八年级英语时文阅读~WEEK 14 文化风俗~有答案

英语时文阅读第一篇 A ban on setting off firecrackersXINHUA话题：“过年要不要燃放烟花爆竹”这个讨论从年前争论到年后，从减少环卫工人负担到降低空气污染，反对者的声音高涨。

但也有人认为，作为传统节日活动，应该燃放烟花爆竹。

你怎么看？Wang Xingyue, 14, from Shanghai:I don’t think we should set off firecrackers (爆竹) during holidays. It is really noisy. Some people fire them during midnight. People around cannot sleep well. Besides, it brings air pollution (污染) and lots of rubbish. Most people do not clean the rubbish after they set off firecrackers. So I think there is no need to set them off anymore during holidays.Liu Ran, 14, from Shandong:Setting off firecrackers is a tradition during Chinese festivals. They set them off to celebrate or wish a happy new year. The ceremony (仪式) is very important in Chinese people’s lives. And it also reminds (提醒) us of one of the four great inventions (发明) of China, gunpowder (火药). We cannot give it up. It is good to have this ceremony during holidays. Do you agree with me？Lin Yisong, 15, from Zhejiang:I think we should control (控制) the setting off of firecrackers. During holidays, the government could get people together in a place. They can set off some firecrackers or fireworks and people can watch. It is safer to do this and people can also enjoy their holiday tradition.Zhang Qi, 14, from Guangxi:Firecrackers are dangerous and bad for the air. But it is really an important tradition in Chinese festivals. So I think we can use something else to replace (代替) them. For example, we can use LED fireworks instead. It is also beautiful and attractive. And it is much safer. Even kids can play with them.Li Qing, 14, from Jiangsu:I think we can improve the technology of firecrackers. The firecrackers we use now are dangerous. That’s why we cannot fire them anytime or anywhere we want. But if we can make them much safer and good for the air, we don’t have to give up the interesting tradition during Chinese festivals.第二篇Birthday girl’s trip of mystery神秘的银冠带来的奇幻之旅THE Silver Crown (《银色皇冠》) is an exciting read. It is abouta girl who wakes up on her birthday to find a silver crown underher pillow (枕头), but the day doesn’t turn out as she would have thought. Eventually she ends up in a mysterious school and then is hunted for her crown. To find her family, the girl has to travel through forests, mountains and the countryside while meeting many interesting characters with completely different natures.There are many different characters and it is very hard to choose a favorite, as they are all individuals (与众不同的人) with their own personalities. The story kept me guessing as it takes many twists and turns (波折). My favorite part in the story was when the main character and her friend camp in a cave with gems (珍宝) in all of the walls. The description that the author gives here makes you think and keep the pages turning. There was nothing I really disliked about this book. Perhaps apart from the fact it ended on a cliffhanger (悬念), which I personally do not like in books generally. Overall I think this is a great book. I recommend it to teenagers and people aged 11 onwards. It can keep you guessing and wondering, which is a great characteristic of a book for me!By Grace BaytonGrace Bayton, 13, is an eighth-grader at Newbridge School, Wales, UK. She loves reading and reads two books a week.。

2024年中考英语新热点时文阅读-传统节日01（23·24上·佛山·期中）请从方框内选择适当的词并用其正确形式填空，使文章完整连贯。

注意每空一词，（23·24上·晋中·期中）请阅读下面短文，根据语篇内容，用方框中所给词的正确形式填空，使短文通顺、Chinese New Year begins on doors and walls. Spring couplets(春联) stand for people’s wishes for a happier life in the coming year. The tradition of sticking Spring couplets on doors during the Spring Festival can date back(追溯)03（23·24上·柳州·期中）根据语篇内容，从方框中选择恰当的单词，并用其正确形式填空。

每个单词只能用China is a country with many traditional festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day is one of them. This special31．A．festivals B．festival C．a festival32．A．him B．he C．his33．A．more B．much C．most34．A．tradition B．traditional C．traditionally35．A．or B．but C．and36．A．the B．a C．/37．A．On B．In C．At38．A．What B．What an C．How39．A．hard B．hardly C．harder40．A．joined B．join C．joining05（23·24上·西安·期中）Do you know the Lantern Festival? It is a traditional Chinese festival. When thousands of lanterns light up the city at night, the Chinese Lantern Festival is coming. It is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year.Several days before the Lantern Festival, people begin to make lanterns. All kinds of lanterns shine in the sky against the dark night. Some of the lanterns are small, and others are really big. Some look like beautiful flowers and lovely animals.The lanterns are made of different materials. There are plastic (塑料的) lanterns, silk lanterns, and paper lanterns. While making lanterns, people usually write riddles (谜语) on them. During the Lantern Festival, people go outside to have a look at the lanterns and guess the riddles on them. Usually, people can get a prize as long as they give the right answer. People together with their family walk happily in the crowded streets, looking at many kinds of amazing lanterns. While some people are enjoying the beautiful lanterns, others are watching traditional Chinese lion dance performances.People prepare delicious rice dumplings in the morning for their family and friends to enjoy in the evening. The sweet smell makes everyone hungry. Everything is very interesting and everyone is very happy.41．What do people do before the Lantern Festival?A．People begin to make lanterns.B．People guess the riddles.C．People enjoy the beautiful lanterns.D．People have delicious rice dumplings.42．Which kind of the following lanterns is not mentioned (被提到) in the passage?A．Plastic lanterns.B．Silk lanterns.C．Paper lanterns.D．Glass lanterns.43．The underlined sentence in the passage probably means that________.A．people can get a prize though they give the wrong answerB．if people guess the riddle correctly, they can get a prizeC．people can get a prize unless they succeed in giving the right answerD．people can get a prize before they give the right answer44．In which part of a magazine can you read the passage?A．Health.B．Sports.C．Culture.D．Travel.06（23·24·辽宁·模拟预测）阅读短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或用括号内所给词的正确形式填空，使短文通顺、连贯。

十四、社会文化礼仪 (Society, Culture & Manners)【考纲要求】1、语言与文化（Language and culture）2、故事与诗歌（Stories and poems）（1）故事（Stories）（2）诗歌（Poems）（3）短剧（Short plays）（4）作家（Writers）【学习目标】1．掌握关于社会、文化和礼仪的基本词汇。

2．了解中西文化的一些差异。

3．掌握两个基本句型：(1) be(not) supposed to do sth.；(2) It's (not) polite to do…4．听：能听懂有关文化、文明礼仪的对话。

5．说：简单说说中西文化的一些差别。

6．读写综合：能读懂介绍不同国家文化礼仪的区别的文章，并且能运用所学的词汇和句型写一篇80个词左右的英语短文。

重点词汇社会society, 文化culture, 行为，举止behavior, 筷子chopsticks, 叉子fork, 汤勺spoon, 小刀knife, 节日festival, 外国的foreign, 传统的traditional, 邀请invite, 庆祝celebrate,礼物present/gift, 礼貌的polite, 国家的national, 指着，指向point to/at, 举行聚会have a party, 把……插在……里面stick into, 习惯于做某事be/get used to doing sth., 聚会get together, 与某人共度时光spend time with sb., 社会活动social activities, 餐桌礼仪table manners, 传统的节日traditional festival, 与…… 不同be different from, 对……友好be friendly to sb., 在公共场合in public 重点句型1．…have…不同国家有不同的餐桌礼仪。

八年级传统文化传承英语阅读理解30题1. What is the most important festival in China?A. Spring FestivalB. Mid-Autumn FestivalC. Dragon Boat FestivalD. Lantern Festival答案：A。

解析：中国最重要的节日是春节。

选项B 中秋节是重要节日但不是最重要的；选项 C 端午节和选项 D 元宵节也很重要但不如春节重要。

本题考查对中国传统节日重要性的了解。

2. When is Mid-Autumn Festival usually celebrated?A. In January or FebruaryB. In May or JuneC. In August or SeptemberD. In November or December答案：C。

解析：中秋节通常在八月或九月。

选项A 是春节的时间；选项 B 不是传统节日的时间；选项 D 也没有传统节日在这个时间。

本题考查对中秋节时间的掌握。

3. What do people usually eat on Dragon Boat Festival?A. MooncakesB. ZongziC. DumplingsD. Tangyuan答案：B。

解析：端午节人们通常吃粽子。

选项A 是中秋节吃的月饼；选项C 是春节等节日吃的饺子；选项D 是元宵节吃的汤圆。

本题考查对不同传统节日食物的了解。

4. Which festival is also known as the Lantern Festival?A. The 15th day of the first lunar monthB. The 5th day of the fifth lunar monthC. The 15th day of the eighth lunar monthD. The 9th day of the ninth lunar month答案：A。

