1 . I have been worrying for weeks now about what to give my mother for Mother's Day. For most people, this is a modest problem, solved by the purchase of a bathrobe or a box of candy. For me, however, Mother's Day represents an annual challenge to do the impossible---find a gift that will make neither Mama nor me feel terrible.
Expensive gifts—which Mama defines as costing over $1. 98—are out, because they make Mama feel terrible. (“This is awful," she says, examining an apron（围裙））. "I feel just terrible. You shouldn't have spent the money on me） Inexpensive presents---under $1. 98---please Mama, but they make me fell terrible. There is always the danger that a gift given to Mama will bounce swiftly back to the giver. If I give her a plant, she cuts off the top for me to take home. If I give her something edible (可使用的），she wants me to stay for lunch and eat it.
Papa, a sensible man, long ago stopped trying to shop for Mama. Instead, on Mother's Day, her birthday, and other appropriate occasions, he writes a short epic poem in which he tells of their meeting, courtship, and marriage. After nearly 30 years of poems, Papa sometimes worries that the edge of his poetic inspiration has dulled, but Mama doesn’t complain. She comes into the room while he is struggling over a gift poem and says, "It doesn’t have to rhyme（押韵）as long as it's from the heart. "
This year, finally, I think I, too, have found a painless gift for Mama. I am going to give her a magazine article, unrhymed but from the heart, in which I wish her “Happy Mother’s Day" and tell her there's nothing Papa or I could ever buy, find, or make her that would be half good enough anyway.
1. The author considers finding a Mother’s Day gift a yearly problem because______________.| A．it is impossible to find a gift | B．it represents a modest problem |
| C．it is hard to make both sides happy | D．it has to be a bathrobe or a box of candy |
| A．They are out. | B．They are awful. |
| C．They cost too much. | D．They are from the heart. |
| A．The author's mom is picky. | B．Giving gifts can be dangerous. |
| C．Picking gifts might be terrible. | D．The author's mom will share the gift. |
| A．He composes a poem. | B．He writes a love letter. |
| C．He struggles over a gift. | D．He stops to shop for her. |
| A．A Loving Daughter | B．A Special Mother’s Day Gift |
| C．How to Pick a Gift for Moms | D．What to Do on Mother's Day |
2 . Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and it is an administrative, financial and legal center. It is the second largest Scottish city after Glasgow. Edinburgh is well-known for the annual Edinburgh Festival, the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947, the festival takes place in the city during August alongside several other arts and cultural festivals.
Edinburgh is the world’s “festival city”. The city holds 12 festivals throughout the year, half of which are celebrated during the months of July and August. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Scottish capital during the summer. Here are some of the events they can enjoy.
The Edinburgh International Festival
This is the original Edinburgh festival, which began in 1947. Actors, musicians, dancers and opera singers from all over the world perform for large audiences. You need tickets for most of the festival’s events, which take place in theaters around the city. For others, there are always singers, actors and musicians offering free shows to the crowds.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
This is the largest art festival in the world, with thousands of performances. Anyone can perform at the festival. Over 20,000 artists can take part. Go to the Royal Mile, one of Edinburgh’s main streets, to watch performers such as magicians, acrobats (杂技演员) and comedians. However, it can get very busy, as thousands of tourists and local people fill the city streets to enjoy the shows.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival
The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and takes place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens in the center of Edinburgh. There are over 700 events for children and adults. You can meet many authors, talk to them, ask them to sign a book or listen to them talk about their stories.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival
Music lovers come to this festival to enjoy musical performances all over the city. Artists perform street theater, dance and circus shows in amazing costumes. Everyone can enjoy the music and dance performances.
Edinburgh is a fantastic city worth visiting all the year round. Don’t miss it.
1. What do the first two paragraphs mainly talk about?| A．Edinburgh is famous for its festivals. |
| B．Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. |
| C．Only six of Edinburgh’s festivals are held in July. |
| D．The best time to visit Edinburgh is not summer. |
| A．The Edinburgh International Festival. |
| B．The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
| C．The Edinburgh International Book Festival. |
| D．The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. |
| A．prove that Edinburgh is the world’s art center |
| B．make the city of Edinburgh known to people |
| C．introduce some festivals in Edinburgh |
| D．encourage more tourists to visit Edinburgh |
Tea is not plain water, it can nourish (养育，抚养) your mind and keep you calm. If you’re not thirsty, then do not drink up the tea at once. On the one hand, it may be hot and bums your lips. On the other hand, it is generally considered a rude behavior. You should take a sip and appreciate the flavor, from good smell to sweetness till the long after taste, you may find words are too plain to describe this fascinating feeling and process.
