【推荐1】Christmas in the United States is traditionally a time of gift-giving and family gatherings. But small towns across the country have their own traditions.

Middleburg, a small town in the state of Virginia, is known for its horses. For more than 50 years, Middleburg has organized a yearly Christmas parade. Men and women ride horses through the woods and fields. They follow hunting dogs as they search for a wild fox. But first, these hunters ride in the yearly parade, wearing their bright red hunting clothes and hats.

John Hale, a citizen of Middleburg says many city people visit his town. “We have a lot of people from an urban area that come to visit, but it incorporates a lot of the old traditions.” The night-time hayride is one such tradition. Small groups gather under the moonlight on an open wagon (四轮马车) filled with hay (干草). The passengers sing as farm horses pull the wagon slowly across the fields.

There are some newer traditions, too. Trey Matheu works at the nearby Salamander Resort. He says a visit to Middleburg is a chance to slow down for a day. He says Middleburg can be a calming, peaceful place without tension.

“Middleburg is an opportunity to take a step back, to take a deep breath, and understand that even though life is moving on at a very fast pace, there’s really an opportunity where you’re allowed to step off for a little bit.”

Parade organizers say more than 13,000 people attend even in below freezing weather. But if you ask, you will hear many different reasons why people come to watch the parade:

“I come here because I’m from a small town. I like how everybody comes together.”

“I live right down that street, right there. And that’s my dog.”

Middleburg looks its best at Christmastime. That may be why so many people return each year.

1. At Christmas, people in Middleburg usually ________.

A．visit friends and families	B．ride in the annual parade
C．feed farm horses with hay	D．hunt for dogs in the woods

2. According to Trey Matheu, why do people visit Middleburg?

A．To enjoy the fresh air.	B．To escape competition.
C．To relax themselves.	D．To challenge themselves.

3. What do we know about the small town Middleburg?

A．It attracts many people each year.	B．It makes a large money from tourism.
C．It doesn’t respect Christmas traditions.	D．It is a good place for family gatherings.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Middleburg’s Christmas Parade	B．A Small Town Known for Horses
C．Newer Traditions at Christmastime	D．Christmas Traditions in Middleburg

【推荐2】Many Christmas customs are based on the birth of Christ, such as giving presents because of the Wise Men, who brought presents to the baby Jesus（耶稣）Singing Christmas carols is based on the scene of the birth with figures of shepherds, the Wise Men and animals surrounding the baby Jesus.
The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in the present-day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A. D. he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors were believed to steal his remains and removed them to Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas’ popularity throughout Europe.
His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron（保护神）saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cap, flowing white beard, and bishop’s mitre. In Greece, he was the patron saint of sailors; in France, he was the patron of lawyers, and in Belgium, the patron of children and travelers. Thousands of churches across Europe were dedicated（供奉的）to him and sometime around the 12th century an official holiday was created in his honor. The Feast of St. Nicholas was celebrated on December 6 and the day was marked by gift-giving and charity.
After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas declined, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolass was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placing treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the English name of Santa Claus appeared.
1. Why, as is believed, is Santa Claus so popular in Europe?

A．Because of his reputation for generosity.

B．Because he died in Italy.

C．Because of the deed of the Italian sailors.

D．Because of his devotion to Italian children.

2. What was the Feast of St. Nicholas held for?

A．Celebrating Christ’s birthday.

B．Giving thanks to churches.

C．Marking a holiday.

D．Honoring St. Nicholas.

3. What does “Sinterklaas” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．European followers.	B．Santa Claus.
C．Jesus.	D．The Dutch.

4. Which of the following can best describe Santa Claus?

A．Generous, devoted and honored.

B．Dedicated, kind and alive.

C．Well-known, traditional and lovely.

D．Popular, famous and creative.

【推荐3】The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms More than 2000 years ago, ancient Chinese people created this overall framework to mark the annual passage of time based on observations of the sun's motion. In the international meteorological field (国际气象界) the 24 solar terms are honored as “the fifth great invention of China”.

