Sixteen is a special age in the United States. There’s often a special celebration for a girl’s 16th birthday—a big party called Sweet-l6. It is like a wedding reception(结婚晚宴) in the number of guests and gifts handed out.
About a month before the party, the girl’s family sends out invitations to the guests.They must buy a special present for the birthday girl and the girl guests find good dresses to wear. A Sweet-16 present usually costs $40 to $60. This is about $20 more than the usual cost of a birthday present.
The party itself is not held at someone’s house. The hostess rents(租赁) reception hall for the event. Food, cake and a DJ are provided. Around 6 o’clock, guests arrive and meet the birthday girl. Then the girl and father have a special father daughter dance. After that, guests dance for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Then there is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party, the candle-lighting ceremony.
The Sweet-16 hostess stands behind 16 unlit(未点燃的) candles and dedicates(献给) each candle to her friends, family, and anybody that she feels is important to her. A lot of crying and hugging go on at this time.
After wards, people sit and eat. Most guests begin leaving around 11 o’clock.
This school year, I have been to two Sweet-16s. I am one of the youngest students in my grade(My birthday is in December). I’ll have to wait another year before I can have my own special Sweet-16 party. I can’t wait for it!
1. Why is sixteen a special age for an American girl?
2. How much does a usual birthday present for a teenager cost in the USA?
3. What is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party?
4. How old is the writer?
5. What do you think of the Sweet-16 party in the USA?(请自拟一句话作答）
相似题推荐
The surprise party is very popular in America. Most of the Americans think it is very exciting to have surprise parties for their friends or family members. It is quite possible to plan a surprise party when one's birthday is coming. Do you want to know what a surprise party is like？Look at the following example.
It's Saturday night. Bob's wife asks him to go to the kitchen and bring her a glass of milk. Bob walks to the kitchen and opens the door. Suddenly，
Bob is very scared and falls backwards .Just then the bear takes off his costurne(戏服)．It's Bob's friend Charles！There are also some other people behind him. All of them say to Bob，“Surprise！” Bob is puzzled，
In fact，there are many kinds of surprise parties. A successful surprise party always makes people excited and surprised.
根据短文内容，完成下列任务。
1题、2题和3题为任务一：根据短文内容，回答下列问题；4题和5题为将文中画线部分译成汉语。
1. How is the surprise party in America?
2. Where does the strange sound Bob hears come from?
3. How does a successful surprise party make people feel?
4.
5.
Mother’s Day is on May 8th this year because the second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day. It is a day to give thanks for all the things that mothers do and show your love. So what can you do for your mother on that day?
Make a Mother’s Day breakfast
Every day, Mom makes food for us. So let’s surprise (使惊讶) her with a great Mother’s Day breakfast. In the US, the father and children in a family make breakfast for the mother. They also take it to her in bed. Mothers get to be very lazy on Mother’s Day. It’s their favorite day.
Choose the right gift (礼物)
On Mother’s Day, many people buy their mothers carnations (康乃馨). In the language of flowers, carnations mean happiness, sweetness (温柔) and love. So carnations are the best flowers for mothers.
If you are creative (有创意的), you can make a Mother’s Day card. Just draw beautiful pictures and write some words to thank your mother.
Be a helper
Do you usually help your mom do housework? On Mother’s Day, you can do many things like washing the dishes and doing the laundry (洗衣服) for a day.
The most important thing to do on Mother’s Day is just to show your mother you love her. Any way you do it is fine. Mother’s Day is coming. Let’s do some things to thank our mothers.
1. Are carnations the best flowers for mothers?2. When is Mother’s Day this year?
3. According to the passage, what can you do for your mom on Mother’s Day?
4. Do you think we need to celebrate (庆祝) Mother’s Day? Why or why not? (回答20词左右)
Friendship Day is a great day for celebrating friendship. It falls on the first Sunday of August every year. Celebrating the festival was firstly started by the US in 1935. But now this doesn’t only happen in the US. People in other countries are interested in it, too.
The idea of spending the day with friends was spread all over the world. With more and more countries joining in the celebrations, Friendship Day soon became an international festival.
Between 1935 and 1997, Friendship Day didn’t have a symbol, like Santa Claus for Christmas. However, in 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world’s Ambassador (大使) of Friendship.
The traditional celebrations include activities such as meeting with friends and exchanging cards, flowers and gifts. Some people may have parties with their friends. Some may have lunch or dinner together. Others may hang out or go to the movies with friends on this special day. These are popular among all age groups from teenagers to old people.
Although Friendship Day and its celebrations may have changed over the years, the basic idea behind the festival remains the same. People enjoy the moment they spend together and express love and care for their friends.
