1 .

Wedding Customs from Around the World Each traditional wedding custom is very special, because it marks the importance of the wedding.

Brazil Important Details of the Wedding Ceremony A wedding ceremony in Brazil has many important details. For example, the bridegroom can't see the bride wearing her wedding dress before the ceremony. The bride has to use something old, something new, and something that is borrowed. One more detail is the bride's ring should be engraved the name of the bridegroom —María Celina Brandao

Eastern Europe Asking the Girl's Father for Permission In my country, the engagement is an event previous to the wedding. One month before the wedding, the bridegroom asks the girl's father for permission to take the girl out of her family house. He goes to her house early in the morning with a band, if he can afford the expense. All the neighbours come to see the new bride and to tell her something nice —Stoyan Grigorou

Japan A Wine Ceremony Symbolizes Dedication A Shinto wedding has a typical ceremony. A couple drinks Japanese rice wine in front of a priest. First, the bride drinks the wine from a small cup. Next, the bride passes the cup to the bridegroom and he also drinks the wine from the cup. They try to drink wine three times. This ceremony means that they promise to be dedicated to each other. —Maki Kubo

Venezuela Promises to Love and Take Care of Each Other The most important and unforgettable event of someone's life is marriage. In Venezuela, the bridegroom has to promise his bride to love her all his life and to take care of her forever. The bride also has to repeat the same commandments. It is popular for the couple to read the promises to each other. This moment is really beautiful. In addition, the couple receives a list of commandments. —Sonia Dale

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1. What is a bridegroom in Brazil not expected to do?

A．Use something not new.

B．Use something someone else lends him.

C．Have his bride wear the ring engraved with his name.

D．See his bride in a wedding dress before the ceremony.

2. When does the engagement in Eastern Europe usually happen?

A．Before the wedding is celebrated.	B．After the girl is taken out
C．After a band is paid by the bridegroom.	D．When the neighbours arrive.

3. Why does the couple in Japan drink wine three times?

A．It is the priest's order in the ceremony.

B．The cup is not big enough to hold much wine.

C．It means they promise not to be against each other.

D．It is typical for all young Japanese to drink wine.

4. In which part of the world do the bride and bridegroom read the commandments?

A．Brazil.

B．Venezuela

C．Japan.

D．Eastern Europe.

5. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A book on worldwide wedding.	B．A story about foreign customs.
C．A webpage about various wedding	D．Speeches about youngsters' trouble.

2 . There can be magic in the touch of a hand that loves you. It brings comfort and a silent promise that says, “I am here and you are not alone.”

I memorized every detail about my children. As babies, they reached for me whenever they were hungry or tired or just needed to be held. Sometimes, if they woke in the night, just the touch of my hand would ease them back to sleep. They clung to me when they took their first steps and we held hands when crossing streets and walking from the car to their classroom on their first day of school.

As they grew older and more independent, I noticed that they didn't hold my hand much anymore. I told myself it was part of growing up, and I should just be glad they could do things on their own now.

But when you've been needed so much for such a long time, it's hard to step back and feel unnecessary.

Then one day, I was visiting my oldest son in New York, where he was working as an actor on a TV show. As we were about to cross a busy street that was filled with traffic, he grabbed my hand and shouted, “Hang on to me, Mom,” then led me safely across.

At that moment, I realized two things. First, my boy had become a man. Second, it was clear that our roles had changed. We still needed each other, but in different ways than before.

That scene has replayed in various ways with each of my three children. They have all taught me to lean on them just as they once leaned on me, and that we can always lean on each other. We live miles apart, but stay in touch every day. There is magic and comfort and healing in the touch of a hand that loves you, even if it “touches” you from afar.

1. How did the author get along with her children when they were young?

A．She was very strict with them.	B．She overprotected them.
C．She was too busy to take care of them.	D．She developed a close bond with them.

2. How did the author feel when her kids became more independent?

A．She felt lonely when living apart from them.