Week Twelve 文化风俗一、阅读理解（共19小题；共38.0分）AChildren have traditionally been the stars of family portraits—but these days they are increasingly likely to be upstaged(抢镜头) by their pets. Photographers say that there has been a 20 percent rise in demand in the past year for shots featuring not only dogs and cats, but also more unusual animals including horses, cows, sheep—and even ferrets and snails. But it doesn't always come cheap, as parents are paying up to £3,000 for the distinctive images.Richard Mayfield, creative director at Venture Photography, which runs a nationwide chain of studios, said: "They say never work with children or animals but we think the opposite. Children and animals are unpredictable, and that's great for capturing dynamic(动态的) photographs.""We always ask clients if they would like to bring any pets along to their shoots as we want to capture the character of the families we photograph, and often their pets help them to relax. We get a lot of domestic pets such as dogs and cats but more unusual pets can be really interesting from a photographer's perspective. This year we've seen lots of rabbits in particular as more and more are kept in the house and so really feel like part of the family."A glance at these pictures proves just how astonishing the animal magic can be. Toddler Alfie Poutney, from Felixstowe, poses with a green parrot perched on his flat cap; Charlie Wells from Wakefield gives his pony Lucy a gentle kiss; James Corrigan is pictured with his Dutch dwarf rabbit perched in the center of his skateboard; Poppy Hanshaw reaches out to stroke Lego the lamb; and Harry the tortoise provided the main focus for a Home Counties family portrait. But the most unusualimage surely has to be Gabriel Pereira from Woking, Surrey, posing with his pet snails Wayne, Lucy and Aaron.1. According to the passage, children take pictures .A. only with dogs and catsB. only with unusual animalsC. with seven kinds of petsD. very cheaply and commonly2. According to the passage, Richard Mayfield considers .A. children and animals are predictableB. it difficult to work with children or animalsC. his firm runs a worldwide chain of studiosD. it fun to get dynamic photographs3. What role do pets play when people take pictures?A. Helping them feel less pressure.B. Helping them get more excited.C. Helping them get little disturbed.D. Helping them feel more stressful.4. What animals become more popular in families?A. Dogs.B. Cats.C. Horses.D. Rabbits.5. How many pets are mentioned in the last paragraph?A. Six.B. Seven.C. Eight.D. Nine.BSuccessful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one's own culture's way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It'sethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it's necessary to study the different elements(组成部分) of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.LanguageA knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.Values and attitudesValues are people's basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.Customs and mannersCustoms are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad(色拉) before the main course at dinner, not after. It's not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn't sell well because the French don't usually drink juice with breakfast.6. A knowledge of the local language allows international businesspeople .A. to be more open with their customersB. to communicate without outside helpC. to express their thoughts indirectlyD. to have a better idea of their own culture7. The act of many people buying chocolate of Switzerland shows the roleof .A. mannersB. valuesC. attitudesD. customs8. What would be the best title for the text?A. Misconceptions in BusinessB. Basic Beliefs in BusinessC. International Business CultureD. Successful International Business9. The author's purpose of writing this article is to tell people .A. how to take a right attitude in businessB. how to avoid misunderstandings in businessC. how to use a local language in businessD. how to act politely and properly in businessCSailing Through HistoryA group of 1,309 passengers boarded the MS. Balmoral on Sunday, in Southampton, England, on a voyage to retrace the path of the Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world when it sailed on its ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died. The ship, which was headed to New York City, carried the rich and famous on its first voyage. It also carried immigrants, who were seeking a better life in America.Relatives of people who sailed on the Titanic, historians, authors and people fascinated by the story of the unsinkable ship, are on the Balmoral. They want to remember the doomed ship and those who died on her first and last voyage. The historic liner had set sail on April 10, 1912, from Southampton. Late at night on April 14,she hit an iceberg. In the early morning hours of April 15, the Titanic sank.The Balmoral is following Titanic's original route from Southampton. First, the modern-day cruise liner docked in the port of Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic had picked up more passengers. On Monday afternoon, the Balmoral stops in Cobh, Ireland, the Titanic's last port of call before sailing to New York.Balmoral will then cruise the North Atlantic Ocean to the location where Titanic hit an iceberg that ripped the ship's hull(外壳). On Sunday, April 15, at 2:20 a.m.—the time the Titanic went down—passengers and crew will hold a memorial service. The next two days will be spent in Halifax, Canada, where many victims of the sinking are buried. Then, the Balmoral will reach its final destination in New York City, where Titanic was supposed to dock—but never did.Until today, several teams of divers have explored the site. They have recovered some items such as dishes and silverware and put them on public display. And more trips are planned to the wreckage in the future. The Titanic and its passengers and crew have been remembered in books, movies and TV programs. But there's a much more important contribution that Titanic gave us. After she sank, lawmakers and shipbuilders made ships safer. It took a terrible tragedy to make ship travel safer for all.10. How many passengers in Titanic survived at last?A. More than 1,500.B. About 1,309.C. About 1,000.D. Less than 750.11. Passengers in Balmoral mainly want to .A. seek a better life in AmericaB. enjoy the fascinating voyage to the USC. observe the maiden voyage of MS BalmoralD. observe the 100th anniversary of maiden voyage of Titanic12. How many countries does the Balmoral reach before sailing to New York?A. Two.B. Three.C. Four.D. Five.13. The Balmoral will stay in Canada just in memory of .A. the dead passengers in the BalmoralB. the survivors in TitanicC. the dead passengers in TitanicD. the survivors in the Balmoral14. What might be the most important contribution of the sunken Titanic?A. Its site attracts more exploring teams.B. It makes the later ships more secure.C. Some of its items are on public display.D. More trips are planned to its wreckage.DHistoric Hill at Risk of Being Removed From LandscapeIt's literally a case of turning a mountain into a molehill.An entire hill, famed for its archeological heritage and geological significance, is to be removed from the Scottish skyline to make way for a quarry(采石场) under plans being considered by West Dunbartonshire Council.Sheep Hill, in the Kilpatrick Hills on the Clyde, is the site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age forts which local residents and experts say will be destroyed by the expansion of a stone quarry.The hill also features in a painting by the 19th-century Scottish artist John Knox, and is used by geology teachers to show how the landscape has been shaped by volcanoes and ice ages.Allowing the hill to be wiped off the map would be "an act of wanton(荒唐的) destruction of our environment and inheritance", according to Clydebelt, a local environmental group, which is calling for Scottish ministers to intervene to save the hill."Sheep Hill is liable(应承担责任的) to be destroyed," said the group's secretary, Sam Gibson. "This would leave a gaping hole in the side of the hill showing the workings of the quarry and fully visible from a distance."A proposal to revise mineral permission for an existing quarry run by a local firm near Sheep Hill is due to be discussed by West Dunbartonshire Council on Wednesday and has aroused fierce opposition from local groups.They say that, as well as damaging important archaeological remains and ruining the landscape, expanding the quarry would threaten wildlife and trees. The North Bank Environmental Group has filed a formal complaint to the ombudsman(巡视官) about the council's handling of the development.The quarry company, William Thompson & Son, which has extracted whinstone at its Sheep Hill quarry for decades did not respond to repeated requests to comment last week.15. For what is Sheep Hill well-known?A. A molehill and its stone quarry.B. Its ancient heritage and geological significance.C. The site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age.D. Its painting by John Knox, a 19th-century artist.16. The underlined word "intervene" means in the 3rd paragraph.A. go insideB. step inC. interviewD.interrupt17. What can we infer from what Sam Gibson said?A. It is right to remove Sheep Hill from a distance.B. The workings of the quarry can be seen from a distance.C. The workings of the quarry would ruin the wholeness and the scenery of the hill.D. Too many holes will be opened in the side of the hill after the workings.18. Why do the local groups oppose the mineral permission?A. Because they run the quarry near Sheep Hill and make money from it.B. Because the mineral permission will do harm to archaeological remains and the landscape.C. Because they don' t agree with the handling of the development of the quarry.D. Because they care about not only archaeological remains, landscape but also the wildlife and trees.19. How did William Thompson & Son react towards the complaint from the locals?A. He had no reaction.B. He worried about their production of whinstone.C. He feared to be punished.D. He is not satisfied with the ombudsman.二、阅读理解（共4小题；共8.0分）“You are going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You are really lucky.“Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But is it true all the time? Is your life in the new country always wonderful and exciting?Specialists say that it isn't easy to get used to life in a new culture. "Culture shock" is the term specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. "There are three stages of culture shock," say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.There are some obvious factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems, the telephone, post office, or transportation maybe difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity.They have to build a new self-image.Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation(迷惘). This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create and escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience are the long term solutions to the problem of culture shock.20. When people move to a new country, they .A. will get used to their new surroundings with difficultyB. have well prepared for their new surroundingsC. will get used to the culture of the country quicklyD. will never be familiar with the culture of the country21. According to the passage, factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following exceptA. language communicationB. weather conditions and customsC. public service systemsD. homesickness22. According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, .A. the fewer difficulties you may have abroadB. the more difficulties you may have abroadC. the more money you'll earn abroadD. the less homesick you'II feel abroad23. When people are homesick, they tend to .A. find some people to talk toB. go outside to have a walkC. visit their friends far awayD. stay indoors all the time答案一、阅读理解1. C2. D3. A4. D5. C6. B7. C8. C9. B 10. D11. D 12. A 13. C 14. B 15. B16. B 17. C 18. D 19. A二、阅读理解20. A21. D 22. B 23. D。

