Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way.Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly clean the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of “good fortune”or “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity”. Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.
In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st or January 1st. People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in form alclothes like tuxedos and evening gowns, and they may drink champagne（香槟）at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the New Year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the New Year can start afresh. Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a New Year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the New Year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the New Year. One widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the new coming year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-eyed peas for good luck—but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!The passage is mainly about_____.
| A．the meaning of “Happy New Year!” |
| B．several different New Year traditions |
| C．traditional activities for the New Year |
| D．interesting traditions on New Year’s Day |
We can learn from the passage that_____.
| A．some cultures celebrate New Year in the morning |
| B．4 cultures do special things to celebrate New Year |
| C．people in Ecuador go to parties on December 31stor January 1st |
| D．the Western people celebrate New Year only on New Year’s Day |
To have a happy new year,_____.
| A．friendssing to each other in special ways |
| B．families make big dolls filled with new clothes |
| C．some people get up early to watch the sunrise |
| D．Europeans eat 365 grapes on New Year’s Day |
When eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, people think_____.
| A．one pea brings one day of good luck |
| B．black-eyed peas are the best medicine |
| C．the peas are very black and taste bad |
| D．the peas are helpful to count numbers |
Do you know that it is your own immune system working against the virus that makes you uncomfortable when getting a cold, but not the virus itself? So when you have got a strong immune system and the virus is strong enough too, you will possibly get terrible cold symptoms( 症状) ?
Vitamin C won’t stop a cold
It is claimed that Vitamin C helps by increasing white blood cells. However, many tests have shown that it does not prevent colds. At best, it only slightly reduces the rime of symptoms.
Staying indoors won’t protect you
One of the most likely sources of cold viruses is your computer mouse or desk. A study of the cold virus in offices found that 47% of desktops, 46% of computer mice and 45% of telephones had cold viruses on them.
Wrapping up warm won’t protect you
Colds are more common in autumn and winter. That’s because the cool, wet and cold weather drives people indoors, where viruses may more easily jump from one person to another. And the distinct peak in colds(感冒高峰) is in September and early January, which is likely due to the return of students to schools and colleges after the summer and winter vacation.
Old granny’s chicken soup is right
Granny’s chicken soup is an old cure for colds since a long time ago. Scientists say it is true. Chicken soup does help cure a cold. Many canned soups are just efficient as homemade ones. It is ______ that makes you uncomfortable when getting a cold.
| A．the virus itself | B．Vitamin C |
| C．the terrible cold symptom | D．your own immune system |
"Staying indoors won’t protect you" tells us that ______ indoors.
| A．there are many desks | B．there are many telephones |
| C．there are many cold viruses | D．there are many computer mice |
The distinct peak in colds is in September and early January. That’s because______.
| A．it’s in autumn and winter |
| B．the weather is cool, wet and cold |
| C．students return to schools and colleges |
| D．viruses can jump from one person to another more easily |
Many canned soups are just efficient as homemade ones. The underlined word "efficient" means _____ in Chinese.
A. 有效的 B. 美味的 c. 值钱的 D. 方便的
The widespread number of food scandals ( 丑闻) in China is making many people pause before they put their chopsticks in their mouth. They are wondering if the food they are eating is clean, healthy and nutritious or does it contain something harmful that will cause disease?
Most of the food we eat today is processed food( 加工食品). That means the foods we buy in stores and supermarkets, especially packaged foods, are prepared in factories. Chemicals are added to the foods in these factories to make them look better, taste better and last longer on the shelf. The chemicals are supposed to be harmless and there are laws that regulate which chemicals can and cannot be used. Unfortunately, some producers do not obey the laws.
A producer of steamed buns (馒头) in Zhejiang Province was recently discovered to be breaking the law. He was adding yellow dye and other banned chemicals to the buns. He was also taking old buns and using them to make new buns. Most of the buns were sold to schools and eaten by students. . . like you’
Why did he do it? Why did he break the law and endanger people’s health? The answer is simple: he wanted to make more money. It was a moral failing, and this is at the heart of the food scandals in China. Too many people focus on making money and not on the effects their actions can have on others. Chemicals are added to the foods in the factories because _____.
| A．they want to make the foods look better, taste better and last longer |
| B．they want to make the foods contain something harmful |
| C．chemicals will cause disease |
| D．chemicals are harmless |
According to the passage, which is NOT true?
