Last year I went to the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, and it blew my mind. It had been my dream to attend the famous carnival for many years, so I was excited. However, the moment I arrived, I was a little bit nervous because there were so many people on the streets. They say that five or six million people come to Rio during carnival time and about two million of them are on the streets on any given day. Luckily, I had a local guide, my sister’s friend Ronnie. He said he would take care of me and show me around at the carnival. He did not let me down.
Well, the carnival is all about the samba. It’s a style of music and dance which has its origins in Africa. Lots of Africans were used as slave(奴隶) labor by the Portuguese when Brazil was being conquered, so this mixed culture of African, Latin and European styles is really strong here. Samba music is usually fast and exciting with a lot of drums and harmonic vocals(和声). It’s the kind of music that you couldn’t help dancing to. And I was learning that as I followed Ronnie through the crowd, I couldn’t help moving my hips and shoulders.
Ronnie had got us tickets for the samba parade inside the Sambadrome where the top samba schools compete for the championship, but we still had a long way to go through the street parties. He said most people enjoy the carnival by making their own parties in the street. About the samba parade, twelve main teams compete for the championship, and if they win, their performance will be talked about for years to come.
So, you must be wondering how it was. Well, I’m afraid I can’t tell you. Ronnie and I never made into the Sambadrome. We spent the day moving from one street party to another. There were more snacks, more drinks and lots of dancing. Do I regret missing the main parade? Not at all. I experienced the carnival like the locals, and it was truly amazing.
1. How did the author feel once she arrived at the carnival?| A．Disappointed. | B．Anxious. | C．Excited. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．It has a strong mixed culture. | B．Its music is always fast but soft. |
| C．It is not to the taste of the author. | D．It has its origins in South America. |
| A．She met some amazing local people. | B．She gave her own parties in the street. |
| C．She celebrated the festival in a local way. | D．She didn’t have the tickets for the parade. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Around the World
Here is big news from Around the World.
Science Fiction Museum opens
Chengdu, China
The Chengdu Science Fiction Museum has opened its doors to the public. China’s newest museum—a star-shaped building on a lake was built in 12 months. Technology sped up the design and construction of the 635,070-square-foot museum, which has galleries, educational spaces, and cafés.
Day of the Dead is celebrated
Mexico
Thousands of people lined the streets of Mexico City to watch its annual Day of the Dead parade. The holiday was observed from October 31 to November 2 to remember and celebrate loved ones who have died. During this time, the dead are believed to return to the world. Families welcome them back with offerings, such as their favorite food.
Modern art at ancient pyramids
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
A modern art exhibit at the Pyramids of Giza, titled Forever Is Now, has returned for a third year. This year’s show is the biggest yet and features works by 14 artists. The free event aims to celebrate ancient Egyptian culture with modern skills. Artists were careful not to harm the 4,500-year-old World Heritage Site.
Schools close due to heavy air pollution
Delhi, India
Elementary schools in Delhi are closed for at least one week because of the city’s poor air quality. The amount of harmful materials in the air has reached nearly 100 times the acceptable limit. Delhi is often very polluted in November because that is when many farmers burn their remaining crops. To reduce the smog, officials in the city have banned polluting vehicles, construction work, and the use of fireworks.
1. Where can you visit a museum on the lake?| A．In Chengdu, China. | B．In Mexico City. |
| C．At the Pyramids of Giza. | D．In Delhi, India. |
| A．To build the newest museum. | B．To hold a modern art exhibit. |
| C．To celebrate the Day of the Dead. | D．To avoid the harm caused by air pollution. |
【推荐2】Each year on February 2nd, there is special festival called Groundhog Day (土拨鼠日) forecasting event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. When it comes, people from around the world, including 5,000 in the small town today, watch this tongue-twisting(发音饶舌的) small town for a sign from one groundhog that supposedly predicts when that years' spring will arrive.
If it's a cloudy day outside when the groundhog pops from its cave, then spring will arrive early that year. However, if it is sunny outside, the groundhog will supposedly be scared by its own shadow, hiding underground for six more weeks of cold weather.
Of course, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction is no more able to guarantee the extended forecast than your local weatherman. ABC News reports that an analysis by the National Climate Data Center found that Phil's predictions are more often wrong than right.
Philis is also found to have made some unpleasant predictions. Ever since 1887, he has predicted 99 extended winters and just 16 early springs .Nine of the years' predictions were unavailable, according to ABC.
The holiday began as a German tradition in 18th century and became even more of a cultural phenomenon after the 1993 film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray.
Punxsutawney Phil has become a celebrity in his own right. Each year, the fatter animal with long teeth is watched by millions as he emerges from a cave in the town he is named after. Phil has become so beloved by the town that he actually lives in the local library with his “wife" Phyllis.
