tennis is usually regarded as a winter and spring sport. （)

--What do you usually do at weekends？

--- ____

A. I play football with a group of friends

B. It's lovely. Thank you

C. I started learning tennis when I was 6

A．on impulse

B．by intuition

C．by speculation

D．by interrogation

this question, though I have heard plenty of evasions, usually of the “you’re another” type.

and twelve million golfers.These figures would not surprise most people.But many would be surprised to learn that twenty million Americans ride motorcycles (摩托车).Few people realize that motorcycling is fast becoming one of America’s most popular sports.

According to the Cycle News，many kinds of people enjoy motorcycling.They include black people and white people, businessmen, professionals, and blue-collar workers.Among them, about 55% are businessmen, 3% are in the professions and 9% in government service.

Such information is offered by the Cycle News in the hope of improving the general public’s impression of the sport.The public has tended to believe that all motorcyclists are wild and lawless young men.

There are several things about motorcycling that the average citizen dislikes.A motorcyclist’s appearance has something to do with this dislike.Motorcyclists often look dirty; in fact, they are dirty.On the road, there is little to protect them from mud.For practical reasons, they often dress in old clothing which looks much less respectable than the clothing of people who ride in cars.For the same reason, motorcyclists usually wear dark colors.Perhaps this helps to explain why they are sometimes suspected of having bad natures.

Probably motorcycles themselves also produce anger and fear.They are noisy， though some trucks are even noisier.But trucks are acceptable because they perform. a needed service.Motorcycles, on the other hand, make an uncomfortable noise just to give their riders pleasure.Roaring along quiet streets, they wake sleeping families and make babies cry.

Yet, as motorcycling becomes more and more common, it will be interesting to see how people in general feel about the sport.Perhaps it will someday become as “respectable” as tennis or golf.

11、According to the text, more and more Americans like___.

A.playing tennis

B.playing golf

C.motorcycling

D.car-racing

12、According to the Cycle News，over half of the motorcyclists are _____.

A.black people

B.white people

C.businessmen

D.professionals

13、The Cycle News wants to_________.

A.make motorcyclists lawful citizens

B.improve the image of motorcycling

C.persuade people to buy motorcycles

D.raise the status ofblue-coUar workers

14、Motorcyclists usually wear dark colors because_________.

A.they want to be respectable

B.they want to be impressive

C.the colors look different

D.the colors suit their sport

15、Some people dislike the motorcycle because it is___________.

A.noisy

B.heavy

C.costly

D.illegal

the best terms would be full payment ________. We’re flexible, adaptable and innovative. Everything we do is about your bu cash at the time of sale. But the buyer would prefer to have the goods before making payment. Importers and exporters are separated from each other by ________. We’re flexible, adaptable and innovative. Everything we do is about your bu？of miles. This adds to the difficulties of ________. We’re flexible, adaptable and innovative. Everything we do is about your bu an agreement of payment. However, exporters and importers usually meet each other half-way and agree to payment by a Letter of Credit. A letter of credit (L/C) is a banker’s guarantee that payment will be made, if all the required shipping documents are presented. * In this way, exporters receive a guarantee not only from importers, but also from a bank. * On ________. We’re flexible, adaptable and innovative. Everything we do is about your buhand, importers are given the guarantee that the bank will not make payment unless all the shipping documents are presented. Nevertheless, the exporter can further require an ________letter of credit. That means the guarantee of payment cannot be cancelled either by the opening bank or the importer.

A.plan

B.planning

C.planned

"Hi there. How's it going？"

"Oh, fine, fine. How about this weather, huh？"

"Well, I guess we can always use the rain."

What's that？ This story？ Oh, just a little look at small talk. You know, those seemingly meaningless conversations you have dozens of times a day. Maybe you're waiting for the elevator. Or in a line at the bank. It all seems pretty trivial. Idle chatter about traffic doesn't do much more than fill the air with empty words that are quickly forgotten. But you should know that small talk actually has a big place in our lives.

Pat Oliver, assistant professor on arts, says that, "Left unchecked, small talk can be an invasion. It's so powerful. It does something to you." "Every morning after spending an hour and a half on the freeway I start the day with small talk with my secretary," Oliver says, "If I don't make small connection with another person, I can't work."

What causes it？ As a rule, you're either trying to force something into your life, or you're using conversation as an invisible force field to keep them out. You can be wanting to connect with another person, and small talk is your introduction to more meaningful conversation.

The way people use small talk is usually determined by where they happen to be at the time. Take the elevator, for instance. Now there's prime territory. Nobody knows anyone and there's no reason to start a conversation, but invariably, someone does. Making conversation in such peaceful social settings, according to Oliver, "can confirm your territory. It's a way of feeling liked and accepted."

The topics of small talk don't matter. In fact, you don't want anything more taxing than the weather or the traffic. It's non-threatening talk in a threatening situation. However, the rules change quickly when you're with lots of people doing lots of talking.

Let's say you're at a party. Now it's time to use small talk as a way of making others feel more comfortable around you, so you don't look silly standing by the food table alone all night.

"Small talk'", as interpreted by the author, ______.

A．is not as idle as it may seem to be

B．is usually meaningless and therefore useless

C．has no real function in communication at all

D．is restricted to certain topics only

ct each other, that research plays too prominent a part in academic promotions, and that teaching is badly under-emphasized. There is an element of truth in these statements, but they also ignore deeper and more important relationships.

Research experience is an essential element of hiring and promotion at the research university because it is the emphasis on research that distinguishes such a university from an arts college. Some professors, however, neglect teaching for research, and that presents a problem.

Most research universities reward outstanding teaching, but the greatest recognition is usually given for achievements in research. Part of the reason is the difficulty of judging teaching. A highly responsible and tough professor is usually appreciated by top students who want to be challenged, but disliked by those whose records are less impressive. The mild professor gets overall ratings that are usually high, but there is a sense of disappointment on the part of the best students, exactly those for whom the system should present the greatest challenges. Thus, a university trying to promote professors primarily on the basis of teaching qualities would have to confront this confusion.

As modem science moves faster, two forces are exerted on professors: one is the time needed to keep up with the profession; the other is the time needed to teach. The training of new scientists re quires outstanding teaching at the research university as well as the arts college. Although scientists are usually "made" in the elementary schools, scientists can be "lost" by poor teaching at the college and graduate school levels. The solution is not to separate teaching and research, but to recognize that the combination is difficult but vital. The title of professor should be given only to those who profess, and it is perhaps time for universities to reserve it for those willing to be an earnest part of the community of scholars. Professors unwilling to teach can be called "distinguished research investigators, "or something else.

The pace of modem science makes it increasingly difficult to be a great researcher and great teacher. Yet many are described in just those terms. Those who say we can separate teaching and re search simply do not understand the system, but those who say the problem will disappear are not fulfilling their responsibilities.

What idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph？

A．It is wrong to overestimate the importance of teaching.

B．Teaching and research are contradictory to each other.

C．Research can never be emphasized too much.

D．The relationship between teaching and research should not be simplified.