An American friend has invited you to visit his family． You've never been to an American's home before， what should you do？ The answer is： when you're the guest， you should just make yourself at home． That's American hospitality（好客）
American hospitality begins at home—especially about food． Most Americans agree that good home cooking beats restaurant food． When you are invited for a meal， you might ask，"Can I bring anything" The host will answer，"No， just yourself．" For most informal（非正式的） dinners， you can wear any comfortable clothes you like． Arrive on time， or call to tell your hosts if you can't． During the dinner talk guests will often praise the hostess（女主人for the wonderful meal． Of course． the biggest praise is to eat lots of food!
When you' ve had enough． you might offer to clean the table or wash the dishes．But since you're he guest， your hosts may not let you． Instead， they may invite everyone to move to the living room for dessert with tea or coffee． There the hosts and the guests may continue to have a talk．After about an hour's talk， it's time for you to leave．
If you come to an American's home， you'd better let the hosts know ahead of time unless you're very close friends． especially when you want to stay tor a few days．Here's a good rule for guests：Short stays are best．Even relatives，for example，their aunts， uncles or cousins，don't usually stay for several weeks every time．While you 're staying with an American family，try to keep your living area clean and tidy．Your host family will thank you for your consideration． And they may even invite you back!
Most Americans consider themselves hospitable people． and they are proud of making guests happy．
（1）What should we do when we are guests at an American's home？
A． Bring a lot of gifts．
B． Make ourselves at home．
C． Stay for several weeks every time．
（2）In American when you are invited for a meal， you' d better leave the host family ．
A． just after the meal
B． about an hour after the meal
C． about two or three hours after the meal
（3）Which of the following is NOT true？
A． Most Americans think good home food is better than restaurant food．
B． In America， you can wear comfortable clothes for most informal dinners．
C． In America， you are free to come as guests without telling the hosts first．
（4）The underlined word "consideration" in the fourth paragraph（段） means" "in Chinese．
A．体贴
B．大方
C．聪明
（5）What can be the best title of the passage？
A． American Food
B． American Family
C． American Hospitality
Most young boys like spending time on things like video games, superhero movies and sports, but Ken, a 9-year-old boy from the Philippines, is spending his free time trying to start an animal shelter（庇护所） for at-risk dogs.
In February, photos of Ken feeding dogs on the street circled the Internet and immediately attracted many people who wanted to help. "I feel sorry for the dogs with no owners while other dogs around the world are being pampered（宠养）," Ken tells Pet360 in an email. "It really wasn't fair. And they are really thin."
When Ken began feeding the dogs which had health problems, they would not let the boy come close. But after several feedings, the dogs warmed up to Ken and allowed the boy to help them. When animal lovers found out what Ken was doing, donations started to roll in, and Ken and his father were able to start a non-profit（非盈利的） animal shelter called Happy Animals Club. The donations helped three dogs, Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy, receive high-quality canned food and treatment. After two months with Ken at Happy Animals Club, the dogs look like completely different animals and will be adopted（领养） soon.
In May, Ken and his father hiring a 10,000-square-foot lot（车场）, where Ken hopes to build a no-kill animal shelter to help more dogs in need. "I want the dogs to have a home, where they can have shelter, eat and have fun," says Ken.
Ken wants to save dogs from the city pound (宠物收留所) where most animals are put down. Right now, Ken doesn't have enough money to start the shelter. If you also want to save homeless dogs, you can visit the Happy Animals Club's website and offer some help. What makes Ken different from other boys of his age?
| A．That he lives at a shelter. |
| B．That he wants to save homeless dogs. |
| C．That he loves animals very much. |
| D．That he loves watching superhero movies. |
When animal lovers knew what Ken was doing, they _______.
| A．were surprised | B．felt very excited |
| C．supported him | D．brought dogs to him |
Blackie, Brownie and White Puppy are given as examples to show that
| A．many dogs are waiting to be adopted |
| B．dogs can become very friendly in the end |
| C．high-quality canned food is very important |
| D．the donations can improve some dogs' lives |
What's the writer's purpose in writing the last paragraph?
| A．To encourage us to help Ken save dogs. |
| B．To ask us to bring homeless dogs to Ken. |
| C．To show it's really not easy to raise money. |
| D．To tell us about the Happy Animals Club's website. |
Is there a difference in meaning between "It's too late to telephone. Mary is asleep now." and "It's too late to telephone. Mary will be asleep now."？
Yes. The difference is in the reason given for it being too late to telephone. In the first sentence "Mary is asleep now", the speaker is stating（陈述） a fact. In the second sentence "Mary will be asleep now", the speaker is saying what Mary usually does. In fact, it's possible that Mary isn't asleep, but she is usually asleep at this time.
