We all have a first name and a last name, or family name. But for many of us, it doesn't stop there.
Some of them are obvious (明显的): Tom is short for Thomas; Sam is short for Samuel.
Richard has also been a popular name in England for centuries. It was commonly shortened to Richand Rick to save time.
| A．We also have nicknames. |
| B．But how does Bill come from William? |
| C．The most popular name for English kings has been Henry. |
| D．Also, like the name William, people liked to make rhyming names. |
| E．Yet there are some nicknames whose origins are more mysterious. |
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【推荐1】Birthday is a special day for most people. We may spend much time celebrating it. On birthdays, we may go for a trip, have a party or watch a movie with our parents and friends. We can also enjoy some special food. Do you know what people eat on their birthday all over the world? Here are three people from different countries. They tell us what food they eat on their birthday.
Liu Jing is from Beijing, “The long noodles are a symbol of long life. In China, red is a symbol of luck. We think red eggs bring us good luck. So you can see Chinese eat long noodles and red eggs when they celebrate their birthday.” says Liu Jing.
“I am so happy because today is my birthday. I want to have a birthday party. At the party, we can play games, sing and dance. We can also eat a big birthday cake with fifteen candies. I’m sure we can have a good time at my birthday party.” says David from America.
“In Canada, people put a coin (硬币) into the cake. If the birthday person eats the cake with the coin, he or she will be lucky. I am so happy because I eat the cake with a coin,” says Sandy.
1. Where does Liu Jing come from?| A．China. | B．Canada. | C．America. | D．Australia. |
| A．举办 | B．庆祝 | C．组织 | D．担心 |
| A．13. | B．14. | C．15. | D．16. |
①watch ball games ②go for a trip ③watch a movie ④have a birthday party
| A．②③④ | B．①③④ | C．①②④ | D．①②③ |
| A．what to eat on one’s birthday in different countries |
| B．why we celebrate our birthday |
| C．three persons from different countries |
| D．how to celebrate one’s birthday |
Christmas(Dec. 25) comes at the hottest time of the year in Australia. The temperature can be over 40℃ in some cities! Because it is so hot, people usually have lunch outside and swim in the pool during Christmas. They also meet all their family members for Christmas lunch. Christmas lunch is usually a big meal of ham, turkey, salad and seafood. Family members all cook something different to bring to the beg meal. One year my aunt even made a gingerbread house(姜饼屋) that we ate for dessert!
The sport of cricket(板球) is very popular in Australia. So during Christmas, family members also play a game of cricket in the backyard.
Australia may not have a white Christmas, but it is still a very exciting and fun time of the year.
1. When Christmas comes, it is very ________ in Australia.
| A．cold | B．snowy | C．hot | D．cool |
| A．Cricket. | B．Basketball. | C．Volleyball. | D．Swimming. |
| A．Swimming. | B．Outdoor lunch. | C．Cricket game. | D．White snow. |
| A．They just have a picnic in their backyard. | B．They buy some Chrismas food on the Internet. |
| C．They cook different food and bring them together. | D．They go to restaurants and have a great meal there. |
| A．Sports in Australia. | B．Food in Australia. | C．Christmas in Australia. | D．Families in Australia. |
【推荐3】Tea, High Tea and Afternoon Tea
What are the differences among tea the drink, tea the meal, high tea and afternoon tea?
Tea the drink
Tea the drink is made from the processing of making teas. The basic teas are also often mixed with other plants like vanilla, mint and melon.
Tea the meal
Tea the meal on the other hand includes tea the drink as an important part, but mainly refers to social and family get-together. Generally speaking, the tea meal became popular in England first, but spread to English speaking countries, where tea meals are also held in many different forms.
Afternoon tea
Afternoon tea（or Low tea）is a light meal eaten at 4:00 pm. It also comes from Britain, though most British people no longer eat such a meal nowadays.
Traditionally, loose tea would be put in a teapot with milk and sugar, together with various sandwiches（with cucumber, egg, tuna, ham, and smoked salmon）, scones（with butter, cream and jam）and cakes. Usually, the tea and food would be put on a low table.
While afternoon tea used to be an everyday event, nowadays it is more likely to be served in a hotel, café, or tea shop, although many British people still have a cup of tea and a piece of cake or chocolate at teatime.
High tea
High tea is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm. It would take the place instead of both afternoon tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the “high”（main）table. It is now largely replaced by the later meal.
In recent years, “high tea” has become a word for exquisite（精致）afternoon tea. Actually, such usage is wrong. High tea is not the same as afternoon tea.
Main evening meal
Tea is the main evening meal, even if people are not drinking tea. It is traditionally eaten at 5 o’clock in the evening, though often it is later, as late as 9 pm. So, in some farming areas of the UK, tea as a meal is equal to dinner in Standard English.
1. The writer writes the passage to ________.| A．tell people how to drink tea correctly |
| B．let people know more about tea culture |
| C．introduce the new meaning of “high tea” |
| D．inform people the difference between tea and meal |
| A．Tea the meal is the same as tea the drink. |
| B．Afternoon tea is often served at a high table. |
| C．Tea is a word for meal in some areas in the UK. |
| D．High tea has nothing to do with afternoon tea at all. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．a science report | B．a fashion magazine |
| C．a newspaper website | D．a travel guide book |
【推荐1】As we all know, kites and kite-flying have a long history in China. A man named Gongshu Ban made the first kite more than 2,000 years ago. In Tang Dynasty, Chinese people started to celebrate the kite festival. But kites are also important in the US.
