When I spent Christmas away from home in Europe for the first time, I was only 14 and it was absolutely horrific. I am now married and live in the US. So there is little possibility for me to go home for Christmas. Now I am able to get through Christmas with some moments of joy:
First, you are advised to search you area for stores that carry items from your home country or town. Buy food, candles and some other things that mean something to you.
Hold on to the traditions from your home that you think are important even if other people think they are stupid. But keep in mind to be open for new traditions from wherever you might be, because those traditions are as important to those people around you as yours are to you. For me that includes celebrating Christmas on the 24th.
Call, write Christmas cards, buy gifts and mail them to loved ones, just as if you were there. If you try to pretend as if the holiday doesn’t exist, you are just going to make it worse.
Introduce your traditions to your loved ones, especially your kids. It will only enrich their celebration of the holiday to have some unique traditions in their home. Little by little it will become their tradition and it’s fun for them to try something new.
Find clubs, churches or organizations that are from your home country. Chances are that they will have some celebration with some of your traditions which you can join in.
Food is one of the most important factors in any kind of tradition. Find the recipe of that cake your grandmother used and make it your tradition to bake that particular cake.
Call up your parents and get them to send you some of your favorite childhood ornaments (装饰品) for your tree.
Embrace new traditions, talk to your family about which ones you want to make your own and stick with them.
If you are far away from home, Christmas can never be the same as you experienced it before, but it is important to remember these traditions while appreciating the new ones. Keep an open mind and find a compromise between old and new traditons.
1.The author spent his 14th Christmas ___________.
A. unpleasantly in the US B. joyfully in the US
C. unpleasantly in Europe D. joyfully in Europe
2.Why does the author advise people to hunt in some special stores?
A. Because people can buy some discounted goods there.
B. Because people can feel less homesick there.
C. Because it’s an old Christmas tradition.
D. Because they offer goods from the hometown of the people.
3.Which of the following statements does the author agree with?
A. It’s great for children to have some unique traditions.
B. People should join in all kinds of clubs to celebrate Christmas.
C. People should give up traditions which are stupid in other people’s eyes.
D. It is popular to celebrate Christmas on the 24th around the world.
4.The author suggests giving a call to parents on Christmas mainly to __________.
A. express love to them B. follow the tradition
C. ask for some ornaments D. set an example for children
While firing off pictures of a curious five-month-old fox, photographer Simon Czapp soon realized his subject had quite an interest in photography herself. The clever fox was so curious about the camera equipment that she climbed right on top of it. And while she was supposed to be the subject of the shoot, the fox stood on the shutter release button (快门按钮) and took her own frames.
Mr Czapp visited the New Forest Wildlife Park to capture images of new arrival Jessie. She has been at the animal park in Ashurst, Hampshire — home to wolves, deer and other animals in 25 acres of ancient woodland — after being abandoned by her mother.
Mr Czapp said, “Jessie was very playful and curious and not at all camera shy. Soon after I arrived she was chewing my shoes and everything seemed to be a game to her. Then she started exploring the camera I had set up on a tripod (三脚架). She balanced her front paws on it and at one point knocked it over.”
He put the camera back on the tripod and Jessie soon jumped back up. At one point she had all four paws on the camera and was keeping her balance. Mr Czapp added, “She jumped up there several times and I realized it could make a good picture. As I was leaving with the public’s viewing window behind me, I thought I heard the camera go off but didn’t think much of it. But when I checked the memory card afterwards, I was amazed to see Jessie had actually taken two pictures of me photographing her. I couldn’t believe a fox had gained an advantage over me! Jessie is a lovely little fox. There were some lovely photos of her but she obviously thought the photographer was worthy of a picture too!”
1.The underlined word “frames” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
A. photographers B. pictures C. buttons D. advantages
2.What do we know about Jessie from the passage?
A. She arrived at the park five months ago.
B. She lives at the park together with some other foxes.
C. She was sent to the park because her mother left her.
D. She loved the life in the park so much that she left her mother.
3. What is the RIGHT time order of the following steps in Jessie taking a photo?
a. Jessie pressed the shutter release button.
b. Mr Czapp left the camera to take a photo.
c. Jessie climbed onto the camera and balanced herself.
d. Mr Czapp set up his camera on a tripod.
e. Jessie stood up to look at the back of the camera.
A. d, e, c, b, a B. a, b, c, d, e C. c, b, e, a, d D. d, e, b, c, a
4.From the passage we can infer that __________.
A. foxes are better at photographing than men
B. some foxes are more friendly than humans
C. Mr Czapp and Jessie took photos for each other
D. Jessie gained an advantage over Mr Czapp in photographing
Here is some information about several famous local bakeries(面包烤房) in Indiana, the US. They serve as a social gathering place for locals.
Maple Lane Bakery
At 8260 S. State Rd. Claypool, IN. (574) 566-2917, it offers a variety of cooked pies, cookies, and bread. With 20 years’ experience Maple Lane Bakery has specialized in the making of pies. The menu includes peach pie $7.19, berry pie $7.70, apple pie $7.19 and banana pie $6.99. Feel free to place an order at least 24 hours in advance.
