For lots of people in Britain, the 31st of December, or New Year’s Eve as we call it, is the biggest party of the year. It’s a time to get together with friends or family and welcome in the coming year. New Year’s Eve parties can take place at a number of different places. Some people hold a house party; others attend street parties, while some just go to their local for a few drinks with their mates. Big cities, like London, have large and wonderful fireworks shows.
There’s one thing that all New Year’s Eve parties have in common: the countdown(倒计时) to midnight. When the clock strikes(敲)twelve, people give a loud cheer, and give each other a kiss. They then link arms and sing a song called Auld Lang Syne, by a Scottish poet called Robert Burns. Not many people can remember all the words of the song, but the tune(旋律) is well known, so lots of people just hum along. The parties then continue into the early hours of the morning with lots of dancing and drinking. Other people might spend the day visiting relatives or friends they haven’t managed to catch up with for a while. Whatever happens, New Year’s Day tends to be very relaxed.
In Britain, it’s popular to make a promise to yourself about something you are going to do, or want to stop doing, in the New Year. This is called a New Year’s resolution. Typical resolutions include giving up smoking and joining a gym to get fit. However, the promise is often broken quite quickly and people are back into their bad habits within weeks or days.
New Year’s Day is the last bank holiday of the festive season, which means most people have to go to work the next day: bright and fresh and ready for the new year ahead!
1.New Year’s Eve parties in Britain ________.
A. end at midnight
B. can only be held indoors
C. only take place in big cities
D. include countdown to midnight
2.The underlined word “hum” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.
A. dancing to the music
B. singing with your mouth closed
C. learning to sin
D. keeping silent
3.What does the author think of the New Year’s resolution?
A. It can help people keep fit.
B. It’s a promise to your family.
C. It’s often hard to keep.
D. It’s a joke played on New Year’s Day.
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. New Year parties in Britain.
B. New Year countdown in Britain.
C. New Year’s resolution in Britain.
D. New Year celebration in Britain.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Goedeker's loves to see happy customers, so every year we host a drawing competition in January and July, and one lucky person receives an iPad Mini. Goedeker’s customers can enter the competition through many ways, such as sending product or customer reviews.
When I spoke to July’s drawing winner, I couldn’t believe the encouraging story behind her efforts. Sari Bailey entered the drawing competition in hopes of winning the iPad Mini for her blind granddaughter, Aubrey. Aubrey, soon-to-be 4 years old, was born with a rare condition called Septo-Optic Dysplasia. The condition, also known as De Morsier’s Syndrome, happens when the optic(视觉的) nerves do not develop fully before the baby is born. Aubrey once had an iPad Mini, given to her by the Gia Foundation, which provides an iPad Mini to the blind once a year. However, it was stolen, and her family did not know how they could replace it. The iPad was extremely important to Aubrey’s development, as she uses it for intensive therapy(强化治疗). Each week, Aubrey works through an hour of physical and speech therapy.
While Aubrey may struggle with her sight, she loves music and plays the piano and sings fairly well for a three-year-old! As one can imagine, the iPad plays a huge role in this. She also finished her first year of school in May.
Sari says, "We are very happy for her progress. We like to have as many tools for learning as possible available to Aubrey, thus, my desire for the winning of the iPad Mini! She is a very special little girl and I love her dearly."
Here at Goedeker’s, we wish Aubrey the very best, and we hope she loves the new iPad Mini!
1.Why did Sari take part in the drawing competition?
A. To win an iPad Mini for her granddaughter.
B. To make customers at Goedeker’s happy.
C. To encourage her granddaughter to draw.
D. To prove her drawing talent to her family.
2.How long has Aubrey been suffering from her illness?
A. More than 1 year. B. Around 2 years.
C. Less than 3 years. D. Almost 4 years.
3.The iPad Mini is special to Aubrey because________.
A. it’s a prize received by her grandmother
B. it’s a tool for the treatment of her illness
C. it’s something her family can’t afford
D. it teaches her to sing and play the piano
4.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A. The Yearly Competition at Goedker’s.
