1 . The holiday season is upon us and though they may feel a bit different this year — without large get-togethers, the holidays themselves are certainly not canceled. December is filled with celebrations. Here are some of the most unusual ways people bring the festivities home — all around the world.

Kentucky Fried Christmas

Japan

Kentucky Fried chicken might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Christmas, but over the years, it has become quite the holiday tradition in Japan. In order to ensure you get your hands in a holiday bucket, it is suggested that you order in advance, as nearly 4 million people choose KFC as their Christmas dinner.

Throwing of the Shoe

Czech Republic

This Christians tradition has nothing to do with trimming trees or singing carols. Rather, young women step outside their homes on Christmas Eve and instead of waiting for Santa, they throw a shoe over their shoulders. How it land is said to predict if the woman will marry next year.

Burning Effigies

Ecuador

New year's Eve comes with a whole set of traditions and customers to symbolically leave the previous year behind. Here, “monigotes” — figures that represent what went wrong in the last year, sometimes politicians are then burned into the night.

Sauna Visit

Estonia

This is a holiday tradition most people would happily get behind. On Christmas Eve, after spending the day setting up for the following day's festivities, it is traditional to sweat it out in sauna with your family.

1. Which holiday tradition do you need to book in advance?

A．Sauna Visit.	B．Burning Effigies.
C．Throwing of the Shoe.	D．Kentucky Fried Christmas.

2. If a young woman throws a shoe over her shoulder on Christmas Eve, she wants to know_____

A．whether she will get promoted.	B．how much money she will make.
C．whether she will get married or not.	D．how many new friends she will make.

3. Where is the text probably from?

A．A science fiction.	B．A news magazine.
C．A travel brochure.	D．A government report.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The winter solstice(also called Dongzhi) occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt(倾斜) away from the Sun. Although the winter solstice    1    (it) lasts only a moment, the term sometimes refers to the day on     2    it happens. The date of the winter solstice    3    (vary) from year to year, and can fall anywhere    4    December 20 and December 23. It was very important because the people were economically dependent on monitoring the progress of the seasons. It’s when the sun reaches its    5    (far) southward point for the year. At this solstice, the Northern Hemisphere(半球) has its longest night of the year.

Since the 18th century, the term “midwinter” has sometimes been used with the winter solstice, although it carries other meanings as well.    6    (tradition), in many regions, the winter solstice    7    (see) as the middle of winter, but in some countries and calendars, it marks the    8    (begin) of winter.

As most are aware, daylight hours grow shorter as the winter solstice approaches, and begin to slowly    9    (length)afterward. For people living in the southern hemisphere, the South Pole is pointing towards the Sun,    10    (make) it summertime “Down Under”. And regardless of where you live, the solstice happens at the same moment for everyone on the planet.

3 . As Heiss and his wife walked near a town close to the U.S.-Mexico border（边境）, they noticed a piece of paper tied to a broken balloon's string. On one side, it read "Dayami", in a child's________. Heiss turned it over. It was a Christmas________. He guessed that a child called Dayami had tried to send Father Christmas a wish letter by balloon.

He decided to________the child. Heiss posted about his search on the Internet with photos. A few days passed and there was no________. So, he sent a message to Radio XENY, a radio station in Nogales of Mexico, about 20 miles across the border.

________, Radio XENY host Cesar Barron called him back right away. He offered to help, saying that he had________the message on the station's website. Just before Christmas, Cesar told Heiss that they had________Dayami, an 8-year-old girl and asked whether he would be willing to have a________.

Heiss went with his wife to a________and collected just about everything on Dayami's list and drove to see the girl.________, Dayami was very excited to receive so many presents. Heiss and his wife told her that Father Christmas was very________this year and they were his helpers.

Ten years ago, 50-year-old Heiss and his wife________their only child. They have no grandchildren. "We are no longer around________at Christmas time in our lives." Heiss said. How lucky it was for him to see the________by chance that day! He was also________that he was able to meet Dayami and her family.

1.

A．handwriting

B．mind

C．eyes

D．voice

2.

A．story

B．picture

C．gift

D．list

3.

A．call up

B．look for

C．believe

D．protect

4.

A．chance

B．idea

C．response

D．time

5.

A．Disappointingly

B．Patiently

C．Unfortunately

D．Amazingly

6.

A．announced

B．posted

C．received

D．download

7.

A．interviewed

B．found

C．examined

D．helped

8.

A．discussion

B．dinner

C．gathering

D．try

9.

A．shopping center

B．bookstore

C．children's park

D．post office

10.

A．Actually

B．Specially

C．Finally

D．Obviously

11.