Week Fourteen 文化风俗一、阅读理解（共19小题；共38.0分）AImagine that while walking through a park one day, you begin to notice strange things all around you. People in colorful clothes from centuries ago walk on the paths. A magician is doing amazing tricks. Musicians play strange music on strange instruments.Knights on horseback show their skills in riding competitions. The smell of roasting meat begins to make your mouth water. A pleasant voice shouts, "Good morrow!"What is going on? Have you traveled back in time? In a way, yes. You have found yourself in the midst of a Renaissance fair! Since the 1960s, Renaissance fairs have grown in popularity in the US and Canada. Communities in at least 44 states and two Canadian provinces now hold annual Renaissance fairs. Over 200 fairs are held every year, with40 in California alone. The first Renaissance fair was started in the 1960s by a schoolteacher in southern California named Phyllis Patterson. She wanted to give her studentsa real-life history experience, so she created the "Renaissance Faire" in her backyard.The rest, as they say, is history.Since Renaissance fairs are "living history", you might think they are designed to be mainly educational. It's true that some people try to make the fairs as genuine as possible. However, for many others, the key word is entertainment. With all the musicians and magicians walking about, you will definitely be entertained. A renaissance fair will be a feast for your eyes and your ears, not to mention your stomach.You can enjoy sampling the food and drink while watching parades and live animal displays. Browse through the booths and admire the artwork and handicrafts. You are sure to be both educated and entertained. If you're wondering how to dress to attenda Renaissance fair, that's up to you. Some people go all out and dress up in costumes.Others just go in their normal, everyday clothes. However you dress, you're sure tobe overwhelmed by the sights and sounds and smells of a Renaissance fair. And if you have ever wanted to travel back in time, here's your chance.1. What is the first paragraph about?A. A chapter of a war novel.B. A sight of the local market.C. A scene of Renaissance fairs.D. A slow walking in the park.2. Why did Phyllis start a Renaissance fair?A. To help her students become the master of history.B. To allow her students to play in her backyard.C. To give her students an experience of life.D. To make her students experience history.3. As well as educating, Renaissance fairs are intended for .A. funB. communicationC. businessD. adventure4. The last paragraph suggests that .A. you are taught to make art workB. you are free to dress for the fairsC. you have to look after live animalsD. you can enjoy food free of charge5. The main idea of the passage is that .A. Americans and Canadians like fairs moreB. attending Renaissance fairs is to be educatedC. Renaissance fairs are more popular than everD. California is where modern fairs were bornBIn the mountains of northern Mexico live a people with ancient roots. The Tarahumara were natives of Mexico long before the Spanish arrived. To avoid the Spanish, they made the mountains their home, moving from the cool mountain tops during summer to the warm valleys during winter.Tarahumara villages are often far apart, so running is central to their culture. In fact, they call their tribe Raramuri, which translates to "foot runners". TheTarahumara run for transportation, but running also unites their communities.Traditional races attract large crowds who bet on the results.Members run barefoot, or wear simple rope sandals, and kick a small wooden ball. They sometimes run for several days straight, trying to see who can cover a set distance first. Old men's races are less strenuous but no less popular. Women compete in shorter races, throwing a ball into the air with a stick or throwing a ring between curved sticks as they run.Tarahumara runners have amazed the world with their strength by beating marathon or ultramarathon(超马拉松赛) runners without extra training. In fact, at the 1928 Olympics, two Tarahumara runners complained that the marathon was "too short"!But running is not the only surviving part of Tarahumara culture. Tarahumara women still wear their traditional units-skirts and brightly colored scarves, which are tied around their heads. Men often wear modern clothing like blue jeans, but they still sometimes wear the traditional short skirt with a wide belt.The Tarahumara diet consists mostly of corn, which they grow themselves. They also grow beans and zucchini for food and raise cattle which they eat on special occasions.They have their diet with potatoes, fruit, wild roots and deer, which they catch by chasing until the animals fall down from tiredness.Dancing plays a important role in Tarahumara society. Most families host dance parties, small and large, throughout the year. The dance features women dancing in a curved line and men moving backward and forward in a straight line facing them.Tarahumara culture has withstood enormous social changes throughout history, and it must continue to do so if it is to survive in the future.6. What helped form Tarahumara's running culture?A. They lived far away from each other.B. They had to fight with Spanish.C. They kept themselves warm in winter.D. They liked to make a bet on running race.7. In Tarahumara's running culture, .A. running isn't popular with old menB. women perform while they are runningC. runners run on a straight road for daysD. people run for the purpose of Olympics8. How can the Tarahumara catch deer?A. By setting a deep trap secretly.B. By attracting deer with potatoes and fruit.C. By running deer until they are tired.D. By making them fall down with wild roots.9. Which is NOT mentioned about the Tarahumara culture?A. Sports.B. Clothing.C. Food.D. Painting.10. The passage mainly tells us that .A. Mexico runners preserve their culture for thousands of yearsB. Mexico foot runners are born marathon championsC. the Tarahumara culture changes with historyD. Mexican culture survives after technical changesCCenturies ago, a group of people left India. No one really knows why. Over time, they journeyed west to Europe, where most have lived ever since. These people called themselves the Roma. But Europeans, thinking they came from Egypt, called them "gypsies". Many people think of gypsies as wandering groups of people. They are associated with colorful clothing, fortune telling and music. But this is not the real picture of Roma culture.In fact, not all Roma are travelers. Those in Western Europe have historically moved from place to place. But others who settled in Eastern Europe built homes and stayed in one place. Roma culture differs among regions. But most speak both the language of the surrounding people and their own language, Romany.For centuries, Roma practiced traditional trades. Some were horse traders or musicians.Others made things out of metal or wood. But today, Roma may be found in any profession.MusicEach Roma settlement developed its own musical style, combining local music with Roma traditions. These styles often sound similar to the music of the surrounding culture.However, most Roma music shares some characteristics, including the timing of the notes and the harmonies. Roma music has also affected the music of other cultures. Roma influences have shaped European folk and classical music and even some American styles.StoriesLike people of many cultures, the Roma love to tell stories. Their conversations often include brief references to tales that the entire settlement knows. But they also tell long stories during the evenings or while working. Some stories are funny; others pass down Roma traditions.Over the years, the Roma have faced many challenges. Their neighbors often did not accept them and even accused them of being thieves. Today, many face poverty, prejudice and other problems. Nevertheless, the Roma people are proud of their history and their rich culture.11. People once thought that the Roma .A. were particular about what they were wearingB. could tell what would happen to a person in the futureC. left India for Europe to live a wandering lifeD. were gifted in painting pictures of real life12. According to the passage, the Roma .A. rode on horses to perform musicB. made a living by making metalsC. were good at doing businessD. had a tradition of using wooden things13. The fourth paragraph is mainly about .A. the history of Roma musicB. the culture of RomaC. the traditions of RomaD. the influence of Roma14. What can we infer from the last paragraph?A. Roma are looked down upon.B. Roma steal things out of poverty.C. Roma cause many problems in community.D. Roma often challenge their neighbors.DTomorrow, visitors will arrive at New Zealand's Hokitika Wildfoods Festival with an appetite, and an open mind. It's a good thing, too, since the event features such exotic dishes as scorpions(蝎子), sheep eyes, worm sushi and more. Thousands of people are expected to attend and sample some of the festival's most unique foods.The West Coast of New Zealand's South Island has long been considered a wild and rugged area. Rivers, lakes, forests and glaciers define this untamed(野性的) region. The small coastal town of Hokitika became famous when gold was discovered there in the mid-1800s.But when the gold disappeared in the late 1860s, so did most of the people. In March 1990, though, local Claire Bryant came up with the idea of a festival to celebrate the region's food and drink. Only 1,800 attended the first event, but the festival's popularity grew. Last year 15,000 people traveled to Hokitika for a chance to try some of the weird and wonderful dishes.Nearly 65 food stalls offer strange snacks, including sheep tails, worms in Red Bull, fried grasshoppers and more. One of the strangest and most popular snacks each year is a traditional native good food—the huhu grub. Rotten pieces of wood are broken apart to find the grubs, which are then eaten alive.The festival's weird food list has received global recognition and honors. In 1996, the Wildfoods Festival was named the Most Unique Event in New Zealand. It has beena winner in the New Zealand Tourism Awards twice. And Frommer's Travel Guide placedthe event on its 300 Unmissable Events and Festivals Around the World.No one can deny the food is the festival's star. But plenty of entertainment is available, too, in the form of music, dance and comedy. Those who attend are also encouraged to wear costumes—and the more outrageous, the better!All the events add up to one fun-filled day for the visitor. More importantly, the festival results in one profitable day for the locals, bringing in around N.Z. $2 million for the community.15. When did the Wildfoods Festival come into being?A. In 1990.B. In 1880.C. In 2011.D. In 1996.16. It can be inferred that in the late 1860s .A. gold was found in the small town of HokitikaB. the population in Hokitika became smallerC. more people came to Hokitika for goldD. Hokitika was a place of interest17. Why is the huhu grub the most popular snack?A. It is cooked with wood.B. It is cut into pieces to eat.C. It is living when it is eaten.D. It is native to New Zealand.18. The fourth paragraph implies that the festival .A. is named the strangest event in the worldB. is honored 300 times for its wild foodsC. is the most important even in the worldD. is considered a must place for travelers19. What do we know about the festival?A. It lasts a day for travelers to have fun.B. The local people make $2 million from it every year.C. The visitors are required to wear strange clothes.D. People have to eat wild foods after dancing.二、完形填空（共20小题；共30.0分）The pow-wow was just fantastic! I could never have imagined how colorful and20 this evening would be. The dances and the clothes,21 were decorated with eagle feathers, mesmerized me.I had heard about the powwow dancing in our 22 class at RiceUniversity, so I was 23 to see what the Native Americans would looklike in their 24 clothes.The opening dance was 25 to start at 6:30 p.m. Since I didn't want to 26 any dances, I arrived there on time; however, the dancing beganan hour late.How could I have 27 ? I had learned in our class that Native Americans have a different feeling for 28 ?First, they started to 29 music with their drums; it was accompanied by their low voices. "Hamma hamma…" The music was exactly the same as I had30 in the movies.The Native Americans gradually 31 their clothes; they wore unbelievably amazing costumes, special hairstyles and multicolored faces for the32 .Finally, the 33 were initiated; the competitors danced in different groups. They swung their 34 and moved their feet in special steps,always 35 the rhythm of the music.After an hour of excitedly 36 them, I took a break to eat some37 Native American fried bread.Finally, at 9:30 p.m., I left that 38 place, having stayed two hours longer than I had first planned to 39 .I will never forget this unique evening; it gave me a little view into the cultureof Native Americans.20. A. impressive B. cold C. cloudy D. long21. A. what B. where C. which D. that22. A. physics B. culture C. math D. geography23. A. patient B. nervous C. reluctant D. curious24. A. traditional B. old C. modern D. expensive25. A. considered B. ordered C. supposed D. required26. A. grasp B. miss C. offer D. give27. A. expected B. minded C. regretted D. forgotten28. A. time B. money C. love D. history29. A. express B. mix C. play D. improve30. A. heard B. performed C. made D. composed31. A. removed B. changed C. cleaned D. showed32. A. visitors B. movies C. parties D. dances33. A. competitions B. races C. speeches D. fights34. A. arms B. hats C. drums D. sticks35. A. with B. at C. to D. in36. A. dancing B. learning C. singing D. enjoying37. A. strange B. terrible C. special D. cheap38. A. noisy B. spectacular C. narrow D. dirty39. A. stay B. waste C. live D. go答案一、阅读理解1. C2. D3. A4. B5. C6. A7. B8. C9. D 10. A11. B 12. C 13. D 14. A 15. A16. B 17. C 18. D 19. A二、完形填空20. A21. C 22. B 23. D 24. A 25. C 26. B 27. D 28. A 29. C 30. A 31. B 32. D 33. A 34. A 35. C36. D 37. C 38. B 39. A。

