2010 dictation-Freshmen’s Week

2010年松江区高考模拟考试英语试卷（满分150分，考试时间120分）2010.4第I卷I. Listening ComprehensionSection ADirections: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.1. A. In Boston. B. In New York.C. In Washington.D. In Chicago.2. A. A pair of trousers. B. A bathing suit.C. A dress.D. A blouse.3. A. 19. B. 27. C. 31. D. 8.4. A. An article in the newspaper. B. A play on television.C. A play in the theatre.D. A telephone conversation.5. A. On the third floor. B. At a bookstore.C. In a department store.D. At school.6. A. She is tired of driving in heavy traffic.B. She enjoys it because she’s good at driving.C. She is unhappy to have to drive such a long way every day.D. She doesn’t mind it as the road conditions are good.7. A. The woman’s mom. B. The woman herself.C. The man.D. Not mentioned.8. A. On Tuesday. B. On Wednesday.C. On Thursday.D. On Sunday.9. A. Work for the exam. B. See a film. C. Play a joke. D. Have a rest.10. A. Dec.20. B. Dec.15. C. Dec. 30. D. Dec.28.Section BDirections: In Section B, you will hear two short passages, and you will be asked three questions on each of the passages. The passages will be read twice but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers in your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard.Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.11. A. A teacher. B. A chief officer.C. A lawyer.D. A computer engineer.12. A. He has to work hard if he wants something.B. He should spend more time reading.C. Sport is as important as working.D. It is important to make a schedule.13. A. Bill Gates and his way to success.B. Bill Gates and his study.C. Bill Gates and his classmates.D. Bill Gates and his company.Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.14. A. England’s missile defense system. B. America’s shooting down a satellite.C. Russia’s shooting down an America’s satellite.D. Russia’s experiment on missiles.15. A. A clock which is the most accurate in the world now.B. A clock which keeps accurate time down to the second.C. A clock which may work for at least 80 million years.D. A clock which may be worth 200 million dollars.16. A. 110 billion yuan. B. 113 billion yuan.C. 121 billion yuan.D. 9 billion yuan.Section CDirections: In Section C, you will hear two longer conversations. The conversations will be read twice. After you hear each conversation, you are required to fill in the numbered blanks with the information you have heard. Write your answers on your answer sheet.Blanks 17 through 20 are based on the following conversation.Complete the form. Write ONE WORD for each answer.Blanks 21 through 24 are based on the following conversation.Complete the form. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.II. GrammarDirections: Beneath each of the following sentences there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one answer that best completes the sentence.25. The effective communication ability for a writer is to get the knowledge out of his head and ____readers’ heads.A. out ofB. intoC. towardsD. for26. We had a party last month and it was a lot of fun, so let’s have _____ one this month.A. otherB. moreC. the otherD. another27. The wet weather will continue tomorrow when a cold front _____ to arrive.A. expectsB. is expectingC. is expectedD. will be expected28. I want to be very careful to talk only about ____ we've formally tested.A. whichB. thatC. whatD. whether29. ____ I paid a visit to this scenic spot, I was deeply attracted by its beauty.A.The first timeB. At the first timeC. For the first timeD. At first30. People pay ______as to the content of your speech.A. so much attention to your voiceB. as much attention to your voiceC. much attention to your voiceD. attention to your voice much31. _____ his ability of speech, he has made use of each chance.A. To improveB. ImprovingC. Being improvedD. Improved32. You _____ tell him. He is fully aware of the danger.A. mustn’tB. don’t needC. needn’tD. can’t33. Don’t promise anything _____ you are one hundred percent sure.A. ifB. afterC. in caseD. unless34. He found that complex problems, especially those _____ abstract thinking, were best for pickingout bright and dull students.A. involveB. involvedC. involvingD. being involved35. That is the man ____ house the police found the lost computer last week.A. in whoseB. in whatC. in thatD. in which36. ______ with severe drought in some areas, Chinese government is taking active measures toensure people’s essential need s.A. FacingB. FacedC. To faceD. Being faced37. It is the experience he had as a boy ______ has formed his present personality.A. thatB. whatC. whichD. who38. There is no doubt ____ we will host the 2010 World Expo successfully.A. whichB. whetherC. /D. that39. Not only ____ at music, but also they are ready to help others.A. they are talentedB. they have been talentedC. are they talentedD. they have talented40. It ____ that making a plan is easier than carrying it out.A. was turned outB. is turned outC. has been turnedD. turns outSection B: VocabularyDirections: Complete the passage by choosing the proper words in the box.Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something __41__but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertisers hoping to sell their products.The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people’s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly __42__. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, __43__in the costomer giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods __44__ in almost every family are not __45__ needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the __46__, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in __47__ and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The __48__ example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. So gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing: no choice, no __49__.III. Reading ComprehensionSection ADirections: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.Nothing can better illustrate the failure of education in this country than the contrast between millions of college graduates finding it hard to get a proper job every year and the lack of workers in the more industrialized regions.According to news from Dongguan (东莞), one of the __50__ manufacturing centers in the Pearl River Delta (珠江三角洲) region in South China, ―over 90 percent‖ factories have said they are finding __51__ difficult to employ people from the second half of 2009, when the __52__ began picking up and overseas orders restarted pouring in. Running to full capacity seems a dream that the factories had__53__.An awkward reality is that only few, __54__, of the new college graduates could really fill the vacancies because the trainings they have received are entirely __55__ from the demands of the jobs. Nor will Chinese cities have enough workforce if they pursue a development model other than export-based manufacturing.The __56__ for that is simple: The knowledge about management graduates gather is totally out of step with reality, __57__ of them can hardly express themselves in English or compose an email message properly, and __58__ handle even paper work in a law service with the legal knowledge they have.I __59__ some college teachers, whom I went to college with, that the amount of time an average college student spends on studies today is less than half of what we __60__ in the late 1970s when proper college education was recovered after the ―cultural revolution‖ (1966-76).―They (the administrations) have enrolled so many students just to __61__ from their parents (tuition and other charges)‖, one of the teachers said embarrassedly. ―It's a nationwide phenomenon, you know.‖It is hard to believe that a country should not __62__ education so seriously when there are no longer as many young people as before and view its opportunities only in terms of immediate financial gains, which greatly affects the quality of education. __63__, vocational education faces a double threat: frequent ups and downs in the business cycle and that of a flooding of cheap college certificates.It is __64__ in a country with rapid development in many fields to see little reform and progress in its education system. When colleges are reduced to money-making machines, they cannot help a society create enough workers, thinkers and leaders.50. A. necessary B. key C. new D. remote51. A. this B. that C. it D. as52. A. economy B. country C. city D. industry53. A. in the near future B. at present time C. from time to time D. in the long past54. A. and some B. but none C. if any D. because such55. A. different B. same C. opposite D. similar56. A. result B. method C. reason D. expectation57. A. some B. most C. few D. all58. A. can B. must C. can’t D. mustn’t59. A. took from B. picked out C. caught sight of D. learned from60. A. spent B. cost C. wasted D. detected61. A. cost money B. make money C. create money D. deal with62. A. put B. set C. make D. take63. A. Although B. Besides C. However D. Therefore64. A. common B. likely C. worthwhile D. surprisingSection BDirections:Read the following four passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.(A)In our culture, the sources of what we call a sense of ―mastery‖ —feeling important and worthwhile —and the sources of what we call a sense of ―pleasure‖— finding life enjoyable — are not always the same. Women often are told ―You can’t have it all.‖ Sometimes what the speaker really is saying is: ―You choose a career, so you can’t expect to have closer relationships or a happy family life.‖ or ―You have a wonderful husband and children —what’s all this about wanting a career?‖ But women need to un derstand and develop both aspects of well-being, if they are to feel good about themselves.Our study shows that, for women, well-being has two aspects. One is mastery, which includes self-respect, a sense of control over your life, and low levels of anxiety and depression. Mastery is closely related to the ―doing‖ side of life, to work and activity. Pleasure is the other aspect, and it is made up of happiness, satisfaction and optimism. It is tied more closely to the ―feeling‖ side of life.The two are independent of each other. A woman could be high in mastery and low in pleasure, and vice versa（反之亦然）. For example, a woman who has a good job, but whose mother has just died, might be feeling very good about herself and in control of her work life, but the pleasure side could be damaged for a time.The concepts of mastery and pleasure can help us identify the sources of well-being for women, and correct past mistakes. In the past, women were encouraged to look only at the feeling side of life as the source of all well-being. But we know that both mastery and pleasure are important. And mastery seems to be achieved largely through work. In our study, all the groups of employed women were valued significantly higher in mastery than women who were not employed.A woman’s well-being is developed when she takes on multiple roles. At least by middle adulthood, the women who were involved in a combination of roles — marriages, motherhood, and employment — were the highest in well-being, in spite of warnings about stress and strain.65. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that ________.A. for women, a sense of ―mastery‖ is more important than a sense of ―pleasure‖B. for women, a sense of ―pleasure‖ is more important than a sense of ―mastery‖C. women can’t have a sense of ―mastery‖ and a sense of ―pleasure‖ at the same timeD. a sense of ―mastery‖ and a sense of ―pleasure‖ are both necessary to women66. The author’s attitude towards women having a career is________.A. negativeB. positiveC. indifferentD. realistic67. One can conclude from the passage that if a woman takes on several social roles, ________.A. it will be easier for her to overcome stress and strainB. she will be more successful in her careerC. her chances of getting promoted will be greaterD. her life will be richer and more meaningful68. Which of the following can be con sidered as a source of ―pleasure‖ for women?A. Family lifeB. Multiple roles in societyC. Regular employmentD. Freedom from anxiety(B)Welcome to the British Museum, the grandest and the most spectacular of human history. The admission is free and we open every day from 10:00 to 15:30. You can explore 10 departments including:The Department of Africa, Oceania and the AmericasThe collection of the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas includes around 350,000 objects. The scope of the collection is contemporary, and historical. It includes most of Africa, the Pacific and Australia, as well as the Americas. All of the collections were got during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and date from this time.The Department of AsiaThe Department of Asia covers the material and visual cultures of Asia – a vast geographical area of Japan, Korea, China, Central Asia, Afghanistan, South Asia and South-East Asia. The collection dates from about 4000 BC, to the present day. It represents the cultures and ways of life of local people and other minority groups.The Department of Greek and Roman EmpiresThe Department of Greek and Roman Empires features antiquities (古董). It has one of the most comprehensive collections of antiquities from the Classical world, with over 100,000 objects. These mostly range in date from the beginning of the Greek Bronze Age (about 3200BC) to the time of the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century AD.69. The scope of the Department of Africa, Oceania and Americas doesn’t include______.A. AfricaB. AustraliaC. the South AmericaD. Britain70. The earliest collection is from ______.A. The Department of Africa, Oceania and the AmericasB. The Department of AsiaC. The Department of Greek and Roman EmpiresD. All of the above71. The Department of Asia represents ______.A. the geographic features of AsiaB. the relationships between Asian countriesC. the life styles and cultural traditions of some peoplesD. the cultural fights between some native groups(C)It is one of the greatest mysteries of nature. In case you haven’t noticed, all living things follow very definite, individual rhythms, all as regular as a clock, but what makes them regular?Though many scientists maintain that these rhythms are the result of some outside force like gravity or radiation or both, the results of most scientific researches agree with other scientists who believe that each living thing has its own built-in biological ―time clock.‖Take the mystery of migration for example. Scientists can’t really explain why many species of birds migrate in the autumn even though the temperature is still summery. The birds just seem to snub the comfortable weather that they are having. When a certain time comes, they travel south by the thousand. In spring time, they migrate northwards even though there probably is snow still covering the ground when they finally arrive. Something said ―go,‖ and they did.Animals that hibernate (冬眠) are obeying individual time clocks, too. When their clock indicates the time to take a winter’s nap, they do, and nothing can stop them. At a certain time in the spring, they wake up and come out regardless of the weather outside.Plants appear to have yearly rhythms, such as the sprouting of seeds, and they also have daily rhythms. Notice sometimes that plants raise their leaves in daylight and lower them at night.If you live along the California coast, you can easily observe a demonstration of this mysterious clock functioning regularly. There, from February to September, the highest tides occur exactly every fourteen and four-fifths days, and during these high tides, but at no other time, small silvery fish called grunions surf-ride a wave to the beach. There the female deposits her eggs in the sand and the male fertilizes them; then both hitch a wave-ride back to the sea. Exactly fourteen and four-fifths days later, never before or after, the tiny eggs hatch, and the high tide carries the new babies out to sea.72. According to the passage, the mysterious rhythms result from ______.A. the influence of gravity on living speciesB. the effect of radiation on living speciesC. the influence of a mysterious outer force on living speciesD. the internal mechanism inside the living species73. The u nderlined word ―snub‖ in the third paragraph probably means ______.A. fightB. ignoreC. symbolizeD. criticize74. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?A. Hibernating animals are obeying an internal time clock.B. The positioning of the leaves of some plants is due to the daily rhythms.C. The internal clock functioning is demonstrated in the reproducing habits of grunions.D. The yearly hibernation is more because of the weather influence than the biological functioning.75. The passage is mainly about ______.A. the rhythms of lifeB. the reasons of mysterious hibernationC. strange behaviors of speciesD. the timing for different events in the world of speciesSection CDirections: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from the list A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.(D)The difference between a human brain and a computer is more complicated than we can imagine. The large mammalian brain is the most complicated thing, for its size. Though the human brain only weighs three pounds, in that three pounds are ten billion neurons and a hundred billion cells. The many billions of cells are interconnected in such a vastly complicated network that wecan’t begin to explore as yet.Even the most complicated computer man has yet built can’t compare with the brain. Computer switches and processes number in the millions rather than in the billions. What’s more, the computer switch is just an on-off device, whereas the brain cell is itself possessed of a complex structure.It’s frequently said that computers solve problems only because they are ―programmed‖ to do so. They can only do what men have them do, in which way it is like the human brain. We can also do what we are ―programmed‖ to do. Our genes ―program‖ us the instant the zygote (授精卵) is formed, and our potentialities are limited by that ―program.‖Surely, though, if a computer can be made complex enough, it can be as creative as people. If it could be made as complex as a human brain, it could be the replacement of a human brain and do whatever a human brain can do. Then the real supercomputer comes along.In other words, once we pass a certain critical point, the computers will gain a dominating position and present a complexity explosion. In a very short time thereafter, computers may exist not only taking after the human brain, but far passing it. When the time comes, we might as well step aside and hand over all our work to them and really have them serve us.Section DDirections: Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.(E)Imagine a world in which there was suddenly no emotion—a world in which human beings could feel no love or happiness, no terror or hate. Try to imagine the consequences of such a transformation. People might not be able to stay alive: knowing neither joy nor pleasure, neither anxiety nor fear, they would be as likely to repeat acts that hurt them as acts that were beneficial.They could not learn: they could not benefit from experience because this emotionless world would lack rewards and punishments. Society would soon disappear: people would be as likely to harm one another as to provide help and support. Human relationships would not exist: in a world without friends or enemies, there could be no marriage, affection among companions, or bonds among members of groups. Society’s economic functions would be destroyed: since earning $10 million would be no more pleasant than earning $10, there would be no motivation to work. In fact, there would be no motivation of any kind. For as we will see, motivation implies a capacity to enjoy certain activties.In such a world, the chances that the human species would survive are next to zero, because emotions are the basic instrument of our survival and adaptation. Emotions structure the world for us in important ways. As individuals, we categorize objects on the basis of our emotions. True we consider the length, shape, size, or texture, but an object’s physical aspects are less important than what it has done or can do to us—hurt us, surprise us, anger us or make us joyful. We also use categorizations colored by emotions in our families, communities, and overall society. Out of our emotional experiences with objects and events comes a social feeling of agreement that certain things and actions are ―good‖ and others are ―bad‖, and we apply these categories to every aspect of our social life—from what foods we eat and what clothes we wear to how we keep promises and which people our group will accept. In fact, society exploits our emotional reactions and attitudes, such as loyalty, morality, pride, shame, guilt, fear and greed, in order to maintain itself. It gives high rewards to individuals when performing important tasks.81. According to the passage, the concept of right or wrong comes from ____________.82. Emotions are significant for man’s survival because ____________.83. What would an emotionless world lack?84. What is the result of the absence of emotion?第II卷I. TranslationDirections: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 1. 这美丽的风景是无法描述的。

