Black History Month is also known as the African-American History Month. It is celebrated all over the United States of America and Canada in the month of February, while in the United Kingdom it is celebrated in October. Each and every school and university conducts various activities to make the generation aware of the importance that African-American history holds in the nation. The electronic media is filled with themes in relevance to the occasion, and many activities are carried out across the country to remember the contribution made by African-American citizens in the development of this nation.
Black History Month was first started by a famous African-American historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson in the year 1926. February was chosen as the month to celebrate the African-American history because it was the birth month of two of the most highly valued people among African-Americans. These were President Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves, and Frederick Douglass, who was also the first vice presidential nominee (被任命者) among African-Americans. Initially, Black History Month was known as the “Negro History Week”. This was Dr. Woodson’s attempt to encourage awareness among citizens about the contribution of African-Americans towards the building of the nation. It was only in the early 1970’s that the name “Negro History Week” changed to “Black History Month”. And later, in the year 1976, the entire month of February was declared to be the National African-American History Month, or the Black History Month.
Every year, National African-American History Month is celebrated by many activities with various ideas and themes for the younger generation. In 2013, Black History Month celebrates the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington at which Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous speech “I have a dream”. It also marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation (解放黑奴宣言). The theme for Black History Month in 2014 is “Civil Rights in America” remembering the important milestones by African-Americans and others in the battle for civil rights and equal treatment under the law.
1.What is the purpose of Black History Month in America?
A. To remember African-Americans’ contribution to America.
B. To remember the history of African-Americans in America.
C. To encourage African-American children to study hard.
D. To increase African-American children’s confidence.
2.February was chosen as Black History Month because ________.
A. Dr. Carter G. Woodson liked February.
B. slavery was officially ended in February.
C. African-Americans contributed a lot in February.
D. two great American leaders was born in February.
3.How is the second paragraph developed?
A. By giving examples.
B. By following time order.
C. By making comparisons.
D. By making classifications.
4.What does Black History Month in 2014 celebrate in America?
A. The 50th anniversary of the March of Washington.
B. Martin Luther King，Jr’s speech “I have a dream”.
C. The 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
D. Important people and occasion in the battle for civil rights.
Art Beat in January 2016
Beijing
Youth choir to perform
The youth choir of China National Symphony Orchestra will soon perform classics including the Mexican folk song, The Golden Nightingale, and the Blue Danube, adapted from a waltz by Johann Strauss II. Pianists Zhao Lin and Wang Tianyang will join in the show.
7:30 pm, Jan 23. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, west of Tian'anmen Square, Xicheng district. 010-6559-8285.
Orchestra recitals
The China National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra led by conductor Lyu Jia will give two recitals, featuring works including Beethoven's Coriolanus Overture and Mozart's Symphonies No 40 & No 41 Jupiter. Cellist Wang Jian will join in the performances, playing Schumann's Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129 and Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 33.
7:30 pm, Jan 15; 2:30 pm, Jan 16. China National Center for the Performing Arts, No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District. 010-6655-0000.
Ballet from Paris
Paris Opera Ballet will present two gala performances in the city. Besides highlights of classical ballet, such as Swan Lake and Manon, the program will also include modern pieces from the company's repertoire. The leading etoiles are Ludmila Pagliero and Karl Paquette.
7:15 pm, Jan 15-16. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong district. 021-6854-1234.
Ensemble of swans
Shanghai Ballet will present two performances of Swan Lake. The production choreographed by British artist Derek Deane has just completed a tour in 26 cities of the Netherlands. The spectacular production features an ensemble of 48 dancers.
7:15 pm, Jan 22-23. Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu district. 400-106-8686.
1.If you only spare some time in the afternoon, you can enjoy ________.
A. Beethoven's Coriolanus Overture
B. Classical ballet Manon
C. The Golden Nightingale
D. Classical ballet Swan Lake
2.According to the text, we know that Ludmila Pagliero and Karl Paquette are ________.
A. Pianists B. ballet performers
C. cellists D. violinists
3.If you are interested in ballet performances, which of the following places can you go to enjoy yourself?
A. Forbidden City Concert Hall and China National Center
B. Forbidden City Concert Hall Shanghai Grand Theater
C. Shanghai Oriental Art Center and Shanghai Grand Theater
D. China National Center and Shanghai Oriental Art Center
When 12-year-old Taylor Smith wrote a special letter to herself last spring, to be read in 10 years’ time, she didn’t know it would be opened before even a year had passed— and that it wouldn’t be her eyes reading the words.
“She had told me that she had written a letter to herself, and that she was excited that she was going to open it when she was older,”said Taylor’s mother, Mary Ellen Smith.
Instead, it was opened by Taylor’s parents after she died last spring. They posted the letter to Facebook, hoping it would inspire others.
It has. “We’ve gotten letters from lots of parents who have said it has encouraged them to love their kids and love each other,” said Mary Ellen Smith.
