People in the United states honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June.
Mother’s Day was proclaimed （宣告） a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ann Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia, had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers. She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation （康乃馨）.
In 1909, Mrs. Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers. She wanted to honor her own father, William Smart. After her mother died, he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter. In 1910, the first Father’s Day was observed in Spokane. Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father’s day as a national commemorative day, in 1972.
These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes (象征) a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery (墓地). On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues( 烧烤) for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.According to the passage, which of the following about the second Sunday in May is NOT true?
| A．It is a day to show love to mothers. |
| B．It is a day to wea carnations. |
| C．It is a day for people to visit the cemetery. |
| D．It is a day for many people to attend religious services. |
Choose the right time order of the following events.
a. The first Father’s Day was observed.
b. Mother’s Day was proclaimed a day for national observance.
c. Father’s Day was proclaimed a day for national observance.
d. The idea of honoring fathers was 1909.
| A．a,b,c,d | B．d,a,b,c |
| C．b,a,c,d | D．d,a,c,b |
Who plays the most important role in Father’s Day becoming a national commemorative day?
| A．Mrs. Dodd. | B．Margaret Chase Smith. |
| C．Ann Jarvis. | D．Woodrow Wilson. |
From the passage, we know in the US .
| A．one should wear a red carnation if one’s mother pass away |
| B．on Mother’s Day, families often go out to have barbecues |
| C．on Father’s Day, people often stay at home to celebrate the special day |
| D．the purpose to have these two special days is to show love to parents. |
The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to .
| A．call on people to love and respect their parents |
| B．introduce Mother’s Day and Fathers’ Day |
| C．tell the difference between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day |
| D．show how important fathers and mothers are |
The UK has a wellrespected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing．
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life．
However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect（前景）of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nervewracking（令人头痛的）. Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?
Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.
Here is some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week：
●Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette（礼节）. Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
●Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
●Be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than if you’re someone who never leaves their room.
●Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly.
So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your experience to next year’s new recruits．Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage？
| A．October is generally the busiest month for universities． |
| B．It’s a good idea to have a doorstop. |
| C．A bit of planning can make Freshers’ Week easier. |
| D．The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers’ Week． |
The underlined word "recruits" in the last paragraph refers to__________．
| A．courses | B．freshers | C．neighbors | D．challenges |
We can infer from the 4th paragraph that ．
| A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home |
| B．most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities |
| C．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life |
| D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs |
Why does the author suggest having wine glasses and snacks handy？
| A．To pass the busy university life． |
| B．To help make friends with other freshers． |
| C．To show yourself a drinker as others． |
| D．To pass the time in a happy way． |
It's 10:30 pm, and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. The message becomes clear: "R U awake?"
Brandon' s use of technology doesn' t stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles (控制台 ) in his room. With so many choices, it' s no surprise that when he isn' t at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices
Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found.
The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten.
Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. " If you’ve got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?" media expert Cheryl Olson says.
Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. " It' s a matter of balance," says Olson." You’ve got to work on it. "
Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. "It' s important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply, " says Rideout.
With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. " Kids should try," adds Rideout. " But parents might have to step in sometimes. "Why do children spend more time in using electronic devices?
| A．Because more electronic devices are available to them. |
| B．Because electronic devices are more exciting than before. |
| C．Because they have less other activities. |
| D．Because they have less homework to do. |
It is known from the passage that ____.
| A．Brandon Blanco feels very annoyed about his late-night text |
| B．the teenagers using mobile devices have increased by 30% in the past five years |
| C．Cheryl Olson is not surprised about kids' increasing use of mobile devices |
| D．most experts think teenagers should not use electronic devices for their studies |
Which of the following is an example of multitasking according to the passage?
| A．Watching TV while using the computer. |
| B．Talking on the phone while staying with others. |
| C．Playing video games on the Internet. |
| D．Listening to music while relaxing. |
According to the passage, Victoria Rideout would probably agree that ____.
| A．kids should do homework while surfing the Internet |
| B．kids should do homework in a place without disturbance |
| C．kids should spend more time on homework |
| D．kids should have more homework than before |
If you have ever been discouraged(受挫) because of failure(失败), please read on. Usually, achieving(实现) what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.
“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.
“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers answered excitedly.
