Sixteen is a special age in the United States.There’s often a special celebration for a girl’s 16th birthday---a big party called Sweet-16. It is like a wedding reception(结婚晚宴) in the number of guests and gifts handed out.
About a month before the party, the girl’s family sends out invitations to the guests. They must buy a special present for the birthday girl and the girl guests find good dresses to wear. A sweet-16 present usually costs $40 to $60. This is about $20 more than the usual-cost of a birthday present.
The party itself is not held at someone’s house. The hostess rents(租赁) a reception hall for the event. Food, cake and a DJ are provided. Around 6’clock, guests arrive and meet the birthday girl. Then the girl and her father have a special father-daughter dance. After that, guests dance for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Then there is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party, the candle-lighting ceremony.
The sweet-16 hostess stands behind 16 unlit(未点燃的) candles and dedicates(献给) each candle to her friends, family, and anything that she feels is important to her. A lot of crying and hugging goes on at this time.
Afterwards, people sit and eat. Most guests begin leaving around 11 o’clock.
This school year, I have been to two Sweet-16s. I am one of the youngest students in my grade (My birthday is in December). I’ll have to wait another year before I can have my own special Sweet-16 party. I can’t wait for it!Why is sixteen a special age for an American girl?
How much does a usual birthday present for a teenager cost in the USA?
What is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party?
How old is the writer?
What do you think of the Sweet-16 party in the USA? (请自拟一句话作答)
In China， the 12th month of the lunar calendar（阴历） is called Layue． The month is full of interesting festivals and customs．
Laba Festival， which is on the 8th day of Layue， is the first festival in this month． From this day on， people begin to get ready for the Chinese New Year．
On Laba Festival， people eat hot Laba porridge． There are usually eight things in the porridge： rice， red beans， peas， dried lotus seeds， dates， and three different kinds of fruits and nuts． The porridge is not just good for your health， but a blessing for the coming of Chinese New Year．
Laba porridge is not the only tasty food in Layue． Laba garlic（腊八蒜） is popular in the north． People begin to soak garlic in vinegar from that day on， and eat it with dumplings during the Chinese New Year． While in the south， people like making sausages．
Another major celebration before Spring Festival is Xiaonian． It is usually on the 23rd or 24th day of the last lunar month． Traditionally it is an important day when people offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God who looks after the family．
Don't forget to clean your home． This is also an important thing to do to prepare for the Chinese New Year． It means sweeping away the dust of the old year and welcoming a fresh start． Now， the last thing for you to do is to wait for the coming Spring Festival．
（1）When is Laba festival？
（2）What do people often eat on Laba Festival？
（3）Is Laba garlic popular in the south？
（4）What do people do on Xiaonian？
（5）Why do people clean their homes before the Spring Festival？
Seventy percent of our planet is covered by one huge body of seawater﹣the ocean． In 2008， the United Nations recognized（确立） June 8 as World Oceans Day． It's a day to think about the important role that the oceans play in our lives， the dangers that our oceans are facing and the action we can take to protect them．
The ocean is home to the most of plants and animals on Earth． Plants in the sea provide us with 70 percent of O2 we breathe． The ocean controls our climate （气候）， providing heat in winter and cool air in summer． It also provides us with food and medicine． No matter where you live on the planet， no matter how far from the sea， your life is dependent on the ocean．
The biggest problem facing the ocean at the moment is plastic pollution． Reducing single﹣use plastic， including plastic bags and plastic bottles， has been an important theme for World Oceans Day for a number of years．
Climate change and rising sea temperatures are also a huge problem． Rising sea temperatures have a direct influence on weather patterns and are seen as partly responsible for an increase in extreme （极端的） weather．
The day is celebrated in all kinds of ways， including special events on the beach， river clean﹣ups， school activities， art contests and film festivals． You can join in to remind people about the importance of our oceans and to make a difference．
（1）What percent of our planet is covered with seawater？
A． 30%
B． 40%
C． 70%
（2）What is the main idea of Paragraph 2？
A． The ocean provides us with heat and cool air．
B． Our life is dependent on the ocean．
C． The ocean provides us with food and medicine
（3）What is the biggest problem facing the ocean？
A． Plastic pollution．
B． Reducing single﹣use plastic．
C． Air pollution．
（4）What is partly responsible for an increase of extreme weather？
A． Climate change．
B． Rising sea temperatures．
C． Weather patterns．
（5）How do people celebrate World Oceans Day？
A． Eating out together．
B． Having a meeting．
C． Holding special events．
Karachi， Pakistan， is one of the hottest cities on Earth． In June 2015， more than 1，000 people died there during heat wave（热浪）． "It was a terrible time，" Shahzad Qureshi said． "We needed to do something about it．" After the heat wave， Qureshi took action． He started Urban（都市的） Forest． The group plants trees in cities in Pakistan．
