An American friend has invited you to visit his family. You’ve never been to an American’s home before, and you’re not sure what to do. Should you take a gift? How should you dress? What time should you arrive? What should you do when you get there? Glad you asked. When you’re the guest, you should just make yourself at home. That’s what hospitality(款待) is all about: making people feel at home when they’re not.
The question of whether or not to bring a gift often makes guests squirm（难为情）. Giving your host a gift is not just a social manner in some cultures-it’s expected. But in American culture, a guest is not necessary to bring a present. Of course, some people do bring a small present to their host to show their thanks. The right gifts for the host might be flowers, candy, and you can bring toys if the family has small children. If you choose not to bring a gift, don’t worry. No one will even notice.
1.The passage talks about ______.
A. where to find a friend in need B. what to do while visiting your friends
C. how to make friends D. when to visit your friend
2.The underlined word “manner” means ________ in Chinese.
A. 弊端 B. 礼节 C. 趋势 D. 挑战
3.You can _______ if you want to bring a gift to your friend according to the passage.
A. bring a bundle of beer
B. bring him some beautiful clothes
C. bring delicious food
D. buy a bunch of fowlers
4. The underlined sentence wants to tell us _______.
A. you are impolite if you don’t bring a gift
B. how to pick out a gift for our friend
C. the host won’t care if you don’t bring a gift
D. bringing a gift is very necessary
Hi! My name is Robert and I live in Chicago. My school is called Parkside Elementary. It is Jake and Elizabeth's school too. Michael and Trevor's school is called Lincoln Middle School. In the USA many students go to elementary school between the ages of 5-10, then middle school between the ages of 11-13, and then a four year high school, and last but not least, many people go to college or vocational school. Our elementary school starts at 8:30 am and ends at 3:20 pm. We go to school on Monday through Fridays and have the weekends off.
Some of the favorite sports here in America are basketball, baseball, football, soccer, hockey, and more. But, my favorite sport is football. My favorite player in the NFL (National Football League) is Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears ( the Bears are my favorite team too).
Americans wear jeans, a shirt, socks, shoes, and sometimes a hat. I usually wear a baseball hat, my favorite pants, and my favorite shirt. My pants have 4 pockets on it, and my shirt has red and black stripes on it.
There is no common agreement in the west about the best method of education. Many views can be found among parents, teachers, and students.
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR02www.qzjyzx.com2/italy.html
http://www.cfl.cqu.edu.cn/jpkc/kj/xb/xb2/2-1/culturalnotes.htm
1.Students in elementary school stay at school for about ________days.
A. four B. five C. six D. seven
2. The writer’s favorite sport is __________.
A. basketball B. baseball C. hockey D. football
3.The third passage mainly tells us __________.
A. the writer’s favorite sports B. the writer’s favorite food
C. the writer’s favorite clothes D. the writer’s favorite color
4.“views”in the last passage means _________ in Chinese.
A. 视野 B. 风景 C. 见解 D. 检查
Our "Timeline of Education" shows highlights of learning and education (especially related to Western education), going back to the very first education:
In the beginning: Adam got the very first lesson, from God: break the law and you pay the price.
3000 B.C. :Priests teach religion, writing, sciences.
0 B.C./A.D.: Jesus teaches in Jerusalem.
105 A.D.: Paper is invented in China.
1150-1250 : "Modern" universities founded.
1620s: Slide rule is invented, math is made easier.
1918 : All U.S. states require free education
Early 1980s: Television in the classroom. The availability of cheap VCRs makes video learning common.
Late 1990s: The Internet changes everything. E-learning courses develop.
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-timeline/education-timeline.htm#3000BC
1.Adam got the very first lesson from __________.
A. his teacher B. God C. religion D. himself
2.Jesus teaches in Jerusalem about_________.
A. 3000 B.C. B. 1150-12500 C. 105 A.D. D. B.C./A.D.
3.Television appears in the classroom and helps the teacher and students in_________.
A. late 1990s B. early 1980s C. 1918 D. 1620
4.It took about__________ years from the television to Internet.
A. 50 B. 40 C. 20 D. 10
My aunt bought me a bicycle on my ninth birthday. She told me to learn to ride by ___36___. But I really didn’t know___37___to ride a bike. What should I do? First, I watched the other people ride. Then I pushed out the bicycle from my house. I was ___38___ I'd fall down and hurt my knees. But I knew I had to get on it sooner or later. So I___39___ to get on just like what the other people did. But I fell off twenty___40___later. Just at that time, my aunt came out from the ___41___. She told me to practice again and again. So I got on the bike a second time, and fell off a second time. But I never gave up. I practiced a third time, a fourth time …. I could be on it ___43___every time I tried again then before, 5 minutes, ten minutes, half an hour… until I could.
Like anything in life that you want to learn how to do or to be good at, you have to practice to ___44___it happen. Diligent practice is the key to success___45___you really want to learn to do a thing. More practice helps you to improve on the skills that you learn and ingrains （使根深蒂固）them in you until you can do it.
1. A. herself B. yourself C. myself D. himself
2.A. how B. what C. where D. when
3.A. happy B. surprised C. interested D. afraid
4. A. had B. tried C. like D. hate
5.A. seconds B. minutes C. hours D. days
6. A. school B. house C. farm D. village
7.A. fifth B. fourth C. third D. second
8. A. shorter B. longer C. safer D. dangerous
9.A. practice B. enjoy C. make D. set
10. A. if B. when C. until D. after
— I bought a tie for Dad on Father’s Day yesterday.
— .
A. It’s nothing B. I would, thanks
C. That’s special enough D. I didn’t mind
— Congratulations! Your English teacher told me you got an A this time.
— Thank you. She is very .
A. impressed B. embarrassed C. terrified D. frustrated
