In Britain，Boxing Day is usually celebrated on December 26th，which is the following day after Christmas Day.However，strictly speaking，Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas.Like Christmas Day，Boxing Day is a public holiday.This means it's a non－working day in the whole of Britain.When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday，the following Monday is the public holiday.
The exact origin (起源) of the holiday is unclear.One of the thoughts is that during the Middle Ages，when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land，a Christmas Box was placed by a priest (神父) on each ship.Those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box.It was sealed_up and kept on board until the ship came home safely.Then the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a mass of thanks for the success of the sailing.The priest wouldn't open it to share the contents with the poor until Christmas.
One more thought is about the “Alms Box” placed in every church on Christmas Day.Worshippers (做礼拜的人) put gifts for the poor into it.These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas.That is why that day became known as Boxing Day.
Today，many businesses，organizations and families try to keep the traditional spirit of Boxing Day alive by donating (捐赠) their time，services and money to aid Food Banks，providing gifts for the poor，or helping families in need.Besides，spending time with family and shopping are popular Boxing Day activities now.
1.Sailors dropped money into the Christmas Box in order to ________.
A. save the poor B. pay for the priest
C. discover new land D. pray for sailing safety
2.What does the underlined phrase “sealed up” mean?
A. 密封 B. 悬挂 C. 归还 D. 传递
3.The following activities can show the traditional spirit of Boxing Day EXCEPT ________.
A. offering gifts to the poor
B. supporting families in need
C. spending time with family
D. giving money to aid Food Banks
4.The purpose of the passage is ________.
A. to praise the kindness of priests
B. to introduce the origins of Boxing Day
C. to call on people to help the poor
D. to compare Boxing Day with Christmas Day
May Day is also called May 1 International Labor Day.The working people in the world celebrate it every year.
It came from the workers' big strike (罢工) in Chicago, America.On May 1，1886, more than two hundred thousand workers in Chicago held a big strike.They fought for the right (权利) of working eight hours a day.Why did they hold such a big strike? The reason was that during a long period (时期) the workers in America had to work fourteen to sixteen hours a day.And some workers even had to work eighteen hours a day, but they got very little money.
After the hard struggle (奋斗), the workers won the victory in the end.In memory of the workers' movement, an important meeting was held on July 14, 1889 in Paris, France.At the meeting, all the members agreed to make May 1 every year International Labor Day.From then on, the working people of all countries in the world would celebrate May Day on May 1 every year.
The Chinese people also celebrated May Day before liberation (解放) first in 1918.After new China was founded in 1949, our government made May 1 every year the legal (法定的) Labor Day and all the Chinese people would have a holiday on this day.
1.The workers held the big strike in ________.
A. Paris B. London C. Chicago D. Beijing
2.The workers fought for the right of ________.
A. working less time every day
B. working more than time every day
C. celebrating Labor Day
D. holding the meeting
3.The meeting was held on ________.
A. May 4, 1918 B. May 1, 1886
C. May 1, 1949 D. July 14, 1889
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. All the workers in France took part in the meeting.
B. The Chinese people have a holiday on May 1.
C. The workers in Paris also won the victory in the strike.
D. All the people in the world work eight hours a day now.
Christmas Day，the birthday of Jesus Christ，is the most important festival in Britain and some other countries.On Christmas Eve，people usually tell their children to put their stockings at the end of their beds before they go to sleep.Children believe Santa Claus，with the other name of Father Christmas，will come during the night and fill their stockings with Christmas presents.
Actually，Father Christmas is children's father.He dresses up in a red coat and waits until children fall asleep.Then he goes into children's bedrooms，and puts small presents in their stockings.When children are no longer young，they know who Father Christmas really is.
Not only children but also their parents enjoy Christmas stockings.They also have stockings.Early on the morning of Christmas Day，children wake their parents up and say “Merry Christmas”．Then they help their parents open their stockings.Everybody likes presents.But it is better to give than to receive.
1.What do all the British children do on Christmas Eve?