| A．Most of the food we eat today is prepared in factories. |
| B．There are laws that regulate which chemicals can and cannot be used. |
| C．The food scandals in China are making many people worry about the food safety. |
| D．Most of the buns were sold to schools and eaten, by students in Zhejiang Province. |
It was a moral failing, and this is at the heart of the food scandals in China. Here what’s
the Chinese meaning of "moral failing"?
| A．精神崩溃 | B．道德滑坡 | C．质量下降 | D．心理失衡 |
What is the main reason of the food scandals in China?
| A．Some producers do not obey the laws. |
| B．The processed food is clean, healthy and nutritious. |
| C．Too many people pay much attention to making money. |
| D．The chemicals are supposed to be harmless and can be used. |
In 1961, a man found a strange cat on his farm in Scotland. The cat’s ears were folded, bent forward, on its head. In fact, this was a new kind of cat. People named it the "Scottish Fold(苏格兰折耳猫)".
The Scottish Fold has a round head and large eyes. Its neck and legs are short, which makes it look very cute. Interestingly, all the Scottish Folds are born with straight and unfolded ears. And when they are growing up day by day, some cats’ ears will begin to fold. So, the Scottish Fold comes in two types: folded ears and straight ears.
Besides, there is a nickname for the Scottish Fold. It is the " Messenger of Peace". Why?
Because the Folds are sweet and friendly animals. They can get along well with other cats. And
unlike some other cats, they can even get along well with dogs! In many different environments, such as at a noisy house, or in a cat show, you can see them playing with other animals happily.
Well, when you come to a new school, do you think it’s difficult to adapt to the new environment? Perhaps you can learn from the Scottish Fold. That is: always be sweet and friendly to others.Tie Scottish Fold _____.
| A．is born with folded ears | B．is born with straight ears |
| C．always has folded ears | D．always has straight ears |
What does the Scottish Fold look like?
| A．It has a round head and large eyes. | B．Its neck and legs are short. |
| C．It looks very cute. | D．All above. |
Why are the Scottish Folds named the " Messenger of Peace" ?
| A．Because their ears are folded. |
| B．Because they look very cute. |
| C．Because they can get on well with other animals. |
| D．Because they can stay at a noisy house or in a cat show. |
According to the passage, what is the writer’ s suggestion to us when we are in a new
environment?
| A．We should have a nickname. | B．We should learn from the cats. |
| C．We should get along well with dogs. | D．We should always be sweet and friendly to others. |
Mr. White works in an office. He liked reading in bed when he was at school. It was bad for his eyes and now he is near-sighted. But he wouldn’t want anybody else to know about it and he never wears a pair of glasses. It often brings him some trouble.
One winter morning he was sent to a village school on business. He got off a bus at a stop in a small town. Then he had to walk there. The road to the village wasn’t smooth. There were stones here and there. He fell over several times and it made his clothes very duty. At last he got to the village. Suddenly it began to blow strongly and it got much colder. His hat was blown off while he was looking for the school. He had to run after it but he couldn’t catch it. He was wondering why his hat ran into a house as if it had legs. And then he ran into the house, too.
A big woman appeared and stopped him by shouting angrily, " What are you running after my hen for?"According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．Mr. White wears a pair of glasses. |
| B．Mr. White works in a village school. |
| C．Mr. White likes reading in bed in his office. |
| D．Mr. White often has some trouble because of his near sight. |
What was the weather like when Mr. White was walking to the village school?
| A．It was warm. | B．It was windy. | C．It was fine. | D．It was cool. |
Mr. White couldn’t get his hat because ______.
| A．his hat had legs | B．his hat was the big woman’s |
| C．he couldn’t see his hat at all | D．he couldn’t run as fast as his hat |
Choose the best choice from A、B or C according to what you read.Who will be guests at the party?
A. The children of Mr. Taylor. B. The Wilsons C. The TaylorsWhat will they have the party for?
A. New Year’s Day. B. Richard’s birthday. C. Mr. Taylor’s comingHow long does the party last?
A. Six hours. B. Seven hours. C. Eight hours.The seat number of the ticket is ______.
A. 4, Row 5 B. 5, Row 4C. 1, Row 4What does the underlined word “refund” mean?
A. 入场 B. 出场 C. 退票