（1）We are living in a worl full ofcompetition． Our parents compete with others in their offices， our brothers and sisters compete with others in their colleges， and we compete with our classmates in schools． Most of us give up in face of competition and will never be successful． Why can't we do better than others？ One important reason is that we have no self﹣confidence．
（2）事实上，人人生而平等． You can do what others do． Your classmates may be better than you in some ways， （3） but you may be better than them in other subjects． So everyone has his or her advantages． Don't look at things from a single point of view． Try to discover your own advantages， and believe that you can do better than others in those ways．
Competition is not so terrible． Don't be afraid of it． And don't be afraid of those classmates who are better than you．（4） Remember that self ﹣ confidence is the first step to success． Believe in yourselves， and you will be successful in any competition．
根据短文内容完成下列任务．
（1）请写出（1）句中下划线部分意思相近的短语．
（2）请将（2）句译成英文．
（3）请在（3）处填入一个合适且符合句意和逻辑的单词．
（4）请将（4）句翻译成中文．
（5）What's the main idea of this passage？
Some people believe that your nationality can influence your personality. This is why you might hear someone saying “She is a typical(典型的) Australian” or “He is so French”. It seems that people from a certain country share certain similar characteristics.
French
French people are often seen as romantic and outgoing people with a great love for life, food and wine. They are good at singing and dancing.
Chinese
Chinese are friendly people who are hard-working. They are polite because they are careful about “saving face” when dealing with other people.
Australians
Australians are merry people who spend a lot of time outdoors. They enjoy a slower life. They laugh a lot but sometimes people think they are loud and rude.
Germans
Germans are often described as being serious and careful. They are hard workers and pay a lot of attention to details. However, sometimes people say Germans have no sense of humor.
All these national types can be true for some people, but very wrong for others. For example, you might meet a German who is a confident singer with a great sense of humor, or an Australian who is shy and quiet.!
| Personalities and Nationalities |
||
| Opinion |
People from a certain country__ |
|
| Examples |
French |
Romantic and__ Love life, food and wine Good singers and___ |
| __ |
Friendly, hard-working and polite Afraid of “__ |
|
| Australians |
Like to stay__ __ Merry, sometimes loud and rude. |
|
| Germans |
Pay attention to__ Serious and careful, not__ |
|
| Conclusion |
Nationalities may__ |
One day, a teacher was giving a speech to his students. He held up a glass of water and asked the class, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"
The students' answers ranged from 20 g to 500 g. "It does not matter on the weight itself. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance (救护车). It is exactly the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. "
If we carry our burdens (负担) all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. "
"What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again.”
We have to put down the burden sometimes, so that we can be refreshed (使恢复) and are able to carry on.
So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can.The teacher brought a glass of water to the class because_________.
| A．he was very thirsty |
| B．his arms were strong |
| C．it was a good example |
| D．he wants to share the water with students |
"A glass of water" in this passage referred to (指)_________.
| A．knowledge | B．the burden |
| C．the time | D．the money |
According to the teacher, you may feel_______ if you put down the burden sometimes.
| A．more stressed | B．much heavier |
| C．more relaxed | D．much happier |
This was a lesson about_____
| A．how to relax oneself in life |
| B．how to solve a physics problem |
| C．how to keep fit by drinking water |
| D．how to study well |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．You could become heavier and heavier if you held a glass of water in your hand. |
| B．All the students in the class knew the weight of the glass of water exactly |
| C．The teacher had a good way of making his lesson clear and easy to be understood. |
| D．All the students can understand the teacher’s lesson. |
One day a red rose blossomed (开花) in a forest. A pine tree(松树) not far away said, “You’re so beautiful! I wish I could be lovely like you. ”
The rose said, “I am the most beautiful plant in the forest. ” Then the rose looked at a cactus(仙人掌) and said, “Look at that ugly plant. It is full of thorns (刺)!”Sometimes, the red rose would look at the cactus and say, “This plant is useless. I’m sorry I am his neighbor. ”
Summer came and the plants and animals needed water, but no rain fell. One day the rose saw some birds stick their beaks(鸟喙) into the cactus and then fly away. The red rose asked what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds got water from the cactus. The pine tree told the red rose, “You can also drink from it. The birds can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help. ”
The red rose felt ashamed, but she still asked the cactus for help. The cactus agreed kindly and the birds filled their beaks with water for the rose’s roots. Later on, the rose never gave her opinion about anyone by look again.What did the rose think of the cactus at the beginning of the story?
