1 . My son’s seventh birthday is approaching, so conversation at my house has naturally turned to organizing his party.
For his sixth birthday, we booked the local trampoline(蹦床) park. This worked out well. But the whole event cost us hundreds of pounds. This year, I’m trying to convince him that the dinosaur-themed park down the road offers just as much fun—and you don’t even need to wear special socks! This will be cheaper, because we aren’t required to hire a space—we can simply buy tickets for his mates.
But I still keep pondering over one thing—party bags. Why should a bunch of seven-year-olds, who have already been treated to a day out and a mountain of sugar, also be handed a bag full of pound-shop gifts for simply bothering to show up?
Party bags are an environmental disaster. I reckon my son attends 20 parties per year, and at each party there are 20 kids in attendance, which means 400 plastic bags in total. Within these 400 bags are perhaps 800 plastic toys, almost all of which fall apart on the journey home and then get binned instantly. The waste is shocking, and I don’t want to be part of it.
I know there are some party bag alternatives: one couple I know covered a table with Mr. Men books and got the kids to choose one each. At another party, I saw the hosts fill a bucket with soft toys and crumpled newspaper, and do a lucky dip (抽奖). Admirable efforts.
Even if that is a nice try, and even if the contents in the party bags don’t fall apart, so what? Will our guests think more highly of our child because of the party bags from our party? Will my child’s ability to make and keep friends be improved?
Well, the tradition for kid’s party bags ends with me, and it ends here, and it ends now. Who’s with me?
1. Why does the author recommend the dinosaur-themed park?| A．Because it’s more enjoyable. | B．Because it provides socks. |
| C．Because it can reduce cost. | D．Because it offers free tickets. |
| A．Gifts brought by guests. | B．Gifts prepared by hosts. |
| C．Gifts distributed by parks. | D．Gift a donated by charities. |
| A．Intolerant. | B．Objective. | C．Favorable. | D．In different. |
| A．Be recycled. | B．Be repaired. | C．Be thrown away. | D．Be given away. |
2 . For the sixth year in a row, a Florida Chick-fil-A (CFA) celebrated the birthday of a longtime customer who has been coming to the restaurant on a regular basis for over 20 years! The CFA location in Oldsmar, Florida, USA, hosted a 104th birthday party for beloved customer Mr. Steve on Nov.8.
In a Facebook post, the restaurant said Mr. Steve visited every morning for over two decades until 2018. He sat at the same table, ordered the same breakfast and read the morning paper during his daily visits. Now, he visits on a regular basis.
“His visit was a daily highlight and our team would take five to ten minutes each day to sit and talk with him,” the post said. He is described as one of the “sweetest, most genuine, kind, and humble people we have had the pleasure to know” by the restaurant employees, many of whom have developed a special relationship with him over the years.
The restaurant shared pictures from each celebration. When he turned 100, the location said it went “big” by dedicating a table to Mr. Steve and gifting him free CFA for life. The celebration resulted in national news attention and the opportunity for Mr. Steve to film a Chick-fil-A commercial in New York City.
In 2020 for Mr. Steve’s 102nd birthday, CFA team members showed up to his home and celebrated him with a socially distanced party in the driveway. In 2021, the restaurant opened its dining room just for Mr. Steve in order to celebrate his 103rd birthday.
“As we celebrated 104, we couldn’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity to return even a portion of the love that he shares with our team, and for the bond that we have been able to build over the past six years of birthdays,” the restaurant wrote on Facebook.
1. When did the Florida Chick-fil-A begin to celebrate Mr. Steve’s birthday?| A．When he was 97. | B．When he was 98. |
| C．When he was 99. | D．When he was 100. |
| A．His long life. |
| B．His personality. |
| C．His life experience. |
| D．His commercial success. |
| A．His getting free CFA for life. |
| B．His visiting the CFA every day. |
| C．The CFA’s opening its dining room for him. |
| D．The special celebration of his 100th birthday. |
| A．To express gratitude. |
| B．To attract customers. |
| C．To share an experience. |
| D．To make an announcement. |
3 . While birthdays are a good thing to celebrate, certain aspects of a birthday party may be harming the environment.
First, pick a place where your child would find plants and animals that he rarely sees on a daily basis. You can choose to reserve a pavilion(亭子) at a local park.
Since you're already out in nature, why not take advantage of the setting by playing a couple of nature-themed games? A blind walk helps develop a child's learning through his senses. By removing the sense of sight, the other senses are strengthened. You can also plan a scavenger hunt (寻物游戏)
| A．You can also head to the woods near your house. |
| B．You can buy something at the store to serve as the prize. |
| C．Create a list of items that children can look for in the party space. |
| D．However, you can make your child's next birthday more eco-friendly. |
| E．There are different themes that you can consider when planning a party. |
| F．Besides the party activities, you also have to prepare the party materials. |
| G．Then, ask the guests to bring their own reusable cups to reduce plastic waste. |
4 . Our wedding was about to begin. My throat was tight and my cheeks got red, but I didn't care. I was ready to marry David Sanchez. We're a “nontraditional” couple: getting married in a bookstore that supports a charity to fight HIV and homelessness.
