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Four Must-See Route 66 (66号公路) Attractions
The United States is full of odd roadside attractions. Route 66 is home to some of the oldest and most known attractions of them all. Here are four attractions you should see along the Mother Road:
⒈Paul Bunyan and a Hot Dog
Route 66 travelers pass by many fiberglass giants（巨人）right along the road. These giants were a popular form of advertising in the 1960s.Many of them stood in front of service stations. They held car parts, such as mufflers. The collection of Route 66 giants became known as “Muffler Men”. Businesses hoped the strange statues would get travelers' attention.
The first fiberglass giant was a “Paul Bunyan” figure, built in the early 1960s. It's said that Paul Bunyan is a famous wood worker.
⒉Crown Candy Kitchen and Jamaica Ray
Crown Candy Kitchen has been serving Route 66 travelers from the very beginning. It is just a few short blocks from the 66 path through St. Louis, Missouri. The family-run soda fountain shop opened more than 100 years ago, and has been making candies and meals ever since.
On weekends, people sometimes wait in line for a table at Crown Candy for over an hour. Luckily there is free entertainment right outside. Jamaica Ray, a local folk artist, creates unusual sculptures.
⒊The World's Largest Rocking Chair
Fanning, Missouri, is home to one of the strangest Route 66 attractions. Just off the road sits an almost 13-meter-tall rocking chair.
The structure was completed in 2008 on the first of April, or April Fool's Day. At one time the chair actually rocked. But officials decided it had to be still to be safe for ever. People are not permitted to climb the chair. We think, however, that it probably happens once in a while, when no one is watching.
⒋Big Texan's Steak Challenge
Few places better represent the common expression “Everything's Bigger in Texas” than the Big Texan Steak Ranch. Since 1960.it has appealed to travelers with big appetites and a big love of beef.
It is hard to miss the huge yellow restaurant or the giant cow statue that sits out front. The cow advertises Big Texan's special deal, and what has made this steak ranch famous: a “free” 72-ounce（英两）or 2-kilogram steak. There is one trick: the steak is only free if you can eat the entire thing in one hour.
A special table is in the middle of the restaurant for the daring diners who accept the challenge. Since 1990, more than 9,000 diners have eaten the entire 2-kilogram steak.
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These days, young people in some English-speaking countries are speaking a strange language, especially when communicating on social media.
Look at these words chosen by The Washington Post: “David Bowie dying is totes tradge,” and “When Cookie hugged Jamal it made me totes emosh.” Or this sentence: “BAE, let me know if you stay in tonight.”
What on earth do they mean? Well, “totes” is a short form of “totally”. Similarly, “tradge” means “tragic” and “emosh” means “emotional”. It seems that, for millennials（千禧一代）, typing in this form is not only time-saving but fashionable.
As you can see, many millennial slangs（俚语）are formed by so-called “totesing”—the systematic abbreviation（缩写）of words. The trend might have started with “totally” becoming “totes”, but it now has spread to many other English words.
The origins of other millennial slangs are more complex than “totesing”.“Bae”, for example, has been widely used by African-Americans for years. It can be an expression of closeness with one's romantic partner or, like “sweetheart”, for someone without romantic connection. After pop singer Pharrell used the word in his work, “bae” became mainstream.
Some people might think millennial slangs lower the value of the English language, but Melbourne University linguist（语言学家）Rosey Billington doesn't agree. She says when people are able to use a language in a creative way, they show that they know the language rules well enough to use words differently. Two other linguists, Lauren Spradlin and Taylor Jones, share the same view. The two analysed hundreds of examples of totes-speak and discovered totesing has complex roots.
It isn't simply an adult version of baby talk, nor a clever way to minimize your word count. Rather, it is a highly organized system that relies on a speaker's mastery of English pronunciation. It is about sounds, follows sound system of English and has strict rules.
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Fat and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. “Foothall, tennis, cricket-anything with a round ball, I was useless,” he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the one always made fun of in school gym classes in Devonshire, England.
It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him. At first he went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to-ride the bike along with a runner friend. Gradually, Saunders set up his mind on building up his body, increasing his speed and strength. At the age of 18, he ran his first marathon.
The following year he met John Ridgway and was hired as an instructor at Ridgway's school of adventure in Scotland, where he learnt about Ridgway's cold-water exploits. Greatly interested, Saunders read all he could about North Pole explorers and adventures, then decided that this would be his future.
In 2001, after becoming a skillful skier, Saunders started his first long-distance expedition towards the North Pole. It took unbelievable energy. He suffered frostbite, ran into a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit, pulling his supply-loaded sled（雪橇）up and over rocky ice.
Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole, and he's skied more of the North Pole by himself than any other British man. His old playmates would not believe the change.
Next October, Saunder, 27, heads south from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, a 2900-kilometer journey that has never been completed on skis.
a. He ran his first marathon. b. He skied alone in the North Pole. c. He rode his bike in a forest. d. He planned an adventure to the South Pole. |
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A survey has shown that what you do on a plane can be determined by which nationality is listed on your passport.
