1 . During the cold winter days, there are some interesting festivals (节日) in the world. Look at the following ones.
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival
Place: China
Time: January 5 to February 5
People build incredible things out of ice and snow,decorating them with lights.
The Carnival of Venice
Place: Italy
Time: between February and March
One of the most beautiful festivals in the world,people wear masks and elaborate costumes to hide differences among classes,and there are contests for the best costumers.
Holi Festival
Place: India
Time: late February/March, on the last dull moon day
Hindus and Sikhs,in India,Nepal,and Sri Lanka celebrate the main day of this incredibly fun 16-day festival by throwing colored powder and water at each other.
Sundance Film Festival
Place: Utah, the US
Time: end of February
The largest independent film festival in the US. Watch both feature films and shorts. You need to buy a ticket.
1. Which of the following festivals can’t be celebrated at the end of February?| A．Sundance Film Festival. | B．Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. |
| C．Holi Festival. | D．The Carnival of Venice. |
| A．India | B．China |
| C．America | D．Italy |
| A．Sundance Film Festival. | B．Holi Festival. |
| C．The Carnival of Venice. | D．Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. |
A sign advertises different costs for a cup of coffee depending on how polite the customer is when ordering. The prices are listed with the typical phrases a customer might use when placing their order. They include: “Small coffee” at $5, “small coffee please” at $3 and “hello, one small coffee please” at $1.75.
A passer-by took a photo of the sign and posted the image online. This isn’t the first time that a coffee shop has attempted to teach customers a lesson. The Petite Syrah cafe in Nice, on the French Riviera, charged customers €7 for “a coffee”, but a more affordable €4.25 for “a coffee please”.
Fabrice Pepino, manager of Petite Syrah, explained the reason: “It started as a joke because at lunchtime people would come in very stressed and were sometimes rude to us when they ordered a coffee.” He added: “I know people say that French service can be rude but it’s also true that customers can be rude when they’re busy.”
The American cafe will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Petite Syrah cafe as the original coffee shop proved a success in changing customers’ behaviors. Pepino said that he had noticed a huge difference in the behaviors of his customers after a few days of the sign being on show.
1. If a customer orders a coffee politely, the cafe will ________.
| A．present him/her a gift as a reward |
| B．charge him/her less money |
| C．offer him/her the coffee for free |
| D．teach him/her a good lesson |
| A．the cafe in Virginia is the first coffee shop to do so |
| B．people don’t believe the strategy because it is a joke |
| C．the French cafe made the rule just for fun at first |
| D．both French service and French customers are rude |
| A．It is useless. | B．It is boring. |
| C．It is unacceptable. | D．It is effective. |
3 . 下列表格为某市2006年与2016年人们度假方式的情况比较，请用英语写一篇短文描述表格中的内容，并对度假方式的变化原因进行简单评析。
年度 | 2006 | 2016 | 原因 |
境外旅游 | 11% | 22% | 收入增加 |
海边度假 | 38% | 31% | 海水污染 |
爬山野营 | 11% | 34% | 亲近自然 |
注意：1. 词数120左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头已给出，不计入总词数。
The way people spend their holidays changed a lot in 2006 and 2016._________________
There are red postboxes on street corners and on the sides of buildings. The British red phone box is famous all over the world. The famous double-decker (双层) bus is red. Red is the color traditionally worn by British soldiers in battle (战争), and there is red in the UK’s Union Jack national flag. Britain even has a famous team of stunt (特技) jet fighters (喷气式战斗机) called “The Red Arrows”.
To go with British culture’s love of red, British nature also features many red animals. A beloved bird is the robin (知更鸟), which has a bright red breast (胸脯). At Christmastime in winter, the bird is commonly found on the greetings cards people send each other. There is also quite a rare animal called the red squirrel (松鼠). Foxes are red, and they used to be hunted by men in red outfits (服装).
But is red considered lucky to British people? A good way to see how a culture looks at a color is to look at the way it uses it in language. The results may surprise you. Even though Britain has a lot of red on its high streets and in its countryside, red is used quite differently as a metaphor (比喻). If someone “sees red”, they are angry. When a person is “red faced”, they are out of breath or blushing (脸红). Red is also a political color: it means a left-winger (blue is the color of the political right). To be “in the red” is to be in debt (someone in credit (存款) is “in the black”).
