Celebrating New Year’s Day is one of the oldest and most exciting traditions around the world. Since this festival marks the beginning of the year， New Year’s Day is thought of as a perfect time for a “clean start”. People in the world decide to act better in the year just beginning than the year just ended.
No day has ever been celebrated in so many different ways. All over the world， countries have their own special beliefs about what the New Year means to them.
In Scotland， the New Year is called Hogmanay. In the villages of Scotland， barrels of tar (沥青) are set on fire. It represents that the old year is burned up and the new one is allowed to enter.
New Year’s Day is also the Festival of Saint Basil in Canada. Children leave their shoes by the fireside on New Year’s Day with the hope that Saint Basil， who is famous for his kindness， will come and fill their shoes with gifts.
The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah. It is an important time when Jews promise to do better in the future. Special services are held in the church， children are given new clothes and New Year bread is cooked to remind people of harvest time.
On New Year’s Day in Japan， everyone gets dressed in their new clothes and homes are decorated (装饰) with bamboos—symbols of long life.
In European countries such as Germany， France and Belgium， families start the New Year by first attending church services. Afterwards， they visit friends and relatives. In France， boys and girls receive gifts of money on New Year’s Day.
New Year celebrations around the
| Country/people |
Celebration activities |
Special beliefs |
| Scotland |
People |
The old year is burned up and the new one is allowed to enter. |
| Canada |
Children leave their |
Their shoes will be |
| Jews |
It is a time for people to People |
|
| Japan |
People Homes are decorated with bamboos. |
Symbols of |
| European |
People attend church services visiting friends and relatives. |
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Alice, Sonia and Bobby are looking at the employment section in their local newspaper. They are looking at advertisements for different types of jobs.
“Why don’t you apply（申请）for the job as a waiter, Bobby?” said Alice.
“Do you think I will have a chance?” Bobby replied.
“Of course you will,” said Alice. “You’re certainly honest and reliable（可靠的）. Everyone trusts you, and you’re never late.”
“I think Sonia should apply for the job as a nanny,” Bobby said.
“Yes, Sonia,” Alice said. “You always work so hard and you love children. You would be perfect!”
“I’d love to do it,” Sonia said, “but the advertisement says they want someone who is experienced. I don’t have any experience or qualifications. But what about you, Alice?
“Yes, Alice,” Bobby said. “Which job would you like”?
“I think I should become a career advisor!” said Alice.The friends are looking at the employment section in the newspaper for ______.
| A．jobs | B．advertisements |
| C．money | D．chances |
Who do you think will most probably get a job mentioned in the newspaper?
| A．Alice | B．Sonia | C．Bobby | D．Serge. |
Alice was the most active of the three in ______.
| A．applying for jobs |
| B．giving suggestions |
| C．making experiences |
| D．looking at the advertisements |
任务型阅读 阅读短文，按要求完成各题。
On February 3rd，1949，New York Harbor was an exciting place．Many people were there to greet a ship from France．On the ship were 49 French railroad boxcars filled with gifts from the people of France to the people of America．These boxcars were from the famous Merci Train (Merci，a French word meaning "thank you")．
After World War Ⅱ，a lot of factories，roads and farms in France had been destroyed．Many French people had no jobs or money and had little to wear and little to eat．In the winter of 1947，a train was sent across the United States，stopping in cities and towns along the way．At every stop，people gave whatever they could．Factories gave clothing and medicine．Farmers gave food．Families gave money．Even school children gave away their pocket money. All the things were then carried to France by ship．
By 1949，the French had begun to recover（恢复） from the war．The Merci Train was their way of saying "thank you" to America．French people had filled the boxcars with gifts．Most of them were personal，like hand-made toys，children's drawings，or postcards．But the boxcars themselves were perhaps the most meaningful of the gifts．On each car，the French people had painted the pictures of all their 40 provinces，with an American eagle on the front．The boxcars were moved to each state of America，where they were warmly greeted．
Now many of the states still keep their boxcars．Gifts sent by the French people can still be seen in some museums．The Merci Train came out of the war，but it now reminds the world that countries can also work together in peace．
根据短文内容完成句子填空（每空一词）
The first paragragh tells us _______________ and ______________ the story happened.根据短文内容完成句子填空（每空一词）
In the third paragragh the underlined them refers to (指)______________ and they refers to _____________( in English).把短文中的划线句子翻译为汉语。
_____________________________________________________________________根据短文内容回答问题。
Why had the French people painted their 40 provinces and an American eagle on each boxcar?
They wanted to________________________________________________________.根据短文内容回答问题 （10词以内）
What is the passage mainly about?
_____________________________________________________________________
Chicago is next to a beautiful lake, Lake Michigan. In the summer Lake Michigan is warm and blue .People lie on the beaches and swim in the water. In the winter Lake Michigan is cold and gray .Snow covers the beaches, and ice covers the water.
