Valentine’s Day（情人节） was coming. Helen felt hurt and lonely because this was her first Valentine’s Day after the divorce（离婚）.
Helen’s twelve-year-old son, Jack, looked at his mother, knowing that this was a difficult time for both of them. In order to make his mother happy, he prepared a present, and handed it to her on Valentine’s Day.
It was a beautiful gift package （纸盒）. Helen couldn’t believe what was happening. She opened it and took out a lovely card and a small box.
“Now,” he said, “read the card.” It reads as follows:
“I know that this isn’t easy for you because it has been a hard year for both of us. I know that Valentine’s Day is a special day for people in love. I want you to know that I love you. I know that Valentines are supposed to get chocolate. I went to the store today to buy some for you. Luckily, I got the last piece. I told the clerk it was just perfect.”
Helen stood there for a moment and looked at her son. Her eyes sparkled in the light as tears formed in each corner. Jack knew he had done the right thing. Slowly she opened the small box, careful not to tear the paper. She would never forget the moment. She found a chocolate heart that was broken into pieces along with a note:
“I am so sorry that Dad left us, Mom. And all you were left with was a broken heart. But I just want you to know we still have each other.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Your son,
Jack”Which of the following words can best describe Jack?
| A．Hard-working. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Brave. | D．Caring. |
Why did Jack think it was a difficult time for his mother and him?
| A．Because he hadn’t heard from his father for a long time. |
| B．Because his mother had been out of work for a long time. |
| C．Because his father left them and his mother felt hurt and lonely. |
| D．Because he had no money to buy a gift for his mother |
Which of the following wasn’t in the gift package?
| A．A card | B．A flower |
| C．A small box. | D．A chocolate heart. |
Jack wrote a card to his mother in order to ____.
| A．show his love to her |
| B．explain why he felt lonely |
| C．ask her to give him some money |
| D．express he missed his father |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Helen felt hurt and lonely when Valentine’s Day was coming. |
| B．Jack knows his mother’s feelings and prepared a present on Valentine’s Day. |
| C．Jack’s mother still loves Jack’s father. |
| D．Helen was moved by her son when she received Jack’s gift. |
The Wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area. He was said to only accept men as members of his gang who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.
This event is becoming increasingly popular. A large number of competitors, people, and journalists from Finland to Canada attend the Wife-carrying World Championship every year.
The event is famous for its warm and humorous atmosphere. The Wife-carrying World Championship is held on a 253.3 meters long official track. The track has two dry obstacles (障碍物）and a water obstacle, about a meter deep.
There are a few basic rules and the winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time. The wife to be carried may be your own, or your neighbor’s. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kg. If she is less than 49kg, the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be fined 15 seconds.
Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink”. Then he may continue the race. A special prize is awarded to the team with the best costumes.
While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife-carrying dance and other forms of entertainment. The Wife-carrying World Championship is famous because ________.
| A．it is held on a 253.3 meters long official track |
| B．many competitors take part in it |
| C．it has a pleasant atmosphere |
| D．the winner will be awarded a lot of money |
If a husband drops his wife 3 times in the competition, he will be fined ________.
| A．15 seconds | B．30 seconds | C．45 seconds | D．60 seconds |
Compared with the Wife-carrying World Championship, the team competition ________.
| A．is more exciting | B．has a special prize |
| C．has a different track | D．has three teams altogether |
The passage is written mainly to ________.
| A．warn people that the competition is dangerous. |
| B．attract more visitors to the Wife-carrying World Championship. |
| C．introduce how the Wife-carrying World Championship has become popular. |
| D．tell us something about the Wife-carrying World Championship. |
Yesterday was my stepmother’s birthday. I haven’t been home for a long time, so I wanted to stop by the house to see her on this special day.
I have been struggling on a low income so I was afraid that I couldn’t afford the long trip. Gas is so expensive nowadays! Anyway, I filled my tank with gas and set off.
I stopped at a shopping mall and found a present. It was the perfect gift and I knew she would love it. But when I got to the cashier, my card wasdeclined! I didn’t have enough money in my account to pay for the gift!
So I pondered the issue for a few minutes. I could put it back and get something cheaper, but I knew there was nothing else in the store she would have liked as much. So, I got to my smart-phone and transferred some money from my saving account and was able to buy the gift. It took a big part of my savings but I wanted her to have something special.
