“Happy New Year!” Everyone will greet each other with these words as they meet over the next couple of weeks．But it wasn’t always January l that marked the New Year．
At least 4, 000 years ago the ancient Egyptians and Bahylo-nians(古巴比伦人)marked the changing of the year．In Egypt, the year started when the Nile River(尼罗河)flooded，enriching farmers’fields with silt(淤泥)．This happened at the end of September．
The Babylonians held a festival in spring，on March 23, to kick off the next farming cycle．The Babylonian celebration lasted for l l days．
The date January l was picked by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar as the change of the year when he established his own calendar in 4 6 BC．The month of January was named after the Roman god，Janus(雅努斯)．He is pictured with two heads．0ne head looks forward and the other back．They represent a break between the old and new．That new calendar was in time with the sun and it has been used until the present Day．
Around the world，different cultures have their own traditions for welcoming the．New Year．The Japanese hang straw rope across the front of their houses to keep out evil spirits and bring happiness and good luck．They also have a good laugh as the year begins to get things started on a lucky note．
In India people like to wear pink, red , purple and white flowers．Women favor yellow，the colour of spring．Hindus also leave shrines next to their beds so they see beautiful objects when they wake up．
Canadians enjoy the traditional polar bear swim．People of all ages put on their swimsuits and jump into frozen lakes．
(1)
Which ancient country has a great effect on the New Year we are celebrating now?
[ ]
A．
Egypt．
B．
Rome．
C．
Babylon．
D．
India．
(2)
What’s the main idea of the last three paragraphs?
[ ]
A．
People in different countries celebrate the New Year in different times of the year．
B．
In different countries people celebrate the New Year in different ways．
C．
Which country has the best tradition for welcoming the New Year?
D．
In different countries people play different games to celebrate the New Year．
(3)
What can we infer from this passage?
[ ]
A．
Everyone will greet each other with “Happy New Year” for several months．
B．
Women favour yellow flowers in Japan when they celebrate the New Year．
C．
Canadians like swimming in the lake to celebrate the New Year though it is very cold．
D．
Human beings have been celebrating the New Year for no more than 4．000 years．
“Let's go down one more, push your enter key…”says a volunteer helping senior citizens work a web session on the Internet．
David Lansdale had found a way to light up the lives of the elderly．He gets them wired to the Internet．“If you hit your enter key, it will bring up this particular e－mail…”
Pauline Allen is one of those who has started using the Internet,“I thought I was through with life, I was ready for a rocking chair, because I was 86 years old．And I haven't found the rocking chair yet．”“You found the keyboard?”asks the reporter．“That's right, I found the keyboard．”
The average age for Lansdale's students is around 68．All are in nursing or assisted care homes．He used family relationships to introduce them to the World Wide Web．
David Lansdale says,“Here they are in California, the family was back in New York, the opportunity to connect, to cross the time and space, was incredibly precious opportunity to them．”
“I hear you are so beautiful．”Lillian she writes an e－mail to a newborn great－granddaughter．Working with one another, the senior learn as a group．They learn to master the Internet and to overcome what Lansdale calls the maladies of the institutionalized：loneliness, helplessness, boredom, and loss of memory．
Mary Harvey says,“Bingo just doesn't interest me．But this does, believe me, this does．”
Ninety－four－year old Ruth Hyman is a star pupil and instructor．She says,“When I send a letter to my grandchildren, and great grandchildren, they hang it up in their offices, just like I used to hang their drawings on my refrigerator．Ha, ha．”
David Lansdale says,“There's a collective benefit．There is an element of treatment．Remember we started as a support group．”
Dixon Moorehouse says,“I just wish I was 15 years old and getting to learn all this．”The senior call their weekly meetings Monday Night Live．And many say the meetings have given them new life．
Ruth Hyman says,“Three years ago, they told me I wasn't going to live．But I showed them, and got work, and I've worked ever since．”
(1)
The purpose of David Landsdale's work is to ________．
[ ]
A．
keep the mind of the senior healthy
B．
popularize the use of computers among the old
C．
organize the senior as a group to work
D．
help the senior connect with their families
(2)
The words“the maladies of the institutionalized”used in the text refer to ________．
[ ]
A．
the difficulties in learning
B．
the problems caused by getting old
C．
some kinds of treatments
D．
the worries about the Internet
(3)
How many examples does the writer give to prove that the senior enjoy the Internet?
