What is your zodiac（生肖） animal? According to the Chinese lunar calendar（农历）, 12 animals mark 12 different years. It is the basis of the Chinese zodiac. Nowadays, Chinese zodiac animals have worldwide fame and are increasingly popular among western people.
The zodiac is an important part of Chinese culture. People believe that the characteristics of a zodiac animal influence the personality of every person born in that year. For example, people born in the Year of the Tiger are considered powerful and brave.
Zodiac animals also have some social functions. When people think it is not proper to ask: “How old are you”, they may change their question to “What is your zodiac animal?” With this question, you can figure out roughly which year someone was born and the person’s age.
Zodiac animals are not special to China. Many countries share a similar zodiac culture with China. For example, in the Japanese Zodiac, a wild boar（野猪）takes the place of a pig and the Vietnamese（越南的）zodiac has a cat instead of a rabbit.
But have you ever wondered how these 12 animals were chosen to represent each year? According to legend, the Jade Emperor（玉皇大帝）invited all the animals to join him for Chinese New Year. Only 12 animals went to see him. As a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The ox would have been the first to arrive, but the rat sat on his back and jumped off just before they arrived to come in first place.
1. The characteristics of a zodiac animal may influence the _____ of every person born in that year.
A. appearance B. personality
C. hobby D. education
2.“What is your zodiac animal?” is a question used to find out a person’s______.
A. age B. name C. job D. weight
3.In the Japanese zodiac, we don’t see the zodiac animal：_______
A. wild boar B. rabbit
C. dragon D. pig
4. According to the last paragraph, we know that ____ was the first animal to arrive.
A. ox B. rat C. pig D. cat
Post your problems on the blog and get other bloggers’ advice!
★★★★★★
My problem is my parents. They never stop going on about how I should keep my room tidy, keep my hair tidy and wear smart clothes. They even make me do the washing-up after dinner every night! None of my friends have got such tenable parents. What should I do?
Helen, USA
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Hi, Helen. I think you should do what your parents ask. They’re much older than you and you should respect them. It’s their house you live in and their money you spend.
Emily, AustraliaE
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Helen, why should your parents do all the housework? You should help around the house. –it’s only fair. I don’t think you should change your appearance though. Teenagers should look like teenagers.
Simon, England
1. What is Helen’s problem?
A. Her parents treat her badly.
B. She always worries about her parents.
C. Her parents don’t care about her feelings.
D. She doesn’t want to do what her parents ask.
2.In Emily’s opinion, Helen should .
A. respect her parents B. give her parents money
C. leave her parents D. change her appearance
3.Simon suggests that Helen should .
A. wear smart clothes B. help with housework
C. do all the washing-up D. change her appearance
Shopping online is easier than actually going to a store and saves your time. However, it’s not always that easy. Sometimes, you may have a few problems.
Xu Zijiao, 21, a student at Sichuan University, often buys clothes on Taobao. “The colors might be different. And since you can’t feel the clothes, the quality might be bad,” Xu said.
Many people had similar experiences to Xu – buying something that isn’t as good as the advertisements suggest, or going into a store for a special offer but still paying a lot. What would you do if your consumer rights(消费者权利)were broken? Guangzhou Daily reported that according to a research, 60 percent consumers would give up without fighting for their rights.
March 15 is World Consumer Rights Day. According to consumer protection laws in China, consumers have nine rights, including the right to guaranteed safety, truthful information, free choice and respect.
How can we fight for our consumer rights? Here are some tips:
1. Learn some of the differences between real and false goods.
2. Check the label (标签) and read the information carefully before you buy something.
3. Get a receipt (收据) for all your goods and services.
4. If you find there’s any problem with your goods, talk to the seller first, and try to get your money back or get an exchange. If you can’t reach an agreement, call 12315 or go to your local consumers association for help.
1.The second paragraph uses Xu Zijiao’s example to show _____.
A. there are problems with shopping online
B. shopping online is a good way to buy things
C. how to buy clothes on Taobao
D. the advantages of shopping online
2.Shopping online has the following disadvantages EXCEPT _____.
A.the quality is not always as good as they promise
B. the online shops can better protect consumer rights
C. we can only know about the goods from the advertisements
D. you may pay a lot more even if there is a special offer
3. According to the law, consumers have the following rights EXCEPT _____.
A. guaranteed safetyB. truthful information
C. cheap prices D. free choice and respect
4. If you buy false goods, you’d better first_____.
A. talk to the seller
B. call 12315
C. fight with the seller
D. turn to the local government for help
Mr. Young has a big shop in the center of the city. He tells all his employees to be to the buyers and he gets a lot of . One day an old woman went to the shop to a silk blouse. When she came out of the shop with the blouse, she her wallet in it. A girl picked it up and there were nearly five hundred dollars in it. She looked around and saw it. She put it into her quickly. Soon the old woman came back to look for it, of course she . That evening Mr. Young was told about it. He was very and sent the girl away. Then he decided to employ an honest man to take her . Several young men came, but _ of them could satisfy him.
This morning a young man came to his . He asked, "Do you smoke, sir?" "No, sir," answered the young man.
"Do you ?" "No, sir."
Mr. Young asked him the other questions, and the young man's satisfied him. Before he employed him, he asked him the last question, "You have shortcoming, do you?" "No, I don't, sir. " said the young man. "I only like telling lies.”
1.A. strict B. friendly C. strange D. terrible
2.A. business B. surprise C. money D. hope
3.A. buy B. borrow C. look for D. lend
4.A. threw B. put C. placed D. left
5.A. found B. knew C. understood D. wanted
6.A. somebody B. anybody C. nobody D. everybody
7.A. hand B. pocket C. bottle D. glass
8.A. won B. lost C. forgot D. failed
9.A. sad B. angry C. happy D. worried
10.A. place B. seat C. table D. chair
11.A. both B. all C. neither D. none
12.A. house B. car C. office D.pigstye
13.A. dress B. drink C. eat D. sleep
14.A. answer B. clothes C. knowledge D. face
15.A. much B. some C. any D. no
She always looks________．Now she’s looking_______ at her new
drawing．
A．happy；happy B．happy；happily
C．happily；happily D．happily；happy
The river is too wide for the swimmers________.
A. to swim B. to swim in
C. to swim across D. swimming