A．busy

B．kind

C．helpful

D．satisfied

12.

A．saved

B．educated

C．lost

D．raised

13.

A．friends

B．strangers

C．guests

D．children

14.

A．balloon

B．girl

C．present

D．host

15.

A．expectant

B．thankful

C．moved

D．proud

4 . There should be a waterfall at the end of every hike. Here are some waterfalls you need in your life.

Vernal Fall, Yosemite, California

This 317-foot fall is on the Merced River and runs all the year, though it is the weakest at the end of summer and most splendid during spring. You’ll likely get wet from the waterfall mist. So you may as well wear some waterproof clothing.

Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, Tennessee

America’s deepest cave and largest underground waterfalls, Ruby Falls, hidden underground within a cave, are a popular tourist attraction in Tennessee. For the brave, Ruby Falls offers lantern tours on Friday nights, where tourists are led to the falls by a lantern-lit path.

Sliding Rock, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina

Sliding Rock is one of the most interesting waterfalls in the world. The family-friendly landmark offers an interactive adventure. If you’re traveling with children, your safest bet is to visit during summer weekends, when there is often a lifeguard on duty. The gentle incline (坡) makes this a fun and safe activity for the little ones.

Alamere Falls, Bolinas, California

Located along the Point Reyes National Seashore within Marin County, Alamere Falls is a tidefall — meaning it runs directly into the ocean. You can enjoy the falls all four seasons, but it is the best after winter and spring rainfall. After parking your car, you’ll hike along the Crest Trail to Wildcat Camp, where many visitors choose to stay overnight. If you’re visiting during warm months, take a dip in the nearby Bass Lake.

1. What is special for Ruby Falls?

A．People can enjoy swimming there.

B．They are the largest falls in the world.

C．There are more tourists than the other three falls.

D．The brave can enjoy lantern tours deep in the cave.

2. Where is the fall suitable for a family with small children?

A．Bolinas.	B．Yosemite.
C．Pisgah Forest.	D．Chattanooga.

3. What do Vernal Fall and Alamere Falls have in common?

A．Water runs the whole year.

B．Summer is their best season.

C．They are both close to the sea.

D．They provide free parking lots.

5 . It was a bitter winter morning in Kennewick.Wasington. Hogn Lunceford saw a crying child along his bus _________to school. Tears rolled sown the young boy’s cheeks as his bare hands and ears were ________red because of the bitter cold. Lunceford took his _________off, which he gave to the child, and said, “It’ll be OK.” “I’m a grandfather. No one wants a kid to ________like that.”Lunceford said. His heart ________because of the poor child. Knowing the __________winter was still lying ahead.

After ________the kids off at school, the three-year bus driver and former U.S.Army soldier went to the ________to buy ten sets of gloves and hats. He returned to the ________and determined to find the boy. A school worker__________Lunceford to the library . where the boy was studying with his class. There Lunceford __________the boy with a new pair of gloves and a hat.

But the little boy was just the ________.Many other students would receive the ________of their familiar bus driver. He announced to the students in the library that any child found without a hat or gloves along his bus route would be given a set.

One little girl________said she didn’t have a hat. As Lunceford_________her a comfortable hat, he smiled and said, “I;ll take care of you, sweetie.”

1.

A．entrance

B．route

C．trip

D．duty

2.

A．generally

B．totally

C．merely

D．roughly

3.

A．gloves

B．glasses

C．overcoat

D．socks

4.

A．work

B．behave

C．wait

D．suffer

5.

A．lost

B．recovered

C．ached

D．changed

6.

A．latest

B．coldest

C．park

D．bank

7.

A．sending

B．taking

C．rolling

D．dropping

8.

A．company

B．store

C．park

D．bank

9.

A．home

B．school

C．library

D．station

10.

A．fetched

B．invited

C．followed

D．directed

11.

A．disappointed

B．blamed

C．surprised

D．charged

12.

A．beginning

B．center

C．attention

D．end

13.

A．appointment

B．prize

C．kindness

D．appreciation

14.

A．jokingly

B．immediately

C．finally

D．consequently

15.

A．handed

B．promised

C．made

D．lent

6 . Despite all the other fun activities around us today, there's no doubt that many people still love reading. Books can teach us plenty about the world, of course, as well as improving our vocabularies and writing skills. But can novels also make us better people?

According to the Canadian psychologist Keith Oatley, people who read novels may improve their social skills. In his research, Oatley has found that each time we open a novel, we read about the characters and imagine ourselves into their position. When they are in danger, our hearts start to race. Characters hook us into stories. Without necessarily even noticing, we imagine what it's like to be them and compare their reactions with how we respond.

