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No one knows for sure when and where the idea of April Fool’s Day for silly jokes started. One thing is for sure：Humans have been celebrating this holiday for hundreds of years，in many cultures.
One popular theory has to do with the calendar. Many ancient cultures celebrated the new year in spring，around April 1. In Europe，Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar in 1582. The calendar named January 1 as the new start of the year. Many people and countries did not accept the change for years. The story goes that people made fun of the people who still celebrated the new year on April 1.
In some countries，people exchanged gifts on New Year’s Day. So another theory is that people began to give joke gifts on April 1 after the calendar changed. But there are probably as many explanations for the tradition as there are cultures that participate.
One thing is for sure，almost everyone has fun！
Mexicans celebrate a kind of fools’ day on December 28. Yo
u’re in trouble on that date if you lend someone something，because you won’t get it back！In India，March 31 is the day for tricks. Portuguese，who celebrate on the Sunday or Monday before the Christian holiday of Lent，throw flour on their friends. People in England say playing tricks after noon on April 1 brings bad luck to the jokers. The U.S. holiday doesn’t have special traditions.
Humor expert Joel Goodman of the Humor Project teaches businesses and individuals how to enjoy the positive power of humor in daily life. When asked to define the difference between a good prank and a disgusting one，he explains，“It is the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them. Humor should lift people up！”
So start thinking now. If it looks like rain，fill someone’s closed umbrella with pieces of paper and watch them pour down when it is open. Glue a coin to the sidewalk with superglue. When people get annoyed trying to pick it up，remember to yell，“APRIL FOOLS！”Of course，kids can reply with the “Disappearing Class”. When the teacher goes out of the room for a moment，all the kids hide. Just remember，the person you play a trick on should be laughing，too. So keep the tradition going in the right spirit.
1.What is certain about April Fool’s Day？
A. It dated back to 1582.
B. People enjoy this holiday.
C. Its origin is related to a calendar.
D. Pope Gregory XIII created this holiday.
2.Which of the following is a good joke on April Fool’s Day？
A. Skip a class when the teacher is out.
B. Fill someone’s closed umbrella with water.
C. Give someone soap that turns his hands dirty.
D. Frighten someone to death by dressing up as a ghost.
3.The underlined phrase “lift people up”（Paragraph 5）probably means＿＿＿＿.
A. be used in daily lives
B. make people feel happier
C. change people’s attitude
D. be appreciated by people
4.What does the author remind people when they play tricks？
A. Tricks played should be amusing and harmless.
B. The crazier the tricks are，the better.
C. It’s better to use some special tools.
D. Keep playing them for fun.
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April Fool’s Day is a western festival. No one ________ exactly when and how April Fool’s Day began. However, there are some stories about ________ it came into being. One story ________ like this: in the sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year was on April first. It was celebrated ________ much the same way ________ it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night. Then in 1562, Pope (教皇) Gregory introduced a new calendar(日历) for the Christian world, and the new year fell on January first. There were some people, ________, who hadn’t heard or didn’t believe the ________ in the date, so they ________ to celebrate New Year’s Day on April first. ________ played tricks on them and called them “April fools”. They tried to make them believe that something false was ________. In France today, April first is called “April Fish”. French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends’ ________. When the “young fool” ________ this trick, the prankster(恶作剧者) shouts “April Fish!”
Today Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first of April. One ________ trick on April Fool’s Day is ________ to a friend’s shoe and saying, “Your shoelace is united (你的鞋带开了).” School children might tell a classmate that school has been canceled. ________ the trick is, if you fail for the joke the prankster shouts “April Fool!”
In Britain today, on the first of April, even ________ newspapers, radio and TV programs tell big lies. You ________ read a science ________ showing that doctors have found a way to cure AIDS, ________ you would probably listen to a piece of news about an UFO ________ on an island.
