You want to know about my staying in America, right? Well, to tell you the truth, it is really an eye-opening experience to study here.

In China, I had English classes five times a week since fifth grade. However, I didn’t know how different textbook English could be from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut.

When I first studied English, I was told to say,” I am fine” when people say “How are you?” But in the US, I found that people say, “I am good” or “I’m tired”.

One day, someone greeted me with “What’s up?” It made me confused . I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn’t know what to say.

Since then, I have discovered more and more differences between Chinese and US cultures.

To my surprise, US girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun to get a tan(晒黑). However, in China, girls try every possible way to get their skin paler, or “whiter”.

I was also surprised by how hardworking US students are.

In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard and that’s it. But here, a “good” student gets good grades, does a lot of for the public and plays sports or music.

The kids here are so talented, I am starting to be sorry that I gave up playing the piano at an early age and that I have never thought about sports.

1. According to the writer, textbook English is ________ everyday English.

   A. quite different from     B. the same as        C. more difficult than    D. easier than

2. What does the word “confused” in the fourth paragraph mean in Chinese?

   A. 困惑                           B. 憧憬                C. 悲痛                             D. 后悔

3. A good US student spends his / her time __________ .

   A. only in doing homework                  B. only on sports or music

   C. only in working for the public           D. on studies, sports or music and public work

4. Which of the following is NOT true?

   A. The writer is now in US.

B. American girls love to have white skin.

   C. US students are talented and hard working.

D. The writer regrets(后悔) that he gave up playing the piano.

5. Which is the best title for the passage?

A. My Own Travel in the US           B. My Studying in the US

C. My Opinion about the US            D. My Friends in the US

In China, the National Holiday is a big festival and it is to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China by Mao Zedong in 1949.Besides from the Spring Festival, the National Holiday is the only other week-long public break from school and work.

As one of the only opportunities  for workers to go home, visit their families or to travel around the country, all hotels, tourist attractions, trains, buses and airplanes around the country are completely packed with holidaying Chinese people.

Are you sorry for not traveling during the National Day ? If you stay at home at that time, I think you are very lucky. Why? Because there are too many people everywhere. In many places of interest in China, it’s too crowded to do anything.

Look at the picture. It was too crowded on the Great Wall on October 1st, 2012. You even couldn’t take photos for you or your friends. All that we could see were people. It was reported that there were about twenty people per meter on the Great Wall. My friends told me they could see nothing but many people on the Great Wall. “We couldn’t walk if the people in front of us didn’t walk,” he said. He showed us a photo on the Great Wall. In the photo, we hardly found him out, there were too many people.

So some people give the advice that we should not have the gold week any more. But other people say no about this advice. What’s your idea of it? Are you sorry now for not traveling during the gold week? I love staying at home more than traveling next National Day.

1. How did the writer feel about staying at home on National Day?

A. He believed it was interesting to stay at home on National Day.

B. He believed it was boring to stay at home on National Day.     

C. He felt lucky to stay at home on National Day.

D. He felt sorry to stay at home on National Day.  

2.How many days can people have a break on the Spring Festival.

A. 5 days        B.7 days          C.10 days      D 15 days

3.Which of the following is TRUE about the Great Wall on National Day?

A. You could find yourself easily on the photos you took that day

B. You could walk as you like on the Great Wall

C. There were about 30 people per meter.

D. All that could you see on the Great Wall were people.

4.Where do you think is the article from?

A. www.chinabus.com            B. www.movies123.com      

C. www.chinatourist.com              D. www.storyhouse.com

In China, the National Holiday is a big festival and it is to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China by Mao Zedong in 1949.Besides from the Spring Festival, the National Holiday is the only other week-long public break from school and work.
As one of the only opportunities  for workers to go home, visit their families or to travel around the country, all hotels, tourist attractions, trains, buses and airplanes around the country are completely packed with holidaying Chinese people.
Are you sorry for not traveling during the National Day ? If you stay at home at that time, I think you are very lucky. Why? Because there are too many people everywhere. In many places of interest in China, it’s too crowded to do anything.
Look at the picture. It was too crowded on the Great Wall on October 1st, 2012. You even couldn’t take photos for you or your friends. All that we could see were people. It was reported that there were about twenty people per meter on the Great Wall. My friends told me they could see nothing but many people on the Great Wall. “We couldn’t walk if the people in front of us didn’t walk,” he said. He showed us a photo on the Great Wall. In the photo, we hardly found him out, there were too many people.
So some people give the advice that we should not have the gold week any more. But other people say no about this advice. What’s your idea of it? Are you sorry now for not traveling during the gold week? I love staying at home more than traveling next National Day.

【小题1】 How did the writer feel about staying at home on National Day?