Years ago parents worried their children would learn the truth about Santa Claus(圣诞老人)from others, but now they have a new problem—the Internet.
A recent study from Hide My Ass! Shows 1 in 8 American parents said the Internet told their children the truth about Santa Claus. 44% of parents thought Google was a danger to this Christmas story, as children searched for Santa and found pages explaining he is not real. About 34 percent of children questioned Santa Claus after seeing ads online for gifts they had asked for in their letters to the North Pole (北极). Sadly，one in three children said their Christmas spirit was dead after reading a post saying Santa wasn’t real.
Before the Internet, the only way children found out their parents bought their gifts was if they were in a bad hiding place. Today, two-thirds of parents never clear their browser (浏览器) history, making it easy for kids to find out the gifts under the tree weren't put there by a happy man and his little helpers.
To keep Mr. Claus alive, “Keep Believing in Santa”, an organization created by Hide My Ass!, helps kids believe in Santa. Parents receive free software from the organization that monitors all online search results and web pages that could tell kids the truth about the man who lives in the North Pole, by hiding any information that may suggest he doesn't exist.
However, there is still a higher possibility of the Internet now being the main cause of a child's belief in Santa ending, and it can also result in kids finding out sooner than for those born before the digital age.
''With this organization, we wanted to give parents a new tool that would allow them to keep the magic of Christmas and the mystery of Santa for that little bit longer,” Cian Mckenna-Charley, marketing director at Hide My Ass!.
1.What does the underlined word “questioned” in paragraph 2 mean?
A. doubted B. described
C. dismissed D. discouraged
2.“Keep Believing in Santa" is created to .
A. make Santa Claus as real a man as possible
B. help parents keep the mystery of Santa Claus
C. tell stories about Santa Claus for younger kids
D. stop children from surfing the Internet too much
3.Which statement does Cian Mckenna-Charley probably agree with?
A. Parents must clear their browser history.
B. Santa Claus always lives in the North Pole.
C. Christmas spirit can be kept a little bit longer.
D. Gifts are put by Santa under the Christmas tree.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A. Christmas is boring without Santa Claus.
B. Parents make efforts to protect Santa Claus.
C. The Internet is a new danger to Santa Claus.
D. Many children find the secret of Santa Claus
Sweat (汗水）rail its way down my cheek. It was hot，but the air was still and wet. One final play and the State Softball Championship was ours.
I looked towards people who were watching the game. Sure enough, I found my mom. I always wished my dad were here. The farm needed his full attention, but I did not care.
Finally, we won! State Champs! I let out a scream of happiness, fall of tears. My mom made a “V” to celebrate my success and smiled. I smiled back at her.
We all received medals (奖牌), but I cannot remember any of it. I concentrated my thoughts on my dad, I ran to my mom，asking for her cell phone. I had to tell my dad about the happiest day of my life，and complained (抱怨）about how he did not care.
The phone rang twice, and no one answered. My heart sank with sadness, but I tried again anyway.
“Hello?” My dad answered.
“Dad!” I cried. “We won State!” Silence.
“Dad?” I could hear something on the other end. “Are you—crying?”
“I’m just really happy for you, Meggie，” he said. “And I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”
An apology（抱歉）was all I needed. I hung up the phone feeling relaxed, and I began to understand how it must feel to be a father. I forgave him for never being there. He worked so I could play. My father loved me enough to let me experience life's happiest moments without him.
1.Meggie's father didn't go to watch her game because .
A. Meggie did not care about his being there
B. Meggie's mother took his place to be there
C. the game wasn't so important to her father
D. he had a full schedule to work on the farm
2.The purpose of Meggie calling her father was to .
A. express her anger
B. show off her medals
C. get her father's praise
D. share her joy of success
3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. Meggie would thank her father for all he did for her.
