1 . New Year’s celebrations take many forms, but most cultures have one thing in common—have a good time after a long, hard year. For much of the globe this involves drinking with friends until the sun comes up, singing together. But others have rather more curious habits, often filled with superstition (迷信).
In Denmark, people stand on chairs and jump off together as the clock strikes midnight, really leaping into the new year. The Danes also throw plates at their friends’ homes during the night-the more pieces you find outside your door in the morning the more popular you are said to be.
In Finland, say tour guides, people pour melted (熔化的) lead into cold water to predict the year ahead from the shape the metal forms. If the shape represents a ship it is said to predict travel, if it’s a ball, good luck.
The Dutch build massive bonfires with their Christmas trees and cat sugary donuts—one of many cultures to consume round New Year’s foods traditionally believed to represent good fortune.
Spaniards, in turn, cat a dozen grapes before the strike of midnight, each fruit representing a month that will either be sweet or sour.
In the Philippines, people wear polka dots (带圆点的服装) for good luck, while in some countries of South America people put on brightly coloured underwear to attract fortune—red for love and yellow for financial success.
Despite regional and cultural differences, for most the New Year’s festivities are a chance to let off steam before the annual cycle starts all over again. “This is a holiday that is about celebration and letting go,” explained George Washington University sociologist Amitai Etzioni.
1. In which country is the festival related to metal?| A．Denmark. | B．Spain. | C．Finland. | D．The Netherlands. |
| A．The Danes throw grapes at their friends’ homes during the night. |
| B．Spaniards eat many donuts before the strike of midnight. |
| C．The Dutch build massive walls with their Christmas trees. |
| D．Some people in South America wear red underwear for love. |
| A．Get married. | B．Get relaxed. | C．Make money. | D．Make friends. |
2 . The Guide to Film Festivals
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes, France in May
Top prize: Palme d’Or
History: The first Cannes Film Festival took place in September 1939, but it didn’t happen again until after World War II. The Palme d’Or prize was introduced in 1955. The festival became established during the 1960s and is now known as the world’s most important and influential film festival.
Did you know? About 20 feature films compete each year for the Palme d’Or. Previous winners include Michael Moore and Quentin Tarantino. Unlike the Oscars, the top prize is frequently shared between two films. Famous films that have won the Palme d’Or include Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, La Dolce Vita and The Third Man. The festival attracts more than 40,000 people every year.
Venice Film Festival
Venice, Italy in August/ September
Top prize: Golden Lion
History: The Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival still in existence. The film festival was in 1932 and it attracted over 25, 000 people. The festival did not appear again until 1934, when there was a competition between 19 countries. The festival was held three times during World War II and has been held almost every year since then.
Did you know? Films at the 61st Venice Film Festival in 2004 were nominated for 16 awards at the Oscars — the highest ever for the festival. These films included Vera Drake, Shark Tale, Collateral and Finding Neverland.
The London Film Festival
London, UK in October/ November
Top prize: Non-competitive
History: The London Film Festival started in 1956 when a group of film critics led by the famous Dilys Powell, the film critic for The Sunday Times, got together over dinner. They discussed the festivals at Cannes and Venice, and they agreed that London needed one, too. They wanted to give people the opportunity to see films from around the world that were not being shown in the cinemas. The first festival showed 20 films at the National Film Theatre on the South Bank.
Did you know? The festival is one of Europe’s largest public film events, screening about 280 films from 60 countries. Although it is non-competitive, the British Film Institute awards the Sutherland Trophy to the most original and imaginative first feature film screened at the festival.
1. The Venice Film Festival____| A．didn’t attract many people at first |
| B．has been running longer than any other film festival |
| C．is regarded as the most essential film festival |
| D．has been held every year since 1934. |
| A．To make some films public. | B．To bring film critics together. |
| C．To choose the best original feature films. | D．To compete with other film festivals. |
| A．producing | B．watching | C．judging | D．showing |
3 . Known locally as sakura, the cherry blossoms in Japan are popular with both locals and tourists alike. For the Japanese, sakura hold much cultural and historical significance that goes deeper than their obvious beauty.
Sakura are usually only in full bloom(盛开) for about one week.
