Spring is just around the corner and it’s a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to travel and get back in the spring sunshine.

Dana Point Festival of the Whales

Dana Point, California

March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010

Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean. Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family. Prices start at $29 per adult and $19 for children. For more information, visit:

www.dpfestivalofwhales.com

Chandler Ostrich Festival

Chandler, Arizona

March 13 to 15, 2010

Chandler is the center of ostrich ranching (鸵鸟经营) in the USA. You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tumbleweed Park. General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children aged 5 to 12 and kids 4 and under are free. For more information, visit:

www.ostrichfestival.com

Festival of Houses and Gardens

Charleston, South Carolina

March 19 to April 18, 2010

The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America. Each 3-hour tour (afternoons from 2 to 5 pm and evenings from 6 to 9 pm) lets you visit 8 to 10 properties dating from the American colonial period. Prices range from $25 to $45. For more information, visit:

www.historiccharleston.org

Tulip Time Festival

Holland, Michigan

May 1 to 9, 2010

You don’t need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world’s finest tulips (郁金香). The annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in the country, will kick off with fireworks on May 1. Admission fee ranges from $6 for the children’s area to $38 for theatre tickets. Tickets and more information are available at:

www.tuliptime.com

A couple with their 4-year-old son will go whale-watching. They have to pay _____.

A. $58        B. $38       C. $48      D. $77

The underlined word “jockeys” in the passage is closest in meaning to _____.

A. judges       B. children     C. riders            D. beginners

A group of travelers who want to have fun in mid-April will go to _____.

A. Festival of Houses and Gardens      B. Chandler Ostrich Festival

C. Dana Point Festival of the Whales    D. Tulip Time Festival

Which of the following is TRUE of Tulip Time Festival?

A. It is held in a town in the Netherlands.

B. It will start with fireworks on the first day.

C. It is the largest flower festival in the world.

D. Admission is free for children.

It is winter in many parts of the world. For some areas, that means snow. Maybe even lots of snow. If you don’t have to drive in it or remove it, snow can be very beautiful. When snow covers everything around you, the world looks like a “winter wonderland”. That is the name of a very popular song about winter. Richard Smith and Felix Bernard wrote the song back in 1934. There are hundreds of recordings of this happy song.
But winter is not always such a beautiful and happy time. It’s cold outside. You try hard to keep warm. The days are darker and shorter. The sun rarely shines. The leaves on the trees are brown. It isn’t surprising that some people are sad in winter. And some people dream about being somewhere else where it’s warm and pretty—like the state of California. The Mamas and the Papas recorded this famous song “California Dreaming”.
During the 1960s, many other famous rock groups released songs about winter. Here is a poetic song by Simon and Garfunkel called “A Hazy Shade of Winter”. They sing about life and hope and possibilities.
In 1968, the group Blood, Sweat and Tears recorded this gentle, sad song about winter. They sing about a lost love and forgotten memories in “Sometimes in Winter”.
In the early 1990s, Tori Amos wrote and recorded the beautiful song called “Winter”. She enjoyed singing about winter when she was a child.
Finally, on a happier note comes this song written and recorded by Fountains of Wayne in 2003. They sing about a snowstorm in a New England town. Nothing unusual there. But instead of being sad or tense about the snow, they write a song about it.
【小题1】 The underlined sentence “For some areas, that means snow.” probably means 
_____ .

A.In some areas, when it’s winter, it must snow
B.In some areas, it often snows in winter
C.In some areas, it’s important to snow
D.In some areas, people like snow in winter
【小题2】 According to the second paragraph, winter is _____ .
A.beautiful and happyB.happy and warm
C.lovely and hopefulD.cold and sad
【小题3】Which of the songs can bring us hope of life?
A.Winter Wonderland.B.California Dreaming.
C.A Hazy Shade of Winter.D.Sometimes in Winter.
【小题4】What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Winter in different areas.B.Different ideas about winter.
C.Songs about winter.D.Winter is cold but happy.

Can dogs and cats get along well in the same home? People who are thinking about getting a dog as a friend for their cat are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found that if the cat is taken back home before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. In two-thirds of the homes cats and dogs have a good relationship.
However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression(侵略,好斗) and fighting were found in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body languages are just different. For example, when a cat turns its head away it means aggression, while a dog doing the same means submission(顺从).
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers found a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk “Dog”, and dogs can learn how to talk “Cat”.
What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to become smarter. They can learn to read each other’s body languages, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was expected. Once familiar with each other’s body language, cats and dogs can play together, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa.
The importance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets — to people who don’t get along well, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even countries. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.
【小题1】The underlined word swimmingly in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.

A.earlyB.mostlyC.quicklyD.smoothly
【小题2】Some cats and dogs may fight when ________.
A.they are cold to each other
B.they look away from each other
C.they misunderstand each other’s body languages
D.they are introduced at an early age
【小题3】 What is found surprising about cats and dogs?
A.They eat and sleep together.
B.They watch each other’s behaviors.
C.They learn to speak each other’s language.
D.They know something from each other’s voices.
【小题4】It is suggested in Paragraph 4 that cats and dogs ________.
A.have common interestsB.are less different than was thought
C.have a common body languageD.are not so smart as was expected
【小题5】 What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?
A.We should learn to get along well with others
B.We should know more about animals.
C.We should live in peace with animals.
D.We should learn more body languages.

One of the most exciting and attractive fields of work today is the fashion industry. Some of the most well-known people in this industry are the fashion designers with unbelievable financial (金融的) Kingdoms. But most of the clothes that you wear have been designed by people that the world has never heard of. Although these unknown fashion designers will never make a very large amount of money as their famous workmates, most still would not think of changing their careers. They are doing what they love.
If you spend hours looking through fashion magazines and like making your own clothes, a career as a fashion designer might be right for you. You do not have to go to design school to become a fashion designer, but many people who want a career in this field do. One of the most famous places to study is the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. It is located in the heart of the “garment” district on Eighth Avenue, also known as Fashion Avenue.
Becoming a fashion designer is not just a matter of classroom education. Students know that they cannot just leave school and start designing on their own. Many think that they need at least four years’ experience working for someone else after they graduate. The best schools encourage students to work closely with the fashion industry while they are still studying.
You need ambition (抱负) and hard work to get a career in fashion. Students often work 12 hours a day. They are encouraged to have realistic ambitions and not to expect success overnight, if ever. Success means finding a job in the fashion industry and more years of hard work.
【小题1】What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A.Some famous fashion designers can make a lot of money.
B.Most of the clothes are designed by famous designers.
C.Most fashion designers don’t like their own jobs.
D.Unknown fashion designers can earn a large amount of money.
【小题2】In order to have a career in fashion design, one had better ___________.
A.look through magazines
B.go to New York City
C.study in a design school
D.graduate from high school
【小题3】The following can lead to the success of a fashion designer EXCEPT___________.
A.working with the fashion industry B.realistic ambitions
C.hard workD.expectation of success overnight
【小题4】Which of the following old sayings shows the writer’s opinion about learning fashion design?
A.Better late than never.
B.Experience is the best teacher.
C.Well begun is half done.
D.Seeing is believing.
【小题5】What can be inferred from the passage?
A.To be a fashion designer, design school education is a must.
B.All famous design schools are located in New York City.
C.Design school students had better do some practice while studying.
D.All students have to work with famous designers first.

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