C

What comes into your mind when yothink of British food? Probably fish and chips, or a Sunday dinner of meat and two vegetables. But is British food really so uninteresting? Even though Britain has a reputation for less-than-impressive cuisine, it is producing more top class chefs who appear frequently on our television screens and whose recipe books frequently top the best seller lists.

It’s thanks to these TV chefs rather than any advertising campaign that Britons are turning away from meat-and-two-veg and ready-made meals and becoming more adventurous in their cooking habits. It is recently reported that the number of those sticking to a traditional diet is slowly declining and around half of Britain’s consumers would like to change or improve their cooking in some way. There has been a rise in the number of students applying for food courses at UK universities and colleges. It seems that TV programmes have helped change what people think about cooking.

According to a new study from market analysts, 1 in 5 Britons say that watching cookery programmes on TV has encouraged them to try different food. Almost one third say they now use a wider variety of ingredients (配料) than they used to, and just under 1 in 4 say they now buy better quality ingredients than before. One in four adults say that TV chefs have made them much more confident about expanding their cookery knowledge and skills, and young people are also getting more interested in cooking. The UK’s obsession (痴迷) with food is reflected through television scheduling. Cookery shows and documentaries about food are broadcast more often than before. With an increasing number of male chefs on TV, it’s no longer “uncool” for boys to like cooking.

28. What do people usually think of British food?

A. It is simple and plain. B. It is rich in nutrition.

C. It lacks authentic tastes. D. It deserves a high reputation.

29. Which best describes cookery programme on British TV?

A. Authoritative. B. Creative. C. Profitable. D. Influential.

30. Which is the percentage of the people using more diverse ingredients now?

A. 20%. B. 24%. C. 25%. D. 33%.

31. What might the author continue talking about?

A. The art of cooking in other countries. B. Male chefs on TV programmes.

C. Table manners in the UK. D. Studies of big eaters.

D

If yowant to tell the history of the whole world, a history that does not privilege one part of humanity, yocannot do it through texts alone, because only some of the world has ever had texts, while most of the world, for most of the time, has not. Writing is one of humanity’s later achievements, and until fairly recently even many literate (有文字的) societies recorded their concerns not only in writing but in things.

Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do just that, but in many cases we simply can’t. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate history is perhaps the first conflict, at Botany Bay, between Captain Cook’s voyage and the Australian Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain’s record of that terrible day. From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in flight after his first experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.

In addition to the problem of miscomprehension from both sides, there are victories accidentally or deliberately twisted, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing side often have only their things to tell their stories. The Caribbean Taino, the Australian Aboriginals, the African people of Benin and the Incas, all of whom appear in this book, can speak to us now of their past achievements most powerfully through the objects they made: a history told through things gives them back a voice. When we consider contact (联系) between literate and non-literate societies such as these, all our first-hand accounts are necessarily twisted, only one half of a dialogue. If we are to find the other half of that conversation, we have to read not just the texts, but the objects.

32. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A. How past events should be presented. B. What humanity is concerned about.

C. Whether facts speak louder than words. D. Why written language is reliable.

33. What does the author indicate by mentioning Captain Cook in paragraph 2?

A. His report was scientific. B. He represented the local people.

C.He ruled over Botany Bay. D. His record was one-sided.

34. What does the underlined word “conversation” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A. Problem. B. History. C. Voice. D. Society.

35. Which of the following books is the text most likely selected from?

A. How Maps Tell Stories of the World B. A Short History of Australia

C. A History of the World in 100 Objects D. How Art Works Tell Stories

第二节(共5小题;每小题2分，满分10分)

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Indoor plants might look as if they just sit around not doing much, but in many ways they are the unsung heroes of the home. ____36____, but studies have shown that they can promote people’s wellbeing by improving their mood (心情), reducing stress and helping their memory. What’s more, indoor plants are easy to look after and are not very expensive.

What are indoor plants?

Indoor plants, also known as houseplants or pot plants, are plants that like to grow indoors. Many of these species (物种) are not ideally suited to growing outside in the UK, especially in the winter. ____37____.

Why are indoor plants good for you?

Will Spoelstra, who works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, says, “____38____. I find during the winter months, plants around the house can really lift your mood.” Several studies have backed this up and found that indoor plants can improve creativity, focus and memory. There is also research showing that pot plants can clean the air around them by removing harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide. They also remove some harmful chemicals from paints or cooking. ____39____.

Which plants can yogrow?

Aloe vera, peace lilies and spider plants are some of the species that are easy to grow indoors. Yocan buy plants from supermarkets, garden centres or online. Younger plants are often cheaper than fully grown ones, and yoget to care for them as they mature — which is part of the joy of owning plants. “____40____,” Spoelstra says. “It can bring a new interest and focus into people’s lives and help to make the link between home and nature.”

A. All plants are different

B. Not only do they look beautiful