1 . Party themes are a popular way to add something special to birthdays, anniversaries or any type of gathering. There are many options for putting together a French-themed party.     1    

Including French phrases in your invitation is an easy way to set the mood for a French-themed party. Conveniently enough, a number of standard invitation and party phrases are already French. “Hors d’ oeuvre” can be substituted for “appetizer (开胃小菜)”, for instance. The commonly-used “R. S. V. P.” stands for the French “repondez sil vous plait”, meaning please respond.    2    

You can use the French spellings for other words, too, particularly if you are throwing a French-themed party for an anniversary or other occasions. For instance, “Coeur” is French for “heart”, “enchante” means “enchanted”, and as many are already aware, “l’ amour” means “love”.     3    

    4     French music can be downloaded online if you don’t have access to a collection. French food can also be researched online. Crème Brulee, Eclairs and madeleines are all popular French desserts.

Decoration can be an important part of carrying off any theme. For a French-themed party, one way to improve your decoration is to use well-known French icons. The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe are both recognizable architectural structures, for instance.    5     Another option is to decorate your dining area like an outdoor cafe in Paris.

A．So consider spelling out this phrase to add effect.

B．You might also post prints by famous French artists.

C．Music and food can add much to your French-themed party.

D．Anyone who has been to France will be eager to talk about it.

E．Besides, it can be relatively easy and inexpensive to create one.

F．These words can also be used in your decoration, thank-you notes and more.

G．Color schemes for French-themed parties can vary according to your preferences.

2 . Adults generally dislike getting older.     1     It’s no surprise, then, that many kids look forward to their birthdays, especially the 16th birthday. For girls in America, a “Sweet 16” birthday is an important rite (仪式) of passage that celebrates approaching adulthood.

In the United States, the 16th birthday is a mark that a girl has come of age. She is not a legal adult yet, but at 16, many girls can begin to learn to drive.     2     For many youths, the 16th birthday is a celebration of womanhood and marks the end of the girl’s childhood.

Society and media often put great importance on a girl’s 16th birthday.     3     Both of them have great personal importance. They think of their 16th birthdays like women think of their weddings.

    4     The event can be held in a garden, a park or somewhere else. Often, a girl has been planning her 16th birthday party for long and has a very specific idea about what she wants and who she wants to invite. As long as she doesn’t waste money, letting a girl plan her 16^th birthday is a great way to let her creativity and personality shine.

There are many theories about how the sweet 16th birthday came into being. Most connect the birthday celebration with the Mexican Quinceanera, which takes place on a girl’s 15th birthday, or European ancient coming-of-age celebrations.     5    

A．She is still just a little kid.

B．Many parties show a girl’s interest.

C．However, kids find “growing up” exciting.

D．The big part of a sweet 16th birthday is the party.

E．They can get jobs and take other adult responsibilities.

F．No matter where the celebration began, it has become a tradition.

G．Many movies show girls’ 16th birthdays are just as important as graduations.

3 . 下面文章中有3处需要添加小标题。请从以下选项（A、B、C和D）中选出符合各段意思的小标题，并在答题卡上将相应选项的标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。

Importance of Festivals in a Child’s Life

Festivals are a part of our culture. We have grown up around them. Children enjoy festivals more than adults. In fact, there are a lot of things that children can learn from celebrating festivals.

    1    

Festivals mean that the entire family can be together. Kids and parents find time to help each other to decorate their houses, prepare delicacies(美食), make gifts and so on. This allows children to form a stronger bond with their family and relatives.

Create a sense of togetherness

Celebrations always involve people coming together and helping each other to have a good time. In fact, it brings families closer and makes them more connected.

    2    

Festivals are a great way to understand one’s culture. A child can be taught more about their culture and their country during festivals and celebrations. This makes them proud of their country and culture.

    3    

Festivals also mean gift-giving and sharing. The exchange of gifts teaches children to share joys. When children participate in donating or gifting to the poor during festivals, they learn to share and care for others. While celebrations can be a fun time for children, the lessons they receive are even more valuable and long-lasting.

A. Bring family together
B. Learn the value of sharing
C. Understanding their parents
D. Help them know their culture

4 . The following are some markets which have become tourist attractions.

Wiener Christkindlmarkt, Austria

Known as Viennese Dream Christmas Market, Wiener Christkindlmarkt, or Rathausplatz, is one of the Austrian capital’s oldest and most traditional attractions. It has a 150-square-meter children’s ice rink (溜冰场). Tree of Hearts, a giant maple tree with hundreds of shinning red hearts, is a hot favorite with visitors to have a picture.

Open time: November 10 — December 26

Basel Christmas Market, Switzerland

Basel Christmas Market is divided into two different sections at Barfusserplatz and Munsterplatz. Family attractions include the Christmas fairy tale tree at Munsterplatz with activities such as gingerbread and candle decorating, a star workshop and a festive train.

Open time: November 23 — December 23

Strasbourg Christmas Market, France

One of Europe’s oldest Christmas markets, Strasbourg began back in 1570, drawing in over two million people every year. Place Klebe is probably its most popular place thanks to the great Christmas tree.

Open time: November 24 — December 24

Brussels Winter Wonders, Belgium

Brussels really comes to life at Christmas time thanks to Winter Wonders, which is more like a festival than a market. A light and sound show, ice skating, and pleasure ground rides are among the activities to enjoy, while visitors can also stare in wonder at the huge Christmas tree set up in Grand Place.