1. Where was Friendship Day first celebrated?2. What does the fourth paragraph mainly tell us?
3. What is most likely the writer’s opinion about Friendship Day?
4. Do you have any friends? What do you think of friends? Write 30 words or more.
【推荐1】Many Americans find silence uncomfortable during a dinner. ① So in the United States, people often make small talk in certain social situations. Small talk is about different topics, only for keeping a conversation going. The topics might include the weather, sports, college lessons, clothing, food, etc. Small talk is very useful in social situations when you meet someone for the first time, or when polite conversation is expected and no serious discussion is wanted.
It’s common but not necessarily expected that one knows someone in a group before talking with him or her in conversation. In fact, at a party, “May I join you?” or a self-introduction is useful enough to get a welcome from a group and to join in a conversation. In some places, such as a concert hall or a theatre, a waiting room or a classroom, it is for strangers to start a conversation even without an introduction.
People in the United States expect those whom they speak to stop whatever they are doing and listen.
As a rule, the conversation distance between two people is at least two or three feet. ② Standing very close will make many Americans feel uncomfortable.
根据短文内容完成下列各题。
1. Why do people make small talk in America?
2. What topics are often used in small talk?
3. 将① 处画线句子翻译成汉语。
4. 将② 处画线句子翻译成汉语。
5. What’s the best title of this passage?
Each year, the US Social Security Administration (美国社会保障局) announces a list of the most popular baby names of the year. Nearly every US citizen is registered (注册) with the organization, making it easy to create an exact list.
According to the list, we can see the changes in society and culture over the years. For example, names such as Dorothy and Margaret (for girls) and Harold and Walter (for boys) were popular in the 1910s. But these days, some names are considered that they can’t keep up with the times. Other examples of these names include Gladys and Ethel (for girls) and Howard and Clarence (for boys).
The list also shows which names are most common during a certain period—and which ones are more rare (稀有的). For example, in the 1980s—when I was born—the most common name was Michael. It happens to be my name.
But some more unusual names have become widely liked and chosen in recent years. From 2016 to 2017, the names “Wells” and “Kairo” (for boys) and “Ensley” and “Oaklynn” (for girls) all became more popular. But these names are still quite rare compared to more ordinary names.
Even pop culture plays a role in how popular names become. For example, the name “Isabella” saw a huge jump and became one of the most popular names in 2009. This was because of the success of the Twilight film series, in which one of the main characters is named Isabella.
Most popular names in the U.S. | |
| Fact | The list of the most popular names is the |
| Some names like Margaret and Walter are not popular because they are considered to be The most common names and rare names during a certain period are also listed. Some unusual names have won Some names like Isabella are chosen under | |
| Conclusion | Although more and more names are becoming popular, ordinary names will remain popular all the time. |
【推荐3】Two Thanksgivings
“Why are we visiting Uncle Ed now? Thanksgiving is next month,” Curtis said. “In the United States, Thanksgiving is in November,” his dad replied. “In Canada, it’s in October.” “Why?” Curtis asked. “Ask Uncle Ed. He used to teach history. You could learn a lot from him,” his dad said.
When Curtis met Uncle Ed, he asked, “Why is Canada’s Thanksgiving so early?” “Thanksgiving is when we give thanks for the harvest (收获),” Uncle Ed said. “Canada gets colder before the United States, so its harvest and Thanksgiving come earlier.”
The next day, Curtis’s dad helped Uncle Ed cook Thanksgiving dinner. “What are we having?” Curtis asked. “You’ll find out soon,” his dad said. “Why don’t you watch TV?” “We watch football on Thanksgiving, too,” Uncle Ed said. “I’m sure there’s a game on.” On his way out of the kitchen, Curtis saw a cornucopia. It looked like one Mom used for their Thanksgiving. Football...cornucopia... was Canada copying the United States?
At dinner, Curtis sat down to turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. He said suddenly, “Your Thanksgiving is just like ours!” Uncle Ed laughed and said, “We do celebrate in similar ways. In the 1700s, many Americans moved to Canada. They brought their Thanksgiving traditions with them.” “We probably gave you our holiday, too,” Curtis said. “Actually, we celebrated Thanksgiving before you,” Uncle Ed replied. “However, Thanksgiving is much older than both Canada and the United States.’ “Really?” Curtis said, surprised.
“The First Nations people were giving thanks for the harvest long before settlers (殖民者) arrived. Also, Spanish settlers in the southern part of North America celebrated Thanksgiving even before Canada.”
“So when did Thanksgiving start in Canada?” Curtis asked. “An explorer named Martin Frobisher celebrated the first Canadian Thanksgiving in 1578. He gave thanks because he had stayed alive the long trip across the ocean from England to Canada.” Uncle Ed said.