B．She was worried that they couldn't manage themselves.

C．She felt a little uncomfortable when not needed so much as before.

D．She was pleased to be able to step back and enjoy herself.

3. The author's visit to her son in New York made her realize________.

A．her son had become mature and reliable

B．time with children is always fun

C．she needed her son more than before

D．she was unwilling to accept the change in their roles

4. What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?

A．To explore how to interact with children.

B．To describe the growth of her children.

C．To show the power of the touch of a hand.

D．To present how parents influence their kids.

3 . The United States celebrates Valentine's Day each year on February 14. Many other countries celebrate Valentine's Day, too, each in their own way. Here is a look at the Valentine's Day traditions in three countries.

Wales：land of love spoons

In Wales, it is called St. Dwynwen's Day, which takes place on January 25. The traditional romantic gift on this day is a love spoon.

Beginning in the 17th century, Welsh men made beautiful wooden spoons as a show of their love for that special person in their lives. Each shape of the spoons has a different meaning. For example, horseshoes mean good luck； keys represent the key to a lover's heart； and wheels are a sign of support.

Argentina：a week of sweets

Argentina celebrates Valentine's Day in February, but also gives a whole other week to love in July. They call it Sweetness Week. If you kiss someone, they have to give you a sugary treat.

Sweetness Week started in 1989 with a candy company called Arcor. They made an advertisement called “Candy for a Kiss”. The idea was to give the company's chocolates and other candies in exchange for a sweet kiss on the cheek. The campaign had a stronger effect than the company expected—it led to a new holiday!

Every July, couples who take part give each other candies and kisses all week long.

South Korea: three is a charm

For South Koreans, Valentine's Day happens in three parts： February 14, March 14 and April 14.

On February 14, women traditionally give men gifts of chocolate to show their love. One month later, on a holiday known as White Day, men show their thanks by giving women a sweet gift. The name “White Day” comes from the custom of giving white-colored gifts.

Let's not forget Black Day on April 14. Single people who did not get gifts on February 14 or March 14 often gather on Black Day to eat noodles with black bean soup.

1. What does a key-shaped spoon mean?

A．Strong support.	B．Good luck.
C．Deep love.	D．Real thanks.

2. When is Sweetness Week celebrated?

A．In July .	B．In June.
C．In March.	D．In February .

3. What would be a good gift on White Day?

A．White   chocolates.	B．Silver spoons.
C．Black candies.	D．Black beans.

4 . An early spring morning I woke up with a strange thought "Something's gonna happen." The weather was beautiful and the morning promised a perfect day. I was still in bed, enjoying the sun and fresh air. Suddenly, the phone rang. I got it and a strange voice said: "Good morning. Are you sleeping yet?"

I wondered who it was. It was a nice woman's voice with a special accent. She told me that she wanted to see me and hung up. That phone call made me think a lot. A few minutes later 1 forgot this. 1 had breakfast and went out for a walk. The smell of spring was hovering in the air. The weather was warm. I was walking through the park, enjoying the beautiful nature.

Just then. I saw a young boy picking up a wallet from the ground. It seemed to me that I had seen this wallet before. First, I thought that he had dropped it, but his next actions made me think the opposite. The boy took the wallet carefully. cleaned it, and put it into his pocket. After that, he ran as quickly as he could. I didn't know what to do, so I began to scream loudly. I hoped there would be somebody nearby to catch him. But there was nobody around. I ran after him, but he disappeared somehow.

Then I reached in my pocket and realized that this wallet was mine. I felt very hopeless—no money, no keys, nothing. Maybe I had dropped it. That was a very awful day.

Suddenly, while I was sitting on a bench, a fascinating young woman appeared. She asked: "What has happened to you? Where have you been?" It was the same voice which I had heard that morning on the phone. The special accent I had heard on the phone. The same special accent! I couldn't believe my eyes. She was standing in front of me, trying to tell me something.

