When first entered, Vanak Restaurant does not look like much of a restaurant, but once the pleasant smells of kabob（烤肉串）hit the senses, you are incapable of calling it anything less.

Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many restaurants lack.

The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the environment is truly charming.

Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all customers, especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Eastern cooking.

A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics, watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, an reading local Persian newspapers all the while trying to finish off their plates piled with food.

The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large. Most of the meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordable but practical as well.

The food, especially appeals to health-conscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited fat and oil and served straight off the grill （烤肉架）.

The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different style of grilled meat.

One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Joojeh Kabob, which is made of grille chicken pieces served with cither rice or bread. Another great kabob is the Cbelo Kabob, kabob consisting of grilled beef.

Although the restaurant is small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a place that should not be overlooked.

1.

 When first entering the restaurant, one can find that it ________.

A. is splendidly decorated

B. has pleasant smells of kabobs

C. is crowded with dining tables

D. looks like a common restaurant

2.

What activity is also mentioned apart from dining in the restaurant?

A. Watching news events on TV.

B. Drinking a kind of black coffee.

C. Reading local English newspapers.

D. Discussing world topics in low voices.

3.

The food of the restaurant ________.

A. is served in small amounts

B. is rather expensive

C. is rich in variety

D. is very healthy

4.

 What is the dish Joojeh Kabob mainly made of?

A. Rice         B. Chicken      C. Bread        D. Beef

5.

 It can be inferred from the passage that the restaurant ________.

A. occupies a large space

B. owns a favorable location

C. is popular for its special food

D. has a quiet environment inside

 

The other day, my friend Jane was invited to a 40th birthday party. The time printed on the invitation was 7:30 pm．Jane went off with her husband, expecting a merry evening of wine, food, and song．
By 9:45, everybody was having great fun, but no food had appeared. Jane and David were restless. Other guests began whispering that they, too, were starving．But no one wanted to leave, just in case some food was about to appear. By 11:00, there was still no food, and everyone was completely off their heads. Jane and David left hungry and angry．
Their experience suggests that the words on the printed invitations need to be made clearer. Everyone reads and understands the invitations differently. Most of us would agree that 6:30 - 8:30 pm means drinks only, go out to dinner afterwards; 8:00 pm or 8:30 pm means possible dinner, but 9:30 pm and any time thereafter means no food, eat beforehand, arrive late．
But this is not always the case．If asked to a students’ party at 6:30 pm, it is unaccepted for guests to appear on time. Being the first to arrive — looking eager — is social death. When my mother is asked to a party at 6:30, she likes to be there, if not on time, then no later than seven．My age group (late thirties) falls somewhere between the two, but because we still think we’re young, we’re probably closer to student-time than grown-up time．
The accepted custom at present is confusing, sometimes annoying, and it often means you may go home hungry, but it does lend every party that precious element of surprise．
【小题1】The underlined words “off their heads” probably mean _______．

A．tired

B．crazy

C．happy

D．encouraging

【小题2】Jane and David’s story is used to show that _______．

A．party invitations can be confusing

B．party-goers usually get hungry at parties

C．people should ask for food at parties

D．birthday parties for middle-aged people are dull

【小题3】For some young people, arriving on time for a students’ party will probably be considered _______．

A．very difficult	B．particularly thoughtful
C．friendly and polite	D．socially unacceptable

【小题4】What is the general idea of the text? 

A．It’s safe to arrive late just when food is served．

B．It’s wise to eat something before going to a party．

C．It’s important to follow social rules of party-going．

D．There’s no need to read invitations carefully．

短文改错

It’s become part of the restaurant table setting: knife, fork, napkin and cell phone.

　     Distracted (思想不集中的) dining is the new concern with customers constantly texting friends, uploading a Weibo photo of the meal they’re about to chew down or emailing the boss. For many smart-phone users, it’s hard just to focus on the meal and company at hand.

