Do you know when and where ice cream got its start? It’s an international favorite with a long and interesting history.

The earliest ices were eaten in China many years ago. The people would put orange juice on ice. Later, this idea traveled to Italy. Nero, the emperor of Rome between 37 and 68 A.D., liked to eat ices between violin lessons. He ordered runners to run to the mountains, get snow and quickly run back to the palace. The snow was mixed （混合的）with fruit juices and nuts.

Around 1660, coffee shops serving ice cream were very popular in Paris. Most of the coffee shops were owned by Italians. The first successful one was opened by a man from Sicily named Francesco Procopio.

Ice cream was probably brought to America in the early 1700s, and it quickly became the favorite of American presidents. George Washington had ice cream pots and machines in his kitchen. Doly Madison, the wife of President Madision, was the first person to actually serve it in the White House. She made her guests very happy when she served her favorite dessert （甜點）.

Before ice cream was sold in stores, it was made and frozen at home. It took a lot of work to mix cream, eggs, fruit, ice, and salt, and then to freeze it. Nancy Johnson, an American woman who was good with machines, invented the hand-turned ice cream freezer in 1846. Five years later, Jacob Flusell opened the first ice cream business, in Baltimore, Maryland. His business quickly spread to other states.

50. How did people eat ice in China and Italy many years ago?

A. They ate with coffee.

B. They ate with fruit juices.

C. They ate with cream.

D. They ate with eggs and salt.

51. When was the first ice cream business opened in Baltimore?

A. In 1660.　　　　　　　　　 B. In 1700.　　　　　　　　　 C. In 1846.　　　　　 D. In 1851.

52. How did ice cream travel in the world?

A. Italy-China –Paris –America.

B. America-Paris –Rome –China.

C. China –Italy –Paris –America.

D. China- Paris –America –Rome.

For some people, it’s easy to get dressed for work. Pilots and police officers, for example, don’t have to make decisions about their work clothes. They wear uniforms to work every day.

   For many office workers, however, it is more difficult to choose clothes for work. They do not wear uniforms to the office. Also, many organizations are changing their dress codes. They are allowing their employees to wear casual(隨意的) clothes to work.

   The change to casual work clothes began in the 1990s. At first, many companies in the United States allowed employees to wear casual clothes on one day of the week—Friday. Friday became “Casual Friday” or “Dress-down Friday”. Today, however, many companies are allowing their employees to wear casual clothes every day of the week.

Some studies show that people are producing and achieving more when they are wearing comfortable clothes. Some companies also like the casual dress code because they don’t need to buy special clothes for work. They can save money this way.

    Unfortunately, a casual dress code can also cause problems. Sometimes employees think they can wear anything. Many companies have rules about casual clothes. They list the kinds of clothes that are not “business-casual” clothes. Blue jeans, sandals, and sportswear are examples of clothes that are usually too casual for the office.

1.What do pilots and police officers wear to work?

A. Casual clothes.          B. Sportswear.      C. Blue jeans.      D. Uniforms.

2.What do the underlined phrase “dress codes” mean?

A. They tell what you can do and can’t do.

B. They are rules about what clothes to wear.

C. They save a lot of money.

D. They show you what to say at work.

3.“Dress-down Friday” is a day when employees are allowed to_______.

A. eat delicious food

B. have smart uniforms on

C. wear casual clothes to work

D. work longer hours

4.Why do some companies agree to the casual dress code?

A. They don’t need to buy special clothes for work.

B. It is difficult for them to choose clothes for work.

C. They don’t like the same uniforms.

D. It is easy for them to make decisions about work clothes.

5.What problems can a casual dress code cause according to the passage?

A. Employees seldom wear comfortable clothes.

B. Usually employees put on expensive clothing.

C. Employees always have too little on themselves.

D. Sometimes employees dress too casually.

I think the most terrible thing in life for my little brother is getting up in the morning. He is almost sick when my mother calls, "Herbert! It's seven o'clock! Get up!"

Herbert answers, "I'm coming!" and goes right back to sleep. I'm not at all like my brother. I don't like to go to bed at night but I don't mind getting up in the morning. I usually wake up before my mother calls me. I jump out of bed and go into the bathroom to take a shower. I get dressed, brush my teeth, comb my hair, and get ready to go downstairs for breakfast as soon as my mother calls.

But not Herbert. He just sleeps. A military band (軍樂隊) in our bedroom could not wake him up. I call him and say, "Get up! Mum will be up here to pull you out of bed if you don't get up immediately!"

But he just sleeps. After calling a few more times my mother has to come upstairs and pull Herbert out of bed. It's that way every day with my little brother. Perhaps some day he'll learn to get up on time, but I really don't think so.

1.The most terrible thing in life for my little brother is going to school.　

2.I usually jump out of bed and go into the bathroom for a shower before my mother calls.

3.When mother calls, Herbert doesn't answer and still stays in bed.

4.Sometimes we have to send for a military band to wake Herbert up.

5.The writer thinks some day Herbert will learn to get up on time.