1 . 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 |
2 . Have you heard of Chinese Valentine's Day? It falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Therefore, the day is also called the Double Seventh Festival or the Qixi Festival.
There is a very interesting legend behind the festival. The story goes that there was once a good-hearted cowherd named Niulang. His parents died when he was little, so he tried to make a life with only an old ox to keep him company.
One day, the ox suddenly began to speak. He told Niulang. "You are a nice person. If you want to get maried, go to the pond and your wish will come true. "When the man went to the pond, he saw seven goddesses who had come down from Heaven. The youngest was the most beautiful one, whose name was Zhinv. They fell in love with each other and soon they got married. Niulang and Zhinv lived happily for many years and they had two children, a boy and a girl.
When the old ox was about to die, he told Niulang that his hide( 兽皮) could help a man fly up to Heaven, and it should be kept properly for urgent situations after he died. Meanwhile, Emperor in Heaven began to miss Zhinv. One day, he sent the Queen Mother in Heaven to fetch her.
When Niulang came back home from work that day, he saw his children crying. All they could tell him was that an old woman had come to take their mother away. He realized what had happened and immediately took the hide of the old ox and flew off with his children to look for his wife. The Queen Mother in Heaven became angry when she saw Niulang and his children.She slashed across the sky with her hairpin and a wide river was created between them to keep the lovers separated forever.
Since then, Zhinv would weep bitterly. Moved by their love, magpies(喜鹊)would fly here and form a bridge over the river for them to meet. The Emperor and the Queen Mother were also moved by their love, and allowed them to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month。
1. Why is Chinese Valentine's Day also called the Double Seventh Festival?| A．The Emperor in Heaven has seven beautiful daughters. |
| B．Double seven means love in China |
| C．It falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar. |
| D．Double seven means good luck in China |
| A．To cut. | B．To draw. | C．To slap. | D．To run. |
| A．They would fly with Niulang to celebrate the day. |
| B．They would keep Niulang and Zhinv company, so that they would not be scared. |
| C．They would take care of Niulang's children |
| D．They would form a bridge for Niulang and Zhinv to meet. |
| A．The customs of Chinese Valentine's Day. |
| B．The effect of Chinese Valentine's Day |
| C．The legend of Chinese Valentines Day. |
| D．The celebration of Chinese Valentine's Day. |
3 . Thanksgiving Day is a public vacation. It is a day off for the general population in the US, and schools and most businesses are closed。
What Do People Do
Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for families and friends to get together for a special meal.The meal often includes a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie and vegetables. Thanksgiving Day is a time for many people to give thanks for what they have.
Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns on or around Thanksgiving Day. Some parades or festivities also mark the opening of the Christmas shopping season. Some people have a four-day weekend so it is a popular time for trips and to visit family and friends.
Public Life
Most government offices, businesses, schools and other organizations are closed on Thanksgiving Day. Many offices and businesses allow staff to have a four-day weekend so these offices and businesses are also closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day. Public transit systems do not usually operate on their regular timetables.
Thanksgiving Day is one of the busiest periods for travel in the US. This can causecongestionand overcrowding. Seasonal parades and busy football games can cause disruption to local traffic
1. What do people usually do on Thanksgiving Day?| A．All people will have a four-day weekend. |
| B．People usually get together with their family without travelling. |
| C．People in government officials still work on this day. |
| D．People usually go out to parade on this day. |
| A．Air pollution. | B．Environment damage. |
| C．Too much traffic and too many people. | D．Destruction to the road. |
| A．Students usually go to school to celebrate. |
| B．Buses usually serve on the regular timetable. |
| C．You'd better not go shopping because shops are all closed. |
| D．You and your family can get together for a special meal. |
4 . The first time I went to France, I was shocked by the cultural differences in daily routines and manners. Born and brought up in Britain, I used to believe that we share the same cultural manners with our European neighbour. But how wrong I was!
The most challenging difference for me was the food and eating time. After one month of living here, I still got strange looks as I ate my homemade sandwiches behind a computer screen while the other colleagues enjoyed a three-course meal in the canteen. They also had a two-hour "pause" which seemed to involve every employee in France. What's more, having evening meals at 6 pm was a common habit for people from the north of England, like me. Therefore, an evening meal at 9 pm was quite challenging for my stomach. After realising the fact that the local snacks were worth the wait, however, I quickly accustomed to this more relaxing way of life, which was hard to imagine before I came here.
Another aspect of French food and drink culture that I found hard to adapt to at first is the cafe culture. I am getting used to a quick espresso(浓咖啡 ), but deep down I have to admit that when catching up with an old friend, nothing suits more than a tall latte(1#)and a slice of homemade cake, preferably in a comfortable English tea room
Finally, there go greetings. At home I feel comfortable shaking someone's hand on the first meeting. So when I greeted a stranger with two kisses on the cheeks, I felt slightly out of my comfort zone. I do,though, appreciate this part of the French culture.