Open time: November 11 — December 31

1. What can visitors do at Rathausplatz?

A．Appreciate a sound show.	B．Enjoy a train ride in an ice rink.
C．Take photos with many red hearts.	D．Ride wooden horses in a playground.

2. What do the four Christmas markets have in common?

A．They have a great tree.	B．They own a good place for skating.
C．They hold various activities for tourists.	D．They are the oldest one in their own country.

3. Which market is open for the longest time?

A．Wiener ChristkindImarkt, Austria.	B．Brussels Winter Wonders, Belgium.
C．Basel Christmas Market, Switzerland.	D．Strasbourg Christmas Market, France.

6 . A couple had to put their wedding on hold after a barn owl (仓枭) called Darcy which had been chosen to deliver the rings fell asleep in the roof of the church. The bride had secretly arranged it. But what happened was out of her expectation.

Rev Bryan, who was in charge of the ceremony between Sonia Cadman, 46, and Andrew Mettle, 49, said: “It would have been absolutely excellent — if it worked. It was a lovely idea and it was supposed to be really stunning. When it dived over the heads of the guests, they’d all feel the air rushing from its wings and would get a big surprise.

“The groom is an amateur falconer (训鹰人) and so it was secretly arranged for two falconers to suddenly appear at the moment when the best man was about to hand over the rings. One of them stood at the front of the church next to us with a gauntlet (金属护手) on, as another appeared at the back of the church with a box. The owl came out and paused for a little bit. Then it saw the gauntlet and took off but instead of landing on the arm of the man and delivering the rings, it went up over our heads, landed in the roof space and fell asleep then.”

Rev Bryan added: “We all laughed about it, and then we tried to get it down, but it didn’t come. It probably thought ‘I’m a barn owl and this is like a barn, so I’ll take a rest’. It is said that never work with animals because they don’t always do as they’re told! So we had plan B — a back-up pair of rings. After a few minutes, we gave up trying to get it down and carried on. It was nice to be able to have a bit of a laugh. It’s important that people realize that a church wedding doesn’t just come as a package of things you have to do. I’m all for including something of the personality and individuality of the couple getting married. It was such a magical wedding and full of emotion.”

“Luckily the service was able to go ahead and the groom was able to hold the bird (after it woke up) and have some really nice pictures taken after the ceremony. ”

1. Why did Darcy appear on the wedding ceremony?

A．It was the pet of the new couple.	B．The groom wanted to take picture with it.
C．It was expected to deliver the rings to the couple.	D．The bride arranged to give it to the groom as a gift.

2. What does the underlined word “stunning”(paragraph 2)mean?

A．Amazing.

B．Funny.

C．Harmonious.

D．Inspiring.

3. What did Rev Bryan think of Darcy’s accident?

A．It had been intended by the two falconers.

B．It made the wedding not as good as expected.

C．It added fun to the routine wedding ceremony.

D．It helped people to realize the value of church weddings.

4. Sonia and Andrew’s wedding ceremony could not go on without ______.

A．the owl

B．falconers

C．the guests

D．the back-up rings

7 . WUHAN, China (Reuters) — Large crowds took to the streets at midnight on Friday in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, celebrating the arrival of 2021 after a year scarred by a deadly pandemic (大流行) that killed thousands there and required the city to be locked down between the end of January and early April.

According to the tradition, hundreds gathered in front of the old Hankow Customs House building, one of the city’s most popular New Year’s Eve spots. When the building’s old clock reached midnight many people released balloons into the air, cheered and called out “happy new year” .

“I’m so so so incredibly happy,” said 20-year-old student and tourist Yang Wenxuan. “This is my first time in Wuhan. But it was so amazing.”

“I hope that I can successfully obtain my bachelor degree and I hope I can find a boyfriend,” Yang added.

There was a heavy police presence and strict crowd control. Some security personnel were seen telling several of the few people without masks that they must put one on if they wished to stay. Still, the countdown appeared to proceed peacefully, in a relaxed atmosphere.

The festivities came 12 months after the World Health Organization (WHO) said it first received word of cases of a pneumonia (肺炎) of an unknown cause in Wuhan, which later became known as the world’s first outbreak of COVID-19. A team of WHO experts is scheduled to arrive in China in January 2021 to find out the origins of the pandemic.

Wuhan has been largely virus free for months. But a recent small rise in cases in various Chinese cities, including Beijing, has reminded people in Wuhan that the pandemic is not over yet.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A pandemic having killed thousands.	B．A college girl looking for a boyfriend.
C．A thrilling new year celebration in Wuhan.	D．A lock-down to stop the spreading of the virus.

2. What does the tourist want to convey with the 3 “so”s in Paragraph 3?

A．Anxiety.

B．Disappointment.

C．Regret.

D．Excitement.

3. What can we tell from the last 3 paragraphs ?

A．Security was a big concern among the people.

B．The origin of COVID-19 is yet to be identified.

C．People in Wuhan are no longer bothered by the disease.

D．The pandemic is going back to Wuhan from other parts of China.

4. Where can we most probably read the passage?

A．A textbook.

B．A newspaper.

C．A guidebook.

D．A magazine.