Spring Festival is the most important festival in China.It lies on the first day of the first lunar month（农历）in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar .On the evening before the Spring Festival ,families get together and have a big meal .In many places people like to set off firecrackers .Dumplings are the most traditional food .Children like the festival very much ,because they can have delicious food and wear new clothes .They can also get some money from their parents. This money is given to children for good luck . People put New Year scrolls on the wall for good fortune .
Chinese people held the first New Year Festival more than 3,000 years ago. Farmers gave thanks for the harvest and prayed. They asked the gods for good crops in the coming year.
But there is a story behind all the celebration.According to legend, there was a man-eating wild monster（怪兽） "Nian" with an extremely large mouth, capable of swallowing several people in a single bite. The monster seemed too strong to be defeated. So all the villagers would take their old and young deep into the mountains to hide from Nian.One day, a wise old man passed through the village and told the villagers that "nian" was afraid of loud noises and the color red, The villagers came together and agreed that when it was time for Nian's annual visit towards the end of winter they would start a fire in front of every door and not go to sleep but rather make noise.Nian had not come down the mountain to cause any trouble thereafter. This eventually become a tradition of China and leads to the celebration for another year of safe life. Chinese people celebrate in remembrance of this legend and still continues till today! This custom has spread, became the most solemn of traditional Chinese folk festivals "have the spring festival".
Information Card
| What is the name of the festival? |
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| When is it? |
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| What do people do? |
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| How did the villagers feel about the monster”NIAN”? |
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| Why do young kids like it so much? |
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TOKYO, JAPAN – What do you do when you see a cockroach (蟑螂)? Do you hit it with a newspaper? Do you step on it?
When researchers at Tokyo University see a cockroach, they take the remote control and make the cockroach turn around, run left or right, or go forward. These scientists are changing the cockroaches into robots（机器人）. Each cockroach has a very small packet that has in it a microprocessor (微处理器). Then researchers can send signals (信号) from the remote control to the packet. The signals control the movements of the cockroaches.
Why does anyone want to control a cockroach? “Insects can do many things that people can’t,” says Isao Shimoyama, head of robot research at Tokyo University. In a few years, he says, these robot insects will carry very small cameras. They will be able to move through earthquake rubble (瓦砾) to look for people or move under doors to find information about someone.
This may seem strange, but the Japanese government thinks the research is very important. The government is giving the scientists $ 5 million for this research.
First, the research keeps hundreds of cockroaches. They use only the American cockroach because it is bigger and stronger than other cockroaches. Then they choose the best cockroaches and remove their wings and antennae (触须). They put small packets where the antennae were. The packets weigh about three grams, or about two times the weight of the cockroaches themselves. “Cockroaches are very strong,” says Ralph Holzer, who is a researcher at Tokyo University. “They can lift 20 times their own weight.”
With a remote control, the scientists send signals to the packets. When a cockroach gets the signal, it moves. The problem is that the cockroaches don’t always move in the right direction.The scientists are changing the cockroaches into robots because ______________________.
| A．they want cockroaches to do things people can’t in the future |
| B．they want to control the movements of the cockroaches |
| C．they want cockroaches to take photos of the earthquakes |
| D．they want to send signals to the packets on the cockroaches |
Scientists control cockroaches’ movements _________________________.
| A．by removing their wings |
| B．by sending signals from the remote control |
| C．by using very small cameras |
| D．by removing their antennae |
What can cockroaches do to help people?
| A．They can lift 20 times their own weight. |
| B．They can help people to carry very small cameras. |
| C．They can keep hundreds of cockroaches. |
| D．They can search for those people in rubble after an earthquake. |
What problem do the cockroaches meet with?
| A．The cockroaches sometimes don’t move. |
| B．The cockroaches are too big to move through earthquake rubble. |
| C．The cockroaches sometimes move in the wrong direction. |
| D．The cockroaches can only lift 20 times their own weight. |
No one wants to look stupid (愚蠢的) or do the wrong thing at a new job. It’s important to make the right impression from the very first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place.
It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are five tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job.
(1) First impression can last forever. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has a dress code (rules about what you can wear to work). If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what, always be neat and clean.
(2) Get to work on time. Give yourself an extra 15 minutes to make sure you arrive on time.
(3) Pay attention to instructions. One of the first things that your supervisor may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss is not around.
(4) Ask lots of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what is expected of you. If he or she has not told you your duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself.
