BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have pros and cons. Good news Free museums: No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities . Pop music: Britain is the only country to rival (......)the US on this score. Black cabs: London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night. Choice of food: Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants. Fashion: Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too. Bad news Poor service: "It's part of the image of the place. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced," says Professor Tony Seaton of Luton University's International Tourism Research Center. Poor public transport: Trains and buses are promised to defeat the keenest tourists, although the over-crowded London tube is inexplicably popular. Lack of language: Speaking slowly and clearly may not get many foreign visitors very far, even in the tourist traps. Rain: Still in the number one complaint. No air-conditioning: So that even splendidly hot summer become as unbearable as the downpours. Overpriced hotels: The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark. Licensing hours: Alcohol is in short supply after 11 p.m. even in 24-hour cities. What do tourists complain most? A) Poor service. B) Poor public transport. C) Rain. D) Overpriced hotels.
C
(Question)
A new study suggests that early exposure to germs strengthens the immune system. That means letting children get a little dirty might be good for their health later in life. The study involved laboratory mice. It found that adult mice raised in a germ-free environment were more likely to develop allergies, asthma and other autoimmune disorders. There are more than eighty disorders where cells that normally defend the body instead attack tissues and organs. Richard Blumberg,who led the study,is a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston,Massachusetts. He says,in 1989,medical researchers who sought to explain these diseases, first discovered that the increasing use of antibacterial soaps and other products, especially early in life, could weaken immune systems. Now, Dr. Blumberg and his team have what is the first biological evidence to link early exposure to germs to stronger adult immune systems. They say this exposure could prevent the development of some autoimmune diseases. In the adult germ-free mice, they found that inflammation in the lungs and colon was caused by so-called killer T cells. These normally fight infection. But they became overactive and targeted healthy tissue--an autoimmune condition seen in asthma and a disease called ulcerative colitis . Dr. Blumberg says the mice raised in a normal environment did not have the same reaction. He says their immune systems had been "educated" by early exposure to germs. Rates of autoimmune disorders are rising worldwide, but mostly in wealthier, industrialized countries. According to Dr. Blumberg, it might be high time that people were warned to be more careful with the early use of antibiotics and the prescription from their doctors. Rob Dunn is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He says the new study does not mean people should stop washing. "Wash your hands , but don't do it with antibacterial soap. Let your kids play in a reasonable amount of dirt and get outside and get... It can be inferred from the text that _ . A) washing hands is no longer a good habit for children B) antibiotics will be forbidden in children's hospitals C) exposure to dirt helps build children's character D) the abuse of antibiotics may be condemned
(Answer)
D
Ques: It was a rather hot day. Everybody seemed to be looking for some kind of relief, so an ice cream store was a natural place to stop at. A little girl, holding her money firmly, entered the store. Before she could say a word, the store clerk sharply told her to get outside and read the sign on the door, and stay out until she put on the shoes. She left slowly, and a big man followed her out of the store. The man watched as she stood in front of the store and read the sign. "No Bare Feet". Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she turned and walked away. Just then the big man called to her. After sitting down on the roadside, he took off his size-12 shoes, set them in front of the girl and saying, "Here, you won't be able to walk in these, but if you slide along, you can get your ice cream." Then he lifted the little girl up and set her feet into the shoes. "Take your time," he said, "I get tired of moving them around, and it's good to just sit here and eat my ice cream." The shining eyes of the little girl could not be missed as she ordered her ice cream. He was a big man, all right. Big body, big shoes, but most of all, he had a big heart. From the story we can conclude that the big man is _ . A) kind B) funny C) honest D) hard-working
Ans: A
The next great land area that man hopes to control is the moon. In size it is nearly equal to the area of North and South America. However, it presents a hostile environment. Temperatures range +120 to -150 degrees Centigrade. There is no air, and no water. Today there is considerable scientific speculation about living on the moon. When man will begin life on the moon surface is still not determined. But experts believe that settlement will take place in three steps. First, there will be increasing periods of exploration with temporary shelters. These periods will be followed by longer stays with housing under the surface of the moon and daily necessities brought by the settlers themselves from the earth. Finally, settlements that are self-supporting will be founded. The main job of the early settlers will be to stay alive. They will have to plant crops under huge domes to produce food and oxygen and find water sources. After this is done, the settlers will have time to explore the possibilities of commercial development and to make discoveries important to science. The characteristics of the moon that make it bad for human staying alive may make it ideal for certain kinds of manufacturing . Operations requiring a vacuum or extreme cold are examples. Therefore, industrial diamonds might be produced on the moon. To stay alive on the moon, first of all the early settlers must be able to _ . A) get enough food, oxygen and water B) develop commerce C) make discoveries important D) explore the possibilities of industrial development
A