2. Do not spit the tea out of your mouth
It is also considered that the biggest impoliteness of the guest is to spit the tea out of mouth, especially, in front of the tea server. This bad manner may also leave a very bad impression on the host.
3. Do not smoke
Smoking cigarettes during the tea drinking is disrespectful. If you are a heavy smoker, you should ask the host for opinions. You should not start smoking unless the host or the hostess allows you to.
4. Do not be absent-minded
Keep calm and relaxed when drinking tea, instead of being absent-minded and dispirited. Tea is not only an amazing drink, it can also be your friend. When you feel uneasy, it helps you calm down; when you feel distracted, it makes you relax; while when you find your inner peace, it will bring you indescribable flavor. What a wonderful friend!
1. What can you do in a Chinese Tea House?| A．You can smoke when guests invite you to. |
| B．You can spit the tea out of your mouth if it doesn’t suit you. |
| C．You can enjoy listening to MP4 and try to have a short period of sleep. |
| D．You find inner peace in your mind and relax yourself. |
| A．favor | B．good taste |
| C．bad smell | D．ceremony |
| A．when you feel unrest in mind, it helps you calm down |
| B．when you find your inner peace, tea tastes better |
| C．when you can’t focus on something, tea makes you distracted |
| D．when you have no friends, make friends by drinking tea with them |
| A．tea is not plain water, it is a healthy drink |
| B．you may have your lips burned |
| C．you can’t drink tea directly in front of the tea server |
| D．it is hot |
4 . Traditional Chinese culture is highlighted in the new textbooks on Chinese, history and politics for senior high school students in the coming semester.
“The new Chinese textbooks have a selection (精选) of 67 classic works of ancient poetry and prose that account for 49.3 percent of all articles,” said Wen Rumei, editor-in-chief of the new Chinese textbooks, at a press conference held by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Tuesday.
Besides content on politics, the economy, society and the rule of law, the Chinese and politics textbooks also attach importance to traditional Chinese culture.
“The history textbooks will help students grasp the laws of history, know about core socialist values and learn fine traditional Chinese culture,” said Zhang Haipeng, editor-in-chief of the history textbooks.
“The model of traditional Chinese culture can be found in the history textbooks, including more than 100 great names in history, more than 80 classic works covering philosophy, technology, literature and law, over 50 major inventions as well as over 40 works of calligraphy art, painting, music, dance and sculpture,” Zhang said.
The new textbooks will be used by students in the first year of senior high schools in six provincial-level regions from the autumn semester and will cover students of all grades nationwide by 2022.
New textbooks on Chinese, history and morality and rule of law replaced old textbooks for the first graders in both primary schools and junior high schools nationwide in 2017 and will cover higher grades starting in the autumn semester, according to the press conference.
“A survey showed that close to 90 percent of students liked the new textbooks, and teachers reported an average satisfaction rate of 92 percent for the textbooks,” said Liu Hongjie, deputy head with the textbook agency under the MOE.
1. The underlined phrase “account for”, here probably means ________.| A．are responsible for | B．are short for |
| C．take up | D．put up |
| A．All the students don’t like the new textbooks. |
| B．Not all the teachers are satisfied with the new textbooks. |
| C．They will be first used in the first year of junior high school. |
| D．They cover more than 40 works of calligraphy art, painting, music, dance and sculpture. |
| A．the Ministry of Education is now paying more attention to it |
| B．ancient poetry and prose are in fact out of date |
| C．only in politics textbooks can we find the contents about it |
| D．grasping the laws of history is the only important thing in history classes |
5 . On Christmas Eve─the night before Christmas Day─children all over Britain put a stocking at the end of their beds before they go to sleep. Their parents usually tell them that Father Christmas will come during the night.
