Birthday Traditions in Different Countrles[来
England
Certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake as it’s being prepared. If your piece of cake has a coin in it，then you will be rich. Also, when it’s your birthday，your friends give you the“bumps”.They lift you in the air by your hands and feet and raise you up and down to the floor；one for each year you lived，then another one or two for luck.
Denmark
A flag is flown outside a window to show that someone who lives in that house is having a birthday. Presents are placed around the child’s bed while he/she is sleeping，so he/she will see them at once upon awakening.
Holland
Special year birthdays such as 5，10，15，20，21 are called“crown”years.The birthday child receives an especially large gift on a crown year birthday.The family also decorates the birthday child’s chair at the dining room table with flowers，paper streamers and balloons.
Canada
The birthday child’s nose is greased（涂抹）with butter for good luck.The greased nose makes the child too slippery for bad luck to catch him/her.In some parts of Canada，the birthday person even receives a punch（一拳）for each year he/she is alive and then one for good luck.
Brazil
The birthday child receives a pull on the ear for each year he/she has been alive.The birthday person also gives the first plece of cake to his/her most special friend or relative，usually mom or dad.
Korea
There is a big family party on the first birthday.The table is set with food，and four items：a pencil，a ruler，thread，and money. The item that the baby chooses is said to forecast his/her future：excellent student，good with hands，long life or riches.
South Africa
On the twenty-first birthday，a key made of anything from paper to silver to gold is presented by the parents as a sign that the child is ready to unlock the door to their future.
If a British friend is raised up and down to the floor 18 yimes on his birthday，he is most likely（可能的）to be .
| A．17 | B．18 | C．19 | D．20 |
The following tradition is mentioned in the passage EXCEPT for .
| A．giving a pull on the ear |
| B．having a big family party |
| C．greasing butter on the nose |
| D．flying a flag at the child’s bed |
In which countries do people celebrate their 21st birthday specially?
| A．Canada and England. |
| B．Denmark and Korea. |
| C．Brazil and Holland. |
| D．Holland and South Africa. |
The passage mainly tells us .
| A．people in different countries have their own special year birthdays |
| B．people in different countries celebrate their birthday in different ways |
| C．people always have a big birthday party at home in different countries |
| D．people always know a 1-year-old baby’s future from the item he chooses |
Have you ever trained your brain（大脑）? Now there are some new suggestions, such as eating dark
chocolate and having cold meat for breakfast. You should also avoid watching soap operas, spending time with people who complain or follow fat-free diets, according to a new book on getting “brain-fit”.
Many of the suggestions in Teach Yourself Training Your Brain are surprising. The book says to read out loud while holding a baby. Writers Terry Horne and Simon Wootton say their advice is from the latest research by experts around the world.
“For years we have thought our brain capability (能力) is decided by our genes（基因）. But it’s now clear that it depends on our lifestyle. What we eat and drink, how we learn at school and what type of feelings we have are all important,” said Horne.
The book talks about the most up-to-date thinking in science about how diet, the environment, stress and other sides of modern life affect our brain capacity. It also offers advice and exercises. The book comes as more and more people are spending money on books, DVDs and computer games, which say to improve their brain’s capability.
Horne believes that people need to make changes to their lifestyles to increase their brain capacity Happiness, confidence and an optimistic nature help the brain, he added.
“So mix with people who make you laugh, or share the same interests as you. And avoid people who complain,” said Horne. “People who are negative will make you sad, which means you won’t achieve things.”According to the book, which of the following isn’t good for training your brain?
| A．Doing some brain games. |
| B．Eating dark chocolate. |
| C．Having cold meat for breakfast. |
| D．Watching soap operas. |
What’s Horne’s attitude toward the brain capability?
| A．It depends on what our genes are like. |
| B．It’s decided by our lifestyle. |
| C．It has nothing to do with schools. |
| D．It should follow the type of our feelings. |
What’s the book Teach Yourself Training Your Brain mainly about?
| A．How people’s brain capability works |
| B．Exercises to improve brain capability |
| C．Some scientific and healthy diets |
| D．How to improve people’s brain capability |
From the underlined sentence, we can learn that __________.
| A．more and more people are interested in reading |
| B．books can help people improve their brain capability |
| C．people are paying more attention to training their brain |
| D．there are many ways to train people’s brain |
There are several ways you can find out about the countries and places you wish to visit. You can talk to friends who have travelled to the places. Or you can go and see a color film. Or you can read travel books.
It would seem that there are three kinds of travel books. The first are those that give a personal, subjective (主观的) idea of travels which the author has got himself. These books can be useful to you when you are planning your travels if the writers share their travelling experiences with others. The second kind are those books which give objective (客观的) information of things to be done and seen. If a cultured person has written such a book about the facts of a place, then it is even more useful. The third kind are those books which are called “a guide” to some place or other. If they are good, they will describe and explain the place in detail. Like the first kind, they can be interesting and exciting. But their main purpose is to help the reader who wishes to plan his travel in the most practical way.
