Paris is the city of dreams; the city of love. If you are thinking of heading to Paris for a study period, then perhaps a little reality check is in order. But my experience was a romantic one.
I paved my path to Paris through an exchange program. On arrival in Paris, I was constantly reminded of the official processes I was required to complete — forms to be filled in, meetings to attend, the list seemed endless. Perhaps it was due to my well organizational habit, but somehow this endless list of to-do‟s was completed in little more than a week.
Then the real work began. Once classes were underway, I found myself volunteering to do oral presentations and assignments first, rather than last. This method turned out to be very helpful.
Once I had finished class for the week, I had an ever-increasing list of museums to visit, neighborhoods to explore, cafés to sit in, and parks to run around. Read as many books about Paris as you can. Talk to as many locals and other foreigners living there as you can. The one thing that reading a book or talking to someone cannot do is to provide you with the experience of wandering Paris on foot. I discovered some of my favorite places in Paris by wandering. The people watching, the sounds of the city, the colors as the seasons change, they all add to the ecstasy that is experiencing Paris as an exchange student.
After spending five months wandering through the charming neighborhoods, I fell in love with the atmosphere that came out from every open door, and with every spoken word. There is something comforting about walking to the market each Sunday to be faced with the beautiful display of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. There is warmth in saying bonjour to the man across the hall.
On my last day in Paris, I confidently said, “Bonjour Monsieur,” as I passed the little store down the street. I guess no matter how hard I tried I was always going to be an outsider, a tourist. The best part about going on exchange in Paris is falling in love with the city in your own unique way. Everyone‟s experience of Paris is different. I know mine is unique and special to me, my own little pieces of Paris.
1.What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. The special working experience in Paris.
B. The charming neighborhoods in Paris.
C. Living abroad in Paris as a student.
D. The stressful study life in Paris.
2.What does the underlined word “ecstasy” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Happiness. B. Imagination.
C. Courage. D. Reputation.
3.Beyond reading books, which experience would the author treasure most?
A. Enjoying a cup of coffee in his spare time.
B. Greeting people in French in the street.
C. Buying vegetables in the market.
D. Wandering in Paris on foot.
4.According to the passage, what left the author the deepest impression?
A. The steps he went through before the exchange program.
B. The presentations and assignments he did in class.
C. The academic achievement he made in his study.
D. The special culture he experienced in the city.
Legal information on call
1.Dial-A-Law is_______.
A. a group of lawyers B. a legal Internet message bank
C. a legal telephone service D. a collection of law suggestions
2.Dial-A-Law is available to customer_______.
A. at any time B. on weekdays only
C. during business hours D. for thirty minutes at a time
3.The Legal Referral Service will_______.
A. recommend a legal adviser
B. suggest three lawyers in the customer‟s area
C. choose the best of three lawyers for the customer
D. decide whether the customer must pay for a legal problem
A Doll from Santa
Alice‟s mother died when she was five years old. That year was 1925, and life was hard. Alice, who grew up to be my mother, told me that her family was too ________to even afford to give her a doll.
One afternoon in December 1982, I was decorating the tree to prepare for the Christmas season. A young lady ________me with a sample of her handiwork: beautiful handmade ______. She was taking orders for Christmas. I decided to get one for my daughter, Katie, who was almost five years old. Then I had an idea. I asked the lady if she could make me a _____doll for my mother — one with gray hair and a pair of glasses: a grandmother doll.
The doll maker felt that this idea was certainly ___and took it on as a creative challenge. So I placed my Christmas ___: two dolls, one blonde and one gray-haired for Christmas morning! Things really started to fall into place ________a friend had told me that his dad, who played Santa Claus in my area, would be willing to make a visit on Christmas morning to our home to __________my Katie her presents!
Christmas Day arrived and at the planned time, ___did Santa Claus. Katie was delighted that Santa had come to see her at her ________house, the happiest I had ever seen her in her young life. My mother was enjoying watching her granddaughter‟s _______to the visit from this special guest. As Santa turned to leave, he looked once more into his bag and took out one more _____. As he asked who Alice was, my mother, surprised by her name being called, ___that she in fact was Alice. Santa handed her the gift, which was accompanied by a message card that read: For Alice,
I was cleaning out my sleigh before my ________this year and came across this package that was supposed to be delivered on December 25, 1925. The present inside has _______, but I felt that you might _________wish to have it. Many apologies for the_________of the gift.
Love, Santa Claus
My mother‟s reaction was one of the greatest deeply ____scenes I have ever witnessed. She couldn‟t speak but only gazed at the doll she had _________fifty-seven years as tears of joy running down her cheeks. That doll, given by “Santa”, made my mother the happiest “__________” alive.
1.A. large B. busy C. poor D. crowded
2.A. approached B. educated C. helped D. joined
3.A. glasses B. dolls C. socks D. bags
4.A. special B. live C. cheap D. baby
5.A. fair B. impractical C. simple D. unique
6.A. wish B. order C. tree D. collection
7.A. because B. though C. when D. if
8.A. save B. sell C. find D. deliver
9.A. and B. or C. but D. so
10.A. own B. new C. former D. small
11.A. request B. dream C. reaction D. panic
12.A. letter B. gift C. candy D. bell
13.A. denied B. indicated C. pretended D. explained
14.A. trip B. plan C. try D. term
15.A. burnt B. reappeared C. gone D. aged
16.A. still B. never C. yet D. almost
17.A. weakness B. carefulness C. lateness D. darkness
18.A. lovely B. emotional C. beautiful D. unpleasant
19.A. chosen B. wasted C. waited D. spent
20.A. customer B. daughter C. seller D. child
Harry is an American businessman. His job requires him to do a lot of traveling. In the past six months he has made nine trips,1.purpose is to attend meetings and make presentations. Harry loves to travel and feels each country has a charm of its own. After graduation, Harry decided to make travel part of his career. He wanted to experience different cultures of other 2.(country). He was dreaming of3.(work) for an international company. Then his dream came true. Now he‟s working for a German hi-tech company.
Dough figurine(捏面人), also known as dough modelling, is a kind of Chinese folk art. It is 1.(simple) made but of high artistic value. It 2.(record) as early as the Han Dynasty. Dough craftsman draws materials based on the required. After a repetition of rubbing, twisting and lifting 3.hand, and poking, cutting, and carving by bamboo knife, the craftsman 4.(shape) the body and the face of the figurine gradually. Dressed up with hair accessories and clothes, all of a sudden, a vivid artistic figurine comes to life.
Our school planned a trip for us to study English in another country this holiday. I was excited for it was my first time1. (travel) abroad. I2. (pack) everything I thought I would need into my backpack. I knew I was going to have so much fun. After boarding the bus to the airport, I said goodbye to my parents. I looked out the window of the bus and dreamed about3. we would do while on our trip.