[ ]
A．
Four．
B．
Five．
C．
Six．
D．
Seven．
(4)
It can be inferred that Ruth Hyman's younger generations hang her mails up ________．
[ ]
A．
in order not to lose the letters
B．
in order not to forget something important
C．
to make the offices more beautiful
D．
to show pride in their grandmother's work
阅读理解
I really hadn’t meant to yell(吼叫)at them．But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen．
With a tiresome report to write, I felt bothered at my desk．Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault．A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly．
“OK, you two here, but what an awful thing you are attempting! ”shouting angrily．I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me．“Get away from us! ”he shouted back．There being expression of support from his sister．
All of a sudden, I found the fault in myself．Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers(螃蟹螯)and crawled towards them, “Crabby(似螃蟹的)Daddy is here．Ha, Ha, Ha, he likes to yell at children, and then eat them! ”My son continued to keep me away, but now he was laughing and crying at the same time．My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well．Still, I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way that my children could do after．
Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming?This is a lesson that serves myself．It only shows just how to get rid of something(ill-feelings, responsibility…)by blaming others．It’s not my“best self”．
We have to search for our “best self” when with our children．They don’t need perfect parents, but they do need parents who are always trying to get better．Here, I’m reminded of the words of a great thinker．“When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook…”Then, in our lifetime．Couldn’t we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since most of us consider them as the most precious in the world?And before we reach this level, what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children?
(1)
The author couldn’t help yelling at his kids this time probably because ________．
[ ]
A．
the weather was so unpleasant
B．
he was tired of his boring work
C．
the kids didn’t ask him to join them
D．
a Daddy has his right to do so
(2)
Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?
[ ]
A．
No obvious reason．
B．
The boy’s yelling back．
C．
His self-awareness．
D．
The girl’s expression．
(3)
According to the passage, the author will ________ in another similar situation．
[ ]
A．
play a crab again like this time
B．
apologize to kids in a sincere way
C．
avoid blaming kids in a hurry
D．
beat them up about such things
(4)
What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph(s)?
[ ]
A．
How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault．
B．
How to blame our children in a more interesting way．
C．
How to deal with the terrible mess made by our kids．
D．
How to persuade children to do what they are told to．
阅读理解
Collections were the inspiration(灵感)for a project at Thomas Tallis School, which formed part of the Imagine Children's Literature Festival last autumn．Each child(aged 12-13)beatified a box and wrote a story on the subject of collections to throw inside it．The boxes were spread within the Royal Festival Hall's Ballroom．Some were left empty to encourage
The subject chosen by Luren was an imaginative one．"It's a sort o f Cinderella(灰姑娘)story," she told me, inspired by a collection of letters from her cousin, ha the story these become love letters, burned by a creel stepmother．Lauren's best friend Charlotte is the stepmother．"I'm in Charlotte's story too," says Lauren, "and I get run over．" Charlotte's tale was inspired by the girls' coin collection．"We've collected foreign coins for years - since our families went on holiday to Tenerife．" she explains．"That was before the Euro, so we put pesetas in．" Lauren continues："I fred a coin in the road, go to get it and get run over．I'm in hospital and then I die．" Charlotte adds："Or she might not die．I haven't decided yet．"．www．ks5u．com
Millie Murray, who is a tea-novel author, thinks that setting the subject of collections was a useful inspiration to their creativity rather than a restriction(限制)．"In the beginning I thought, 'Will the children be able to do it?'" she says．"But it's been fruitful．Some have their own collection, some have parents who do, and some have wlstten complete stories．It's made them think about something they wouldn't have otherwise, winch can only be a good thing．"
(1)
What were the children asked to do in the project?
[ ]
A．
To meet friends at Thomas Tallis School
B．
To write stories on the subject of collections．
C．
To encourage visitors to write their own stories．
D．
To have their friends for characters in the stories．
(2)
The underlined word "pesetas" in Paragraph 2 is a kind of _________．
[ ]
A．
story
B．
collection
C．
inspiration
D．
foreign coin
(3)
From the stories by Lauren and Charlotte, we know that _________．
There's an old saying that laughter is the best medicine．No matter whether it's caused by a good joke, a cute child or pet, or a pie in the face of a comedian, the simple act of laughing offers medical benefits．Laughter has been shown to reduce stress and help people lose weight．It's a special tonic(滋补品)for older people, who are prone to loneliness and sad thoughts．
In fact, in more than 1,000 American communities, and a couple thousand more around the world, entire clubs have been formed so that people can get together and laugh! U．S．clubs have names like "Laugh-a-holics," "the Ha-Ha Spa," "Granite State Giggles(傻笑)," and "Judy's Joyful Laughter Club．"
The idea started in India, where laughing is an oral yoga(瑜珈)exercise using discipline, mind power and a good belly laugh．Laughter is certainly contagious(传染性的)．Only a determined grouch(脾气坏的人)could avoid at least smiling when others around him are laughing till it hurts．That's why members of laughing clubs don't just get together to howl with laughter themselves．They meet on street corners, in train stations, and other public places, laugh their fool heads off, and invite everyone around them to join in．
Laughing clubs have become so popular that one can even get training as a "certified laughing leader．" And the key qualification? You have to be really good at these, chortling, chuckling, howling, snickering, cackling, tittering, giggling and sniggling．
(1)
The following are the benefits offered by laughing EXCEPT _________．
[ ]
A．
benefiting the older people
B．
reducing pressure
C．
helping people keep fit
D．
helping people have a good appetite
(2)
Why do members of laughing clubs meet in public places instead of in private rooms?
