It was the last day of school and I planned to travel to my friend’s hometown. I hadn’t seen him for years and this was a good  36 to meet him again.
I was busy at school so it was rather  37 when I came back home. It was already 10 o’clock at night. Time was running out. After a hurried meal I left.  38 I found a taxi very soon. Asking the driver to drive me fast to the station, I relaxed for a while, imagining what my friend looked like now. I was soon at the station and was sure that I would be able to  39 the train. Unfortunately, I fell on the way and lost some time. To my complete  40 , when I reached the platform, I saw that the train had just left! It was the last train so I had to  41 home.
My mother was glad to see me back as she had a feeling about my trip. But I was unhappy. I tried to relax and went to bed but I had a  42 sleep. The next morning I was very tired. As I was having breakfast the  43 arrived. I read over the pages and was shocked to  44 that the train I missed had had an accident. How  45 I was that I missed the train!

根据短文内容及首字母提示，填写所缺单词

Lots of people in the world like listening to folk songs. A folk song is a song that is “from the p  1.  ”. Every c  2.   has folk songs. Usually, they are quiet, simple songs. People often sing them with just a g  3.   of a few other instruments. Some folk songs are so o  4.   that no one knows who wrote them or when they were written. Other folk songs are by songwriters who are interested in people’s l  5.   and experiences. Woody Guthrie was one of those songwriters.

Woody Guthrie was born in a very small town in Oklahoma in 1912. Guthrie first learned to play the guitar from his grandfather in 1917. He soon began to p  6.   with other people in the area. Step by step, people liked his music.

In 1929, the economy was bad. Many people were not working, and there were many poor people. Guthrie began to travel around the country looking for work. Guthrie became interested in singing about people and their p  7.   during this period.

In the winter of 1940, Guthrie decided to go to New York. On his way, he created “This Land is Your Land.” The song talks about places and things people love. The last line of the song says, “This land was made for you and me.” These words tell people that e  8.   is equal.

Woody Guthrie died in 1967, but his music l  9.   on. His music is an important part of American h  10.  and culture. And to this day, people love to sing the folk songs written by him.

In the US, the most popular way to welcome the new year is with a big party. Some parties are at private homes. But in recent years, it has become more and more common for Americans to go to a hotel or eating-place on the night of December 31st. There, they can eat a big dinner, drink champagne, and dance to orchestra music.

Most New Year’s parties are usually noisy. People shout and sing. And often, guests blow on small noisemakers when the new year arrives at midnight. This tradition of noise making is believed to start centuries ago. People thought that loud sounds would drive away the bad spirits of the old year.

The biggest, noisiest New Year’s party in the US takes place in Times Square in New York. Thousands of people gather(聚集) there. Some of them ring bells and set fireworks. Others blow whistles of car horns(喇叭). And at twelve o’clock, they begin to cheer as an electric sign in the shape of a red apple lights up on top of a tall building.

The Times Square celebration includes another well-known American tradition. Since 1929, the band of musician Guy Lombardo has given a concert on New Year’s Eve. Guy Lombardo died in 1977. But, Bill Lombardo, has kept the tradition alive with a band concert at a New York city hotel. When the crowds in Times Square start cheering the arrival of the new year, television cameras show the band playing the song Auld Lang Syne.

1. The most usual way to welcome the new year in the US is ________.

A. to go shopping      B. to meet friends    C. to travel abroad     D. to hold a big party

2. The biggest New Year’s party in the US is __________.

A. in Central Park     B. in Hollywood       C. in Times Square    D. in Disneyland

3. In the past, some American people made big noise when the new year arrived ________

A. to express their friendship         B. to drive away the bad spirits

C. to make others more excited       D. to give best wishes to each other

4.In 1929 a concert on New Year’s Eve was given by _________.

A. the band of Guy Lombardo        B. the band of Bill Lombardo

C. the band of Johann Strauss         D. the band of Elvis Aaron Presley

首字母填空（10小题*1=10分）

Lots of people in the world like listening to folk songs. A folk song is a song that is “from the p 1.”. Every c 2. has folk songs. Usually, they are quiet, simple songs. People often sing them with just a g 3. of a few other instruments. Some folk songs are so o 4. that no one knows who wrote them or when they were written. Other folk songs are by songwriters who are interested in people’s l 5. and experiences. Woody Guthrie was one of those songwriters.

Woody Guthrie was born in a very small town in Oklahoma in 1912. Guthrie first learned to play the guitar from his grandfather in 1917. He soon began to p 6. with other people in the area. Step by step, people liked his music.

In 1929, the economy was bad. Many people were not working, and there were many poor people. Guthrie began to travel around the country looking for work. Guthrie became interested in singing about people and their p 7. during this period.

In the winter of 1940, Guthrie decided to go to New York. On his way, he created “This Land is Your Land.” The song talks about places and things people love. The last line of the song says, “This land was made for you and me.” These words tell people that e 8. is equal.

Woody Guthrie died in 1967, but his music l 9. on. His music is an important part of American h 10. and culture. And to this day, people love to sing the folk songs written by him.