Father Christmas is very kind and hearted. He gets to the top of each house and climbs down the chimney into the fireplace. He fills each of the stockings with Christmas presents.
Of course, Father Christmas isn't real. In Jim and Kate's house, "Father Christmas" is really Mr Green. Mr Green doesn't climb down the chimney. He waits until the children are asleep. Then he quietly goes into their bedrooms and fills their stockings with small presents. When they were very young, Mr Green sometimes wore a red coat. But he doesn't do that now. The children are no longer young, and they know who "Father Christmas" really is. But they still put their stockings at the end of their beds.
1. Christmas Eve is __________.| A．the night of Christmas Day | B．the evening of Christmas Day |
| C．Christmas Day | D．the night before Christmas Day |
| A．into children's hats | B．into children's stockings |
| C．under children's beds | D．into children's shoes |
| A．know that Father Christmas is real |
| B．ask their mother to fill their stockings with presents |
| C．know that Father Christmas is really their father |
| D．know that Father Christmas is really their friend |
| A．chimney | B．back door |
| C．front door | D．window. |
6 . SuperCamps
We are a leading provider of childcare in the UK, offering OFSTED registered holiday camps to children aged 4 to 14 throughout the school holidays. Operating at 60＋ locations, we have holiday camps available in London and the South East, as far south as Cornwall and all the way up to North Yorkshire. Whether you are looking for fun holiday clubs and kid activities, a five-day specialist holiday camp for older children or a combination of the two to keep your children entertained throughout the school holidays, we have your childcare covered!
Our multi-activity holiday camps offer an abundance of fun, age-oriented(导向的)activities(4-5-year-olds, 6-9-year-olds and 10-12-year-olds), from swimming and go-karting to arts and crafts and LEGO workshops. These day camps are a great choice for parents looking for regular childcare service, available as individual days or a week at a time.
For children looking for a school holiday experience, our specialist holiday camps are the ideal choice. Our Cookery: International Cuisine, a 5-day specialist course is a cookery camp with a difference, where children can really master their cooking skills!
Bushcraft: Rainforest Adventure is the perfect outdoor adventure camp for children with a passion for bush craft and survival skills, with activities like Laser Tag and making campfires to inspire the interest of young adventurers !
Meanwhile, our LEGO Play course is a holiday camp focusing on the art of building amazing creations with LEGO bricks. This camp really motivates the imagination of children in a way that only uses LEGO bricks !
All new for 2019, our Chelsea Foundation FC Camps invite all football fans to take a shot at our Multi-Dimensional soccer camps! Children will receive hours of on-pitch training and competition with Chelsea FC approved coaches, as well as hours of off-pitch sessions around nutrition, recovery and lifestyle!
To find your nearest holiday camp, simply enter your postcode or town in the box above or choose your camp by county here and BOOK ONLINE TODAY!
1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?| A．To advertise holiday camps. | B．To encourage donations. |
| C．To introduce camping skills. | D．To tell the history of SuperCamps. |
| A．It operates camps all over the world. |
| B．It provides camps for people of all ages. |
| C．It asks parents to send children to the nearest camp. |
| D．It organizes different activities for different age groups. |
| A．Cookery: International Cuisine. | B．Bushcraft: Rainforest Adventure. |
| C．LEGO Play. | D．Chelsea Foundation FC Camps. |
7 . Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick，the aged，and children who have lost their parents，but also friends，workmates，relatives and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago，when a Cleveland man noticed that some people，such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed，too often felt forgotten and neglected，he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors，he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed，other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration，which came to be called "Sweetest Day". Over time，the Sweetest Day's idea of spreading cheer to the poor，the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened（扩大）to include everyone，and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group's religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder（提醒人记忆之物）that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because of many people remembering to take the form of gift giving，Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care，in a positive way.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph？| A．Sweetest Day is a day to bring happiness to others. |
| B．Sweetest Day is just an occasion for caring about disabled people. |
| C．Sweetest Day is an occasion for lovers to express love. |
| D．Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in October. |
| A．Visiting sick people in the hospital. |
| B．Visiting children who have lost their parents. |
| C．Giving friends small gifts. |
| D．Giving flowers to sweethearts. |
| A．remembered | B．hated |
| C．paid little or no attention to | D．disappointed |
| A．Give them some money. |
| B．Give them gifts. |
| C．Send them their regards. |
| D．Offer help directly. |
8 . Tipping is part of everyday life in many parts of the world. It’s usually an informal charge that's paid on top of the bill to show appreciation to the person who has provided you a service.