2019年中考英语阅读理解真题汇编(带详细解析过程)(名师精讲解题方法与技巧+实战训练，建议下载练习)【考点分析】阅读理解旨在考查学生阅读、理解的能力。

近几年来，中考英语题中的阅读理解材料新颖，题材丰富，考查学生综合推断能力、根据语篇猜单词意思的能力的力度加大，考查学生关注细节的能力占很大部分。

所以学生往往要么没能正确理解语篇中某些句子的意思，在细节题上丢分，要么就是对语篇的整体把握不够，在综合题或者推断题方面丢分。

那么到底怎么做好阅读理解这一题型呢？一、解题思路（一）先读问题，弄清考查要点，以便能带着问题看文章，这样会心中有数，有的放矢。

（二）快速浏览全文，掌握全貌，注意发现与问题有关的信息，如果时间紧，至少要扫视一下起首段和尾段。

再把标题和文章内容结合起来想一想，这样全文大意便清楚了。

此时，不要忙于答题。

（三）细读原文，捕捉相关信息词，掌握短文细节内容。

这是解题的关键，应特别注意以下几点：1．抓住四个"W"和一个"H"，就是边读边用铅笔做些标记，把What (事件)，When （时间），Where（地点），Why（原因），How（经过）划出来。

抓住了四个“W”和一个“H”，就抓住了文章的全貌，一些直接性的问题便可解决。

2．抓住连接词及起关键作用的副词、代词、介词、插入语等。

因为这些词具有因果，让步，递进，转折，指代，列举及承上启下等各种连接上下文的特殊功能。

这对考生分清文章层次，辨明各种关系，了解人物心理，推断作者意图，进行逻辑推理等手段来分析难点，都具有举足轻重的作用。

3．注意领会文章的寓意。

4．根据题意，初选答案。

这一步须仔细审题，领会测试要求，确定解题方法。

对那些明显的，有把握的题可以断然确定，不必把其余三个答案再作推敲而浪费时间：有些略难的题，应再查阅短文（不是重读一遍），迅速找出依据，予以排除。

常用的解题方法有如下几种：①直接解题法。

即从原文中直接找出答案。

阅读理解(四)风俗文化AYou may have already forgotten the days when you had to learn how to use chopsticks. Every Chinese kid manages to use them for some time. But chopsticks are not just simple tools to pick up food. They come with their own special rules and traditions.Generally, people should not make noise with chopsticks. Playing with chopsticks is seen as bad manners, just as playing with forks and knives in a Western country would be rude.There are also some superstitions(迷信) related to chopsticks. For example, some people believe that chopsticks should not be left standing upright in a bowl. It looks like the incense(香) that the Chinese use to honor the dead. Doing it at the dinner table is believed to bring bad luck.You should not tap(敲) chopsticks on the edge of the bowl either, as beggars(乞丐) do this to ask for food. Parents might get angry if children do this as they don’t want their children to be as poor as beggars in the future.Besides, chopsticks can also be a great gift. In Chinese, chopsticks are known as “kuaizi”, so newlyweds(新婚夫妇) feel happy to receive chopsticks as a wedding gift, especially for parents expecting their grandson or granddaughter. Skilled craftsmen(手艺人) paint beautiful pictures on chopsticks to make them look like fine artworks. Today, even people from Western countries are learning to use chopsticks and like to collect them as souvenirs(纪念品).1.The text is about . ( )A.the history of chopsticksB.stories behind chopsticksC.rules and traditions of using chopsticks2.What is Chinese people’s opinion of playing with chopsticks? ( )A.It is all right.B.It is not polite.C.It is funny.3.What does the underlined word “honor” mean? ( )A.挽救B.复活C.表达敬意4.Chinese parents might get angry when their children tap chopsticks on the edge of the bowl because they don’t want their children to . ( )A.get illB.be poorC.become lazy5.Giving newlyweds chopsticks is welcome because it means . ( )A.having a baby soonB.having good mealsC.being rich quicklyB [2020·辽阳改编]Weeks before Tomb-sweeping Day on April 4 this year, hundreds of qingtuan were sold each day. The snack was still a must-have for many people.In the southern part of China, eating qingtuan at the beginning of spring is a kind of tradition.Chinese people started to eat it more than 2,000 years ago. It is made of sticky rice(糯米) and red bean paste(红豆沙), and is famous for its softness, freshness and sweetness. The secretbehind its mouth-watering taste is one of its materials—mugwort leaves(艾蒿叶). The plant is mainly found in the Yangtze River Delta(长江三角洲) where it has perfect conditions to grow.People in this area usually put qingtuan on the tombs(墓) of their dead family members to cherish the past memory. Making qingtuan is also a chance for family members to get together at home. It really takes time and effort to make the snack.Now, qingtuan has already spread its special taste to the northern part of China. Li Yuan, a 30-year-old engineer who grew up in Zhejiang Province, brought qingtuan back to Beijing where he works. “It tastes different in and out of my hometown,” he said. “There’s no place like home.”Qingtuan has many different tastes inside it, such as apples and bean milk, to meet customers’tastes. The difference of the taste shows that it’s getting more and more popular across the whole country.Even though there is warm weather and green leaves in spring, the season wouldn’t be complete without a taste of qingtuan.1.Tomb-sweeping Day is in . ( )A.springB.summerC.autumnD.winter2.Your mouth waters when seeing qingtuan mainly because of the . ( )A.sticky riceB.green colorC.red bean pasteD.mugwort leaves3.The underlined word “cherish” in the third paragraph probably means . ( )A.遗忘B.怀念C.祈求D.清除4.We can know from the passage that Li Yuan . ( )A.loves no placeB.sells qingtuanC.works in BeijingD.works as a cook5.Which is the best title for this passage? ( )A.Growing Up in BeijingB.Planting Rice in ZhejiangC.Meeting Customers’ TastesD.Marking the Start of SpringC [2020·哈尔滨]John Smith is an exchange student from New York. Here is a letter to his friend in his hometown. Dear David,How time flies!It’s been 3 months since I came to China. I’m having a great time on my student exchange program here. So far, I’ve completely got used to the life here and have known a lot about traditional Chinese culture. I’d like to share some with you.In China, there are many different kinds of traditional art forms, such as paper cutting, Chinese clay art and so on. Among them, the kite interests me most. The first ancient Chinese kite appeared more than 2,000 years ago. Then flying kites was spread into Japan, Korea and Malaysia during the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty. Kites are regarded as the earliest craft(飞行器). They played an important role in the process of inventing the plane.Tea culture is important in China. Tea was discovered as a kind of drink by accident about 5,000 years ago. It is believed that tea was brought to Korea and Japan during the 6th and 7th centuries. It didn’t appear in England until around 1660.The tea trade from China to Western countries took place in the 19th century. Now tea has become one of the most popular drinks around the world.Lastly, I’d like to tell you something about one of the traditional Chinese festivals—the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar(阴历). Chinese people have been celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival and enjoying mooncakes for centuries.If you’d like to know more about traditional Chinese culture, I will talk about it in the next letter.Best wishes!Yours,John1.From this passage, we know that John Smith is from . ( )A.CanadaB.the USC.the UK2.Which of the following isn’t a traditional Chinese art form? ( )A.Paper cutting.B.Chinese clay art.C.The Mid-Autumn Festival.3.About 5,000 years ago, . ( )A.the first ancient Chinese kite appearedB.flying kites was spread into Japan, Korea, and MalaysiaC.tea was discovered as a kind of drink by accident4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the letter? ( )A.David came to China three months ago.B.Tea didn’t appear in England until around the 16th century.C.Kites played an important role in the process of inventing the plane.5.John wrote this letter to David in order to . ( )A.share something about traditional Chinese culture with himB.tell him the tea trade from Western countries to China took place in the 19th centuryC.tell him the Mid-Autumn Festival is in August every year【参考答案】A [主旨大意]本文是一篇说明文,主要介绍了使用筷子的特殊规则和风俗。