So let's take two situations. In the first case, imagine Mary's mother answers the telephone.
You: "May I speak to Mary, please?"
Mother: "No. It's too late. Mary is asleep now."
You: "Are you sure? It's only 10 0'clock."
Mother: "Yes. I went to her room and she was asleep."
The mother knows that Mary is asleep because she went into her room and saw her.
Here is another case. Two friends decide to telephone Mary.
Jack: "Let's telephone Mary. It's 10 0'clock."
Jill: "No. It's too late. She will be asleep now."
Jill knows that Mary always goes to bed before 10 o'clock, so now she'll probably be asleep. But it is also possible that she is staying up late. In the first situation. Mary's mother _______.
| A．is afraid to wake up Mary |
| B．wants to tell you that she knows Mary is asleep |
| C．knows that Mary wants to sleep at this time |
| D．wants to know if she can take a message for Mary |
In the second situation, Jill _______.
| A．knows that Mary has gone to bed |
| B．doesn't know whether Mary is asleep |
| C．is sure that Mary cannot answer the telephone |
| D．thinks it's possible that Mary cannot answer the telephone |
In which situation do you think the word "will" is used in the same way Jill uses it?
| A．Will you please lend me a hand? |
| B．It's too heavy, I think. I'll help you. |
| C．Don't get into his office. He will be angry now. |
| D．You won't have to come to my office. I will send it to you. |
We all want to live in good neighborhoods, but not everyone lives in a good neighborhood. How can you build a better community for yourself and your family? There are many things you can do.
Paint your intersection(十字路口). A street intersection is not something you think of as interesting. However, In Portland, people in some neighborhoods have made them really worth stopping for. Some paint, creative people and a bright design are all it takes to bring neighbors together and produce something the whole community can be proud of.
Make a poetry box. The idea is simple, really - create a box with a glass or clear plastic front. Put this box on a post. Write your own poem or print out your favorite classic and display it in the box for all your neighbors to see. You can also set up a drop box and encourage neighbors to write their own poems and drop them in the box. Display the poems from your neighbors as the poems come in.
Set up a tool library. How often do you need a leaf blower? Or a chain saw? And how often do you use that electric cake mixer? To01 libraries have space where neighbors can drop their hardly used tools to share. Check with a local business, community center or church group about space that can house a tool library.
Turn your front yard into your backyard. How often do you meet your neighbors in your backyard? Probably never. Moving your typical（典型的） backyard activities to the front immediately makes you more visible(可见的). You can create front-yard gardens, build community benches and even just barbecue in your front yard. They are all great ways to connect with your community.
With effort, you'll make your neighborhood a much better place.How many ways are mentioned to build a better community?
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Writing poems is a good way to connect with your neighbours. |
| B．Each family may have hardly used tools for others to share. |
| C．In Portland, the intersections in some neighborhoods are very attractive. |
| D．Move your backyard activities to the front yard and you'll have chances to meet your neighbors. |
Which of the following shows the structure（结构） of the whole passage?
Youth, friendship and love are the main themes of these years’ Chinese movies, such as So Young (《致青春》) and American Dreams in China (《中国合伙人》). Tiny Times (《小时代》), one of the most popular movies in 2013, also has the same features.
The movie was based on writer and director Guo Jingming’s novel of the same name. It tells a story about four girls who come from different backgrounds and of different personalities.
Since its release on June 27, Tiny Times has made 483 million yuan at the box office. The sequel (续集) of it was released on Aug 8 and it has also been a big box office hit.
