【推荐1】Some festivals around the world

Dia de los Muertos (Mexico)

Beginning at the midnight of October 31 and lasting through November 2, it is a festival when families gather together to remember those loved ones who have died. To honor the deceased, Mexican families prepare private altars (祭坛) in their homes. On top of them they’ll put photos of the dead and their favorite food. They also visit the graves of their beloved ones and place offerings there to pay their respects to the dead.

Holi (India)

Holi, popularly known as “the festival of colors”, is an ancient Hindu festival which signifies the end of winter and the victory of good over evil.

During the festival, people wet each other with water balloons and water guns, then they throw color powder on one another. There are also marching bands, dancing, food and drink, and much laughter. A great number of people are infected by its playful and childlike atmosphere.

La Tomatina (Spain)

As a big food fight, it is possibly the most chaotic (混乱的) festival.

According to records, the festival dates back to a parade in which some naughty teenagers knocked one performer off his stilts (高跷) and caused a fight of throwing vegetables accidentally. It was once banned until 1957 when the locals held a protest (抗议) with a mock funeral. They carried a coffin containing a huge tomato as bands played a funeral march. Finally, in the decades since, La Tomatina has become a popular event which attracts lots of tourists to have fun.

If you happen to join the event, be aware that you squash (压软) the tomato before throwing it. Have a great time but avoid causing any injury.

1. Which festival in China is similar to Dia de los Muertos in purpose?

A．Lantern Festival.

B．Mid-Autumn Festival.

C．Dragon Boat Festival.

D．Qingming Festival.

2. Which of the following best describes Holi and La Tomatina?

A．Enjoyable but risky.	B．Chaotic but playful.	C．Religious and legendary.
D．Worldwide and meaningful

3. What do we know about La Tomatina?

A．It’s a crazy tomato fight.	B．It usually causes injury.
C．It originated from a funeral.	D．It was canceled by the locals in 1957.

【推荐3】Valentine’s Day has its origins in the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia, a yearly festival held on Feb. 15 to help keep dangerous wolves away from townspeople and their crops. On the eve of the festival, Feb. 14, the young women of the town would write their names on small pieces of paper, put them in a jar, and every young man would pick out a name at random. The pair would then be partners for the rest of the festival.
It was 270 B.C. when St. Valentine stood up for love, after Roman Emperor Claudius II forbade Roman soldiers to get engaged or married, believing that married men would rather stay at home than go to war. The priest named Valentine, in defiance (对抗) of Claudius’ orders, secretly married young couples, and on Feb. 14, was punished for his “crime”, thereby becoming the patron saint (守护神) of lovers.
Besides this story, there are some old beliefs about this day:
During the Middle Ages, Europeans believed that birds chose their mates each year on Feb. 14.
Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin fly overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor; if she saw a sparrow, she’d marry a millionaire.
If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will know how many children you will have.
And some charming Valentine’s Day Customs.
In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on Feb. 14.
Heart, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations, which meant “you unlock my heart!”
In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They’d wear these names on their sleeves for one week—hence the term “to wear your heart on your sleeve”.
1. According to the story, Valentine was originally the name of a ________.

A．lover	B．priest
C．ruler	D．feast

2. The Roman emperor forbade soldiers to get married because he thought________ .

A．married soldiers are not loyal to the country

B．married soldiers are less willing to fight

C．there was no time for soldiers to get married

D．marriage is a crime

3. Why was the priest punished?

A．He didn’t join the army.

B．He helped people escape from being sent to the battle field.

C．He married couples despite the prohibition from the ruler.

D．He openly defied the ruler’s order to end his marriage.

4. Which of the following statement is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Feb. 14 and 15 were originally a time for keeping wolves.

B．People used to believe that birds chose mates on Valentine’s Day.

C．People believed that the birds they saw on Valentine’s Day predicted what kind of person they would marry.

D．The Welsh used to give out wooden spoons on Feb.14.