WEEK 14 文化风俗（2）一、阅读理解（共12小题；共24分）AA. Teamwork.B. Friendship.C. Gratitude.D. Devotion.2. What do you learn about the Electric Daisy Carnival?A. It is South America's largest music festival.B. It is a public film festival lasting three days.C. It is a music festival that happens every year.D. It is North America's largest sports event.3. Thomas & Friends: Tale of the Brave is intended for .A. teenagersB. babiesC. adultsD. women4. Which of the following can be used to describe Alexa?A. Outgoing.B. Secret.C. Spoiled.D. Upright.BFacebook founder Mark Zuckerberg recently surprised Chinese students when he spoke to them in Chinese. In a talk at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Zuckerberg spoke Chinese for about 30 minutes. With Chinese having the most native speakers of any language and the study of the Chinese language increasing rapidly around the world, Zuckerberg's talk raises a question: Is Chinese the language of the future? Could it replace English as the world's international language?Chinese will grow in importance, especially for people who want to work and do business in China. But I don't think Chinese will overtake English any time soon.American movies, music, television, video games have wider audiences, which is one reason for English's popularity as a foreign language. So far China's success in this aspect has been very limited. Chinese films, Chinese television shows, Chinese music doesn't have a huge effect outside of China. Another reason is that English is seen as a more neutral(中立的) language than Chinese. Unlike Chinese, English is not associated with one country. It is a universal language and is spoken in more than 170 countries. Last year, China hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in the capital city of Beijing. But the meeting was not in Chinese. The official language of APEC is English. The most important reason is that Chinese is a more difficult language to learn. It is estimated that it would take a native English speaker 2,000 hours to reach professional fluency in Chinese. That is four times longer than it would take to reach the same level in Dutch, French, or Spanish. While Chinese grammar is much simpler, Chinese has a tone and writing system that is more difficult for adult learners to master.Last but not the least, more people learn English than Chinese. A recent survey by Gallup showed that only one in four Americans is multilingual, so only 25% can speak a foreign language beside English. For most Americans, learning a foreign language is a choice, not a necessity. China Daily estimates that 400 million Chinese are studying English. That means China has more English learners than the US has English speakers.5. Mark Zuckerberg surprised Chinese students by .A. wearing Chinese clothesB. speaking ChineseC. singing Chinese songsD. making a speech6. Which of the following contributes to English's popularity as a foreign language?A. American growing economy.B. American pop culture.C. American freedom of speech.D. American life values.7. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?A. Chinese is a universal language.B. English is associated with one country.C. The official language of APEC is English.D. English is a more neutral language.8. How many hours will it take a native English speaker to reach professional fluency in Spanish?A. About 400 hours.B. About 800 hours.C. About 1,200 hours.D. About 2,000 hours.CNow everyone can view one of the world's most important collection of Asian and American art. The Arthur M. Sackler and Freer Galleries of Art in Washington, D.C. have put their entire collection on the Internet.The Freer and Sackler Galleries worked for over a decade to photograph and make digital copies of more than 40,000 objects. The images are now released online. They include Chinese and Islamic art, as well as works from Persia, Egypt and parts of Asia.Courtney O'Callaghan is the chief digital officer at the Freer and Sackler Galleries. She says the online objects have deep cultural and historical meaning. She says the museum wanted to be sure that anyone who wanted to see the works could.Courtney O'Callaghan notes another important result of digitizing the collection—protecting the invaluable treasures. "It allowed us to gather these beautiful, high-resolution(高分辨) images of objects so that we don't have to bring them out again. We don't have to touch them."Online visitors see more details in an image than they can when they look at a piece in the museum. For example, many museum visitors struggle to examine the artwork in the famed Whistler Peacock Room because the light is kept low there. The low light helps protect the exhibit. But in a digital panoramic view (全景的), online visitors can see the room in brighter light.The museum also provides images of objects from every angle. Ms. O'Callaghan says the three dimensional, or 3-D, view has helped researchers most. They can learn more about some ancient art by looking at it online than by studying the real piece. She says an important Chinese sculpture called Cosmic Buddha is a good example. "Here is an amazing sculpture that has a very detailed pattern on it that is very hard to see with the naked eye. By using 3-D not only are people able to see all around this object, but also they're able to change the lighting and change the color and it has really helped scholars better understand the stories on it."Ms. O'Callaghan believes more museums will start making art available online. She says the Freer and Sackler Galleries plan to digitize every work of art they add to the collection in the coming years.9. How long did the Freer and Sackler Galleries work to photograph and make digital copies of more than 40,000 objects?A. About five years.B. Over ten years.C. Over fifteen years.D. About twenty years.10. Digitizing the collection has the following advantages EXCEPT .A. being available to more peopleB. seeing more details of the artworkC. preserving the original artworkD. attracting more visitors to the museum11. According to the passage, the bright light can the exhibit.A. damageB. protectC. beautifyD. burn up12. What is Ms. O'Callaghan's attitude towards the prospect of making art available online?A. Positive.B. Negative.C. Doubtful.D. Unclear.二、完形填空（共20小题；共30分）Spring is around the comer in Japan! At least for now, the weather is 13 and everything is coming back to life. 14 is apparently in the air in Japan as well. It is time for Japanese to celebrate their 15 Valentine's Day.Japan's Valentine's Day 16 that of other countries. In Japan, only women give chocolate to men on February 14th—including 17 workmates and relatives. There are two types of chocolates:"Giri-choco"(obligation chocolate), and "Honmei-choco". Giri-choco is 18 to be for friends, colleagues, bosses, and close male friends. "Giri" 19 obligation in Japanese, so this Giri-choco has no 20 involved. On the other hand, Honmei-choco is designed to be given to a boyfriend, 21 , or husband with true love. Japanese women often 22 the Honmei-choco by themselves as many of them think it is not true love 23 they just buy the ready-made chocolate at shops. You will start 24 large displays of chocolate, often heart-shaped in department stores and grocery stores from mid-January.Days before the Valentine's Day, stores get 25 with a large variety of chocolates, the cooking tools, and women! Now you may think that it seems 26 that only the guys receive gifts on Valentine's day. 27 , the men, in response, give chocolates to women on White Day, which is a month later on March fourteenth. More often the 28 of the chocolate is white because of the name of the day. Again, department stores have many advanced 29 with gift displays so men will have no 30 to forget about this special day which is important for women. To the guys, if you receive chocolate—you will be expected to 31 the favor!Japanese young people are impressed by American customs of giving Valentine's cards to all of their classmates. Now cards, candies, flowers and other gifts are also 32 among young people in these special holidays.13. A. cooler B. hotter C. warmer D. colder14. A. Love B. Tension C. Gratitude D. Anxiety15. A. precious B. official C. harmonious D. unique16. A. comes from B. results from C. hears from D. differs from17. A. female B. close C. male D. familiar18. A. persuaded B. advised C. considered D. meant19. A. means B. contains C. cherishes D. ignores20. A. assistance B. romance C. friendship D. emotion21. A. driver B. worker C. brother D. lover22. A. treat B. eat C. prepare D. handle23. A. though B. because C. unless D. if24. A. seeing B. smelling C. tasting D. touching25. A. decorated B. packed C. covered D. equipped26. A. funny B. natural C. unfair D. dishonest27. A. In fact B. At last C. On time D. Above all28. A. symbol B. sign C. color D. mark29. A. players B. cookers C. barriers D. reminders30. A. reason B. excuse C. cause D. way31. A. accept B. do C. return D. offer32. A. popular B. normal C. available D. vital三、短文7选5(5选5等)（共5小题；共10分）Nowadays, many foreigners marry Chinese. 33. But there are also massive advantages to having a Chinese spouse(配偶) in China. I married my girlfriend of four years in May 2014 and I definitely feel that my life in China would have been much worse without her. Here I'll tell you why I feel this way.34. The language barrier is a great obstacle for the majority of foreigners living in China and a bilingual Chinese spouse is a huge help in overcoming that obstacle. Not only can your spouse help with interpretation but they will have access to information that is only in Chinese such as job advertisements, housing advertisements, and Internet shopping sites. 35. My wife was very effective in finding students for me as she could read posts on local Internet forums that I cannot, and sometimes even advertise on my behalf.Your spouse can also offer a unique insight into the mind-set of Chinese people. They can pick up on subtle hints indicated by body language and verbal cues that a foreigner may never be able to.36. As a result, I avoid many cultural misunderstandings.37. The family unit is highly respected in China. Older generations rely on their children for support in their old age, and most Chinese feel that family and marriage provide a solid support network that can always be relied upon. Therefore, a foreigner with a Chinese spouse doesn't find him/herself seen as a temporary worker who is "just passing through". I have personally found that when my wife and I are together I am treated with a bit more respect.A. Firstly, you can overcome the language barrier.B. I used to work as a salesman.C. You can become part of a collective whole.D. Cross-cultural relationships can be hugely challenging.E. They act as a key bridge between cultures with vastly different styles of communication.F. How do I get along with my wife's parents?G. I used to work as a private teacher.答案一、阅读理解1. A2. C3. B4. D5. B6. B7. D8. A9. B 10. D11. A 12. A二、完形填空13. C 14. A 15. D16. D 17. C 18. D 19. A 20. B21. D 22. C 23. D 24. A 25. B26. C 27. A 28. C 29. D 30. B31. C 32. A三、短文7选5(5选5等)33. D 34. A 35. G 36. E 37. C。