Being exposed to cultural differences is a unique experience which makes you appreciate your roots more and open your eyes to the diversity of the world.
1. What do we know about the food and eating time in France?| A．French people eat a quick lunch at work. |
| B．French people have a three-course meal in the evening. |
| C．French people usually eat evening meals at 6 pm. |
| D．An evening meal at 9 pm is quite common in France. |
| A．used | B．adapted | C．abandoned | D．refused |
| A．Comfortable . | B．Challenging but enriching . | C．Hard to adapt to. | D．Unworthy. |
5 . In fact, afternoon tea is a relatively new English custom. Though the custom of drinking tea dates years back to Ancient China and became popular in England in the 17th century, the idea of "afternoon tea"didn't appear until about 200 years later.
It is said that the afternoon tea was introduced into England by Anna Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford,in the mid-19th century. The evening meal was usually served around 8 o'clock at that time, thus leaving a rather long period of hunger between meals. The Duchess therefore added a tray of tea and some light snacks during the late afternoon. It later became her habit, and she started to invite other friends to join her.
This extra"meal"of tea and desserts later became a popular social event. During the 1880safternoon tea was usually served in the drawing room between 4 and 5 o'clock, and women from high society would dress themselves up with long gowns, gloves and hats for it.
Traditional afternoon tea usually includes delicious sandwiches, scones(烤饼), cakes, other desserts, and most importantly, tea. Nowadays, however, in most British households, afternoon tea is more likely to be just a cup of tea out of teabags, with some biscuits or small cakes。
1. What can we infer from the passage?| A．Afternoon tea dates back to Ancient China. |
| B．The concept of"afternoon tea"didn't appear until the 19th century. |
| C．The custom of drinking tea became popular in England after the 19th century. |
| D．The custom of drinking tea was introduced into England by Anna Russell. |
| A．is richer than traditional one |
| B．consists of a cup of tea made by a teabag, some biscuits or cakes |
| C．is less popular than before |
| D．includes delicious sandwiches, scones, cakes and other desserts |
| A．Want a Cup of Tea? | B．What Is Afternoon Tea? |
| C．The Development of Afternoon Tea | D．New Forms of Afternoon Tea |
6 . It's Christmas once again. And you are right there, bothered by a serious question. What do men want for Christmas?
It's the time of year when men are wondering what Christmas gifts they will receive this season. It's difficult to find the right Christmas gift for a man, and definitely a lot more difficult than finding one for a woman. Every man has his own taste in things. And just like women, men have a variety of interests-sports, music, cars, games, gadgets(小器具), etc. The possibilities are endless. You should think of something that caters to his interests and not just something that you see in a hardware store or a sports outlet.
If you are not really familiar with the man you are giving the gift to, that's okay. You can simply choose anything from this list of top Christmas gift ideas we are about to give you to make the receiver feel special.To help you find the best Christmas gift for your father, brother, a guy friend or the friend of a friend, here is our top 10 Christmas gift ideas for him.
| Top 1 Leather wallet | Top 6 Shaving cream |
| Top2 Screwdriver(螺丝刀)set | Top 7 Sports equipment |
| Top 3 Personal travel case | Top 8 T-shits |
| Top 4 Towel or bath robe | Top 9 Digital music player |
| Top 5 Bottle opener with key chain | Top 10 Electronic gadgets |
1. When you buy Christmas gifts for your father, brother, etc, what should you take into consideration?
| A．His own taste and interests | B．What he got last year |
| C．Your interests | D．His age |
| A．Leather wallet | B．Screwdriver set |
| C．Electronic gadgets | D．Personal travel case |
| A．Male shoppers | B．Female shoppers |
| C．Men who are considering buying Christmas gifts | D．Married women |
| A．Christmas Gifts Make People Happy | B．Men's View on Christmas Gifts |
| C．How to Choose Christmas Gifts for Men | D．How to Buy Practical Christmas Gifts |
7 . The Dragon Boat Festival is the holiday the honours the tragic death of Qu Yuan, who died in 278 BC. In the Warring States period, Qu Yuan was a poet and statesman. He was the number one advisor of the Chu State. But people were jealous of his position and said lots of bad words behind his back. The king wouldn't take his advice in the end and was captured by the enemy of the neighbouring kingdom and finally died there. However, the new king continued to enjoy the luxury life and didn't like Qu Yuan, either. He ordered Qu Yuan to leave his homeland. Later, when Qu Yuan heard the news that Qin had defeated the Chu State, he was very sad and threw himself into the Miluo River at last.
The legend goes that many people tried to rescue their honoured statesman by chasing him down the river, beating drums to scare away the fish and throwing rice dumplings into the river so that the fish would not eat his body. The dragon boat race is one of the customs, which symbolises citizens of the Chu State who raced down the river to save Qu Yuan then.
