This year I’m buying presents for 16 children, as well as my own daughter, Mia-Grace, who will be two on Christmas Day. My tree will be beautifully decorated, I’m bringing the turkey to the family Christmas lunch and having an open house activity on Boxing Day. And the whole thing’s only going to cost me £150.
I’ve been careful with money since I was a teenager, for I came from a poor family with many children. I had to drop out of high school to earn money to support myself. I remember well that I went a bit mad back then when I got my first credit card and my parents had to leave me from home and cared little for me from then, which taught me a real lesson.
We’re very careful now and we don’t overspend or owe anything on credit cards. I work for an electrician and my husband Neil, 33, works in the construction business. We’re concerned about our jobs because our companies are quiet at the moment.
We’ve also been hit by rising prices, particularly food, petrol, gas and electricity. Everyone I know is worried. One of my friends’ husbands has just gone self-employed and if he doesn’t work, they have no money coming in.
Christmas has been playing on my mind for the past three or four months. We decided on a budget of £150 because that’s just under my weekly wage and it meant we could afford Christmas while using Neil’s salary for our essential bills.
We quickly realized that we buy some things every year just for the sake of it. Even though we have lots of decorations already, we usually buy something new for the tree but this Christmas we’re not going to. We’ve already got our tree – a big man-made one which I bought half-price in the January sales. It will last us for years.
After all, no one can escape from this financial crisis which is spreading throughout the globe.
1.We can infer that Boxing Day most probably falls on ______.
A. January 20 B. May 5
C. October 24 D. December 26
2.Which of the following is TRUE about the author according to this passage?
A. She has bought Christmas presents for 16 children in total.
B. She has bought a man-made Christmas tree at a low price.
C. Both the author and her husband are already out of work now.
D. She would like to buy a new Christmas tree for this Christmas.
3.The second and third paragraphs mainly tell us ______ .
A. why the author has been very careful with money
B. how she finished her education of high school
C. where she earned her first money in her teens
D. when she left home and got married to her husband
4.We can conclude from this passage ______.
A. the author often quarrels with her husband about their little earnings
B. nobody but the author was worried about the rising prices
C. the author has never been worried about losing jobs
D. the author and those around her are suffering from the financial crisis
It seems school children all over the world complain about their school food. Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school?
Japan
High schools have canteens, which serve everything from noodles to rice, but not burgers and chips. Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls, meat or fish, pickles and vegetables.
Students take home a menu for the coming month containing notes on nutrition value. Twice a year parents are invited to have a taste of the food. The class with the fewest leftovers at the end of the month receives a prize.
United States
A typical menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken, lettuce and pickles, fruit and cookies. School lunches must also provide at least one-third of the daily dietary allowances(定量) of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.
Australia
Meat pies, sausage rolls and hot dogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops. But as the nation pays more attention to children’s health, healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus.
Many schools have used a traffic light system. The sale of red-labelled foods, including pastries, chocolate and soft drinks, is served only twice a week. Healthier green-labelled foods such as sushi, sandwiches, corn and watermelon, however, are available every day.
In some schools, students have a choice of up to 89 foods to choose from, including popcorn and rice.
South Africa
Most of South Africa’s schools do not serve meals at all. Classes end at 1:30 p.m. and students get their own lunches. Many students bring food from home, usually sandwiches.
Fast food and fried food sell the best among students, which has led to a rise in obesity among children. But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different diseases, some schools in towns have led the way towards better nutrition(营养). Now students at these schools are provided with lunches of porridge with vegetables, such as cabbages, onions, beans, carrots and tomatoes.
1.We can infer from the text that __________.
A. many schools in Australia have traffic lights outside their school
B. most students in South Africa eat their lunch at home
C. a typical menu from a US school has enough nutrition
D. you can have whatever you like in school canteens in Japan
2.What does the underlined word “obesity” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A. Fighting B. Overweight
C. Food shortage D. Sadness
3.What is the main idea of the text?
A. Schools should try to satisfy the needs of students.
B. School children all over the world dislike their school food.
C. Food served in the US is the best of all
D. Schools serve different foods from country to country.
4.The text is written for _______.
A. students of your age B. schoolmasters
C. school lunch sellers D. parents
There are some simple safety tips that you should follow to ensure your visit to Australia is as enjoyable as possible.
On the road
* If you wish to drive in Australia you must hold a current, valid driving license issued in the country in which you live. Carry it with you at all times when driving.
* Always travel no faster than the signed maximum speed limit.
