C

      There are so many fantastic places around the world. Please follow us to the following places.

     Barrow 

     Barrow is in the Land of the Midnight Sun,Alaska. During the summer the sun doesn’t set at all from May 10 to August 2. In winter,the sun doesn’t rise from November 18 to January 24. The temperature is below zero for about 324 days a year. In Barrow,native people continue their ancient ways of catching whales,polar bears and seals to feed villagers.

     Cairo 

     Cairo is Egypt's capital and is the largest city in the Middle East and Africa. It has been called the “Mother of the World”. People in Cairo live a modern life with old traditions. It's a city where people wearing business suits and traditional clothing visit the same coffee shop. Cairo is home to the pyramids.

     Moscow 

     Moscow is Russia's capital and largest city. It's home to more than eight million people. Since the late 15th century,Moscow has been the economic and cultural center of Russia. Tourists enjoy visiting famous places like the Kremlin and Red Square.

() 1. In Barrow,you can't see the sun .

   A. on May 25 B. on July 20

   C. for 67 days a year   D. for 84 days a year

() 2. People are allowed to catch whales in .

   A. Cairo   B. Moscow

   C. Barrow   D. Sydney

() 3. We learn from the passage that .

   A. Moscow is a city where people can go to the beach

   B. in Moscow people are too busy to change their clothes

   C. Moscow is famous for the Kremlin and Red Square

   D. Moscow is a city where sea animals are trained for performances

() 4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

   A. Barrow is a very warm place.

   B. Cairo is called the “Mother of the World”.

   C. At least two of the three places mentioned above are capital cities.

   D. Cairo is the biggest city in the Middle East and Africa.

() 5. According to the passage,Barrow is probably .

   A. in the south of Egypt

   B. the most northern town in America

   C. a very modern city in southern America

   D. a small island in the Pacific Ocean

B

     Some people have a very poor sense of direction. Unluckily,I am one of them. I have visited a place many times but I may still get lost there the next time.

     When I was a little girl,I never dared ask strangers the way. And so I used to walk round in circle and hope that by chance I would get to the place I was going to. 

     Now,I am no longer too shy to ask people for directions,but I often receive helpless or even wrong information. So I try to avoid giving people wrong directions. If anyone asks me the way somewhere,I would say ,“Sorry,I am a stranger here. ”

     Once on my way to work I was stopped by a man. He asked me if I could tell him the way to the Friendship Building. I gave him my usual reply. But just as I walked on only a few steps,I realized that he had asked the way to my office building. However,I had no time to turn back and look for him. I was rushing to meet with someone at my office and I didn't want to keep him waiting.

     When I just got to my office,the secretary showed in the man who had asked me for directions. Imagine how embarrassed I was and how surprised he was when we saw each other at the first sight!

() 1. The writer always refuses to give people directions because .

   A. she's a stranger to the city

   B. she doesn’t know the people

   C. she has no time to help others

   D. she's afraid of giving wrong directions

() 2. A man stopped the writer on the way to .

   A. sell her something

   B. ask for the time

   C. make friends with her

   D. ask for the directions

() 3. The Friendship Building is the place where the writer .

   A. lives   B. studies

   C. works   D. teaches

() 4. The word “embarrassed” in the last paragraph means “ ”.

   A. 尴尬   B. 困惑

   C. 激动   D. 拮据

() 5. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   A. The writer is too shy to give others directions.

   B. The writer has a very poor sense of directions.

   C. The writer never got lost when she was young.

   D. The man was quite nervous when he saw the writer.

A

     I return to my hometown of Wilson Creek after I have been away for 10 years.

     So many things have changed around here. When I left Wilson Creek,there was a small pond on the right as you left town. They have filled in this pond and they have built a large shopping mall there. A new post office has also been built just across from my old school.

     There is a baseball court on the outskirts of Wilson Creek which has been changed completely. We used to drive for several hours from the city center to get there. Now,a new stand has been added so that more people could sit. It looks really great.

     The biggest changes have taken place in the center of the city. It has been changed into a walking area and you can't drive there any more. A European-style fountain has been built and some benches have also been added along with a grassy area and a new street cafe.

      My street looks just the same as it always does but a public library has been built in the next street along. There used to be a great park there but they have cut down all the trees,which is a pity. The library now has a large green area in front of it but it's not the same as when the park was there.

      Another improvement is the number of new restaurants. A Chinese and an Italian restaurant have opened in the town center and a Mexican restaurant has opened near my home,which is where I am going tonight!

() 1. The place where there was a small pond has become .

   A. a fountain   B. a shopping mall

   C. a park   D. a school

() 2. What does the underlined word “outskirts” mean in the passage?

   A. 中心   B. 地下   C. 郊区   D. 城区

() 3. What changes have taken place to the park?

   A. The trees in it have gone.

   B. It's got bigger.

   C. It has become a library.

   D. It has become a zoo.

() 4. What can we infer from the passage?

