Some residents of rural Human still believe in old-style Spring Festival celebrations but fear that traditions may be lost1.they're protected,Liu Xiangrui reports.
Spring Festival,2.(celebrate)from the first to the 15th day of the first lunar month,is undoubtedly the most3. (significance)cultural event in a year for Chinese.
Like in other parts of the country,preparations for the festival start early every year,with food4.(play)a key role.In rural Yueyang,for instance,such delicacies as tofu and smoked pork are prepared a month or two 5. advance. Then,there are specific days for certain activities.People offer prayers to the Kitchen God on the 23rd of the last lunar month,so that he puts in a good word about the host family when he6.return)to heaven to file an"annual report"the next day.
The festival is celebrated by putting up7.decorate)in house,lighting firecrackers,worshipping ancestors and staying up late on the eve of the Chinese New Year.
The night before the year begins is the highlight of the festival8.those working in faraway cities try to rush home9.catch)the family reunion dinner.Some families have unique menus for this special meal Fish,which symbolizes prosperity in Chinese culture,is10.must
I was siting n the surgical waiting area at the hospital waiting for word of my wife's operation The small room was filled with other families and friends,who were_____waiting to hear how their loved ones were doing.
There was a young boy siting quietly in the_____He held a small box of ____in one hand and a tablet(写字板）in the other Every so often he'd place the tablet on his lap and draw something.As the hours passed I began to see the room almost_____And there was a strange silence.
"Daddy,when is Mommy going home?"the young boy asked,breaking the ____
"Tomorrow."his father replied The boy picked up his crayons(蜡笔）and_____something on the tablet.
I_____him as he moved his feet back and forth,looking up at the ceiling and then toward the sunshine-filled window.When's____Daddy?"he asked. His father ___him over to sit by him."Come,___here next to me."he said with a gentle tone in his voice_____his things,the little boy walked slowly to his father's side from the comer.The man_____out and held his son by his shoulder.
There are three days in life Yesterday today and tomorrow.One is over and done,one we live in,the other we ____We cant live in yesterday, but if we are happy enough today. we will be even happier tomorrow."he said in an attempt to_____the boy.
The little boy looked at him for a moment and said."If Mommy is going home tomorrow.I'll be_____So.I want it to be tomorrow already.Daddy"
Now hanging on every word of this_____I leaned forward to hear his response.It was_____
“Son,the one great thing about today is once it_____it is already almost tomorrow.”
I thought about how_____it was.Even in my adult life,I still live waiting for what tomorrow may __.
Now I know that it is already“almost tomorrow”.
1.A. patiently B. happily C. peacefully D. eagerly
2.A. chair B. distance C. comer D. shadow
3.A. gifts B. crayons C. chalks D. toys
4.A. dark B. empty C. full D. clean
5.A. promise B. rule C. record D. silence
6.A. wrote B. printed C. drew D. expressed
7.A. followed B. found C. caught D. watched
8.A. today B. yesterday C. tomorrow D. future
9.A. knocked B. ordered C. pulled D. called
10.A. stand B. lie C. sit D. sleep
11.A. saving B. forgetting C. gathering D. choosing
12.A. reached B. took C. set D. got
13.A. spend B. waste C. expect D. kill
14.A. frighten B. wan C. persuade D. satisfy
15.A. better B. calmer C. smarter D. happier
16.A. story B. conversation C. opinion D. discussion
17.A. perfect B. silly C. active D. humorous
18.A. ends B. passes C. starts D. lasts
19.A. sincere B. important C. interesting D. meaningful
20.A. happen B. come C. need D. Bring
Tips on buying outdoor solar lights(太阳能灯）
As solar lighting is becoming useful for homes,many different such outdoor lights can now be found in supermarkets.Here are some helpful tips for customers.
Does your area receive enough direct lighting?
1.So you shouldn't even give it a thought if you live in an area that doesn't get much sunlight.These lights need direct sunlight,or they just won't work very well.2.
The expensive one usually means good quality Choosing the cheapest ones will result in many problems.For once,it's best to buy more expensive lights of high quality.3.At least you should know the difference between a $10 light and a $45 light.
