1 . Everyone knows about New Year’s Eve and Independence Day. But did you know that there are enough holidays to fill every day of the year? Here are just a few we found interesting.
World Hello Day
To celebrate this day, say hello to at least ten different people. World Hello Day began in the autumn of 1973, shortly after the end of a war in the Middle East. Brian and Michael McCormack of Omaha, Nebraska, wondered what they could do to encourage world peace. They felt the best way was by getting people to talk with one another.
The McCormacks sent letters to the leaders of every country in the world about the first World Hello Day. They wrote the letters in as many different languages as they could. Officials wrote back from sixteen countries and encouraged Brian and Michael to make World Hello Day a yearly event. The holiday has been held on the third Sunday of November every year since. The McCormacks have received letters from many famous people congratulating them for their efforts.
International Day of the Seal (海豹)
March 22 is the official International Day of the Seal. But the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., and many other zoos and research centers around the world celebrate this holiday on the third weekend of March. The holiday was created to tell people about the dangers seals face from pollution and fishing nets.
At the National Zoological Park, you can find out how seals live and ways to help protect their habitats (栖息地).
Do it! Day
Are you a procrastinator? Here’s a day to finish all those things you’ve been meaning to do. Do It! Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday in September. “The whole idea is to feel good about getting things done,” says the founder of Do It! Day, Ethel Cook. She came up with the idea as part of her work helping businesses get organized. Cook hopes everyone will turn their Do Its into Did Its.
1. World Hello Day was set to .| A．create peace worldwide |
| B．stop the war in the Middle East |
| C．encourage foreign language learning |
| D．spread knowledge about different countries |
| A．By reporting it on TV. |
| B．By meeting famous people. |
| C．By publishing it in the newspapers. |
| D．By writing letters to world leaders. |
| A．On March 22. |
| B．On the third weekend of March. |
| C．On the third Sunday of November. |
| D．On the first Wednesday in September. |
| A．cleans up things quickly | B．puts off things until later |
| C．always comes up with good ideas | D．feels good about getting things done |
2 . There are many famous festivals around the world like the Carnivals in Rio and Venice Munich's Oktoberfest.Here are some unusual and crazy festivals in the world.
Mighty Mud Mania,USA
Children's dreams really do come true in the City of Scottsdale.Children aged 1 to 13,get to participate in a mud race.During the running of the Mighty Mud Obstacle(障碍物)course,several mud holes in the ground are intentionally placed as kids compete for the fastest time in each race.There are also mud puddle pools for small kids,and a mini mud course for those six and younger.
The New Straits Times Million Ringgit Charity Duck Race,Malaysia
Thirteen years ago,Eric Schechter and his friends were brainstorming to find new ways raising money for local charities when they came up with the idea of rubber duck races.The event,crazy as it may sound,involves racing“cool”rubber ducks down a local waterway and having members of the community"adopt"the ducks for a chance to win valuable donated prizes,possibly even＄1 million bucks.
Songkran Festival,Thailand
What better way to celebrate the"start of the return of rains"than with a country—wide water fight?Thais celebrate their festival officially from April 13th until April 15th.These three days represent the last day of the old year,the day of transition,and the first day of the New Year.These are days of cleaning the houses and the body,days of merry making,and renewal.Nothing evil has to be taken into the New Year.
Canberra Sled Dog Classic,Australia
Dog sledding is one of the fastest growing sports on the east coast of Australia.As there's no snow(the trail is earth and sand and is smooth and wide with a few hills and turns),the sleds have wheels instead of runners,but the excitement is the same.
1. What is special about Mighty Mud Mania?| A．Water and mud games. | B．Fastest growing sports. |
| C．Snow and sand tracks. | D．Longest local history. |
| A．To raise ducks. | B．To collect money. |
| C．To found charities. | D．To make waterway. |
| A．USA. | B．Malaysia. |
| C．Thailand. | D．Australia. |
3 . The latest additions to its World Heritage （遗产）list. The following are some of the recent additions.
Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture（(Russia）)
The structures, many of which are churches, were all designed by the Pskov School of Architecture. It was a leading school of building design in the country, especially in the 15th and 16th centuries. Some elements common to Pskov architecture date back to the 11th century.
Babylon（(Iraq）)
The ancient city of Babylon is gaining World Heritage Site status. The city was once a main tourist site before Iraq suffered several wars. The 4, 300-year-old city is where dynasties have risen and fallen since the earliest days of settled human civilization. UNESCO Says the site "offers a look into one of the most influential empires of the ancient world".
Writing-on-stone（Canada）
Canada^ Writing-on-stone monument has a large number of protected rock paintings and rock carvings. Some of them are 2, 000 years old. The markings were left by Blackfoot Native Americans, who lived in parts of Western Canada and the far northern United States. The land that makes up Writing-on-Stone is filled with rock posts that have been formed into "spectacular shapes" by erosion （侵蚀）.
Party and Ilha Grande（Brazil）
The historic coastal town of Party and the island Ilha Grande are already popular places for visitors to Brazils Rio de Janeiro state. Party was the final stop along the Gold Route, along which gold was shipped to Europe in the 1600s. The area is also home to a huge number of animals, some of which are in danger now.
1. What do we know about the buildings in Pskov?| A．Their designs came from the same school. |
| B．They are merely churches. |
| C．They are a group of ancient schools. |
| D．Their paintings are about 2,000 years old. |
| A．It is the best-preserved monument in Canada. |
| B．It enjoys great popularity with visitors. |
| C．It reflects the culture of the natives. |
| D．It was formed by nature. |
| A．Shipping activities. |
| B．Coastal scenery. |
| C．Gold mining equipment. |
4 . Fathers Day is a day to thank fathers for all the love and support they give to their children. It is celebrated on different dates in different countries. Some countries like the US, the UK, Canada and India celebrate this festival on the third Sunday of June.
Many men didn't like the creation of Father's Day though. They laughed at the holiday's sentimental attempts to celebrate Father's Day with flowers and gift-giving, and they laughed at the creation of such holidays as a commercial trick to sell more products - often paid for by the father himself.
During the 1920s and 1930s, in the US there was a movement to promote the combination of Mother's Day with Father's Day to be a new holiday, Parents' Day. Every year on Mother's Day, Parents' Day supporters would gather in New York City's Central Park to remind the public that both parents should be loved and respected.
However, this attempt failed due to the Great Depression. Struggling retailers(零售商)and advertisers made more efforts to make Father's Day a"second Christmas" for men, promoting goods such as neckties, hats, socks, pipes and tobacco, golf clubs and other sporting goods, and greeting cards.
When World War II started, advertisers began to argue that celebrating Father's Day was a way to honor American troops and support the war. By the end of the war, Father's Day may not have been a federal holiday, but it was a national event.In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed an announcement making Father's Day a federal holiday at last. Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than SI billion each year on Father's Day gifts.
1. Why didn't some men like the idea of Father's Day？| A．They thought it was a"second Christmas"for men. |
| B．They hated flowers and gift-giving. |
| C．They had to pay for the gifts. |
| D．They thought it was too sentimental for men and it was a commercial trick. |
| A．Because of the Great Depression. |
| B．Some men were not in favor of it. |
| C．Some women were not in favor of it. |
| D．Businessmen made their efforts to prevent it. |
| A．Parents' Day supporters movement. |
| B．The Great Depression. |
| C．The presidential re-election campaign. |
| D．Advertisers promotion during World WarⅡ. |
| A．Father's Day: Its Orign and Development. |
| B．Father's Day: the Same as Christmas. |
| C．Father's Day: the Great Man. |
| D．Father's Day and Mother's Day |
5 . If you are planning a New Year’s Eve party, make sure you have more planned than just the champagne toast at midnight and the finger foods. Your guests will have a much better time if you set up some games for them to play and enjoy.
