Americans do many different things during their vacations. Some people stay at home and enjoy time with their families. They may go to a local swimming pool, zoo or museum. Other people travel to enjoy large national parks, the mountains, the ocean, or large amusement parks. Many people visit interesting American cities or historic areas. Some people visit family members in other states. Still other Americans visit foreign countries.
Recently there is a new use for vacation time — learning about a new kind of job. This program is called Vocation Vacations. People pay between six hundred and five thousand dollars to work at a job for a few days or a week.
Brian Kurth of Portland, Oregon, started Vocation Vacations. He says it serves a valuable purpose. It gives people a chance to try out a job they always wanted without leaving their present job.
People use Vocation Vacations to try many kinds of jobs around the United States. These are jobs that anyone can learn to do. For example, they can learn how to make beer, wine, cheese or cakes. They can help train dogs or horses. They can learn how to be a hunting and fishing guide or a gardener. They can work with a sports announcer, television producer, wedding planner or photographer. Or they can learn how to operate a very small hotel, called a “bed and breakfast”.
Vocation Vacations recently added several new jobs. They include comedians, dog-sled (雪橇) drivers and hair stylists. The company says the most popular job so far is winemaking.
The Vocation Vacations Website recently asked visitors what prevents them from working at their dream job. More than two thousand people answered. Forty-two percent said the main block is money. Lack of the right education or experience was the answer given by twenty-five percent. Other answers included fear of failure and lack of family support.
1.From the first paragraph we can learn that on holiday .
A. Americans often try out new jobs
B. Americans prefer to travel
C. what Americans usually do
D. how Americans enjoy themselves at home
2.What is “Vocation Vacations” according to the passage?
A. The best way of enjoying time with one’s family.
B. A program of learning a new job on holiday.
C. A chance to learn how to operate a hotel.
D. The most popular jobs around the US.
3.It seems that most of the jobs in Vocation Vacations are .
A. difficult B. boring
C. expensive D. enjoyable
4. When people take the jobs in vocation vacations, .
A. they can choose many kinds of them
B. they can get some money for their work
C. they must have much experience
D. they must have a lot of money
The mother of the 13-year-old Dutch girl Laura Dekker, whose plans to make a solo sailing trip around the world have recently made world headlines, has spoken out against the trip. “It breaks my heart to think that because of this I could lose contact with my daughter,” she said in an interview. “I have never before made such a difficult decision. But I must accept the consequences. I would rather have a live daughter who I will never see again than a dead daughter.”
It is the first time that Laura’s mother, Babs Müller, has spoken out against the trip. Laura’s parents are divorced and the girl has lived with her father since she was six. Her father Dick Dekker supports Laura’s plans. However, the Dutch Child Protection Board has decided to place the girl under supervision (监督) for two months to ascertain whether she is mentally and physically capable of undertaking the journey.
Ms Müller says she is confident that Laura is technically capable of making the journey. “She can sail like the devil. That’s not the problem.” However, she is afraid of the problems a 13-year-old girl can encounter in the harbors of Third-World countries and of the psychological (心理上的) pressure of being alone for such a long period on the ocean. “The most important thing, in my eyes, is that she is not yet an adult.”
Ms Müller says she told Laura once before that she was opposed to the idea. Her daughter replied, “If you forbid me, you will have ruined my entire life. Then I’ll never want to see you again.” However, Laura’s mother says that reports that a camera team is planning to follow her around the world could change her opinion about the trip.
1.Laura Dekker’s plans to sail solo around the world .
A. made her parents divorce
B. have attracted wide attention
C. made her father unhappy
D. were a difficult decision to make
2.It can be inferred that Laura Dekker and her mother .
A. are angry with Dick Dekker
B. had a quarrel
C. lost touch with each other
D. are all good sailors
3. We can learn that the Dutch Child Protection Board .
A. will train Laura for two months
B. will help Laura realize her dream
C. cares about Laura’s safety
D. doesn’t believe in Laura at all
4.What does the underlined part “opposed to” mean?
A. Against. B. Shocked by.
C. Beyond. D. Satisfied with.
基础（共一节，满分10分）
根据首字母或汉语提示填入单词的适当形式使句意完整。
1._________(别管) the bell and go somewhere quiet to have a rest.
2.I got injured In the car accident, but I am r__________ now.
3.My best friend can understand what I am going t________ and give me advice.
4.We are going to have an _________(户外的) party tomorrow.
5.As a __________(青少年), I try to help my family with housework.
6.He tried to keep _______ (镇定), but his trembling hands gave him away.
7.It is no pleasure ________ (have) nothing to do. It’s fun to have lots to do.
8.I ________(想知道) when I can work out the problem.
9.A_______ up your score and see how many points you get.
10.I am getting ________ well with my classmates in this new school.
书面表达（满分20分）
假如你叫李华，是育才中学一名高一学生。国际友谊俱乐部根据你提出的要求，把美国朋友Kate介绍给你做笔友。现在请你用英文写一封信给Kate，表达愿意与他交友的愿望，并提供自己的有关信息（如下表所示），同时询问对方学习、生活和家庭方面的情况。
姓名 | 李华 | 年龄 | 17 | ||
性格 | 乐观、随和 | 就读学校 | 育才中学 | ||
就读年级 | 高一 | 学习状况 | 辛苦、快乐 | ||
家庭成员 | 父亲，教师；母亲，家庭主妇；妹妹，学生 | ||||
家庭住址 | 一个有山有水的小村子 | 业余爱好 | 听音乐、唱歌、跳舞、看电影 | ||
注意：词数100左右。(开头和结尾已给出，不计入总次数)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
短文改错 （共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
英语课上，老师要求同桌相互修改作文。假设以下作文为你同桌所写，请你对其进行修改。共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。 错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号 （^），并在此符号下面写出改加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2、只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Anne and her family hide away for nearly twenty-five months before they were
discovered. During that time a only true friend was her diary. She set down her
feelings and thoughts to it. She became crazy about anything to do with nature. One
evening, she stayed awake on purposes in order to have a good look at the moon by
herself. Another time, he happened to be upstairs at dusk when the window was
open. It was in the first time in a year and a half that she have seen the night face to
face. Luckily, she was only able to look at nature through dirty curtains. She thought
nature was one thing that really must is experienced.
（共10小题：每小题1分，满分10分）
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
A: I want to make lots of money 1. I grow up. You know, money means happiness.
B: I’m surprised to hear that. 2. do you think so?
A: Because with money we can buy new houses and beautiful clothes. We can even do a lot of sightseeing.
B: I don’t think you’re right in saying so. Though money is important, it doesn’t mean _3. .
A: I’m 4. (puzzle)! Why?
B: 5. (take) Einstein for example. He asked for a very small salary.
A:Why? Could you explain that 6. me?
B: Well, to him happiness means 7. (be) able to make scientific 8. (achieve). Do you know why many rich people are not happy?
A: No. I don’t understand. Could you tell me?
B: That’s because we 9. friendship or love with money.
A: Ah, I see. Thank you for letting me know so much about 10. .
B: You’re welcome!