“But now Canada gives thanks for the harvest?” Curtis asked. “Yes. In 1957, Canada made its Thanksgiving official (官方的). Since then, we have always given thanks on the second Monday in October,” Uncle Ed said.
After dinner, Curtis and his dad thanked Uncle Ed. “Come to our house for Thanksgiving next month,” Curtis said. “I’ll teach you about our holiday.” “Sure,” Uncle Ed said. “By then, I’ll ask for more pumpkin pie!”
1. Is Thanksgiving in October in Canada?2. Why does Canada’s Thanksgiving come earlier than the United States’ ?
3. What did they have for Thanksgiving dinner?
4. When did Thanksgiving start in Canada?
5. What is the passage mainly about?
【推荐1】The holiday season can give students a chance to relax and get together with friends and family. How to make your holiday meaningful？Here are some suggestions：
◆Do the homework every day. It's your duty to finish your homework. You can do it little by little. You can do it in your friend's house or do it in your own room. Don't expect to finish it within one day.
◆Play some games. After doing your homework，you can watch TV or play some computer games. Don't play it for a long time，or it will be bad for your eyes.
◆Stay away from junk food. In holidays，you may not have your meals on time，but you had better not eat too much junk food.
◆Go shopping with your parents. What about shopping with your parents on a fine day？You can buy some nice and cheap gifts for your friends or your family members.
◆_________.A trip can make you relaxed. Traveling with your parents to another place is also a good idea. You can travel with a camera. And after you come back to school，show your photos to your classmates.
◆Read some interesting books. The holiday is the best time for you to read some good books. It's good for your study.
1. 回答问题：How can we finish our homework according to the passage？2. 从文中找出与句子“If you play it for a long time，it will be bad for your eyes.”意思相同或相近的句子
3. 根据短文内容填空，词数不限。
（1）You can play computer games or watch TV after
（2）It's best for students to
4. Which is the proper topic of Suggestion Five？
| A．Relax yourself in the holiday | B．Go on a family trip |
Cyril Dick’s house is neither a modern house nor a house of the future. It is 40 years old. There are more houses like that in the south of France. They are called “bubble(气泡) houses”, and you can see why!
Cyril Dick is a designer and he loves round things. (D) He collects old records and clocks. He also collects round furniture. And now he has a completely round house.
Everything in the “bubble house” is round. The centre of the house is one big very bubble. This is both the living room and dining room. There are round armchairs, a round table, and a big round rug (地毯) in front of a round fireplace. Around the living room are three small bubbles. One bubble is a kitchen (A) ________ round shelves, another bubble is the garden room, and the third bubble is a music room. Upstairs there are two more bubbles—a bedroom and a bathroom.
The doors and windows are also round, of course. The windows are like eyes. There aren’t any curtains (窗帘) in the house, (B) ________ Cyril likes to see the garden all the time.
Bubble houses are the idea of a Hungarian architect (建筑师), Antti Lovag. “A lot of modern houses are bad for us, especially tall buildings of flats,” says Lovag. “Because round homes are more natural, people feel happy in (C) them.” Cyril agrees with this. “Some people think my house is funny,” he says, “but for me, this is the perfect home.”
1. 请在A处和B处填入恰当的词使句意完整，上下文通顺。2. 请问文中C处的代词指的是什么?
3. 请将D处划线句子改写为：Old records and clocks
4. 请找出两个描写home的形容词：
5. 请写出能描述本文中心大意的词组
【推荐3】Confidence（自信）is very important in daily life. It can help you to develop a healthy attitude （态度）. A study shows that the people who are more confident are much happier. They can have more chance to make themselves successful. The following is about how to be more confident.
Speak loud When you are not confident, you can’t do well what you want to do. You speak in a voice so low that other people can hardly hear you. Try to speak loud enough so that people can hear you clearly. The high voice can help you become more confident.
Play sports Physical exercise makes you tired but completely relaxed. A strong body helps you be full of confidence.
Encourage yourself Write down a list of things you did during the day to see how many things you have done well. Did you finish your homework? Did you tell a joke that made everybody laugh? Give yourself praise for the good things you’ve done.
Pick up a hobby If you like singing, sing as much as you can. In some ways, a hobby can make you outstanding. And it will make you happy and confident.
Get rid of（消除）fear Fear comes along with failure（失败）. But it’s easy to overcome （克服）if you know that failure is part of your life. Don’t hide your head just because you said something stupid last time. Try to start again and believe you can do better.
Being confident | |
advantages | Helping you |
| Confident people will feel | |
| Confident people will have success more | |
| Speaking aloud to make people | |
| | |
| Encouraging yourself by | |
| Picking up a hobby to make you outstanding. | |
| Trying to Trying to start again and | |