Whatever kind of travel book you choose you must make sure that it does not describe everything as“wonderful”, “excellent” or “magical”. You must also keep an open eye on its date of publication because travel is a very practical matter and many things change quickly in the twenty-first century. Finally, you should make sure that it’s easy to find useful information for your travel.The passage was written to introduce _______.
| A．travel maps | B．travel books |
| C．travel films | D．travel places |
The underlined phrase “ a cultured person” means a person with _______.
| A．a good appearance |
| B．a good education |
| C．a lot of experience |
| D．a lot of money |
The date of publication must be noticed because _______.
| A．the prices of travel books may be different |
| B．the writers of travel books may be different |
| C．the information in travel books is always the same |
| D．the information in travel books is always changing |
According to the passage, it is best to read _______ before travelling to a place of interest.
| A．the first kind of travel books |
| B．the second kind of travel books |
| C．the third kind of travel books |
| D．some travel articles in newspapers |
Old George bought the black gloves for just $35 ten years ago. They were made of lamb skin, soft and warm and very strong. Until then, he had worn cheaper man-made material. These gloves never lasted longer than three years. He first decided to buy the expensive gloves, because they would make him feel nice in front of others. George never let a drop of water or rain touch his expensive gloves, so they looked new. Losing this favourite thing was almost like losing a child to him. Bad luck! George lost his expensive gloves on New Year’s Day....
Back home, George was at a loss. In deep winter, he could not do without a pair of gloves. If he bought cheap ones again, he would have to replace (换) them very soon. If he bought a new leather pair, it would cost $50 now. He was sad that people no longer returned things they found on the road.
After the holiday, poor George decided to buy another leather pair. Before boarding the subway, he went into Value Mart again to see if his gloves had been returned to the Lost and Found Office(失物招领处). “What colour are they?” the woman in the office asked again. “Black,” he gave the same answer.
She looked into her drawer and drew out a pair of men's leather gloves. “Are they?” “Yes! Those are mine!”
George explained, with great joy in his eyes.Why did George decide to buy the expensive gloves?
| A．Because they were black. |
| B．Because they made him feel good before others. |
| C．Because they have a long history. |
| D．Because they are much cheaper. |
The leather gloves looked new after years because ____.
| A．George took very good care of them |
| B．they were soft and warm |
| C．they were expensive |
| D．George washed them with water. |
About old George, which of the following is true?
| A．He was a very rich man. |
| B．He never bought cheap gloves. |
| C．He believed somebody would return the gloves to him. |
| D．He hadn’t expected to get his gloves back. |
Steven Jobs, the designer of Apple Computer, was not clever when he was in school. At that time, he was not a good student and he always made troubles with his schoolmates. When he went into college, he didn’t change a lot. Then he dropped out(退学). But he was full of new ideas.
After he left college, Steven Jobs worked as a video game designer. He worked there for only several months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and give him a change in life.
Steven Jobs lived on a farm in California for a year after he returned from India.
In 1975, he began to make a new type of computer. He designed the Apple Computer with his friend in his garage(汽车库). He chose the name “Apple” just because it could help him to remember a happy summer he once spent in an apple tree garden. His Apple Computer was such a great success that Steven Jobs soon became famous all over the world.Steven Jobs was not a good student in school because he _____.
A. never did his lessons
B. was full of new ideas
C always made troubles with his schoolmates
D. dropped outSteven Jobs didn’t finish college, did he?
| A．Yes, he did. |
| B．No, he didn’t. |
| C．Yes, he didn’t. |
| D．No, he did. |
Steven Jobs designed his new computer _____.
| A．in India |
| B．with his friend |
| C．in an apple tree garden |
| D．by himself |
From this passage, we know _____.
| A．Steven Jobs didn’t finish his studies in the college because he hated his schoolmates |
| B．Steven Jobs liked travelling in India and California |
| C．Steven Jobs liked trying new things and making his new ideas become true |
| D．Steven Jobs could only design video games |
Mrs. Green’s telephone number was three-four-six-three, and the number of the cinema near her house was three-four-six-four, so people often made a mistake and telephoned her when they wanted to go to the cinema.
One evening the telephone rang and Mrs. Green answered it. A tired man said, “At what time does your last film begin?”
“I’m sorry”, she said, “but you have the wrong number. This is not the cinema.”
“Oh, it began twenty minutes ago,” said the man.” That’s too bad. Goodbye.”
Mrs. Green was very surprised, so she told her husband .He laughed and said,” The man’s wife wanted to go to the cinema, but he was feeling tired, so he telephoned the cinema. His wife heard him, but she didn’t hear you. Now they will stay at home this evening , and her husband will be happy!”Mrs. Green’s telephone number was__________
| A．3634 | B．3463 |
| C．3464 | D．3644 |
People often made a mistake and telephoned her when they wanted to go to __________
| A．the cinema | B．the shop |
| C．the factory | D．the park |
Why was Mrs. Green very surprised after she answered the telephone?
| A．Because the man had the wrong number |
| B．Because the man said sorry to her |
| C．Because the man didn’t say to her but said something else. |
| D．Because the man’s voice was very low |