Each year on February 2nd, there is special festival called Groundhog Day (土拨鼠日 )' forecasting event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. When it comes, people from around the world, including 5,000 in the small town today, watch this tongue-twisting(发音饶舌的) small town for a sign from one groundhog that supposedly predicts when that years' spring will arrive.
If it's a cloudy day outside when the groundhog pops from its cave, then spring will arrive early that year. However, if it is sunny outside, the groundhog will supposedly be scared by its own shadow, hiding underground for six more weeks of cold weather.
Of course, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction is no more able to guarantee the extended forecast than your local weatherman. ABC News reports that an analysis by the National Climate Data Center found that Phil's predictions are more often wrong than right.
Philis is also found to have made some unpleasant predictions. Ever since 1887, he has predicted 99 extended winters and just 16 early springs .Nine of the years' predictions were unavailable, according to ABC.
The holiday began as a German tradition in 18th century and became even more of a cultural phenomenon after the 1993 film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray.
Punxsutawney Phil has become a celebrity in his own right. Each year, the fatter animal with long teeth is watched by millions as he emerges from a cave in the town he is named after. Phil has become so beloved by the town that he actually lives in the local library with his “wife" Phyllis.
Taking inspiration from the hard state of Bill Murray’s character in the classic film, Yahoo contributor Owen Rust says Groundhog Day is a good time to reflect on one’s routines. The underlined word “pops” means “ ”.
| A．escapes | B．appears | C．increases | D．hides |
The reason why Phil's predictions aren't pleasing is that_____________.
| A．some of the predictions were unavailable |
| B．Phil wants to do that for fun |
| C．Phil likes to make unpleasant predictions |
| D．he has predicted more late springs |
How does Punxsutawney Phil become a celebration?
| A．By an accident. |
| B．From people's life improving. |
| C．By his own attractive force |
| D．From much money raised by the town. |
Which does this passage mainly talk about?
| A．The National Climate Data Center |
| B．A German tradition |
| C．A tongue-twisting small town |
| D．Groundhog Day weather forecasting |
A beautiful woman took a plane on business. She found her seat and sat down next to a young man. The man was just thinking of making a few dollars on the plane. When he saw the woman, he got an idea.
“Hey! Would you like to play a game?” he asked the woman. “No, thank you. I just want to take a nap (打盹),” the woman answered.
“It’s really easy. All you have to do is to answer the questions that I ask you. If you don’t know the answer, you give me five dollars. If I don’t know the answer to your question, then I’ll give you five dollars.”
“No,” the woman still refused.
“OK. If I don’t know the answer to your question, I’ll give you five hundred dollars. How about that?” the man said. Then the woman became interested and decided to join in the game.
“OK. How many moons does Jupiter (木星) have?” asked the young man. The woman reached into her purse and took out a five-dollar bill.
“What goes up the mountain with three legs and comes back with four?” the woman asked. Then the young man took out his computer and searched the Internet for an answer. Minutes later, the young man handed five hundred dollars to the woman.
After a few hours, the young man really wanted to know the answer to the question. So he asked the woman, “What is the answer to your question?” The woman reached into her purse and handed the young man a five-dollar bill.Why did the man ask the woman to play a game?
| A．He wanted to show his kindness. |
| B．He wanted to have a pleasant journey. |
| C．He wanted to earn some money from it. |
| D．He wanted to make friends with the woman. |
How much did the woman get at the end of the story?
| A．$ 500. | B．$ 5. | C．$ 10. | D．$ 490. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．The woman told the man the answer to her question. |
| B．The woman gave the man’s money back to him. |
| C．The woman asked the man another question. |
| D．The woman didn’t know the answer, either. |
We can learn from the story that the woman is ______.
| A．clever | B．friendly |
| C．polite | D．honest |
The Rockford police chief and some city officials want to install video cameras in all 100 police cars. They think this will reduce the number of lawsuits(诉讼) against the city. In the last five years, Rockford has paid out more than five million dollars to settle about 40 lawsuits.