   A. The writer misses the food of an old restaurant.

   B. The writer hasn’t been away from home for long.

   C. The writer prefers the new city to the old one.

   D. The writer isn’t happy with all the changes.

() 5. What is the passage mainly about?

   A. Changes of me.

   B. Changes of my school.

   C. The layout of my city.

   D. Changes of my hometown.

F

     It is said that there was a farmer who 3 a poor boy on a cold windy Christmas Eve and gave him a big Christmas meal. The boy was very 4 . He cut a branch of a fir tree and inserted it into the earth. He said,

     “At this time of every year,there will be many presents on this branch. I hope I can 5 your favor by this beautiful fir tree. ^w After the boy left,the farmer discovered that the branch had grown up as a big tree. Then he 6 that the boy was someone from God.

() 1. A. southern   B. northern   C. eastern   D. western

() 2. A. news   B. information   C. stories   D. surveys

() 3. A. refused   B. served   C. asked   D. thanked

() 4. A. helpful   B. thankful   C. forgetful   D. useful

() 5. A. care about   B. look for   C. pick up   D. pay back

() 6. A. realized   B. wondered   C. remembered   D. reminded

() 7. A. increase   B. reduce   C. stop   D. cut

() 8. A. red   B. green   C. yellow   D. brown

() 9. A. if   B. so   C. or   D. but

() 10. A. they   B. them   C. their   D. themselves

E

     On the night of December 31st,people all over the world,east to west,north to s 1 ,begin to celebrate one of the greatest festivals of the year. “Happy New Year” greetings can be heard for a few weeks. New Year is one of the oldest h 2 . It‘s a time for reflection,a time for resolution. And it's a time to make

a n 3 start!

     When New Year comes,it is common for people to c 4 it with their families and friends. People usually hold parties and the parties often last into the m 5 of the night. Everybody has a good time at the parties.

     In New York City,the USA. many people go to Times Square and m 6 resolutions there. Some people promise to lose weight. Some people promise to g 7 up smoking. Resolutions are made because we want to make a fresh s 8 . They want to begin a new year with a good resolution.

1.  2.

3.  4.

5.  6.

7.  8.

9.  10.

D

     Halloween is a strange holiday. It started several centuries ago in Europe. It began as “Hallow Evening” which means “holy night”. At that time,November 1st was called “All Saints’ Day” and people honored all the saints who did not have their own special day. People believed that all the spirits of dead people were active on the night of October 31st. So people would play all sorts of tricks on each other.

     Black is one of the traditional Halloween colors? probably because Halloween festivals and traditions took place at night. Pumpkins are a symbol of Halloween,so orange has become the other traditional Halloween color. Making lanterns out of pumpkins is a Halloween custom.

     Halloween is great fun for children. They dress up as ghosts or witches. Small children go “Trick-or-Treating”. They wear costumes,knock on doors,and shout ,“Trick or Treat!” People almost always choose to give them candy as a treat,instead of choosing to receive a trick from the children. Adults sometimes “trick or treat” their friends,too. Usually the “treat” is a glass of wine or some small gifts.

根据短文内容，完成下面的句子。(每空一词)

1. Halloween is a holiday which started of years ago in .

2. It was believed that the spirits of people were active on the night “All Saints’ Day”.

3. and are both traditional Halloween colors.

4. People,especially ，have great fun playing “Trick or Treat” to

Halloween.

5. According to the custom,people always treat the children with

instead of a trick from them.

C

     We spoke to three students from around the world about different national holidays. There are different customs for each festival.

     Tan Xiaodong,15, Hong Kong,China

    “It’ll soon be Chinese New Year. Before it,we’ll clean the house and decorate it for good luck. Every shop is going to close for a few days and we⁵ll go out a lot to celebrate in the streets. We might go and see the lion and dragon dances in the city center. I love this festival. ”

     Wendy,16, Sydney,Australia

    “Australia Day is on 26th January and it's an important holiday here. We always have a Monday off,so we celebrate for three days. My parents and I go to the countryside for a picnic and friends always come over. Many people go to beach parties or street parties and there's lots of music and dancing. What fun!”

     Amy,14,New York,USA

() 1. How many festivals are mentioned in the passage?

   A. Two. B. Three.

   C. Four. D. Five.

() 2. During the Chinese New Year,tourists can .

   A. do a lot of shopping

   B. see lion and dragon dances

   C. decorate the house for good luck

   D. eat turkey

() 3. On Australia Day,Wendy's family .

   A. have a meal in the countryside

   B. go to a swimming pool

   C. have a party at school

   D. clean the house and dance

() 4. What do you think a turkey is in this passage ?

   A. Country.

   B. A festival.

   C. A bird.

   D. A kind of drink.

() 5. From the passage,we can learn that .