Betty’s Cakes & Candy Shop
At 816 E. Winona Avenue Warsaw, IN. (574) 269-1231, it specializes in cakes and offers cookies and candies. The chocolate cookies are sold at $8.99 a dozen. Betty’s Cakes & Candy Shop, started half a century ago, specializes in wedding cakes and birthday cakes. Buying a cake from Betty’s will not disappoint you as they are always excellent.
Crepes’ Quality Bakery
At 217 S. Cavin Street Ligonier, IN. (260) 894-3024, this third generation bakery is located downtown Ligonier. It offers cookies and cupcakes, and specializes in rolls and bread. If you plan to buy cookies for the office or work area, you had better get there early as the building workers arrive just before 5:00 am waiting for the doors to open.
Olympia Candy Kitchen
At 136 N. Main Street Goshen, IN. (574) 533-5040, it has been welcoming visitors for almost a century in its unchanged location in downtown Goshen, Indiana. Its tradition began in 1912 when Greek Nicholas began making his own chocolates. Today this family-owned operation offers all kinds candies and boxed candies.
If you need an order, you should call ahead of time to see if they can meet your request.
1.Which of the following pies is the most expensive?
A. Peach pie. B. Banana pie. C. Apple pie. D. Berry pie.
2. If you want to order a birthday cake, you are advised to call _________.
A. (574) 533-5040 B. (574) 269-1231 C. (260) 894-3024 D. (574) 566-2917
3. Which of the following bakeries has the shortest history?
A. Crepes’ Quality Bakery B. Betty’s Cakes & Candy Shop
C. Olympia Candy Kitchen D. Maple Lane Bakery
4. The author wrote this passage mainly to __________.
A. tell readers some travel information
B. persuade more people to eat pies
C. make the bakeries better known to readers
D. warn customers to order bakeries in advance
Cheerful Charlie was a very special boy. When he was still in his mother’s tummy(肚子), she had had an accident, which 36 that Charlie couldn’t walk. But that had never been a(n) 37 for him; he had always been happy. When he became older, they had started calling him Cheerful Charlie because of his joyful and 38 nature. He really brightened everything up for those around him.
There wasn’t a postman, or a taxi driver who wasn’t 39 to see Charlie. “Cheer up, Mr Postman, that way you’ll 40 more letters today!” he would say, or “That was great, Mr Taxi Driver. You 41 that thing better than anyone else.” He also had great ideas and 42 for everything; and he shared them so 43 that, just about every day in that town, someone did a great job, or 44 something new, thanks to Charlie’s ideas.
One day, though, he came up against a real 45 . A young boy came to town on his holidays. He was known as Waterworks and was a real crybaby. No matter what Charlie said to him, Waterworks would always find some 46 to be sad: “I don’t have many sweets…my parents didn’t buy me that toy…” Everything seemed so bad to him. But Cheerful Charlie wasn’t going to be 47 , and he kept spending more time with Waterworks, 48 trying to cheer him up, just as he did with everyone.
Then, one day, when they were together in the street, someone 49 a pie from a window above by chance, and it landed 50 on Charlie’s head. He got such a fright that he couldn’t even move his lips. He was speechless, and 51 Waterworks was just about to cry, he 52 Charlie’s happy words so much that he finally said, “Wow, Charlie, that’s a nice clown mask (小丑面具) you just 53 !”
On saying those words, Waterworks felt so 54 that he finally understood why Charlie was always so happy and cheerful. He realized that he was so used to Charlie’s enthusiasm that he couldn’t help but see the fun 55 of everything.
1.A. reflected B. meant C. told D. predicted
2.A. problem B. mistake C. excuse D. topic
3.A. sensitive B. humorous C. responsible D. enthusiastic
4. A. surprised B. moved C. pleased D. disappointed
5.A. send B. write C. print D. find
6.A. paint B. play C. park D. repair
7.A. theories B. solutions C. comments D. impressions
8. A. eagerly B. carefully C. quickly D. generously
9.A. cleared B. noticed C. enjoyed D. invented
10.A. difficulty B. surprise C. risk D. disaster
11.A. means B. reason C. method D. value
12.A. let down B. taken up C. set free D. driven away
13.A. hardly B. quickly C. constantly D. specially
14.A. aimed B. moved C. threw D. dropped
15.A. ahead B. right C. almost D. even
16.A. because B. but C. therefore D. although
17.A. missed B. loved C. envied D. disliked
18.A. set on B. put on C. build up D. make up
19.A. ordinary B. sorry C. good D. curious
20.A. result B. wonder C. side D. influence
— It shouldn’t take long to clear up after the party if we all volunteer to help.
— That’s right. __________.
A. Many hands make light work B. Something is better than nothing
C. The more the merrier D. The sooner begun, the sooner done
By improving reading skills, you can read faster and understand more of ________you once thought impossible to understand.
A. that B. whether C. which D. what
