1 . February has long been a month of romance.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 customary 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 the scene that greets you on Valentine's Day，named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome.When the emperor decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives，he banned marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret.When his actions were discovered，the emperor had him put to death.
While in prison，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 “From your Valentine”， an expression that is still in use today.
Valentine died for what he believed in and so was made a Saint，as well as becoming one of history's most romantic figures.
Nowadays，Valentine's Day wins the same popularity among Chinese young people.It is a time when students “don't want to be alone” according to Gao Shunjie，a student reporter for 21st Century Teens in Jinling High School，Nanjing.Some of her classmates 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 heartshaped cakes.The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St Valentine.
1. Why is February a month of romance?| A．Because people will enjoy the pleasant feeling that the sweet smell roses bring them. |
| B．Because a lot of romantic films will be on show in February. |
| C．Because people can read a lot of love stories in newspapers or magazines. |
| D．Because Valentine's Day is on the 14th February，when many romantic things will happen. |
| A．was not satisfied with the marriage ceremonies held by priests |
| B．thought a single man was better than a married man as a solider |
| C．envied men marrying women |
| D．thought marriage was evil |
| A．a man also called Valentine |
| B．her pet called Valentine |
| C．her boyfriend who is also called Valentine |
| D．her lover |
| A．a love story happening between Valentine and a daughter of a guard |
| B．the history of Valentine's Day and it wins popularity among Chinese young people |
| C．a priest who loved bravely facing pressure from the emperor |
| D．that February is a month of romance |
2 . More than half a century ago, there were 4,000 drive-in theatres in the United States, and watching a movie from your car was a popular way to spend an evening. But with the number of drive-ins reduced to just a few hundred, the outdoor movie has appeared suddenly across the nation. Going to an open-air theatre has become a modern summer entertainment for a growing number of movie fans.
In recent years, outdoor movie screenings have appeared in parks, vacant lots（场地）and shopping malls around the nation. On average, about 1,000 people watch each movie every night. It attracts a lot of young professionals, young workers and residents nearby. For some, the outdoor movies bring back the memories of the drive-in theatres of their youth. But for the most, they think it is similar to the feeling of drive-ins, as they can bring friends, food, good wine, and watch the movie together.
The returning of Americans’ love for outdoor movies makes Stephen Bastas ever busier. His seven workers set up screens in different places mostly in the Washington area every day during the whole summer. They are doing pretty well and they hope to continue the tide. And it looks like they are going to. That’s because many fans say there is nothing like watching a movie on a breezy（有微风的）summer evening under the stars.
1. In the first paragraph, the author tries to tell us ______.| A．outdoor movies attract more movie lovers. |
| B．summer brings back more drive-in movie fans. |
| C．drive-in theatres have already disappeared. |
| D．watching a movie in your car is becoming more popular. |
| A．have snacks before the movie. |
| B．cheer up with young friends. |
| C．bring back good old days. |
| D．enjoy the relaxing feeling. |
| A．a moviemaker. |
| B．an outdoor movie fan. |
| C．a movie director. |
| D．an open-air theatre operator. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Anxious. | D．Disappointed. |
If you live in northeastern China, you expect long, cold winters. People
The festival includes several thousand ice sculptures. Some of these works are the recreations of castles, historic landmarks and famous people, lit up at night in bright colors. There
The city started
4 . Every life in Britain
The weather is the most common topic in Britain.
Men always shake hands when they meet.
British people are very superstitious(迷信). They believe in all sorts of signs they see. For them black cats are luck
| A．Shopping is another common topic in Britain |
| B．Another common thing in Britain is queue |
| C．Hundreds of years ago, soldiers began this custom. |
| D．In autumn if you catch falling leaves you are lucky |
| E．Why do the Britain talk about the weather so often |
| F．They also pay attention to tiny details like your birthday |
| G．Never walk under a ladder, and don't walk pass somebody on the stairs |
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：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词：
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Chinese brush calligraphy is one of the most important art form in China.
It origin is unknown, but local tales say it goes back over 4000 years to the time of Yellow Emperor, when characters carved on animal bones or tortoise shells. Then Qin Shi Huang united China and set regular rules for Chinese characters, making it easier for people to learn. Later cursive script (草书) appeared. It is written freely, but it’s not easy to be read.
Today it’s once again the subject in schools and an art form high appreciated across the world. Anyone can practise it and that is required is a simple set including a brush, ink, or paper. Practise this art consistently can develop personal character and is of great beneficial to health.
6 . Living in a foreign culture can be exciting, but it can also be confusing(令人迷惑的). A group of Americans who taught English in other countries recently discussed their experiences. They found that miscommunication was always possible, even over something as simple as “yes” and “no”.
On her first day in Micronesia, an island in the Pacific, Lisa thought people weren’t paying any attention to her. The day was hot. She went into a store and asked, “Do you have cold drinks？” The woman there didn’t say anything. Lisa repeated the question. Still the woman said nothing. She later learned that the woman had answered her: She had raised her eyebrows(眉毛), which in Micronesia means “yes”.