The chief said, “If cameras had been in those cars, we wouldn’t have had to pay one penny. We’re always pulling over drunks or drug users who try to fight the policemen or shoot them. Then they always say that the police started beating them first or started shooting at them first. What nonsense!”
The cost of installing cameras will be about $500 per car. The city council(委员会) will vote on the plan next Monday. Ten of the 13 council members, when asked about the plan, said that they liked the idea. One member said that it made good financial sense and common sense. If the cameras are supported, they can be installed in all the cars within six weeks.
The police officers gladly support camera use. One officer said that too many people thought the police were liars; cameras would show citizens that the police told the truth.
Citizen reaction to the idea of police car cameras is mixed. One person said that the police should have started doing this years ago when video cameras were invented. But an elderly man said that cameras were against privacy. “These police are trying to stick their nose into everything,” he said. He was going to attend the council meeting to fight the plan. He hoped that other citizens would join him.How did most council members feel about the plan?
| A．Worried. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Disappointed | D．Satisfied. |
The underlined word “liars” refers to the people .
| A．who tell lies | B．who catch thieves |
| C．who give advice | D．who buy products |
What are the public’s attitudes towards the plan?
| A．They will attend the council meeting. |
| B．They strongly support the elderly man. |
| C．They hold different opinions about it. |
| D．They think highly of video cameras. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Cameras in Police Cars. |
| B．A Plan Against the City. |
| C．All the Citizens, United! |
| D．Shooting at the Police. |
Rockford should pay about $ dollars for the plan.
| A．5,000,000 | B．50,000 |
| C．40,000 | D．1,300 |
Dear Parents,
Welcome to our fifth grade class in Room 35 at Anne E. Moncure Elementary School. We have a very busy and exciting year in store for us!
Before I give you a short preview of some of the subjects to be covered during the course of this year, let me first introduce myself. I am Elaine Bogucki and I have lived in Stafford County since 1987 with my husband. This will be my fourteenth year at Anne E. Moncure Elementary School and I consider myself very fortunate to be among such a professional faculty(全体教员).
I realize that teaching your child is a privilege, as well as a very great responsibility. I will do my best this year to ensure that each student has a motivating and safe learning experience in the classroom. However, I cannot do this alone: I need your help. We both need to be partners in the learning process. I need each of you to encourage your child at home by helping to ensure that they have completed their assignments, and help them study for tests, if necessary. I will keep you informed of all assignments and subjects that are covered in class with a weekly summary.
Finally, I have prepared some information that may help answer some of your questions about our subjects and classroom. I know that with your help we are going to have a great year!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Elaine BoguckiWe can infer from the passage that the parents’ meeting was held .
| A．at the beginning of a new school year |
| B．before summer vacation |
| C．at Anne E. Moncure Elementary Scholl |
| D．after an important test |
Which of the following is TRUE about Elaine Bogucki?
| A．She was born in Stafford County. |
| B．She has been teaching for 13 years. |
| C．She’s a very good teacher. |
| D．She has got married. |
The underlined word “privilege” in Paragraph 3 means .
| A．special right only to a person |
| B．special advantage only to few people |
| C．something nice you feel lucky to do |
| D．a very difficult job |
According to the passage, it’s necessary for parents to at home.
| A．bring up their children |
| B．do homework for their children |
| C．help their children to study |
| D．encourage their children if they fail in tests |
Mrs. Elaine Bogucki .
| A．will tell the parents about their child’s assignments and subjects per week |
| B．will go to visit her students every weekend |
| C．has prepared some questions for parents to answer |
| D．asks parents to help her teach |
There are plenty of different parks to visit in the UK. All theme parks in Britain have cafes, restaurants, picnic areas and gift shops, so you’ll still have plenty to see and do when you and the kids have been on enough rides. There are usually smaller “funfair” rides and games as well, so younger children won’t get bored. Several theme parks also have other attractions next to them, e.g. water parks often open all year round, unlike the theme parks.
