People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days offer a chance to think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child-care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one stands for a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit their graves. On these days, families get together at home and in restaurants. They often have outdoor BBQs for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephones companies and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
1. Which is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
A. Parents bring up children.
B. Parents give love and care to children.
C. Parents pass away before children grow up.
D. Parents educate children to be good persons.
2. What do you know from the passage?
A. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both in May.
B. Not all the children respect their parents.
C. Fewer women worked outside the home in the past.
D. Fathers are not as important as mothers at home.
3.Which do you think is right about “carnation”?
A. It only has two kinds of color.
B. It is a special kind of clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
C. People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in June.
D. It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes.
4.What do you think “florists” do?
A. They sell flowers.
B. They made bread.
C. They offer enough room for having family parties.
D. They sell special clothes for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Another man-made wonder of the United States was built long before the nation was established. About 900 years ago, the Ancestral Puebloan people built villages high in the walls of canyons in Colorado, where 600 cliff dwellings are now part of the Mesa Verde National Park.
Visitors can stand at the top of the mesas and look into the dwellings almost hidden in openings of the rock walls. The Puebloan people cut small steps into the rock, which connected buildings containing hundreds of rooms.
The rock walls have protected the buildings from severe weather in the area; therefore, they remain mostly unchanged in the hundreds of years since they were built.
Our final
man-made wonder is in the northwestern city of Seattle, Washington. The Space
Needle was built as the central structure for the 1962 World's Fair.
The 184-meter-tall structure was designed by Edward Carlson, which has a wide base on the ground, with its middle narrow and a large ring-like structure on top. The structure was meant to look like a "flying saucer," a vehicle that was popular in science fiction space travel stories. The saucer includes an observation area and eating place. The restaurant slowly turns to provide visitors with a 360 degree view of Seattle.
The Space Needle, only costing about $4,500,000, was not very costly, and was designed and completed in about a year and opened on the first day of the World's Fair.
Today, the Space Needle is the most popular place for visitors to Seattle. And it remains the internationally known symbol of the city.
1.What the passage before this one can be about?
A. Some natural wonders in the world.
B. Sightseeing in the US.
C. Some other artificial wonders in the US.
D. American geography.
2.What does the underlined word “dwelling” mean?
A. village B. house C. canyon D. step
3. Which of the following descriptions about the Space Needle is TRUE?
A. It is a man-made wonder in Washington, D.C..
B. Edward Carlson built the structure.
C. It has a ring-like structure on top.
D. It remains the internationally known symbol of the US.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Visiting the US B. Man-made wonders in the US
C. Wonders in the world D. Famous places in the US
Pop singer Peng Tan has tasted the joys of being at the top of the world. He has also 36 life's lows too. This 37 him that having a 38 picture of oneself is the key to 39_ .
"I grew 40 at the peak of my career, and I began to lose faith when things turned 41_ me," he said."
"Then I realized that dreams will 42 only if I put myself in the 43 place."
Peng, 29, will 44 at the Beijing Pop Festival at Chaoyang Park in Beijing held on September 8 to 9. He has 45 his first album Teen Spirit after he went solo from the rock band Dada. As the name _46 the album is about his reflection on his youth.
"The _47 years is a special restless period in life, with lots of confusion, sensations, with wise and ridiculous ideas colliding," said Peng.
When younger, he first 48 of being a painter, until one day the 49 singing of Cui Jian lit up his passion, for rock music. In 1996, he became the 50 singer in the band Dada, which he set up with his 51 from junior school.
Soon, they topped the music charts and 52 most of the "'Best Newcomer of the Year" awards. However, the good days didn't last. The band 53 . Peng became depressed and began 54 his own ability. He then went to the Beijing Pop Festival last year and saw his favorite foreign band, Super Grass. This changed everything. After that, he was back on track and found his confidence.
"When you 55 to your position well in life, opportunities will come to you naturally.” he said.
1.A. shared B. completed C. escaped D. experienced
2.A. has scared B. has taught C. has held D. has warned
3.A. realistic B. real C. true D. authentic
4.A. something B. everything C. nothing D. anything
5.A. frightened B. excited C. delighted D. overconfident
6.A. against B. to C. down D. over
7.A. come out B. come up C. come true D. come across
8.A. fight B. left C. suit D. wrong
9.A. stop B. perform C. work D. stay
10.A. created B. written C. made D. composed
11.A. tells B. reads C. suggests D. goes
12.A. teenage B. youth C. mid-aged D. old
13.A. considered B. dreamed C. suggested D. tried
14.A. gentle B. cold C. depressed D. explosive
15.A. lead B. pop C. proper D. first
16.A. workers B. strangers C. classmates D. colleagues
17.A. bagged B. accepted C. beat D. finished
18.A. broke into B. broke in C. broke up D. broke down
19.A. improving B. doubting C. wondering D. considering
20.A. reach B. have C. adapt D. contribute
-----I’ve never found a better job.
-----________.
A. Good luck B. Too bad C. Congratulations D. Don’t worry
_______ interested in the position are asked to see the manager tomorrow.
A. Whoever B. Who C. Anyone D. Those
It will be less than a fortnight_______ we get to a turning point in our life.
A. since B. when C. if D. before