“Kim! I could walk you down the aisle (走道) if you like！” David's father offered gently.
“I'm OK. But I appreciate that，” I said with a smile. And I was reminded, again, of my dad's absence.
My father died of cancer six weeks ago. For the last two months, we tried to make him feel comfortable and loved as he departed from this world. He always told us that he didn't like a funeral (葬礼) and insisted that our wedding go forward as planned. But how could we honor him since the wedding would be the first time the family would gather after his death and some even didn't know he was sick?
During the ceremony, my dear friend Eva delivered a reading entitled “When Things Go Missing” by Kathryn Schulz. She paused and got everyone on the same page, “When we are experiencing it, loss often feels like confusion in the usual order of things. In fact, the entire plan of the universe consists of losing, and life amounts to a reverse (逆向的) savings account in which we are eventually robbed of everything.”
I felt the energy full of the room. Everyone was listening. By choosing to accept the pain, we knew what a wedding does to join two families and mark the next chapter for a couple. Loss became a compass that kept us away from a fantasy and toward celebrating the difficult realities of life.
After rings were exchanged, fried chicken was served, our friends offered so many funny and touching toasts, and finally David sang “Married” on my father's guitar. I felt joy filling all the holes in my soul. Celebrating my father's life at our wedding made me grateful for all the time I had spent with him.
1. Why did David's father offer to walk the author down the aisle?| A．To relieve her tension. |
| B．To welcome her to his family. |
| C．To play the author's late father's role. |
| D．To contribute something to the charity. |
| A．She got a compass as a wedding gift. |
| B．She enjoyed David's promise for their marriage. |
| C．She received more sympathy from families and friends. |
| D．She recalled the days spent with her father and understood life better. |
| A．Because she could keep away from the pain. |
| B．Because she knew everyone was listening. |
| C．Because she got more courage for the marriage and life. |
| D．Because she could read a piece of Kathryn Schulz's works. |
| A．It was held in a library. |
| B．It was a touching and happy one. |
| C．Kim and David turned it into a funeral. |
| D．There was no other activity except reading. |
5 . When your birthday rolls around, how do you answer when Grandpa calls to ask you what you want? Well, first of all, you should brainstorm gift ideas before deciding what you want for your birthday.
As for what to buy for your birthday, you can choose physical things.
Now that you’ve known what you want for your birthday, next you need to narrow down your wish list. If you can’t decide between a few things, write down the good things and the bad things about each item on your list.
| A．Also, you can consider choosing experiences as gifts. |
| B．It can be as simple as going to a museum in your city. |
| C．Whatever you want to buy, keep people’s budget in mind. |
| D．You may be delighted to learn how to cook a favorite dish. |
| E．Then write down the ones you really like on your wish list. |
| F．For example, you can consider art supplies if you’re an artist. |
| G．Choose the item that has the most advantages and the fewest disadvantages. |
6 . A birthday is always a special celebration. It’s important to enjoy yourself because it’s the day out of the year that belongs to you.
Plan a get-together
Day trips are a wonderful birthday activity for those with a busy lifestyle. A week before the date, look into places around you that you’ve always wanted to visit. It may be a city, a rural countryside or a mountain resort. Regardless, it should be a place where you can relax and get away from your busy lifestyle. You can invite a few friends along, or just take the trip yourself.
Spoil yourself
On your birthday, it’s perfectly understandable to be a little selfish. Treating yourself on your birthday is the best gift you can give yourself after being financially responsible all year long.
| A．Be yourself at home |
| B．Get away for the day |
| C．A quiet and relaxing place is your priority |
| D．Invite a few friends over for drinks and dinner |
| E．Let them know that you appreciate their company |
| F．There are plenty of ways to make the big day memorable |
| G．Purchase the shirt you’ve been eyeing in the storefront window |
7 . Ways to Say “Happy Birthday to Me”
Whether you’re celebrating alone or with friends or family, take time for gratitude and joy on your special day.
Tomorrow is my birthday — and I’m at an age when not everyone looks forward to cake and presents.
They say it’s better to give than to receive, and while everyone loves to open a birthday present, there’s a lot of joy and goodness to be gained from being generous to others. Making a birthday donation to a charity that means something to you — this year I will donate to the Sierra Club — is a great way to make your values known to the world around you.
Try something new
Today you are starting a new loop（圈）around the sun. Why not embrace（欣然接受）the newness of the moment? Dipping your toes into some new waters,
Whether or not you have the opportunity to share a meal, an outing or a party with friends and family, take time on your birthday to connect with people who are important to your life. If you use social media like phones, you’re likely filled with wishes from the loved ones. Use these as a jumping-off point to start new conversations and reconnect with people who lift your spirits and support you in your journey toward being your best self.
| A．Give a gift to someone else |
| B．I love my birthday, though |
| C．Build your relationships |
| D．appreciate the sun going down to the west |
| E．downloading an app to learn a new language |
| F．Freshen yourself up with countless opportunities |
| G．One choice is to donate a dollar amount to match your age |
What does the underlined word “hassle” probably mean?
| A．A party designed by specialists. |
| B．A plan requiring careful thought. |
| C．A situation causing difficulty or trouble. |
| D．A demand made by guests. |