5. If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you _________________.

A．openly express your feelings or emotions to others.

B．hardly take your feelings or emotions very seriously.

C．officially announce that you have been married

D．proudly show your choice of sleeve pattern

【推荐1】For many families, a night at the ballpark is a treat. But it can be a terrible experience for those with autistic（自闭症的）children, who are sensitive to light and noise and usually become upset and scared.

For these families, fear of how their child will react to new situations—and how others will react to them-keeps them from gaining everyday experiences others get to have.

Dr. Wendy Ross was heartbroken to see that. The pediatrician（儿科医生）in Philadelphia also knew that separation from the community didn't serve her patients well in the long run.

"If kids are not in the community, building their skills from very young ages, then there's no reason to expect them to be independent one day," Ross said. "It's a social disability. It needs to be addressed in a social setting."

So in 2007, Ross set out to do just that. Today, her nonprofit, Autism Inclusion Resources, helps families affected by autism deal with challenging social situations, such as sporting events, airport travel and museum visits.

Many Major League Baseball teams hold annual 44autism awareness nights", when they take temporary measures such as lowering the volume （音量）on the public address system. But Ross     wanted to do more. "You can't turn down the volume of the world," Ross said. "It's nice to do it for one night, but our goal is for families to be able to go to a game on any night."

To that end, Ross partnered with the Philadelphia Phillies to develop a creative program.

She armed all the Phillies players and game-day staff with knowledge about autism and how to interact with individuals who have the disorder. Each family is also provided a clinician at the game who gives additional support if problems arise. She also helps prepare the families for the event.

Ross has also found her airport travel program to be successful for families. Using the same principles, she trains airline and security staff at major airports and then guides families through the travel experience, including checking in, going through security and boarding a plane.

Ross hopes that the tools she gives families can help them explore other settings on their own. "We really see it as a stepping stone to a brighter future," she said.

1. According to Ross, what does a social disability mean?

A．Fearing light and noise.

B．Lacking social experience.

C．Having to rely on others for help.

D．Being separated from the community.

2. What does the underlined part "do more,, imply?

A．Making the ballpark less noisy.

B．Making baseball teams autism-friendly.

C．Providing a normal game for autistic children.

D．Encouraging autistic children to go out into public.

3. What is the Philadelphia Phillies?

A．A baseball team.

B．A baseball game.

C．A team of clinicians.

D．Families with autistic children.

4. What is the purpose of Ross's airport travel program?

A．To help families to learn about air travel.

B．To teach airport staff knowledge about autism.

C．To teach autistic children how to travel by air.

D．To help autistic children get used to social situations.

【推荐3】In 1971 a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast.

After eating his first good meal in weeks, he found himself lying to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. The waiter, who was also the owner, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $ 20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor. “Sir, you must have dropped this, ” the owner said. The young man couldn't believe his luck! He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the change, and headed West.

On the way out of town, he began to understand what that fellow did. “Maybe nobody dropped the money at all. Maybe that fellow just knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn't embarrass me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can. ”

Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now, he lives near Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the “Secret Santa” because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. Last year, he gave more than $ 50,000 away in Kansas City.

1. The young man was traveling across the country in 1971 probably to _____ .

A．improve his life	B．hand out gifts to passers-by
C．look for a good restaurant	D．show his new car to others

2. On the way out of town, the young man got to know that ___.

A．it was very honest of the owner to return his money

B．he could probably find himself a job in the restaurant

C．the owner helped him in a way that didn't hurt his feelings

D．another man who had breakfast in the restaurant lost the money

3. From this text we can infer that ___.

A．the man raised money for the poor	B．the man did carry out his promise
C．Santa gives the man money each year	D．the man was not successful in the end

4. The best title for the text may be __.

A．Secret Santa of Kansas City	B．The Key to Success
C．A kind Waiter in the Restaurant	D．Never Give Up