Look hard enough and you’ll find the color red being used in all countries. For instance the “red heart” symbol (符号) is pretty universal. But whether the British realize it or not, red is everywhere in Britain. It does seem that the country is in love with the color.
1. The article is mainly about ______.
| A．the metaphor of red in the English language |
| B．the preference for red animals in Britain |
| C．the history of red items in Britain |
| D．the color red in British culture |
| A．red-faced | B．see red |
| C．in the red | D．in the black |
| A．red has different meanings depending on the context (情境) |
| B．the color red is not as popular as it was before in Britain |
| C．most British people are aware of (知道的) how popular the color red is in British culture |
| D．British people are often asked to explain the meaning of the color red |
| A．compare | B．judge | C．inform | D．argue |
The Kinema, Lincolnshire
It's a wooden building on the outside and a two－screen cinema on the inside, all nesting among pine trees in a tiny village. The Kinema showed its first film in 1922 and the first six rows were deekchairs(折叠帆布躺椅). Today, it's more richly decorated.
“People come here because it's a fantastic experience，” says manager philip Jones. “Many rooms in the Kinema are simple and not attractive, but we try to remain everything that makes it special. ”
The Cube, Bristol
It's not really a cinema. It is a not－for－profit cooperative run by volunteers, which has been operating for the last 15 years.
They are “unique for what we do, which is to operate seven nights a week and with no funding.” They make many things themselves, such as cola and yogurt.
The Broadway, Nottingham
A cinema has been here since the 1960s, when local fashion designer Paul Smith would come to see arty foreign films, which heavily influenced his career choice. Later, he designed the stripy(条纹的) sofas.
The Broadway was previously used as a church, but locals love it for its independent, art house, and DIY spirit. The Broadway also has a right－on restaurant, with locally sourced vegetables and salads, and even serves its own beer.
The Rex, Hertfordshire
It opened to the public in 1938 and has been named the most beautiful cinema in the UK. There's a varied programme with different films every night. Hot dogs and popcorn are banned. And a real person answers the phone when you call. People speak very highly of the Rex. So do go, if only once, to see just how a cinema should be run.
1. In Philip Jones' opinion, the Kinema may attract people who ________．
| A．live in the nearby villages |
| B．are fond of rich decorations |
| C．are interested in wooden structures |
| D．want to experience something special |
| A．are non－profit cooperatives |
| B．show arty foreign films |
| C．offer homemade drinks |
| D．use stripy sofas |
| A．The Kinema. | B．The Cube. |
| C．The Broadway. | D．The Rex. |
The young men of Japan have kite matches.When the kites are flying, the match starts．The young men try to break each other’s kite strings（细绳）. The last kite left in the sky is the winner．
1. Most kites in Japan________．
| A．look nice with pictures | B．are very small |
| C．look like hats | D．are very large |
| A．make their kites fly high |
| B．draw beautiful pictures on their kites |
| C．make very large kites themselves |
| D．stop each other’s kites from flying in the sky |
| A．fly over the sea | B．fly over the island |
| C．return home | D．steal gold |
| A．something about the kites in Japan |
| B．how a kite match starts |
| C．how to fly kites |
| D．what the kites look like |
7 . A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized (强调) the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.
One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don’t say!” “You don’t say!” I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not an appropriate topic (适当的话题). “Well, I’d better change the topic.” So I said to him. “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent.” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it..” Soon I was interrupted again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn’t request you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say you don’t say?” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘really!’ It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the English teachers said is always right to us students.
1. A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms because _______.| A．English idioms were not important |
| B．I was not careful with English idioms |
| C．my teacher didn’t emphasize the importance of them |
| D．I had no interest in them |
| A．he was not interested in the topic |
| B．he was only interested in the Great Wall |
| C．I had talked too much |
| D．I had to stop talking |
| A．interesting |
| B．important |
| C．terrible |
| D．unlucky |
| A．The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall. |
| B．The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it. |
| C．The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide. |
| D．The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth visiting. |
8 . Most musicians agree that the best violins were made in Cremona, Italy, about 200 years ago. They even sound better than violins made today. Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the old Italian violins. But they aren’t the same. Why are these old Italian violins so special? Many people think they have an answer.
