1 . For the first time, a woman captain led Britain’s Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Canadian officer Megan Couto made history on June 26 by commanding the troops guarding Queen Elizabeth's London home. Couto, 24, led her Canadian unit in the ceremony, which is witnessed by thousands of visitors to London each year. Her unit is the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry （步兵），also known as The Patricia's".
The British Army said Couto was the first ever female infantry officer to lead the ceremony. “We look forward to seeing a British Army female infantry captain of the queen's guard when roles are opened up to women by the end of next year,“ a statement read.
Women were barred from serving in the British infantry and other fighting roles until the military changed the rule last year.
Canadian Captain Megan Couto made history by becoming the first female Captain of the Queen's Guard as she took part in the Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, Monday, June 26. The Canadian unit was invited to Britain to mark Canada's upcoming 150th anniversary. Canada Day is celebrated on July 1.
Canada was established on July 1, 1867, when Britain approved the British North America Act. The act established the Canadian Confederation out of three British colonies(殖民地). Canada, along with several other nations, still belongs to the British Commonwealth(英联邦). Queen Elizabeth still serves as the country's official head of state.
Many celebrations will be held throughout Canada to mark the country's 150th birthday. Among the activities will be parades, musical and cultural performances and fireworks. Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are to spend three days visiting Canada to mark the anniversary. In Britain, people plan to gather in London's Trafalgar Square to take part in a celebration for Canada Day. The event will feature musical performances, Canadian food, sports and other activities. It is predicted that there will be thousands of foreign visitors coming to enjoy the event.
1. What is special about the Changing of the Guard ceremony this time?| A．It didn't include Britain soldiers. | B．It was commanded by a female. |
| C．It was led by a British officer. | D．It was held in Canada. |
| A．To honour the British queen. | B．To guide the British queen. |
| C．To attract foreign visitors. | D．To celebrate Canada Day. |
| A．It was part of Britain. |
| B．It was the same as it is today. |
| C．It belonged to the USA. |
| D．It was out of the British Commonwealth. |
A．Delicious food on Canada Day. | B．Celebrations to be held in Canada. |
| C．Foreign visitors to enjoy the event. | D．Activities to be held for Canada Day. |
The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is
Shopping centres have been organizing events and activities to celebrate Chinese Spring Festival for years, while concerts and other performances are also proving
It seems that Chinese Spring Festival is becoming a
3 . 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 |
4 . 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. |
5 . 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. |
1. 活动的时间和地点；
2. 活动的目的和意义；
3. 表达你的期待。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
增加：在缺同处加一个漏字符号（^），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的同用斜线（/）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。
I had a wonderful summer holiday. Before the holiday, I have spent a lot of effort and time prepare for the College Entrance Examination. However, a good rest needed after the hard study of three years. I did many kinds of relaxed activities, such as going to the park, riding a likes, playing sports, etc. Besides, I took a boat trip along the Three Gorges Dam, that had been dreaming about for in a long time. And I read variety books about college life in our local library to get much knowledge. I also took part in some social activities active and found a part-time job so that I could learn more about society. What meaningful the holiday was!
8 . September is the month for fashion, with four international cities hosting the fashion week. All eyes will turn to New York, London, Milan and Paris this month to see which city puts on the best show.
New York
New York Fashion Week, or NYFW, kicks off on September 5th and runs for approximately eight days. NYFW is considered the most commercial and casual of the four. It is also the only event to allow some fashion school students to participate, bringing a fresh look to the runway.
London
London Fashion Week (LFW) comes on the heels of NYFW, starting on September 13th, and running through September 17th. Once considered a minor player among the Big Four, LFW can now command a list of big names as well as promising new designers. London fashion houses have a reputation for being very experimental and open to new ideas.
Milan
Fashion Week moves to Milan on September 17th. This beautiful Italian city is home to some of the biggest fashion houses and designers in the fashion world, including Armani and Prada. Milan’s fashion houses are known for offering glamorous(有魅力的), yet practical, options.
Paris
The month of fashion makes its way to France as Paris Fashion Week begins on September 23rd. Saving the best for last, Paris never fails to offer some of the most exciting shows of the season. World-famous labels like Chanel and Dior try to outdo one another with their latest designs. The word that best describes Paris Fashion Week is ''elegant''.
