The Carnival of Brazil is an annual festival held 46 days before Easter, especially famous for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Carnival celebrations are believed to have roots in the festival of Saturnalia, which, adapted to Christianity, became a farewell to bad things in a season of religious discipline to regret and prepare for Christ’s death and coming back to life.
Modern Brazilian Carnival dates back to Rio de Janeiro in 1641. It originally copied the European form of the festival, later taking in elements of Native American and African cultures.
In the late 19th century, the strings (弦乐器) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were pageant (游行) groups that paraded through city avenues performing on instruments and dancing. Today they are known as blocks, consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or special T-shirts with themes or logos. Blocks are generally connected with particular neighborhoods; they include both a music group and a lot of revelers.
Block parades have become an expressive feature of Rio’s Carnival. Today, they number more than 100 and the groups increase each year. Blocks can be formed by small or large groups of revelers with a clear title. Before the show, they gather in a square, then parade in sections of the city, often near the beach.
Carnival time in Rio is very interesting, but is also the most expensive time to visit Rio. Hotel rooms and other lodgings (住宿) can be up to four times more expensive than the regular rates. There are big crowds at some locations and life is far from ordinary in many parts of town.
1.What can we infer from the first paragraph?
A. The Carnival of Brazil is often held after Easter.
B. The Carnival of Brazil comes from Easter and Saturnalia.
C. The Carnival of Brazil is a festival to regret and begin a new life.
D. The Carnival of Brazil is mainly to celebrate the birth of Christ.
2.How long is the history of the people’s celebrating modern Brazilian Carnival?
A. About 100 years. B. Less than two centuries.
C. About 370 years. D. Over five centuries.
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE about the blocks in Rio de Janeiro?
A. They are always wearing costumes or special T-shirts with themes or logos.
B. They always parade through countryside villages singing and dancing.
C. There are no more than 50 blocks today.
D. They don’t parade before the show.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The famous carnivals in the world.
B. How the carnival was introduced in Brazil.
C. The carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
D. The happy life of the people in Rio de Janeiro.
Derrius Quarles, 19, had an unhappy childhood. But the Chicago teen didn’t give up. He tried his best and won $1 million in college scholarships (奖学金)! Now Derrius is a successful college student with a bright future.
When Derrius was 4, his father was killed. His mother couldn’t take care of him because of taking drugs. Derrius and his 9-year-old brother sometimes had to steal food to eat. Derrius felt different from other kids. In seventh grade, Derrius went to live in a foster home (寄养家庭). His foster parents weren’t nice to him. They told him that he’d never be anything in life.
Derrius didn’t do his best in school. The summer after ninth grade, that changed. Derrius had signed up for a biology class. He didn’t go to class the first day. On the second day, he showed up late. His teacher took him outside. She told him he was smart, but that he was wasting his potential (潜力). The talk inspired him and he planned to prove that he could be anything if he worked hard enough.
Adults at a summer program helped Derrius find out about scholarships he could earn to pay for college. In his senior year, Derrius filled out lots of applications. He told his friends, “You’re not going to see me for a long time.” Derrius’s hard work paid off. He won more than $1 million in scholarships! He has a lot to be proud of. But he’s most proud of helping others. Derrius gives speeches to teens, telling them how to find scholarships. In high school, Derrius got help buying a computer. He wanted to help others who needed them. Last year, he gave two laptops to high school students. There’s a lot of work in his future. Derrius doesn’t mind — hard work has got him where he is today. He knows it can take him anywhere.
1.From Paragraphs 2 and 3, we can learn that Derrius _____.
A. always studied hard in school
B. lived in the same foster home with his brother
C. hated his parents very much
D. was encouraged a lot by his biology teacher
2.The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to _____.
A. great success B. a scholarship
C. hard work D. a computer
3. What kind of person do you think Derrius is?
A. Lazy but kind-hearted.
B. Selfish and naughty.
C. Confident but troublesome.
D. Determined and generous.
4.What does the author want to tell us?
A. The way to win a scholarship to a college.
B. The importance of family background.
C. Never forget people who have helped you.
D. Hard work pays off sooner or later.
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1.If you want to use the e-reader longer, you should ______.
A. charge it frequently B. keep wireless off
C. use it in bright sunlight D. read in a quiet room
2.Which of the following can best fill in the blank in the text?