It turned out that she loved the gift and I felt that even though I had spent almost all my money, my stepmother deserved the best. I was glad I gave her the best I could.
Before I left my parents’ house, my dad took me to one side and, with our secret handshake, he gave me some money. I hadn’t said anything to him about my financial condition, but I guessed my dad just knew it. When I got to the car, I saw the amount he gave me was three times what I had spent on the gas and the gift!
It goes to show that doing the right thing always comes with great rewards. Why was the writer unwilling to have a long trip?
| A．Because gas was hardly available. |
| B．Because the writer was short of money. |
| C．Because the writer didn’t like driving. |
| D．Because the road was difficult to drive on. |
The underlined word “pondered” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
| A．thought about | B．tried on | C．depended on | D．got through |
From the passage, we can infer that ________.
| A．the writer loves his stepmother very much |
| B．the gift the writer bought was loved by his father very much |
| C．the writer spend all his savings buying the gift for his stepmother |
| D．the gift the writer bought was the most expensive one in the shop |
Why did the writer’s father shake hands with the writer in secret?
| A．Because he wanted to ask the writer for something special. |
| B．Because he wanted to give the writer some money. |
| C．Because he knew the writer had been struggling financially. |
| D．Because he didn’t want others to copy their handshake. |
Scotland is a unique place, loaded with history, where you can find aristocratic（贵族的）palaces and castles, as well as the traditional parades in national costumes.
In order to see and discover the true soul of Scotland today and what formed the character of this splendid region, we have to go towards the northern regions, to the Grampian Mountains（格兰扁山区）, beautiful and plain. The Scots conquered the environment with simple spades and strong arms, for it was difficult to farm.
The history of this ancient struggle, and its people’s ancient love with the hard land, can be felt within the walls of the Angus Folk Museum. You are able to get a feel of the typical rural atmosphere of times past from the everyday artifacts displayed here.
From coastal Aberdeen in towards the Grampian Mountains there runs the Castle Trail, a road that touches on many fortresses（堡垒）, which are witnesses of continual fights against the control of neighboring England in Scottish history.
Perhaps the most exciting moment for Scottish autonomy is the one experienced inside this ancient church of Arbroath, where, in 1320, the Declaration of Independence was celebrated, at the instigation（鼓动）of King Robert the Bruce. He carried out the plan for autonomy drawn up by the great popular hero William Wallace, for whom cinema has designed the wonderful film Brave Heart, the winner of the five Oscars.
This is Glamis Castle, where King Macbeth and Queen Elizabeth used to live. Among the most frequent guests here are the predictable ghosts, if not actually created, by ancient popular beliefs. These have been handed down over the centuries by people tending to live with mystery, with the forces of the supernatural.
Another attraction here is a legendary monster: the Loch Ness Monster. Whether it’s real or imaginary, this monster, which has been nicknamed Nessie, has collected a good 3,000 sightings over the last 50 years.
The true flag of Scotland, tartan, is recognizable from the brightly colored plaid patterns which are used to distinguish the various social groups.
Bagpipes and dancing open the competitions of local sporting events, which are called Highland Gatherings.Take a look at the Angus Folk Museum, and we can learn about _______. .
| A．the love of ancient Scottish to the hard land |
| B．the rural atmosphere in Grampian Mountains |
| C．ancient Scottish people’s fighting against the enemy |
| D．the history of the Scottish famous palaces and castles |
What were the fortresses built for?
| A．Fighting against the invaders of England. |
| B．Developing business with neighbor areas. |
| C．Preventing the people from moving around. |
| D．Providing a shelter from tough weather for travelers. |
In the fifth paragraph, the underlined “the one” refers to the moment of _______.
| A．the film Brave Heart winning the five Oscars |
| B．the plan for Scottish autonomy being carried out |
| C．the instigation of King Robert the Bruce |
| D．the celebration of the Declaration of Independence |
According to the passage, which one is TRUE?
| A．The film Brave Heart is mainly about King Robert Bruce. |
| B．The Scottish film industry is one of the attractions of the land. |
| C．Highland gatherings are often marked with bagpipes and dancing |
| D．The supernatural forces in Glamis Castle may change a person’s belief. |
The purpose of the writer is to _______.
| A．advise readers to pay a visit to Scotland |
| B．teach students about the customs of Scotland |
| C．introduce cultural background about Scotland |
| D．analyze the geographic formation of Scotland |
A few months ago as I wandered through my parents’ house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I’d still be living in almost 30 years later.