Buy lights that require less installation(安装）
Most solar lights are simply driven into the ground.Therefore.you shouldn't deal with the difficulty in installing a system that involves anything more than that.4.You don't need to buy lights that require half an hour each to plant into the ground because that's just a waste of time.
Make sure the lights can store enough energy.
Different solar lights can store different amounts of energy5.Therefore,you should choose lights that are able to store enough energy to last for a few hours or more,at least those that will last from nightfall throughout most of the night and part of the morning.
A.They should take a few minutes each to get into the ground
B.Without sunlight,solar lighting is useless.
C.It means some will stay lit longer than the others
D.Buy many solar lights instead of just one or two.
E.Choose something a bit more expensive for once.
F.That doesn't mean you have to spend all your money.
G.Solar lights are becoming more and more popular.
A recent study by Citi Retail Services found that a growing number of people are embracing digital wallets or e-wallets,due in large part to their convenience and ease of use.
E-wallets have been called the future of real-world payment technology.With major players like Alipay,WeChat and Apple Pay becoming popular,it seems to be a safe bet that a change in consumer payment technology is coming soon.
CNN reporter Paul Ripley experienced a day in Beijing without his wallet."In China's largest cities,you can definitely survive without carrying a pocket full of cash and credit cards-as long as you've got your smartphone."He paid for breakfast by scanning a QR code on the window of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant.All he had to do was to enter a password and the transaction was complete.
Unlike the situations in the US and other countries,"China doesn't have a really money-making credit card system,so Chinese people just skipped credit cards and went straight to mobile payments."Gu Yu,co-founder of the new payment app Mileslife,told CNN.He also pointed out the advantages of mobile payments."No coins or bills that can be lost or stolen.electronic receipts,the ease of keeping rack of spending-and of course,no wallet taking up space."he said.
However,if we want to make e-wallets a mainstream trend a lot of things will have to change over the coming years.Perhaps one of the most important things that need to be changed is how people regard e-wallets.Linda Barrabee,research director for NPD Connected Intelligence, said in a statement."In order to promote on-the-go consumer transactions and commerce,wireless carriers,credit card companies,and e-commerce companies need to make sure the process is convenient,simple,and secure for consumers."
1.More consumers tend to use e-wallets because they are .
A. fashionable B. enjoyable
C. handy D. economic
2.Paul Ripley's example is used mainly to show that .
A. Smartphone payments are available in every part of China now.
B. Life in Beijing has become the most advanced in the world
C. You can buy anything you want using mobile payments in Beijing.
D. Mobile payments are popular in large cities in China like Beijing
3.Which of the following statement is NOT rue according to the passage?
A. There will be no more cash or credit card payments in the near future.
B. Digital-wallets will save up much space in your bag when you go out.
C. How people consider digital wallets will influence the popularity of digital wallet
D. The Chinese credit card system has partly caused the popularity of digital wallets
4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A. E-wallets is much safer and more convenient than traditional payments.
B. There is still a long way to make e-wallets become the main trend in our life.
C. E-wallets will be definitely a mainstream trend in our life.
D. E-commerce companies will make great profits by using e-wallets in the future.
Whats your dream vacation?Watching wildlife in Kenya?Boating down the Amazon?Sunbathing in Malaysia? New chances are opening up all the time to explore the world.So we visit travel agents,compare packages and prices, and pay our money.
We know what our vacation costs us.But do we know what it might cost someone else?It's true that many poorer countries now depend on tourism for foreign income.Unfortunately,though.tourism often harms the local people more than it helps them
It might cost their homes and lands.In Myanmar.5.200 people were forced to leave their homes among the pagodas(佛塔）in Bagan so that tourists could visit the pagodas.
Tourism might also cost the local people their livelihood（生计）and dignity（尊严）.Local workers often find only jobs with slim salaries in the tourist industry.And most of the profits（利润）do not help the local economy. Instead,profits return to the tour operators in wealthier countries,When the Maasai people in Tanzania were driven（驱赶）from their lands,some moved to city slums.Others now make a little money selling souvenirs or posing(摆姿势）for photos.