   A. Australia Day is an important day for family members to get together

   B. different festivals have different customs

   C. many people go out for a picnic with friends before Chinese New Year

   D. the first Thanksgiving Day was born a hundred years ago.

B

     If he doesn’t see his shadow,spring is on the way,that is to say,we luck out with an early spring.

     Since a groundhog hibernates for the winter,its coming out of the ground is a natural sign of spring. Centuries ago,people in Europe watched for a badger or bear as signs of winter's end,rather than a groundhog. Germans who moved to Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s began keeping an eye on the groundhog. The large population of the little animal made it easy for them to forecast the weather.

      It also has religious origins,just like Candlemas,which is also on Feb. 2.Candlemas Day is a Christian holiday. Early Christians believed that if the sun came out on Candlemas Day,winter would last for six more weeks.

      In the 1880s, some friends in Punxsutawney,Pennsylvania,went into the woods on Candlemas Day to look for groundhogs. This outing became a tradition,and a local newspaper editor nicknamed the seekers “the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club”. Starting in 1887 the search became an official event and centered on a groundhog called “Punxsutawney Phil”. A ceremony still takes place every year. Groundhog Day is not a legal holiday;nobody gets off work. Many American cities have their own special groundhogs;New York City's official groundhog is called “Pothole Pete”，but “Punxsutawney Phil” gets the most attention. So far,Phil has seen his shadow about 85 % of the time.

() 1. According to the passage,spring is coming near if .

   A. a duck is swimming in the river

   B. a groundhog cannot see its shadow

   C. a groundhog can see its shadow

   D. a bear is sleeping in the tree hole

() 2. People in Europe watched for a badger in order to .

   A. predict the weather   B. take the place of a groundhog

   C. celebrate the festival   D. catch it as a pet

() 3. The underlined word “them” refers to .

   A. the groundhogs in Punxsutawney in the mid-1880s

   B. people in Europe centuries ago

   C. Germans who moved to Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s

   D. bears or other hibernating animals

(   ) 4. Which is NOT true about Groundhog Day?

   A. The festival falls on Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney.

   B. Groundhog Day has a religious origin.

   C. Going out to look for groundhogs was an official event.

   D. People have a day off on Groundhog Day.

(   ) 5. The passage is mainly about .

   A. Groundhog Day   B. Candlemas Day

   C. Punxsutawney Phil   D. Pothole Pete

A

      On Thanksgiving Day,about 88  percent Americans eat turkey. But one lucky turkey not only will not be eaten but also will become famous. Every year,turkey farmers present turkeys to the US president. But instead of eating this turkey,the president gives it a “pardon”. The turkey is flown to Florida for a Thanksgiving Parade. Then it lives on the farm for the rest of its life.

     Turkeys come from America and have been part of American culture for centuries. Benjamin Franklin even wanted the turkey to be America's national bird.

      Turkeys that are kept on farms are large,awkward birds that can not fly. But wild turkeys are quite fast. They can fly at the speed of up to 88 kilometers per hour. They can also run at 40 kilometers per hour.

     Turkeys don't have ears. They hear by using the growth of beaks. But their hearing is about five times better than human’s  hearing.

     Turkeys are such interesting birds. No wonder Benjamin Franklin wanted them to be America's national bird.

() 1. people eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

   A. A few   B. Some

   C. Most   D. All

() 2. The underlined word “pardon” means “ ”.

   A. 赦免   B. 死

   C. 礼物   D. 原谅

() 3. A wild turkey can fly at the speed of .

   A. 88 kilometers per hour

   B. 40 kilometers per hour

   C. as fast as a kept one

   D. five times faster than a man

() 4. The turkey doesn’t have .

   A. eyes   B. ears

   C. a mouth   D. wings

() 5. What's the best title of this passage?

   A. The turkey on the farm.

   B. The history of the turkey.

   C. How to keep the turkey.

    D.The star of Thanksgiving.

F 

    An empty chocolate box doesn’t have much use to most people. But a group of Chinese teens have used the box and other waste to make musical instruments,giving t 1 waste a new use.

     Ming Yue,a middle school student in Beijing,is one of the s 2 . She and the rest of the students have made a lot of m 3 instruments out of ordinary trash.

     The chocolate box is u4   to make a pipa,a traditional Chinese musical instrument The students use the box,the leg of a b 5 chair and some strings (线) to create a pipa .

     The students choose waste to use. With a teacher h 6 them,they make the trash into useful instruments.

     Teng Baohua,the teacher of the class,says, We have created more than twenty k 7 of instruments so far ,such as drums ,guitars and some t 8 Chinese instruments.

      Teng says that the students are bringing in their own waste to use,such as chopsticks,b 9 and boxes..

Chang Cheng,a worker from an o10 called Friends of Nature,says transforming waste into musical instruments is a new way to recycle waste. Their behavior will encourage more people to protect our environment,” he says.

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