So people who read novels appear to be more skilled at working out what other people are thinking and feeling, which is an important social skill. But does that necessarily make them better people? To test this, Oatley's team carried out an experiment, where researchers "accidentally" drop a number of pens on the floor and then see who offers to help pick them up. Before the pen-drop took place, participants were given a list of questions measuring empathy（共鸣）. Then they read a short story and answered a series of questions to see if they had better performance on empathy. It worked: the people who expressed the most empathy for the characters were more likely to help pick up the pens.

So the research shows that reading novels does make people behave better. It sounds as though it's time to change people's fixed image of the shy bookworm whose nose is always in a book because they find it difficult to get on with real people. In fact, these bookworms might be better than everyone else at understanding human beings.

1. How do people improve social skills by reading novels according to Oatley?

A．By choosing the right novels.

B．By understanding the characters.

C．By learning from the characters.

D．By measuring the value of novels.

2. Why do researchers drop pens in the experiment?

A．To improve participants' social skills.

B．To help participants see their strengths.

C．To encourage participants to read more.

D．To check participants willingness to help.

3. According to the text, people usually think that bookworms            .

A．have better behavior	B．have poor social skills
C．are harder to deal with	D．are better human beings

4. What is the writing purpose of the text?

A．To present the result of a research.

B．To increase the interest in reading.

C．To stress the importance of social skills.

D．To introduce a way for scientific research.

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

A．Make yourself a better reader.

B．Make novel-reading interesting.

C．Reading novels makes us better people.

D．Reading makes bookworms more popular.

7 . Do you wish to be liked by people around you? Of course! Our likability is not entirely up to us. It depends on many things. But there are still some tips you can follow to make yourself more likable.

Be a better listener

People like being listened to. To be a good listener, you have to actually listen to what the other person is saying, instead of running through the great story you want to tell the moment they finish speaking.    1    Head nods, ohs and ahs, for example, can go a long way.

    2    

When someone tells you he has to work all weekend, it's a bad idea to say "Well, that's why you make so much money!" It may be better to say Aw, that's terrible." If someone tells you about something they achieved, offer sincere congratulations.

Follow up

This is an opportunity most people miss. If someone tells you they have an exam coming up, ask them how it went.    3    When people gave you information and you follow up the next time you see them or by text, they know that you listened and that you cared enough to ask about it.    4    

Find common ground

    5    So when meeting people you don't know well or are meeting for the first time, try to find common interests, hobbies, opinions, taste in movies, books, shows, music or fashion, vacation destinations, or anything else that might create connections between you.

A．Be supportive

B．Be communicative

C．They will be glad to share it with you.

D．People connect to others who are similar to them.

E．Doing this can earn you significant likability points.

F．If you know they go on vacation, ask how much it costs.

G．You have to find ways to show that you're being attentive.

8 . Emily Harrington climbed her way into the history books last week, becoming the first woman to free-climb the Golden Gate route（路线）of Yosemite National Park's EI Capitan in less than one day. EI Capitan is considered one of the most difficult rock climbing places in the world. She topped the 3,000-foot mountain last Wednesday in 21 hours, 13 minutes and 51seconds.

Free-climbing-the method Harrington used-requires climbers to use their hands and feet to push themselves up, but they wear ropes and other protective equipment in case of a fall. However, it is not without its dangers: One of Harrington's climbs on El Capitan last year landed her in the hospital.

This year it was not all plain sailing. As Emily began her climb a little past 1:30 a. m, she kept telling herself: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." At one especially difficult point in the climb, as her hands, covered with sweat, reached for her next move, she fell over and knocked her head against a rock. The injury wasn't serious, but Harrington, bloody, tired and defeated, considered stopping. After taking a rest and putting a bandage（绷带）on her forehead, Harrington got back to work. She reached the top at 10:30 p.m., welcomed by close friends and her husband-to-be, Adrian Ballinger.

"I think the reason it was successful was kind of a mixture of finally being prepared enough, finally having the experience required, having the fitness and the training, as well as a little bit of luck," Harrington said.

Harrington celebrated the moment, like many would, with a bit of Champagne. Now that one life dream is out of the way, Harrington said she and Ballinger plan to take a break from the "big goals" for a while.

1. How does Emily make a history?

A．By going across a park in 21 hours.

B．By becoming a woman free-climber.

C．By reading a number of history books.

D．By free-climbing a mountain in one day.

2. What does the writer intend to do in Paragraph 2?

A．Introduce the topic of the text.

B．Give description of a relaxing sport.

C．Add information about free-climbing.

D．Discuss possible dangers of climbing.

3. What did Emily do after she got injured?

A．Told herself to slow down.

