One of the traditions which is now a necessary part of Christmas is that of Father Christmas, or Santa Claus. According to the modern legend, he is a magical figure who visits all the children of the world during the night before Christmas Day, leaving presents which they find the next morning. He flies through the night sky in a sledge pulled by reindeer, and enters houses by climbing down chimneys. This strange legend is based on the life of a man called Nicholas, but in fact we know very little about him. Historians think he was a Christian bishop(主教) in Turkey in about 285－350 A. D. One of the stories about him is that he helped three poor girls. No one would marry them because they were so poor. To provide them with money for their weddings, Nicholas secretly dropped some gold coins down the chimney of their house. After Nicholas died, he was made a saint(圣人) by the church. (The name Santa Claus thus comes from St Nicholas.) His feast day was celebrated in December, and parents started giving their children secret presents from St Nicholas. Over the years, this custom became part of our Christmas traditions.
Recently, a psychologist has claimed that Father Christmas is “the perfect fantasy” for children. According to Professor Anthony Clare, children love the character of Father Christmas because he is like an ideal father: he loves children and gives them presents, but he never criticizes them, is never angry, and children do not even need to thank him for the presents. Other writers, however, point out that Father Christmas can be a frightening character to some children. Jane Bidder says that some children are terrified of this fat, bearded old man. It can certainly confuse many children. As parents, we warn our children to be careful of strangers and never to let them into the house, and yet we tell children that a strange man will come into their bedroom at night! Some children can become very worried about this idea and fear that he is a kind of burglar.
Most children, however, understand from their parents and from the media that Father Christmas is basically a benign character, and look forward to his annual visit with joy and excitement.
46. The main point of the first paragraph is that ________.
Father Christmas is an important part of Christmas
the tradition of Father Christmas is a modern idea
Father Christmas is a magical figure who can fly
the legends about Father Christmas are not true
47. The writer mentions details such as Father Christmas’s sledge, the reindeer and the way he climbs down chimneys because he/she ____________.
wants to make it clear that these things are impossible
is describing the history of St Nicholas
wants everyone to believe that Father Christmas is real
is explaining the modern legend of Father Christmas
48. Why does the writer mention the story about St Nicholas helping three poor girls?
It shows us that historians know very little about him.
This story explains why parents give secret presents to children.
It supports the writer’s main point that Father Christmas is based on an untrue story.
This story explains why we celebrate Christmas in December.
49. In the last paragraph, the word “benign” means _________.
A. religious B. friendly C. frightening D. unreal
50. The best title for this passage would be __________.
A. Is Father Christmas Dangerous? B. The True History of St Nicholas
C. The Legend of Santa Claus D. The Traditions of Christmas
Free Fun Guides
Free Admission to Hundreds of Museums Sept. 25
What a weekend! This Saturday, Sept. 25, hundreds of U.S. museums are admission free for the Smithsonian’s yearly Museum Day.
Unlike previous Museum Day celebrations, you must sign up for a free ticket that admits two people to any of the participating museums. That means filling out a form and having the ticket emailed to you. Not bad for a free offer that will give you admission to museums such as the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and the Air & Space Museum in San Diego.
Free Books for Kids @ Barnes & Noble!
If your kids love to read — and we hope they do! — be sure to sign them up for Barnes & Noble’s summer reading programs so they can earn a free book!
It’s easy for kids ages 12 and under to participate. For Barnes & Noble’s Passport to Summer Reading program, just download and print out your passport. Read any eight books, make a list of them on the back of the passport and bring it to any Barnes & Noble by September 7. Choose your free book from the list.
FREE Night of Theater Across the U.S. in October
It’s the yearly run of the Free Night of Theater, when hundreds of theaters in 120 U.S. cities give away thousands of tickets to local productions.
While the kickoff date is October 15, many of the theaters start releasing their free tickets by Oct.1 or in waves during the month of October for performance dates throughout the month. Ticket seekers are limited to two tickets for one performance.