Wherever you are in Britain, there’s likely to be a theme park within one or two hours’ drive, bus ride or train journey. Several theme parks even have accommodation(膳宿) so you can stay for a day or two if you want to make a trip into a short holiday.
Prices for UK theme parks vary considerably; some have an entrance price which allows you to go on all the rides, while in others you have to pay for every ride individually. It can also make a difference whether you go during peak time or not. For example, tickets always cost more during school holidays and weekends than they do during the weekdays.
Theme parks always get very busy during the summer months, so if you don’t like crowds, it’s usually a good idea to go earlier or later in the year!
If you’re thinking of visiting a UK theme park, it’s worth having a look for special offers on tickets. Products such as chocolate bars and cereals sometimes have “buy one get one free” offers on theme park tickets, so keep a look out in shops and supermarkets.This passage mainly talks about all the following EXCEPT .
| A．things to do | B．prices for theme parks |
| C．rules to obey | D．special offers |
You can’t in the theme park according to the passage.
| A．have lunch | B．stay for the night |
| C．enjoy special offers | D．have a skiing |
If you go to the theme park during the weekdays, you’ll probably .
| A．have to spend more | B．save some money |
| C．get something free | D．have a good time |
According to the passage, what should you do if you are tired of crowds in the theme park?
| A．Avoid the busiest months. |
| B．Go earlier or later in the daytime. |
| C．Choose one with few visitors. |
| D．Go there when no one is in it. |
The best title for the text would be .
| A．What to Do in the Theme Park |
| B．Theme Parks in the UK |
| C．Visiting the Theme Park |
| D．Introduction to Famous Theme Parks |
Sydney has a huge bus system. No buses accept cash, and a ticket needs to be bought ahead of time. The buses often run at busy hours and regularly during the day. The Sydney Explorer bus provides air-conditioned service and stops at 27 tourist attractions. Its partner, the Bondi Explorer, stops at 19 attractions. Tickets allow holders to jump on and off as they please, and they are valid for one or two days. It’s an easy way to see the city and the surroundings.
Sydney’s train service runs throughout the central city area and the surroundings. Tickets can be bought from machines that operate 24 hours a day or from ticket offices. The monorail (单轨铁路) travels through central Sydney. It is the most excellent way to gain a good view of the whole city. The monorail runs every three to five minutes, and it takes 15 minutes to complete its journey.
Sydney is build around a harbour, and the Parramatta River has a large ferry system. It serves the area around the harbour. These include Taronga Zoo, Darling Harbor, Rose Bay, the North Shore, Cockatoo Island and Sydney Olympic Park. The ferries have operated for more than 135 years and 14 million passengers take the ferries each year.
Water taxis can transport passengers to specific locations, and offer guided tours of watereways. They also offer special services that some visitors may enjoy. The tickets sell for 20 Australian dollars for a day or 57 Australian dollars for a week. It is strange, isn’t it?What should people take when getting on the bus in Sydney?
| A．Cash. | B．Tickets. |
| C．Change. | D．Bank cards. |
The underlined sentence in Paragraph I means that passengers .
| A．can stop the bus at any time |
| B．can visit the city at night |
| C．should buy two tickets to get on and off the bus |
| D．can get on and off the bus many times with a ticket |
Which of the following is the best way to view the whole Sydney?
| A．By monorail. | B．By bus. |
| C．By train. | D．By ferry. |
Compared with the ferry, what is the advantage of water taxi?
| A．It runs much faster. |
| B．It is much cheaper. |
| C．It can reach more places. |
| D．It can provide special services. |
How much will a visitor spend if he buys a water taxi ticket for six days?
| A．20 Australian dollars. | B．37 Australian dollars. |
| C．57 Australian dollars. | D．120 Australian dollars. |
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