　     Now, one restaurant in Los Angeles is giving diners a reason to turn off the digital world, by offering customers willing to check (寄存) their phones at the door a 5-percent discount on their bill. Owner and chef Mark Gold of Eva Restaurant, located on Beverly Boulevard near N. Gardner Street, hopes this gives customers a way to truly sit back and relax, enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person.

　     “For us, it’s really not about people disturbing other guests. Eva is home, and we want to create that environment of home, and we want people to connect again,” he explained. “It’s about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we’re trying to create an atmosphere where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company.”

　     Gold said applying the suggestion reminds him to avoid cell phone usage, too. “I’m guilty of it as well. When my wife and I go to dinner it seems like the cell phone is part of the table setting now. Every table you look at, it’s a wine glass, the silverware and the cell phone,” he joked.

　     The husband and wife team runs Eva, a 40-person space with European flair. Gold said a little less than half take advantage of the deal, and no one has gotten upset about it.

　     “I think once the server approaches the table and they’re presented with the offer, they like the idea of actually talking to each other again,” he said.

1.When having meal in Eva Restaurant, we are not offered             on the table.[学,

A. forks                        B. cellphones                       C. napkins          D. knives

2.Why does Gold think people should not use cellphones at table?

A. Because it can cause health problems.

B. Because it will disturb other customers.

C. Because it can get a 5-percent discount on the customers’ bills.

D. Because it may prevent people communicating with their companions.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Many people would like to upload a photo of their food before they eat nowadays.

B. People are forbidden to use cellphones in Eva Restaurant.

C. More than half of the customers in Eva Restaurant have enjoyed the discount.

D. People can easily connect with each other anytime without using cellphones.

4.What can be the best title of the passage?

A. No Cellphone at Table!

B. Focus on Your Cellphone!

C. Eva Restaurant – Home to Customers.

D. Talk Face to Face.

 

 

Gallery Policies for Visitors to National Gallery of Art, Washington

Visitors must present all carried items for inspection upon entry. After inspection, all bags, backpacks, umbrellas, parcels, and other things as determined by security officers must left at the checkrooms, free of charge, close to each entrance. All oversized bags, backpacks and luggage must be left at the checkrooms near the 4th Street entrance of either the East or West Building. These items will have to be x-rayed before being accepted items of value, such as laptop computers, cameras, and fur coats, may not be left in the checkrooms but may be carried into the galleries. We regret that we do not have enough space for visitor items larger than 17×26 inches into the Gallery or its checkrooms. Additional security procedures and checks may be taken according to the decision of the Gallery.

For the safety of the artworks and other visitors, nothing may be carried on a visitor’s back. Soft front baby carriers are allowed, but children may not be carried on shoulders or in a child carrier worn on the back. Pushchairs are available free of charge near each checkroom. Smoking is prohibited. Food and drink are not permitted outside the food service areas. Unopened bottled water may be carried only in a visitor’s bag. Cell phones may not be used in the galleries. Animals, other than service animals, are not permitted in the Gallery. Skateboarding is prohibited. Picture-taking (including video for personal use is permitted except in special exhibitions and where specifically prohibited. Tripods (三角架) are not allowed. Please do not touch the works of art.

1.When people come to visit the Gallery, they should ____________.

A．leave all their carried items at the checkrooms

B．have all their carried items x-rayed at the entrance

C．take all their carried items with them without inspection

D．have all their carried items inspected at the entrance

2.What does the Gallery feel sorry for?

A．Visitors have to keep their valuable items in the checkrooms.

B．The size of visitor items allowed into the Gallery is limited.

C．It cannot keep oversized visitor items due to limited space.

D．Visitor items over 17×26 inches must go through additional checks.

3.Parents with small children visiting the Gallery _____________.

A．can carry their children in soft front child carriers

B．can carry their children on their shoulders

C．can carry their children in child carriers worn on the back

D．ought to pay if they want to use pushchairs for their children

4.Visiting photographers should make sure that __________.

A．pictures and videos are allowed for personal use anywhere in the Gallery

B．pictures and videos can be taken in some places for personal use

C．picture-taking and videoing are totally forbidden in the Gallery

D．tripods are allowed except in some special exhibitions