Sixteen is a special age in the United States.There’s often a special celebration for a girl’s 16th birthday—a big party called Sweet-16. It is like a wedding reception(结婚晚宴) in the number of guests and gifts handed out.
About a month before the party, the girl’s family sends out invitations to the guests. They must buy a special present for the birthday girl and the girl guests find good dresses to wear. A sweet-16 present usually costs $40 to $60. This is about $20 more than the usual-cost of a birthday present.
The party itself is not held at someone’s house. The hostess rents(租赁) a reception hall for the event. Food, cake and a DJ are provided. Around 6’clock, guests arrive and meet the birthday girl. Then the girl and her father have a special father-daughter dance. After that, guests dance for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Then there is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party, the candle-lighting ceremony.
The sweet-16 hostess stands behind 16 unlit(未点燃的) candles and dedicates(献给) each candle to her friends, family, and anything that she feels is important to her. A lot of crying and hugging goes on at this time.
Afterwards, people sit and eat. Most guests begin leaving around 11 o’clock.
This school year, I have been to two Sweet-16s. I am one of the youngest students in my grade (My birthday is in December). I’ll have to wait another year before I can have my own special Sweet-16 party. I can’t wait for it!
1.Why is sixteen a special age for an American girl?
2.How much does a usual birthday present for a teenager cost in the USA?
3.What is the most important part of the Sweet-16 party?
4.How old is the writer?
5.What do you think of the Sweet-16 party in the USA? (请自拟一句话作答)
It is easier to go downhill t1.to climb uphill. So it is easier to fall into bad habits than into good o2.. Bad habits do not come s3.. They come little by little when people don't n4.their danger. School boys first pick up little bad habits in school and on the street. When they can't write their lessons, they copy from their c5.. If they see bigger boys smoking, they also want to learn to smoke. When they get bigger, the habits become so strong t6.they can no l7.get rid of(摆脱)them. From copying, they f8.behind others, then they learn to steal. At l9., they become suspected by everybody. How necessary it is that we get rid of the bad habits in the 10.!
请根据要求改写下列句子,每空一词。
1.Suzy will fall behind if she doesn’t' t try her best.(保持句意基本不变)
Suzy will fall behind ____________she____________her best
2.The boy doesn’t' t know who he should go to for advice(保持句意基本不变)
The boy doesn't know____________ ____________go to for advice.
3.My uncle has been in the navy since he graduated from college. (划线部分提问)
____________ ____________has your uncle been in the navy?
4.Amy is very tired. She can't keep awake in the afternoon.(合并为一句)
Amy is ____________ tired ____________keep awake in the afternoon
5.Someone saw him enter the teachers' office this morning.（改为被动语态)
He ____________ ____________to enter the teachers'office this morning
Norm Pethrick, a 36-year-old man in Australia’s northern city. Darwin, was praised(表扬) on Thursday for jumping onto a crocodile’s （鳄鱼）back to save his wife Wendy at Litchfield National Park, a popular tourist spot southwest of Darwin, a local newspaper reported.
Ms Pethrick was standing on a river bank Wednesday afternoon when the saltwater crocodile lunged (扑), locking its mouth on both her legs as it tried to drag her underwater.
Norm Pethrick, who with his wife had been collecting water, immediately went to help her. He jumped onto the back, poked (戳) the eyes of the crocodile and finally got his wife free.
Ms Pethrick was later taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for a medical treatment. The doctors said she was suffering eight puncture wounds (伤口) in her right leg, a puncture wound in her left leg and a serious cut to one of her fingers.
“This could have been a terrible situation,” said the general manager of Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH), Dr Len Notaras, according to a local report.
He said Ms Pethrick was saved by her husband’s “quick and smart actions”.
Dr Notaras also said she would remain in hospital for three to four days and have an operation to clean the wounds, which are easy to get infected because of bacteria (细菌) on the teeth of the crocodile.
1.This passage is most likely to be found in _____.
A.a travel guide B.a newspaper
C.a textbook D.a novel
2.The crocodile attacked Ms Pethrick when she was ______.
A.swimming in the river B.watching the crocodile
C.standing on the river bank D.fishing in the water
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE about Ms Pethrick?
A.Her eyes were badly poked.
B.She had eight wounds altogether.
C.One of her fingers also got hurt.
D.One of the crocodile’s teeth was found in her leg.
4.According to the passage, Norm Pethrick can be described as following EXCEPT ______.
A.brave B.clever C.quick D.humorous
5.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.The husband should save the wife
B.A man saves wife’s life from crocodile’s mouth
C.A crocodile is not so dangerous as people imagine
D.Human beings can beat crocodiles sometimes
Many young people all over the world love to travel and see the world. Have you heard of backpackers? They are normally young people who travel cheaply with just one rucksack(背包) and comfortable walking boots. They buy local food in supermarkets to save money and at the same time become friends with local people.
Some people prefer adventure tours. Brave people may try bungee jumping from the bridge overlooking the Victoria Falls in Africa with only a rope around their legs. Some enjoy the challenge of rock climbing in the Alps in Switzerland. Others may go snowboarding in the Rocky
Mountains in the USA.