Week Twelve 文化风俗一、阅读理解（共19小题；共38.0分）AChildren have traditionally been the stars of family portraits—but these days they are increasingly likely to be upstaged(抢镜头) by their pets. Photographers say that there has been a 20 percent rise in demand in the past year for shots featuring not only dogs and cats, but also more unusual animals including horses, cows, sheep—and even ferrets and snails. But it doesn't always come cheap, as parents are paying up to £3,000 for the distinctive images.Richard Mayfield, creative director at Venture Photography, which runs a nationwide chain of studios, said: "They say never work with children or animals but we think the opposite. Children and animals are unpredictable, and that's great for capturing dynamic(动态的) photographs.""We always ask clients if they would like to bring any pets along to their shoots as we want to capture the character of the families we photograph, and often their pets help them to relax. We get a lot of domestic pets such as dogs and cats but more unusual pets can be really interesting from a photographer's perspective. This year we've seen lots ofrabbits in particular as more and more are kept in the house and so really feel like part of the family."A glance at these pictures proves just how astonishing the animal magic can be. Toddler Alfie Poutney, from Felixstowe, poses with a green parrot perched on his flat cap; Charlie Wells from Wakefield gives his pony Lucy a gentle kiss; James Corrigan is pictured with his Dutch dwarf rabbit perched in the center of his skateboard; Poppy Hanshaw reaches out to stroke Lego the lamb; and Harry the tortoise provided the main focus for a Home Counties family portrait. But the most unusual image surely has to be Gabriel Pereira from Woking, Surrey, posing with his pet snails Wayne, Lucy and Aaron.1. According to the passage, children take pictures .only with dogs and cats B. only with unusual animals A.C. with seven kinds of pets Dvery cheaply and commonly.2. According to the passage, Richard Mayfieldconsiders .Achildren and animals are predictable.B. it difficult to work with children or animalsC. his firm runs a worldwide chain of studiosD.it fun to get dynamic photographs3. What role do pets play when people take pictures? A.Helping them feel less pressure.B. Helping them get more excited.C. Helping them get little disturbed.D.Helping them feel more stressful.4. What animals become more popular in families?A . Dogs. B. Cats. C. Horses. D.Rabbits.5. How many pets are mentioned in the last paragraph?A .Six. B. Seven. C. Eight. D.Nine.BSuccessful people in international business understand the culturesof other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one's own culture's way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It's ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it's necessary to study the different elements(组成部分) of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.LanguageA knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.Values and attitudesValues are people's basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.Customs and mannersCustoms are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad(色拉) before the main course at dinner, not after.It's not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn't sell well because the French don't usually drink juice with breakfast.6. A knowledge of the local language allows international business people .A.to be more open with their customersB. to communicate without outside helpC. to express their thoughts indirectlyD.to have a better idea of their own culture7. The act of many people buying chocolate of Switzerland shows the role of .A . manners B. values C. attitudes D.customs8. What would be the best title for the text? A.Misconceptions in BusinessB. Basic Beliefs in BusinessC. International Business CultureDSuccessful International Business.9. The author's purpose of writing this article is to tellpeople .how to take a right attitude in businessA.B. how to avoid misunderstandings in businessC. how to use a local language in businesshow to act politely and properly in businessD.CSailing Through HistoryA group of 1,309 passengers boarded the MS. Balmoral on Sunday, in Southampton, England, on a voyage to retrace the path of the Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world when it sailed on itsill-fated maiden voyage in 1912. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died. The ship, which was headed to New York City, carried the rich and famous on its first voyage. It also carried immigrants, who were seeking a better life in America.Relatives of people who sailed on the Titanic, historians, authors and people fascinated by the story of the unsinkable ship, are on the Balmoral.They want to remember the doomed ship and those who died on her first and last voyage. The historic liner had set sail on April 10, 1912, from Southampton. Late at night on April 14, she hit an iceberg. In the early morning hours of April 15, the Titanic sank.The Balmoral is following Titanic's original route from Southampton. First, the modern-day cruise liner docked in the port of Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic had picked up more passengers. On Monday afternoon, the Balmoral stops in Cobh, Ireland, the Titanic's last port of call before sailing to New York.Balmoral will then cruise the North Atlantic Ocean to the location where Titanic hit an iceberg that ripped the ship's hull(外壳). On Sunday, April 15, at 2:20 a.m.—the time the Titanic went down—passengers and crew will hold a memorial service. The next two days will be spent in Halifax, Canada, where many victims of the sinking are buried. Then, the Balmoral will reach its final destination in New York City, where Titanic was supposed to dock—but never did.Until today, several teams of divers have explored the site. They have recovered some items such as dishes and silverware and put them on public display. And more trips are planned to the wreckage in the future. The Titanic and its passengers and crew have been remembered in books, movies and TV programs. But there's a much more important contribution that Titanic gave us. After she sank, lawmakers andshipbuilders made ships safer. It took a terrible tragedy to make ship travel safer for all.10. How many passengers in Titanic survived at last?A.More than 1,500. B. About 1,309.C. About 1,000. D.Less than 750.11. Passengers in Balmoral mainly want to .A.seek a better life in AmericaB. enjoy the fascinating voyage to the USC. observe the maiden voyage of MS BalmoralD.observe the 100th anniversary of maiden voyage of Titanic 12. How many countries does the Balmoral reach before sailing to New York?A . Two. B. Three. C. Four. D.Five.13. The Balmoral will stay in Canada just in memory of .A.the dead passengers in the BalmoralB. the survivors in TitanicC. the dead passengers in Titanicthe survivors in the BalmoralD.14. What might be the most important contribution of the sunken Titanic?AIts site attracts more exploring teams..B. It makes the later ships more secure.C. Some of its items are on public display.More trips are planned to its wreckage.D.DHistoric Hill at Risk of Being Removed From Landscape It's literally a case of turning a mountain into a molehill.An entire hill, famed for its archeological heritage and geological significance, is to be removed from the Scottish skyline to make way for a quarry(采石场) under plans being considered by West Dunbartonshire Council.Sheep Hill, in the Kilpatrick Hills on the Clyde, is the site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age forts which local residents and experts say will be destroyed by the expansion of a stone quarry.The hill also features in a painting by the 19th-century Scottish artist John Knox, and is used by geology teachers to show how the landscape has been shaped by volcanoes and ice ages.Allowing the hill to be wiped off the map would be "an act of wanton(荒唐的) destruction of our environment and inheritance", according to Clydebelt, a local environmental group, which is calling for Scottish ministers to intervene to save the hill."Sheep Hill is liable(应承担责任的) to be destroyed," said the group's secretary, Sam Gibson. "This would leave a gaping hole in the side of the hill showing the workings of the quarry and fully visible from a distance."A proposal to revise mineral permission for an existing quarry run by a local firm near Sheep Hill is due to be discussed by West Dunbartonshire Council on Wednesday and has aroused fierce opposition from local groups.They say that, as well as damaging important archaeological remains and ruining the landscape, expanding the quarry would threaten wildlife and trees. The North Bank Environmental Group has filed a formal complaint to the ombudsman(巡视官) about the council's handling of the development.The quarry company, William Thompson & Son, which has extracted whinstone at its Sheep Hill quarry for decades did not respond to repeated requests to comment last week.15. For what is Sheep Hill well-known?A.A molehill and its stone quarry.B. Its ancient heritage and geological significance.C. The site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age.D.Its painting by John Knox, a 19th-century artist.16. The underlined word "intervene" means in the 3rd paragraph.A . go inside B. step in C. interview D.interrupt17. What can we infer from what Sam Gibson said?A.It is right to remove Sheep Hill from a distance.B. The workings of the quarry can be seen from a distance.C. The workings of the quarry would ruin the wholeness and thescenery of the hill.D .Too many holes will be opened in the side of the hill after the workings.18. Why do the local groups oppose the mineral permission?A .Because they run the quarry near Sheep Hill and make money from it.B. Because the mineral permission will do harm to archaeologicalremains and the landscape.C. Because they don' t agree with the handling of the developmentof the quarry.D .Because they care about not only archaeological remains, landscape but also the wildlife and trees.19. How did William Thompson & Son react towards the complaint from the locals?A.He had no reaction.B. He worried about their production of whinstone.C. He feared to be punished.D.He is not satisfied with the ombudsman.二、阅读理解（共4小题；共8.0分）“You are going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You are really lucky.“Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But is it true all the time? Is your life in the new country always wonderful and exciting?Specialists say that it isn't easy to get used to life in a new culture. "Culture shock" is the term specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. "There are three stages of culture shock," say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.There are some obvious factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems, the telephone, post office, or transportation maybe difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity.They have to build a new self-image.Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation(迷惘). This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create and escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience are the long term solutions to the problem of culture shock.20. When people move to a new country, they .will get used to their new surroundings with difficulty A.B. have well prepared for their new surroundingsC. will get used to the culture of the country quicklywill never be familiar with the culture of the country D.21. According to the passage, factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following exceptlanguage communicationA.B. weather conditions and customsC. public service systemsDhomesickness.22. According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, .Athe fewer difficulties you may have abroad.B. the more difficulties you may have abroadC. the more money you'll earn abroadthe less homesick you'II feel abroadD.23. When people are homesick, they tend to .find some people to talk to B. go outside to have a walk A.stay indoors all the timeC. visit their friends far away D.答案一、阅读理解1. C2. D3. A4. D5. C6. B7. C8. C9. B 10. D11. D 12. A 13. C 14. B 15. B16. B 17. C 18. D 19. A二、阅读理解20. A21. D 22. B 23. D。

八年级英语风俗习惯阅读理解20题1<背景文章>Weddings in the West are full of beautiful traditions and customs. A Western wedding usually takes place in a church or a beautiful outdoor location. The bride wears a white wedding dress, which symbolizes purity and innocence. The groom wears a formal suit.The ceremony begins with the entrance of the bride. She is accompanied by her father who will give her away to the groom. The groom waits at the altar for his bride. As the bride walks down the aisle, soft music is played.After the couple exchange vows and rings, they are pronounced husband and wife. Then, they kiss to seal their marriage.At the reception, there is usually delicious food, music, and dancing. The guests enjoy celebrating the happy couple.One of the most interesting customs is the throwing of the bouquet. The bride throws her bouquet over her shoulder and the single women try to catch it. It is believed that the woman who catches the bouquet will be the next one to get married.Another custom is the cutting of the wedding cake. The couple cuts the cake together and then feeds each other a piece. This symbolizes theirshared life and love.Weddings in the West are truly magical events that bring families and friends together to celebrate love and commitment.1. The bride wears a white wedding dress because it symbolizes ___.A. beautyB. purityC. happinessD. luck答案：B。