Some people think it is the age of the violins. But there is a problem here. Not all old violins sound wonderful. Only those from Cremona are special. So age cannot be the answer.
Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood. It must be from certain kinds of trees. It must not be too young or too old. Perhaps the violin makers of Cremons knew something special about wood for violins.
But the kind of wood may not be so important. It may be more important to cut the wood in a special way. Wood for a violin must be cut into the right size and shape. The smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. Musicians sometimes think that this is the secret of the Italians.
Size and shape may not be the answer either. Scientists make new violins that are exactly the same size and shape. But the new ones still do not sound as good as the old ones. Some scientists think the secret may be the varnish (清漆), which covers the wood of the violin and makes it look shiny. It also helps the sound of the instrument. Since no one knows what the Italian violin makers used in their varnish, no one can make the same varnish today.
There may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona. And there are not many of the old violins left. So these old violins are becoming more and more precious.
1. What would be the best title for the passage?| A．The Secrets of Cremona Violins |
| B．The History of Italian Violins |
| C．Special Musical Instruments |
| D．How to Make the Best Violins |
| A．list some facts | B．raise a question |
| C．give an opinion | D．offer an answer |
| A．The shape. | B．The size. |
| C．The wood. | D．The varnish. |
| A．Modern things are always better than ancient ones. |
| B．Ancient things are always better than modern ones. |
| C．Once a cultural relic is lost, it can never be recovered. |
| D．Varnish for violins will become more and more precious. |
9 . Every year on April 1, April Fools’ Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. In France, it’s called Poisson d’Avril or “Fish of April.” In Scotland, the holiday is often called “Gowkie Day.” In Iraq, the holiday is called Kithbet Neesan or “April Lie.”
History experts say people have celebrated April Fools’ Day for a long time. Some believe the tradition comes from the ancient Romans more than two thousand years ago. It was a day of playing games and pretending to be someone else.
Others say the day for fooling began in France in 1564, when King Charles changed the yearly calendar. He moved New Year’s Day from April 1 to January 1. Many people did not know about the change because of communication problems back then. Some people continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1. Other people called them April Fools and played jokes on them.
In the United States, April Fools’ Day is just a day of joking and playing tricks on friends. These kinds of jokes are also called pranks. These jokes typically end in the prankster shouting “April Fools’!”
Simple pranks, like telling a friend a funny lie or making prank phone calls, are still common. But, major companies also get in on April Fools’ Day fun in a much bigger way. A few years ago, on April 1, Starbucks announced it was introducing new coffee cup sizes — Plenta and Micra. The very large cups, bigger than a human head, remained useful for customers even after finishing all that coffee. According to Starbucks, the cups could be used as a rain hat, a pot for plants, or a lampshade.
It did not take long for customers to catch on to the prank!
More and more, people use social media or smart phone apps to play pranks on their friends on April Fools’ Day. One very annoying smart phone app, Cat Facts, sends funny facts about cats to your friends’ phones, every day.
1. What is not true about “April Fools’ Day”?| A．It has been celebrated for a long time. |
| B．Its tradition comes from the ancient Romans. |
| C．French people celebrated it because of not knowing that King Charles changed the yearly calendar. |
| D．Different countries have different names for it. |
| A．a day of joking and playing tricks on friends. |
| B．a day when you can play jokes on any people. |
| C．a day when people can’t shout “April Fools’!” |
| D．a day when Starbucks introduced new coffee. |
| A．friends | B．methods | C．jokes | D．jokers |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
The book I’m reading of talks about afternoon tea in Britain. It is said to have started in the early 1800’s. Have tea in the late afternoon provides a bridge between lunch and dinner, that might not be served until 8 o'clock at night. This custom soon becomes another meal of day. Interesting, it had a connection by the British porcelain (瓷器) industry. Tea in China was traditionally drank from cups without handles. When tea got popular in Britain, there was a crying need for good cup with handles to suit British habits. This made for the grow in the porcelain industry.