The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders（蜘蛛）, worms and a lot of insects. He removed the lid（揭开盖子） and showed the wonderful contents to the visitors who were laughing at them. Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”
Their goal was far too difficult, but it made them dig. And that is what a goal is for—to make us move in the direction we have chosen. In other words, it sets us to digging!
But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!” And I believe it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters.The writer told us the story to ________ .
| A．advise us to treats（对待） our failures fairly |
| B．persuade us to make an aim for our lives |
| C．encourage us to learn from the two brothers |
| D．prove that failure helps us make achievements |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Failure is the mother of success |
| B．When there is a will, there is a way |
| C．No pains, no gains |
| D．Joy in the journey |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Digging a hole all the way through the earth is impossible. |
| B．The writer thinks that the two brothers will reach their goal one day. |
| C．A goal is something that makes us want to dig holes. |
| D．Everyone can succeed if he sets a practical goal. |
It’s school time again! You’re probably feeling excited and maybe a little sad that summer is over. Some kids feel nervous or a little scared（害怕） on the first day of school because of all the new things: new teachers, new friends, and even a new school. Luckily, these “new” worries only stick around for a little while. Let’s find out more about going to a new school.
Most teachers kick off the new school year by introducing themselves and talking about all the stuff you’ll be doing that year. Some teachers give students a chance to tell something about themselves to the rest of the class, too. When teachers do the talking on the first day, they often go over classroom rules and school rules so you’ll know what’s allowed and what’s not. Please pay close attention
You might already know a lot of people in your classes on the first day, but it’s a great day to make a new friend, so try to say hello to kids you know and new ones that you don’t. Make the first move and you’ll be glad you did, and so will your new friend!
Seeing friends you haven’t seen for some time can make the first day a good one. You can make the day feel special by wearing clothes that you really like. Maybe you got a great T-shirt on one of your vacations, or a pair of sneakers（运动鞋）. It also can make you feel good to be prepared and have all the things you need, such as pencils, folders, and whatever else you’ll be needing. But make sure that you pack them the night before in case you don’t have time in the morning. The underlined phrase “kick off” in the second paragraph probably means “_____”.
| A．start | B．study | C．find | D．teach |
The last paragraphs mainly tell us about ________.
| A．what to know about a new school |
| B．how to prepare for a new school |
| C．what to do on your first day of school |
| D．how to spend your first day of school |
According to the passage you usually do everything on the first day of school except _______.
| A．introduce yourself | B．learn about the school rules |
| C．make new friends | D．go over your new lessons |
If you happen to see an old friend on the first day of school, from the passage we know that you will feel ________
| A．nervous | B．lucky | C．happy | D．excited |
Many years ago in a small village, an old man was hired to clear the spring (泉水) up on the mountain. He patrolled (巡逻) the spring every day, and swept away all the leaves and other things that would dirty the fresh flow of water. Soon, beautiful swans (天鹅) came to the clear spring, and the village became a popular attraction for visitors.
Years passed. One evening the town leaders held a meeting. As they looked at the salary list, one of them said, “Why do we keep this old man on year after year? I don’t think we need him or his work.” Later, the old man was asked to leave.
For several weeks, nothing changed. By early autumn, the leaves began to fall off the trees, and the spring was covered with leaves. A few days later, the water was much darker. Only a few months after the old man left, all the swans left, as did the tourists. Disease reached deeply into the village.
Quickly, the leaders held a special meeting. Realizing their mistake, they rehired the old man. Then within a few weeks, the spring began to clear up. Soon new life returned to the village.
So, my friends, do you see? No matter how small your work or your life seems to be, never overlook it. Anything we can do will make a difference.The leaders decided to ask the old man to leave because they thought ______.
| A．his work was unnecessary | B．he did his work carelessly |
| C．he was too old to do the job | D．he could do other better jobs |
How did the leaders feel a few months after the old man left?
| A．Regretful. | B．Moved. | C．Excited. | D．Calm. |
What does the underlined word “overlook” mean in the last paragraph?
| A．Believe. | B．Ignore(忽略). | C．Praise. | D．Punish. |
With this story, the writer wants to tell us that ______.
| A．even a small job can be important | B．work can bring old people happiness |
| C．everyone should always respect others | D．everyone can be his own master |