1 . What do Tom Sawyer and jumping frogs have in common? Stories about both of them were created by one man: Mark Twain. Twain was four years old when his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri, located on the west bank of the Mississippi. Twain grew up there and was fascinated with life along the river—the steamboats, the giant lumber（木头）rafts, and the people who worked on them.

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is one of Twain's best loved short stories, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of his most famous novels. Both these works are celebrated by events held during National Tom Sawyer Days, which originated in the late 1950s and became national in the 1960s. Children enter their frogs in the jumping contest during National Tom Sawyer Days. There's also a fence painting contest to see who can paint the fastest. The idea for this contest comes from a scene in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, in which Tom has been told to paint the fence in front of the house he lives in. It's a beautiful day, and he would rather be doing anything else. As his friends walk by, he makes them believe that it's fun to paint, and they join in the “fun”. By the end of the day, the fence has three coats of paint!

Although the story of Tom Sawyer is fiction, it's based on facts. If you go to Hannibal, you'll see the white fence, which still stands at Twain's boyhood home.

1. Which of the following statements about Mark Twain is TRUE?

A．He was born in Hannibal.

B．He enjoyed his life in Hannibal.

C．He spent most of his childhood on the Mississippi.

D．He often went rafting（坐船漂流）on the Mississippi with his parents.

2. Tom Sawyer Days were created____________.

A．about forty years ago

B．in memory of a great writer

C．shortly after Twain's death

D．to improve kids' interest in reading

3. Who will win the fence painting contest?

A．Bob, painting the longest.

B．Julia, painting most carefully.

C．Jim, painting in the newest way.

D．John, painting in the shortest time.

4. From the white fence at Twain's boyhood home, we know that______________.

A．the story of Tom Sawyer is based partly on Twain's experiences

B．the story of Tom Sawyer is based totally on Twain's imagination

C．Twain's old house is painted by the fence painting competitors

D．Twain's old house is visited by people from all over the country

2 . I've been really lucky this year. Not only did I have the opportunity to live in France, but 1 was able to see some other countries with my girlfriend. Now she is studying in Essen, a large city in Western Germany. I recently went to stay with her----it was my first visit to Germany! Essen is a very large city. It has all the conveniences of any large city so I felt immediately at home. I love the variety of shops, restaurants, shopping malls, cocktail bars, nightclubs, parks and even a lake. There is also a city-wide network of trams（有轨电车）, which makes getting around a piece of cake!...

I found the people to be really friendly, and most Germans speak very good English, which made life easy for me. I was surprised by the casual attitude to alcohol in Germany, where it seems normal for people to drink beer on the street or on the tram. My girlfriend and I visited two famous local cities. Dusseldorf and Cologne, which are both on the Rhine River. Dusseldorf is an urban metropolis with a great variety of restaurants. We took a boat tour on the river and went up the Rhine tower, a really tall building which offers great views across the city. Cologne, as you might know, is world famous for its perfumes. The cathedral（大教堂）there is an unmissable landmark. We made the effort to climb to the top of one of the cathedrals tower, The spiral（螺旋的）stairs seemed endless. but it was worthwhile for the impressive sights from the top.

We also went in a cable car over the river and tasted a German delicacy called "Spaghettieis” which is ice cream with strawberry sauce! I also got to try the famous German sausage. I must admit, I really enjoyed the food! The only disappointment was the grey and rainy weather, which proves that Britain does not have the worst weather in Europe!

1. Why did the writer feel lucky this year?

A．He will have a chance to live in Germany.

B．He met his girlfriend in France by chance.

C．He got an opportunity of learning in Germany.

D．He was able to live in France and visit other countries.

2. What do Dusseldorf and Cologne have in common?

A．They are both famous for unique perfumes.

B．They both serve traditional German sausage.

C．They both have many towers with a long history.

D．The both offer wonderful views from the tower top.

3. According to the writer, which country has the worst weather in Europe?

A．Britain

B．Italy

C．Germany

D．France

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．Mt first visit to Germany

B．A Brief Introduction of Germany

C．A Guide to the Germany

D．An Unforgettable Trip