* The drive is not allowed to use a mobile phone while driving in Australia.
* Do not pick up hitchhikers at the side of the road, who get free rides from drivers of passing cars.
At the beach
* Always swim with others.
* Never swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or in darkness.
In the bush
* Drink plenty of water (allow at least one litre of water per hour of walking) when walking outdoors. Wear sturdy shoes and socks, a hat, sunscreen lotion, comfortable clothing for long bushwalks.
* Never walk alone. Read maps and signs carefully.
* Do not feed or play with native animals. You might get bitten or scratched.
In the Outback
* When planning each day of travel spend some time to calculate how long it will take to drive between destinations. Be realistic about how far you can drive in a day.
* Always carry a current road map.
* Always carry a spare tyre, tools and water.
* During daylight hours always drive with your headlights on low beam, as outback conditions can make it difficult to see oncoming vehicles.
1.If an American wants to drive in Australia, he has to get ______.
A. a car B. a mobile phone
C. a valid Australian driving license D. a valid American driving license
2.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the article?
A. Do not pick up strangers when you are driving on the road.
B. Do not swim alone or in the dark.
C. You are welcome to give food to native animals in the bush.
D. When in the outback or in the bush, remember to take a map with you.
3.Which rule should you follow when you are in the bush?
A. Drink at least one litre of water per hour.
B. Be realistic about where you can go.
C. When you are driving, you can’t use a mobile phone.
D. Eat as much as you can.
I remember when I was young, people often asked me, “What are you going to be when you grow up?”
It ______ being a cowboy or some super hero. Later it was a fireman, a policeman, a lawyer. As I grew older, my dreams for the future ______ .When, I was in college, I set my heart on becoming ______ like my father. ______ I studied and prepared for that. I reached the ______ in the end and I was teaching ______ full-time for much of my adult life.
However, there is a “thief” that goes around stealing our ______ . Sometimes, the thief will come as a parent, or a friend, but the ______ thief is usually ______ .
We find ourselves just about reaching the top, and a “small” ______ inside says, “You’ll never make ______ .” “You ______ possibly do this.” On and on the “small” voice predicts our failure. Failure, ______ is one of the most important tools we have may teach us valuable ______ . When we learn these lessons well, we are ready ______ success.
I always tell my children that you are ______ to do anything that your heart desires. Remember the saying, “Nothing is ______ to a willing heart.” There are ______ “overnight” successes, but with determination, they will come. Imagine ______ a life you dream of. Then in your heart, believe it will happen to you. Then work, work, work. You’ll get the picture.
So, be true to your dream, and don’t let anyone ______ it from you---especially yourself.
1.A. insisted on B. kept on C. felt like D. started out
2.A. changed B. planned C. failed D. left
3.A. a doctor B. an engineer C. a musician D. a teacher
4.A. But B. Or C. So D. As
5.A. aim B. agreement C. decision D. position
6.A. hardly B. nearly C. slightly D. extremely
7.A. money B. plan C. dreams D. friends
8.A. greatest B. poorest C. tallest D. oldest
9.A. themselves B. ourselves C. yourselves D. itself
10.A. sound B. noise C. speech D. voice
11.A. it B. her C. him D. me
12.A. can B. can’t C. must D. mustn’t
13.A. where B. who C. when D. which
14.A. stages B. lessons C. suggestions D. choices
15.A. to B. for C. at D. with
16.A. able B. ready C. likely D. necessary
17.A. interesting B. important C. impossible D. necessary
18.A. many B. some C. different D. no
19.A. spending B. planning C. living D. changing
20.A. buy B. fool C. steal D. borrow
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is a major challenge that Stevie Wonder has had to face?
A. His unsuccessful records.
B. Pressure from other musicians.
C. Not being able to use his eyes.
2.When did Stevie Wonder start his professional career?
A. At the age of 6. B. At the age of 11. C. At the age of 19.
3.How many Grammy Awards did Stevie Wonder receive?
A. 10. B. 25. C. 30.
4.What kinds of songs did Stevie Wonder often record?
A. Rap songs about life.
B. Sad songs about death.
C. Happy songs about love.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Who got a new job?
A. Anna. B. Anna’s father. C. Anna’s mother.
2.What do we know about Anna’s new house?
A. It has small rooms.
B. It has few windows.
C. It has trees around it.
3.How does Anna feel about the old house?
A. She misses it.
B. She thinks it’s pretty.
C. She loves it the most.
4.When is Dave coming over probably?
A. This summer. B. This weekend. C. Next weekend.