A. Large selection. B.Excellent service.
C. Reasonable prices. D.Interesting content.
3.What is this text，mainly about?
A.What an e-reader is.
B.Who needs an e-reader.
C.How to use an e-reader.
D.The advantages of an e-reader.
Mom noticed that something was wrong when I started getting so thirsty. I’d have a lot to drink before bed, which was unusual for me. One time, I opened a big container of apple juice and kept refilling my glass. Before I knew it, I’d drunk the entire container! My mom called my doctor. I then had a few blood tests, and the results were certain — I had diabetes (糖尿病), which meant that the amount of sugar in my blood was very high. That can be dangerous, so I had to learn how to control my blood-sugar level.
My eating habits had to change in a big way. With diabetes, I can’t eat a lot of sugar or carbohydrates (碳水化合物). I have to figure out exactly how much sugar I plan to eat, and then I get an injection of insulin (注射胰岛素) before the meal to help my body process the food. Also, I test my blood-sugar level often. I’m always trying to keep my blood sugar at a healthy level. The level can drop when I exercise, but that doesn’t keep me out of gym class or off the basketball court — I just keep some juice boxes around to boost my blood sugar if I need to.
It’s a lot of work — and not a lot of fun — to keep track of everything, but I’ve gotten used to my new habits. I was a little scared at first because I wasn’t sure how my life would change. Once I knew what I needed to do, though, it wasn’t a big deal. My life is different now from what it was before, but it has become completely regular to me.
1.The first paragraph is mainly about _____.
A. who found the author had diabetes
B. the author’s life before having diabetes
C. how the author was found to have diabetes
D. the author’s eating habits before having diabetes
2.What did the author do after knowing she had diabetes?
A. She stopped playing basketball in the gym.
B. She controlled her blood-sugar level strictly.
C. She stopped eating food with natural sugar.
D. She tested her blood-sugar level before every meal.
3.What does the underlined word “boost” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Increase. B. Control. C. Absorb. D. Test.
4.What’s the author’s attitude toward her having diabetes now?
A. Worried. B. Frightened. C. Pessimistic. D. Positive.
When my mom came home from the hospital with twins, I was excited at the very beginning. I couldn’t 36 to play with them and be the best big sister ever.
Everyone was coming over to our house to hold the babies and 37 presents to the babies and talk nonstop how 38 the babies were. Then they’d pull out their cameras, and just 39 I was about to say “cheese”, they’d run over to my perfectly perfect little brothers and take 40 of them. At that time I was thinking, “Why can’t I be little again so I can be the one getting all the 41 ?”
When my aunt Camille got 42 , my mom spent forever finding the perfect clothes for them. On the day of the 43 , my twin brothers had the cutest and prettiest clothes. And then there was me, just sitting and watching in my 44 dress.
After the ceremony, all I 45 was how sweet and lovely the twins were.
I definitely 46 that they were wonderful, but I couldn’t help feeling 47 and invisible (看不见的).
There was a big 48 after the wedding. Aunt Camille and her nice new 49 had the first dance, and then everyone started 50 like crazy including me. I 51 my uncomfortable dress shoes, and I danced and danced and danced! It 52 one of the most fun times I’ve had in my entire life.
The very 53 part was when my aunt and I took my twin brothers by the hands and 54 them some dance moves. Teaching them was such a cool thing. I 55 then what a huge waste of time feeling jealous is when you can kick off your shoes and enjoy life!
1. A. go B. wait C. stand D. help
2.A. make B. create C. give D. show
3.A. lovable B. smart C. active D. strong
4. A. since B. after C. before D. as
5.A. care B. photos C. advantage D. measures
6.A. support B. attention C. impressions D. opportunities
7.A. married B. praised C. elected D. promoted
8.A. performance B. celebration C. wedding D. concert
9.A. ugly B. attractive C. new D. regular
10.A. thought B. heard C. remembered D. reminded
11.A. agreed B. ignored C. forgot D. expected
12.A. satisfied B. foolish C. unimportant D. excited
13.A. cake B. party C. surprise D. gift
14.A. friend B. husband C. baby D. partner
15.A. singing B. drinking C. dancing D. chatting
16.A. took off B. took over C. took up D. took in
17.A. encouraged B. became C. wasted D. appeared
18.A. nervous B. curious C. best D. quietest
19.A. taught B. passed C. lent D. warned
20.A. imagined B. calculated C. announced D. realized
