When you put down your pens at the end of the college entrance exam, 12 hard years of study will have come to an end. Forget your studies for a while. It's time to enjoy yourselves!
There are many ways to celebrate this special month of graduation. You can have photos taken with your classmates and teachers, or dine out together and exchange gifts.
High school students in Western countries such as the United States and Canada usually have a prom to mark their graduation. It's to mark the time kids turn into young men and women. After the prom, teenagers either go to college or find a job. It means they are no longer as dependent on their parents as they were before.
At the prom, boys usually dress in dinner jackets and bow ties, though many different types of formal clothes are worn. Traditionally, girls give boys matching boutonnieres (a small collection of flowers they pin to their jackets). Girls traditionally wear formal dresses, or dress to shock or be noticed, in shiny or brightly colored materials.
Common prom activities include dining, dancing, the crowning (加冠) of a prom king and queen, and just talking to friends. In some cases, high school students collect funds for their class prom through the four years of their high school.
High schools in or near large cities may rent ballrooms at expensive hotels or, to be unusual, on a pleasure cruise boat.
But often costs are cut by simply using the school gym. Students make a lot of effort to decorate the gym to make the event special. The music played at the prom will be the most popular kinds, like rock and hip-hop.
The students elect the Prom Queen. She is partnered with a Prom King who is elected similarly. These are great honors that the pair take very seriously. The two dance with each other to celebrate their election.
Sometimes teachers and parents also go to the prom. But others like to go with friends, to whom they are soon going to be saying goodbye.
If you like the idea of a prom, why don't you and your classmates organize one for your graduation?What does the word “prom” probably mean in the passage?
| A．A dancing competition. | B．A party held to celebrate graduation. |
| C．A fashion show. | D．An election. |
Which of the following is an economical way to hold the prom?
| A．Renting a ballroom. | B．Taking a cruise boat. |
| C．Holding it in the school gym. | D．Wearing formal dresses. |
Which of the following clearly indicates that prom is very important to students?
| A．They take pictures at the prom. | B．They wear formal clothes or special clothes. |
| C．Music is played at the prom. | D．Teachers and parents attend it. |
Why do some students attend the prom with their friends?
| A．They want to be elected by their friends us the Prom King or Queen. |
| B．They don’t like to be accompanied by their parents. |
| C．They don’t want to depend on their parents. |
| D．They will part with their friends in a short time. |
Why is the prom so important to students?
| A．They have chances to be elected as the Prom King or Queen. |
| B．They can be relieved from the study pressure. |
| C．They are going to say goodbye to their friends. |
| D．The prom is to mark the graduation and after it they will be independent. |
Scores of farms across he country are opening up to overnight guests．The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn（小旅馆） — plus here a moo, there a moo．
Sure, you and your kids have a plan for the theme parks．In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay（干草）? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation．
LIBERTY HALL FARM
Rochester, Vt．; 802/767-3926; www．libertyhillfarm．com．Adults $75, teens $50, kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths．
Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook．You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough（生面团） for a pie．Bob’s busy with other work．Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs．Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 am to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season．
HULL-O FARM
Durham, N．Y．; 518/239-6950; www．hull-o．com; Adults $110, kids 10-14 $60, 5-9 $50, 2-4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths．
It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices．But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it．As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch（入口处） of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar．Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride．
MERAMEC FARM CABINS
Bourbon, Mo．; 573/732-4765; http://www．wine-mo．com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person．Trail and riding fees extra．
Climb on the back of the Ford pick up and catch up with the herd．One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back．At the barn（牲口棚） Carol will introduce you to the horses — 15 Missouri Fox Trotters — and lead you on a ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims．Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river．When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants, within 20 miles of the farm．The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that _____．
| A．you can enjoy the best cuisine at the first rate restaurant |
| B．some farms provide country experiences as well as good accommodations |
| C．farm work is hard, but you can enjoy it a lot, playing with the animals |
| D．if you want to hear a cow’s cry, please stay on a best farm |
We can learn from the three ads that ____．
| A．Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors |
| B．Frank and Sherry Hull run a farm out of a storybook |
| C．kids can sit on a gentle cow’s back on Hull-O Farm |
| D．you can’t milk a cow if you get up late on Liberty Hill Farm |
The Browns have a 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter．If they stay on Liberty Hill Farm for one night, how much will they pay?
| A．$175． | B．$220． | C．$235． | D．$250． |
Who will be most likely interested in the webpage?