According to the results of an international passenger survey. Australians are the biggest drinkers on board with 36 percent choosing to down the hatch（干杯）, compared to 35 percent of Americans and 33 percent of Brits.
The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) spoke to around 1,500 people, aged 18 and older, who have travelled by plane at least once during the last three months and were living in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Australia and Brazil.
The results found Chinese travelers are most likely to nod off once the seat-belt sign switches off. They are also the first to take out their credit card for some in flight shopping and the biggest fans of gaming. Americans on the other hand like to use their time in the air more productively when not drinking, choosing to work while flying at 35,000 feet.
Meanwhile, Brits and Germans are the best at making chat with random strangers spending 50 percent more time than any other nationality. Comparatively, Brazilians conduct their conversations online via email, messaging apps or social media.
Despite plane food having a bad reputation, seven out of ten interviewees said they were happy to eat upon the selection of in-flight snacks and meals. In flight magazines were also popular with four out of five passengers.
The international flyers did, however, express their desire for better in flight entertainment. “The industry has greatly improved the comfort, entertainment and onboard service, and passengers are accepting those improvements” said Russell Lemieux, the APEX executive director “At the same time, passengers are demanding more from their air travel experiences which will drive more improvements touching all aspects of the journey.” he added.
The Lost Rules of Etiquette
Etiquette, or good manners, used to be the glue that held society together. Sadly, these days it has mostly gone by the wayside. This list is several best rules of etiquette that have now disappeared.
Opening the Door
In days gone by, a gentleman would always open doors for ladies. This has now almost entirely disappeared-and it is not entirely the fault of the men. I have seen women laugh at men for opening a door for them. They seem to be confusing manners with chauvinism（大男子主义）.
Writing Thank-You Notes
In days gone by, whenever a person received a gift, they would write a thank-you note as soon as possible. Parents would sit children down after a birthday or Christmas and coach them in their first thank-you note. It is a shame that gift giving has now become a virtual obligation and the idea of a thank-you note would be laughed at.
We seem to have completely lost the concept of correct timing when it comes to parties these days. After all, a party normally has a guest of honor-this is usually the oldest woman present. It was considered extremely rude in the past to leave a party before the guest of honor-and once the guest of honor left, it was a signal to all that they should begin their on preparations to leave.
A. Arriving on Time. B. Leaving at the Right Time. C. People leave with various excuses. D. It enabled people to get on well with each other. E. This rule was true even if the giver was a relative. F. It could be the lady they were driving, or a stranger. G. We've thrown away the concept of a guest of honor at will. |
White clouds filled the sky. The sun's rays 1 through them, spreading cheer and 2. After the meal, Olivia lay back on the blanket, 3 the amazing sky and Dad was 4 the picnic food.
“Dad, that 5 over there looks like a rhinoceros（犀牛）! There's a horn（角）, two ears and a long tail.” Olivia said.
“Is there? I can't see it.” Dad sighed and 6 his head.
“Oh, look, Dad. That cloud looks like a penguin.” Olivia turned to her father.
“Do you see any 7 in the clouds, Dad?”
“I see a turkey.” He rubbed his cheeks and 8 her closer with his warm hands.
“Dad, I see a fighting lion, a running giraffe and a 9 parrot.”
“I'm sorry to stop our fun, 10 it looks like rain” said Dad, 11 the picnic basket “Clouds don't get big 12 they're going to drop rain on us.”
A raindrop 13 on Olivia's forehead.” You're right, Dad. I'll 14 the blanket.” The two rushed for the 15. On their way home Olivia 16 out of the window. “Is the sky always that 17 before a storm, Dad?”
“Beauty is in the eye of the 18, my little angel.” It is 19 that there are some people who would never have seen a rhinoceros or a turkey in clouds. 20 the eyes of the child, the world is fresh and appealing each day.
I can't help but feel (concern) about the (destroy) of tropical forests. It is one of the most serious environment problems today. From I know, people are damaging thousands of square (kilometer) of forests every day. This is killing hundreds of wild animals that live in the forests.
(fortunate), we do nothing but talk about it. We don't do anything (protect) the forests. We need to stop people doing it. There should be (strong) laws. I think that people who cut forests should go to prison. That's what should happen to people who destroy the forests and kill wildlife.
In my opinion, we, human beings, must protect wildlife future generations. Hopefully, our children (be) more responsible than we are today.
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意： 1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
My hometown, Sichuan, is a immense region in the southwest of China, with a very amazed landscape. Much of it are hilly. In the remote areas in the west it reaches to the steep slopes of the Himalayas. There are mountain to the north and a high plateau to the south. I think his hometown is a beautiful province. People call it “The Heavenly Kingdom”, so the name really means “four rivers.” The most famous river is the Yangtze, that passes all the way through the province on it's long journey to the coast. The most beautiful spot on river is the Three Gorges.
