Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes—like tuxedos(小礼服)and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day o
f the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New
Year. In the United States, some people eat black– eyed peas(豇豆)for good luck——but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?
| A．The United States. | B．Spain. |
| C．France. | D．The passage doesn’t say. |
According to the third paragraph, what is a resolution?
| A．Something you burn. | B．Something you eat. |
| C．Something you say. | D．Something you wear. |
What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?
| A．Bringing good luck. | B．Keeping away bad luck. |
| C．Planning for the next year. | D．Remembering the past. |
Which is probably true about eating black – eyed peas on New Year?
| A．Black-eyed peas taste bad. | B．The peas are very difficult to cook. |
| C．One pea brings one day of luck. | D．It is bad luck to eat a lot of black-eyed peas. |
JANE AUSTEN(1775—1817)is often regarded as the greatest of English women novelists on the strength of her six completed novels．Known particularly for their social comedy and accurate description of human relationships，they are still as widely read today as they have ever been．
The seventh child of a country priest(牧师)，Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at Steventon in Hampshire．Her father ,the Reverend George Austen，was an intelligent and sensitive man who encouraged Jane in her love of reading．From an early age she was familiar with the works of Henry Fielding，Sir Walter Scott，Richardson，Frances Burney and the poet George Crabbe．Her early attempts at writing include burlesques(滑稽作品)of popular romances．When her father retired in 1801 the family moved to Bath，which was later to feature in her novel Northanger Abbey(published in 1818)．After his death in 1805 the family moved first to Southampton and then in 1809 to Chawton in Hampshire．where Jane Austen is known to have written her last three novels：Mansfield Park(1814)，Emma(1816)and Persuasion(also published in 1818)．Although her other novels were written much earlier ,it was not until 1811 that Sense and Sensibility was first published．Pride and Prejudice，which followed in1813,features Jane Austen’own favourite hero，Elizabeth Bennet．
Surrounded by her lively and warm family and wholly buried herself in her writing and housework，Jane Austen led a life often known for its lack of events．She did，however ,attract several admirers and even accepted a proposal of marriage from one admirer-only to change her mind the following morning．Jane Austen’s independent life often seems reflected in her novels，which seem to display the world in miniature(缩影)．Sir Walter Scott praised Jane Austen for‘that unique touch which makes ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting’，while Somerset Maugham claimed that she had at her command ‘the most precious gift a novelist can possess’s that of keeping the reader’s interest．Jane Austen died in 1817．The underlined word“touch” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to
| A．style | B．contact | C．taste | D．attitude |
Which of Jane Austen’s novels were published after her death?
| A．Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park． |
| B．Northanger Abbey and Persuasion． |
| C．Pride and Prejudice and Emma． |
| D．Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion． |
We can infer from the passage that Jane Austen had a gift for
| A．attracting admirers |
| B．reflecting her own life in all her novels |
| C．making dull things and characters interesting |
| D．holding the readers’ interest |
This passage is most probably a
| A．collection of women novelists and their works |
| B．comment on Jane Austen and her works |
| C．brief introduction of Jane Austen |
| D．description of Jane Austen’s road to success |
The stars have come together for the 2014 QUT Classic fun run on Sunday, May 4! This year's fun run around central Brisbane not only promises a fantastic family day out--it also happens to be International Star Wars Day.
Hundreds of serious一and not so serious一participants will contest a choice of scenic l km , 5km or l0km routes around QUT (Queensland University of Technology), South Bank and the CBD on Sunday, May 4.
May 4 has become Star Wars Day for fans around the globe一the date being chosen as a play on "May the Force (fourth) be with you"
To celebrate, Yoda will make a special guest appearance at the QUT Classic at 7:20am to help kids warm up for the l km event while the Indie Chamber Orchestra does a live performance of the Star Wars theme. The special visit has been organized by Healthstream QUT, who operate the university's pools and gyms.
Classic organizer Cheryl Goodwin from QUT Student Engagement said the second annual event would also be combined with a buskers(街头艺人)festival, ensuring plenty of entertainment around Gardens Point and along the route.