At that moment I felt someone shaking me and saying: "Wake up, wake up. It's getting late. Wake up!"

I opened my eyes and saw my mother. What a pity! No fascinating young lady, no park, nothing. I jumped out of bed immediately and checked where my wallet was. Thank God! It was there. It had only been a bad dream.

1. Why did the author begin to scream loudly?

A．He met something scary.

B．He wanted to have the boy caught.

C．He wanted the boy to stop running

D．He wished the fascinating woman to appear.

2. How did the author make out the woman's voice?

A．It was gentle.	B．It was from his find.
C．It was special accent.	D．It often appeared on his phone.

3. What does the underlined word "hovering" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Staying in one place	B．Waiting in an uncertain way.
C．Rising last in the sky	D．Flying away quickly.

4. What actually happened to the author's wallet?

A．He lost it in the park	B．It was still in his pocket.
C．The boy took it away.	D．His mother hid it

5. Who was the young woman on the phone?

A．The author's friend	B．The author's mother.
C．The young boy's sister	D．There's no such woman.

5 . Smith had to drive across the Sahara Desert. It was a journey across hundreds of miles of empty desert.

After he had been driving for a few hours, there was a sandstorm. His car left the road and then broke down.

Smith began walking north across the hot sand under the scorching sun. He hoped he would soon reach the road again. Soon, his tongue was thick with thirst. He needed water, but everywhere he looked there was nothing except sand.

Smith kept walking. Then, about an hour later, a man riding a camel came into sight. Smith waved to him. The man on the camel rode up to him and stopped. “Please,” Smith said, “I am dying of thirst. Let me have some of your water.” The man slowly shook his head. “You can’t have any water,” he said, “but I’ll sell you a necktie.” “I don’t want a necktie,” Smith shouted at him furiously. “I need water.” But the man turned away quickly and rode off.

Smith continued walking. Two hours later, he met another man riding a camel. This time he asked if he could buy some water, but the man refused, saying, “No, but I’II sell you a necktie.” Angrily, Smith turned away from him and continued walking.

Three hours later, by which time he was near death, Smith saw a large luxury hotel in the distance. It stood alone in the middle of the desert, surrounded by palm trees.

Smith managed to reach the main entrance. He was about to enter the hotel when the doorman stopped him. “Hey!” he said. “This is a first-class hotel. You can’t come in here without a necktie.”

1. What happened to Smith at the very beginning of the sandstorm?

A．He became thirsty.	B．He saw two men riding a camel.
C．He lost his necktie.	D．There was something wrong with his car.

2. What does the word furiously mean in paragraph 4?

A．slowly.	B．politely.
C．angrily.	D．painfully.

3. Why was Smith not allowed into the hotel?

A．He was thirsty.	B．He was not properly dressed.
C．He had no money.	D．He was very sick and near death.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．We’d better not go to the Sahara Desert.

B．Your car should be maintained before a journey.

C．It’s a good idea to buy neckties during the journey.

D．When looking backwards, you can connect many events.

6 . When I was a boy there were no smart phones, and our television only got one channel clearly. Still, I was never bored. The fields, hills, and woodlands around my home were the perfect playground. I can remember once hiking to a nearby lake. At the backside of it I was amazed to find an old dirt road that I had never seen before. It was full of muddy tracks and deep woods bordered it on both sides, but exploring it still seemed like a fine adventure.

I walked on and on for hours. I was sure my guardian angel was whispering in my ear “Turn around and head back home”, but I was stubborn, so I walked on. There was still neither a car nor a house in sight. I noticed that the sun was starting to go down and I grew scared. I didn’t want to end up trapped on this road,   and I was worried that it would be dark before I could make my way back to the lake again.

I continued to walk on with something growing inside of me. My heart was pounding and my legs were aching. I was almost in tears when I turned one last curve and saw something in the distance.   It was a house that I recognized. I jumped up and down and laughed out loud.   It was still over a mile away,   but my legs felt like feathers and I hurried back to my house in no time. I walked in with a big smile on my face just in time for dinner.

