Dear Dad,
Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father's Day cards. They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you. Yet as I selected and read, it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you.
You'll soon be 84 years old, Dad, and you and I will have had 55 Father's Days together. I haven't always been with you on Father's Day but I've always been with you in my heart.
You know, Dad, there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap. You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other.
The Father-Daughter Duel shifted into high gear ( 档位) when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the '54 Chevy whether you liked it or not. The police officer who sent me home, after you reported the Chevy stolen, didn't have much tolerance for a stubborn 16 year old, while you were so tolerant about it, Dad, and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.
Our relationship greatly improved when I married a man you liked, and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left. Somewhere along the line, the generation gap disappeared. I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together, rather like a fine wine.
But the strangest thing happened last week. I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car. It didn't immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car. It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.
I guess what I'm trying to say, Dad, is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today. Honoring a father on Father's Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking. It's about loving someone more than words can say, and it's wishing that never had to end.
I love you, Dad.
Love,
JennyHow did Jenny probably feel on the night she was sent home by the police?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Nervous. |
| C．Guilty. | D．Frightened. |
We can learn from the passage that Jenny and her father_________.
| A．kept in touch by writing each other |
| B．are separated due to the generation gap |
| C．have been getting along very well |
| D．had a hard time understanding each other |
Why did Jenny feel strange when she saw her father last week?.
| A．She seldom saw him driving that huge car. |
| B．She had never realized his being old and weak. |
| C．She didn't expect to meet with him there. |
| D．She had never seen him driving so slowly before. |
Jenny wrote his father this letter to _________
| A．tell him about their conflicts |
| B．say sorry for her being stubborn |
| C．express her gratitude to him |
| D．remind him of the early incident |
In England, we look forward to our birthdays for 364 days a year!
We invite special people to celebrate it with us.
The Presents
Presents are opened as soon as the children are awake. They can’t wait for the birthday cake later in the day!
The Cards
Friends and family send birthday cards. Sending birthday cards is a custom (风俗) that began in England about 100 years ago.
The Party
The birthday child will have a party to which friends and family are invited. Visitors to the party bring presents for the birthday child. The children play games such as musical chairs and pass the parcel (包裹).
The Cake
The birthday cake is decorated on a theme (主题). A candle for each year is lit and placed on top and the child blows out the candles making a wish. We don’t put objects inside the cake as stated on many websites.
The Bumps (碰撞)
It used to be traditional for the birthday child to have the bumps. Friends would hold the child by the legs and under the arms and lift the child up and down bumping them gently on the ground. The number of bumps given is the age of the child plus one for extra good luck. As this can be dangerous, clapping (拍手) is often done instead.
The Sweets
Some children do take sweets to school to share with their classmates on their birthdays. In England, the birthday present is opened _____.
| A．before the child wakes up |
| B．immediately after the child wakes up |
| C．as soon as the child gets up |
| D．during the birthday party |
If Alice is celebrating her 7th birthday, how many bumps will she be given?
| A．Six. | B．Seven. |
| C．Eight. | D．Nine. |
Which of the following facts about birthdays in England is NOT true?
| A．All the children will receive birthday cards on their birthdays. |
| B．Clapping is often done for the birthday child. |
| C．Objects meaning good luck are usually placed inside the birthday cake. |
| D．Nowadays children may share sweets with their classmates on their birthdays. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．How birthdays are celebrated in the world |
| B．Where to hold an English birthday party |
| C．What to send when invited to a child’s birthday |
| D．How English children celebrate their birthdays |
Given Australia’s size and the fact that early settlements were far apart, Australian society is remarkably homogeneous (同种的). Its citizens are fundamentally prosperous and the way of life in the major cities and towns is much the same however many miles divide them. It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents.
However, there is some difference in lifestyle between city dwellers and the country people. Almost 90 per cent of the population lives in the fast-paced cities along the coast and has little more than a passing familiarity with the desert. The major cities preserve pockets of colonial heritage, but the overall impression is modern, with new buildings reflecting the country’s youth. In contrast, the rural communities tend to be slow-moving and conservative. For many years, Australia was said to have “ridden on the sheep’s back”, a reference to wool being the country’s main money earner. However, the wool industry is no longer dominant. Much of Australia’s relatively sound economy is now achieved from natural coal and wheat, and by being the largest diamond producer in the world. Newer industries such as tourism and wine making are also increasingly important. Australians are generally friendly and relaxed, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. On the whole, Australia is a society without hierarchies (等级制度), an attitude generally held to stem from its prisoner beginnings.
Yet, contrary to widespread belief, very few Australians have true prisoner origins. Within only one generation of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants. Originally coming almost entirely from the British Isles, today one in three Australians comes from elsewhere. Australia’s liberal postwar immigration policies led to an influx of survivors from war-torn Europe, most notably Greeks, Italians, Poles and Germans.
