The International Olympic Committee named a short list of five cities as possible hosts for the 2012 Olympics. The five--London, Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris--became official candidates, beginning a 14-month race that ended with the selection of a winning bid by the IOC's assembly in Singapore in July 2005. Havana, Leipzig, Rio de Janeiro and prefix = st1 /Istanbulwere the victims in 2004, as the field was cut down from nine applicants. Geography would appear to favor a European city after the 2008 Summer Games in Asia--Beijing and the 2010 Winter Games in North America--Vancouver. IOC president Jacques Rogge said the list could be further cut in the next month if any of the bidding cities fall short of IOC expectations. "What we have done today is retain five cities which we believe will deliver, but we will have to check if they do deliver," said Rogge. "I do not like the word 'rejection' and this in no way reflects that we do not trust these countries. " The nine original competitors launched their bids in January, 2004 with the emphasis on agreement and easily accessible venues . Favorites Paris and London promoted the attractions of their landmarks, Madrid promised an environmentally friendly Games while New Yorkcalled itself the "world city". Paris bid organizers said they would stage beach volleyball at the foot of the EiffelTowerand host many of the events at two clusters on the edge of the French capital. "Our experience with previous bids has taught us a great deal about the needs and aspirations of the IOC," Parisbid chief Philippe Baudillon said. "We firmly believe thatPariswill meet those needs." London organizers countered it by promising to hold the beach volleyball competition in Horse Guards Parade. Seventeen sports, including athletics and swimming, would be staged at a new venue in the city's deprived East End. "I am very pleased that Londonhas been named a candidate city for the 2012 Olympic Games. But I am not surprised we have cleared this most important hurdle," British Prime... Why is the 2012 Olympics likely to be held in a European city? A) It's impossible for two successive Olympics to be held on the same continent. B) The 2008 Summer and Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing and Vancouverrespectively. C) Geographically speaking, it's time to hold the 2012 Games in a non-Asian and non-American country. D) European cities turn out to be more suitable to host the 2012 Games.
C
I decided a few months ago that l was going to treat myself to a 4-day getaway from Los Angeles and visit Chicago. I turned in some long-saved frequent flier miles for the airplane ticket, but had to shell out cash I really couldn't afford for the hotel. I found a travel website where a discounted promotional 3-night stay was purchased from a recently opened hotel. About three weeks before the trip, I had to regretfully cancel and only then realized the room, while transferable to another person, couldn't be changed to a later date and wasn't refundable .For the next two weeks, I tried selling it on Craig's list with no success. Five days before the "big weekend" I gave up trying to spend any money and decided I'd contact some friends who live in Chicago and offer someone a free "staycation". After trying a handful of people all of whom already had their own plans, I was determined to have the room not go to waste. That's when it suddenly occurred to me that I was looking at the rooms in the wrong way. Instead of viewing them for vacation purposes, surely there must be a way to put them to good use, and that was when the idea that some sort of shelter might be able to use it hit me. I finally found one whose focus is aiding victims of domestic violence. This particular one was willing to listen to my out-of-left-field story and facilitated the transfer of the rooms. The shelter was working with a desperate woman and her young daughter, who were fortunately able to make use of the room. What did the author decide to do with the room at last? A) Sell it online. B) Let it go to waste. C) Use it to help strangers in need. D) Offer it to one of his friends.
C
Q: In many European countries it is normal to have a long break in the middle of the day when all members of the family return to their houses to eat together. This is not very common in Britain because normally it is a long way from the place of work or school to the home. Consequently the British people tend to have a big breakfast before they go to work and the meal at midday is not spent with the members of the family but with workmates or schoolmates. Lunch is normally eaten between 12: 30 p.m. and 1: 30 p.m. Most people finish work at five thirty. It often takes at least an hour to get home from the school or workplace so people tend to eat their evening meal or "dinner" between 6: 30 p.m. and 8 p.m. On Sundays people don't have to work, so they take the opportunity to eat together with their family. Sunday lunch is usually the best meal of the week and many of the meals which are considered typically British are eaten for Sunday lunch. For example roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. This is a typical British family eating together on Sunday. After lunch the father will smoke his pipe and read the newspaper sitting on his favorite armchair while his wife washes the dishes. The children will play traditional English games such as hopscotch, skipping or doctors and nurses. Although everyone in Britain understands that "breakfast" is the first meal of the day, there is a lot of confusion about the words for other meals such as "dinner, lunch, tea, high tea, brunch and supper" and if you ask a British person what these words mean, most of them will give you a different answer according to what part of the country they are from or what social class they are from. Another example of this is the pronunciation of the word "scones" (a type of cake eaten with Devonshire clotted cream, strawberry jam and cups of tea, known as a "cream tea") The British family eats together _ . A) from 12: 30 p.m. to 1: 30 p.m. B) from 6: 30 p.m. to 8: 30 p.m. C) on Sundays D) on Saturdays
A: C