Every year, as Spring Festival draws near, most Chinese people will get excited to make preparation for the most important festival and make plan for the winter break. It is a little like Christmas in the United States, but there are some differences between the two festivals.
Both the major Chinese and the major Western holidays come during the cold season, and special food is expected. In western countries, cookies and cakes begin just after Thanksgiving in November and show up everywhere. Turkey, potatoes and other food come later. Similar thing happens in China. Entering lunar December, most families will make shopping plans for the coming big day and food is certainly one of the most important things to be considered. At the end of the month, both parents in each family will be very busy---the father is busy buying food while the mother is busy cooking.
A deeper similarity (相似处) is tradition. Christmas, as the letters “Christ” suggests, began as a holiday to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. Many people pray (祈祷) on this day. In China, people living in cities or towns, though they don’t plan to sow seeds（播种） this month, still celebrate on the big day for farmers.
Followers of both holidays are also different from each other. While Chinese people travel to the homes of elder relatives, Americans usually call or send cards. Westerners prefer Christmas carols to fireworks. In Christmas, many family gifts come together instead of one by one, since adults may have only one day free to celebrate.
But the most curious difference is about students. Chinese students going home for Spring Festival sometimes report that they get bored by the end of vacation, yet American students seldom get bored around Christmas and western New Year.
Not everyone enjoys classic holiday traditions. Students in western countries may get upset, as too much homework, travel or bad family relations may destroy the short holiday season. In China, more and more college students choose to travel or work during the winter holiday instead of going home to stay with their families. It’s against the tradition but many people accept it.What does “the coming big day” (Paragraph 2) refer to?
| A．Christmas | B．Thanksgiving Day |
| C．the New Year’s Day | D．the Spring Festival |
The second and the third paragraphs mainly talk about ________.
| A．the similarities between Christmas and the Spring Festival |
| B．the differences between Christmas and the Spring Festival |
| C．the preparations for Christmas and the Spring Festival |
| D．the history of Christmas and the Spring Festival |
What does the writer mainly want to tell us in this passage?
| A．Food in different festivals. |
| B．Differences between two festivals. |
| C．Festivals in China and western countries. |
| D．Traditional celebrations in different countries. |
You have heard of Webster toys. Websters have made good safe and interesting toys for more than a hundred years. Now we sell them, and children play with them, in countries from new Zealand to Norway, and from Japan to Brazil. We are looking for someone to sell our toys in the Far East. He (She) will be between the ages of thirty and forty. He will already have some years of selling in world markets behind him. He will speak good English and at least one other language of the Far East.
The person we are looking for will live in Singapore, and work in our office there but he will travel for up to six months in other countries in one year. He will know the Far East well. He should know how to sell in established (建立) markets and where to find new ones. He will know how to make more money than ever, for himself and for Webster Toys.
Websters want someone who can stand on his own feet. If you think you are the person we are looking for, write to Mr. J. Sloman at our office, Webster Toys Company. Church Mill Watford.What are Webster Toys?
| A．An old kind of toys. |
| B．Factories where good, safe and interesting toys are made. |
| C．People who are famous for making toys for children. |
| D．A company that has been making and selling toys. |
We can most probably read the text ________.
| A．in a book | B．in a dictionary | C．in a novel | D．in a newspaper |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．If you are thirty years old, you can apply for the position. |
| B．If you live in Singapore, you can get the position. |
| C．If you speak good English, you can get the position. |
| D．The company is looking for some salesmen or saleswomen. |
“Someone who can stand on his own feet” means ________.
| A．someone who can stand all the time while doing his work |
| B．someone who has nothing wrong with his feet |
| C．someone who can deal with all the business by himself |
| D．someone who can understand money and can earn a lot |
What’s the purpose of writing this passage?
| A．For advertise job offers. |
| B．For buy some Websters toys. |
| C．For find someone who can stand on his own feet. |
| D．For looking for Mr. Sloman. |
Killer bees started in Brazil in 1957. A scientist in Sao Paulo wanted bees to make more honey. So he put forty-six African bees with some Brazilian bees. The bees bred and made a new kind of bee. But the new bees were a mistake. They did not want to make more honey. They wanted to attack. Then, by accident, twenty-six African bees escaped and bred with the Brazilian bees outside.
Scientists could not control the problem. The bees spread. They went from Brazil to Venezuela. Then they went to Central America. Now they are in North America. They travel about 390 miles a year. Each group of bees, or colony (群体), grows four times a year. This means one million new colonies every five years.
Why are people afraid of killer bees? People are afraid for two reasons. First, the bees sting (刺痛、蜇) many more times than a normal bee. Killer bees can sting sixty times a minute non-stop for two hours. Second, killer bees attack in groups. Four hundred bee stings can kill a person.
