In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it．And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is．That is what “Keeping up with the Joneses” is about．It is the story of someone who tries to look as rich as his neighbors．
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand．He told this story about himself．He began earning $125 a week at the age of 23．That was a lot of money in those days．He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City．When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day．When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors．It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up．The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life．They moved back to an apartment (公寓房间) in New York City．
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors．He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories．He called it ‘‘Keeping up with the Joneses”, because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you．Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years．
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses．And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world．But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr．Jones always seems to be ahead．
1.Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they___________．
A．hope to be rich people like their neighbors
B．want others to know or to think that they are rich
C．want to hide their wealth from other people
D．would like to be common people
2.Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is____．
A．an important name for important people
B．a popular name in the United States
C．the name of the neighbor he did not like
D．a name which people did not use any longer
3.According to the writer, it is _________ to keep up with the Joneses．
A. correct B．interesting
C. impossible D．Good
On August18,2012,the White House staff prepared for a special group of guests. The First Lady was hosting an important lunch.
At 10 o’clock, her guests arrived. Fifty-four children, each with a parent or grandparent, walked into the White House. The lucky guests were the winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. It was a contest created by the First Lady a few months ago. She asked kids ages 8 to 12 to think up healthy, delicious lunch recipes. Winners from across the country, one from every state, were brought to Washington D.C, for the “state dinner”.
At the start of the meal, the First Lady welcomed her guests and congratulated them on winning the contest. “You were the winner in your state---the whole state,” she said. “You guys won! Cool!” She also explained what made the recipes win. “You came up with dishes that are good for you, but more importantly, they taste good, too,” she said.
Just before the dessert time, Michelle stood up to make an announcement. “We have a special guest who wanted to stop by and say hello,” she explained. “So it’s my honor to introduce the President of the United States.”
The President walked to each table, shaking hands with the winners and their family members. For the kids, this was the icing on the cake.” It was amazing to watch the President,” Kayla, one winner said. “His visit was a surprise and that ‘s a really big meal.”
1._______ guests took part in the important lunch.
A. 54 B. 108 C. 45 D. 90
2.How many winners were there in each state?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four
3.What made the recipes win according to the First Lady?
A. Being big and healthy
B. Being cheap and delicious
C. Being healthy and delicious
D. Being expensive and healthy.
4.The underlined phrase probably means ______ in Chinese.
A. 作茧自缚 B. 走马观花
C. 叶公好龙 D. 锦上添花
Camping is one of the most popular forms of outdoor activities. Now, most people are under too much pressure and like going outdoors to relax. Other activities like hunting and fishing, are often connected with camping trips.
It’s also a good idea to spend time camping with your family during a holiday. That will help you create some of the best memories with the family. Here are some things you have to consider while planning your camping trip.
The first thing that you need to think about is deciding the camping destination. For most people who like camping, the best place to choose is the spot that they haven’t visited before. As soon as you get to your destination, there will be a lot you will have to do, such as putting up your tent. Of course, food is another necessary factor to be considered. You’d better carry some convenient food like biscuits, nuts and boiled eggs.
When all the things are done, fun activities should be planned. It’s a good chance for you to spend time with your family. Lots of open space is perfect when you want to do something as simple as letting your kids ride their bicycles. If your kids are old enough, activities like fishing and horse-riding are also good to choose. These are a few ideas about having fun camping. Once you get ready for it, you don’t need to worry about anything. Go ahead and be a happy camper.
1. What do people go camping for according to the passage?
A. For traveling B. For fishing
C. For learning D. For relaxing
2.Which place is the best place to camp according to the writer?
A. place where the weather is warm.
B. place where the things are cheap.
C. place that you’ve ever visited.
D. place that you’ve never visited.
3.Which is true according to the passage?
A. It’s good to cook by yourself while camping
B. It’s a good idea to carry some convenient food.
C. Fishing is a good activity for kids.
D. Camping isn’t good for kids.
4.Where can you do outdoor activities according to the passage?
A. On the playground B. In the forest
C. On the open space D. By the sea.
书面表达
最近你班将举行一场题为 Life in the future 的讨论会，请根据以下要点，写一篇100左右的发言稿。
1. 随着医学的发展，人类的平均寿命将会达到120岁。
2. 由于新能源的出现，污染问题将得到控制。
3. 人们的日常生活也将有很大的变化。如机器人可以为你做家务；椅子的也按色能 够随着你所穿的衣服而改变；手机可以带在手腕上，通话时可以看到对方；可以乘坐新型的电梯进入太空度假。
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处，每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I like riding my bike. Though it is not very new, but it is my best friend. I find very convenient to go anywhere with a bike. Riding give me not only exercise but also pleasure. I use my bike mostly on summer when the weather is warm and dry. It can very unpleasant in winter when it is cold and the rain is pouring down. It can also be very danger. Of course I will be very careful on my bike. In facts, accidents are not the only problem. One day I went to school and come back to find the front wheel was missed. It was a long walk to the repairer’s shop. Now I have two strong locks.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(不多于3个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
England is 1. largest of the four countries, and for convenience it is divided 2. (rough) into three zones.The zone nearest France 3. （call） the South of England,the middle zone is called the Midlands and the one nearest to Scotland is known as the North.You find most of the population 4. （settle）in the south,but most of the industrial cities in the Midlands and the North of England.Although these cities are not as large 5. those in China,they have world-famous football teams and some of 6. even have two!It is a pity 7. the industrial cities built in the 8. (nineteen) century do not attract visitors.For historical architecture you have to go to older but smaller towns 9. (build) by the Romans.There you will find 10. more about British history and culture.