Cao Yuhan, 13, a high school student at Beijing Jianhua Experimental School, is a big fan of the movie. “I’m deeply touched by their friendship,” Cao said. “When Nan Xiang is in trouble, the other three girls try their best to help her, even running barefoot in the snow.”
However, not everyone has had good things to say. The People’s Daily said that the film went too far in encouraging youths to become materialistic (物质至上主义的).
Film commentator Raymond Zhou wrote on his online blog that “Purchasing luxury goods (买奢侈品) seems as a way to express love or friendship, and the word ‘money’ is repeated over and over again.”
Song Kexin, 14, a high school student at Zhida Middle School in Taiyuan, Shanxi, shows a typical example of a fan’s attitude. And that’s to look for the positive value. “The movie is a little far from our daily life. My friends and I are not having parties every day,” Song said. “But I admire Tang Wanru’s optimistic attitude(乐观主义态度). She’s always looking at the bright side of life. I should learn from her.”Which is NOT one of the main themes of these years’ Chinese movies?
| A．Youth. | B．War. | C．Love. | D．Friendship. |
According to the article, the movie Tiny Times _________.
| A．is more popular than the other two movies |
| B．was made from Guo Jingming’s novel |
| C．tells about four girls with similar personalities |
| D．opened in Chinese cinemas on August 8 |
What’s the meaning of “box office”?
| A．办公室 | B．小亭子 | C．票房 | D．小卖部 |
What does film commentator Zhou think of the movie?
| A．It shows money expresses love or friendship. |
| B．It encourages the young to work hard. |
| C．The four girls’ friendship is touching. |
| D．It has many advertisements for luxury goods. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．So Young, American Dreams in China and Tiny Times have the same features. |
| B．Cao Yuhan, Nan Xiang, Song Kexin and Tang Wanru are the four girls in the film. |
| C．Everyone has had good things to say about the movie Tiny Times. |
| D．Song Kexin admires Tang Wanru because of Tang’s rich family background. |
There was once a spider(蜘蛛) that lived in a cornfield (玉米田). She liked this home and planned to stay there for the rest of her life.
One day, the spider caught a little bug in her web. Just as the spider was about to eat him, the bug said: “If you let me go, I will tell you something important that can save your life.”
The spider thought for a little while and listened. “You’d better get out of this cornfield,” the little bug said. “The harvest is coming!”
“I think you are just telling me a story,” the spider said with a smile.
“Oh no, it is true,” the little bug said. “All the stalks (茎杆) will be knocked down, and the corn will be gathered up. You will be killed by the giant machines if you stay here.”
“I don’t believe you,” the spider said as she ate the little bug for lunch.
A few days later, the spider was laughing about the story the little bug had told her. She thought to herself: “A harvest! What a silly idea. I have lived here all of my life, and nothing has ever disturbed (打扰) me.”
The next day was a beautiful sunny day. The sky above was clear, and there was no wind at all. That afternoon, as the spider was about to take a nap (小睡), she noticed some thick dusty clouds moving towards her. She could hear the noise of a great engine (引擎), and she said to herself: “I wonder what that could be?”The little bug tried to get free by _______.
| A．destroying the web |
| B．turning to his friends for help |
| C．telling the spider some important news |
| D．fighting with the spider |
The spider didn’t believe the little bug because ________.
| A．she had got other news |
| B．she thought the little bug was her enemy |
| C．the little bug told a lie |
| D．nothing had happened before |
Put the following sentences into correct order according to the passage.
①The spider was about to take a nap.
②The spider caught a little bug in her web.
③The spider ate the little bug for lunch.
④A great engine moved toward the spider.
⑤The bug told the spider something important that could save the spider’s life.
| A．①②⑤③④ | B．②⑤③①④ |
| C．①⑤②③④ | D．②⑤①④③ |
What might happen to the spider?
| A．It might be killed by the great machines. |
| B．It might escape from the cornfield. |
| C．It might still live the cornfield. |
| D．It might be saved by another bug. |
Which might be the best title of the story?
| A．A clever bug | B．The spider’s home |
| C．A stupid spider | D．The bug’s story |