Guess the Resolution（新年计划）—Give each member of the party five pieces of paper and a pencil. Ask them to write down five resolutions without writing down their names. Place all of the resolutions in a hat and mix them up. Pull pieces of paper out of the hat one at a time and see if your guests can guess which person came up with the resolution. There will be some fun surprises as strange or entertaining resolutions are read out loud.
New Year’s Rock Band—This game requires a collection of noisemakers, pots, pans and wooden spoons. These items will be your guests’ instruments as they play a song on the popular Guess That Tune game. Split the group into two teams. Have one team select four members to be their rock band for the turn and whisper the name of a song to the band members. The band must then play the song using their instruments while the rest of their teammates try to guess. The team gets a point if they get the song correct. Repeat the same step with the other team. This game will yield ridiculous performances of popular and entertaining songs.
Around the World-Most—New Year’s Eve parties don’t start until late evening. An around the world theme allows the party to start earlier in the day, with a celebration each time a new time zone reaches midnight. A world map displayed in the party room allows guests to track the current celebration. Adding a pin in each time zone as it reaches midnight adds an interactive element to the party. A menu with food from around the world emphasizes the theme of the party. Decorations may include globes and items from different parts of the world.
1. Which is necessary in “Guess the Resolution”?| A．Writing down resolutions with one’s name. |
| B．Reading out the resolutions one by one. |
| C．Putting some of the resolutions in the hat. |
| D．Writing down five resolutions on a piece of paper. |
| A．The host. | B．The band. |
| C．The teammates of the band. | D．The other team. |
| A．The party takes place in the evening. |
| B．There are guests from around the world. |
| C．There are various New Year’s Eves. |
| D．The celebrations last for several days. |
1．来历2．习俗（吃粽子和划龙舟）
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Lucy,
I’m Li Hua,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
7 . Whether you will be a doctor or a police officer in the future, there’s a teacher in your life. They teach you and help you know who you are. Of course, you want to thank them.
Teachers’ Day is the perfect chance for students around the world to thank their teachers. The festival falls on different days in different countries.
In China, Teachers’ Day is on September 10th. But in the US, teachers have a whole week to celebrate. Teacher Appreciation Week is in the first full week of May every year. Kids used to bring apples for their teachers because apples are healthy. Now, they bring gifts with pictures of apples, such as cups, picture frames and teddy bears. Some students also make DIY gifts for their teachers. During the week, school clubs often offer teachers a free breakfast of coffee and cakes.
The South Korean Teachers’ Day is on May 15th. Many students offer flowers to their teachers. Another traditional gift is a card. Thousands of students prepare personalized cards and give them to their favorite teachers.
Although different countries have different Teachers’ Days, there’s one day for the whole world to honor teachers. On October 5th of every year, over 100 countries such as Canada and the Philippines, express their thanks by celebrating World Teachers’ Day. UNESCO started the day in 1994. It wants to remind people of the importance of teaching.
Only you can make a card like this one. A fingerprint card is a good gift on Teachers’ Day. You will need: card, pen and colorful ink.
Press your ink-covered finger on a clean card.
Use a pen to make your fingerprint into an animal or a robot.
Write words like “You are a wonderful teacher.” or “Thank you for teaching me.” on the card.
Some thank-you notes for great teachers:
I am lucky to have the best teacher in the world. Wherever I may go in my life, I will always remember that I had an excellent guide … You.
You are not only my teacher; you are my friend. I will always be grateful to you for your support and kindness.
1. According to the passage, apples used to be a good choice of gifts for Teachers’Day because______.
| A．students want to wish their teachers good health |
| B．apples are in season on Teachers’Day |
| C．students want to wish their teachers success |
| D．apples are sweet and cheap |
| A．May 5th | B．May 15th | C．October 5th | D．September 10th |
| A．where to order a beautiful card | B．how to make a meaningful DIY card |
| C．what kind of gift is best for teachers | D．how to order a teacher’s card online |
8 . Carnival was originally a Catholic holiday celebrated from two days to two weeks. The festival has spread throughout the world. Here are some famous carnivals you should go to see if you have the chance.