I remembered this recently when I saw a sign that said “All roads lead home”. It is true. In life,   all roads,   no matter how they twist and turn,   can lead us home again. What is important,   though,   is how we travel them.   Are we going to go forth in fear or are we going to go forth in faith? Are we going to make this life a terrible trip or are we going to make this life a joyful journey? The choice is ours.

1. Why did the author hardly feel bored when he was young?

A．Because he could have fun in nature.

B．Because he could watch TV all day.

C．Because he had many friends.

D．Because he used to explore the old dirt road.

2. How did the author feel when he was exploring the dirt road?

A．He thought he would be scolded by his parents.

B．He felt contradictory in mind.

C．He thought he would be trapped in the woods.

D．He was unconscious.

3. What does the underlined word “something”(Para. 3) refer to?

A．The dirt road.	B．His house.
C．The lake.	D．A passing car.

4. What does the author mainly intend to tell us?

A．Always make choices on our own.

B．All roads lead home.

C．It’s our attitude that matters in our life.

D．Every effort is worthwhile.

7 . The popularity of Chinese-owned video-sharing service TikTok(抖音)continues to grow among young people in the United States. In 2019, experts say the service more than doubled its American user base to 37 million. TikTok is especially popular with teens and young adults.

The service lets users create and share their short videos that they think interesting and useful. Many of them are under 15 seconds. The TikTok app offers a wide choice of sounds, brief parts of songs and special effects tools to help create a video. Some TikTok-based memes(表情包)are very popular. Videos often include popular songs from well-known artists and TikTok has even helped launch the careers of new music stars.

TikTok is considered a competitor to the video-sharing app Snapchat, as well as Facebook's Instagram service. Snapchat and Instagram also mainly interest young users with a wide mix of photos and videos centered largely on fashion, pop culture and humor.

Last year, TikTok was the second-most downloaded app from Apple and Google stores. Only WhatsApp was downloaded more. Research company Sensor Tower guesses people have downloaded the TikTok app 1.65 billion times.

TikTok has been used by many major companies to reach young people who use little or no traditional media. One of those companies is American-based e. l. f. Cosmetics(化妆品). The makeup company's chief marketer, Kory Marchisotto, said that TikTok is "where the Gen Z party is". Gen Z is a name used to call the generation born between the late 1990s and the early 2000s.“That's where they're all hanging out," Marchisotto said.

Companies appearing on TikTok can make money through advertising. Often, the companies create user "challenges" as part of their advertisement campaigns. TikTok users created 3 million videos that received more than 4 billion view.

1. Which word can best describe the videos created on TikTok?

A．Traditional.

B．Boring.

C．Various.

D．Serious.

2. Which was downloaded most from Apple and Google stores last year?

A．TikTok.

B．Snapchat.

C．Instagram.

D．WhatsApp.

3. What can companies do on TikTok?

A．Challenge their competitors.	B．Make advertisements.
C．Hold music concerts.	D．Promote users' abilities to make videos.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．TikTok Keeps Growing Among US Youth	B．How to Share Short Videos
C．Facebook Achieves Great Success	D．Companies Benefit Much from Videos

8 . Museums for Summer Fun and Learning

Children's Museum of Oak Ridge

Located in a historic Manhattan Project-era building, this museum is the place for visitors to earn about art, science, history, culture, and healthy living. With over 20 child-friendly exhibits to explore, it provides something of interest for everyone.

Address: 461 W. Outer Dr. Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Admission: Adults: $ 8.00; Seniors: $ 7.00; Children 3 & Up: $ 6.00; Children under 3: Free

Children's Museum of Science and Technology

Founded in 1954, CMOST is the region's only science center. CMOST provides an engaging, child-directed learning environment which enables children to learn and grow through play. Designed for children aged 18 months through the tween years, the museum enables children to observe, think, and learn in a pressure-free environment by pairing creative educational tools and techniques with engaging exhibits to support active learning.

