| A．Holiday plans. | B．Work problems. | C．Family members. |
| A．Lovely. | B．Low-key. | C．Expensive. |
| A．The housework. | B．Weekend plans. | C．The weather. |
4 . For the holiday gathering, you may be wondering how you’re going to pull it off. Before we go into the specifics, a few words of general advice: You don’t have to throw the party your parents did.
We talked to a party-planning expert, Miller. Here’s her advice on how to host a stress-free holiday gathering without losing your mind.
The best way to avoid being exhausted is to be prepared. Many seasoned hosts set their tables several days in advance. “Always pretend your event is a few days before.” Miller says.
Pick a serving setup.
Before you choose your menu, determine your serving style.
Embrace a mixed menu.
The pandemic has made takeout an option not only for family dinners, but also for entertaining, because many restaurants now offer specific holiday dinner dishes to take home.
| A．This is your show. |
| B．Dress the house in your own style. |
| C．Be prepared with a carefully worked-out plan. |
| D．You can get great food from so many local places. |
| E．Throw a party that isn’t on the holiday itself. |
| F．Buffets are good if you don’t have a large dining table. |
| G．There is always work you have to do at the last minute. |
The 22nd “Meet in Beijing” International Arts Festival
As a major
A grand gala (文艺晚会)
As part of highlights from international shows, the opera Carmen and the ballet classic La Traviata
6 . Everyone feels like winding down in December. Even if you do not celebrate Christmas, the New Year is approaching and most people take a few days' break. In many workplaces this feeling of “mission accomplished” is accompanied by an established tradition: the office party.
In boom (繁荣) times these can be truly lavish (奢侈的) affairs. A Bloomberg event in 2000 was said to have cost £ 1 m (then $ 1. 5m).
Few companies today desire the publicity that tends to follow such an event. The natural question is, if you are spending that amount on a party, how much are you charging clients (客户)? Companies are rightly more sensitive than they were about the risks involved when workers lose their restraint (约束) after consuming too much alcohol. A survey of American companies found that 59% had discussed, or planned to discuss, the dangers of “inappropriate celebrating” with staff.
To avoid these dangers, the chief operating officer of BDO, an accountancy firm, has suggested that two chaperones (陪同人员) attend seasonal celebrations. Other accounting firms have suggested holding daytime events rather than after-hours drinks parties.
There is a lot to be said for daytime celebrations. First, it makes attendance easier for anyone caring for small children, or elderly relatives, and who thus finds it difficult to stay out late. Second, people are likely to be a bit more restrained in their alcohol consumption at lunchtime than in the evenings. And third, celebrating during working hours feels like a real break from duties; attending after work seems more like a responsibility.
Most workers don't expect their seasonal event to turn into a big party; they are just hoping to avoid feeling bored. Only a quarter looked forward to their Christmas event and 71% would rather have a small cash bonus than a noisy party.
Naturally, there is an economic answer and it is specialisation. Think of Adam Smith's pin factory where everyone plays their different part; let everyone have the party they want. Some may want to down the white wine but others may be happier only to eat the cake.
In short, it is easier to enjoy yourself if you can do so in your own fashion. And that may include not partying at all. If managers think staff would rather spend time at home than attend, let them; the company will save money.
1. What can we learn about the office party from the first three paragraphs?| A．It may raise doubts from the public |
| B．It can be costly yet good value for money |
| C．It should be banned to avoid risky behavior |
| D．It will become a new trend in the workplace |
| A．We can get rid of some unwanted duties |
| B．We can drink alcohol to our heart's content |
| C．We will strengthen our sense of responsibility |
| D．We will find it convenient to look after family members |
| A．To recommend a good place for celebration |
| B．To stress the importance of respecting personal preference |
| C．To give a good example of a lavish celebration |
| D．To advise people to visit the factory as a celebration |
| A．Stop celebrating Christmas | B．Let them eat Christmas cake |
| C．Give them a formal celebration | D．Hold an office party to avoid duties |
7 . Teen Read Week is a week-long celebration of reading. The event was founded by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) in 1998 and is observed each year during the third week of October.
Other libraries may use Teen Read Week as an opportunity to form a teen advisory board.
Another potential activity for Teen Read Week includes providing a lock-in at the library. Teens spend the night in the library playing games, reading, watching movies, and eating snacks.
