Colours often have different meanings in different cultures. In the U.S., people have found the following to be true.
Black
Black is the colour of power. It is also popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner.
White
White is the symbol of purity. White is thought to be a summer colour. However, white shows dirt and is more difficult to keep clean than other colours.
Red
This is the most exciting colour. Red furniture (家具) should look very good since it will attract a lot of attention. Red cars are the thieves’ favourite. Red is often used in restaurants because it is an appetite (食欲) stimulant. This means it can make people eat more.
Blue
Blue is the colour of the sky and the ocean. Peaceful blue is often used in bedrooms. Studies show that weightlifters are able to lift heavier weights in blue gyms.
Green
Green represents nature. It is the easiest colour on the eye. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients.
Yellow
Sunny yellow is a cheerful colour, yet people lose their tempers (发脾气) more often in yellow rooms, and babies cry more.
【小题1】Which colour is a summer colour?

A．Blue.

B．White.

C．Green.

D．Red.

【小题2】The underlined word “stimulant” means “______”.

A．刺激物

B．防腐剂

C．辐射物

D．装饰品

【小题3】Where is colour red often used?

A．In bedrooms.	B．In gyms.
C．In hospitals.	D．In restaurants.

【小题4】What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．It is the easiest colour for people to find.

B．It is the most comfortable colour for eyes.

C．People can remember it more easily.

D．It can improve our eyesight.

【小题5】Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?

A．White can make people eat more.

B．Blue can make patients feel more relaxed.

C．People can get angry easily in yellow rooms.

D．Black cars are popular among thieves.

Do you know what couch-potato means? Well, in America, the word is now often used. You see, in America, many people often spend their free time sitting on a couch (沙发) watching TV. As there are many channels (频道) to choose, the TV can be quite interesting and very addictive (使人上瘾的). One may sit and watch TV for hours and hours without stop! Well, these people who do nothing all day except watch TV are called couch-potatoes.

In America, while watching TV, most often sitting still with eyes looking right into the TV set. Also because these people are addictive to TV, they don’t take exercise and usually get very fat. So in many ways, these people look like real potatoes! Well, because they look fat, and watch TV on a couch, they are all called couch-potatoes. Now you know what a couch-potato means. The next time if you see someone watching TV too long, just say, “What a couch-potato!”

1.The word “couch-potato” is often used in ______.

A. China    B. France   C. America   D. Germany

2.If a person is called a couch-potato, he or she ______.

A. does nothing all day        B. often listens to music

C. often watches TV in his free time D. must be very fat

3.Why does a couch-potato look like a real potato?  Because he or she ______.

A. is fat and cannot take exercise  

B. is fat and round

C. likes eating potatoes on a couch while watching TV

D. almost never moves while watching TV and gets fat

4.The passage mainly (主要) tells us ______ .

A. how to watch TV   

B. what couch-potato means

C. why couch-potatoes are very fat      

D. where you can find couch-potatoes

 

MSG(monosodium glutamate) is a food additive(食品添加剂),which has been widely used by many food factories all over the world since it appeared first in Japan in 1909.
MSG is a substance that is added to some food to improve its original(原先的) taste and colour. It is used in foods around the world such as cakes, bread, frozen meats, fish and vegetables. In the beginning, people thought MSG was safe just like salt and sugar. However, in 1968 some people reported they seemed to have bad reactions(反应) to MSG after having had a meal at a restaurant. They included headaches and quick heartbeat(心跳).It was also reported that MSG excited a person’s brain and caused his death in Japan. Scientists think that MSG may lead to many neurological disorders(神经紊乱).In mice studies done by a university, the evidence showed the mice didn’t want to eat the food including MSG.
Today many food companies “hide” MSG on food labels(标签) by using different names. If you see “natural flavorings”,“hydrolyzed protein”and “spices” in a food label, you are probably seeing a hidden way to “report” MSG in a food label. Every time we have a meal in a restaurant, we always feel the food very delicious to taste, but sometimes it is dangerous for our health because some poisonous food additives have been added to the food.
To protect people’s health, our governments, from central to local, are taking actions to stop factories producing poisonous food additives.
【小题1】 Monosodium Glutamate is _______

A．a food

B．an additive

C．a factory

D．a country

【小题2】MSG is often used in ______.