Address: 250 Jordan Road Troy, NY 12180

Admission: $ 8.00 per person aged 2 and up

African American Museum of Iowa

The AAMI is a statewide museum aimed at keeping and teaching Iowa's African American history. As Iowa's leading educational resource on the topic, it educates more than 30,000 people each year through museum tours, travelling exhibits, research services, youth and adult education programs, and community and fundraising events.

Address: 5512th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Admission: Adults: $ 6.00; Seniors: $ 5.00; Students / Youth: $ 3.50; Children under 5: Free

Kingman Museum

Kingman Museum is a hidden treasure in Southwest Michigan housing an extensive （大量的） natural history collection. As a local landmark in Battle Creek for over 80 years, Kingman Museum works to provide a universal place of hands-on learning for the community.

Address: 175 Limit St. Battle Creek, MI 49037

Admission: Free

1. Which museum charges a child aged 5 $ 6.00?

A．Kingman Museum.

B．Children's Museum of Oak Ridge.

C．African American Museum of Iowa.

D．Children's Museum of Science and Technology.

2. What can we know about CMOST?

A．It is a statewide museum.

B．It used to be a science lab.

C．It uses creative educational tools.

D．It is designed for children to play.

3. What's the goal of African American Museum of Iowa?

A．Exhibiting artworks.

B．Raising funds for programs.

C．Providing learning sites for communities.

D．Protecting the African American history.

10 . Great Movies in 2021

Baby Done

When Zoe and Tim find out they are having a baby, they decide to not let parenthood change them. Tim runs towards being a dad, while Zoe runs away from being a mum. Terrified that her life won't be her own anymore, Zoe is still determined to tick off a list of their wildest dreams before the baby arrives.

Director： Curtis Vowell

Release Date： Jan 22, 2021

Runtime： 1h 31m     .

The Reunited States

At a time when America is falling apart, The Reimited States is a powerful documentary that follows the unsung heroes on the difficult journey of bridging divides. Each of the bridgebuilders has realized that while the divides run deep, so does the love and hope to bring the country back together. Based on the book of the same name the film encourages us to consider that everyone has a role to play in reuniting the country.

Director： Ben Rekhi

Release Date： Jan 29, 2021

Runtime：1h 24m

Our Friend

Our Friend tells the true story of the Teague family-journalist Matt, his wife Nicole and their two young daughters — and how their lives are ended by Nicole's deadly disease. As Matt's responsibilities as caretaker and parent become increasingly overwhelming（压倒性的), the couplers best friend Dane Faucheux offers to come and help out. As Dane puts his life on hold to stay with his friends, the impact of this life-changing decision proves great and meaningful.

Director： Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Release Date： Jan 22, 2021

Runtime： 2h 4m

Happy Cleaners

When a new landlord comes around, Mr. and Mrs. Choi find their dry-cleaning business, Happy Cleaners in Flushing, Queens, at risk of closing after 17 years. While they make every effort to save the business, their daughter Hyunny and son Kevin are also at their own tough crossroads of life under the pressure of their parents’ high hopes. Faced with many difficulties, the Choi family realizes that the only way to be stronger is to embrace each other.

Director： Julian Kim, Peter S. Lee

Release Date： Feb 5, 2021

Runtime： 1h 38min

1. Which film encourages Americans to bring their country together?

A．Baby Done.	B．Our Friend.
C．Happy Cleaners.	D．The Reunited States.

2. What does Gabriela Cowperthwaite's film focus on?

A．The courage to start business.	B．The importance of friendship.
C．The necessity of having a baby.	D．The value of individual freedom.

3. How is Happy Cleaners different from the other three films?

A．It comes out in a different month.

B．It was first in theater 17 years ago.

C．It refers to part of daily family life.

D．It is about an unlucky young couple.