Also,there are many other customs like eating rice dumplings(zongzi), hanging icons of Zhong Kui (amythic guardian figure), hanging mugworts (艾草)and calamus (菖蒲) and wearing perfumed medicine bags.
All of these customs were regarded by the ancient people as an effective way of preventing diseases and evils, promoting good health and well-being.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a public holiday observed widely in China, And now this festival has gone global. The international dragon boat races are held all over Asia and the United States. In the US,they can be found in Boston, New York, etc.
1. Why did Qu Yuan throw himself into the Miluo River?| A．He fell into the river accidentally. |
| B．The old king wouldn't take his advice. |
| C．The old king was caught during fighting. |
| D．He was not favoured by the new king and his country was defeated later. |
| A．The dragon boat race represents people who tried to save Qu Yuan. |
| B．The dragon boat race was an act of opposing the new king. |
| C．The dragon boat race is really dangerous. |
| D．The dragon boat race is only held in China. |
| A．To share his experience in the Dragon Boat Festival. |
| B．To tell us the story of Qu Yuan. |
| C．To introduce dragon boat races to us. |
| D．To introduce the Dragon Boat Festival to us. |
8 . Halloween falls on the 31st of October every year. If you want to celebrate, you have a lot of options You can throw a party with friends and family, decorate for the season, or participate in events around your town.
Throw a party. You can host a costume party where everyone needs to wear their costumes. Part of the fun of Halloween is dressing up. If you want, you can even have a contest where guests can compete for different titles like"Scariest Costume","Funniest Costume", and so on.
Bob for apples. Bobbing for apples is a classic Halloween tradition that many people love. Simply place some apples in a bucket of water and have guests try to lift them out only with their mouths.
Watch scary movies. You can have a movie screening at your party. Show your favorite scary movies that are perfect for the season to get you in the Halloween spirit.
| A．You can also try making your own Halloween-themed baked food. |
| B．Make Halloween candies. |
| C．This can be fun if you want a more light-hearted holiday party instead of something scary. |
| D．Provide Halloween treats. |
| E．With some preparation and planning, you and your loved ones can enjoy a fun and cheerful Halloween. |
| F．Remember, not everyone likes dressing up. |
| G．You need to make sure everyone dresses up. |
9 . Table manners are important in Britain, even today.
Wait for the host to invite you to the table. He or she may arrange a seat for you. You'd better not take your seat before the host sits. If the elderly are around, you can help them into their seats before you take your seat.
Learn to pass items. When someone says, "Please pass me the butter, reach for it only if you are the close stone to it. Take the item and place it next to your neighbour. And remember: always pass to the right.
Never leave spoons in the bowl when you finish using them.
| A．Your table manners may influence people's judgment on you. |
| B．Never talk with your mouth full of food. |
| C．After you sit down, take your napkin from the table immediately, and place it neatly on your lap. |
| D．Never make a sound when chewing. |
| E．When you finish eating, soup spoons, coffee spoons and dessert spoons should be placed on the side of the plate. |
| F．Consider every action before you do it. |
| G．Continue passing the item in this manner until it reaches the person who asks for it. |
10 . 阅读短文,按照题目要求用英语回答问题。
We have been through this first part of the year and have found ourselves already at spring break. If you're planning to spend a meaningful spring break, we have four fun-filled ideas to avoid the endless question: “What are we going to do today?”
Visit the museums.
Most museums, especially the smaller ones, offer day or even week long theme-specific camps.The camps are often a steal—nearly half-price of summer programmes. It's a great way to keep the young people in a structured routine while offering them a unique unit of study.
Get creative.
Each year our town hosts a chalk-drawing contest as part of a fundraiser. Why not use this as a jumping off point and organize a"Beautification Day"? It's easy enough to organize through social media channels; everyone brings their own chalk and, you’ve got yourself a group art class! Best part about it? Anyone can get involved. It brings the community together, and it costs nothing more than the price of chalk.
Act like a tourist.
Take this spring break and travel around the town like a tourist. Visit the historic farm. local art gallery, and public gardens with live music in your own town. Spend time in your own backyard, establish a positive connection to the place you live in and teach children all about appreciating where they live.
Take time out.
Spend this break dedicating time to others. Is there a food bank that needs reorganizing? A local park that needs weeding? Call your community board, or even local officials to find out an area of need that best suits your family. Spending time giving back to the community is a great way to build character and understand the importance of helping others.
1. What is the best title for the passage? (no more than 10 words)2. What is the authors purpose in writing the passage? (no more than 15 words)
3. What does the underlined word "steal" in paragraph 2 probably mean?(no more than 10 words)
4. How do you act like a tourist in your own town? List at least three activities. (no more than 30 words.
5. Which of the four ideas are you interested in most? Why? (no more than 25 words)