B. Meggie could spend more time doing the farm work.
C. Meggie would apologize for being rude to her father.
D. Meggie could enjoy every moment without her father.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. My final game
B. A father’s love
C. My growing pain
D. A father's farm
China Experience Tours | |
| China Experience Trip Beijing→ Shanghai→Xi’an(8days) Price: Adult $1,517 p/p Under 17$1,230 *Imagine you are a king or queen when entering the great Forbidden City *Have a hike on the world famous Great Wall * Discover the Terracotta Warriors *Admire Shanghai where east meets west and walk around some local markets |
| Glories of China Beijing→Xi'an→Guilin→Yangshuo→Shanghai(11days) Price: Adult $2,219 p/p. Under 17 $1,650 *Discover more of China’s extraordinary history from Beijing and Xi'an *visit the easy part of the Great Wall at Mutianyu and use the cablecar(缆车) there *Cycle near Yangshuo and admire the beautiful rural scenery * Discover Shanghai lifestyles ancient and modern |
| China Impression Experience Beijing→XI'an→ Yangtze River→ shanghai(11 days) Price: Adult $2, 329 p/p. Under 17 $1, 810 Explore both the ancient cultures and modern features, and relax on the yangtze river Cruise(乘船游览) to see the various ideas of China. Your guides will show you around not only the most classic spots, like the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terra-cotta Army, the Bund, Yuyuan Garden and the Three gorges but also take you for a local experience by visiting lovely giant pandas and local markets. |
| Cultural and Natural Wonders of China Beijing→Xi'an→ Zhangjiajie→ Shanghai(11days) Price: Adult $2, 159 p/p. Under 17$1,360 Wind your way from Beijing to Shanghai in style and discover China's natural wonders-climb up the Great Wall, walk around the Forbidden City while listening to the stories of kings, and see the Great“Avatar Mountain”"in Zhangjiajie. |
1.The four tours have the same final destination EXCEPT _____.
A. Glories of China B. China Experience Trip.
C. China Impression Experience D. Cultural and Natural Wonders of china
2.One tourist spot that all the four tours include is ______.
A. the Great Wall B. the Three Gorges
C. the Forbidden City D. the Terracotta Warriors
3.How much should the Whites with their 13-year-old son pay if they are on Cultural and Natural Wonders of China?
A. $5678 B. $6088
C. $6468 D. $6477
It was January 2000, and I had just finished the final term of my year abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. Warm feelings and happy thoughts______ into my mind. I began thinking about the _____ I was due to take with my friends over the summer, across New Zealand.
I went shopping for gifts to take back to my family in Malaysia. Then I made my way home. I have always been very careful of______ safety. But, for some reason, on that day I quickly ran across the ____ without looking. At that moment, a _____ turned the corner. I was in the driver's______ spot so he did not see me, nor did I see him. I was hit by the minibus and was ______ under its wheels.
When opening my_______, I learned that it took 15 minutes to ______ me from the wheels. A(n)______ team from a local hospital had to lift the minibus off me with their hands. A tourist in the crowd had come to help, holding my hand and ______ me in the ambulance(救护车). When I arrived at the hospital, _____told me my injuries were life-threatening. They also told me there was a______ chance I could never walk again.
However, although I______a lot, I was not paralyzed(瘫痪的). It took me six months to______. I was sad to miss out on the trip across New Zealand but my friends comforted me a lot. ________I was able to attend my graduation, crossing the stage with walking sticks; it didn't matter, because I was just happy to be______ The accident changed my______; it made me think about the terrible things that could have happened. It regularly______me to step back and think twice about my problems, to be_____for the second chance I got at life.
1.A. broke B. sank C. pushed D. flooded
2.A. trip B. photo C. flight D. examination
3.A. fire B. food C. road D. public
4.A. street B. square C. stage D. field
5.A. taxi B. truck C. motor D. minibus
6.A. right B. ideal C. blind D. special
7.A. put B. thrown C. controlled D. taken
8.A. maps B. eyes C. passports D. backpacks
9.A. take B. free C. keep D. protect
10.A. sports B. research C. medical D. management
11.A. tending B. charging C. educating D. questioning
12.A. parents B. tourists C. doctors D. witnesses.
13.A. last B. pure C. little D. strong
14.A. fought B. suffered C. complained D. challenged
15.A. change B. reflect C. recover D. graduate
16.A. Finally B. Recently C. Gradually D. Meanwhile
17.A. wise B. alive C. proud D. awake
18.A. life B. figure C. family D. behavior
19.A. allows B. forbids C. informs D. reminds
20.A. ready B. anxious C. hungry D. grateful
-Have you seen this film? It shows friendship, love and help.
-______I was deeply moved.
A. I'm the top dog B. It's my cup of tea
C. I have green fingers D. It's a piece of cake
We can always see how much time has passed when appreciating old photos,_____?
A. has it B. hasn't it
C. can we D. can't we
