What is your zodiac（生肖） animal? According to the Chinese lunar calendar（农历）, 12 animals mark 12 different years. It is the basis of the Chinese zodiac. Nowadays, Chinese zodiac animals have worldwide fame and are increasingly popular among western people.
The zodiac is an important part of Chinese culture. People believe that the characteristics of a zodiac animal influence the personality of every person born in that year. For example, people born in the Year of the Tiger are considered powerful and brave.
Zodiac animals also have some social functions. When people think it is not proper to ask: “How old are you”, they may change their question to “What is your zodiac animal?” With this question, you can figure out roughly which year someone was born and the person’s age.
Zodiac animals are not special to China. Many countries share a similar zodiac culture with China. For example, in the Japanese Zodiac, a wild boar（野猪）takes the place of a pig and the Vietnamese（越南的）zodiac has a cat instead of a rabbit.
But have you ever wondered how these 12 animals were chosen to represent each year? According to legend, the Jade Emperor（玉皇大帝）invited all the animals to join him for Chinese New Year. Only 12 animals went to see him. As a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The ox would have been the first to arrive, but the rat sat on his back and jumped off just before they arrived to come in first place.
1.The characteristics of a zodiac animal may influence the _____ of every person
born in that year.
A．appearance B．personality C．hobby D．education
2.“What is your zodiac animal?” is a question used to find out a person’s______.
A．age B．name C．job D．weight
3.In the Japanese zodiac, we don’t see the zodiac animal：_______
A．wild boar B．rabbit C．dragon D．pig
4.According to the last paragraph, we know that ____ was the first animal to arrive.
A．ox B．rat C．pig D．cat
ASK THE BLOG!
Post your problems on the blog and get other bloggers’ advice!
★★★★★★
My problem is my parents. They never stop going on about how I should keep my room tidy, keep my hair tidy and wear smart clothes. They even make me do the washing-up after dinner every night! None of my friends have got such tenable parents. What should I do?
Helen, USA
★★★★★★
Hi, Helen. I think you should do what your parents ask. They’re much older than you and you should respect them. It’s their house you live in and their money you spend.
Emily, Australia
★★★★★★
Helen, why should your parents do all the housework? You should help around the house. –it’s only fair. I don’t think you should change your appearance though. Teenagers should look like teenagers.
Simon, England
1.What is Helen’s problem?
A．Her parents treat her badly.
B．She always worries about her parents.
C．Her parents don’t care about her feelings.
D．She doesn’t want to do what her parents ask.
2.In Emily’s opinion, Helen should .
A．respect her parents B．give her parents money
C．leave her parents D．change her appearance
3.Simon suggests that Helen should .
A．wear smart clothes B．help with housework
C．do all the washing-up D．change her appearance
It was Friday. Andy Barton was in a bad mood . At six o’clock his __1__ programme, “Travel with us”, was on TV. Andy liked to get home in ___2___ for that. But then, just as he was leaving his office a little earlier , a customer (顾客) rang up with a few complaints for the next fifteen minutes. “I can ___3__ get home in time if I hurry,” Andy told himself as he___4___out of the office. As he drove off in his car, he ___5___ that he was almost out of petrol(汽油). “I’ll have to stop at Fenton’s”, Andy thought. He ___6___Fenton’s because it was a self-service petrol station. “You do all the work yourself, but you pay___7____for the petrol,” he used to complain. At Fenton’s, the pump (泵) was not working properly and it ___8__ much time to get petrol. So when Andy got home, it was already two minutes past six. Just then the phone rang. “Shall I answer it?” Andy thought. He tried to___9__ his attention on the programme and forget the phone. But it kept ringing and finally he picked it up.
“Mr Barton?”__10__said. “Fenton’s Garage here.”“Fenton’s?” Andy said. “Why, I was at your place only a few minutes ago, getting some petrol. Did I _11_ something behind or what?” “No, you didn’t, Mr Barton.” And the voice went on. “That’s just the __12__ ! You went off without paying for your petrol, you __13___！ Now normally, when that happens, we ring up the police. But Luckily I knew you and I know it was a _14__.” “I’m really very sorry,” Andy said. “Oh, that’s all right, Mr Barton. But could you __15__round now and pay for your petrol? And please hurry! We close at half past six!”
1. A．favourite B．funny C．popular D．lovely
2. A．chance B．time C．seat D．spirit
3. A．surely B．obviously C．normally D．still
4. A．stepped B．climbed C．looked D．rushed
5. A．observed B．noticed C．thought D．suggested
6. A．hated B．liked C．meant D．promised
7. A．a little B．the same C．a lot D．the bill
8. A．cost B．spent C．took D．spared
9. A．draw B．pay C．fix D．force
10. A．a woman B．a man C．a recorder D．a voice
11. A．lose B．leave C．forget D．destroy
12. A．trouble B．worry C．excuse D．reason
13. A．remember B．see C．do D．drive
14. A．mistake B．joke C．trick D．truth
15. A．look B．come C．show D．turn
-- Excuse me. Could you tell me ____?
- By underground.
A．how did you come here B．how you came here
C．when did you come here D．when you came here
- I am out of breath. I can’t go any further.
- _______ ! I’m sure you can make it .
A．No problem. B．What a pity C．Not bad D．Come on
Many boys and girls are made____ what they’re not_____.
A．to do, interested B．to do, interested in
C．do, interested in D．doing, interested