| A．Kids who want to find pleasure in the theme parks． |
| B．People who expect to be employed on the farm． |
| C．Those who plan to have family vacations on working farms． |
| D．Researchers who are interested in raising cows on farms． |
Russia and the United States have completed the largest spy exchange since the Cold War．On Friday, at an airport in Vienna, Austria, an American plane and a Russian plane landed, parked side by side and exchanged occupants．
The United States freed ten admitted Russian agents．The men and women were arrested in late June and pleaded（承认） guilty on Thursday．
In exchange, Russia freed four Russians serving prison sentences on charges of spying for the West．The men include Igor Sutyagin, an armed researcher who always denied the charges．Some considered him a political prisoner．
The United States deported（驱逐） nine Russian and an American citizen born in Peru．Some raised children while living quiet lives as married couples．
Russia’s Foreign Ministry praised the exchange, saying, “The action improved Russian-U．S．relations．”
The group was accused of trying to gain information on American nuclear weapons, foreign policy and politics for the SVR — Russia’s foreign intelligence service．
The ten were only charged with plotting（阴谋） to act as undeclared foreign agents．They were not charged with the more serious crime of spying, so the extent（程度） of their success as spies is not clear．
One of the Russians, Anna Chapman, drew attention with her looks and stories of her New York party life．Hr lawyer, Robert Baum, said she had not passed secret information to Russia or received any payment．He also said, “She was accused of communicating with a Russian official through a laptop to laptop communication, without the government specifying the nature of the communication．”The underlined word “occupants” in the first paragraph probably refers to _____．
| A．the pilots of the planes |
| B．the passengers on board the planes |
| C．the spies of Russia and the United States |
| D．the officials of Russia and the United States |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Altogether fourteen spies were exchanged．
B．Anna Chapman wrote stories about her New York party life．
C．One of the Russian spies was an American born in Peru．The way both countries are handling the issue suggests that _____．
| A．neither side is interested in starting a fight |
| B．neither side is in need of spies now |
| C．the two countries are finding faults with each other |
| D．the two countries are in a cold war now |
The passage is most probably _____．
| A．an advertisement | B．a newspaper ad |
| C．a book review | D．a news report |
They may make us scared, but somehow we just can’t get enough of our favorite monsters．From literature to movies, TV shows to Halloween（万圣节） costumes（服装）, we want more of these blood-drinking, walking-dead, scary creatures!
Here’s a look at a few of them．
Mummy（木乃伊）: All you’ll need is a generous supply of toilet paper of make this instantly recognizable costume．The concept of mummies dates back thousands of years and across many cultures．Mummies are constantly seen in books, movies, and of course, on every Halloween night．
Werewolf（狼人）: The werewolf is known for its superhuman strength and shape-shifting powers．Examples of the werewolf date back to ancient Greek and Roman stories, which were about humans changing into animals and animals changing into humans．With television shows and movies, werewolves are once again having a strong influence on popular culture．
Frankenstein: Mary Shelley created the monster in her 1818 novel．Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who is curious about life and death, uses different body parts to create his works．Shocked by his new scientific creation, however, Victor ran away, leaving the creature to leave the laboratory and go out into the human world．Whether in books, movies, or onstage, this monster is still a costume favorite for people of all ages．
Zombie（僵尸）: Halloween activities would incomplete without zombies to really give people a fright．The zombie earned its title as one of Halloween’s most terrifying creatures after popular films．Zombies still frighten audiences as undead monsters that return to feast on the living．
Dracula（德拉库拉）: This classic vampire（吸血鬼） has terrified audiences for decades, but first appeared as a character in Irish writer Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel．In horror films, Dracula remains the most popular character．He is known for his pale skin, sharp teeth, red lips and son on．According to the article, monsters ______．
| A．are scary but at the same time fascinating |
| B．provide excitement for people who lead dull lives |
| C．are mysterious and have supernatural powers |
| D．can change into humans |
Which of the following statements about monster costume is TRUE according to the article?