(5) Never be the first one to leave. Observe (观察) what your co-workers do around quitting time (下班时间). It does not look good for you to be eager to leave.Before you arrive at work on the first day, you should ___________.
| A．dress in a right way | B．introduce yourself |
| C．know your duties | D．know your co-workers well |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．You should not be eager to go home. |
| B．You should wear the most expensive clothes. |
| C．You should know you duties. |
| D．You should pay attention to your co-workers. |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Getting a new job | B．Tips on How to Work |
| C．The First-day Work | D．The Importance of Co-worker |
Have you ever been sad because you failed in something? If so, please remember, for often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Here is a story to tell you why.
One day a little boy decided to dig a hole behind his house after watching a science program. As he was working, a couple of boys stopped by to watch. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “I want to dig a deep hole all the way through the earth!” the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling him that it was impossible to do it. Then they left.
The little boy kept on digging and digging. Suddenly, a few small colorful stones caught his eyes. He collected them and put them into a glass jar patiently. Humming (哼唱) a song, he went on digging. The jar was full soon. Then he talked to himself calmly and proudly, “Maybe I can’t finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I have found in the process (过程) of digging!”
The boy’s goal (目标) was too difficult, but it did cause him to go on, in other words, to cause us to keep working!
Not every goal will be achieved. Not every job will end up with a success. Not every dream will come true. But when you can’t achieve your goal, maybe you can say, “Yes, but look what I’ve found along the way! There are so many wonderful things that have come into my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging that life is lived. It is the unexpected joy on the journey that really has a meaning.What did the boy do after watching a program?
| A．He bought a glass jar. |
| B．He started to dig a hole. |
| C．He played with some visitors. |
| D．He went on watching the program. |
What did the older boys think of the little boy?
| A．He was silly. | B．He was strict. |
| C．He was strong-minded. | D．He was energetic. |
What does the underlined sentence “It is in the digging that life is lived.” mean according to the article?
| A．Life is to make a big success. |
| B．Life is to find the colorful stones. |
| C．Life is difficult but colorful. |
| D．Life is on the way to achieve the goal. |
In our life, we may meet persons with different personalities. What is your personality type? Read about the following and find out!
A Dreamer thinks there is a “right” way to do things. This person wants to live in the “perfect world”. Many are good listeners and like to help others. Many Dreamers work as teachers, and often lead others. Famous Dreamers: Mohandas Gandhi, Angelina Jolie.
A Partner wants to be in a group. For this person, rules are important. They consider tradition to be of great value. Partners are often serious, careful people. Many do well as teachers, managers and police officers. Famous Partners: Queen Elizabeth II, Mother Teresa.
For Thinkers, understanding things is very important. They like to deal with problems and make new things. Thinkers can also be active. They like to win. They have very strong opinions (想法). Many Thinkers work as scientists, inventors and engineers. Famous Thinkers: Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking.
Artists want to be free. They don’t want to follow the rules all the time. They also like trying new things. Like Thinkers, many Artists have strong opinions. They are creative and do well as musicians and actors. Famous Artists: Cristiano Ronaldo, Madonna.How many personality types are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
If you are active and like to win, maybe you are similar to ____________.
| A．Gandhi | B．Mother Teresa |
| C．Bill Gates | D．Madonna |
Which could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Famous People | B．Personality Types |
| C．Perfect World | D．Job Hunting |
任务型阅读（每空一词）
Mistakes are great teachers
Mistakes are great teachers. Success comes to those who are willing to risk making mistakes to achieve their goals and wishes, and who are able to learn from those mistakes. And in order to learn from mistakes you must be willing to pay for them.
Mistakes can be very valuable, but when you try to get others to pay for your mistakes, then you lose the chance to learn from them. When something goes wrong, it’s usually very easy to find someone else’s mistakes, but is that useful ? Of course not.
Much of the value of mistakes comes from the fact that they need to cost that must be paid. The person who learns the most from a mistake is the one who pays the price for that mistake.
When you make a mistake, what you shouldn’t do is run away from it. You need to accept it because you can learn a lot from it. The mistake has been made, so make the most of it. Pay the price, learn the lesson, and grow that much stronger.
When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Remember the reason for it, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The present is still in your power. Make full use of your mistakes to achieve your goals and wishes.
| Mistakes are great teachers |
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| Who can |
Success comes to those not only achieve their goals and wishes at the risk of |
| When you make mistakes |
Don’t |
| The value of mistakes |
You can learn a lot from mistakes and grow stronger by |
| Offer some |
When you make mistakes, remember |