When Peng Liyuan stepped off the plane in Moscow, the whole world wanted to know who dressed the elegant first lady．The reporter released the secret—Ma Ke．
Peng Liyuan has been wearing Ma Ke’s designs for more than a decade，a fact that was only highlighted recently when she was on her first state visit，accompanying her husband President Xi Jinping．The elegant and attractive Peng，formerly a popular singer, has been compared with the US’ first lady Michelle Obama and France’s Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, since stepping off the airplane in Moscow on March 22．Suddenly, everyone was curious to know more about the first lady’s wardrobe(衣橱)．
Even so，Ma prefers a low key approach．“If you eat a tasty egg why would you want to see the hen?” she says．
Ma’s relationship with Peng began 10 years ago after a concert in Guangzhou when a reporter told Peng she knew the designer behind the label Exception de Mixmind．Peng asked for an introduction because she was a fan of Ma’s designs and had been wearing them for years．
The two naturally became friends．Ma says：“The painting reflects the painter, and clothes reflect both the designer and the wearer．Someone desires fame and wealth，or love and sympathy；what you have in your heart is reflected in the design．Those who don’t share my philosophy won’t buy my clothes．Peng is a caring person，devoted to charity and environmental protection，which is exactly what I’m doing now．”
However, regardless of the brand，Peng’s support of Chinese labels has surprised millions of Chinese who favor foreign fashion brands．
“Instead she presented a vision of Chinese fashion，desiring to bring Chinese designers to the world stage，”says a western designer．
The first lady’s double-breasted coat and her black leather handbag aren’t available at any of Exception’s shops，though Exception’s physical stores do have seen a rising number of visitors． What does the underlined word in paragraph 1 mean?
| A．opened | B．invented |
| C．forecast | D．hid |
In the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 Ma Ke mentioned “an egg and the hen” to show ______．
| A．it is hard to explain“ Which came first，the egg or the hen?” |
| B．the designer is more important than the design |
| C．paying such great attention to her was unnecessary |
| D．her satisfaction with the media attention on her dress |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A. First ladies compete with each other whenever they are together.
B. Peng’s suits can be bought in Ma Ke’s clothes stores
C Ma Ke’s opinions are totally different from Peng’s
D Peng had liked Ma’s designs long before they met each other.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Peng wears the dress designed by a Chinese designer probably to support Chinese brands. |
| B．Many citizens found Peng Liyuan’s choice quite unexpected. |
| C．Black leather handbags like Peng’s are widely sold in bag stores in big cities. |
| D．After Peng Liyuan’s visit to Moscow Ma Ke’s clothes became more popular |
I find some of the ways in which Chinese parents show love for their children rather surprising. Obviously there are some pretty big differences between our behaviors and theirs in this respect. Most Chinese children seem to get whatever they want, from ice creams, sweets and toys to endless attention from the adults around them. Is this a sort of spoiling or love? I wonder.
Most westerners would think it is a sort of spoiling rather than love. We think love means educating your children and bringing them up to lead an independent life. That includes learning to accept the fact that he can't get everything he wants. As an adult, he will not always get the quite expensive car he hunts for; she will not always manage to acquire the beautiful dress she longs for. So we try to teach our children early to cope with the disappointment of not getting what they want.
I find too much such kind of love for the children can actually spoil them. To my surprise, it seems that the life of a Chinese child is rather hard. Without doubt, the child is the very center of a whole circle of adults, but on the other hand he or she is also expected to start studying according to adults' wishes. Many children of my son's age take piano lessons, painting classes and even English lessons. It looks as if Chinese adults think that just playing without learning anything is a waste of time. So in this respect our children appear spoiled, just because they are allowed to play. But without this sort of play how can western children develop such free and rich imaginations? In fact the connection between this imagination and the creativity is so important in the children’s future life.In which way do most Chinese children seem to be spoiled?
| A．They can be supported by their parents. |
| B．They can play whenever they want. |
| C．They need not behave themselves. |
| D．Their demands can always be satisfied. |
In the author's opinion, the life of a Chinese child is .
| A．rather hard | B．rather easy | C．independent | D．colorful |
The author thinks Western children appear spoiled because .
| A．they can manage time by themselves |
| B．they can have the freedom to play |
| C．they can take piano lessons |
| D．they may have expensive toys |
The best title of the passage could be .
| A．Chinese children's early education |
| B．How to develop kids' imagination |
| C．What is the real love for children |
| D．The imagination and creativity |
Getting married can be one of the happiest moments in a person’s life. Throughout the world, weddings are very important events. Let’s look at some interesting wedding customs from different countries.
For African Americans, it is tradition for the married couple to jump over a broom covered with flowers. This represents the beginning of family life. It is interesting to note that African slaves who were brought to the USA started this tradition. African American couples were not allowed to have a legal marriage, so instead they had a ceremony where the bride and groom jumped over a broom “into marriage”.
Making jokes about the bride and groom is a wedding tradition in both France and Germany. In France, this includes making loud noises with pots; in Germany, wedding guests break dishes. Weddings in Germany often last for three days. On Thursday, there is a simple ceremony at a government office noting the official marriage of the couple. Then the couple will have a dinner with family and close friends. On Friday, there is a party. This is when guests break dishes to represent the start of a new life. Then on Sunday, there is a ceremony in a church.
In Greece and Italy, people eat special kinds of sweets at the wedding. Both Greece and Italy also have their own special wedding dances, which all of the guests enjoy.
In Russia, couples tie a doll to their wedding car if they want to have a daughter, or a toy bear if they want to have a son.
