anything, we're only Welsh. Now I think that's changing."
According to the passage, devolution was mainly meant to______.
A.maintain the present status among the nations
B.reduce legislative powers of England
C.create a better state of equality among the nations
D.grant more say to all the nations in the union
What seems to be the most fundamental reason for this difference?
A.The British tend to regard money as an end, whereas Continental European consider it a means to an end.
B.The British invest only 10% of their savings in pension funds.
C.On the Continent you can't do anything unless you have been told you can.
D.Intelligent young men. Who want a career tend to go to civil service on the Continent.
Unlike most sports, which evolved over time from street games, basketball was designed by one man to suit a particular purpose. The man was Dr. James Naismith, and his purpose was to invent a vigorous game that could be played indoors in the winter.
In 1891, Naismith was an instructor at a training school, which trained physical education instructors for the YMCAs. That year the school was trying 【B1】______ up with a physical activity that the men could enjoy 【B2】______ the football and baseball seasons. None of the standard indoor activities 【B3】______ their interest for long. Naismith was asked to solve the problem by the school.
He first tried to 【B4】______ some of the popular outdoor sports, but they were all too rough. The men were getting bruised from tackling each other and 【B5】______ hit with equipment. So, Naismith decided to invent a game that would incorporate the most common elements of outdoor team sports without having the real physical contact. Most popular sports used a ball. So he chose a soccer ball because it was soft and large enough that it
【B6】______ no equipment, such as a bat or a racket to hit it. Next he decided 【B7】______ an elevated goal, so that scoring would depend on skill and accuracy rather than on 【B8】______ only. His goals were two peach baskets, 【B9】______ to ten-foot-high balconies at each end of the gym. The basic 【B10】______ of the game was to throw the ball into the basket. Naismith wrote rules for the game, 【B11】______ of which, though with some small changes, are still 【B12】______ effect.
Basketball was an immediate success. The students【B13】______ it to their friends, and the new sport quickly 【B14】______ on. Today, basketball is one of the most popular games 【B15】______ the world.
【B1】
A.to have come
B.coming
C.come
D.to come
In 1891. Naismith was an instructor at a training school, which trained【C4】______ education instructors for the YMCAs. That year the school was trying【C5】______ up with a physical activity that the men could enjoy【C6】______ the football and baseball seasons. None of the standard indoor activities【C7】______ their interest for long. Naismith was asked to solve the problem for the school. He first tried to【C8】______ some of the popular outdoor sports, but they were all too【C9】______ . The men were getting bruised from tackling each other and【C10】______ hit with equipment. So, Naismith decided to invent a game that would incorporate the most common elements of outdoor team sports without having the real physical contact. Most popular sports used a ball, so he chose a soccer ball because it was soft and large enough that it【C11】______ no equipment, such as a hat or a racket to hit it. Next he decided 【C12】______ an elevated goal, so that scoring would depend on skill and accuracy rather than on 【C13】______ only. His goals were two peach baskets,【C14】______ to ten-foot high balconies at each end of the gym. The basic【C15】______ of the game was to throw the ball into the basket. Naismith wrote rules for the game,【C16】______ of which, though with some small changes, are still【C17】______ effect. Basketball was an immediate success. The students【C18】______ it to their friends and the new sport quickly【C19】______ on. Today, basketball is one of the most popular games【C20】______ the world.
【C1】
A.particular
B.especial
C.special
D.specialty
America most definitely has culture and the culture of America is easily the most dominant of the world, whether it is McDonald's in the heart of what as once the center of the Evil Empire, or Arnold Schwarzenagger storming across German theatres, or Disneyland sending the French snobs into hysteria, American culture dominates Europe as never before. And it is not just Europe. Enter any shopping center in Asia and the odds are that the music blasting over the sound system is American pop music. Madonna look-alikes speak Mandarin Chinese.
Often, American culture is derided by the so-called "intellectuals." (And by that, I do not mean the traditional definition of those who use their intellect to make a living as, in a increasingly service economy, there are few people today who would not fit into that category but, rather, people who fancy themselves as in some way gifted to impose their views upon the rest of us, to save us from ourselves. )
What is it about American culture that annoys the "intellectuals" so much? It is precisely that which differentiates it from other cultures, particularly the cultures of Europe ("intellectuals" tending to be europhiles). Whereas European culture (and, indeed, most pre-industrial cultures) sprang from their traditions of aristocracy and the subservience of the ruling class, American culture serves the middle-class, the vulgar, if you will. Whereas European culture is concerned with what is exclusive and aloof, American culture is concerned with what is common and accessible. You don't need classes in school in rock music appreciation or the finer aspects of eating pizza.
Some have suggested that America is doomed because it has no culture. But the contrary is more likely the case. In spite of the best efforts of the multi-cultural fascists, America has yet to fulfill its manifest destiny primarily because its culture is not only dominating and assimilating immigrants from every comer of the world, it is, indeed reaching out to every comer of the world and creating a world community, a community centered on the individual, every individual not just those gifted with expensive tastes.
From the beginning of the passage we can infer that the author ______.
A.believes that America has culture despite its inferiority to others
B.agrees that America has no culture, let alone an inferior culture
C.objects to both of the views about American culture
D.tries to show objectively the two views about American culture
【M1】
【C1】
A.unceasingly
B.continuously
C.gradually
D.continually
Ironing clothes is most hated because it is not a task that can be completed quickly or thoughtlessly. Each piece of clothing must be handled individually, so ironing a basket of laundry can take hours! After ironing a piece of clothing with great caution, which requires smoothing out the fabric, and following the seams, you need to place it on a hanger as soon as possible. If you do not follow these directions carefully, it might become wrinkled and you have to start over. Perhaps that is why ironing is not a favorite thing to do. It calls for extreme attention to detail from beginning to end.
Another household job that many people dislike is washing dishes. Of course, some people claim that this work is no longer a problem because we have dishwashers now! However, no one would argue that dishes, silverware, and especially pots and pans washed in a dishwasher don't come out as clean as they do when washed by hand. For this reason, many of us continue to wash our dishes by hand, but we are not necessarily happy doing it. Cleaning dishes is a job that not only takes a lot of energy but also requires the patience to wash and dry them. In addition, unlike ironing clothes, washing dishes is a thing that usually must be done every day. I don't know how Cinderella felt about this particular task, but I believe that most people hate it as much as I do.
For Cinderella, doing household work is ______.
A.all obligation
B.a compulsion
C.an assignment
D.a burden