Have you ever heard of an ecotourism ? It means a holiday in which people come close to nature but are very careful not to damage the nature beauty or living things in the area. How can this be possible? Let's read an interview with people who enjoyed a swimming with dolphins tour.
Interviewer: what was the most exciting part ofyour holiday?
Sharon from South Africa: I felt excited when I heard the sound of wild dolphins approaching me in the water and then swimming directly under me. An image I will never forget.
Xavier from Portugal :There were two dolphins below us swimming downwards. One stopped and looked back at me as if to say 'What are those strange beings?" Fantastic!
Interviewer: Did you feel that your holiday helped local people and areas to keep their beautifulenvironment?
Jane from New Zealand :The hotel and the whale and dolphin watching companies employ(雇佣) local people. They used to hunt those whales and dolphins, but now they can earn money from tourism and don't have to kill them. Not many boats are allowed at the same time so these animals aren't bothered. The boat companies also work to educate the local schools about the importance of protecting these wonderful creatures.
Helen from England: I am glad they are not killing the whales and dolphins any more, but the cars and boats use fuel which could cause pollution and make the sea less clean.
Well, what do you think? Thousands of people visit the Forbidden City or the Great Wall China every year. Do you think that's a good thing, or do you feel that China's important historical sites can be damaged? Are there any ways of sharing your treasures but keeping them in good condition?
1.From the first paragraph, backpackers are young people_____________________ .
A.traveling cheaply with just one rucksack
B.visiting historical places in China
C.who love to travel and see the world alone
D.who love to buy local things as souvenirs
2.What did Sharon, Xavier, Jane and Helen do in their holiday?
A.Try bungee jumping in Africa. B.Enjoy rock climbing in Switzerland.
C.Enjoy a swimming with dolphins tour. D.Go snowboarding in the USA.
3.Sharon,Xavier,Jane and Helen think the tours are helpful EXCEPT________.
A.the hotel and the companies employ local people to earn money
B.local people used to hunt and kill whales and dolphins but now they don't
C.not many boats are allowed at the same time so animals aren't bothered
D.the cars and boats use fuel to cause pollution and make the sea dirtier
4.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A.It's a cheap and popular way to travel and see the world as a backpacker.
B.We believe an ecotourism can greatly protect the nature beauty and living things.
C.The writer think China's sites can be protected because of being visited by tourists.
D.Following the rules of the nature is good for sharing treasures and keeping them good.
5.What can't you do when you take an ecotourism?
A.Come close to nature in the holiday carefully.
B.Protect the living things in the area.
C.Be careful not to damage the nature beauty.
D.Keep the local people disappointed
You may have been told before not to be afraid of anything. Fear is often associated with weakness. Fear is something to be avoided.
But that’s not true, according to Time For Kids magazine. Fear can be good for us.
Fear tells us about danger. Without fear, we wouldn’t know to run away from a tiger or step back from a cliff.
In a study published in the Justice Quarterly journal in August, researchers from Michigan State University said that a healthy fear of crime keeps teenagers away from potentially（潜在地） dangerous people, places, and activities.
Fear makes us jump, scream and sweat. But interestingly, sometimes we make ourselves feel fear on purpose. Think about scary books and movies, and also the long lines for a scary roller coaster ride.
Margee Kerr, a US sociologist, explained why to Time For Kids.
Fear fills our brain with healthy chemical substances (化学物质), especially endorphins (内啡肽) and dopamine (多巴胺), and these things create feelings of happiness and excite us, according to Kerr.
In addition, when you’re scared, your body produces a chemical which helps people bond with each other.
“Watch people walking out of a haunted house, and you’ll see lots of smiles and high fives,” Kerr told Time For Kids. That also explains why schools and companies organize challenging trips and physical activities to build up team spirit.
People experience and deal with fear in different ways. If you happen to be a “coward” who gets scared easily, don’t worry. There is some evidence that being scared can help a person manage stressful situations.
Kerr said that things like giving a report in front of your class or performing in a school play help build a sort of endurance (忍耐力) to fear that makes us more confident.
“You become more comfortable with the physical experience of fear, and so you’re better able to work through it during tense situations,” said Kerr.
So learn to love your fear. It only grows when we forget how helpful our fear is trying to be.
1.Why is a scary roller coaster ride helpful to people according to the article?
A. It improves people’s ability to survive in the modern world.
B. It makes people less cowardly and more confident in life.
C. It causes the brain to produce chemicals that make people happy and excited.
D. It teaches people how to keep away from things that could be dangerous.
2.The underlined phrase “bond with” in Paragraph 8 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. get closer to B. fight against
C. pay attention to D. be more careful with
3.What is the right attitude toward fear according to the article?
A. Avoid being involved in scary situations. B. Experience it as often as possible.
C. Consider it as a sign of weakness. . D. Enjoy healthy fear occasionally.
4.How do schools build up team spirit?
A. By organizing school trips
B. By organizing indoor activities
C. By asking students to go into a haunted house
D. By organizing challenging trips and physical activities
5.What's the passage mainly about?
A. people's misunderstandings about fear
B. Different ways to deal with fear.
C. The advantages that fear brings us
D. A new study about fear
