1 . February has long been a month of romance（浪漫）. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest（牧师） in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage. But Valentine continued to perform（主持） marriage ceremonies（典礼） for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison（监狱）, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed （签名）“From your Valentine”, an expression that is still   in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped（心形的） cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.
1. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?

A．Because there were few women in his country at that time.

B．Because he wanted to control the birth rate.

C．Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people.

D．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers.

2. Valentine was put into prison because ______.

A．he killed one of the soldiers

B．he didn’t obey the emperor’s order

C．he stole a lot of food

D．he didn’t want to be a soldier

3. The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.

A．students in China send cards to their teachers

B．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now

C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China

D．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China

4. The best title for this passage should be ______.

A．Valentine’s Day in China	B．A Brave Priest
C．Valentine’s Day	D．A Romantic Man

2 . Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. They don’t want anyone to go shopping on that day.

Buy Nothing Day is November 29. It’s 25 days before Christmas. It’s after Thanksgiving Day and often the first day of Christmas shopping. At this time, we see ads in Newspapers and on TV telling us to “buy, buy, buy!”

The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs, and paint pictures. The children talk about why they don’t need a lot of toys. This year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up in costumes (统一服装) to tell people that we buy too much.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a spaghetti dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighborhood to donate (捐赠) the food. They made posters and talked to other students about it. The dinner was a big success, and many students agreed not to buy anything on November 29. The students at high schools liked the idea of this new tradition. Next year, they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day!

1. Which of the following is NOT the day for people to celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．November 29.	B．25 days before Christmas.
C．After Thanksgiving.	D．The first day after Christmas.

2. People usually buy many gifts_______.

A．before Thanksgiving	B．on Christmas
C．before Christmas	D．anytime

3. How do people celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．In California, parents and children get together to play games.

B．In England, people celebrate by performing plays.

C．In Mexico, high school students dress up.

D．They buy nothing and persuade others not to buy things.

4. What did the students do in New Mexico for the day?

A．They donated the food of their own.

B．They talked to others about it.

C．They made some slogans (标语口号) for it.

D．They organized a luxurious (奢华的) dinner.