The 24 solar terms begins with Start of Spring followed by Rain Water, Insects Awaken...and ends up with Minor Cold and Major Cold. Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice are two days of the year with the longest and shortest amount of daylight respectively, while Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox are days with the most balanced amount of daytime and nighttime. Through these four parts, a year is divided into four part: Spring Summer, Autumn and Winter.

In ancient times this system not only guided agricultural production, instructing farmers to expect the changes in temperature, spring planting and autumn harvest but also directed Chinese folk customs. For example, Winter Solstice was the first one set among 24 terms and later developed into a festival to worship Heaven and ancestors. Every year at Winter Solstice, emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties would go to the temple of Heaven to hold a ceremony to worship Heaven, for good weather for their crop, and peace and prosperity for the country.

Nowadays, the 24 solar terms could not only be applied to farming but also guide Chinese everyday life. They remind people to adapt to the changes in the seasons through suitable food and cultural rituals (文化仪式). Seasonal customs are sill the rage such as eating spring pancakes at Start of Spring, sweeping ancestors' tombs at Qing Ming, gaining weight to keep warm at Start of Autumn and eating nutritious food to store energy at Start of Winter. They have actually became important rituals in Chinese life.

The 24 solar terms is a common cognitive system among Chinese. It reflects the emotional bond, the wisdom and creativity of Chinese, who respect and live in harmony with nature.

1. How were the 24 solar terms created in ancient China?

A．They were the results of leaning from each other.

B．They were set based on the movements of the sun.

C．They were created according to the change of the weather.

D．They were gradually developed from the practical experience.

2. What is a common feature of Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox?

A．They both have the same amount of day and night.

B．They were set only for guiding agricultural activities.

C．They both play the role in dividing a day into day and night

D．They are the days on which the length of a day is longer than night.

3. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Cheer

B．Honor.

C．Appreciation.

D．Fashion.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．The reasons for the recognition of the 24 solar terms.

B．The invention of the 24 solar terms in ancient China.

C．The origin and influence of the 24 solar terms in China

D．The ways to handle the relationship between human and nature.

【推荐1】There is a large percentage of Asian people in the US. They’re hard-working, respectful but strange sometimes.     1     Asian people are different from people in any other cultures. If you think you know them, you might want to think again.

How are they different? When it comes to most Asian culture, respect is everything.     2     If you don’t show proper respect for him, you will get some real consequences afterward and especially if he’s your boss. It’s something called face saving in the Asian culture. It’s ridiculous sometimes but it’s their culture. Sometimes their culture can come in between their relationship at work. Asian people might expect a lot of respect from their co-workers when their co-workers just see them as an equal.

    3     If you re Asian, you might want to understand the American culture and even adapt to their culture if you work with them. It will be easier for you since you re in their countries. Imagine an America working in China, expecting Chinese co-workers to get along with him when he criticizes them straight out on every single matter in front of everyone, I think they will take him outside and take care of him.     4    

If you’re an American boss giving your Asian employee a review, you will see that they will have a problem with your negative remarks. They will think that you don t like them, disrespectful, and want to get rid of them.     5     Of course, it’s not fair for you as an American boss but just expect that it can be something that is on your Asian employee’s mind.

A．In fact, you re just doing your job.

B．So you have no choice but to trust them..

C．Americans cannot get along well with Asians.

D．It just doesn’t work that way with Asian people.

E．Americans are very different from Asian people.

F．You can do anything you want but don t disrespect an Asian man.

G．If you don t understand their culture, you will get some problems with them.

【推荐2】It's easy to imagine the Sahara as a lifeless and timeless place, where the merciless forces of nature rule over any sense of human history. However, that’s far from the truth. Some corners of the Western Sahara, found along the northwestern coast of Africa, are littered with hundreds of ancient stone monuments from centuries worth of human culture, some of which date back to over 10,000 years ago.

Between 2002 and 2009, the Western Sahara Project, led by the University of East Anglia in the UK, documented the archaeology(考古学) and environment of northwestern Sahara around the town of Tifariti. The monuments come in a variety of forms and were constructed by a number of different cultures across the centuries. Many appear to be little more than long rows of piled rocks, while others are purposefully placed large stones standing proudly in a circular pattern. Others are 5-meter-high (16 feet) dry stone wall constructions that could have only been built by human hands.