1. Curasao, Netherland
This former territory of the Netherlands has a long parade with plenty of live soca and calypso music. No need to stand along the curb on this one though: you can plan and pay in advance to actually join one of the carnival groups and have a costume waiting for them when they arrive.
2. Nice, France
The Nice Carnival entered the history books in 1294 when a prince was in attendance, but it likely goes back much further. The two-week event helps the folks on the French Riviera survive the colder days of winter.
3. Venice, Italy
Venice's Carnival has been around since 1268. There is something so classic, cool and magical about a 5-day carnival in this city of canals. Ifs all about the fine masks which were traditionally made of glass and decorated with feathers.
4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Who doesn't think Rio when they hear the word Carnival? It is the world's largest and perhaps the most extravagant. But this 7-day festival only dates back to 1723, a newcomer when compared to Europe. Beyond the formal parade there are also many local street celebrations. The music and dancing never seem to stop.
1. Where will you go if you want to spend money joining the carnival parade?| A．Venice, Italy. |
| B．Curasao, Netherland. |
| C．Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
| D．Nice, France. |
| A．2 days. | B．5 days. |
| C．7 days. | D．14 days. |
| A．People celebrate it wearing masks. |
| B．It belongs to a newcomer in Europe. |
| C．It combines local street performances. |
| D．It has the longest history in the world. |
Tomb Sweeping Day is
The day
First, weeds are removed from the grave-site and the tombstone is cleaned and swept. Any necessary repairs to the grave-site
Next, joss sticks (香) are placed by the grave. The sticks are then lit and an offering of food and paper money is placed at the tomb. Paper money is burned while family members show their respect by
10 . People often talk about cultural differences between western and eastern countries, but how about the western world itself? Surprisingly, a closer look at it can reveal a good many curious details.
The most obvious characteristic of the majority of Americans is that they smile a lot. It does not matter whether they have a strong reason to smile; they do it, sometimes simply because they have to. A smile is not just a powerful marketing tool but also a way to show that someone is friendly, and that life in general is fine. Europeans, on the contrary, prefer to keep a more neutral (不露声色的) facial expression. They smile mostly when they are in a good mood, or feel amused; if not, a European’s face will remain neutral, or even dull. In Russia, for example, there is a proverb saying that laughing for no reason is a sign of a fool. It does not mean that Europeans are serious, or that they do not have a sense of humor.
The same refers to communication in general. Americans are extremely communicative; small talk and chats are common. Europeans talk mostly when there is something to say, and rarely enter communication just for the purpose of talking to other people. American people prefer to express what they think carefully, considering how it might affect surrounding people. Europeans are more straightforward, even with unfamiliar people. A European friend will almost always voice their opinion on different occasions, and will not hesitate to remind you that you need to lose some weight or take a shower.
It can be said that Americans are people of contrasts. They are open-minded, flexible, and ready to accept everything new enthusiastically; but at the same time, American society manages to bring up unbelievable conservatives. Americans are extremely politically correct, which, in most cases, is indeed a secure and beneficial practice, but it can also mess up daily or even private communication, sometimes preventing having close relationships. Europeans, on the contrary, are more straightforward, preferring to tell the truth in direct ways. Each way of communication is different — neither is correct or incorrect.
1. What does the author say about smiling?| A．It is culture-related within western countries. |
| B．It is a powerful marketing tool across cultures. |
| C．It is thought of as a sign of a fool in America. |
| D．It is regarded as being socially necessary in Europe. |
| A．Beating around the bush. | B．Having small talk and chats. |
| C．Hiding their feelings carefully. | D．Expressing themselves openly. |
| A．Being straightforward. | B．Being politically correct. |
| C．Accepting everything new. | D．Raising unbelievable conservatives. |
| A．By analyzing cause and effect. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By classifying body language. | D．By discussing research findings. |
