注意：1．词数80左右(开头和结尾已给出，但不计入总词数)：
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：压岁钱gift money
Dear John,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes.
Yours,
Li Hua
2 . There are many unique festivals around the world. Here are some of them.
Las Fallas, Spain
Las Fallas is one of Spain’s strangest and craziest festivals. The focus of this festival is to create and destroy dolls. These dolls are lifelike and usually make fun of dishonest politicians and famous people in Spain. Many dolls are several feet tall. They remain complete until March 19th, after which men fill them with fireworks. All the streetlights are turned off and the dolls are set on fire on March 19th.
Day of the Dead, Mexico
Day of the Dead is traditionally celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November in Mexico. This festival celebrates the lives of loved ones around you who have died. Celebrations can take a humorous tone as celebrants remember funny events about the dead. Toys are brought for the dead children and bottles of wine for adults.
Mardi Gras, USA
This day can occur any time between February 3rd and March 9th, depending on when Easter is held that year. It is also called Fat Tuesday, reflecting the practice of eating richer and fatty foods. Other practices include wearing masks and parades, etc.
Night of the Radishes, Mexico
It’s one of the most colorful and unique festivals of Mexico. It is celebrated on December 23rd. As crazy as it sounds, the festival lasts only a few hours due to the limited lifetime of vegetables as folk art.
1. What do we know about Las Fallas?| A．Politicians love it very much. | B．It is held mainly for the dead. |
| C．Dolls are the essential elements. | D．It’s celebrated on the 1st of November. |
| A．Those who enjoy drinking wine. | B．Those who love watching parades. |
| C．Those who are fond of sporting events. | D．Those who want to eat foods with low fat. |
| A．Because the artworks don’t last long. | B．Because Mexicans can’t afford the time. |
| C．Because vegetables will be sold at the market. | D．Because people aren’t interested in the festival. |
3 . As is known to all, St. Patrick’s Day is on Thursday, but some Americans started celebrating two weeks ago. The city of Alexandria, Virginia, held its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 5. So did three cities in New Jersey.
The holiday is a big deal in America and not only for the 33.1 million Americans who claim Irish ancestry (祖先). Many non-Irish Americans will join Irish friends in wearing green clothes on Thursday. Many will lift a glass of Guinness, the famous Irish beer.
The holiday honors Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick lived in the 5th century. He was taken by pirates and kept as a slave in Ireland. After he escaped, he trained as a priest before returning to Ireland. Diarmuid Ó Giolláin is a professor of Irish Language and Literature at Notre Dame University in Indiana. He said that St. Patrick’s Day appeals to many nationalities because it is linked to immigrants, or outsiders.
“The Irish came in large numbers, and were Catholics seen as outside the majority Protestant population,” Ó Giolláin said. “I think they found this space of parading their ethnicity (种族) and their identity, and this probably made the holiday attractive to all immigrants,” he said.
Many Americans will observe St. Patrick’s Day with big parades. The largest is in New York City on Thursday, where crowds in the millions are not unusual.
And don’t forget about Ireland. The capital city of Dublin will also have a big parade on Thursday. The theme is, “Imagine If...” Parade officials say it centers on the imagination of Ireland’s youth as they look to the next 100 years.
1. What will people do on St. Patrick’s Day?| A．Honor their ancestors. | B．Have two weeks off. |
| C．Wear clothes of various colors. | D．Drink Irish beer. |
| A．He once led a hard life. | B．He escaped from America. |
| C．He lived in the 6th century. | D．He saved many Irish people. |
| A．The holiday honors Saint Patrick. | B．They will hold great parades during the holiday. |
| C．Many western countries celebrate the holiday. | D．It’s an opportunity to show their ethnicity and identity. |
| A．Technology Report. | B．The Making of a Nation. |
| C．Culture and History. | D．Health and Education News. |
4 . Five of the Most Interesting Customs in the World
Switzerland- -Honesty shopping
There are little shops in the middle of the Swiss Alps that allow you to buy your fresh cheese, milk, bread, honey,and butter without anyone to watch you. In fact, no one watches these shops because they are owned by farmers who are out taking care of the animals.