"The Classic Buskers Festival is being organized by the QUT Music Society and will Feature some of Brisbane’s best buskers and bands as well as QUT talent．There's going to be a mix of music，dance，circus and comedy．"she said．
The QUT Classic will also raise funds for QUT’s Learning Potential Fund，which provides scholarships for low income students．About 1200 people registered for last year’s event and organizers are hoping for a similar--if not bigger-turnout in 2014．
The race will begin and end at QUT Gardens Point，where breakfast will be available for purchase．Both the 5km and 1 0km events will begin at 8：00 am，with the l km event starting at 7：30 am．
QUT Classic registration costs$25 for the l km event，$30 for 5km and$35 for 10km．
People can register as individuals or in teams．One of the biggest teams is expected to be the Learning Potential Fund team，which is open to QUT staff ,students and the general public．
Participants who register before 30 April will receive a race pack．The first 1 000 participants will also receive a free 1imited edition QUT Classic T-shirt．
QUT Running is offering all registrants free training sessions in the six weeks leading up to this event．
For more information on the QUT Classic，contact Cheryl Goodwin on 07 3138 9447 orc.goodwin@qut.edu.au．
Media contact：Mechelle McMahon，QUT media，media@qut.edu.auThe purpose of the passage is to introduce______.
| A．a fun run around central Brisbane |
| B．an international Star Wars Day |
| C．a buskers festival in QUT |
| D．QUT’s learning Potential Fund |
According to the 3rd paragraph，May 4_____.
| A．plays an important part in Star Wars Day |
| B．can be understood in different ways when read |
| C．used to be a festival for fans around the world |
| D．means the same as“May the Force be with you” |
Which of the following will be free for all the participants?
| A．Breakfast． | B．A race pack． | C．T-shirt． | D．Training session． |
If you want to know more about QUT Classic，you can contact .
| A．Healthstream QUT | B．Cheryl Goodwin |
| C．QUT Music Society | D．Mechelle |
The sound of a mosquito can mean trouble in many parts of the world. The bite of the mosquito can be deadly. The insects carry serious diseases like malaria. It is estimated that almost 630,000 people died from malaria and malaria-related causes in 2012, and most of these cases were in African countries.
In the United States, a group of California scientists is working to develop a more effective and less costly substance(物质)to protect people from mosquitoes. The researchers are investigating the sense of smell in mosquitoes. They found the insects use the same receptor(感受器)for identifying carbon dioxide in human breath as they do for the smell of our skin. Anandasankar Ray, who is leading the investigation, says scientists tested more than a million chemical compounds(化合物)until they found a substance called Ethyl pyruvate. He says Ethyl pyruvate makes the mosquitoes' receptor inactive. ”When we apply Ethyl pyruvate to a human arm and offer it to hungry mosquitoes in a cage, very few of the mosquitoes are attracted to the human arm because only a few of them are able to smell it out,” said Ray.
Genevieve Tauxe, a member of the research team, says it was not easy to find the neurons (神经元)of nose cells that recognise both the smell of human breath and skin. "With the device used to examine mosquitoes, we are able to insert a very small electrode(电极)into the part of the mosquitoes' nose, where its smelling neurons are and where the smell is happening," said Tauxe.
Anandasankar Ray says a product based on Ethyl pyruvate may cost less to produce than DEFT，the most effective chemical treatment now in use. He says DEFT is too costly for most people who live in areas affected by malaria.
“Perhaps by finding smells that can attack other target receptors, we will be able to improve upon DEFT and finally have the next generation of insect behavior control products," said Ray.The best title for the passage is most probably _______________________________.
| A．Scientists Find New Substance to Fight Mosquitoes |
| B．A New Generation of DEET Has Been Developed to Kill Mosquitoes |
| C．Malaria一a Serious Disease Causing 630,000 Deaths |
| D．Ethyl Pyruvate一an Insect Behavior Control Product |
According to the passage, Ethyl Pyruvate can_______________________________.
| A．kill the mosquitoes' smelling neurons |
| B．cause the mosquitoes to lose their sense of smell |
| C．result in the inactiveness of the mosquitoes' receptor |
| D．make the mosquitoes uninterested in human breath and skin smell |
Through the passage, the writer aims to_______________________________.
| A．inform readers of the new development in fighting mosquitoes |
| B．praise the achievements made in the battle against malaria |
| C．introduce a cheaper product in fighting mosquitoes |
| D．tell the differences between Ethyl Pyruvate and DEET |
This passage most probably appears in_______________________________.
| A．the column of newspaper ads |
| B．the health column of a magazine |
| C．a textbook of medical schools |
| D．a collection of doctors' essays |
Different Kinds of Birds
Avocets
There are 4 different species of Avocet found around the world-Pied Avocet , Red-necked Avocet, Andean Avocet, and American Avocet. This bird is found in North and South America, Europe, and even Australia. This long-legged bird has webbed feet and an upturned, thin bill.