A．frozen meats

B．cups

C．clothes

D．book covers

【小题3】The examples in the second paragraph tell us ________.

A．the food including MSG is delicious	B．people like to eat in a restaurant
C．mice like eating the food including MSG	D．MSG is not safe sometimes

【小题4】If you see “natural flavorings”,“hydrolyzed protein” and “spices” in a food label, you will know ­­­­­­­_____________.

A．you must eat the food in a hidden way

B．the food label must be hidden

C．MSG is probably added to the food

D．you must report the food to your parents

【小题5】The underlined word “substance” in the article means __________.

A．colour

B．material

C．taste

D．food

Colours often have different meanings in different cultures. In the U.S., people have found the following to be true.

Black

Black is the colour of power. It is also popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner.

White

White is the symbol of purity. White is thought to be a summer colour. However, white shows dirt and is more difficult to keep clean than other colours.

Red

This is the most exciting colour. Red furniture (家具) should look very good since it will attract a lot of attention. Red cars are the thieves’ favourite. Red is often used in restaurants because it is an appetite (食欲) stimulant. This means it can make people eat more.

Blue

Blue is the colour of the sky and the ocean. Peaceful blue is often used in bedrooms. Studies show that weightlifters are able to lift heavier weights in blue gyms.

Green

Green represents nature. It is the easiest colour on the eye. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients.

Yellow

Sunny yellow is a cheerful colour, yet people lose their tempers (发脾气) more often in yellow rooms, and babies cry more.

1.Which colour is a summer colour?

A. Blue.        B. White.         C. Green.     D. Red.

2.The underlined word “stimulant” means “______”.

A. 刺激物       B. 防腐剂     C. 辐射物     D. 装饰品

3.Where is colour red often used?

A. In bedrooms.                     B. In gyms.

C. In hospitals.                    D. In restaurants.

4.What does the underlined sentence mean?

A. It is the easiest colour for people to find.

B. It is the most comfortable colour for eyes.

C. People can remember it more easily.

D. It can improve our eyesight.

5.Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?

A. White can make people eat more.

B. Blue can make patients feel more relaxed.

C. People can get angry easily in yellow rooms.

D. Black cars are popular among thieves.

 

MSG(monosodium glutamate) is a food additive(食品添加剂),which has been widely used by many food factories all over the world since it appeared first in Japan in 1909.
MSG is a substance that is added to some food to improve its original(原先的) taste and colour. It is used in foods around the world such as cakes, bread, frozen meats, fish and vegetables. In the beginning, people thought MSG was safe just like salt and sugar. However, in 1968 some people reported they seemed to have bad reactions(反应) to MSG after having had a meal at a restaurant. They included headaches and quick heartbeat(心跳).It was also reported that MSG excited a person’s brain and caused his death in Japan. Scientists think that MSG may lead to many neurological disorders(神经紊乱).In mice studies done by a university, the evidence showed the mice didn’t want to eat the food including MSG.
Today many food companies “hide” MSG on food labels(标签) by using different names. If you see “natural flavorings”,“hydrolyzed protein”and “spices” in a food label, you are probably seeing a hidden way to “report” MSG in a food label. Every time we have a meal in a restaurant, we always feel the food very delicious to taste, but sometimes it is dangerous for our health because some poisonous food additives have been added to the food.
To protect people’s health, our governments, from central to local, are taking actions to stop factories producing poisonous food additives.
【小题1】 Monosodium Glutamate is _______

A．a food

B．an additive

C．a factory

D．a country

【小题2】MSG is often used in ______.

A．frozen meats

B．cups

C．clothes

D．book covers

【小题3】The examples in the second paragraph tell us ________.

A．the food including MSG is delicious	B．people like to eat in a restaurant
C．mice like eating the food including MSG	D．MSG is not safe sometimes

【小题4】If you see “natural flavorings”,“hydrolyzed protein” and “spices” in a food label, you will know ­­­­­­­_____________.

A．you must eat the food in a hidden way

B．the food label must be hidden

C．MSG is probably added to the food

D．you must report the food to your parents

【小题5】The underlined word “substance” in the article means __________.

A．colour

B．material

C．taste

D．food