I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.
He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. “What are you doing?” I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.
He then answered me with a simple statement“TEACH THE CHILDREN！”
I was puzzled; what did he mean?
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR(杉木) TREE .“Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round，describing the everlasting hope of mankind，all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven.”
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. “Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a savior(救世主) for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of his promise.”
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. “Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of he who displaces(取代) the darkness.”
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. “Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.”
Santa looked back and was pleased. I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, “Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but an humble servant of the one that is, and I bow down to worship HIM, our LORD, our GOD.”Author opened the door when he was going to sleep because________.
| A．he heard something unusual |
| B．he was not sleeping at the moment |
| C．he saw the Santa at the moment |
| D．he wanted to step out of the room |
According to Santa, the star was ________.
| A．a symbol of man's thoughts turning towards heaven |
| B．the sigh of fulfillment of the Santa's promise |
| C．the symbol of the light of the world |
| D．the sound of the bell which ring mankind to the fold |
What does the underlined word “twinkle” refer to?
| A．Tears. | B．Smiles. | C．Glasses. | D．Eyes. |
Jess really felt very happy. When he arrived at his seat in the classroom that morning, he found an invitation on his desk. It was from several of his classmates asking him to join them on a camping trip. This was the first time he was asked to join in an out-of-school activity. Why were they asking him now? Nobody seemed to like him. In fact，he had been so lonely that he drowned his feeling with food. As a result，he had put on a lot of weight，and this gave the kids something more to make fun of him.
Cindy, who was standing near Jess when he read the invitation, went out quickly to tell the others that the trick（恶作剧）had worked. Everyone was pleased that Jess thought that was true. But there was no camping trip. The whole thing was made up.
At first, Cindy thought it was fun. But later, when Jess told her that he was going to buy a sleeping bag with his savings（积蓄）, Cindy had a second idea. She knew that Jess’s family had little money, and she hated to see him spend his savings on something he would never use. Cindy also hated to tell Jess the truth. Her close friends would be angry with her. What could she do now?The sentence “…he drowned his feeling with food” means “________”.
| A．he ate a lot to make himself feel less lonely |
| B．he asked for a lot of food from his classmates |
| C．he brought his food to his classmates |
| D．he had a lot of food to put on weight |
What would happen if Cindy told Jess the truth?
| A．Jess would go on the camping trip himself. |
| B．Jess's family would be angry with Cindy. |
| C．Cindy might have trouble with her friends. |
| D．Jess would be thankful to his classmates. |
If Jess really bought a sleeping bag, ________.
| A．everyone else would also buy one |
| B．it would be the best in the class |
| C．Cindy would pay for it |
| D．he would have it for no use |
From the story we can guess ________.
| A．everybody would go camping in the class |
| B．Jess had few friends in the class |
| C．Cindy was Jess’s best friend in the class |
| D．Jess joined in many out-of-school activities |
Choose the best title for this passage.
| A．Jess and His School |
| B．Jess and His Friends |
| C．An Invitation for Jess |
| D．Jess and His Camping Trip |
Father’s Day has a very short history. It was started because there was a Mother’s Day. And just because some Americans thought that if we had a Mother’s Day, we should also have a Father’s Day. Father’s Day has become important in North America. And shopkeepers found it was a good way to get people to buy presents for their fathers, presents from their shops.
By the way, very few countries have a Father’s Day, though some have Children’s Day, or a special day for boys and another for girls. More and more countries are having Mother’s Day, so maybe Father’s Day will also become popular before too long. Now, what do people in North America do on Father’s Day? The newspapers, radios, and TV tell children what they should do－buy a Father’s Day present for your father. They even tell a wife to buy a Father’s Day present－not for her father but for her husband, even if he is not yet a father. And they tell grandchildren to buy a Father’s Day present for their grandfathers.
The important thing to remember about Father’s Day is that American children can show their love to their fathers in a more open way.Father’s Day was started just because.
| A．there was a Mother’s Day | B．there was a Children’s Day |
| C．people liked their fathers a lot | D．fathers were more important |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many countries have a Father’s Day. |
| B．Father’s Day has a long history. |
| C．Father’s Day has become important in North America. |
| D．Maybe Father’s Day will become popular before too long. |
In America, people have a Father’s Day to.
| A．go shopping with their fathers | B．help their fathers do something |
| C．show their love to their fathers | D．get money from their fathers |
On Father’s Day, shopkeepers always want.
| A．people to buy as many presents as possible |
| B．children to buy presents only for their fathers |
| C．women to buy presents only for their husbands |
| D．grandchildren to buy a Father’s Day present only for their grandfathers |
It can be learned from the article that.
