新世纪英语高二全部课文及重点词组

　　Tea, a popular drink in China and many other countries, is carefully prepared according to local customs. The Chinese put loose tea in teapots, add boiling water, and serve it in teacups. The strong tea from China’s Fujian Province is drunk in tiny cups before dinner. Lighter teas with jasmine, rose or other flowers, are special to China’s Changjiang River regions. These are usually served after dinner to help digestion.

　　In England people use teabags and mugs. Many English people, travelling away from home, feel at a loss if their favourite teabags are not available. Afternoon tea in England is still a time-honoured tradition. It’s a good opportunity for people to socialize or discuss business matters, though now more young people prefer a cola.

　　In Japan, a tea ceremony is often held while people are drinking tea. The ceremony, usually held in a teahouse, dates back to the sixteenth century. Guests follow strict rules set up then and the tea used is a powdered green tea. Though still practised today, the tea ceremony may not be as popular as it used to be. Young Japanese tend to favour other drinks.

　　4. Coffee

　　When coffee was first introduced in Europe in the 1600s, there was a great deal of controversy about it. Many doctors said that coffee was a strong poison and should be forbidden. Others, however, insisted it was good to drink coffee. Then, “coffee houses” sprang up everywhere. Today, coffee has become a global drink and it is consumed by one third of the world’s population.

　　Tests show that when coffee is given in large doses to animals, it can actually act as a poison. Coffee can also produce negative or even poisonous effects on small children. But for adults who drink it moderately, it is by no means a poison.

　　Coffee contains caffeine. Most people believed that it is the caffeine that produces all the effects that coffee has on the body. Of course, the other elements in coffee have a role to play.

　　Here are some of the things that happen when people drink coffee. The smell of coffee itself produces stimulating effects in various parts of the body. The blood vessels(血管) in the brain open wider so that the flow is improved, and this removes some of the poisonous substances from the brain. Coffee increases the pulse rate(脉搏), which means it stimulates the heart, and the muscles can thus work harder. Coffee makes the stomach work more actively, which is worthwhile for healthy people, especially when drunk after a heavy meal.

　　Coffee actually produces different effects on the body at different times of the day! The morning coffee, for instance, helps the body get rid of waste products produced during the night. Coffee after lunch helps digestion. Afternoon coffee acts on the muscles and helps us feel less tired. And coffee taken in the evening seems to stimulate the mind and the imagination!

　　However, there always two sides to everything. Caffeine is stimulating, so a lot of people avoid drinking coffee at night, which is the time when people want to go to bed instead of feeling stimulated. Furthermore, some people get hooked on coffee because of the caffeine, and that has always been considered negative.

　　5. The Mexican (Adapted from The Mexican Jack London)

　　Rivera was determined to help his people at the cost of his life. he fought against stronger and tougher boxers in the ring to make money for his people. He often lost at the beginning, but he grew more experienced.

　　One day he was engaged in a very tough fight against a champion boxer, Danny. Rivera didn’t match Danny in height, weight, or skills. And he was not half as popular. However, “The winner takes all!” And Rivera stubbornly asked for all---all he had on his mind was making the money for his people.

　　The fight was going on and on. The whole stadium was cheering for Danny; there were few on Rivera’s side. However, Rivera survived on blow after another; his excellent defence was frightening.

　　Danny rushed, forcing Rivera to give him a clinch. Was it a trick? Rivera thought to himself.

　　Yes, it was. But Rivera was smart enough to avoid it. He backed and circled away.

　　He pretended to clinch with Danny’s next rush. Instead, at the last instant, just as their bodies should have come together, Rivera went quickly back. He had fooled him!

　　While Rivera was dancing away, Danny kept challenging him openly. Having run after him for two rounds, Danny found the boy not even daring to come near him. He started to throw all caution to the winds. Rivera was struck again and again. He took blows by the dozen---just to avoid the deadly clinch.

　　In the seventeenth round, Rivera, blown heavily, bent down. His hands dropped helplessly. Danny thought it was his chance---the boy was at his mercy. He decided to strike the deadly blow. But before he could do that, Rivera caught him off his guard and hit him in the mouth. Danny went down. When he rose, Rivera gave him another blow on the neck and jaw. He repeated this three times.

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