Find your city on the Free Night of Theater Website and check the listings for performances, their dates and their ticket giveaway times and locations.What is new about this year’s Museum Day?
| A．People must buy tickets for visiting a museum. |
| B．Two museums offer free admission. |
| C．People will get free tickets online. |
| D．People can visit museums online and get a small gift. |
Which of the following shows the similarity between Museum Day and Free Night of Theater?
| A．They take place once a year. |
| B．The same number of free tickets is given away. |
| C．The tickets can be used in any U.S. city. |
| D．They last for the same length of time. |
The main purpose of the passage is to___________.
| A．give guidance on how to have some fun |
| B．help people who are very poor |
| C．introduce ways to save money |
| D．provide information about free things to do |
How to Make Friends
Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leaves us without a friend. Making new friends comes easy for some people. But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage. Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.
Associate with others.
The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.
Start a conversation.
Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends. Do not wait to be spoken to. You can always start the conversation. Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.
Do things together.
Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together. Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.
Let it grow.
It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend. So you will need to give your friend time to react to you. The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.
Enjoy your friendship.
The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves. Try not to find fault with your friends. Try not to change them from who they are to what you want them to be. Become the kind of friend you will want your friend to be to you.
How to Make Friends
It’s ______ for us to have a good friend.
Many of us have ___ in making and keeping friends.
Below are some suggestions.
I．Associate with others.
Go to public places to meet new persons.
Be active to make people know you.
II．Start a conversation.
Speak to other people actively by making small talk.
III．Do things together.
Choose friends who have __ with you
Have an aimless___with your friends for pleasure.
IV．Let it grow.
Avoid pressing your new friend with calls, messages or visits all the time.
Give time to your friend to adapt to you.
V．Enjoy your friendship.
Try not to find _ with your friends.
Let your friends be themselves
Strive to improve yourself.
Rainy days don’t have to get you down, a happiness expert has claimed.
Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, said that people only feel miserable in bad weather because they think about it too much. Studies have shown that people who live in warm, sunny climates are no happier than those in chilly, wet climates, he says.
So the British talking about the weather may be making us gloomier（沮丧的） than the weather itself.
He said: “A study was done that measured the happiness levels of people in California compared to the North West.
“They expected that people in California would be happier because it is more sunny, but they found that levels of happiness were exactly the same.
“If it is sunny every day you get used to it and the sunshine doesn’t make you any happier.
“Most of the time the weather doesn’t affect our well-being at all. But when we think about it, and think that it does, that’s when we get miserable.”
In his new book, Happiness By Design, Dolan argues that we can think ourselves happy by taking our attention away from what makes us sad.
“Most of our anxieties come from what might be,” he argues. “If you want to be happier, pay attention to the things that make you feel good.”
He also claimed that a problem shared was not always a problem halved. He claimed that humans are actually very good at being able to get over tragedy and loss.
Professor Dolan also admitted for the first time that he had a stammer（口吃）, which had made his early life miserable. He claimed it only got better when he learned not to pay attention to his speech problem.
“Things are never as bad as you imagine them being,” he said.What does the underlined word “miserable” in the second paragraph mean?
| A．Good. | B．Unhappy. |
| C．Cheerful. | D．Confident. |
People in California ___________ compared to people in the North West.
| A．are much happier |
| B．can’t enjoy sunny days |
| C．are more used to sunny days |
| D．have lower levels of happiness |
What is Dolan’s suggestion for being happy?
| A．Don’t think too much about yourself. |
| B．Don’t focus on what makes you sad. |
| C．Avoid comparing yourself to others. |
| D．Avoid doing many miserable things. |
Where could this passage have been taken from?
| A．A report. | B．A notice. |
| C．A poster. | D．A questionnaire. |
Here are some of the strangest buildings in the world. Please look at them and tell us your impressions.
