Dining in a completely dark room, unaware what’s on your plate while sitting next to a complete stranger may not sound like an ideal restaurant experience but it’s certainly an intriguing way to spend a rainy night in London.
Dans le Noir, close to London’s financial district, is a restaurant full of blind waiters and waitresses who become your eyes around the restaurant, whose original Paris branch opened in 2004.
In the bar with the light, you choose whether you want the fish, meat or vegetable, but the dishes themselves remain a secret, as do the ingredients of the “surprise” cocktails. Bags, coats and devices(设备) that light up, including watches and mobile phones, are kept in the bar. Placing your hand on the shoulder of your guide, you are led to a table in a black dining room that sets up to 60 people. And it is dark.
The waiters tell you when the food is being placed down in front of you, then the fun begins, trying to get food into your mouth, then identifying just what it is that’s on your plate, and finally whether you have missed any of it.
It’s also a great chance to break social convention and eat using your fingers. Those same fingers are also the only way you can tell how much wine you’re pouring into your glass.
The happy atmosphere in the dining room also made the night memorable. You can’t really avoid talking to the person next to you at the long tables and guessing what the dishes are certainly provides adequate fuel for the conversations.
All will be revealed at the end of the meal when you are led back out into the lit bar. Not only do you finally get to see what you’ve just been eating but also who you’ve been talking to for the last 90 minutes.
1.What does the underlined word “intriguing.” in the first paragraph mean?
A. Terrible. B. Interesting.
C. Expensive. D. New.
2.According to the text, “Dans le Noir” __________.
A. is far from London’s financial district
B. has its first branch opened in Britain
C. is very popular among blind customers
D. has a dining room which can seat up to 60 people
3.We know from the text that the customers in “Dans le Noir” _________.
A. are forbidden to eat with their fingers
B. can talk to the strangers at table
C. will look at the menu in a dark bar
D. can take their mobile phones into the dining room
4.What’s the main purpose of the text?
A. To help blind people find a job in restaurants.
B. To show how to open a restaurant with a new idea.
C. To show how to enjoy the time in a dark restaurant.
D. To introduce and attract customers to “Dans le Noir”.
It was a Saturday morning, a day I believed would end in victory. For weeks, I had been preparing for the match at the county fairgrounds, sponsored(赞助) by our local riding club. My horse, Tonka, and I could run faster than any kid in the county, and I hoped to bring home a blue ribbon.
My mother usually drove me to the riding events, but on this day, my father planned to drop us off at the fairgrounds with the horse trailer(马车).
Although we never discussed it, my father’s struggle with alcoholism had become the silent center of our family life. My mother was paralyzed with fear and indecision. Her salary as a part-time nurse couldn’t possibly support four children. No one talked about alcoholism in those days, and it was my family secret.
We climbed on the trailer and my father pulled out of our driveway and headed toward the fairgrounds, picking up speed once we hit the main road. It wasn’t until we felt a big bump that I realized the trailer was out of control. The dream of my riding winner disappeared. Tonka lay on the floor, completely still. No words were possible. I knew he was dead.
Suddenly a man appeared. “Are you all right?” he asked. “Yes.” I answered, although I knew that nothing was all right. “Sit here on the grass,” he said. He bent down to look into the trailer. Tonka remained still. He touched Tonka and then turned to face me. ‘‘He is going to be OK. He has just been knocked unconscious.” He rubbed Tonka’s cheeks and gently pulling his ears. Tonka rose to his feet.
Our father was talking to a police officer. He was upset and in pain and took little notice of me. I looked back; the man was gone.
I never forgot him. He gave me strength and a sense of hope in a dark and frightening moment.
1.The writer went to the fairgrounds because he wanted to ___________.
A. take part in a horse racing B. buy Mum a blue ribbon
C. join the local riding club D. train his horse there
2.We can learn from the third paragraph that ___________.
A. the family kept silent at home B. the family lived a secret life
C. Father was addicted to alcohol D. Mum was physically disabled
3.What does “he’’ in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A. Father. B. The stranger.
C. The horse. D. The winner.
4.What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
A. Once formed, bad habits are difficult to break.
B. Unexpected kindness is a light that shines in the darkness.
C. However mean your life is, meet it and live it.
D. Family is a place of encouragement, a safe harbor in the storms.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Where is the Sculpture Garden?
A. On Trafalgar Road. B. Opposite the entrance. C. On the left of the bridge.
2.What can people do in the area between the Catering Village and the toilets?
A. Admire artwork out of wood and stone.
B. Appreciate an exhibition of paintings.
C. Buy food and drinks.
3.What is the popular area of the festival?
A. The Craft Market. B. The Sculpture Garden. C. The Catering Village.
4.What is the tradition of the festival?
A. Live bands play throughout the festival.
B. Authors read from their latest works.
C. Actors perform plays.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why does the man feel tired?
A. He couldn’t fall asleep last night. B. He worked overtime last night.
C. He stayed up watching TV last night.
2.What does the woman think of the reality TV show now?
A. Meaningless. B. Attractive. C. Strange.
3.Why do people want to be in the show according to the woman?
A. To earn money. B. To become famous. C. To experience a different life.
4.What do we know about the speakers?
A. They don’t like the reality TV show.
B. They admire people with real talent.
C. They have different opinions on fame.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the man’s job?
A. He works for a radio program. B. He sells music records.
C. He writes songs.
2.What kind of music does the man like best?
A. Country music. B. Jazz. C. Rock.
3.Why did the man start to buy music books?
A. To start a new radio program. B. To get information more easily.
C. To write more songs.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why didn’t the man choose the ￡12.50 tickets?
A. The tickets weren’t enough.
B. The time was not suitable.
C. The seats were at the back.
2.Which circus tickets did the man decide to buy?
A. The ￡15.00 ones. B. The ￡15.50 ones. C. The ￡17.50 ones.
