We all love festivals. But since culture develops differently in many places, some festivals are, to us, very strange. Let's take a look at some unique festivals around the world. Cheese Rolling Festival (England) The festival started in the 15thcentury in May. When a round cheese is rolled, competitors run down the hill and try to catch it before it reaches the bottom. As the cheese can reach speeds of up to 112 km/h, it's rare that someone catches the cheese. First to the bottom wins the cheese. But running down a very steep hill behind a cheese can be dangerous. Eight people were injured in 1992. Roswell UFO festival (New Mexico, US) The Roswell UFO festival celebrates the anniversary of the "Roswell Incident", when a UFO was said to have crashed nearby. Every year in July, experts, authors, researches and lecturers come to discuss the incident. The celebration also includes an alien parade, an alien costume contest, and an alien hot air balloon ride. Hemingway Days (Florida, US) This festival has normal stuff (,) like short-story readings and exhibits about the author. But the highlight of the festival is definitely the Hemingway look alike contest. Imagine walking into a bar and being greeted by 20 middle-aged men who all look alike: stocky with thick white beards. The festival takes place in mid-July every year. Which of the following is right according to the passage? A) All the three festivals are celebrated in America. B) It's common that someone catches the cheese in Cheese Rolling Festival. C) It's said that a UFO once crashed in New Mexico, US. D) In Hemingway Days, you'll see 20 old or young Hemingways
C
(Question)
Has anyone been prepared for the possibility that unexpected poor visibility will stop the pilot from landing? If your pilot is forced to turn back only for his lack of passing a certain test, you will be certainly shocked. This very thing happened to the passengers on Flight BE1431 on Thursday. Just minutes before landing on Charles de Gaulle Airport , Paris, the pilot, a very experienced one, told his passengers, "Unfortunately I'm not qualified to land in Paris for the poor visibility. To do so a level II qualification is required, which I have not gained. We'll have to fly back." Then, you may guess how the passengers felt about their flight back to the starting airport. A spokeswoman said the pilot was really experienced with more than 30 years flying a number of different passenger aircraft types. "But he has recently transferred from flying aBQ300 to aBQ400, so hehas to regain his qualification for landing in such conditions as the thick fog he experienced this time," she said. "The pilot, therefore, quite correctly turned the aircraft back, a decision 100 percent accepted by the aviation officials in the company." One passenger said she had missed an appointment for an interview in prefix = st1 /Paris. "I might have had a nice chance to work inParis," she told the local newspaper. "The whole thing sounds hard to believe. If I had not been on the plane, I would take it as a funny story!" The British Civil Aviation Authority described the incident as one that was "quite unusual but probably not unheard of," because there are different classifications of aircraft with different qualifications for landing in different climatic conditions and when an aircraft is updated, the pilots have to get retrained, even though they have enough skills to do the job successfully. Poor pilot, it's not really his fault... Which of the following is true? A) It was the airline's fault to require pilots to update qualification., B) The announcement made by the pilot seemed quite interesting. C) Actually, the pilot had the ability of landing the plane safe. D) The weather above the Airport was within the pilot's expectation.
(Answer)
C
Ques: Put yourself in these tourists' position. You are walking an icy mountain path in the Alps in Europe. Suddenly you spot a body on the ground,face downward and stuck to the ice. You think someone may have been murdered or in an accident. So you rush back and call the police. The police,however,quickly realize that this body is different from others they've found on the mountain. For one thing,it is mostly undamaged. For another,its skin is dried out,like a mummy's. And with it is a knife with a small stone knife. The body turned out to be much older than the tourists could have guessed. When specialists had a chance to examine it,they discovered it had been there for about five thousand years! How could a body stay preserved for all this time?Two things probably helped. First,the place where the man died was somewhat sheltered,so animals couldn't get at it. Then he was quickly covered by falling snow. Wind blowing through the snow probably "freezedried" his body,removing all _ from it. Objects found with the body told something about the Iceman's life. He wore a thick fur overcoat and trousers. He clearly had been hunting,for he carried arrows,and animal bones were nearby. He also had a grass cushion for sitting or sleeping on. Perhaps he was exhausted when he lay down for the last time. The body was found in 1991,when some of the ice on the mountain melted. Searching for the cause of the Iceman's death,scientists put the body back into cold conditions and hoped... The Man died in a location that was _ . A) near the base of the mountain B) sheltered C) surrounded by open fields D) cold and crowded
Ans: B
Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems, burdens and confusion. I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where I would go. The most extraordinary thing happened when I was on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. I thought he looked at least seventy years old. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me. Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, "Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?" That old man took pity on her and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, "I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform." I heard this and tears came to my eyes. The old man answered, "Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a school uniform." Then they walked to a market and I followed them behind. There he bought her a school uniform. The girl said, "Thank you so much for doing this. May God bless you." Then she left, leaving the old man smiling. He walked away from the market, but I stopped him. I whispered in his ear, "You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!" As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling. My own sadness disappeared and was chased away by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope, some day, I can show my appreciation of what I have by following the example of the old man who only had a little, but shared it beautifully with someone who had nothing. Why did the girl offer to polish shoes for the old man? A) She took pity on him. B) She wanted to take care of him. C) She meant to be friendly to him. D) She expected to get help from him.
D