South Korea—NOT tipping
Tipping is in the blood for someone who is raised in the United States along with many other European countries. But in South Korea, employees in the food service industry are given fair wages and take pride in their work,and it is disrespectful to attempt to tip them.
Iceland—Christmas Eve books giving
People puzzle over the question of Christmas gifts. Iceland has solved this problem with the Christmas Eve tradition of giving a book. After everyone unwraps the books, they spend the evening reading together.
Japan—Pushers on the subway
Japan’s subway is crowded during rush hours. But instead of settling for the inefficiency that personal space demands,Japan has“pushers" . They are exactly what they sound like- -employees whose only job during rush hour is to push more people onto the train.
Russia—Offering vodka
It is the custom to welcome new friends with shots of vodka. What better way to break the ice than with some stomach-warming shots of this Russian tradition? That’s something we can all toast to, or, as they say in Russia, “Na zdorovye!”
1. In which of the countries is it a tradition to give books as a Christmas gift?| A．Japan. | B．South Korea. | C．Iceland. | D．Russia. |
| A．Tipping is in the blood for people in South Korea. |
| B．“Pushers” in Japan help you get off the train faster. |
| C．It is common to welcome guests with vodka in Japan. |
| D．No one watches you shop in some Swiss little shops. |
| A．Those who want to learn Russian. |
| B．Those who are fond of natural scenery. |
| C．Those who are interested in global customs. |
| D．Those who intend to travel in their home country. |
5 . The old Chinese saying "as happy as spending the New Year" might be outdated now in the busy modern world. The Spring Festival is regarded as the most important festival for Chinese people and an occasion for all family members to get together, like Christmas in the West. But many traditional customs accompanying the Spring Festival, however, have weakened in practice.
Setting off fireworks was once the most typical custom of the Spring Festival. People thought the sputtering(爆裂) sound could help drive away evil spirits. However, the activity has been completely or partially forbidden in big cities for years as the government has taken security, noise and pollution factors into consideration.
"In recent years, some cities have begun to allow people to light fireworks during limited hours at the Spring Festival, surrendering to(屈从于) public demand. Respecting folk traditions is a gesture of respect toward public opinion," said Zhou Xing, a folklore researcher.
"As people gain more income and it becomes easier to buy daily goods, the New Year holiday is just like any other. After long workdays, many people use the New Year holiday to take a rest, rather than visiting friends and neighbors. The process of making and enjoying the family dinner on Spring Festival Eve is the most important thing. However, many families would like to eat out to save time and energy," said Li Shunzhi, a resident of Harbin, Heilongjiang.
"I enjoy the holidays very much in the countryside. My family has been preparing for the Spring Festival more than two weeks before the holiday, cleaning the house, buying holiday goods and decorating the house with paper cuttings. On New Year’s Eve, the whole family stays up to see the New Year in, and in the days to follow, a series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held. Without the ancient traditions, the holiday is nothing to us," said Zhang Hui, from Hebei.
1. Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?| A．Setting off fireworks has been forbidden in some big cities for years. |
| B．Nowadays, people can light fireworks in some cities at the Spring Festival. |
| C．People believe that the sound of fireworks can drive away evil spirits. |
| D．In the past, setting off fireworks couldn’t be seen almost anywhere. |
| A．what people do during the festival now is different from the past |
| B．people would like to have the family dinner on Spring Festival Eve |
| C．people prefer to visit friends and neighbors rather than take a rest |
| D．the New Year holiday is just like any other day |
| A．Zhang Hui often spends two weeks preparing for the Spring Festival. |
| B．Zhang Hui is used to spending the Spring Festival with his family. |
| C．Zhang Hui always takes part in a series of activities after the Spring Festival. |
| D．Zhang Hui lives in the urban area. |
| A．The Spring Festival is as lively as before. |
| B．The Spring Festival is outdated now. |
| C．The Spring Festival is losing its qualities. |
| D．The Spring Festival in China is more important than Christmas in the West. |