Taking inspiration from the hard state of Bill Murray’s character in the classic film, Yahoo contributor Owen Rust says Groundhog Day is a good time to reflect on one’s routines.
1. The underlined word “pops” means “ ”.| A．escapes | B．appears | C．increases | D．hides |
| A．some of the predictions were unavailable | B．Phil wants to do that for fun |
| C．Phil likes to make unpleasant predictions | D．he has predicted more late springs |
| A．By an accident. | B．From people's life improving. |
| C．By his own attractive force | D．From much money raised by the town. |
| A．The National Climate Data Center | B．A German tradition |
| C．A tongue-twisting small town | D．Groundhog Day weather forecasting |
| April 12 Rainy Today, I arrived at my friend Worawut’s house outside of Bangkok for the holidays. His family was doing a spring-cleaning of their pretty wooden house in preparation for Songkran Festival. They put their hands together to greet me with a traditional gesture called the wai. April 13 Cloudy That smells wonderful! The women were cooking Thai foods for the next day’s ceremonies. We men went to the river and brought lots of sand to the village wat. The wat was a beautiful Buddhist temple where the monks lived. We left the sand in piles near the wat. April 14 Sunny We all dressed up and went to the village wat. The monks waited with their bowls at a long table. Monks are used to a life of sacrifice and discipline, but not today. We filled their bowls with rice and all kinds of palatable foods. Everyone smiled and music played as the monks ate. After that, we attended the bathing ceremony. We poured water over little stone Buddhas. Young people poured some sweet water into the hands of older people to show respect for them. Outside, everyone used sand we had brought to make sand pagodas. April 15 Sunny Today was the last day of the festival, and Worawut told me to get ready for some water throwing. We put lots of buckets of water on the truck and drove into the village. Everyone was throwing buckets of water. Nobody escaped dry! On such a hot day, the water felt really good. I can’t wait to come back next year! |
1. The passage is most probably taken from _______.
| A．a festival poster |
| B．a traveler’s festival journal |
| C．a festival brochure |
| D．a traveler’s festival poem |
| A．in middle April |
| B．when the weather turns cold |
| C．in the beginning of April |
| D．at the end of April |
| A．cook various kinds of foods for older people |
| B．take sand from the river, and then use the sand to make pagodas for older people |
| C．pour smelly water all over older people |
| D．pour the water that smells good into the hands of older people |
| A．the throwing of water made him feel joyful |
| B．the delicious Thai foods left him with a deep impression |
| C．his friend Worawut treated him very well |
| D．dancing with the monks brought him a lot of fun |
【推荐1】As I walked into the primary school, I looked down at my new black shoes. I stood at Mrs. Blackstone’s door. Before I tried the great escape, the door opened. “We’ve been waiting for you!” Mrs. Blackstone, my new fifth grade teacher, said loudly. With a smile my mom walked away and I was left taking center stage in front of a group of students.
Over the next few days, Mrs. Blackstone made it her job to find me a new best friend. During history lessons, when I didn’t want to speak in front of the class, she’d not only call on me but have me stand up to address my classmates.
One spring afternoon, Mrs. Blackstone asked me to stay after class. “I’d like to speak with you, Amanda.” My mind raced. Had I got a bad grade? Had I hurt anyone’s feelings? “Are you enjoying your new school?” She sat comfortably behind her desk. “I want to tell you something, between you and me, not to be shared with anyone else.” She continued, “I see something special in you. The way you communicate with others , and the kindness you show－I think you have great potential (潜力) to be something important.” I listened carefully to every word. “I have been a teacher for over twenty-five years; I can see it. But you must believe in yourself. That’s very important. Remember that and you’ll go far,” she said.
Her voice was music to my ears that day. I walked out of her office, not staring at my shoes, but looking straight ahead with my head high. My teacher saw something special in me! Years later, her words still remain inside of me.
1. The author went to school unwillingly most probably because she______.| A．didn’t like the school at all. |
| B．often got low grades at school. |
| C．was treated badly by her classmates. |
| D．wasn’t used to the new environment. |
| A．annoyed. | B．embarrassed. | C．tired. | D．nervous. |
| A．To tell the author her potential. |
| B．To encourage the author to believe in herself. |
| C．To help the author to realize her mistakes. |
| D．To make the author feel cared and loved. |
| A．The author came from a poor family. |
| B．The teacher sang a song to the author. |
| C．The author never forgets what the teacher said. |
| D．The author no longer cared for anybody but herself. |
【推荐2】Mei Xiang, 25, Tian Tian, 26, and their 3-year-old son, Xiao Qi Ji, packed their bamboo and left for China on Wednesday, making D.C. panda-less for the first time in 23 years.