Bald Eagles
The bald eagle is found in wetlands and near coastlines. They have very large and broad wings, with a broad tail. The head and tail are white in color, which is the major distinguishable factor of the bald eagle. The long, hooked bill is yellow in color. They feed on fish, ducks, rabbits, geese, etc.
Eastern Bluebirds
These are around 61／2 inches in length .Such birds are found mainly in gardens woodlands, and orchards with the arrival of spring. Male Eastern Bluebirds are bright blue on the upper half and have a white belly. Female Eastern Bluebirds have a grayish head with shades of blue as well. New York and Missouri have named this creature as their state bird.
Flamingos
These pink-bodied birds with a unique beak, are generally found in large groups. The beaks are capable of removing mud before they can eat their food. Flamingos can be found in many African countries, areas of Florida, and one particular type of species is found only in the Andean highlands.
Kingfishers
There are over 90 various species of Kingfishers found in the woodland areas as well as wetlands across the world. They are excellent divers when it comes to catching fish in the rivers. Their pointed bills are what help them bag the catch. Kingfishers have good eyesight whether they are in air or underwater. ____ most probably mean the same.
| A．Bill and beak | B．Head and beak | C．Bill and belly | D．Leg and feet |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Eastern Bluebirds are all blue in color. |
| B．Avocets can be found around the world. |
| C．The white head and tail make Bald Eagles distinguishable. |
| D．More Kingfishers can be found in wetlands than in the woodland areas. |
Birds that can be found only in the Andean highlands are ________.
| A．Bald Eagles |
| B．Female Eastern Bluebirds |
| C．Andean Avocets |
| D．one special type of Flamingos |
It can be inferred from the passage that what Bald Eagles and Kingfishers have in common is their____.
| A．habitats | B．shapes | C．ability to catch fish | D．eyesight in air or under water |
PERTH—Search crews will send a submarine(潜航器)deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday for the first time to try to determine whether signals detected by sound-locating equipment are from the missing Malaysian plane's black boxes, the Australian head of the search said.
Angus Houst on said the crew on board the Ocean Shield will send the underwater vehicle sometime Monday evening. The Bluefin 21 submarine can create a sonar(声呐)map of the area to chartany wreckage(残骸)on the seafloor.
The move comes after crews picked up a series of underwater sounds over the past two weeks that were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes.
“We haven’t had a single detection in six days, and l guess it’s time to go under water,” said Houston.
“Analysis of the four signals has reduced the search area on the ocean floor. The experts have therefore determined that the Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield will stop searching with the Towed Pinger Locator(拖曳声波定位仪)later today and use the underwater vehicle Bluefin 21 as soon as possible," he said at a news conference in Perth.
But Houston warned the switch to the submarine will not automatically "result in the detection of the aircraft wreckage. It may not.”
He said the submarine will take 24 hours to do each task, including two hours to dive, 16 hours to search the bottom, then two more hours hack up and four hours to download data.
Recovering the plane's flight data and cockpit(飞行员座舱)voice recorders is necessary For investigators to try to figure out what happened to Flight 370, which disappeared on March 8.
Houston said the search using the submarine will be a slaw and painstaking process.
The submarine takes six times longer to cover the same area as the pinger locator,and will need about six weeks to two months to examine the present underwater zone. The signals are also coming from 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) below the surface, which is the deepest the submarine can dive.The submarine will be sent deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday to _____ .
| A．create a sonar trap of the area |
| B．pick up underwater sounds |
| C．see if the signals detected are from the target black boxes |
| D．reduce the search area on the ocean floor |
According to the passage, the submarine_______ .
| A．will download data of the black boxes |
| B．can find the aircraft wreckage within 24 hours |
| C．will recover the plane's flight data and voice recorder |
| D．can dive to a depth of no more than 4,500 meters |
The underlined sentences in the passage indicate that______.
| A．the switch of the submarine may not function properly |
| B．the Ocean Shield will switch to submarine when it is necessary |
| C．the submarine will detect the wreckage of the plane automatically |
| D．the detection of the wreckage can't be guaranteed by using the submarine |
The search will be a slow and painstaking process, mainly because _____ .
| A．the underwater sounds were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes |
| B．the submarine travels slowly and the ocean is deep |
| C．they haven't had a single detection in six days |
| D．Ocean Shield stops searching wine the towed pinger locator |
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