1.A. understands B. knows C. believes D. remembers
2.A. when B. why C. how D. where
3.A. goes B. tells C. happens D. writes
4.A. as B. like C. with D. in
5.A. like B. as C. so D. for
6.A. however B. but C. therefore D. instead
7.A. fact B. news C. change D. information
8.A. remained B. continued C. considered D. went
9.A. Others B. Somebody C. Many D. Some
10.A. real B. true C. right D. correct
11.A. hands B. faces C. backs D. heads
12.A. discovers B. sees C. found D. notices
13.A. usual B. common C. funny D. silly
14.A. looking down B. pointing down
C. getting down D. turning down
15.A. Whenever B. Whoever C. Whatever D. Wherever
16.A. serious B. famous C. interesting D. important
17.A. might B. should C. could D. must
18.A. letter B. speech C. writing D. report
19.A. so B. and C. or D. but
20.A. lying B. walking C. flying D. landing
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What will the city of the future look like? No one knows for sure, and making1.______(predict) is a risky business. But one thing is certain-they are going to get bigger before they get smaller. In the future, care for the environment will become very important 2._______earth’s natural resources run out. We will use lots of3._______(recycle) materials, such as plastic, steel, glass, wood and paper, and we will waste fewer natural4._______.We will also have to rely more5. _______ alternative energy, such as solar and wind power. All this seems certain, but there are plenty of things about city life in the future 6. _______ are not certain.
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No one really knows exactly of when the first people arrived in we now know as California
A．where B．when C． what D．which
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No one knows for sure when a fire will happen, so it is 1. (extreme) necessary to make preparations before a fire starts. Check the fire escape equipment in advance and make sure that you can find 2. in the dark when lights have failed. Find out 3. the nearest fire extinguisher(灭火器) is and read the instructions to learn how 4. (use) it.
Don’t lose your head when a fire breaks out. First, telephone the fire department immediately when 5. fire just gets started. Take care not to be overcome by smoke, 6. can kill you quickly. Cover your mouth 7. a wet towel or cloth, and avoid getting into the smoke. Don’t get in an elevator, as you may get trapped if the electricity 8. (fail). If you can not get away 9. yourself, it is of great importance to hang something out of the window to attract attention as a sign of asking for help.
In short, if you make preparations before hand and take precautions(预防措施) during the fire, chances are that 10. will survive in case of a fire if it really breaks out some day.
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No one knows for sure when such a custom first _____.
A. came into power B. came into being C. came true D. came out
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My parents made me know the ideas of family, faith and patriotism (爱国主义) when I was young. 1we lived a hard life, they 2great importance to making us realize how 3we were to live in a great country with 4chances.
I got my first real 5when I was ten. My dad injured his back working in a factory and had to be 6so that he could take up a new job as a hairstylist. When he hadn’t got enough money to rent a shop, the owner of the shopping center gave Dad a(n) 7. But he should clean the parking lot (停车场) three nights a week, which meant getting up at 3 a.m. To pick up waste, Dad used a little 8that looked like a lawn mower (割草机). Mom and I emptied garbage cans and 9waste by hand. It took two to three hours to clean the lot. I’d 10in the car on the way home because of tiredness.
I did this for two years, but the11I learned have lasted a lifetime. I 12discipline (纪律) and a strong work ethic (道德准则), and learned at a(n) 13age the importance of 14interests in life -– school, homework and a job. This really __15during my senior year of high school, when I worked 40 hours a week at a fast-food restaurant while taking school 16and preparing for my college examination.
The hard work was 17. As a result, I attended the U.S. Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degrees in 18and business from Harvard. __19, I joined a big Los Angeles law firm and was elected to the California State Assembly (会议). In these jobs and in everything else I’ve done, I have never forgotten those 20in the parking lot.
1.A. Now that B. As if C. Even D. Even though
2.A. attached B. announced C. suggested D. admitted
3.A. important B. surprising C. fortunate D. satisfying
4.A. several B. limitless C. few D. energetic
5.A. incident B. dream C. success D. job
6.A. retrained B. regarded C. considered D. respected
7.A. increase B. order C. discount D. explanation
8.A. bag B. machine C. knife D. stick
9.A. brought up B. turned up C. made up D. picked up
10.A. sleep B. talk C. study D. sing
11.A. knowledge B. information C. lessons D. skills
12.A. required B. acquired C. remind D. forgot
13.A. common B. legal C. old D. early
14.A. balancing B. expressing C. supporting D. increasing
15.A. turned B. changed C. helped D. improved
16.A. measures B. courses C. messages D. tours
17.A. encouraging B. disappointing C. discouraging D. rewarding
18.A. law B. medicine C. science D. arts
19.A. However B. Indeed C. Later D. Before
20.A. people B. nights C. cars D. opportunities
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完型填空 (每小题1分，共20分)
My parents made me know the ideas of family, faith and patriotism (爱国主义) when I was young. 26 we lived a hard life, they 27 great importance to making us realize how 28 we were to live in a great country with 29 chances.