It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there’s no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to. I’m not sure where I’ll be living in two years, or what kind of job I’ll have. And I don’t think I’ll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.
So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they’d gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.
My friends and I – “Generation Y” – still aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we’re happy doing it. We’d rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We’d rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.
This casual attitude towards responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation “arrogant”, “impatient”, and “overprotected”. Some of these complaints have a point. As children we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.
Our parents looked to rise vertically（垂直的）– starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn’t apply to my generation.
Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, struggle for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents’ generation did.What is the main “generation gap” between the author and her friends and their parents according to the article?
| A．Their ways of gaining experience. |
| B．Their attitude towards responsibility. |
| C．Their attitude toward high technology. |
| D．Their ways of making their way to the top. |
Which of the following might the author agree with?
| A．It involves too much effort to rise vertically. |
| B．It’s better to take adult responsibility earlier. |
| C．It’s all right to try more before settling down. |
| D．It’s ridiculous to call her generation “arrogant”. |
What can we conclude from the article?
| A．The author is envious of her parents enjoying a big house at her age. |
| B．“Generation Y” people don’t want to grow up and rush into adulthood. |
| C．Growing up in a hi-tech world makes “Generation Y” feel insecure about relationships. |
| D．The author wrote this article so that others would be able to understand her generation better. |
What is the main theme of the article?
| A．Criticisms of the young generation. |
| B．The sudden realization of growing up. |
| C．A comparison between lifestyles of generations. |
| D．The factors that have changed the young generation. |
C
| Father’s Day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise Sunday, June 16th, 2013 6:30pm-8:30pm Join us aboard the 95’ Dana Pride for our special Father’s Day Dinner Cruise. Enjoy a unique evening of fun on the water, complete with live music by Mike O’ Brien and a delicious barbecue dinner.  Adult – $59 Kids (3-12) – $29 Two and under are Free LOCATION: Dana Point Harbor BOOK ONLINE OR CALL: 949-496-5794 |
| Rancho Days Fiesta July 13, 2013 Celebration the history of Saddleback Valley, there will be children’s activities including free crafts projects. Help make and taste homemade ice cream and butter, warm bread from the oven. Dip water and grind（磨碎）corn while learning about the early days of Orange County.  Admission is $3 for children 3 to 12 years old and $4 for adults. LOCATION: Heritage Hill Historical Park INFORMATION: 949-923-2230 |
| Annual Silverado Counter Fair and Art Festival October 5-6, 2013 The 42th Annual Silverado Country Fair explores the wonders of the area’s Old West rustic（乡村的）culture, great live music, tasty food, handmade arts, crafts and family games under the oak-trees below Orange Country’s famous Saddleback Mountain.  Daytime adult admission: $4 / Kids under 12: only $2 Saturday Night Music Fest（联欢）: $5 for everyone LOCATION: Silverado Community Center INFORMATION: 714-997-3968 |
| Starr Ranch Sanctuary October 20-21, 2013 Audubon California’s Starr Ranch Sanctuary invites you to our fall classes for adults. Join our wildlife biologist for two peaceful days at beautiful 4,000-acre Starr Ranch in southeast Orange County and experience nature hands-on as a wildlife researcher.  Cost: $95 for those not camping (including dinner) / $100 for those camping (dinner and breakfast provided) LOCATION: Starr Ranch Sanctuary RESERVATIONS OR INFORMATION: 949-858-0309 |
Which event is suitable for one who wants to enjoy dinner in a boat with live music?
| A．Rancho Days Fiesta. |
| B．Starr Ranch Sanctuary. |
| C．Father’s day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise. |
| D．Annual Silverado Counter Fair and Art Festival. |
At Rancho Days Fiesta, you can _______.
| A．taste food made in the local factories |
| B．join in activities for the whole family |
| C．pay a great deal of money to join in camping |
| D．experience the early life of the Orange County |
How much will a couple have to pay if they go to Saturday Night Music Fest with their 10-year-old son?
| A．$12. | B．$15. | C．$10. | D．$5. |
Mr Smith wants to take his wife and daughter to have some family games in early October. He will call _______ for information.
| A．714-997-3968 | B．949-923-2230 |
| C．949-496-5794 | D．949-858-0309 |