八年级全球文化与习俗英语阅读理解25题1<背景文章>Western Festivals: A Glimpse into Their Rich CulturesIn the Western world, there are several important festivals that are celebrated with great enthusiasm. One of the most well - known is Christmas. Christmas has its roots in Christianity, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on December 25th every year. People start preparing for Christmas long before the actual day. They decorate their homes with Christmas trees, which are usually evergreen trees. These trees are adorned with colorful lights, tinsel, and various ornaments. Santa Claus is also an important part of Christmas. According to the legend, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole and on Christmas Eve, he travels around the world in his sleigh pulled by reindeer to deliver presents to children who have been good throughout the year.The traditional Christmas dinner is quite sumptuous. In many Western countries, a roast turkey is the centerpiece of the meal. Along with the turkey, there are often side dishes like mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. Families gather together on Christmas Day to exchange gifts and enjoy this delicious meal.Another significant festival is Easter. Easter has a religious origin aswell, symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It usually falls in March or April. One of the most interesting Easter traditions is the Easter egg hunt. Eggs have long been a symbol of new life, and during Easter, children search for hidden eggs, often colored or decorated in various ways. Chocolate eggs are also very popular during this time. In addition, many people attend church services on Easter Sunday.Halloween is a festival that is full of fun and spookiness. It is celebrated on October 31st. The origin of Halloween can be traced back to ancient Celtic festivals. People believed that on this day, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred. On Halloween, children dress up in costumes, which can range from cute characters like princesses and superheroes to scary ones like vampires and ghosts. They go door - to - door in their neighborhoods, saying "Trick or treat!" and expecting to get candies or other treats. Pumpkins are also an important part of Halloween. People carve pumpkins into jack - o' - lanterns, with spooky faces on them.1. What is the origin of Christmas?A. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.B. It is a celebration of the harvest season.C. It commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.D. It is a celebration of the new year.答案：C。

初二英语文化习俗单选题40题1.In which festival do people usually give chocolates and flowers?A.ChristmasB.Valentine's DayC.HalloweenD.Easter答案：B。

解析：情人节的时候人们通常会送巧克力和鲜花。

选项 A 圣诞节人们通常送礼物，但一般不是巧克力和鲜花。

选项C 万圣节人们会送糖果，但不是巧克力和鲜花。

选项D 复活节人们会送彩蛋等礼物。

2.Which festival is associated with pumpkin carving?A.ThanksgivingB.ChristmasC.HalloweenD.Easter答案：C。

解析：万圣节与南瓜雕刻有关。

选项A 感恩节通常有火鸡等元素。

选项 B 圣诞节有圣诞树等元素。

选项 D 复活节有彩蛋等元素。

3.What is the traditional food for Thanksgiving?A.TurkeyB.HamburgerC.PizzaD.Sushi答案：A。

解析：感恩节的传统食物是火鸡。

选项B 汉堡不是感恩节传统食物。

选项 C 披萨不是感恩节传统食物。

选项 D 寿司不是感恩节传统食物。

4.Which festival is celebrated on December 25th?A.ThanksgivingB.Valentine's DayC.ChristmasD.Halloween答案：C。

解析：12 月25 日是圣诞节。

选项 A 感恩节在11 月。

选项B 情人节在2 月14 日。

选项D 万圣节在10 月31 日。

5.What do people usually do on Easter?A.Give chocolates and flowersB.Carve pumpkinsC.Have egg huntsD.Eat turkey答案：C。

初二节日文化英语阅读理解30题1<背景文章>The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is the most important festival in China. It usually falls in late January or early February. People celebrate it with various traditions and activities.Before the Spring Festival, people clean their houses thoroughly to sweep away bad luck and welcome good fortune. They also decorate their homes with red lanterns, couplets, and paper-cuttings. Red is considered a lucky color and symbolizes happiness and prosperity.On New Year's Eve, families get together for a big feast. The dinner usually includes traditional dishes such as dumplings, fish, and spring rolls. After the meal, people stay up late to welcome the new year. At midnight, fireworks are set off to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck.During the Spring Festival, people visit relatives and friends, exchange greetings and gifts. Children receive red envelopes with money inside, which is a symbol of good wishes and blessings.The Spring Festival is not only a time for celebration but also a time to remember family traditions and values. It brings people together and strengthens family bonds.1. The Spring Festival usually falls in _______.A. late December or early JanuaryB. late January or early FebruaryC. late February or early MarchD. late March or early April答案：B。

初二文化交流英语阅读理解25题1<背景文章>Traditional festivals around the world are rich in cultural connotations, each with its own unique origin, celebration methods, and special foods. Let's take a look at some of them.The Chinese Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival in China. It has a long history, dating back thousands of years. Legend has it that it was originally a time to ward off monsters and evil spirits. As for the celebration ways, families get together. People clean their houses thoroughly before the festival to sweep away bad luck. They decorate their homes with red lanterns and couplets. During the Spring Festival, people will have a big dinner on New Year's Eve, and dumplings are the most typical food. Dumplings are shaped like ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots, symbolizing wealth.The American Thanksgiving is also a very important festival. It originated from the early settlers in America who wanted to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. On Thanksgiving Day, families and friends gather around the table. They usually have a big turkey as the main dish. Besides, there are also pumpkin pies, mashed potatoes and so on. People express their gratitude for the good things in life.In Brazil, the Carnival is world - famous. It has a strong African and Portuguese influence. The origin of Carnival is related to the religious celebrations in the past. During Carnival, the streets are filled with people in colorful costumes. There are samba parades everywhere. People dance, sing and have a great time. And feijoada, a kind of black - bean - based stew, is a very popular food during this festival.1. <问题1>A. Which festival has a legend related to warding off monsters?B. The Chinese Spring Festival.C. The American Thanksgiving.D. The Brazilian Carnival.答案：B。

WEEK 14 文化风俗（2）一、完形填空（共20小题；共35分）AWashington DC has a graffiti(涂鸦) problem. That is a usual problem for many large cities around the world. Graffiti is an illegal(非法的) kind of 1 . Graffiti artists are usually young people. They use a kind of paint that is sprayed(喷射) from a can(罐). They illegally 2 words and pictures on the wall—especially in poor neighborhoods.Some cities are 3 the graffiti artists with education instead of punishment. In Washington DC, officials are working with graffiti artists to help make the 4 more beautiful.About twelve young artists have met at a workshop in Washington. They are 5 how to use spray paint to make graffiti that people will want to see. Michelle Chen is one of the artists.They practice on small 6 . They are taught by Eric Ricks. He is a graffiti artist from Liberia. He used to paint on buildings illegally. But now the city is paying him to 7 young people.The project is called "MuralsDC". The program provides the 8 people ten weeks of training. After the training, the students 9 with Mr. Ricks to a neighborhood in the north of the city. They will make a large painting called a "mural" on a wall. That makes Mr. Ricks 10 .Mr. Ricks says he will go on a trip across America. He hopes to paint a mural in every state.1. A. work B. art C. sport D. music2. A. paint B. write C. read D. find3. A. enjoying B. agreeing C. fighting D. sharing4. A. house B. country C. city D. world5. A. learning B. teaching C. wondering D. asking6. A. blackboards B. paper C. floor D. walls7. A. teach B. learn C. love D. find8. A. old B. young C. rich D. poor9. A. stay B. travel C. share D. work10. A. rich B. sad C. free D. happyBQu Yuan, a poet who loved his country a lot. The emperor didn't take his advice and drove him out of the country. He felt very sad then jumped into the Miluo River on the fifth dayof the fifth lunar month. To memorize him, Chinese people usually race dragon boats and eat zongzi on that day. So it's called Dragon Boat Festival. Do you know that there are some other customs of the holiday?Hanging mugwortIt is a custom to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival. Mugwort doesn't smells good but it has the power to keep insects away and clean the air. This custom has been passed down from generation to generation (世代).Carrying a spice bagIt's believed that if you carry a small spice bag (香囊) around, it not only drives away evil spirits (恶魔), but also brings good luck and happiness to you.11. From the first paragraph, we can know that .A. Qu Yuan is the best poet in his countryB. the emperor never took anybody's adviceC. the emperor is very cleverD. Qu Yuan was too sad to jump into the Miluo12. The author mentioned ways to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival in the passage.A. twoB. threeC. fourD. five13. The underlined phrase "that day" in the passage refers to .A. Spring festivalB. Qingming FestivalC. Dragon Boat FestivalD. Double Ninth Festival14. Mugwort is a kind of .A. plantB. wineC. animalD. food15. Why do people carry a spice bag on Dragon Boat Festival?a. It can make people healthy.b. It can drive away evil spirits.c. It can bring good luck.d. It can bring happiness.A. a, b, c.B. a, c, d.C. a, b, d.D. b, c, d.CAs we know, National Day is a day to remember the start of a country. Different countries celebrate National Days in different ways. Look at the celebrations below:A. It's a day to remember the start of a country.B. It's a seven-day holiday.C. It's to remember the presidents of their country.D. It's the Queen's birthday.17. How many counties are mentioned in the passage?A. Three.B. Four.C. Five.D. Six.18. People in celebrate National Day with their family and friends.A. FranceB. the USC. GreekD. Britain19. Both and celebrate National Day on July.A. China; FranceB. France; the USC. Greek; BritainD. the US; Britain20. What's the passage mainly about?A. Having fun on National Day.B. Different countries celebrate National Days in different ways.C. The history of National Days in different countries.D. How to have a special National Day.二、阅读理解（共5小题；共10分）It may be hard to believe, but there are about 70 tribes(部落) living in the Amazon rainforest. These people have no electricity, live in grass houses, catch animals, and have little to contact(联系) with the outside world.Now one of those tribes has contacted with modern society for the first time in 20 years, but it is a bad thing. The isolated(与世隔绝) tribe moved to a small Brazil town near the Upper Envira River because too many trees had been cut down. Cutting down trees and carrying the trees from a protected(受保护的) area drove away the animals that the tribe depended on for food. The tribe had to travel east and ended up far away from home in Brazil.Anthropologists(人类学家) are worried about the tribe since they have come into contact with people that aren't a part of their tribe. In the past, similar tribes who came into contact with the outside world were easily killed by illness like cough and cold because their bodies never met those illnesses, and were not vaccinated against them.Things are looking bad for the other isolated tribes in Peru. The Peruvian government has recently decided on an oil project that would allow three companies to find oil with help from hundreds of workers. The project could kill all the tribes in the rainforest. It means 15 tribes will live in Machu Picchu, only 100 kilometers from the centre of the oil city.21. What kind of life do the tribes live in the forest?A. Easy.B. Happy.C. Lonely.D. Noisy.22. One of the tribes has contacted with modern society because .A. they want to live a modern lifeB. living in the forest is boringC. there aren't enough animals in the forestD. there are too many animals in the forest23. How do anthropologists feel about the tribe's contacting with people outside?A. Relaxed.B. Worried.C. Excited.D. Pleased.24. The underlined word "vaccinated" means " " in Chinese.A. 打疫苗B. 做手术C. 做检查D. 打点滴25. From the last paragraph, we can guess that .A. the Peruvian government will save the tribesB. the tribes in the rainforest will live a happier lifeC. finding oil in the rain forest is good for the tribesD. the tribes will be in great danger in the future三、阅读与表达(问答式(含翻译))（共5小题；共10分）Millions of men and women go shopping on Black Friday in the USA and other western counties. Supermarkets gives discounts(折扣) of up to 70%. It's a big shopping day in the USA and it went into Britain five years ago. On that day, the police go to the supermarkets and thousands of shoppers are there. The police are worried that the supermarkets are too crowded. With the help of the police, shoppers can get in and out of the supermarkets safely.Shoppers in the UK are happy on Black Friday, the clerks in the supermarkets are not. Because they are very tired on that day. On the US celebration of Thanksgiving, people spend with their family. Many big stores aren't open on that day. There are over 60 letters on the website . All of them show that they want Black Friday to change. They think family is more important than profits(收益). A "Boycott(抵制) Black Thursday" Facebook page has 114,000 likes.根据短文内容，完成下列小题。