The trio’s departure followed months of goodbyes: a nine-day “Panda Palooza” celebration, final visits by generations of panda fans and one couple’s return to the scene of their 2016 engagement at the zoo’s panda house. And as with many breakups, the longer the relationship, the deeper the heartbreak.
Now all that’s left of those three bears are memories and mementos. Washington Post reporters gathered some of the items that symbolize the connection D.C.’s panda fans have felt to the animals for the past 51 years. They talked to some of the people who are deeply affected by the animals’ departure, and what they’re doing to stash their cherished memories away.
Soon after Yael Krigman moved her bakery, Baked by Yael, into a space across from the National Zoo’s entrance in 2015, people began to ask her for panda-related treats. Thus the panda cake pop was born. As time went on, the cake pops became a pillar (支柱) of her brand. Even with the pandas gone, Krigman said, the cake pops will remain.“The pandas are super cute, but their departure is not going to put us out of business,” she said.
Still, it’s possible fewer people will visit the zoo — and surrounding shops — after the pandas’ departure, said Robert Meins, executive director of Woodley Park Main Street.“You know, the more diverse and the more interesting the offerings that the zoo has, the more people will come — it’s that simple,” he said.
LiLLiES has been making “panda pancakes” since the restaurant opened in 2011, said Ryan Raihan, a manager there. When it opened, kids in panda hats and T-shirts would run in and order the pancakes.But splitting up with the pandas affects more than the restaurant’s brunch orders.“This hurts,” Raihan said. “They’re a huge part of our culture and our neighborhood. It’s not even about the financial gain or loss that is going to happen because of their leaving.”
1. What is NOT offered in the surrounding shops and restaurants of the National Zoo?| A．panda pancakes | B．panda cake pops | C．panda mementos | D．Bamboo-related treats |
| A．books | B．movies | C．treats | D．souvenirs |
| A．indifferent | B．delighted | C．heartbroken | D．outraged |
| A．Packing away our panda memories | B．A panda-less Woodley Park |
| C．Champions of conservation | D．Business depression in the National Park |
【推荐3】My husband David was waiting at the door when our daughter Laura and I came back. It wasn’t like him to be home so early. The disbelief on his face told me that something was up．
“Do you still have a job?” “No.” he answered, looking away from me. “OK. We’ll figure it out,” I replied calmly.
I actually had no idea how we were going to figure it out. I immediately started to think of how we’d cut costs and who we should start to get in touch with. That night, after David had fallen asleep, I cried myself to sleep, and frequently sobbed in the shower in the days that followed.
I knew the loss of David’s income would have great effect on us. He had worked for the same company for twenty-one years and was our main income. I work at home caring for Laura, and my income is uncertain. We have debts, and job hunting takes time.
Still, I was more concerned about my husband’s emotional state than our financial situation. David’s sense of identity was tied to his job. He called his parents to tell them about losing his job, but didn’t say a word to anyone else for weeks. He told me that he felt like “a failure”．
It was tough for me to watch David struggle with unemployment. One night several weeks after he lost his job, David woke me just before midnight, sweating, pacing the bedroom floor and saying he didn’t feel well. We spent the night in the emergency room waiting to see if he had a heart attack. Thankfully, it was just a serious anxiety attack. It was then that I knew I needed to do more to understand what my husband was going through. Here is what I learned from my own experience—and from talking to experts—on how to support your loved ones through a job loss．
1. The underlined word “sobbed” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”.| A．laughed out with a loud and unpleasant noise |
| B．cried noisily, taking sudden, sharp breaths |
| C．became quite interested |
| D．felt extremely astonished |
| A．She called her husband’s parents to tell them the situation． |
| B．She went to the hospital to talk to some experts to ask for advice． |
| C．She was angry about her husband’s losing his job． |
| D．She appeared calm but in fact she was very worried． |
| A．He went to see the doctor to reduce his anxiety． |
| B．He was fired by the company for which he had worked for 21 years． |
| C．He was thought “a failure” by his family after losing his job． |
| D．He suffered a heart attack after his unemployment． |
| A．How the writer supported David to get through the jobless period． |
| B．How David suffered from the heart attack and the treatment． |
| C．Why David lost his job and became jobless． |
| D．What the writer did to help get some income． |
【推荐1】Harry is eighteen now. He studies in a middle school. His parents like him very much and hope he can become a famous man. So they often tell him to study hard and they do all for him. They call him at six in the morning, after breakfast his father takes him to school in a car and in the afternoon, as soon as the young man comes back, the supper is ready. Of course, he never washes his clothes or goes to buy something in the shops.
Once Harry’s father was sent to London on business. He would stay there for half a year. Leaving, he told his wife to take good care of their son. The woman had to get up earlier and did all what her husband did before. And two months later she was so tired that she was ill in bed. Now the young man got into trouble. He couldn’t do any housework. He had to do as his mother told him. Even he didn’t know where to get on the bus!