2010年真题答案详解PART I DICTATIONFreshmen’s WeekBritain has a [1]well-respected [2]higher education system /and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. /But to those who are new to [3]this system, /it can sometimes be confusing.October is usually the busiest month in the [4]academic calendar. /Universities have something called [5]Freshmen’s Week for their newcomers. /It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, /join lots of clubs and [6]settle into university life.However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, /the prospect of meeting strangers in classrooms and dormitories can be worrying. / Where do you start? /And who should you make friends with? /Which clubs and [7]societies should you [8]join?Luckily, there will be thousands of others [9]in the same boat as you. /They worry about starting their university social life [10]on the right foot. /So just [11]take it all in slowly. /Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.【听写提示】第一遍听音时掌握短文主题，记下关键词education system，universities，Freshmen’s Week等，这样便于把握一系列与主题相关的词和词组，如academic calendar，university life，dormitories，clubs，societies。

assisted suicide例句：Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland provided the helper doesn't personally benefit from a patient's death.辅助自杀在瑞士是合法的，前提是辅助者不从病人的死亡中获取私利。

落地签证visa upon arrival例句：A new policy allowing overseas tourists traveling in a group to get visas upon arrival may greatly boost local tourism.当地政府允许外国旅游团取得落地签证的新政策，将极大地推动当地旅游业的发展。

城际高铁intercity high-speed rail例句：The intercity high-speed rail line connecting Nanchang and Jiujiang began operation, as part of the long-term plan of the railway network in China.连接南昌市和九江市的城际高铁日前开始运行，这是我国铁路运输长期规划项目之一。

城市固体废物municipal solid waste例句：The world's first municipal solid waste incineration project using a cement rotary kiln has been set up in Anhui.世界首个水泥回转窑城市固体废物焚化工程日前在安徽建成。

风险图risk map例句：Authorities are drawing up a national "risk map" for natural disasters in an attempt to improve urban planning and avoid potential catastrophes.为了改善城市规划，避免可能发生的灾害，政府机构正在绘制一张全国性的自然灾害"风险图"。

2002: Disappearing ForestsThe world’s forests are disappearing. As much as 1/3 of the total tree cover has been lost since agriculture began some 10,000 years ago. The remaining forests are home to half of the world’s species, thus becoming the chi ef resource for their survival. Tropical rain forests once covered 12% of the land of the planet, as well as supporting at least half of the world’s species of plants and animals. These rain forests are home to millions of people. But there are other demands on them. For example, much has been cut for timber. An increasing amount of forest land has been used for industrial purposes or for agricultural development such as crop-growing. By the 1990’s less than half of the earth’s original rain forests remained, and they continued to disappear at an alarming rate every year. As a result the world’s forests are now facing gradual extinction.2003: SalmonEvery year, millions of salmon swim from the ocean into the mouths of rivers and then steadily up the rivers. Passing through waters, around rocks and waterfalls, the fish finally reach their original streams or lakes. They dig out nests in the riverbed and lay their eggs. Then, exhausted by their journey, the parent salmon die. They have finished the task that nature has given them. Months, or years later, the young fish start their trip to the ocean. They live in the salt water from 2-7 years, until they, too are ready to swim back to reproduce. Their life cycle helps man provide himself with a basic food-fish. When the adult salmon gather at the river mouths for the annual trip up the rivers, they are in the best possible condition, and nearly every harbor has its salmon fishing fleet ready to catch thousands for markets.2004:MoneyMoney is accepted across the world as payment for goods or services. People use money to buy food, clothes and hundreds of other things. In the past, many different things were used as money. People on Pacific islands once exchanged shells for goods. The Chinese used cloth and knives. In Africa, elephant tusks or salt were used. Even today, some people in Africa are still paid in salt. Coins were first invented by the Chinese. Originally, they were round pieces of metal with a hole in the center, so that a piece of string could keep them together. This made doing business much easier, but people still found coins inconvenient to carry when they wanted to buy something expensive. To solve this problem, the Chinese again came up with the solution. They began to use paper money for coins. Now paper notes are used throughout the world.2005:The Wrist WatchIt is generally believed that wrist watches are an exception / to the normal sequence in the evolution of man's jewelry. / Reversing the usual order, they were first worn by women, / and then adopted by men. / In the old days, queens included wrist watches among their crown jewelry. / Later, they were worn by Swiss workers and farmers. / Until World War I, Americans associated the watch with fortune hunters. / Then army officers discovered that the wrist watch was most practical for active combat. / Race car drivers also loved to wear wrist watches, / and pilots found them most useful while flying. / Soon men dared to wear wrist watches without feeling self-conscious. / By 1924, some 30 percent of man's watches were worn on the wrist. / Today, the figure is 90 percent. / And they are now worn by both men and women / for practical purposes rather than for decoration.2006:The InternetThe Internet is the most significant progress in the field of communications. / Imagine a book that never ends, a library with a million floors, / or imagine a research project with thousands of scientists / working around the clock forever. / This is the magic of the