The traditional Chinese calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural（农业的）production. But solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives through cultural activities and special foods that go with each term.
Great Heat, the 12th solar term of the year, begins this year on July 22 and ends on August 6. During Great Heat, most parts of China enter the hottest season of the year. Here is something you should know about Great Heat.
Great Heat is a season of harvesting（收割）. During this time, the sunshine, high temperatures, and heavy rainfall are good for the plants. But many natural disasters also happen. So, it's important to harvest and plant in time.
Sending the Great Heat ship is a tradition in Taizhou. The ship is full of all kinds of meat. More than 50 fishermen take turns carrying the ship as they walk through the streets. The ship will finally be pulled out of the port and burned at sea. People believe that is a symbol of good harvests and health.
Great Heat is a season with most crickets（蟋蟀）in the countryside. Cricket fighting is popular game for some people in China during this period. The custom dates back over 1,000 years ago.
People in different places enjoy different food. For example, in southern Shandong, people would like to drink mutton soup. Grass jelly is very popular in Guangdong because there is a saying “Eating grass jelly in Great Heat will make you stay young.”
1.Ancient Chinese people created 24 solar terms to ________.
A.keep a healthy life B.serve different food C.help farming
2.Great Heat lasts for ________days this year.
A.6 B.16 C.22
3.In Taizhou, people send the great Heat ship________.
A.just for fun B.to get exercise C.with good wishes
4.According to the passage, ________.
A.Great Heat is an important time to harvest and plant
B.cricket fighting games are getting popular in China now
C.people in Guangdong enjoy mutton soup during Great Heat
5.Which of the following shows the structure of the passage? (P=Paragraph)
A.
B.
C.
There was a young painter who made a living by painting portraits（肖像）. One day, a rich man asked him to paint a portrait for him and promised to pay him 10,000 dollars.
After a week, the rich man came to take the painting, but he was not pleased with it. He told the young painter, “I will only pay 3,000 dollars for this painting”.
The young painter was angry. He argued with the rich man, hoping the rich man would keep his word.
The rich man thought, “The man in the painting is me. If I don’t buy this painting, no one else will buy it.” So he said, “I will ask you one last time: will you sell it for 3,000 dollars?”
The young painter said firmly（坚定地）, “No. This is a shame for me! I would prefer not to sell it, rather than be humiliated by you. Someday, you will pay 20 times the cost for breaking your promise.”
After that, the painter worked hard day and night. Finally, he became well-known in the art world.
The rich man forgot about the artist and what he had told him. But one day, some friends told him, “There is a painting selling for 200,000 dollars and the man in the painting looks exactly like you. It has a name of 'Thief（贼）”.
Then, the rich man remembered the artist. He quickly went to say sorry and paid 200,000 dollars to buy the portrait. The young painter made the rich man lower his head in the end.
1.The rich man would only pay 3,000 dollars for the painting because ________.
A.he didn't have 10.000 dollars
B.he wasn't very satisfied with it
C.he thought others would buy it
2.The painter became famous by________.
A.working hard B.making friends C.making a lot of money
3.The underlined word “humiliated” means “________” in Chinese.
A.欺骗 B.吓唬 C.羞辱
4.The man in the painting with the name “Thief” is ________.
A.the artist B.the rich man C.the rich man's friend
5.What happened at the end of the story?
A.The rich man kept his promise.
B.The rich man fought with the painter.
C.The rich man was punished by the painter.
Arguments（争吵）between teenagers and parents can be a problem and should be taken seriously.
•A few examples of the arguments
Parent: Mike is always making trouble in school. You'd better keep away from him. Ben: You don't know him as well as I do stop trying to tell me who I can make friends with. |
Parent: Don't spend so much time playing computer games. You should do something meaningful. Grace: I've already finished my homework. I just want to relax. |
Parent: You got an F in your physics exam again. I'm disappointed （失望）with you. Jack: I did study hard. but it's just too difficult for me. |
•Some results of a survey
About 18% of the kids talk to their parents when they have problems.
Over 50% of the kids think their parents don’t understand them.
Almost 50% of the parents talk to their children only about school.
•Some suggestions from experts
Communicate with your kids in a friendly way.
Encourage kids to share their feelings with you.
Take part in different activities together with kids.
1.Ben's parent isn’t happy with Ben being friends with________.
A.Mike B.Grace C.Jack
2.Grace's mother thinks playing computer games is ________.
A.interesting B.relaxing C.meaningless
3.Jack didn't do well in physics because________.
A.he often plays with Mike
B.he thinks it's too hard for him
C.he plays computer games too much
4.From the survey of the passage, we can know that ________.
A.none of the kids think their parents understand them
B.most parents talk to their children only about school
C.a few kids talk to their parents when they have problems
5.The suggestions are for ________.
A.parents B.teachers C.students
Dear daddy,
How’s everything going? It has been so many days since you went to Wuhan. Do you still remember the________before you left? You looked worried, and I saw the luggage （行李）in your bedroom. I asked you, “Are you going to leave________?”You smiled and put your hand on my head saying, “I'm just tidying up some clothes.”
Later that night, I learned that you and mom had asked to be sent to Wuhan and were waiting for a________. At that moment, I really hoped that________of you would get the call________, your phone still rang. I almost cried out in fear as if I were going to Wuhan myself.
The next morning, I got up________. During the breakfast, you smiled and asked me if I would miss you. I pretended（假装）it was no big deal and said, “I________send you a message whenever I miss you.”
You left even before the sun rose. I waved（挥手） to you until I couldn't see you any more. And my eyes were filled with________. I later realized it was Lantern Festival. I wrote down “Waiting for you to________”in my notebook. I knew the people of Wuhan needed you more than I did.
At night, Mom sent me some photos. I found you in the photos at once, “Hey, this is my daddy!” I was so________of you!
Daddy, we all miss you. I love you, forever and ever.
Yours,
Kathy
1.A.day B.month C.year
2.A.on vacation B.on business C.for pleasure
3.A.letter B.ticket C.call
4.A.either B.neither C.both
5.A.Besides B.Also C.However
6.A.slowly B.early C.happily
7.A.can B.must C.should
8.A.surprises B.smiles C.tears
9.A.go away B.come back C.work out
10.A.tired B.afraid C.proud
—Excuse me, could you please tell me _________?
—It's not far from here. I can walk with you.
A.how can I get to Xinhua Bookstore
B.how I can get to Xinhua Bookstore
C.how could I get to Xinhua Bookstore
—Look , that is Tower bridge!
—Wow, _________great bridge it is!
A.what B.how C.what a