If the budget permits, some libraries may choose to invite a popular writer to the library.
| A．The board usually consists of teen participants. |
| B．The library staff look after the teens throughout the night. |
| C．Some libraries host an open house for teens during Teen Read Week. |
| D．The theme for this year’s Teen Read Week is Turn Dreams into Reality. |
| E．YALSA has lots of resources and ideas for celebrating Teen Read Week. |
| F．Authors who write books for teens can make a public appearance at the library. |
| G．For seven days, the library increases its efforts to encourage teens to read for fun. |
8 . White chocolate, German chocolate, ice cream: There are hundreds of types of birthday cake in the world, each beautiful in its own sugary way. You are likely to enjoy one during at least one (hopefully all) of your birthday parties. But in between delicious bites of cake, have you ever stopped and wondered, “Why am I eating this? What makes this dessert fit to celebrate the day of my birth?”
It’s because you are as important and beloved as the gods. Kind of.
The ancient Egyptians are thought to have “invented” the celebration of birthdays. They believed when pharaohs (法老) were crowned, they became gods, so their coronation (加冕) day was a pretty big deal. That was their “birth” as a god.
Ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition, but realized that a dessert would make the celebration all the more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to Artemis, goddess of the moon. They decorated them with lighted candles to make the cakes shine like the moon. Hence, it is the reason why we light our birthday cakes on fire.
Modern birthday parties are said to get their roots from the 18th century German celebration “Kinderfeste”. On the morning of a child’s birthday, he or she would receive a cake with lighted candles that added up to the kid’s age, plus one. This extra candle was called the “light of life,” representing the hope of another full year lived.
And then, torture — because no one could eat the cake until after dinner. The family replaced the candles as they burned out throughout the day. Finally, when the moment came, the birthday child would make a wish, try to blow out all the candles in one breath, and dig in. Like modern tradition, the birthday girl or boy wouldn’t tell anyone the wish so it would come true.
Since the ingredients (原料) to make cakes were pretty expensive, this birthday custom didn’t become popular until the Industrial Revolution. More ingredients were available, which made them cheaper, and bakeries even started selling pre-baked cakes.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．The origin of birthday cakes. | B．The significance of birthday cakes. |
| C．The history of birthday parties. | D．The introduction of cake production. |
| A．Germans. | B．Pharaohs. |
| C．Ancient Greeks. | D．Ancient Egyptians. |
| A．pleasure | B．replacement |
| C．sharing | D．suffering |
| A．The transport was inconvenient. |
| B．The ingredients of cakes were expensive. |
| C．The cake could not be eaten before dinner. |
| D．The bakeries would not sell pre-baked cakes. |
| A．Mother and son. | B．Classmates. | C．Brother and sister. |
10 . The following are some of the most unique celebrations from all around the world.
Songkran—Thailand
If you’re in Thailand between April 13th and 15th, get ready for the world’s biggest water fight. The celebration marks the beginning of the Thai New Year, where cleansing with water is meant to purify and renew. In Bangkok or Chang Mai, the water fights can last up to six days. While this is the most popular activity, Songkran is also a time when people visit elders and monks to pay their respects to the New Year.
La Batalla del Vino—Haro, Spain
June 29th is a good day to visit Haro, Spain. Bring a bottle of red wine and prepare to be drenched (湿透) in red wine in the heart of Spain’s grape-growing region. After a church ceremony, a large number of people get gathered for the battle, where white shirts will be made bright purple by the end of the day.
Bay to Breakers—San Francisco, California
Created after the terrible 1906 earthquake as a way of lifting people’s spirits, the race has become one of the region’s most important events. Hosted every year on the third Sunday of May, the race runs approximately 12km through the city. The real highlight, however, is the thousands of people dressed up in a show. Wear whatever you want: Batman suits, purple wigs (假发)...
Koninginnedag—The Netherlands
Although their Queen’s birthday is actually during the winter, she celebrates it on April 30—the country’s official “Queen’s Day” since 1949. Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of shining wigs and body paints, as crowds gather in the squares. Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day.
1. If a tourist enjoys water sports most, we can recommend _____________.| A．Songkran | B．La Batalla del Vino |
| C．Bay to Breakers | D．Koninginnedag |
| A．The race began hundreds of years ago. |
| B．The most exciting part is the 12km race. |
| C．It’s celebrated by people all over the country. |
| D．It was to encourage people after the disaster. |
| A．people should wear formal clothes |
| B．people should get together at home |
| C．people attend the church ceremony |
| D．people can paint themselves orange |
