In Mexico, girls mark their fifteenth birthday with a celebration called Quinceanera. In the morning, the birthday girl goes to the church with her family and her best friends. She wears a beautiful dress. Later in the day, there is a huge party, with a big cake that matches the girl’s dress, and a night filled with music and dancing.
Becoming an adult is a very important life change, and Japan has a special holiday to celebrate this. The second Sunday in January is Coming-of-Age Day. On that day, everyone who had their twentieth birthday in the last year goes to their Town Hall for a special activity. Everyone dresses up, and many women wear beautiful dresses. The mayor makes a speech and gives presents to all the new adults.
Some kids are afraid to start school, but six-year-olds in Germany can’t wait. For them, Schulanfang is a big holiday. To celebrate a child’s first day of school, parents or friends give the child a Zuckertuete, a big color box filled with candy and little presents. People take pictures of the kids holding their Zuckertuete, and there is a school party later for the parents with cake and coffee.
1.What happens at Quinceanera?
A. The birthday girl buys many gifts.
B. The birthday girl goes to the church.
C. Parents give a Zuckertuete to the child.
D. Parents make speeches in the church.
2.When is Coming-of-Age Day celebrated?
A. On one’s first day of school.
B. On one’s twentieth birthday.
C. On a girl’s fifteenth birthday.
D. On the second Sunday in January.
3.Schulanfang is celebrated when German children ______.
A. start school B. reach the age of 15
C. grow into adults D. are born
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Celebrating birthdays.
B. Celebrating school holidays.
C. Celebrating life changes.
D. Celebrating national holidays.
We lived in a very quiet neighbourhood. Early one evening, my wife asked me to go to the to get some soft drinks. My daughter Holly had just got her permit, so I asked her to drive my truck for the shopping instead, as a chance of .
While we were waiting for Holly, my son talked about how much he liked my truck, and I told him I enjoyed having it, too. But I was more or less about Holly. Just then, we heard a loud noise outside. My son looked out and , “Daddy! Daddy! Holly … Truck!”
“Oh, my God!” I ran to the door, I found that the truck had been brought to a stop.
The had happened in our own driveway. With experience, Holly had my truck hit our garage wall. , Holly was unhurt, but when I reached her, she was crying and saying, “Oh, Dad, I’m sorry. I know how much you this truck.” I held her in my arms as she cried.
I remember how Holly was the night she had my truck damaged, and how I her. The repaired truck reminds me of what really in my life. One day, when Holly her life, she will certainly know that I love my a thousand times more than anything else.
1.A. office B. kitchen C. store D. restaurant
2.A. building B. driving C. parking D. fishing
3.A. practice B. travel C. play D. experiment
4.A. worried B. eager C. sorry D. angry
5.A. begged B. whispered C. screamed D. warned
6.A. Though B. Because C. Until D. When
7.A. accident B. fight C. noise D. activity
8.A. new B. little C. personal D. previous
9.A. Successfully B. Typically C. Curiously D. Luckily
10.A. expect B. develop C. love D. keep
11.A. fortunate B. smart C. strange D. upset
12.A. praised B. encouraged C. inspired D. comforted
13.A. works B. comes C. matters D. spreads
14.A. looks back on B. looks up to C. looks out for D. looks forward to
15.A. wife B. child C. truck D. garage
— ______, but are you forgetting something?
— Oh, my God. We haven’t fixed our next meeting yet.
A. I’m sure B. I’m afraid so
C. Take care D. Excuse me
______ food is hard to find, few birds remain throughout the year.
A. Where B. Although C. Unless D. When
I wish I could go camping with you next weekend; it sounds fun. ______, I’ll have to work.
A. Carelessly B. Unfortunately
C. Hopefully D. Naturally
Happy times usually pass quickly without ______.
A. noticing B. being noticed
C. having noticed D. to be noticed