B. The Brave Girl Fighting Rare Disease
C. iPad Mini Winner Shares the Love
D. The New iPad Mini from Grandmother
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It has long been thought that first-born children are more successful than their younger brothers and sisters and often have qualities of being more organised and responsible as well as being eager to be in charge.
But a new study has shown that the elder child's achievements can help improve their younger siblings(兄弟姐妹) exam results by helping them to raise their game. For the first time ever, researchers from the University of Essex examined how the success of first born children in school affected their younger brothers and sisters by studying primary school test results.
And the data showed that having an older brother or sister improved a child’s learning with the equal effect of spending an extra £670 on the younger sibling's schooling. One of the study’s authors Birgitta Rabe explained, the older sibling’s achievement may have a direct effect on the younger sibling’s school grades if the older sibling teaches the younger sibling or helps with homework; the younger sibling imitates(模仿) the older sibling, for example in their work style, or tries to be different, for example to avoid competition; the older sibling passes on important information about educational choices or school and teachers to the younger sibling.
The effect is even more noticeable in less well-off families showing poorer children benefit more from a successful older sibling. “We find that the effect is larger for siblings in families relying on free school meals, living in poverty and speaking a language other than English at home. This means that children who live in poverty benefit more from a successful older sibling than children who live in well-off families.”
1.The study is mainly based on the children’s ________.
A. exam results B. work style
C. family background D. educational choices
2.According to the study, ________ tend to benefit more from a successful older sibling.
A. the children who live in rich families
B. the children who live in poor families
C. the children whose parents are successful
D. the children whose mother language is English
3.What can we conclude from the study?
A. Younger siblings are more successful than first borns.
B. First-born children are as successful as their younger siblings.
C. First-born children are more successful than their younger siblings.
D. The success of first borns has positive effects on their younger siblings.
4.The passage is likely to appear in ________.
A. a newspaper advertisement
B. a high school textbook
C. a science magazine
D. a news report
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Be Your Own Best Friend
Why would you want to become your own best friend? There are a number of benefits of creating your own support system from within rather than relying on your partner, friends or family to be there for you when you’re suffering. We all have it in us to give ourselves what we need, without seeking it from outside. 1. Here’s how to become your own best friend.
1.Be nice to yourself
The first step in becoming a friend to yourself is to treat yourself like you would treat a friend. 2. Start by accepting your good qualities, talents and abilities and begin to appreciate yourself.
2. Imagine how you would support a friend in the same situation
Think about a loved one, a friend, a family member, or someone dear to you and imagine that they are in the same situation you are facing. 3. Then consider how to best offer help and advice to them. Allow yourself to feel supported, and give yourself what you need.
Write down the words that you would say to your greatest friend and then say them gently to yourself.
3. 4.
Following the theme of considering how you would help a dear friend, you need to start taking your own advice and putting your own needs first. Do you need a day off from work? 5. Whatever it is that you need, allow yourself to put it at the top of the list rather than the bottom.
Use these methods to become your own best friend and start being there for yourself!
A. Honor your needs
B. Believe in yourself.
C. A long hot bath?
D. Help them first and then they will help you.
E. That means that you need to stop being doubtful of yourself.
F. Think about how they’re struggling, suffering with this problem.
G. Isn’t it far better to know how to support yourself in times of need?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
After my doctor’s appointment, I took a seat in the lobby (大厅), waiting for my mom to pick me up. Sitting beside me was a gray-haired woman. I thought she might be a English teacher because she impressed(给…留下印象)me as a person with knowledge and confidence. And as I my library book to read, I could feel her eyes carefully looking in my direction(方向). My thoughts kept moving from the beautiful woman to thoughts of . My classmates had been presents to buy for each other upon graduation. It had never me that kids bought presents for graduation. I had no money. And I couldn’t ask my parents: they had no money either.
My mind was still in thought when I heard some noise at the entrance doors. There was an elderly woman in a wheelchair and another older woman trying to her along. People coming into the lobby were too busy to help them, them to struggle alone. I jumped to help them. I eased them both sets of doors and rode with them on the . Then I made sure they found the right office. They thanked me. I told them it was my . I was on my way down in the elevator I realized that I had left my backpack on the lobby chair. My backpack had of value in it. But then I remembered that my library book was also on the chair.