1. Which city is likely to attract the new designers?| A．London. | B．New York. |
| C．Paris. | D．Milan. |
| A．September 21st. | B．September 20th. |
| C．September 29th. | D．September 23rd. |
| A．Each offers practical option. | B．Each shows its biggest brand. |
| C．Each is open to school students. | D．Each has its own characteristics. |
9 . When the leaves begin to change colors,it means one thing for many travelers：Fall festival season is here.If you’re interested in visiting a fall festival in America,here are some of the country’s best fall festivals for you to choose from.
Wellfleet Oysterfest
Wellileet Oysterfest is a two-day event held in Wellfleet,Mass.The meeting on Cape Cod is one that the locals look forward to all year long.Feed on oysters(牡蛎）and other seafood，while you watch the fastest oyster-eaters in the world compete in the famous Oyster Shuck-Off,a competition for taking the outer covering of oysters.The competition is taken very seriously.
Harvest on the Harbor
It takes place in Portland,Maine.The festival celebrates all that is best about Maine’s food and wine.This celebration is held every October,and includes the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year Competition and Savory Samplings at the Marketplace.The latter allows travelers to taste the best local food that Maine has to offer at Casco Bay.
Killington Hay Festival
If you’re looking for a fall festival that includes hay sculptures(干草雕塑)，take part in the yearly Killington Hay Festival.When you begin to see the giant hay sculptures,you’ll know you’ve arrived.Past sculptures have changed from a 20-foot-tall kangaroo to a family of penguins.
1. What can we learn about the meeting on Cape Cod?| A．It takes place twice a year. | B．It lasts three days in all. |
| C．It’s loved by the locals. | D．It’s not open to tourists. |
| A．People who want to go to a festival in November. |
| B．People who want to try Maine’s local food. |
| C．The fastest oyster-eaters worldwide, |
| D．The best cooks around the world. |
| A．They all serve seafood. | B．They are all liked by eaters. |
| C．They all last for two days. | D．They all take place in fall. |
10 . People love to celebrate. Whether it’s a birthday or a wedding, we enjoy having a reason to relax and have a good time. This is especially true for festivals that welcome spring and summer. Here are some celebrations you may not know about.
Carabao is a buffalo(水牛) found in the Philippines, and the Carabao Festival is a day of dancing and revelry(狂欢)in May that celebrates the strong animal that plays such an important role in Filipinos farming economy. The animals are cleaned before a parade in which 20 or more of them—many decorated with paint and colorful ribbons—walked through the streets.
Cooper’s Hill is a steep, grassy knoll(圆丘 ) near Gloucester, England, which is longer than a football field. Cooper’s Hill is a late May event in which participants race one another to beat a nine-pound cheese round to the bottom of the hill. The event attracts lots of contestants but is harder than it sounds. Lots of contestants bite the dust before they reach the finish line. The winner gets the cheese.
The Boryeong Mud Festival takes place each summer near Seoul, South Korea. Tons of mud are trucked from the Boryeong mud flats to a beach area near the event. People participate in lots of activities, including a mud pool, mud skiing and mudslides. By the time the celebration is over, anyone coated in soft or dried mud can take a short walk to the beach for a quick bath.
La Tomatina is an organized tomato fight that takes place in Bunol, Spain, every August.The festival’s origins are unclear, but that hasn’t lessened anyone’s enthusiasm.The battle lasts for about an hour, and participants have to throw squashed(挤烂的) tomatoes to reduce the risk of injury. After the fight, both the people and the streets are covered with tomato guts. Fire trucks then begin the difficult task of washing everything.
1. In which celebration can people compete with each other?| A．The Carabao Festival. | B．Cooper’s Hill Cheese-rolling Festival. |
| C．The Boryeong Mud Festival. | D．La Tomatina Festival. |
| A．In May. | B．In March. |
| C．In July. | D．In August. |
| A．An unforgettable celebration. | B．Exciting activities. |
| C．Different customs of celebrations. | D．Different festivals in Asia. |