Trees help cool the air by providing shade（阴凉） and moisture（水分） through their leaves． Trees can help lower summer temperatures in cities by 2 to 5℃． Trees also provide a place for all kinds of animals． And they create a shady place where people can relax．
Urban Forest planted about 1，300 trees in a park in Karachi． The group uses a method that helps them grow quickly． In just three years， the trees were 30 feet tall． Qureshi hopes that one day， this park will become a forest of 50，000 trees． Since 2015， Qureshi and his team have helped cool the air by planting 14 urban forests in Pakistan． Twelve are in Karachi．
In 2017， Qureshi helped plant an urban forest at Karachi Grammar School． First， he met with students there． He taught them about how trees help the environment． Then the students planted trees in the schoolyard． "They were excited about the project，" Muneeza Shaikhali says． She's a headteacher at Karachi Grammar School． "They themselves had been experiencing the high temperatures in the summer months．"
There are many birds and colorful butterflies in the school． Students go outside during science class to study the forest． "It's like a library of trees in front of the kids，" Qureshi says． "They can learn the species（物种） and insects that are around． It's a beautiful thing to see．"
（1）What happened to Karachi in June 2015？
A． A wave hit this city．
B． A heat wave killed over 1，000 people．
C． Karachi became the hottest city．
（2）Who started Urban Forest？
A． Munecza Shaikhali．
B． Shahzad Qureshi．
C． The students at Karachi Grammar School．
（3）How did the students feel about the project？
A． Surprised．
B． Terrible．
C． Excited．
（4）During the science class， students go outside to ．
A． study the forest
B． climb the trees
C． catch birds and butterflies
（5）What's the best title for the text？
A． Urban Forest
B． City of Trees
C． Education on Environment
Malala was born in Pakistan on July 12， 1997． When she was young， Taliban fighters took over her hometown． Taliban is an extremist（极端主义） group that does not believe in a girl's right to education． They said girls should not be allowed to go to school． Malala thought that girls have the right to an education． In 2008， she spoke out against the Taliban． The Taliban tried to silence her．
In 2012， Taliban fighters shot Malala on her way home from school． She had to fly to England for medical treatment（治疗）． She stayed in England to continue her education． She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014， when she was 17． This makes her the youngest Nobel winner in history．
Malala started attending Oxford in 2017． At the age of 22， she graduated from Oxford University，in England． Malala posted photos of her celebration on Twitter． One showed her with her family． The other was taken after her "trashing"． Trashing is an Oxford tradition after students complete their final exams．
"Hard to express my joy and thanks right now as I completed my degree at Oxford，" she wrote． Congratulatory messages poured in from around the world． One was an American astronaut Anne McClain． "Congratulations on your graduation，" McClain said． "For so many， higher education is the start of great things． For you， great things happened before it and I can only imagine the even greater ones to follow．"
She has written books for both children and adults． She also raises money through the Malala Fund． This is nonprofit （非盈利的） group that fights for girls' education．
（1）Where was Malala born？
A． In Pakistan．
B． In England．
C． In America．
（2）What does the underlined word "silence" mean？
A． 压制
B． 控诉
C． 批评
（3）When did Malala win the Nobel Peace Prize？
A． In 2012．
B． In 2014．
C． In 2017．
（4）How many photos did Malala post on Twitter？
A． One．
B． Two．
C． Three．
（5）What can we learn from the passage？
A． Russian astronaut supported Malala．
B． Malala only wrote books for children．
C． Malala raised money for girls' education．
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The proper ways to save the drowning （溺水）student．
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Dos |
•Shout loudly and ask adults for help． At the same time，dial 110． •Find the objects which can float such as wood and bags filled with empty plastic bottles and throw them to him or her． •Look for branches and bamboo poles and reach for him or her，but lower the body to make sure not to be pulled into the water． |
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Don'ts |
•Don't jump into the water for rescue（营救）． •Don't try to save him or her hand in hand． |
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The time during which the drowning often happens |
•After school in the afternoon． •On weekends． •On holidays． •On summer vacation． |
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The possible causes |
•Play near the water or pick up things from the water． •Swim in a pool or river without adults． •Swim in groups on a hot day． |
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（1）Which of the following is Right for the drowning？
A． Try to save the drowning student hand in hand．
B． Jump into the water for rescue．
C． Shout loudly and ask adults for help．
（2）When does the drowning often happen？
A． On weekends or holidays．
B． After school in the morning．
C． On winter vacation．
（3）What's the possible cause of the drowning？
A． Picking up things in the yard．
B． Swimming with adults．
C． Playing near the water．