Tipping culture can vary from place to place. In the Middle East, people who serve usually try to be more helpful.
In some places, tipping doesn't exist at all. Tips aren't part of life in China, South Korea or Japan. But in other places in Asia, not leaving a tip can lead to trouble. An American travel agent told Conde Nast Traveler that in India, for example, a person who doesn't leave a tip after a meal in a restaurant will often be chased down the street.
Many people only give tips on a subjective （主观的）basis. But it’s this subjective aspect to tipping that can cause problems. On the one hand, they don't want to be mean; on the other hand, they don't want to pay too much and feel that they've been cheated.
A common solution for this problem is to offer a guideline on the check.
This can prevent the awkwardness when it's time to pay up.
| A．Tips are then given to appreciate the expertise of the guide |
| B．If you tip badly, people think less of you |
| C．They'll run after you and scream for money |
| D．It will suggest that a certain percentage of the bill should be paid on top as a tip |
| E．Very often people who travel to the United States forget to tip |
| F．After all, a tip isn't part of the bill |
| G．But they may expect a little extra in return |
9 . Corporate culture is the values and beliefs a company develops over time.The role of corporate culture isto improve a company’s mission and strategies,with long-term hopes of improvements in a company’s profit.Mostly corporate culture comes from a company’s top management.
One role of corporate culture is to influence employee behavior, honesty, and compliance（服从）. A company does not have to necessarily create a direct influence for these actions.A direct influence may be a setof written regulations or other policies,and while these may be in place,the corporate culture is usually moreof an indirect influence.
While many companies try to create corporate culture through the use of written policies,its role isharder to define.The human factor has an influence on how corporate culture is expressed.The way uppermanagement acts and reacts to various situations defines how lower-level employees will act,and this aspectmay be more important than any written policy.
A company’s corporate culture can also extend beyond the walls of the business. Consumers who believe a company to be honest and forthright（直率）may be more loyal in their buying behavior. Employees in a company’s customer service department can also exhibit positive corporate culture to outside individuals.Inthis case,the culture creates a link between the company’s employees and its customers.How customers reactmay be a direct result from the company’s corporate culture.
Product quality can also be influenced by a company’s corporate culture.Companies that focus only onprofits may decide to avoid high-quality materials in products,but try to suggest that the products are ofhigher quality than they really are.This negative culture can then result in lower brand loyalty withconsumers.
1. What do we know about corporate culture from this passage?| A．It is a set of rules and regulations. |
| B．It is the way the employees act. |
| C．It is the values and beliefs of a company. |
| D．It is the long term hope of a company. |
| A．Making a set of rules and regulations. |
| B．Setting an example for the employees. |
| C．Learning the corporate culture regularly. |
| D．Encouraging the employees to work harder. |
| A．The customer is always right. |
| B．Corporate culture has different functions. |
| C．Without corporate culture,a company will die. |
| D．Positive corporate culture can promote sales. |
| A．Creative. | B．Efficient. |
| C．Dishonest. | D．Disloyal. |
10 . Culture means any human behavior that is learned in human society. All of the meaningful parts of a culture are passed on to different generations through tradition or social learning.
Culture is necessary for the survival and existence of human beings as human beings. Practically everything humans know, think, value, feel, and do is learned through taking part in a sociocultural system.
Kamala was a terrible-looking being, the head, a big ball of something covering the shoulders.
Children learn human language in the same way they learn other kinds of human behavior--by taking part in a cultural community.
| A．From this viewpoint, all human groups have a culture. |
| B．These children were the ghosts described by the local people. |
| C．This statement is well supported by some well-written cases. |
| D．Human beings can only develop human abilities by the local people. |
| E．Culture refers only to the high art and classical music of a particular society. |
| F．Close at its heels there came another terrible creature exactly like the first, but smaller in size. |
| G．They learn a certain human languages as well as certain kinds of human behavior through their membership in a certain cultural community. |
