Every year, we celebrate many special days─Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and New Year’s Day. In some countries, there is a special day for playing tricks on others. In North America and parts of Europe, this day is known as April Fool’s Day, and is celebrated on April 1.
Many people believe that the French started April Fool’s Day. Centuries ago, New Year’s Day in Europe was April 1. In 1582, the calendar changed and King Charles IX of France moved it to January 1.
Some people did not like this, and chose to keep April 1 as New Year’s Day. Many called these people ‘April fools’ and played jokes and tricks on them. Over time, April 1 became a day to have fun in France. It then spread to England and Scotland, and later, to North America.
On April Fool’s Day, jokes are common. In the United States, for example, a person may move a friend’s clock ahead one hour, or change the sugar and salt. In Scotland, April Fool’s Day lasts for two days. The second day is called ‘Taily Day’─for one’s ‘tail’. On this day, people might secretly put a sign saying ‘kick me’ on a person’s back or behind. Other countries have their own ‘Fool’s Day’. In Spain and Mexico, people play tricks on each other on December 28. In India, it happens on March 31.
In many countries around the world, April 1 is a day of fun. Jokes bring about a lot of laughter, and many shouts of ‘April Fool’!
1. It is said that people first celebrated ‘Fool’s Day’ in .
A. the United StatesB. France
C. ScotlandD. Spain
2. In North America, ‘Fool’s Day’ is celebrated on .
A. April 1B. April 2
C. December 28D. March 31
3.People are allowed to while celebrating ‘Fool’s Day’.
A. kick your friends in the behind
B. move a friend’s clock ahead one hour
C. play jokes and tricks on your friends
D. take a holiday from work for two days
4.Which country is NOT mentioned (提到) in the passage as celebrating ‘Fool’s Day’?
A. England.B. India.
C. Mexico.D. Japan.
5.Over time, April 1 became a day to have fun in France. It then spread to England …. Here “spread” means .
A. 盛行B. 流传
C. 接受D. 发展
London, May 5, 2003 Emma Richards of Britain has become the first woman and the youngest person to finish the Around Alone, which is a round-the-world sailing race. The journey started in New York last September and went east around South Africa to New Zealand. It crossed the Pacific Ocean and went around South America, ending up yesterday in Rhode Island, the smallest state in America. In the end, the trip covered over 46,000 kilometres. The same sea route was taken in the past by many famous travelers who wanted to learn about the world.
Emma, a 1996 graduate (毕业生) of the University of Glasgow, finished the race at the age of twenty-eight. The race requires competitors to sail alone. Emma said that actually it was very difficult to be all by herself for such a long time even though she’s really into sailing. Her worst moment was when she had to climb the high mast (船桅) in a bad storm to fix some broken parts. She sailed hundreds of kilometres away from land and the wind was blowing very hard. Only her strong willpower kept her going to make it all the way. These days, Emma is happy to be home with her parents and sleep in a bed that stays still.
1.The first paragraph is mostly about .
A. the Around Alone race
B. a terrible wind storm
C. the start of the journey
D. the smallest state in America
2.Which one is NOT true?
A. Emma sailed alone around the world.
B. Emma made a new route for the sea travel.
C. Emma is the youngest person to finish the race.
D. Emma is the first woman to finish Around Alone.
3.The second paragraph mainly tells us about .
A. Emma’s parents B. how to repair a broken boat
C. the University of Glasgow D. Emma’s sailing experience
4. How long did the trip take?
A. About four months. B. About six months.
C. About eight months. D. About twelve months.
5.What is the best way to explain Emma’s success?
A. The other racers had many problems.
B. Her parents encouraged her to keep on.
C. She had strong willpower to make it to the end.
D. She had received a good education in a university.
School Library To Joy Lee, Just to remind you that you have four overdue books. Title Writer ① The age of Innocence Edith Wharton due (到期) 22/Jan ② Mr Standfast John Buchan due 24/Jan ③ Imagine Alison Lester due 26/Jan ④ Selected Tales Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm due 26/Jan Please return these books tomorrow. Other people may be waiting to borrow them. Jane Johnes Librarian Date: 3/Feb/2013 Note: You may not borrow any new books until these books have been returned. |
1.This is .
A. a report B. an introduction
C. a reminder D. an advertisement
2.This note was written by .
A. Jane Johnes B. Joy Lee
C. Alison Lester D. John Buchan
3. John Buchan is .
A. due on 24th January
B. a friend of Joy Lee’s
C. the writer of the note
D. the writer of Mr Standfast
4.Joy Lee should return the book Imagine before .
A. 22nd JanB. 24th Jan
C. 26th JanD. 3rd Feb
5.From this note we DON’T know that .
A. Jane Johnes works in the library
B. Joy Lee may not borrow any new books now
C. Joy Lee has lent these four books to other students
D. Jane Johnes asks the note receiver to return the four books on Feb. 4th
Dolphins are mammals, not fish.Can dolphins talk? Maybe they can’t talk as human beings do, but they talk with sounds.They show their with sounds.
Dolphins travel in a group.We call a group of fish a “school”. They don’t like school children, but they travel to gether.
Dolphins talk to each other in the school. They give out different . They tell when they are happy or sad or afraid.They say “ ”. when a dolphin comes back to the school. They talk when they play. They can even make sounds above water.However, they make many more sounds under water. People hear these sounds because the sounds are very, very high. make tapes of the sounds and study them.
Sometimes people catch dolphins for a large aquarium(水族馆)。 People can watch the dolphins in a . Dolphins don’t like to be in an aquarium away from the sea.They are sad and lonely.
Dolphins are very friendly animals. Maybe you have heard some that people are saved by dolphins at sea.Dolphin meat is good, people don’t like to kill them. They say that dolphins bring good luck.
1.A. ideasB. feelingsC. interestsD. activities
2.A. studyB. playC. huntD. talk
3.A. helpB. signsC. information D. words
4.A. MorningB. Good-byeC. Congratulations D. Welcome
5.A. not anyB. a fewC. fewD. all
6.A. won’tB. don’tC. mustn’tD. can’t
7.A. EngineersB. DirectorsC. ScientistsD. Zookeepers
8.A. showB. programme C. movieD. school
9.A. researchesB. secretsC. accidentsD. stories
10.A. soB. butC. thoughD. unless
–Don’t worry. We still have __________ time.
A. little B. a little C. few D. a few
Most boys _________ balls to dolls while most girls _________have dolls than balls..
A. would rather, prefer B. prefer, would rather
C. would rather, would rather D. prefer, prefer