| A．the writer is against Father’s Day |
| B．many countries have a Father’s Day |
| C．shopkeepers can get more money on Father’s Day than usual |
| D．We don’t need to have a Father’s Day |
Sydney Tower
Address: 100Market St, Sydney
Phone: 02 9333 9222
Fax: 02 9333 9203
Open time: 9:00am to 10:30 pm(Saturdays to 11:30 pm)
Ticket: $60 (for an adult)
$30 (for a child)
Website: www.sydneytower.com.au
How to get there: train to Town Hall Station and a short walk along Market Street
How to book tickets: by phone/ fax or through the web
Attraction: Sydney’s best views are just the beginning! Sydney Tower takes you to the highest point above Sydney for exciting 360°views of our beautiful city.Sydney Tower is ______ in Sydney, Australia.
| A．the busiest street | B．the biggest station |
| C．the most beautiful park | D．the highest point |
If you want to book a ticket to Sydney Tower, you can’t _______.
| A．email sydneytower @ hotmail, corn | B．fax 02 9333 9203 |
| C．search www.sydneytower, com. au | D．dial 02 9333 9222 |
Frank wants to go to Sydney Tower with his two children, he will pay ________.
| A．$60 | B．$90 | C．$120 | D．$150 |
Last Saturday, Johnson went to visit Sydney Tower. He had to get down the tower _________.
| A．after 11:30 pm | B．before 11:30 pm |
| C．at 10:30 pm | D．by 10:30 pm |
The passage, above is probably________.
| A．a piece of news | B．a conversation |
| C．a story | D．an advertisement |
[1] One out of many important things for the whole family to do is to have dinner together. Researchers began reporting the benefits of family dinner about a decade ago, focusing mainly on how it affects children. Studies show that those families who eat dinner at least 3 or 4 times a week together, benefit in many ways.
[2] Eating together helps families achieve open communication and build stronger and healthier relationships. Children have better grades at school and are better adjusted as teens and adults, and the entire family enjoys healthier nutrition. For many families, eating dinner together proves to be a good and effective way to reduce the risk of youth rates of addiction, and helps to raise healthier children. It is also a great time to share the events of the day, discuss news and ideas and just be together and enjoy each other's company.
[3] During dinner time parents have better opportunity to show that they are the prior to their children. Sitting at the same table and sharing meals is where and when parents can find out more about their children's school performance, daily activities and attitudes toward life. When parents have all this information they can better direct their kids toward positive things in life. They also have better chance to reduce the possibility that children will get involved with alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.
[4] However, family researchers say that the benefits of family dinner by no means can be considered as automatic. Parents can sit down to dinner with their kids every day and achieve nothing. ______ if there is too much arguing going on, if there is no meaningful conversation or, what is even worse, if there is just plain silence during gathering. What is the main idea of the text? (no more than 8 words)
List two benefits that parents can get by having dinner together with children.(no more than 15words).
Fill in the blank in Paragraph 4 with proper words (no more than 8 words).
What information can parents probably get about their children at family dinner? (no more than 12 words)
What does the word “it” (line 3, paragraph 1) probably refer to? (no more than 3 words)
He is a real turtle（海龟）.
Someone who always moves very slowly.
She is such a sheep.
A follower; someone who can’t think for him or herself.
He’s being an ostrich（鸵鸟）.
Someone who hides his/her head in the sand and refuses to face problems or reality.
He’s a lamb.
A gentle, patient, understanding person. Nice and considerate.
What a crab（蟹） he is!
A grouchy（发牢骚的） person; someone who is often angry and in a bad mood.In which of the following situations are the people acting like sheep?
| A．A teenager tells a small child to stop bothering an animal. |
| B．A young man is driving fast because all his friends do. |
| C．Someone runs for monitor of the senior class in the school. |
| D．People are walking and singing together along the road. |
If a person is like a turtle, which of these is most likely to be a problem to him or her?
| A．Keeping the house clean. | B．Learning a new language. |
| C．Getting to school on time. | D．Saving money for future use. |
Buddy hates to wake up on Monday morning. He doesn’t speak to his wife or children, and he often shouts at the other drivers on his way to work. Everybody stays out of his way at least until noon time. After that he’s all right. Buddy’s boss says, “ Buddy is a good guy, but on Monday morning, he’s an absolute _________.”
| A．crab | B．lamb | C．turtle | D．ostrich |
Jerry has not been well for weeks. He knows he has a problem but he is afraid to see a doctor .If he is sick, he doesn’t want to know about it. His wife says, “ Jerry, don’t be a(n) __________. Go to the doctor. She can help you get of your illness.
| A．crab | B．lamb | C．sheep | D．ostrich |