Jan remembered an experience she had in Bulgaria, a country in Europe. She went to a restaurant that was famous for its cabbage. She asked the waiter, “Do you have cabbage today？” He nodded his head. Jan waited, but the cabbage never came. In that country, a nod means “no”.
Tom had a similar problem when he arrived in India. After explaining something in class, he asked his students if they understood. They answered with many different nods and shakes of the head. He thought some people had not understood, so he explained again. When he asked again, they did the same thing. He soon found out that his students did understand. In India, people nod and shake their heads in different ways depending on where they come from. You have to know where a person is from to understand whether they mean “yes” or “no”．
1. The Americans teaching English in other countries found that they ________.| A．had problems with communication | B．needed to learn foreign languages |
| C．should often discuss their experiences | D．should go abroad for vacations |
| A．nodding heads | B．raising eyebrows |
| C．shaking heads | D．saying “no” |
| A．he didn’t know where the students came from |
| B．he didn’t explain everything clearly enough |
| C．some students didn’t understand his questions |
| D．he did not know much about Indian culture |
| A．In Bulgaria, nodding heads means “no” |
| B．Jan taught English on a Pacific island. |
| C．Lisa was trying to buy some cabbage. |
| D．In India，only shaking heads means “yes”. |
7 . The Torch Festival (火把节) is a traditional festival which is celebrated among some ethnic groups in southwestern China, such as the Yi, Bai, Hani, Lisu, and Lahu, etc. It usually falls on the 24th or 25th of June, with three days of celebrations. The festival came from worship (崇拜) of fire by ancestors (祖先). For some ethnic groups, it’s a tradition in the festival for elders to share farming experience with young people and educate them about taking care of crops.
During the festival, big torches are made to stand in all villages, with small torches placed in front of the door of each house. When night falls, the torches are lit and the villages are bright. At the same time, people walk around the fields and houses, holding small torches and placing the torches in the field corners. Inside the villages, young people are singing and dancing around the big torches that keep burning throughout the night. Other activities like horse races are also held during the festival.
In a horse race of the Yi people in Yunnan, torches are used to form hurdles for riders to get through. The Hani people in Yunnan traditionally tie fruits to torches with strings. When the strings are broken after the torches are lit, people struggle for the fruits for good luck.
For the Lisu people in Sichuan, the festival is an occasion for holding torch parades. Big torches are carried by teams of people, which is like a fire dragon. If different teams meet, it’s a tradition to exchange the big torches with one another.
1. What can we know about the Torch Festival from the first paragraph?| A．It has nothing to do with farming. |
| B．Its celebrations usually last two days. |
| C．It is a traditional festival of all China. |
| D．It is a festival to show worship of fire. |
| A．ancestors. | B．young people. |
| C．elders. | D．ethnic groups. |
| A．Why the festival is enjoyed. | B．Where the festival is celebrated. |
| C．How the festival is celebrated. | D．What torches are used for the festival. |
| A．Holding torch parades. | B．Tying fruits to torches with strings. |
| C．Struggling for fruits for good luck. | D．Using torches as hurdles for a horse race. |
If you visit a supermarket in the UK in March or April, you will notice a strange thing: Shelf after shelf is filled with large, brightly-colored eggs.
Look a little
Easter is a festival
For Christian people Easter is a religious festival. According
However, some people suggest that Easter has its origins in pre-Christian times. They say that the very earliest societies celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of spring — the time
Whatever its origins, Easter is big business. The UK’s biggest retailer (零售商) of Easter eggs sold more than 20 million units last year and some Easter eggs
9 . Many people may think the Forbidden city, or the Palace Museum as it’s also called, is
The museum’s online store now offers special cultural and creative
Last year, a documentary
Some other museums across the country, such as the National Museum of China,
10 . The “Chong Yang Festival” is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, which is also known as the Double Ninth Festival.
Climbing Mountains
People like to climb mountains on this festival, so Double Ninth Festival is also called “Mountain-climbing Festival”.
The 9th lunar month, with clear autumn sky and bracing air, is a good time for sightseeing.
Climbing mounting also indicates “climbing to a higher position”. Another reason why climbing mountains are valued by people, especially by the elderly is that it has a meaning of “climbing to ligneous life”. Climbing mountains on Double Ninth Festival was already popular in the Tang Dynasty.
Drinking Chrysanthemum Flower(菊花) Wine
The chrysanthemum flower wine is unique in brewing. In ancient times, people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the 9th of the 9th lunar month, and brewed the mixture of them and grains into the wine.
The Double Ninth cake is also known as “flower cake”. It dates back to the Zhou Dynasty. It is said that the cake was originally prepared after autumn harvests for farmers to have a taste of what was just in season, and it gradually grew into the present cake for people to eat on the Double Ninth Day.
| A．Eating Double Ninth Cake |
| B．Making “flower cake” with friends |
| C．A lot of poems were devoted to this custom |
| D．So people love to go sightseeing this month |
| E．It would not be drunk until the same day next year |
| F．Here are some traditional customs of the Double Ninth Festival |
| G．But few Chinese people are aware of the importance of the festival |
