Singles Day falls on every November 11th, and as the name indicates, this relatively new holiday is one exclusively for people who are still living the single life. I was a bit surprised when I googled “Singles Day” on the Internet, to find that China is the only country in the world that has set aside a special day for singles to celebrate their lives. To find out more about this celebration, please read on.
An old story goes that once there were four single men, leading very boring lives. None of them were married, or had lovers, or did anything exciting. They just sat around all day and played Mahjong.
One day they played Mahjong from 11 in the morning until 11 at night. During the game, no matter who won, the winning card was always the “four columns” card (the card shows four independent, parallel columns in two lines). Even more of a coincidence, it was Nov 11, or 11/11. In order to commemorate the day, they nicknamed it Singles Day.
Singles Day was first celebrated at various universities in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu Province during the 1990s. It got the name Singles Day because the date consists of four “ones”. These college students have since graduated, and carried their university tradition into society. Singles Day is now a special day for all fashionable youths.
The main way to celebrate Singles Day is to have dinner with your single friends, but it’s important that each person pay their own fee to show their independence. People also hold “blind date” parties in an attempt to say goodbye to their single lives.
Many singles also choose to say goodbye to their single lives on this day. Many attend “blind date” parties and many people choose to marry on this day. In addition to meaning “single” the four “ones” of the date can also mean “only one” as in “the only one for me.” Some people will use this date and this meaning to tell their special someone that they are the only “one” in their heart.
1.Singles Day got its name because _______.
A. the persons who play Mahjong are four singles
B. the date consists of four “ones”
C. only single persons celebrate the day
D. it was first celebrated at universities in Nanjing
2.Which of the following is wrong?
A. Singles Day was first celebrated in Nanjing’s universities.
B. Many singles choose Singles Day to say goodbye to their single lives.
C. The only way to celebrate the Singles Day is to have dinner with your single friends.
D. It was these college graduated students that carried their university’s tradition into society.
3.We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. the four singles did not get married
B. Singles Day receives great popularity among young people
C. when having dinner, one pays the fee for all his friends
D. on Singles Day many attend parties where blind people were present
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Origin of Singles Day. B. How to Celebrate Singles Day.
C. Singles Day. D. Say Goodbye to Singles Day.
完形填空（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）
Wings of Angel
I used to hate myself because I wasn’t “normal”. Everyone else could play on the monkey bars and ride on a bicycle, but not 36 . I had a severe spinal cord disorder (脊髓病) and I knew I would always be much 37 than others.
I hated going to school and I hated people 38 at me. I hated seeing others smiling broadly and standing straight and tall. And most of all, I hated looking in the 39 and seeing an ugly hunchback (驼背).
My friends found me 40 because I didn’t let others get close to me. I thought I was going to go on like this for the rest of my life 41 Angela appeared.
That afternoon, I was sitting by myself in a corner of the school — a spot where no one would 42 me. That’s when I first heard her voice.
“Hi. Can I sit down?”
I raised my head and there she was, with an irresistible smile on her round face.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
“Ants.”
“What are they doing?”
“No idea.”
“I bet they’re playing games and making friends. Don’t you think so?”
That was how our 43 started and it didn’t stop. We talked about everything under the sun—the ants, the clouds, my little niche (处境) — until it was sunset.
Then suddenly, she saw my 44 . She just stared.
My heart sank. What I feared most had happened and I knew for sure she would 45 me now.
She stood up, pointed at my back and said, “I know 46 your back is hunched.”
I closed my eyes like a criminal waiting to be sentenced. I begged in my heart for her to 47 , but she just kept on going. “I know what you’ve got in there. Do you?”
“No,” I answered 48 .
She bent and whispered in my ears.
“Your back is hunched because you’ve got a pair of wings from the angels.”
I was 49 . I looked into her eyes and her kindness touched my heart. From that day on, I started to learn to 50 myself because I have the wings of an angel and a kind-hearted friend.
1.A. them B. it C. me D. her
2.A. sadder B. shorter C. weaker D. slower
3.A. looking B. smiling C. aiming D. glaring
4.A. street B. sun C. corner D. mirror
5.A. distant B. disappointed C. hopeless D. unlucky
6.A. after B. while C. since D. until
7.A. disturb B. seek C. comfort D. ignore
8.A. games B. performance C. conversation D. competition
9.A. face B. back C. eyes D. wings
10.A. look up to B. catch up with C. look down upon D. put up with
11.A. that B. how C. whether D. why
12.A. relax B. leave C. stop D. forbid
13. A. excitedly B. weakly C. proudly D. firmly
14.A. astonished B. ashamed C. annoyed D. upset
15.A. control B. like C. forgive D. hate
The population of Africa is ________ so rapidly as to cause concern of the whole world.
A. expanding B. circulating C. exporting D. spreading
Most senior high school students are working hard day and night to pass the college entrance examination, gaining ______ to a university.
A. application B. admission C. connection D. agreement
On his way to the airport, it ________ him all of a sudden that he had forgotten her birthday.
A. hit B. knocked C. occurred D. beat
—I really thought I’d be offered the chance.
—Oh, well,,Vicky____.
A. you’re right B. best wishes
C. better luck next time D. congratulations