I got my first real 30 when I was ten. My dad injured his back working in a factory and had to be 31 so that he could take up a new job as a hairstylist. When he hadn’t got enough money to rent a shop, the owner of the shopping center gave Dad a(n) 32 . But he should clean the parking lot (停车场) three nights a week, which meant getting up at 3 a.m. To pick up waste, Dad used a little 33 that looked like a lawn mower (割草机). Mom and I emptied garbage cans and 34 waste by hand. It took two to three hours to clean the lot. I’d 35 in the car on the way home because of tiredness.
I did this for two years, but the 36 I learned have lasted a lifetime. I 37 discipline (纪律) and a strong work ethic (道德准则), and learned at a(n) 38 age the importance of 39 interests in life -– school, homework and a job. This really __40 during my senior year of high school, when I worked 40 hours a week at a fast-food restaurant while taking school 41 and preparing for my college examination.
The hard work was 42 . As a result, I attended the U.S. Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degrees in 43 and business from Harvard. __44 , I joined a big Los Angeles law firm and was elected to the California State Assembly (会议). In these jobs and in everything else I’ve done, I have never forgotten those 45 in the parking lot.
26. A. Now that B. As if C. Even D. Even though
27. A. attached B. announced C. suggested D. admitted
28. A. important B. surprising C. fortunate D. satisfying
29. A. several B. limitless C. few D. energetic
30. A. incident B. dream C. success D. job
31. A. retrained B. regarded C. considered D. respected
32. A. increase B. order C. discount D. explanation
33. A. bag B. machine C. knife D. stick
34. A. brought up B. turned up C. made up D. picked up
35. A. sleep B. talk C. study D. sing
36. A. knowledge B. information C. lessons D. skills
37. A. required B. acquired C. remind D. forgot
38. A. common B. legal C. old D. early
39. A. balancing B. expressing C. supporting D. increasing
40. A. turned B. changed C. helped D. improved
41. A. measures B. courses C. messages D. tours
42. A. encouraging B. disappointing C. discouraging D. rewarding
43. A. law B. medicine C. science D. arts
44. A. However B. Indeed C. Later D. Before
45. A. people B. nights C. cars D. opportunities
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When this new kind of virus broke out at first in Mexico, no one had the least idea that it would _______ so rapidly throughout the world.
A. export B. spread C. expand D. deliver
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We don’t know when and where the next earthquake will hit. But we do know the importance of safety and preparation. The only way to be ready for the unexpected is to prepare ahead of time. It’s especially important if you live in earthquake zones. So here are some important steps to build your own Earthquake Action Plan.
1. Talk to your friends and families and decide on a place to meet if you’re separated after an earthquake.
2. Make an emergency（紧急情况）communication plan in case cell towers or phone lines are down. You can also ask relatives or friends outside your area to be your contacts.
3. Locate a safe place in every room of your house and discuss with your families the safest places to be during an earthquake. Remember, if you’re：
a. Inside, get under something heavy like a study table or against an inside wall and cover your head.
b. Outside, stay away from buildings and get out into the open.
c. In your car, stop and stay in your seat. If you’re stopped near a building or under an overpass（天桥），try to safely move away from it.
4. Store first-aid kits（急救箱）anywhere you spend a lot of time（house, car, workplace, etc. ）.
5. Pack plenty of batteries, flashlights, and bottles of water to prepare for power outages and water shortages.
6. Review your home’s important systems（electrical, gas, water, etc. ）and know how to operate them or shut them off in an emergency.
Although they’re somewhat unusual, earthquakes are incredibly terrible, overwhelming, and unpredictable forces of nature. But with some knowledge and preparation, we can mitigate risks and do the best we can to keep ourselves and our families safe.
1.Paragraph 1 mainly shows it’s very important to ______.
A.know the use of an Earthquake Action Plan
B.know when an earthquake will come
C.stay away from earthquake zones
D.prepare for an earthquake
2.First-aid kits should be kept in places ______.
A.that are very safe
B.where you often stay
C.that are under something heavy
D.that your friends and families know
3.An Earthquake Action Plan includes the following EXCEPT ______.
A.deciding where to meet with others after an earthquake
B.making sure that you have contacts out your area
C.practicing how to escape with your families
D.finding safe places in your house
4.What can best take the place of the underlined word “ mitigate” ？
A.Lower. B.Avoid.
C.Stop. D.Treat
u’re in trouble on that date if you lend someone something，because you won’t get it back！In India，March 31 is the day for tricks. Portuguese，who celebrate on the Sunday or Monday before the Christian holiday of Lent，throw flour on their friends. People in England say playing tricks after noon on April 1 brings bad luck to the jokers. The U.S. holiday doesn’t have special traditions.