The specific time of the cherry blossom season varies from region to region each year. Luckily, the Japanese Meteorological Corporation(日本气象厅) has done all the work. Each year it posts forecasts of when the blooming will begin in each region.
| A．It’s easy to plan your trip around the sakura. |
| B．Most people bring beer or other drinks to mark the occasion. |
| C．Many people hold flower-watching parties known as hanami. |
| D．The predictions aren’t just looking at the weather months in advance. |
| E．The JMC will release updated forecasts with the newest information. |
| F．The pink flowers have inspired poets, artists and soldiers for centuries. |
| G．If you manage to catch the tail end of the blooming, you’ll see the beautiful event. |
4 . Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey
The garden is flowing with large lighted flowers. Some of the trees are brilliant, too. The glasshouse is decorated like a gingerbread house, and displays (展览) seasonal plants. There are lanterns around the lake. The cafe serves hot chocolate and apple juice.
●£9.90, adult £3.60, child
●20 Dec. to 2 Jan.
Festival of Light, Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire
Longleat is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Large lanterns take the shape of some of the park’s animals, and there are also lots of characters in Beatrix Potter’s book, such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck, Squirrel Nutkin, to mark the 150th anniversary of the author’s birth. There is also a 20-metre-high birthday cake.
●£27.85, adult £20.65, child under-threes, free
●15 Dec. to 2 Jan.
Festival of Light, Enchanted Park, Gateshead
Enchanted Park is an interactive walk through Saltwell Park, just south of the town centre, along a trail of light with performances and sculptures. “The story being told is Midwinter Night’s Tale, inspired by the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.” Visitors can join stories and songs with Santa, and attend decorating workshops.
●£8, adult £2, child under-fours, free
●11-27 Dec.
Christmas at Kew Gardens or London
Kew is a special place to visit at any time of the day or year, but the festive light show gives it a magical twist, as the mile-long trail through the garden is decorated with 60,000 lights. Some of the garden’s oldest and tallest trees are also beautifully lit along the way.
●£16, adult £10, child under-fours, free
●24 Dec. to 2 Jan.
1. Which of the following events last the longest?| A．Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey. |
| B．Festival of Light, Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire. |
| C．Festival of Light, Enchanted Park, Gateshead. |
| D．Christmas at Kew Gardens or London. |
| A．Learn to write stories. | B．Play with wild animals. |
| C．Pay a visit to glasshouses. | D．Sing songs with Santa. |
| A．£16. | B．£26. | C．£36. | D．£48. |
5 . Mrs. Obama spoke to the graduates of Martin Luther King Jr. High School on Saturday in her only high school commencement (毕业典礼) speech this year. The ceremony took place in the gymnasium of Tennessee State University.
The first lady told the 170 graduates that she spent too much of her time in college focusing on academic achievements. While her success in college and law school led to a highprofile job, she said, she ended up leaving to focus on public service. “My message to you today is that don't waste a minute living someone else's dream,” she said. “It takes lots of real work to discover what brings you joy and you won't find what you love simply by checking mailboxes or surfing the Internet.”
She said MLK reminded her of her own high school experience in Chicago.“My No.1 goal was to go to a high school that would push me and challenge me,” she said. “I wanted to go somewhere that would celebrate achievements.” “Unfortunately, schools like this don't exist for every kid,” she said. “You are blessed.”
The first lady told the graduates that failure may be a part of their college careers, and that how they respond to difficulties determines what they will become. “That's when you find out what you're really made of in those hard times,” she said. “But you can only do that if you're willing to put yourself in a position where you might fail. Overcoming difficulties has been a mark of many great people,” she said. “Oprah Winfrey was demoted(降职) from her first job as a news reporter, and now she doesn't even need a last name,” she said of media giant Oprah Winfrey. “And then there's this guy Barack Obama. I could take up a whole afternoon talking about his failures. He lost his first race for Congress,” the first lady joked, “and now he gets to call himself my husband.”
1. When choosing her high school, Mrs Obama .| A．wanted to study law |
| B．was pushed to make a choice |
| C．failed to find an ideal school |
| D．was willing to meet challenges |
| A．to be brave enough to risk failing |
| B．to work hard to get promoted |
| C．to start as a news reporter |
| D．not to waste time doing what they dislike |
| A．In a news report. |
| B．In a politics book. |
| C．In a graduation paper. |
| D．On Mrs Obama's blog. |
| A．She is a graduate of Tennessee State University. |
| B．This is the first time she has given a speech to graduates. |
| C．She complained about her school life in her speech. |
| D．She is enthusiastic about public service. |
