Since the time when the Romans first settled on the Danube River and built one of their most important central European forts , Vindobona, the city we now know as Vienna, has played a very important role in European history. Austria grew up around the city and developed into a strong empire . The capital became a famous place during the rule of the Habsburg dynasty. Today, Vienna is one of the most popular tourist spots in Austria as well as a major center of modern business and culture. Many different cultures have _ their cultural identities to produce the amazing Viennese culture. It is said that the most beautiful German is spoken in this old city. A city of music, cafes, waltzes, parks, cakes, and wine -- that's Vienna. Famous composers such as Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert made Vienna into a city of music. Vienna also has a lot to offer in art and architecture. Yet the bars and clubs make a trip to Vienna an unforgettable experience. Vienna's cooking diversity is also impressive. Dumpling soup, tender boiled beef and apple rolls are typical Austrian dishes. The face of the city has changed time and again due to war, victory, defeat, the death of an empire and the birth of a republic, foreign occupation , and the passage of time. Fortunately, the Viennese character --a strict devotion to the good life -- has remained solid. What can we know about Vienna in the past? A) It used to be a business center. B) People there had beautiful voices. C) Austria developed around this city. D) There were some forts in this city.
C
Singles Day falls on every November 11th, and as the name indicates, this relatively new holiday is one exclusively for people who are still living the single life. I was a bit surprised when I googled "Singles Day" on the Internet, to find that China is the only country in the world that has set aside a special day for singles to celebrate their lives. To find out more about this celebration, please read on. An old story goes that once there were four single men, leading very boring lives. None of them were married, or had lovers, or did anything exciting. They just sat around all day and played Mahjong. One day they played Mahjong from 11 in the morning until 11 at night. During the game, no matter who won, the winning card was always the "four columns" card (the card shows four independent, parallel columns in two lines). Even more of a coincidence, it was Nov 11, or 11/11. In order to commemorate the day, they nicknamed it Singles Day. Singles Day was first celebrated at various universities in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu Province during the 1990s. It got the name Singles Day because the date consists of four "ones". These college students have since graduated, and carried their university tradition into society. Singles Day is now a special day for all fashionable youths. The main way to celebrate Singles Day is to have dinner with your single friends, but it's important that each person pay their own fee to show their independence. People also hold "blind date" parties in an attempt to say goodbye to their single lives. Many singles also choose to say goodbye to their single lives on this day. Many attend "blind date" parties and many people choose to marry on this day. In addition to meaning "single" the four "ones" of the date can also mean "only one" as in "the only one for me." Some people will use this date and this meaning to tell their special someone that they are the only "one" in their heart. Which of the following is wrong? A) Singles Day was first celebrated in Nanjing's universities. B) Many singles choose Singles Day to say goodbye to their single lives. C) The only way to celebrate the Singles Day is to have dinner with your single friends. D) It was these college graduated students that carried their university's tradition into society.
C
Q: The personal computer has overtaken the family dog as man's best friend.according to a study. Researchers found that just 6 per cent of us believe that" most people rely more on their dog than they do on their PC",while 67 per cent think the opposite to be true. Even 38 per cent of dog owners admitted to relying more on their PC than on their dog, although 36 per cent disagreed. And 71 per cent of 18 to 24-year-old dog owners said they relied more on their computer. Paul Allen,editor of Computeractive magazine said:"These days you can even you're your PC for fl walk,provided you have a laptop or tablet." "It's only a matter of time until the first PC that fetches your slippers." Researchers questioned 2,000 British adults to find out the change modern technology has brought to their home life. They found that male dog owners are almost twice as likely as female owners to rely on their computer than a _ companion. Mr.Allen said:"With broadband bringing them global news and newspaper sales falling,the family dog even misses out on the pleasure of taking the paper to his owner." But it's not all bad news for obedient dogs. "The family PC has given dog owners access to a wealth of resources and information that can help with the long-term care that a dog needs,"Mr.Allen said. What is the general idea of the passage? A) The personal computer has replaced the dog as man's best friends. B) The computer and the dog as man's best friends. C) Modern technology has brought changes to people's home life. D) The dog as a pet will disappear completely from people's life.
A: A
(Q).
You're probably aware of the basic trends. The financial rewards to education have increased over the past few decades, but men fail to benefit. In elementary and high school, male academic performance is lagging. Boys earn three-quarters of the D's and F's. By college, men are clearly behind. Only 40 percent of bachelor's degree go to men, along with 40 percent of master's degree. Thanks to their lower skills, men are dropping out of the labor force. In 1954, 96 percent of the American men between the ages of 25 and 54 worked. Today, that number is down to 80 percent. In Friday's jobs report, male labor force participation reached an all-time low. Millions of men are collecting disability benefits. Even many of those who do have a job are doing poorly. According to Michael Greenstone of the Hamilton Project, annual earnings for average prime-age males have dropped by 28 percent over the past 40 years. Men still dominate the top of the corporate ladder because many women take time off to raise children, but women lead or are gaining nearly everywhere else. Women in their 20s outearn men in their 20s. Twelve out of the 15 fastest-growing professions are dominated by women. Over the years, many of us have employed a certain theory to explain men's economic decline. It is that the information-age economy rewards qualities that women are more likely to possess. To succeed today, you have to be able to sit still and focus attention in school at an early age. You have to be emotionally sensitive and aware of context. You have to communicate smoothly. For genetic and cultural reasons, many men are not good at these. But, in her fascinating new book, The End of Men, Hanna Rosin suggests a different theory. It has to do with adaptability. Women, Rosin argues, are like immigrants who have moved to a new country. They see a new social context, and they flexibly adapt to .new circumstances. Men are like immigrants who have physically moved to a new country but who have kept their minds in the old one. They speak the... In Hanna Rosin's opinion, male performance is falling behind because _ . A) men are less likely to sit still and focus in school at early age B) men are more rigid and less able to adapt to new circumstances C) women are doing better for genetic and cultural reasons D) it is more and more difficult for men to get bachelor's degree
(A).
B