Problems like these were observed more than 20 years ago.But now some non-government organizations,tour operators and local governments are working together to begin correcting them.Tourists,too,are putting on the pressure.
The result is responsible tourism,or ethical tourism.Ethical tourism has people at its heart.New international agreements and codes of conduct（行为准则）can help protect the people's lands homes,economies and cultures.The beginnings are small,though,and the problems are complex.
But take heart.The good news is that everyone,including us,can play a part to help the local people in the places we visit Tour operators and companies can help by making sure that local people work in good conditions and earn reasonable wages.
They can make it a point to use only locally owned hotel restaurants and guide services.They can share profits fairly to help the local economy And they can involve the local people in planning and managing tourism.
What can tourists do?First,we can ask tour companies to provide information about the conditions of local citizens.We can then make our choices and tell them why.And while we're abroad,we can:
Buy local foods and products,not imported ones.
Pay a fair price for goods and services and not bargain for the cheapest price.
Avoid flaunting wealth.
Ask before talking photographs of people.They are not just part of the landscape!
Let's enjoy our vacation and make sure others do,too.
1.What is probably the best title for the article?
A. Vacations Cost More Than You Think
B. Tourism Causes Bad Effects
C. Vacations Bring a Lot of Fun
D. Tourism Calls for Good Behavior
2.Which of the following is not mentioned?
A. Local people were well paid to leave their lands
B. Tourists may stay in hotels opened by local people.
C. Local people are mainly provided with low-paying work
D. Tourists could bargain with local people for a reasonable price
3.The underlined phrase "take heart" means " ".
A. take care B. pay attention.
C. cheer up D. calm down
4.According to the passage,the writer thinks .
A. tourism is not a promising（有前途的）industry
B. dream vacations should be spent abroad
C. tourists should respect local customs and culture
D. the problems caused by tourism are easy to settle
It's a Saturday morning,and I am eager to fly away.My husband and I will meet up with our son on the other side of the country to learn and explore together.Sitting now at the airport gate,my husband wanders away to stretch his legs.Moments later,he returns and whispers in my ear.I rise and follow him around the comer toward a large window facing the landing area.
On the road,Marines stand straight and the plane door is open.A white hearse(灵车）is parked nearby.A man and a soldier stand on either side of a woman,supporting her and waiting for what is to come.Airport personnel stand in reverent stillness.A few people place their hands over their hearts,as I have done.We're joined in witness,sending respect to an honorable soldier whose name we'll never know.
The woman looks heartbroken.She cries,knowing she will never hear "Mom”from her son. She'll never feel his tender embrace or enjoy his sweet peck on her cheeks.Another man's face is twisted because of the grief.His son,the tiny boy he no doubt wrestled playfully,the teen he probably taught to drive,and the son he stood so proudly by,now lives only in his memory.
Those behind the glass stay silent,reflecting on this loss,as the family and soldiers leave.Some of us women, with sorrowful expressions,move slowly away,sharing a mother's profound grief Soon,each of us will fly off in planes and return to an ordinary life made extraordinary by this soldier's courage.by this family's sacrifice and by this love shared by all that look out of the window
1.Why dd the author's husband leave when she was siting at the gate?
A. Because he wanted to meet his son.
B. Because he wanted to feel more comfortable by walking around.
C. Because there was something unusual happening.
D. Because he wanted to enjoy beautiful scenery.
2.How did the author feel about the scene of the landing area?
A. Sorrowful and respectful. B. Surprised and interested
C. Curious and thrilled. D. Frightened and worried.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A. The author came to the airport in order to attend the ceremony.
B. The honorable soldier liked wrestling as a boy.
C. The author thought highly of the soldier and his family
D. The people at the airport all in deep sorrow due to the incident.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. I saw heartbroken parents at the airport.
B. Soldier's courage moved us at the airport
C. Showing respect to an honorable soldier.
D. A fallen soldier reunited with his family.