It’s unclear what most of the monuments are meant to represent, although most are assumed to be burial mounds(墓冢), used as part of a funerary ceremony, or sign at the presence of a grave. This desire to construct burial mounds is something that can be found in countless cultures across the planet, from the Scythians of ancient Siberia to the sea-faring Vikings of northern Europe, and it looks like the ancient people of Western Sahara were not different.

For one reason or another, this natural basin area managed to remain a place of human activity over the millennia, especially when times became tough in the surrounding areas. "One of our theories is that as the Sahara dried between five and six thousand years ago—this is one of the refugia(避难所), an area where water remained," Joanne Clarke, prehistoric archaeologist at the University of East Anglia, told Atlas Obscura.

1. How were the monuments constructed?

A．They are in different shapes.

B．They are piled up on one another.

C．They took about 500 years to complete.

D．Most of them are parallel to each other.

2. What will the researchers probably focus on about the monuments in future?

A．The way to build burial mounds.

B．The symbols of different monuments.

C．The original appearances of the monuments.

D．Their difference between the Sahara and other regions.

3. What does Joanne Clarke think of the Sahara in history?

A．It was the mere source of water in that area.

B．It used to be a shelter from sufferings for people.

C．People used to hold various activities in its honor.

D．It shouldn’t have dried five and six thousand years ago.

4. What can be the best title of the text?

A．The Sahara used to be a heaven for every culture.

B．The Sahara is really a lifeless and timeless place.

C．The burial bounds represent different cultures in the Sahara.

D．The Western Sahara is covered with mysterious ancient stone monuments.

【推荐3】When you put down your pens at the end of the college entrance exam, 12 hard years of study will have come to an end. Forget your studies for a while. It’s time to enjoy yourselves!
There are many ways to celebrate this special month of graduation. You can have photos taken with your classmates and teachers, or dine out together and exchange gifts.
High school students in Western countries such as the United States and Canada usually have a prom to mark their graduation. It’s to mark the time kids turn into young men and women. After the prom, teenagers either go to college or find a job. It means they are no longer as dependent on their parents as they were before.
At the prom, boys usually dress in dinner jackets and bow ties, though many different types of formal clothes are worn. Traditionally, girls give boys matching boutonnieres (a small collection of flowers they pin to their jackets). Girls traditionally wear formal dresses, or dress to shock or be noticed, in shiny or brightly colored materials.
Common prom activities include dining, dancing, the crowning (加冠) of a prom king and queen, and just talking to friends. In some cases, high school students collect funds for their class prom through the four years of their high school.
High schools in or near large cities may rent ballrooms at expensive hotels or, to be unusual, on a pleasure cruise boat.
But often costs are cut by simply using the school gym. Students make a lot of effort to decorate the gym to make the event special. The music played at the prom will be the most popular kinds, like rock and hip-hop.
The students elect the Prom Queen. She is partnered with a Prom King who is elected similarly. These are great honors that the pair take very seriously. The two dance with each other to celebrate their election.
Sometimes teachers and parents also go to the prom. But others like to go with friends, to whom they are soon going to be saying goodbye.
If you like the idea of a prom, why don’t you and your classmates organize one for your graduation?
1. Which of the following indicates that prom is very important to students?

A．They take pictures at the prom.

B．They wear formal clothes or special clothes.

C．Music is played at the prom.

D．Teachers and parents attend it.

2. Which of the following is an economical way to hold the prom?

A．Renting a ballroom.

B．Taking a cruise boat.

C．Holding it in the school gym.

D．Wearing formal dresses.

3. Why do some students attend the prom with their friends?

A．They will part with their friends in a short time.

B．They don’t like to be accompanied by their parents.

C．They don’t want to depend on their parents.

D．They want to be elected by their friends as the Prom King or Queen.

4. What is the writer’s purpose to write this passage?

A．To tell an interesting experience of high school students.

B．To tell how the western students spend the last days of high school.

C．To introduce several ways of western students’ killing time.

D．To tell how western high school students usually celebrate graduation.