Kites were important tools in the US. American scientists have used kites for science experiments (实验). Benjamin Franklin, a famous scientist, used a kite to learn about electricity (电) in 1752. The Wright brothers used kites to test their ideas before they built the first airplane in 1903. When other scientists were trying to make a plane fly by itself, the Wright brothers thought people can “drive” a plane on the wind the way we fly a kite.
People in the US also like to fly kites for fun. Kite festivals have been popular at different times of the year. In California, people fly kites that can be bigger than a house. In New Jersey, illuminated kites are sent into the night sky so you can see them from far away even late at night. In the Louisiana Kite Night Flying, you can also see kites with LED lights on them.
The largest kite-flying festival in the US is the Washington State International Kite Festival. This week-long festival takes place each year during the third week of August at Long Beach, Washington. It invites famous kite flyers from around the world to show off their kites. They put on shows that are so fantastic that lots of kite lovers travel from around the world just to watch!
1. The writer writes the first paragraph to ________.| A．tell readers about the history of kites in China | B．teach readers more about Gongshu Ban |
| C．show the differences between China and the US | D．tell readers kites are also important in the US |
| A．learn about electricity | B．build a plane |
| C．do experiments | D．drive a plane |
| A．colorful | B．bright | C．large-sized | D．a lot of |
| A．watch kite shows put on by famous kite flyers | B．enjoy kite festivals in different countries |
| C．see kites bigger than a house | D．fly kites for a week in August |
| A．Flying High and Having Fun | B．Festivals All Over the US |
| C．Kite Flying in the US | D．Kites: Science and History |
【推荐2】When we were children, our parents always said that we should never talk to strangers. But if we didn’t start a conversation with strangers, we’d never make new friends. The following information offers you some advice on how to break the ice.
Britain: Beautiful day, isn’t it? The weather in Britain is changeable. So, it is one of the topics the British care most about. And there’s a simple rule: Say “Yes” whether you agree with the person’s idea on the weather or not. That’s because the British start a conversation using the weather so that they can continue their talk.
France: Where did you go on holiday? To talk with a French person, the safest way is to ask about his or her last holiday. French students enjoy a 10-to-15-day holiday every two months. French employees (雇员) get more than one and a half months of holidays every year.
America: So, where are you from? The US is so big and people move so often that location is always a source(来源) of talk. You can try to find a connection with the place they’re from. For example, if someone is from Los Angeles, you could say, “Oh, I have a friend who studied there.”
1. To start the conversation, it’s best to talk about the ________ with the French.| A．weather | B．hometown | C．holiday | D．people |
| A．they love their home | B．the US is so big and people move so often |
| C．their friends study in Los Angeles | D．the weather is changeable in different places |
| A．culture | B．education | C．technology | D．health |
【推荐3】A subway is not just an important form of transport. It is also a window for other people to learn about local cultures.
Beijing, China
The Beijing Subway was opened in 1969 and is the oldest subway system (系统) in China. It has added some modern technologies. All stations now have touch-screen maps. In some stations, people can also see traditional Chinese cultures. For example, on the walls of a few stations of Line 8, there are some pictures of blue and white porcelain (青花瓷).
Stockholm, Sweden
The system of the Stockholm Subway has 100 stations in use, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. The first subway line for Stockholm was opened in 1950. The Stockholm Subway is well-known for its decoration (装饰) of the stations. It is called the longest art gallery in the world. Over 90 percent of its stations are decorated with paintings. A few stations are decorated with red bedrocks (岩床). This makes you feel as if you are in a cave.
London, UK
The London Underground or the Tube is the oldest subway in the world. It was opened in 1863. During World War II, it was used to protect people from German plane attacks (袭击) on London. Now, it is a symbol of the city. There is no air conditioning in the trains, so it is very hot in summer.
New York, US
The New York City Subway has the most extensive public transportation system in the world, with 469 stations. It is also one of the world’s oldest public transit systems. The New York City Subway runs 24 hours a day. It has a high-speed train on almost every line. You can get to your destination (目的地) promptly. The trains themselves are full of fun; you will see people doing moonwalk dances like Michael Jackson, playing the guitar and singing.
1. The ________ is called the longest art gallery in the world.| A．Beijing Subway | B．Stockholm Subway |
| C．London Underground | D．New York City Subway |
| A．is also called the Tube | B．is the symbol of the UK |
| C．was well protected during the war | D．was opened in 1969 |
| A．Michael Jackson used to dance in the New York City Subway. |
| B．Tourists feel cool when they take the London Underground in summer. |
| C．Several stations of the Stockholm Subway are built in caves. |
| D．Some stations of the Beijing Subway are decorated with pictures of porcelain. |
| A．finally | B．carefully | C．quickly | D．safely |
| A．travel magazine | B．science book |
| C．newspaper report | D．picture book |
