Bill Gates receives honorary knighthood

Gates' royal honor - bestowed by the queen on the advice of the government - was announced in January 2004, but a "mutually convenient" date to receive it had not been available until now.

British recipients of knighthoods are entitled to be addressed with a "Sir" before their names. The honor was long the preserve of senior soldiers, judges and other servants of the state, but recent years have seen the creation of Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John.

As an American, Gates is not entitled to use "Sir" before his name, but he can put the initials KBE - Knight Commander of the British Empire - after his name.

Gates joins a roster of American knights that includes former presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, comedian Bob Hope, retired U.S. Army Gen. Tommy Franks and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Gates said he was proud of what he called Microsoft's "special relationship" with Britain.

"The U.K. was the first country in which Microsoft set up a subsidiary outside the U.S., and our experience in the U.K. has been significant in shaping our international growth," he said.

Microsoft's British facilities include Research Cambridge, a laboratory established in 1997 in the university town that employs 80 scientists. In 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced a donation of $210 million to Cambridge University to create a scholarship program for graduate students from outside Britain.

QUESTIONS：

1. What would Bill Gates be called then?

A. Bill Gates KBE

B. Sir Bill Gates

C. the knight Bill Gates

D. Bill knight Gates

2. Which of the following is not American, according to the passage?

A. George H.W. Bush

B. Colin Powell

C. Elton John

D. Bob Hope

3. Which of the following is not true about Microsoft’s British facilities?

A. It is a laboratory.

B. There are four scores people working in the facilities.

C. Its name is Research Cambridge, and it was founded in 1997.

D. It has offered scholarship to students from other countries.

答案：

1. A (比尔盖茨是美国人，所以不可以在名字前面加上Sir，而是在名字后面加上Knight Commander of the British Empire 的首字母缩写，即KBE)

2. C

3. D  (提供奖学金的是比尔与梅琳达基金会)

【WORD BANK】

bestow   v. 授予，给(某人)以(奖赏、称号等)

knighthood   n. 骑士身份，骑士精神

be entitled to do sth.   享有……资格做某事

subsidiary   n. 子公司，附属公司

facilities   n. (为某种目的而提供的)设施，设备