中考备考阅读话题练习：语言与学习一、阅读理解（共20小题；共40分）ABritish people have always been good at saying "I'm sorry". They used to be so good at it that they would apologize(道歉) for things that weren't even their fault.However, the British seem to be losing touch with their art. According to a new book by British writer Max Davidson, instead of saying "I'm sorry" when they do something wrong, British people prefer to choose their words carefully.In this book, Sorry—The Hardest Word and How to Use It, Davidson writes about a number of recent apologies. One example is of British television host Jeremy Clarkson. He described Gordon Brown, the UK prime minister (首相), as "a one-eyed Scottish idiot(笨蛋)". (Brown is blind in his left eye)Clarkson was forced to apologize. He said, "In the heat of the moment, I made a remark(评论) about the prime minister. Now I apologize of reflection." Davidson says the apology was just "going through the motions(做表面文章)".Clarkson is not the only one. The best example may come from the UK MP(议员) Tessa Jowell. She said publicly, "If you feel our government falls short of what you expect, then I say sorry for that."Jowell said "sorry". But she is actually saying it's not the government's fault but the voters' fault for expecting too much from the government.Perhaps those people with influence feel they may lose too much by apologizing. But as a teenager, would you really want to lose a close friend, just because you couldn't say something as simple as, "I'm sorry"? That would be hard to forgive.1. Who was the improper description "a one-eyed Scottish idiot" used to describe?A. Max Davidson.B. Jeremy Clarkson.C. Gordon Brown.D. Tessa Jowell.2. What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?A. The British are still good at apologizing.B. The British like to say sorry for everything they have done.C. The British say "I'm sorry" in a different way now.D. The British lose too much by saying "sorry".3. Who wrote the book called Sorry—The Hardest Word and How to Use It?A. Max Davidson.B. Jeremy Clarkson.C. Gordon Brown.D. Tessa Jowell.4. How was Clarkson's apology according to the story?A. Sincere.B. Friendly.C. Rude.D. Untrue.5. What does the story mainly tell us?A. British people used to be polite and kind.B. British people like to go through the motions.C. British people choose their words carefully to apologize now.D. British people are expecting too much from the government.BSix Chinese CharactersDear students, our country has a long history. Chinese characters usually have more than one meaning and some of them are particularly loved by Chinese people. Here are the top six lucky ones. Please note we use "pinyin" here because "pinyin" is the Chinese spelling system for the characters. For example, "fu" is the "pinyin" for good luck in Chinese. "pinyin" "fu" is only the phonic(语音的) part of the character and if you want to know the meaning of good luck "fu", youmust read the Chinese character "福" because "fu" also represents(代表) other Chinese characters that sound the same.福"fu" means blessing, good fortune, good luck.Chinese character 福"fu" is one of the most popular ones used during Chinese New Year. It is often displayed upside down on the front door of a house or an apartment. The upside down福"fu" means good luck comes since the character for upside down in Chinese sounds the same as the character for "come".禄"Iu" means prosperity.It is used to mean official's salary(薪水) in feudal(封建的) China.寿"shou" means longevity.Chinese character 寿"shou" also means life, age or birthday.喜"xi" is happiness.The doubled character 喜"xi" means double happiness. It is usually displayed everywhere at Chinese weddings.财"cai" is wealth or money.Chinese often say "money can make a ghost turn a millstone". It is to say money really can do a lot of things. But, still—money can't buy everything.和"he" means harmomous.People's harmony is an important part of Chinese culture. When you have harmomous relations with others, things will be a lot easier for you.6. What does the word "character" mean in this passage?A. 性格B. 汉字C. 角色D. 特征7. We use to show how to read the Chinese characters.A. "pinyin"B. spellingC. ChineseD. letters8. What does the upside down 福"fu" mean?A. It means coming.B. It means that good luck comes.C. It means good fortune.D. It means that "fu" is upside down.9. Which sentence is right according to the passage?A. Money is a ghost.B. Money can buy everything.C. Money is everything.D. Money isn't everything.10. After reading the passage, can we say that sound "he" only means harmony?A. No, we can't.B. Yes, we can.C. I know several words read as "he".D. Yes, you can.CShaolin Temple is famous for kung fu. Now, the world's first kung fu soccer school is open at Shaolin Temple. The school is called Shaolin Youth (青少年) Soccer School. About 2,000 children under ten years old are learning Shaolin kung fu there, and about 40 of them start to learn playing soccer now."More children will start to play soccer here. We believe that some of them will become international stars some day," Shi Yanlu, a kung fu coach from Shaolin said.The school invited a coach (教练) from Cameroon. His name is Tchami. He was one of the best members of the Cameroon national team."Now, the Chinese soccer is not very good and needs to bring in something new. The hard-working spirit(精神) of Shaolin kung fu is the same as that of soccer. I think it will help improve Chinese soccer," said Shi Yanlu.The school will choose some children to learn soccer in foreign countries such as Japan, South Korea and European countries. Some Chinese coaches will help Tchami to train these children.11. Who is probably learning in Shaolin Youth Soccer School from the passage now?A. 9-year-old Li Ping.B. 15-year-old Lin Tao.C. 18-year-old Wu Dong.D. 25-year-old Zhao Bo.12. The foreign coach comes from .A. the USAB. South KoreaC. JapanD. Cameroon13. What is in common between kung fu and soccer?A. Rules.B. The number of players.C. Spirit.D. Players' age.14. Which of the following is true from the passage?A. All of the children in the school will become soccer stars in the future.B. Now about 2,000 children are learning playing soccer in the school.C. The school will help make Chinese soccer better.D. The children will only learn at Shaolin Temple.15. The passage mainly tells us .A. kung fu and soccer have something in commonB. a kung fu soccer school opens at Shaolin TempleC. kung fu can go together with soccerD. kung fu can improve Chinese soccerD①The Dream It is everyone's dream to work at home or not work at all. You can plan your own hours and work when you want to. It is very convenient for everyone.②The Fact The fact is that this dream can be attained. You can stay at home, work when you want to and make money when you need to. There are plenty of opportunities for you to make money at home, just by using your computer and the Internet.③Start Today! Educate yourself, look closely into all the opportunities and decide o n what works best for you. It will not happen during one night, but you can make the decision today and start to make it happen today.④How Could You Do It? Do you have a blog or a personal website like millions of other people? Are you using it to make money? Most of these blog and website owners are not. But you can do that!⑤ When you have your computer and the Internet working for you, your businesses will be working for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You will make money while you sleep, travel or do whatever you want to do all day long.⑥Get Going! There are many ways you can make money with your computer. And you can begin your stay-at-home businesses with just a little money. What are you waiting for?16. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage?A. Sports.B. News.C. Culture.D. Business.17. What does the underlined word "attained" in Point ② mean?A. Broken.B. Realized.C. Lost.D. got.18. What's the best title for Point 5?A. Sleep 24 Hours a dayB. Make Money Every MomentC. Play All Day LongD. Travel Around the World19. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?A. People need a lot of money to start a stay-at-home business.B. People can even use their blogs to make money.C. People can plan their own time when they work at home.D. People can make the best decision and start to make it happen today.20. How is the passage organized?A. By using famous people's words.B. By giving reasons only.C. By showing a topic and giving solutions(解答).D. By telling old stories.二、阅读与表达(混合式)（共10小题；共10分）AIn the past, many people used horses for traveling, farming and other kinds of work. A lot of people still like to ride horses. And horse racing is also popular. So it is not surprising that Americans use this animal when they talk.Long ago, rich or important people rode horses which were very tall. Today, if a girl acts like she is better than everyone else, you might say she should get off her high horse. Yesterday my children wanted me to take them to the playground. But I had to finish my work, so I said. "Hold your horses. Wait until I finish what I am doing." My two boys like to compete against each other and play in a noisy and not very careful way. I always tell them to stop horsing around or someone could get hurt.Last night, I got a telephone call while I was watching my favorite TV show. I decided not to answer it because wild horses could not drag(拖,拽) me away from the television. There was nothing that could stop me from doing what I wanted to do.Sometimes you get information straight from the horse's mouth. Let us say your teacher tells you there is going to be a test tomorrow. You could say you got the information straight from the horse's mouth. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. That means you can give someone advice but you cannot force him to do something he does not want to do.A. horse aroundB. straight from the horse's mouthC. get off her high horseD. wild horses could not drag her awayE. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink根据材料内容，从上面方框中选出恰当的短语或句子完成下面五个小题，使句子通顺、意思完整。