The emphasis has shifted in recent years and today the majority of new immigrants are from Southeast Asia. Today Australia is a ‘blend of nations’ and although some racism exists, it has generally been a successful experiment and the country is justifiably proud to have one of the most harmonious multicultural communities in the world.What does the writer mean by saying “It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents.” in the first paragraph?
| A．Australians speak Standard English with no local accents. |
| B．You have to practice a lot to learn to understand the different accents. |
| C．The Australian regional accents are very difficult to understand indeed. |
| D．There is not much difference between the accents in different areas of Australia. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Most Australians have ancestors who were prisoners. |
| B．The Australian economy is dependent on sheep exports. |
| C．The majority of people living in Australia come from Europe. |
| D．The pace of life is different in the city and in the country. |
We can infer from the passage that _____.
| A．there are no signs of Australia’s colonial past in its modern cities |
| B．Australia’s recent immigration policy encourages immigrants from Southeast Asia |
| C．immigrants from Southeast Asia have brought racial problems |
| D．“riding on sheep’s back” resulted in slow development in rural communities |
3D cinema has been around since the early 20th century, but Hollywood brought the technology back in 2007. Many thought it was just a trick to make more money. But then came Avatar, the first must-see movie in 3D.
But since Avatar, 3D cinema has struggled. In 2010, several 3D movies bombed at the box office. And by late 2010, some people said the technology was dead. Of course, this isn’t the first time Hollywood has struggled technology. Although sound was added to movies in the late 1920s, it took audience time to get used to the new technology. But in the end, sound and color became the standard. James Cameron, director of Avatar, thinks we’re going through the same process with 3D.
Some day cinemas are charging too much for 3D movies. In the Us, seeing a 3D movie can cost up to $7.5 more than seeing it in 2D. Also, a recent study at California State University has found audience don’t actually enjoy movies in 3D any more than in 2D. Walter Murch, a famous movie editor, wrote in 2011 that human beings have no ability to process 3D images. Watching a 3D movie confuses our brain and this is why some people get headaches.
But James Cameron disagrees. In fact, he recently predicted that in five years all movies will be in 3D. And there are signs that 3D is fighting back. More 3D movies were put on the market in 2012 than ever before. The Lion King 3D recently made over $150 million at the box office, and Cameron’s Titanic 3D made even more.
Who knows what the future holds for 3D? Steven Spielberg recently said, “ I’m hoping 3D gets to a point where people don’t notice it because then it just becomes another tool and helps tell a story.”The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably means that in 2010, 3D movies ________.
| A．were not successful | B．became popular |
| C．developed quickly | D．were of poor quality |
The example of sound and color is used mainly to show that ______.
| A．Hollywood tends to absorb what is new |
| B．3D technology takes time to be accepted |
| C．Hollywood struggles with new technology |
| D．high technology helps to make better movies |
In Walter March’s opinion, 3D movies_______.
| A．bring movie makers great profits. |
| B．are more expensive than 2D movies. |
| C．do great harm to people’s health. |
| D．are unsuitable for people to watch. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Avatar was the first 3D movies. |
| B．3D cinema has existed for years. |
| C．Titanic 3D has made the most money. |
| D．2012 witnessed the coming of 3D’s time. |
Old Bear
Kevin Henkes (2008), under 40 pages
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.8
Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations (插图) show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book!
Half-Minute Horrors
Susan Rich (2009), 120~160 pages
Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~ 6th grade)
Price: $9.6
Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators.
Leaves
David Ezra Stain (2007), under 40 pages
Illustrated by David Ezra Stain
Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers
Price: $3.4
Content: It’s Little Bear’s first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again.
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’
Eileen Spinelli (2003), under 40 pages
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.5
Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other.What can we learn from the book Thanksgiving at the Tappletons?
| A．We should always keep things in order. |
| B．We should try to make more delicious food on Thanksgiving. |
| C．If we don’t work hard, there will be no food. |
| D．Family love is the most important thing. |
If you like reading horror stories, which book would you like?
| A．Old Bear. |
| B．Half-Minute Horrors. |
| C．Leaves. |
| D．Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’. |
Who are the main readers of these books?
| A．Adults. |
| B．Old people. |
| C．Little children. |
| D．Middle school students. |
Where can you probably find this passage?
| A．In a travel guide. |
| B．In an advertisement. |
| C．In a science textbook. |
| D．In an official report. |
Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe(假设；虚构) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment(娱乐) of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir(继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
People are now largely vegetarians(素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animals decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060.According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?
A. Many tourists. B. Many other animals.
C. Many plants. D. A sea.What will people eat then according to the passage?
| A．Biscuits in pill form. | B．Foods in pill form. |
| C．Foods in water form. | D．Foods in gas form. |
The passage tells us that in 2060, ________ on the earth than now.
| A．there are fewer population | B．there are more pests |
| C．there is less water | D．the crops are getting better |
Why are people largely vegetarians in 2060?
| A．Because they don’t eat meat . |
| B．Because doctors advise them not to eat meat. |
| C．Because the number of animals decreases. |
| D．Because all the animals have died of diseases. |
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