B．Continued to climb after a while.

C．Turned to her close friends for help.

D．Rested against a rock for several hours.

4. What does Emily plan to do next?

A．To have a rest	B．To set big goals.
C．To celebrate her success.	D．To take up new sports.

5. Which words best describe Emily?

A．Calm and creative.	B．Clever and lucky.
C．Kind and imaginative.	D．Brave and determined.

9 . Is digital technology weakening our ability to communicate? Fingers flying, we can blog, email and enter chat rooms. As we type our millions of words, something is being lost. Our virtual skills increase, our ability to communicate using speech is on the decline (下降).

We are addicted to the power of the typed word and it is getting in the way of our ability to look people in the eye and talk. A good example is how much digital technology has affected public speaking.

At conferences and meetings, I hate it when speakers show their long and boring slides (幻灯片). I don’t mind maps and pictures, but all those words of text drive me crazy. “And now for my introduction...” and up comes the word “introduction”. “There are four main points” and we see “four points”. Lots of facts and data follow. These should all have been given out as an information sheet, or put on a website. Instead, while you are trying to go through the material, the lecturer is reading all about it, word for word. There’s a confusion of focus, and it gives me a headache. As the slides flash by, the most important relationship in public speaking is being destroyed — the connection between the speaker and the audience.

Good speakers watch their audiences. They don’t allow them to be distracted. If heads are nodding or feet moving around, it is time to attract their attention. Change the tone (音调) of your voice, slow down, and then suddenly speed up. “And most importantly!” you shout, and then say the next thing very softly, so people prick up (竖起) their ears in case they miss important information.

We would be better off if we stop clicking away crazily on a mouse, as the ability to communicate face to face and hold the attention of others is a necessary human skill. Be careful of a technology in which the speed of our fingers is more important than the quality of our voices.

1. What does the underlined word “something” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?

A．Time for online chatting.

B．Ability to use technology.

C．Face-to-face communication.

D．Ability to survive in real life.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Tips on being an excellent public speaker.

B．Unusual mistakes that public speakers make.

C．The author’s expectations of slides for meetings.

D．Digital technology’s ill effects on public speaking.

3. Which is the author’s advice for attracting the audience's attention?

A．Changing the talking speed.

B．Pricking up ears while talking.

C．Nodding heads while listening.

D．Walking around in the room.

4. What does the author try to express in the last paragraph?

A．We need to improve our typing skills.

B．We should stop using digital technology.

C．We'd better think twice before using technology.

D．We should balance our virtual life and the reality.

5. Which section of a newspaper is the text most likely from?

A．Opinions.	B．Lifestyle.
C．Breaking News.	D．Art and Design.

10 . Imagine you made plans with a new friend to talk on the phone. You called but there was no answer-and you didn’t get a call back. What happened? Perhaps they got held up by a work obligation. Perhaps they didn’t want to meet but didn’t bother to cancel. Or perhaps they had a busy week and simply forgot to write down your appointment time.

In social situations like this, our minds can produce various explanations, ranging from ones that are more understanding to ones that put blame to the other party. Psychologists refer to this as our attributional style. Past research has found that individuals with a “hostile” attributional style tend to be less satisfied with their relationships.

According to a new study, they’re also less happy overall. The researchers can’t say for sure whether seeing people as hostile directly lowers our happiness, or whether unhappy people are just more likely to make hostile attribution in the first place. However, this study does suggest the possibility that giving people the benefit of the doubt is a practice to improve our relationships and well-being.

Dorota Jasielska, lead researcher of the study, suggests that we start by developing positive and trusting social relationships. When we find ourselves surrounded by warmth and support, it can help us see the social world in a kinder light. Another important strategy is to have open and direct communication. Instead of letting your anxieties get worse, it may be better to simply talk to people about their confusing behavior.

So the next time a friend cancels plans or forgets to text back, consider giving him the benefit of the doubt and waiting to hear his side of things before jumping to conclusions. Assuming others have good intentions will make the world seem like a friendlier place.

1. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?

A．By giving an example.	B．By asking a question.
C．By giving a definition.	D．By telling a story.

2. What is the attributional style?

A．To show an understanding of one’s mistake.	B．To imagine a particular social situation.
C．To find out the cause of social phenomena.	D．To make assumptions on uncertain things.

3. What can make us happier according to the study?

A．Finding common interests with others.	B．Making positive excuses for others.
C．Improving social communication.	D．Being friendly to others.

4. What do the last two paragraphs mainly talk about?

A．Importance of reaching out and making friends.	B．Strategies for having effective communication.
C．Advice on handling confusing social behavior.	D．Methods for improving our social relationships.