In England, it is tradition for the little girls to throw flowers on the ground on the way to the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom walk on these flowers. This represents the hope that the couples will follow the path that leads to a happy life.
| Topic |
·Getting married can be 1. __________ than any other moment in a person’s life. ·Interesting wedding customs differ 2. _________ country to country. |
| Countries/ People |
Wedding Customs |
| African Americans |
·Married couple jump over a broom covered with flowers, which 3. _________ the beginning of family life. ·In the past, African American couples were 4. __________ to get married legally. |
| France and Germany |
·Make jokes about the bride and groom. ·In Germany, wedding guests get dishes 5. __________. ·A German wedding often 6. _________ three days. |
| The Greek and the 7. __________ |
·Either Greece 8. _________ Italy has its own special wedding dances, which all of the guests enjoy. |
| Russia |
·If couples want to have a daughter, they will have a doll 9. _________ to their wedding car. |
| The English |
·The bride and groom walk on the flowers thrown by little girls. It represents the hope of 10. __________ the path leading to a happy life. |
Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. “Yes, honey. Of course.” she said.
“Can we write him a letter?”
She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, “Yes.”
My heart jumped. “How? Does the mailman go there?” I asked.
“No, but I have an idea.” Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for.
“Just wait, honey. You’ll see.” Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Mom was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face.
She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped (缠绕) the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining.
“Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three.”
The balloon, carrying my letter, darted upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds.
Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he’d persevere, dart up, and finally transcend this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary. I prayed to be a balloon.What does the underlined sentence imply?
| A．When the girl asked if they could write to her father, her mother felt it hard to answer. |
| B．When the girl asked if they could write to her father, her mother thought her a creative girl. |
| C．When the girl asked if they could write to her father, her mother believed it easy to do so. |
| D．When the girl asked if they could write to her father, her mother found it easy to lie. |
When the girl was told that she could send a letter to her father, she _________.
| A．jumped with surprise | B．became excited |
| C．didn’t know how to write | D．was worried that it couldn’t be delivered |
In the eyes of the author, what was the rain like?
| A．An incurable disease. | B．An unforgettable memory. |
| C．The hard time her father had. | D．The failures her father experienced. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．An unforgettable experience. | B．The strong red balloon. |
| C．Fly to paradise. | D．A great father. |
Reading is the key to success in all school subjects. With a bit of creativity, you can help your child enjoy reading more, and encourage him to do more!
Buy or borrow a lot of “fun” books. Choose books that are slightly below his level of reading ability. Don’t forget what your child likes to do when choosing books for him. Don’t comment about the books. Simply leave the books lying on the table where your child is sure to see them. Computer games are not as harmful as most parents usually think them to be. Instead, you should take advantage of your child’s love of computer games to purchase those that require a lot of reading and avoid those that are simply computerized video games.
Buy your child a bedside reading lamp, or a tiny book light. Tell him that from now on, he must be in bed by a specific time (say 8:30) and that he can either sleep or read. Most kids will do anything else rather than go to sleep, so there’s a chance you’ll create a new bedtime reading habit.
Many children will read when they are sitting alone having a snack, or when they have a few minutes of unplanned free time. Put a box of books and magazines near the kitchen table so that reading material is accessible.
Often, once children learn to read independently, parents stop reading to them. This change of routine causes great sadness to a child who has come to love falling asleep as you read. Even a teenager will enjoy being read to if you pick books that interest him. Select books together, and make sure they’re ones you enjoy as well, so your enjoyment will come through as you read to them.In order to make children become interested in reading, what should parents do?
| A．Tell them what they can learn from these books. |
| B．Choose books based on their interest. |
| C．Choose the easiest books for them to read. |
| D．Always read books together with them. |
Which of the following is NOT what parents are advised to do?
| A．Reduce children’s sleeping time. |
| B．Read to children when possible. |
| C．Have reading material available. |
| D．Pick the right computer games. |
What attitude do most parents hold towards children playing computer games?
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Doubtful. |
What’s the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To help children succeed in school subjects. |
| B．To give parents advice on how to educate children. |
| C．To remind parents of the importance of reading. |
| D．To teach parents how to encourage children to read. |
We are looking for energetic volunteers who might be willing to volunteer their time. It’s a great way to build your volunteer experience, get involved in your community, meet new people and show your pride.
Computer Teacher
The computer teacher will be responsible for teaching older adults computer skills, including basic skills such as turning on computer or more media skills such as setting up email. This position requires patience, dedication and long hours on your feet. Computer skills needed. Ask Mandy, 01313377227.
Meals on Wheels
Do you have time in your schedule to make a difference in the lives of seniors in your community? Meals on Wheels drivers deliver nutritious lunchtime meals to homebound seniors on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our aim is to help seniors who are unable to go out themselves due to age or disability. A valid driver’s license and personal vehicle is required. Call Lucy,（781）2727177.
Tree Nursery Volunteer
Tasks are different according to season, but may include: collecting tree seeds from ancient woodland, preparing seeds for sowing, planting trees and tree aftercare. Some of the work is physical and outdoors, others such as seed preparation can be done indoors. No experience is necessary, but a knowledge or interest in botany would certainly be helpful. Ask Amrita, 07748623073.
Photography Volunteer
If you have a talent for photography, this may be the role for you. We need someone who can take great photos for posters and websites. We especially need photos of our events and volunteers. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience. You’ll also gain the satisfaction of seeing your work being displayed on the National Trust website and in literature. Ask Sarah, 01248600954.If you are interested in teaching, who can you get in touch with?
| A．Mandy. | B．Lucy. | C．Amrita. | D．Sarah. |
What do Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver for the seniors?
| A．Breakfast. | B．Lunch. | C．Supper. | D．Snack. |
Which kind of voluntary work doesn’t require special experience or skills?
| A．Computer Teacher. | B．Meals on Wheels. |
| C．Tree Nursery Volunteer. | D．Photography Volunteer. |