Stone House, Portugal
The stone house in Portugal is really similar to the famous home of the Flintstones （《摩登原始人》）. It is built between two rocks and its architecture（建筑） has impressed some of the greatest architects. The house was attacked by some bad people. The house is pretty comfortable inside, with a fireplace and every- thing necessary, so it is a wonderful example of modern architecture in Stone Age style!
Dancing Building, Czech Republic
The Dancing House, or “Fred and Ginger”, is situated in Prague, the Czech Republic. It is an amazing masterpiece of architecture which has its own romantic charm. There is something so sweet in the way the buildings hug each other for a dance! It has become a symbol of the city!
The Crooked (弯曲的) House, Poland
The crooked house in Poland has an extraordinary and amazing structure. It was built in 2003 with its design based on the pictures of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg. It looks as if it has been taken from a cartoon: its design is “crooked”, but it is balanced, so it is not ugly at all, just strange! The interesting part is how builders managed to create this genius idea, but the house is a fact and everyone admires their creativity!
Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada
Habitat 67 in Canada is a very interesting arrangement of cubes，which looks like the building blocks that children play with. It is pretty interesting how it was designed — it looks so original, and at the same time the building is completely stable（稳定的） and comfortable for living! It was created as a main attraction for Expo（展览会） 67, where it was officially exposed!What is a common feature of the Stone Houseand the Dancing Building?
| A．They all appear very modern. |
| B．They are the symbols of their own cities. |
| C．They are all for people to live in. |
| D．They are both examples of great architecture. |
What is a special feature of The Crooked House?
| A．It was designed by two architects. |
| B．It has the longest history of the four. |
| C．Its construction lines are not straight. |
| D．Its design inspiration is from cartoons. |
Which of the buildings can remind people of a kind of toy?
| A．The Stone House, Portugal |
| B．The Dancing Building, the Czech Republic |
| C．The Crooked House, Poland |
| D．Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada |
Habitat 67 ____________________.
| A．is situated in Europe |
| B．was built for an exhibition |
| C．looks like an ancient building |
| D．has a fireplace in it |
Until the invention of the steam engine, humans traveled the earth on foot. The slow travel meant that explorers frequently returned with stories about distant lands: some of them wild tales, some honest descriptions.
Barbara Klion, who has retired, knows what that’s like. As a walker who has toured Australia, Kenya and China on foot, her trips are the modern edition of an ancient tradition. For years, Klion and her husband, now 75 and 80 years old, traveled independently.
Walkers know that seeing the world on foot gives them a rare experience. Often travelers are attracted by local people and customs. They also get a beautiful and lasting impression of the scenery. Walking tours can be done in one’s backyard, but there are several destinations around the world that expose travelers to the best of nature and culture.
What to look for? A famous guide says that the essentials of a quality walk are great scenery, tolerable1 weather, suitable level of difficulty and something like ecology, history or culture. These may seem like unclear instructions, but the fun of walking tours is that many things are determined by the traveler.
|
Someone who appreciates hot climates, wildlife and flat areas could choose a walking tour in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. Travelers who don’t mind the cold and enjoy adventure could hike Patagonia, an area of southern Argentina east of the Andes.
In general, independent travelers can decide how far to go each day, while guests of a tour agency should expect to walk an average of four to eight miles a day. At the Fordland National Park, for example, there are several easy-to-difficult hikes, giving travelers many choices.| A．Great scenery. |
| B．Tolerable weather. |
| C．A helpful companion. |
| D．Suitable level of difficulty. |
According to the passage, compared with guests of a tour agency, independent travelers .
| A．can walk farther | B．have more choices |
| C．face more difficulties | D．spend less |
What’s the author’s attitude towards walking tours?
| A．Indifferent. | B．Negative. |
| C．Worried. | D．Supportive. |
The best title for the passage might be “ ”.
| A．See the World on Foot |
| B．Barbara Klion, a Great Traveler |
| C．What to Look for |
| D．The Fun of Walking |