Luckily they were both safely on the chair, just as I had left them. As I sat down, I could feel the beautiful gray-haired woman’s eyes on me. She seemed proud for some . Then her taxi arrived, and, without a word, she was . I opened my backpack. To my surprise, inside my backpack was a fifty-dollar bill!
The beautiful woman with the look in her eyes suddenly came into my . I had been kind to a stranger, and , a stranger had been kind to me.
1.A. friendly B. beautiful C. powerful D. generous
2.A. boring B. strict C. native D. former
3.A. received B. borrowed C. removed D. lifted
4.A. school B. hospital C. library D. family
5.A. discussing B. packing C. ordering D. designing
6.A. persuaded B. told C. hit D. beaten
7.A. slowly B. suddenly C. finally D. secretly
8.A. roll B. carry C. pull D. push
9.A. helping B. suggesting C. leaving D. hoping
10.A. wheelchair B. elevator C. taxi D. floor
11.A. duty B. responsibility C. pleasure D. relief
12.A. when B. until C. once D. since
13.A. something B. nothing C. anything D. everything
14.A. grateful B. sad C. amazing D. smiling
15.A. reason B. excuse C. thought D. idea
16.A. lost B. gone C. missing D. moved
17.A. sitting B. hiding C. lying D. living
18.A. funny B. confident C. proud D. foolish
19.A. mind B. brain C. head D. life
20.A. in the end B. in a way C. in short D. in turn
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面句子，在空白处填入适当的内容（每空一词）。
1.It will take several months for Simon to__________ (痊愈) from the knee injuries.
2.Miller is __________ (可以信赖的) and won’t let you down.
3.The kids watched as the coin ___________(下沉) to the bottom of the pool.
4.The old man was living alone, ___________(乞讨)food from neighbours.
5.Christmas trees were __________ (装饰)with colorful lights.
6.Our parents give us food and clothing and ask for nothing __________ __________ (作为回报).
7.Mother treats me __________ __________ (好像)I were a baby.
8.Finally , Bob__________ __________ with(想出)a good idea to solve the problem .
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A young American woman worked in a school in Shanghai． 1. she came to China，she knew little about the Chinese culture of language． One day on her way to school，she went to a bank 2. (draw) some money．To 3. surprise，the bank clerk(职员) asked her if she had had her lunch．She was surprised at such 4. question because in the American culture it would mean that the bank clerk is inviting her to lunch．Between unmarried young people it can also mean the young man’s interest in dating the girl．Since this bank clerk 5. (be) a stranger to the American woman，she was very puzzled(困惑的)，and quickly answered that she had 6. (eat) already．After this she went on to school and was even 7. surprised when one of the teachers asked her the same question．
By now she understood that it could not be an 8. (invite) but was puzzled as to why they asked it．In the following days she was asked the same question again and again and she spent many hours 9. (try) to work out why so many people kept asking her this．At last she thought that these people must be 10. (concern) about her health．She was rather thin at the time，and she thought they must be worrying that she was not eating well!
In fact the question like that has no real meaning at all — it is only a greeting．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（/\），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Mr Johnson,
I’m writing to tell you that I had a safety journey back to Beijing. Thanks to your kindness, I had a wonderfully time in Australia. It is my first time to go abroad and I was naturally a bit nervous when I was arrived. When I saw you at an airport, I knew from your warm smile that something would be all right. With your help, I visited so many places of interests in Australia, where impressed me a lot. I hope some day you will go to visit Beijing and I will act like a guide to show you around the city.
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是中学生李华,你的美国朋友Sam来信询问有关压岁钱的事情，请你给他写一封回信，内容要点如下:
1. 在中国春节期间长辈会给孩子压岁钱以期望他们平安度过新的一年。
2. 今年春节你收到1000元压岁钱，你打算如何使用这笔钱（买书，给祖父母购买礼物……）。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可适当增加细节使行文连贯；
3. 开头已经给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：春节 the Spring Festival 压岁钱 lucky money
Dear Sam,
I’m so glad to receive your letter. _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析