1.From Buckingham Palace to Oxford, the UK is loaded with wonderful icons (标志)of past eras. But it has also modernized with confidence. It’s now better known for vibrant (充满活力的) cities with great nightlife and attraction. Fashions, fine dining, clubbing, shopping-the UK is among the world’s best.2.Most people have strong preconceptions about the British. But if you’re one of these people, you’d be wise to abandon those ideas. Visit a nightclub in one of the big cities, a football match, or a good local pub and you might more readily describe the English people as humorous and hospitable. It’s certainly true that no other country in the world has more bird-watchers, sports supporters, pet owners and gardeners than the UK.3.Getting around England is pretty easy. Budget(廉价的)airlines like Easy jet and Rynnair fly domestically. Trains can deliver you very efficiently from one major city to another. Long distance express buses are called coaches. Where coaches and buses run on the same route, coaches are more expensive (though quicker) than buses. London’s famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper competitors, with freelance(个体的)drivers. But usually you need to give a call first. London’s underground is called the Tube. It’s very convenient and can get you to almost any part of the city.4.The UK is not famous for its food. But you still need to know some of the traditional English foods. The most famous must be fish and chips. The fish and chips are deep fried in flour, English breakfast is something you need to try. It is fried bacon, sausages, fried eggs, black pudding, fried tomatoes, fried bread and baked beans, with toast and a pot of tea. Other things like shepherd’s pie and Yorkshire pudding are also well-known as a part of English food culture.5.Pubbing and clubbing are the main forms of English nightlife, especially for the young. Pubbing means going to a pub with friends, having drinks, and chatting. Clubbing is different from pubbing and includes going to a pub, or a place of music, or a bar, or any other places to gather with friends. Clubbing can be found everywhere. Usually there is some kind of dress code for clubbing, such as no jeans, no sportswear, or smart clubwear, while pubbing is much more casual. Coaches in the UK are ()
A. faster but more expensive than buses
B. both ancient and modem
C. humorous and hospitable
D. cheap and efficient
E. traditional and famous
F. clever and hardworking
Smoking will be banned in all pubs, clubs and workplaces from next year after historic votes in the Commons last night. After last-minute appeals from health campaigners, MPs opted for a blanket prohibition which will start in summer 2007, ending months of argument over whether smokers should be barred in pubs and restaurants only. They voted to ban smoking in all pubs and clubs by 384 to 184, a surprisingly large majority of 200.Smoking will still be allowed in the home and in places considered to be homes, such as prisons, care homes and hotels.Smokers lighting up in banned areas will face a fixed penalty notice of £ 50 and spot fines of £ 200 will be introduced for failing to display no-smoking signs, with the possible penalty, if the issue goes to court, increasing to £ 1,000.Carpline Flint, the Public Health Minister, also announced that the fine for failing to stop people smoking in banned areas would be increased to £ 2,500-more than ten times the £ 200 originally proposed.The Bill also allows the Government to increase the age for buying cigarettes. Ministers will consult on raising it from 16 to 18.The Bill now goes to the Lords but will be through by the summer recess.Even a plan to allow smoking to continue in private clubs was thrown out as MPs on all sides were given permission to vote with their conscience rather than on a party line.Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, said the Health Bill would ban smoking in "virtually every enclosed public place and workplace" in England and save thousands of lives a year. Smoke-free workplaces and public places "will become the norm".She said: "An additional 600,000 people will give up smoking as a result of this law and millions more will be protected from second-hand smoke. "Peter Hollins, director-general of the British Heart Foundation, said: "The vote is a landmark victory for the public health of this country and will save the lives of many people. " The law doesn’t seem to apply to officials.()
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned