【推荐1】Here are some famous festivals for tourists to select in the United States in the coming summer.

San Francisco Film Festival

The films at this unusual event have a variety of musical accompaniments, including piano, violin and guitar. A few classic silent movies are shown in the film festival. If you want to see them all, you are supposed to have a festival pass.

May 29 to June 1; www.silent film.Org

Union Street Festival

This popular street fair extends more than six blocks of the city,in the fashionable shopping area of Union Street. The themes include beer and wine tasting and other separate ones — fashion, cuisine, tech, local craft, fitness, health and so on.

June 7 to 10; www.Union street festival.com

North Beach Festival

This festival is San Francisco’s oldest street party where tourists can enjoy a variety of live entertainment, tasty food, handcrafts and art works. Located in the Little Italy district, known for its associations with the “Beat Generation”, festival goers are guaranteed plenty of good Italian food. Besides, there is also an event called “blessing of the animals”, a San Francisco tradition which takes place at the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi (610 Vallejo Street) at 2 pm on the days of the festival.

June 14 to 16; www.North beat.Org

Stern Grove Festival

This festival is recognized as the oldest summer art festival in America. It includes plenty of performances, from the local symphony orchestras to well-known artists such as Frank Hurley.

Sundays from June 22 to August 24; www.Stern grove.org.

1. When can you enjoy the oldest art festival in the United States?

A．Weekdays in June.	B．Saturdays in August.
C．Weekends in May.	D．Sundays in July.

2. Which of the following festivals covers the most themes?

A．San Francisco Silent Film Festival.	B．Union Street Festival.
C．North Beach Festival.	D．Stern Grove Festival.

3. What is true about North Beach Festival?

A．It has the longest history of food.	B．Hands-on activities are guaranteed.
C．Exotic food is available to visitors.	D．Foreign cultures are presented in it.

【推荐2】The Dragon Boat Festival is the holiday the honours the tragic death of Qu Yuan, who died in 278 BC. In the Warring States period, Qu Yuan was a poet and statesman. He was the number one advisor of the Chu State. But people were jealous of his position and said lots of bad words behind his back. The king wouldn't take his advice in the end and was captured by the enemy of the neighbouring kingdom and finally died there. However, the new king continued to enjoy the luxury life and didn't like Qu Yuan, either. He ordered Qu Yuan to leave his homeland. Later, when Qu Yuan heard the news that Qin had defeated the Chu State, he was very sad and threw himself into the Miluo River at last.

The legend goes that many people tried to rescue their honoured statesman by chasing him down the river, beating drums to scare away the fish and throwing rice dumplings into the river so that the fish would not eat his body. The dragon boat race is one of the customs, which symbolises citizens of the Chu State who raced down the river to save Qu Yuan then.

Also,there are many other customs like eating rice dumplings(zongzi), hanging icons of Zhong Kui (amythic guardian figure), hanging mugworts (艾草)and calamus   (菖蒲) and wearing perfumed medicine bags.

All of these customs were regarded by the ancient people as an effective way of preventing diseases and evils, promoting good health and well-being.

The Dragon Boat Festival is a public holiday observed widely in China, And now this festival has gone global. The international dragon boat races are held all over Asia and the United States. In the US,they can be found in Boston, New York, etc.

1. Why did Qu Yuan throw himself into the Miluo River?

A．He fell into the river accidentally.

B．The old king wouldn't take his advice.

C．The old king was caught during fighting.

D．He was not favoured by the new king and his country was defeated later.

2. Which of the following statements is true?

A．The dragon boat race represents people who tried to save Qu Yuan.

B．The dragon boat race was an act of opposing the new king.

C．The dragon boat race is really dangerous.

D．The dragon boat race is only held in China.

3. What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A．To share his experience in the Dragon Boat Festival.

B．To tell us the story of Qu Yuan.

C．To introduce dragon boat races to us.

D．To introduce the Dragon Boat Festival to us.

【推荐3】There are many traditions around the holidays. “Holiday traditions” are things that people do every year during a holiday such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. At Christmas, for example, many people put up a Christmas tree or Christmas lights. These are Christmas traditions that have been going on for many years. But there is a “new” Christmas tradition that has become very popular: the TV firelog, a TV channel that shows nothing but a large log fire, blazing in a fireplace.

People put it on their TV and it makes them feel like they are watching and listening to a crackling fire. It makes them feel calm and comfortable. The origin(起源) dates back to 1986 in Canada. At that time, not very many people knew about it or watched the channel. Today, more than three million people watch the firelog channel during the winter holiday season. That year, the firelog channel was created(创造) to give the workers in the company that is now called Shaw Cable, a break at Christmas. By running the firelog during the holidays, everyone could go home for a few days and enjoy a bit of time off.

At that time, it was only broadcast to people in Edmonton but today it reaches people across Canada and beyond. This year, the Shaw firelog was updated. It is pretty high tech. Although it’s still really just a fire log that has been filmed, it has its own Twitter account (@ShawFireLog), its own Facebook page and it even has a computer App so you can see the burning log on a smartphone or a tablet. The Shaw firelog will burn until Jan. 5 on Shaw Cable, channel 222.

1. What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．The origin and popularity of the TV firelog.

B．Famous holiday traditions.

C．What makes the TV firelog so popular.

D．The TV firelog today.

2. What does the underlined words “the TV firelog” mean in Paragraph 1?

A．It is an old Christmas tradition beginning a long time ago.

B．It is a TV channel that shows nothing but a fireplace.

C．It is a TV channel with all kinds of Christmas traditional programs.

D．It is a TV channel where people can watch a large log fire.

3. For what purpose was the TV firelog created?

A．To attract more people to watch their programs.

B．To make people feel calm and comfortable by watching a crackling fire.

C．To give the people working at the company a few days off at Christmas.

D．To create more new traditions for people to celebrate Christmas.

4. What can we learn about the TV firelog from the passage?

A．More than three million people watched the channel in 1986.

B．It was broadcast to people in Edmonton and across Canada when it first started.

C．It has its own Twitter account but no Facebook page now.

D．The burning of the firelog will last until Jan. 5 on Shaw Cable.

【推荐1】你看过《老友记》吗？它是美国一部热播十年长盛不衰的肥皂剧。那么什么是“肥皂剧”呢？看完本文，你就会找到答案。

WHAT IS “SOAP OPERA”？

Soap operas came from western countries.Soap operas are long－running serials(连续剧)．They are about everyday life and are mostly watched by housewives.Soap operas are shown mainly in the daytime.Housewives can do their housework (especially washing with soap) while watching them，so they are called “soap operas”．But there is another opinion about the history of the soap opera.Some say that the soap came from American radio serials in the 1930s.These programmes were mainly sponsored(赞助) by soap power companies，so people called these series “soap operas”．

A soap opera usually has many related stories，but each story is completed and independent.Although each story in soap operas is independent，soap operas are different from sitcoms(情景喜剧)．Each episode(一段情景) in sitcoms tells an independent story and has no connection with the other episodes.Furthermore，the final episode in sitcoms always has a happy ending，but each episode in a soap opera does have a connection with the other ones，and the ending is always left open.Successful soaps may continue for many years，such as Friends and Sex and the City.In soap operas，the time also appears to be “real time” and in long－running soaps the characters become older just as the viewers do.Soap operas may have no beginning or end.Their open(待定的) endings make it easy to continue a new storyline with relation to the last episode.So，a soap opera may last for a long time.

Questions：What’s your favourite soap opera? What’s it about?

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【推荐2】It is awkward（令人尴尬的）when everyone around you bursts out laughing at a joke that you do not find funny, especially if it's a joke told in a foreign language.

While Chinese students find it easy to adapt to a foreign lifestyle, socializing with locals is much harder, according to a recent study. Researchers looked at how well Chinese students made themselves a part of communities across the world. Of all the activities they struggled with, understanding jokes was considered the toughest.

Most of the time, jokes are funny only for people who share a common cultural background or are aware of humor in the same way.

Being able to understand local jokes can help students feel a sense of belonging. But even without the ability to understand jokes, students should not feel any less confident about themselves.

"It's OK if you don't get the jokes. Don't doubt yourself because in most time, it is not a problem of language ability but a matter of the known and unknown, "said Christine Han, who was once an overseas student and is now an Australian permanent resident.

Australia is ready-made for jokes, thanks to its history as a colony for prisoners, its unusual accent, the inner bush country and its strange food. However, to most Chinese overseas students, understanding jokes about sports is the biggest headache. Sport is an important part of Australian national identity.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 16percent（3. 3 million）of the population aged 15 years and over watched Australian football in 2010. About 9 percent（1. 9 million）attended a rugby league game.

British actor and comedian Simon Pegg discussed the differences between British and American sense of humor in a column of The Guardian. He believes that while Brits use irony（反语）on a daily basis, the Americans do not see the point of using it so frequently . He wrote, "British jokes, on the other hand, tend to be more subtle with a dark or sarcastic（讽刺的）undertone while the American jokes are more obvious and forward, a bit like Americans themselves. "

1. As a whole, many Chinese students ________.

A．tend to understand a small part of the local jokes

B．are difficult to get along with the local people

C．tend to feel the local jokes dull

D．work hard to adapt to the life in foreign countries

2. Why is humor involved in sports in Australia?

A．The Australians have a lot to do with sports in life.

B．Humor comes from their sports.

C．Humor and sports are part of the Australians' life.

D．Sports include much humor.

3. By comparing the jokes in the UK and in the US, we can know the characters of British people and Americans are ________.

A．the same and humorous

B．different but friendly

C．different but humorous

D．outgoing and friendly

【推荐3】Venice Carnival is one of Italy’s most fascinating yearly events.     1     A confusion of color, historical costumes, mysterious masks, and a week of live concerts, street parties and entertainment attract millions of tourists each year. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.

    2    

Traditionally held around Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, at the start of Lent (40 days before Easter),Venice Carnival ( Carnevale del Veneto ) celebrations can last up to two weeks.     3     However, the biggest events, including the official parades and masked balls, are held over the final weekend.

What to Do

Join one of the parades or street parties, and taste traditional Carnival foods such as frittelle, a traditional dessert made only during the festivities. Carnival is the ideal time to experience Venetian culture and traditions.     4    You can also take part in a mask-making workshop, tour Venice’s cicchetti bars for a bite to eat, sail up and down the Grand Canal on a romantic Venice boat ride, or attend an evening Carnival concert or dinner theater performance.

Things to Know

St. Mark’s Square ( Piazza San Marco) is the center of Carnival celebrations with daily parades, performances and other activities. Most Carnival events, except for the masked balls and gala dinners, are free to attend.    5     So prepare for cold weather and possible rain, with an average high of 46℉(8℃) in February.

A．When to Go

B．Where to Stay

C．Carnival falls during winter in Venice.

D．Most visitors choose to arrive on the final weekend.

E．It is also one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the city.

F．There’s a busy schedule of both free and ticketed events throughout the time.

G．Get into the carnival spirit by buying or renting a traditional costume or Venetian mask.

【推荐1】Next time you hear a funny joke you’d better not laugh too hard. According to a paper published by the British Medical Journal, laughter isn’t always the best medicine. Sometimes it can even be harmful. Professor Robin Ferner from the University of Birmingham, one of the authors of the study, found that bad things could happen to people who laughed too much. He says: “We found people with heartbeat problems which had stopped their heart, we found people who had fainted (昏倒), and we found people who’d dislocated their jaws or burst their lungs.”

It seems that laughing can be no laughing matter. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Professor Ferner says there are benefits to laughing when you want to lose weight, for example. Yes, that’s right: laugh and be slimmer! Professor Ferner explains that: “You use energy when you laugh, you move your diaphragm (横膈膜), you expand your lungs, and both those things can be helpful.”

According to the research, laughing for a quarter of an hour can burn up to 40 calories, and if you laughed all day you’d use up about 2,000 calories, which is what most people consume in a day. But don’t do that or you might end up with a painful jaw. Ouch! Or you might find people looking at you in a funny way.

But I don’t want to finish this article leaving you feeling desperate. Laughter comes naturally for most of us. Babies begin to laugh at around 3-6 months. So give in to your sense of humor and keep smiling. Life is short anyway.

1. Laughing too much may cause the following harmful results EXCEPT_________.

A．diaphragm movement

B．heart stop

C．lung burst

D．jaw dislocation

2. The underlined phrase “doom and gloom” in Paragraph 2 probably means_______.

A．nervous	B．funny
C．painful	D．hopeless

3. How many calories can you use if you laugh for half a day?

A．About 40.	B．About 2,000.
C．About 1,000.	D．About 2,040.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards laughing in the last paragraph?

A．Uninterested.	B．Favorable.
C．Worried.	D．Disapproving.

【推荐2】Our culture is the system we use to build our identity. All living things are part of a culture. Even animals have a culture! So what is culture? It's the way we behave in a group. It begins with each individual family. Within our families we do things to build relationships with each other. This can include routines like daily housework and weekly shopping. It also includes traditions. Traditions are activities that are repeated on a regular basis.

Culture is not limited to individual family groups. The real strength of culture is in larger community groups. These larger groups are called societies. Every society makes rules for itself. It decides how people should act in different situations. Some of these rules are written down. Some are just things that are naturally expected of all members of that society.

Often, cultures can be recognized by what the people believe. Cultures are also known by what they choose to include in their art. Sometimes cultures may be formed by people who speak the same language. Cultures may also be known for their customs, including the foods they make and the things they do.

Our cultures help us understand who we are and what we believe. There are very strong feelings connecting us to our own society. Two different cultures may disagree on something, especially if they both feel strongly about it. When that happens, war is a common result.

People are learning better ways to communicate with each other. The more we communicate, the more we appreciate the differences in cultures.

1. Where does the real strength of culture?

A．In arts.

B．In families.

C．In societies.

D．In languages.

2. Which of the following may the author disagree with according to the passage?

A．Culture is the way we behave.	B．Culture doesn't exist in animals.
C．Cultures may not agree with each other.	D．Cultures help us understand ourselves.

3. How can people appreciate cultural differences?

A．By communicating.	B．By preparing to fight.
C．By building a wall.	D．By making friends.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．What Is Culture?

B．What Is Society?

C．What Is Tradition?

D．What Is System

【推荐3】Beldon and Canfield are two seashore towns, not far apart．Both towns have many hotels, and in summer the hotels are full of holiday-makers and other tourists．
Last August there was a fire at the Seabreeze Hotel in Beldon．The next day, this news appeared on page two of the town’s newspaper．The Beldon Post:
FIRE AT SEABREEZE
Late last night firemen hurried to the Seabreeze Hotel and quickly put out a small fire in a bedroom．The hotel manager said that a cigarette started the fire．We say again to all our visitors： “Please don’t smoke cigarettes in bed．” This was Beldon’s first hotel fire for five years．
The Canfield Times gave the news in these words on page one：
ANOTHER BELDON HOTEL CATCHES FIRE
Last night Beldon firemen arrived just too late to save clothing, bedclothes and some furniture at the Seabreeze Hotel．An angry holiday-maker said, “An electric lamp probably started the fire．The bedroom lamps are very old at some of these hotels．When I put my bedside light on, I heard a funny noise from the lamp．” We are glad to tell our readers that this sort of adventure does not happen in Canfield．
What are the facts, then? It is never easy to find out the exact truth about an accident．There was a fire at the Seabreeze Hotel last August: that is one fact．Do we know anything else? Yes, we know that firemen went to the hotel．
Now what do you think of the rest of the “news” ?
1. Which of the following best gives the main idea of this text?

A．Beldon and Canfield are both good places for tourists in summer．

B．A fire broke out at night in Seabreeze Hotel last summer．

C．It was not easy to find out exact truth from newspapers．

D．Two newspapers gave reports on the same matter．

2. Which of the following are probably facts?
a．The fire broke out in a bedroom at the hotel．
b．A cigarette started the fire．
c．An old lamp started the fire．
d．The fire broke out at night．
e．There has never been a fire in Canfield．

A．b and c

B．a and d

C．c and e

D．a and c

3. The Canfield Times used the headline like this in order to make its readers think _______．

A．hotels in Beldon often catch fire

B．hotels in Beldon don’t often catch fire

C．this was the second fire at the Seabreeze Hotel

D．Beldon was a good place except that hotels there are not quite safe

4. The Caield newspaper gave a report just the opposite to the Beldon Post by saying that _______．

A．the bedroom lamps were very old at the Seabreeze Hotel

B．the bedroom lights made funny noise when the fire took place

C．the firemen failed to save clothing, bedclothes and other things

D．such accidents never happened in Canfield for the past 5 years