On a cold January day, a little boy and his father were playing in the snow on Chicago beach. The boy was Jimrsy Tontlewicx. He was four years old .Several Minutes went by .The father still couldn’t find Jimmy. Firemen（消防队员）arrived .Twenty minutes later they found Jimmy and pulled him out of the water. Jimmy was not breathing, and his heart was not beating . He was dead. At the beach paramedics（医务辅助人员）worked on Jimmy for an hour . He began to breathe , and his heart began to beat . The paramedics rushed Jimmy to the hospital.Doctors at the hospital put Jimmy in bed .They put him on a cold mattress （床垫）because they wanted his body to warm up slowly. They gave him some medicine because they wanted him to sleep .After six weeks in the hospital he got better ,Then he went to another hospital. He stayed there for seven weeks .He began to walk ,talk ,and play again.
Jimmy was in the water for more than 20 minutes . He couldn’t breathe in the water . He couldn’t get any oxygen（氧气）.But today he is alive and healthy. How is it possible? Jimmy is alive because the water was ice cold. Usually the brain（脑）needs a lot of oxygen .But when it’s very cold , the brain slows down. It does not need much oxygen .So the ice cold water saved Jimmy . Jimmy’s father has another reason （理由）.He says ,“Jimmy is alive today because he is a fighter（战士）。”The story happened in __________.
| A．January | B．February |
| C．November | D．December |
How long did Jimmy stay in hospital before he got healthy?
| A．Seven weeks | B．Thirteen weeks |
| C．Fifty days | D．Ninety --nine days. |
Which one is the right order （顺序）according to the story?
a. Paramedics worked on Jimmy for an hour
b. Jimmy began to walk , talk, and play again.
c. Jimmy fell into lake.
d. Jimmy was sent to the hospital quickly.
e. Jimmy woke up , but he couldn’t walk or talk.
f. Firemen pulled Jimmy out of the water.
| A．c—f—e—d—a—b | B．c—f—a—d—e—b |
| C．a—c—e—b—f—d | D．a—c—f—e—b—d |
Why can JIMMY be alive according to the last paragraph（段落）？
| A．Because he slept for a long time |
| B．Because he is a fighter |
| C．Because he water was ice cold |
| D．Because he was sent to hospital quickly. |
Which is the best title （标题）for the story?
| A．A Dangerous Lake | B．A Strong Little Boy |
| C．How proud the Father Is | D．How Clever the Doctors Are |
When you want to go shopping, decide how much money you can spend for new clothes. Think about the kind of clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes on sale(销售).
There are labels(标签)inside all new clothes. The labels tell you how to take care of your clothes. The label for a shirt may tell you to wash it in warm water. A sweater label may tell you to wash by washing in cold water. The label on a coat may say "dry clean only." Washing may ruin(损坏)this coat. If you do as the directions(说明)say on the label, you can keep your clothes looking their best. Many clothes today must be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is expensive. When buying new clothes, check(核实)to see if they will need to be dry cleaned. You will save money if you buy clothes that can be washed.
You can save money if you buy clothes that are well made. Well-made clothes last longer. They look good even after they have been washed many times. Clothes that cost more money are not always better made. They do not always fit(合身)better. Sometime less expensive clothes look and fit better than more expensive clothes.If you want to save money you can buy clothes that _____.
| A．don't fit you | B．don't last long |
| C．need to be dry cleaned | D．can be washed |
The label inside the clothes tell you______.
| A．how to keep them looking their best |
| B．how to save money |
| C．whether they fit you or not |
| D．where to get them dry cleaned |
The first thing for you to do before you buy clothes is ______.
| A．to look for well-made clothes |
| B．to see how much money you can pay |
| C．to know how to wash them |
| D．to read the labels inside them |
We learn from the reading that cheaper clothes ______.
| A．are always worse made |
| B．must be dry cleaned |
| C．can not be washed |
| D．can sometimes fit you better |
The best title(标题) for the reading should be ______.
| A．Buying Less Expensive Clothes |
| B．Taking Enough Money When Shopping |
| C．Being a Clever Clothes Shopper |
| D．Choosing the Labels inside New Clothes |
Britain Today
Food
British people like good food, and more than half of them go to a restaurant every month. Fast food is also very popular— 30% of all adults have a hamburger every three months, but 46% have fish and chips!
Sports
British people don't do a lot of sports. Only 17% of people go swimming every week, about 9% go cycling and 8% play golf—and only 6% of people play football( but 32% go to watch it ).
Cinema and TV
Films are very popular in Britain, and about 60% of people between 15 and 24 go to the cinema every month. At home, men watch TV for about three hours every day — two quarters more than women.
Holidays
British people love going on holiday. Most of the holidays aren't in the UK—27% are in Spain,10% are in the USA,and 9% are in France. Maybe this is because the weather in Britain isn't very good!Which food could be more popular among British adults,a hamburger or fish and chips?
| A．A hamburger. | B．Fish and chips. |
| C．Both. | D．Neither. |
Which of the followings can show the right percentage (百分比) about Sports in Britain?
| A．9% of people go swimming every week |
| B．about 17% go cycling and |
| C．8% play golf |
| D．32 of people play football |
Those who are interested in movies are ____.
| A．men | B．women |
| C．old people | D．young people |
How long do British women spend watching TV every day?
| A．Three hours. | B．Three hours and a half |
| C．Two hours | D．Two hours and a half |
British people's favorite country for a holiday is ____.
| A．Spain | B．France |
| C．America | D．Australia |