| A．He was beautiful and lovely. | B．He was ugly and useless. |
| C．He was kind and helpful. | D．He was unfriendly and ugly. |
.Which of the following is TRUE according to the story?
| A．There was no rain when summer came. |
| B．The pine tree could get water from the cactus. |
| C．The birds stuck their beaks into the pine tree. |
| D．The rose could bring water to the pine’s roots. |
The underlined word “ashamed” means “______” in Chinese.
| A．骄傲的 | B．忧虑的 | C．高兴的 | D．羞愧的 |
From the passage, we know that ______.
| A．the pine tree was awful |
| B．the cactus was helpful |
| C．the birds were more beautiful |
| D．the rose couldn’t get water in the end |
What does the writer want to tell us?
| A．Look is not everything. |
| B．Be careful of what you say to others. |
| C．The red rose is more beautiful than the cactus. |
| D．Don’t feel bad about having an ugly neighbor. |
Good news! For the coming film festival, there are some promotions（优惠）in Times Cinema. This festival lasts seven days, from Friday, June 20th, 2014 to Thursday, June 26th, 2014. Here is the poster.
| Film |
 Frozen(3-D) |
 Captain America (3-D) |
 Where are we going, Dad? |
 Spiderman (3-D) |
| Price |
￥70 |
￥80 (50% off for students ) |
￥50 |
￥70 |
| Date |
June 20th June 22nd June 24th |
June 21st June 22nd June 25th |
June 21st June 22nd June 26th |
June 20th June 23rd June 24th |
| Time |
9: 00 a.m. 4: 30 p.m. 8: 20 p.m. |
10: 00 a.m. 7:10 p.m. 9: 30 p.m. |
9: 20 a.m. 3: 10 p.m. 5: 30 p.m. |
7: 50 a.m. 9: 50 a.m. 11: 50 a.m. |
| Tips |
50% off on Tuesday for all Free for children under 6 years old A free bottle of soft drink for students with student ID during the film festival For more details, please call us on 5556 0679. |
Which movie can you watch on the afternoon of June 24th?
| A．Frozen | B．Captain America |
| C．Where are we going, Dad? | D．Spiderman |
You can find the following information in the poster except .
| A．the price of films |
| B．the place of the cinema |
| C．the time of the film festival |
| D．the phone number of the cinema |
If you want to watch Captain America with your father and your five-year-old brother, you need to pay .
| A．￥80. | B．￥160. |
| C．￥120. | D．￥240. |
When can you watch films with 50% off ?
| A．On June 20th. | B．On June 23rd. |
| C．On June 24th. | D．On June 26th. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the poster?
A. All the people can be offered a free bottle of soft drink.
B. All the people will pay for the tickets during the film festival.
C. People will not be allowed to enter the cinema without student ID.
D. People without student ID can also enjoy the special price on Tuesday.
Sixteen is a special age in the United States.There’s often a special celebration for a girl’s 16th birthday---a big party called Sweet-16. It is like a wedding reception(结婚晚宴) in the number of guests and gifts handed out.
About a month before the party, the girl’s family sends out invitations to the guests. They must buy a special present for the birthday girl and the girl guests find good dresses to wear. A sweet-16 present usually costs $40 to $60. This is about $20 more than the usual-cost of a birthday present.
The party itself is not held at someone’s house. The hostess rents(租赁) a reception hall for the event. Food, cake and a DJ are provided. Around 6’clock, guests arrive and meet the birthday girl. Then the girl and her father have a special father-daughter dance. After that, guests dance for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Then there is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party, the candle-lighting ceremony.
The sweet-16 hostess stands behind 16 unlit(未点燃的) candles and dedicates(献给) each candle to her friends, family, and anything that she feels is important to her. A lot of crying and hugging goes on at this time.
Afterwards, people sit and eat. Most guests begin leaving around 11 o’clock.
This school year, I have been to two Sweet-16s. I am one of the youngest students in my grade (My birthday is in December). I’ll have to wait another year before I can have my own special Sweet-16 party. I can’t wait for it!Why is sixteen a special age for an American girl?
How much does a usual birthday present for a teenager cost in the USA?
What is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party?
How old is the writer?
What do you think of the Sweet-16 party in the USA? (请自拟一句话作答)