[ ]
A．
Because they want to cause others to laugh．
B．
Because they want to show off their special skills．
C．
Because they would like people to share their happiness．
D．
Because they need a large space to laugh．
(3)
The words in the last sentence “chortling, chuckling, howling, snickering, cackling, tittering, giggling and sniggling” are _________．
[ ]
A．
conditions of a laughing leader
B．
manners you must follow when laughing
C．
all forms of laughing
D．
tips of laughter
(4)
Which of the following is the best title?
[ ]
A．
Laughter Is More and More Popular in the USA
B．
Laughter Linked to Health, Happiness
C．
How We Laugh
D．
Laughing, an Oral Yoga Exercise
阅读理解
It was Satuday．As always, it was the one, for “Six days, shall you labar and all your work”was taken senously back then, Outside, Father and Mr．Patnce ncxt door were bxsy conny tcood lnside the wiel users Mother ane Mrs．Patrick were enpted in seeng cleaning
Somehow the boy s had shipped away to the back lot with their kites．Now, evet at the reis of having Brother caught to beat carpets．they had sent him to the kitchen tox exsre xding, sccmed there was no limt to the heights to which kites would fly today
My mothe looked at the sitting room, its furndign disordered for a tborough sweeting．Again she cast a look toward the window “Come on, girls! Let's take sing to the beer and theem a tutue”
On the way we met Mrs．Patrick, Ianghing guiltily as if she wrig doing woeig wrong
The never was such a day for flying kites! We played all our frsh string into the boys' kites up higher and higher, We could hardly distingwish the orang-coloced sports of the kites Now and then we slowly pullked one kite back, watching it dancing upo and down in the wind and finally bringing it down to earth, just for the joy of sending yt up again
Even out fathers dropped their tools and joined us．Out mothers look their turn, laughing like schoolgirls Ithink we were all beside ourselves Parents forgx their daty and their dignity; children for everyday fights and little jealousies．"Perhaps it's like this in the some of heafer,"I thought confusedly．
It we growing dark before we all walked sleepily back to the housew．Isuppose we had some chean and orderly enough．The strange thing was, we didn't mention that ady afterward Ifelt a little embarrasse．Surely none of the of the others had been as exceted as I Ikxked the memory up in that deepest part of me where we keep “the things that cannot be and yet they are”
The years went on, then one day Iwas hurrying about my kitchen in a city apartment, trying to get some work out of the way while my three-year-old, sisrently cried her desire to go park, see duck
“I can't go!”I said．”“I have this angt and when I'm through I'll be too rired to walk that far
My mother, who was visiting us, go up from the peas she was shelling It's a wllderful day, she offered, really warm, yet there's a fine breeu．Do you remimber that day we flew kites?
I stoppoed in my dash between store and sink．The locked door flew open and with it a rush of memorese Come on, I told my little girl You're right, it's too good d day to miss．
Another decade passed, We were in the aftennath(余波)of a great war, All evening we had been asking our returned soldier, the youngest Patrick Boy, about his experiences as a prisone war, He has ked freely, but now for a long time he had been silent, What was he thinking of-what dark and horrible things?
"Sany!"A smile shpped out frow his jips．"Do you remem-no, of course you wouldn't make the impression on you as it did on me．”
I hardly dared speak,”Remrmber what?
“I used to think of that day a lot in POW camo(战俘营)，when things weren's too good, DO you remember the we flew the kites?
(1)
mrs．patnck was laughing gultily because she thought ________
[ ]
A．
she was too old to fly kites
B．
her husband would make fun of her
C．
she shoule have been doing her how
D．
supposed to the don't game
(2)
by “we were all beside ourselves writer means that they all ________
[ ]
A．
felt confused
B．
went wild with joy
C．
looked on
D．
forfot their fights
(3)
what did the think atfer the kite flying?
[ ]
A．
boys must hace had nore fun than the firls
B．
shoule have finished their work before playing
C．
her parents should spend more time with them
D．
all the others must have forgotten that day
(4)
why did the writer finally agree to jtake her little girl for an outing?
[ ]
A．
she suddenluy renmenbered ther duty as mother
B．
she was reminded of the day thety felw kits
C．
she ha dfinished her
D．
she thought it was a
(5)
the youngest patrick boy iss mentioned to show that ________
[ ]
A．
the write was not alone in treasuring her fond menories h
B．
his expenience in POW camp threw a shadow over his life
C．
childhood friend\ship means so much to the writer
D．
people like him really changed a lot after the war
智趣暑假温故知新系列答案