Already several hundred people are dead. Now killer bees are in Texas. In a few years they will spread all over the United States. People can do nothing but wait.A scientist in Brazil wanted bees ________.
| A．to go to Central America |
| B．to grow four times a year |
| C．to make more honey |
| D．to breed with Brazilian bees outside |
The bees bred and made a new kind of bee. Here “bred” means ________.
| A．attack | B．run away | C．died | D．produce young |
Killer bees can sting ________.
| A．once two hours | B．400 times two hours |
| C．3600 times two hours | D．7200 times two hours |
Why are people afraid of killer bees?
| A．Because they sting Brazilian bees. |
| B．Because they sting more and attack in groups. |
| C．Because they won’t make any honey. |
| D．Because each group of bees grows four times a year. |
What will the people do with the killer bees?
| A．People can do nothing but wait. |
| B．People will make another kind of bees. |
| C．Scientists could control the problem. |
| D．They will spread all over the world. |
I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of career.
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.
I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in, so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up, because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my Situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification(资格证书) if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part-time course.
I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career, even if you aren’t top of the class at school.What is the author’s present job?
| A．Working part-time in a college. |
| B．Taking care of children for a family. |
| C．Helping children with their schoolwork. |
| D．Looking after children at a kindergarten. |
When staying with the two girls’ family, the author ________.
| A．was paid for extra work |
| B．often worked long hours |
| C．got much help from her boss |
| D．took a day off every other week |
Why did the author leave her first job?
| A．She found a full-time job. |
| B．She was fed up with children. |
| C．She decided to attend a part-time course. |
| D．She needed a rest after working extra hours. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “fed up”?
| A．Troublesome. | B．Loving. | C．Excited. | D．Great. |
What has the author learned from her own experiences?
| A．Less successful students can still have a career. |
| B．Qualifications are necessary for a career. |
| C．Hard work makes an excellent student. |
| D．One must choose the job she likes. |
Toddler Teacher
About the Job
November 16, 2011
TITLE: Toddler Teacher
LOCATION: Sinton & Falfurrias, TX .
REQUIREMENTS: Must have an Associate's or Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Development. Must have a valid driver's license and a safe driving record. Bilingual (English/Spanish) ability is preferred. Three years of prior employment experience in a pre-school program is required. Computer skills, including the use of word processing software, are preferred. Must be able to pass a pr -employment physical, a criminal background check and fingerprint clearance. Since the toddlers are very young,, the teachers should be very patient and help them. GENERAL DUTIES: Responsible for the day-to-day supervision and operation of the assigned classroom.
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Apply At:
Community Action Corporation of South Texas P. O. Drawer 1820
Alice, Texas 78332
Teacher
About the Job
Location: Falfurrias & Hebbronville, TX
Requirements: An Associate or Baccalaureate （学士）degree in early childhood or a related field and three years of teaching experience in a licensed public school setting at a grade level no higher than elementary school. If employed with an Associate degree, must obtain a Baccalaureate degree within four years of employment. Bilingual ability (Spanish/English) is preferred. Good communication skills, in written and oral forms, are necessary.
General Duties: Children here are older than toddlers. Their ages are from 4 t0 5. So the teacher will provide activities that support the growth and development of each child in the assigned classroom.
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Send Application to:
Community Action Corporation of South Texas P. O- Drawer 1820
Smith, Texas 78333 If one wants to apply for the Toddler Teacher, he ／ she________.
| A．must sing and dance well |
| B．must be able to use word processing software |
| C．must have a safe driving record |
| D．must look very young |
It is better but not a must that one, applying for the Toddler Teacher, can_..
| A．pass fingerprint clearance |
| B．have a valid driver's license |
| C．pass a criminal background check |
| D．speaks both English and Spanish |
What is the common requirement of the two jobs?
| A．Good communication skills. . |
| B．Good computer software skills!' |
| C．Three years of professional experience. |
| D．A valid driver's license and safe record. |
“Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move,” said David Belle, the founder of parkour (跑酷).
Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what about making your morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale? Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has become popular worldwide.
Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is considered an extreme sport. As its participants dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up walls and even move from rooftop to rooftop.
Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more than that.
Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy behind parkour. This is the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life, to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover said, "I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything."
Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself that you earn energy and confidence. Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of________.
| A．its founder, David Belle | B．the film, Casino Royale |
| C．its risks and tricks | D．the varieties of participants |
The underlined word "obstacles" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
| A．streets | B．objects | C．barriers | D．roofs |
Which of the following statements is TRUE of parkour?
| A．It challenges human abilities. | B．It is a good but boring sport. |
| C．It needs special training. | D．It is a team sport.. |
As its participants move around a city, they tend to __________.
| A．reach the destination as soon as possible |
| B．choose the easiest way |
| C．challenge extremes |
| D．consider safety first |