Yesterday Harry’s mother found his shoes were worn out and told him to buy a new pair in the shop. But he didn’t know how to choose. The woman had a sigh(叹息) and gave him a shoe pattern(鞋样) and told him to buy a pair of shoes himself. It’s Saturday today and Harry doesn’t go to school. With a policeman’s help, he found a shop. The shopkeeper was friendly to him. The man brought a lot of shoes and asked him to choose. When he was trying on a pair, suddenly he remembered something and took them off. The man was surprised and asked, “What’s the matter, young man?”
“I’m sorry, I’ve left the shoe pattern at home!”
1. Harry’s parents do all instead of him because _______.| A．he’s too young | B．he has poor health |
| C．he’s busy with his studies | D．they hope he spends all time on studies |
| A．Harry had to stay at home | B．Harry didn’t find the bus stop |
| C．Harry fell behind in his class | D．Harry wouldn’t go to school |
| A．she didn’t know what kind he needed |
| B．she was busy with the housework |
| C．something was wrong with her |
| D．she wanted her son to do something himself |
| A．A lazy boy | B．The shoe pattern |
| C．A sick mother | D．A famous man |
【推荐2】“Mom!” a girl calls out in a busy store. I turn toward it, so do several other women. It doesn’t matter that I’m in the store alone or that my two daughters are much older than this helpless little voice. When I hear “Mom!” I am ready for action and rescue.
Mom is defined in the dictionary as a female parent. But through the years my children have used the word to mean much more.
Jessica, at 7, screams “Mo-hom” in an accusing tone, for she can’t find a matching sock.
For Sarah, at 13, on a morning when she’s already late for school, “Mom!” means “I am desperate for new clothes. I can’t believe I’ve existed in these rags.”
“Mom?” Sarah is almost 17 and rarely knocks on my door in the morning anymore. Yet I recognize the vulnerability in her voice.
“Do you want some help?” I ask her, sleep-blurred.
She nods, and then bursts into tears. “John’s mad at me, and I don’t know why. He won’t talk tome. What should I do?”
I put my arm around her. I want to protect my child from the cruel beasts who make her weep so, but I’ve got a hot potato of my own just now. I feel the disability of being responsible for myself and for my daughters. I talk to my friends and they empathize(共情). I talk to my brother and he solves problems. I need more.
So I dial the familiar number I once called from college.
“Hello?” The voice is crackly, uncertain. It has lived through so much already that it’s cautious about another blow.
“Mom?” I say.
“Honey, are you all right?” my mother asks.
Somehow, that is everything I want to hear.
1. What does the underlined word “vulnerability” mean in paragraph 5?| A．Tension. | B．Delight. | C．Weakness. | D．Curiosity. |
| A．She has no clue who John is. | B．Her work takes all her attention. |
| C．She is too mentally exhausted. | D．She is too sleepy to stay focused. |
| A．Ambitious and faithful. | B．Enthusiastic and humorous. |
| C．Brave and independent. | D．Sensitive and responsible. |
| A．The mother’s mind is the child’s classroom. |
| B．A mother always cares for the youngest child. |
| C．The world’s all glory and pride all come from the mother. |
| D．The most beautiful voice in the world is the call of mother. |
【推荐3】I have forgotten the name of an old lady in my home town when I was a twelve-year-old boy. Yet it dwells in my memory that she taught me a lesson in forgiveness that I shall never forget.
On a winter afternoon, a friend and I were throwing stones onto the roof of the old lady’s house. As a result, the stone headed straight for a small window. We knew we were in trouble. We ran faster off her roof.
I was too scared about getting caught to be concerned about the old lady with the broken window in winter. However, a few days later, I started to feel guilty for her misfortune. She still greeted me with a smile each day when I gave her the paper, but I was no longer able to act comfortably.
I made up my mind to save my paper delivery money. In three weeks I had the seven dollars and put the money in an envelope with a note explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would cover the cost for repairing it. After that, I walked up to the old lady’s house secretly, and put the letter I didn’t sign through the letter hole. My soul felt relieved and I could have the freedom of, once again, looking straight into the old lady’s kind eyes.
The next day, I handed the old lady her paper and she thanked me for the paper, giving me a bag of cookies she had made herself. I thanked her and continued to eat the cookies while walking.
After several cookies, I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. When I opened the envelope, I was shocked. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note that said, “I’m proud of you.”
1. What does the underlined word “dwell” refer to?| A．Appear. | B．Change. |
| C．Happen. | D．Exist. |
| A．The roof of the old lady’s house was broken. |
| B．The stone broke a small window of the old lady’s. |
| C．The old lady broke into her house secretly. |
| D．The old lady gave him a bag of cookies. |
| A．Lucky. | B．Discouraging. |
| C．Regretful. | D．Annoyed. |