A. They talk all the night.
B. They sing and dance.
C. They put their stockings at the end of their beds.
D. They won't sleep until Father Christmas comes.
2.From the story we know that on Christmas Day children feel very happy because they can receive ________.
A. red clothes B. stockings C. presents D. food
3.What is the best greeting (打招呼) early on the morning of Christmas Day in Britain?
A. Good luck! B. Happy New Year!
C. Best wishes to you! D. Merry Christmas!
When I was 7 years old, I went to the US with my mom. I can still ______ the first Halloween holiday I had in ______．
On the morning of Halloween, we paid a visit to a pumpkin (南瓜) farm. Each of us brought a pumpkin to school ______ us. I used my pumpkin to make a lantern which had two round eyes and a scary mouth.
In the afternoon, we ______ the Halloween costumes (服装) and had a parade in school. Some of the costumes were funny, but some of them ______ scary. I chose to wear a Superman costume.
I did a lot of things that day, but the part I liked ______ was “trick or treat” in the evening. After ______， I went outside with a bag. I ______ to get a lot of candies from my neighbors. At first, I was a bit nervous, ______ when I knocked at the first door, my heart was beating very fast. A lady came out, and I said carefully to her, “Trick or treat！” My ______ was very low, so low that I could ______ hear myself speak. To my surprise, the lady was so kind that she gave ______ two candies, and I was so excited. I thanked the lady and moved on. I can't remember ______ houses I visited, but I can remember how many ______ I got—I got 91 that day, and I was so happy.
What a ______ Halloween I had! And I wish we could have Halloween every month!
1.A. spend B. remind C. remember D. enjoy
2.A. China B. Australia C. England D. America
3.A. to B. with C. for D. of
4.A. wore B. washed C. sold D. kept
5.A. tasted B. smelled C. sounded D. looked
6.A. best B. worst C. longest D. shortest
7.A. breakfast B. lunch C. dinner D. sleeping
8.A. offered B. continued C. hoped D. refused
9.A. but B. so C. though D. or
10.A. height B. wish C. price D. voice
11.A. hardly B. sometimes C. often D. mostly
12.A. them B. us C. her D. me
13.A. how much B. how long C. how many D. how far
14.A. candies B. houses C. cards D. presents
15.A. busy B. happy C. relaxing D. boring
书面表达
76．以“The Hero in My Heart”为题，写一篇不少于80词的短文。
提示：可以谈论一下你心中的英雄是谁(比如亲人、朋友、老师或名人等)；他(她)有什么样的事迹或故事；你喜欢他(她)的原因及应该怎样向他(她)学习。
阅读下面短文，回答问题。每题答案不得超过5个词。
Chen Guotao，born in the mountains of Yaoyang，Chongqing，successfully made her way to big cities.However，the love for Miao embroidery (刺绣) made her give up the highly paid job at a bank and return home.
“Miao embroidery is our Miao people's cultural symbol，” she said.“Every Miao woman is good at this skill.” Chen learned embroidery from her mother at the age of four and four years later，she could make a skirt by herself.Miao embroidery is a very important part and treasure of Miao culture.It was named as China's intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in 2006.
In 2001，Chen returned to Chongqing and started to learn more about the embroidery skills.She paid visits to the Miao villages in Hunan and Guizhou to learn the skills from those who embroidered well.She usually worked from six in the morning until eleven at night.“Every piece of the Miao embroidery is all handmade with all kinds of skills，” she said.“A onesquaremeter cloth will take at least one year to complete，so it is very hard to make money.”
In 2012，Chen finally set up her own company to promote (弘扬) this folk art.Her artworks have been exhibited (展出) at home and abroad.And to make more Miao women have the skills，Chen even set up training camps.
1.What is Miao people's cultural symbol according to Chen?
__________________
2.When could Chen make a skirt by herself?
__________________
3.Where did Chen return in 2001?
__________________
4.How long did Chen usually work?
__________________
5.Why did Chen set up her own company?
__________________