In the letter, Taylor congratulated herself on graduating from high school and asked, “Are you in college?”
She also wanted to know if she had been on a plane yet and if the show “Doctor Who” was still on the air.
Taylor also had some words for her future kids. After considering the idea of selling her iPad and getting an iPad mini instead, she told her future self to mention to her kids that “We’re older than the tablet.” She included a drawing of an iPad for them to see.
Taylor died suddenly of pneumonia (肺炎), leaving behind both her parents and an older brother.
“I just want people to know just what an awesome, awesome person she was,” her father, Tim Smith said.
Her mother said, “I can’t bring her back, but I’m so grateful people have been inspired by her story.”
Taylor’s father read the closing g words of her letter, which said, “It’s been years since I wrote this. Stuff has happened, good and bad. That’s just how life works, and you have to go with it.”
1.Taylor Smith decided to open her letter when she was ________.
A. 18 years old B. 20 years old
C. 22 years old D. 24 years old
2.Why did Taylor’s parents post her letter to facebook?
A. To show Taylor Smith’s deep love for her parents.
B. To encourage parents and kids to love each other.
C. To make themselves well-known and make money.
D. To prove Taylor Smith was good at writing.
3.We can learn from the passage that Taylor Smith ________.
A. was a college student
B. had never got an iPad
C. had never taken a plane
D. wanted to join “Doctor Who”.
4.What is the message conveyed at the end of Taylor Smith’s letter?
A. We should develop the habit of keeping a diary.
B. We should accept everything that happens in life.
C. We should stop bad things from happening.
D. We should show our love for our parents in time.
书面表达
假设你是红星中学高二(1)班李华，你校《英语报刊》人物专栏征稿。请你用英语介绍一位你喜欢的人物。内容包括以下三部分：
1. 对该人物的简单介绍；
2. 喜欢该人物的理由；
3. 从该人物身上得到的启示。
注意：词数不少于80。
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阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题，并将答案写在相应位置。
Tricks to Finding the Cheapest Flights
Travel can be a lifesaver. The right vacation at the right time can refresh your body and mind. But ticket prices are sharply on the rise, many have written off travel as too expensive. However, with a few tricks and a little research, there are still lots of great deals to be had on airline tickets.
Early Bird Gets the Deal. Travel experts say that there are certain times of day when more deals are available. Airfares can change three times a day as airlines adjust their prices to fill up flights. Early morning is when the fares tend to be lowest, but it is a good idea to check every five hours to track prices as they change throughout the day. Also, it’s a good idea to check again at 5 pm when the airlines are trying hardest to fill empty seats.
What Wouldn’t a Business Traveler Do? Most business travelers fly on Mondays and Fridays, so Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days. Airlines will usually lower their prices on these days to aggressively try and fill empty seats.
Avoid the Crowds. Fly to popular places at unpopular times. The slowest time of the year for travel is in the Fall between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Again, to try and fill more empty seats, the airlines will lower prices to get people to fly during this time of the year.
Right Place, “Wrong” Time? By flying to popular destinations at unpopular times, you can secure the best prices from travel companies and airlines. Here’s where flexibility in your planning can pay off. Going to the airline websites and planning your vacation around the best ticket prices offered can result in a fun, cost-effective vacation and maybe widen your horizons to a place you might never have considered before.
Package Deals. Many times the best deals on airfare can be found as part of a package rate. Most travel sites have package rates available and they are definitely worth a look. Often times, the entire package (hotel, airfare, rental car, meals, tours ect) is cheaper than just the plane ticket on another site. These deals are especially good on last minute bookings.
1.What is the passage mainly about? (回答词数不超过8个)
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2.When may the airfares be the lowest of the day? (回答词数2个)
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3.When do business travelers usually fly? (回答词数2~4个)
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4.How can you find the cheapest flight tickets if you plan to travel to popular places? (回答词数3个)
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5.What does the entire package include? (回答词数不超过8个)
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根据中文补全句子，并将答案写在相应位置。
1.我不仅听说过那位女艺术家，我还亲自采访过她。
Not only ________________ the young woman artist, but I also interviewed her in person.
2.寻找答案，请查阅书的最后一页。
Please ________________ the last page of the book for answers.
3.她对自己过去一年所做的一切非常满意。
She ________________ what she has done in the past year.
4.虽然计算机有很多优势，但替代不了人。
Computers ________________ people though they have many advantages.
5.吉姆将在春节期间来中国，为的是更多地了解中国的传统文化。
Jim will come to China during the Spring Festival ________________ Chinese traditional culture.
6.多亏有你们的帮忙，那位受伤的司机被及时送到医院。
________________, the injured driver was able to be sent to hospital and treated in time.
7.别在太阳下晒太久，你会被晒伤。
________________ for too long. You'll get burnt.