| A．A zombie costume is the choice costume of people celebrating Halloween． |
| B．A mummy costume is easy to make and can be immediately recognized． |
| C．Frankenstein’s monster is losing appeal（吸引力） among some people． |
| D．Because of its uniqueness, the Dracula costume is the most popular for Halloween． |
We can conclude that ______．
| A．Dracula is the only monster who first appeared in a book |
| B．mummies may come back to life in the future |
| C．Victor Frankenstein was finally able to get his monster under control |
| D．Frankenstein’s monster was created using different body parts |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Monster Halloween Costumes |
| B．Monsters and Halloween |
| C．Monsters Loved by people |
| D．How Monsters Scare People |
Sitting across from his teacher, Edgar Martinez repeated the word he couldn't quite pronounce: "situation"．The teacher, LisaMojsin, hired to help Martinez reduce his accent, said the word slowly; "Sit-chew-a-shun．" "I wish he had taught me this 20 years ago．" said Martinez, 37, who comes from Mexi
co and lives in Los Angeles．In private tutoring classes throughout the nation, immigrants are focused on sounding more American．
Accent reduction classes have been around for years, but experts say．"As our workforce becomes more and more global, these classes are becoming more and more popular．" Private tutors said they answer calls almost daily from students, when just a few years ago the phones rang only occasionally．Author Amy Gillett said that sales of her book and CD set, "Speak English Like an American", have increased three times in the last few years．Judy Ravin, President of the Accent Reduction Institute, said she has hundreds of students who follow her program, "Lose Your Accent in 28 Days"．
Though there is a general tolerance for diversity, experts said, reality has made some immigra
nts who sound different feel unwelcome．If someone speaks with an accent associated with an Asian language, they may work as engineers or computer scientists．If someone speaks with certain Spanish accents, people may think they are recent immigrants working in landscaping or the hospitality industry （招待性行业）．A French accent gives images of romance．An Australian accent brings to mind adventure and fun．
Accent reduction students said they are aware of how they sound and whether their accents limit their job opportunities or spoil their social lives．Jennie Lo, aged 43, said her accent has been an embarrassment．Sometimes people couldn't even understand her when she said her name．While in college in Oklahoma, Lo said she didn't make many friends, tearing that no one could make out her words．Lo is now taking accent reduction classes and hopes to apply for a manager position at work．"I just want to feel good about myself," she said．"If I really work hard, if I practice every day, I can't be perfect．But I can be bet
ter．"In the whole passage, the first paragraph serves as a（n） _____．
| A．introduction | B．comment |
| C．explanation | D．background |
What does the author want to express in the second paragraph?
| A．The effect that popular accent reduction classes have． |
| B．The fact that accent reduction classes become popular． |
| C．The steps how accent reduction classes become popular． |
| D．The reasons why accent reduction classes become popular． |
If someone speaks with certain Asian accents, people may think _____．
| A．they are romantic | B．they are hospitality workers |
| C．they are computer scientists | D．they love adventure and fun |
What is Jennie Lo's attitude towards her taking accent reduction classes?
| A．Confident． | B．Helpless． |
| C．Proud． | D．Anxious． |
Britain is set to face an increase in cold winters, with up to one-in-seven hitting the UK with longer periods of time when temperatures are below freezing, a study has suggested．The prediction was based on research that found out how low solar activi
ty affected winter weather patterns．
However, the researchers were eager to stress that their findings did not suggest that the region was about to fall suddenly into a "little ice age"．The findings appear in the journal Environmental Research Letters．"We could get to the point where one-in-seven winters are very cold, as we had at the start of last winter and all through the winter before last," said co-author Mike Lockwood, professor of space environment physics at the University of Reading．
Using the Central England Temperature （CET） record, the world's longest instrumental data series that dates back to 1659, the team said that in general temperatures during recent winters had been obviously lower than the longer-term temperatures．"The mean CET for December, January and February for the recent relatively cold winters of 2008 ~ 2009 and 2009~2010 were 3．50℃ and 2．53℃ respectively," they wrote．
"However, the mean value for the previous 20 winters had been 5．04℃．The series of lower winter temperatures in the UK during the last three years had raised questions about the probability of more similar, or even colder, winters occurring in the future．"
Last year．Professor Lockwood and colleagues published a paper that found a link between fewer sunspots and atmospheric conditio
ns that "blocked" warm westerly winds reaching Europe during winter months, opening the way for cold easterly winds from the Arctic and Russia to sweep across the region．Professor Lockwood, while acknowledging that there were a range of possible meteorological factors （气象因素） that could influence blocking events, said the latest study moved things forward by showing that there was "impro
vement in the predictive skill" when solar activity was taken into consideration．We can know from the second paragraph that _____．
| A．research shows that Britain will soon fall into an ice age |
| B．Mike Lockwood's research focuses on space environment physics |
| C．it was quite cold in Britain over the entire winter last year |
| D．so far one-in-seven winters have been very cold in Britain |
The．underlined word "mean" in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to "_____"．
| A．average | B．stable | C．ungenerous | D．changeable |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
| A．It was sunspots that blocked warm westerly winds reaching Europe． |
| B．Meteorological factors hardly have any influence on blocking events． |
| C．The latest study done by Professor Lockwood was of little practical value． |
| D．Considering solar activity or not affects the accuracy of weather forecasting． |
What's the best title of the passage?
| A．Another big danger approaching the UK |
| B．Research finds out solar activity is to blame for the cold |
| C．UK faces more cold winters due to weaker solar activity |
| D．Changes in weather patterns should be responsible for low solar activity |
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