Internet. / Yet the Internet has the potential for good and bad. / One can find well-organized, information-rich websites. / At the same time, one can also find wasteful websites. / Most websites are known as different Internet applications. / These include online games, chat rooms (chartrooms) and so on. / These applications have great power, too. / Sometimes the power can be so great / that young people may easily become victims to their attraction. / So we need to recognize the seriousness of the problem. / We must work together to use its power for better ends.2007: AdvertisingAdvertising has already become a specialized activity in modern times. In today’s business world, supply is usually greater than demand. There is great competition between manufacturers of the same kind of product because they want to persuade customers to buy their particular brand. They always have to remind their customers of the name and qualities of their products by advertising. The manufacture advertises in newspapers and on the radio. He sometimes employs sales girls to distribute samples of their products. He sometimes advertises on the Internet as well. In addition, he always has advertisements put into television programs that will accept them. Manufactures often spend huge sums of money on advertisements. We buy a particular product because we think that is the best. We usually think so because the advertisements say so. People often don’t ask themselves if the advertisements are telling the truth when they buy advertised products from shops.2008: Choosing A CareerWhen students graduate from college, many of them do not know how they want to spend their working lives and they sometimes move from job to job, until they find something that suits them and of equally importance to which they are suited. Others never find a job in which they are really happy. They remain all their lives square pegs in round holes. When we choose our careers we need to ask ourselves two questions. First, what do we think we would like to be? Second, what kind of people are we? The idea, for example of being a painter or a musician may seem very attractive, but unless we have great talent, and are willing to work very hard. We are certain to fail in these occupations and failure will lead to unhappiness in life. So it is important to assess our suitability for a certain career in job search.2009: New Year’s EveFor many people in the west, New Year’s Eve is the biggest party of the year. It’s time to get together with friends or family and welcome in the coming year. New Year’s parties can take place in different places. Some people hold a house party; others attend street parties, while some just go for a few drinks with their friends. Big cities have large and spectacular fireworks displays. There is one thing that all New Year’s Eve parties have in common, the countdown to midnight. When the clock strikes 12, people give a loud cheer and sing songs. It’s also popular to make a promise in the New Year. This is called a New Year’s resolution. Typical resolutions include giving up smoking and keeping fit. However the promise is often broken quite quickly and people are back into their bad habits within weeks or days.2010: Freshmen’s weekThe UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, it can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing.October is usually the busiest month in the academic calendar. Universities have something called freshman’s Week for their newcomers. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life.However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking. Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years.2011: British holidaying habitsIn the late 1970s, air travel became affordable for the average family in the UK, andmore people started travelling abroad for their summer holidays. After all, the British weather wasn’t very good, even in summer, so a lot of people left the country for a vacation.In the 1980s and 1990s, young people in the UK became wealthier on average. As a result, they started to go abroad in groups, to places such as Spain and Greece. Once they arrived at their destination, they met with other groups of young people and had one long party.British holidaying habits have begun to change, however. Climate change means that the UK now has a hotter climate, so people do not need to go overseas to find good weather. Also, going abroad is more expensive. As a result, more British people are choosing to spend their summer holidays in the UK.2012:Eco-tourismNowadays, many of us try to live in a way that will damage the environment as little as possible. We recycle our newspapers and bottles, we take public transport to get to work, we try to buy locally produced fruit and vegetables，and we want to take these attitudes on holiday with us. This is why alternative forms of tourism are becoming popular in the world. There are a lot of names for these new forms of tourism: responsible tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, educational tourism and more.Although everyone may have a different definition, most people agree that these new forms of tourism should do the following: first, they should conserve the wildlife and culture of the area; second, they should benefit the local people; third, they should make a profit without destroying natural resources; and finally they should provide an experience that tourists want to pay for.。