I can’t think of a better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. You’ll find that some festivals are celebrated by an entire country, while others may be known only to a single city or region, but either way festivals play an important role in a certain culture. Just enjoy them!

★ Tomatina — Bunol, Spain

Every last Wednesday in August, the town of Bunol is filled with tons of tomatoes in the world’s biggest food flight. Many people wear goggles (护目镜) during this hour of great fun, as the town becomes a red river.

★ Boryeong Mud Festival — Boryeong, South Korea

For two weeks in July, millions gather in Boryeong to experience the grey pools and slides. What began as a way to help sell the region’s mineral-rich mud has turned into a festive party with music and fireworks. The mud is usually only available in cosmetic products (化妆品), but here you can cake yourself in grey as you want.

★ Holi — India

Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India’s most important holidays. During the day of the last full moon of the lunar month, usually late February or early March, the air is full of brightly colored powder (粉末). The festival is celebrated differently throughout the country, with bonfires and music, but the cheerful spirit is common among Hindu people around the world.

★ International Pillow Fight Day — Worldwide

Tens of thousands of people took part in the 4th annual International Pillow Fight Day on April 2, 2013. From London to Vancouver to many other cities, the festival is held in more than 100 countries. So just bring a soft pillow in early April, and watch feathers fly.

1.According to the author, _______________.

A. there should be festivals celebrated by the whole world

B. festivals give people the best chances to experience a culture

C. it’s usually hard for people to accept a different culture

D. festivals in a certain culture often change with time

2.We learn from the passage that _______________.

A. the town of Bunol in Spain is on a river

B. cosmetic products sell well on Boryeong Mud Festival

C. International Pillow Fight Day has a short history

D. Holi is the greatest festival for Indian people

3.The passage is most likely to be found in __________.

A. a personal diary

B. a technical report

C. a geography book

D. a travel magazine

China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them，all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year，I've found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However，people still use their bicycles to get around. For many，it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors—silver，green，red，blue，yellow，whatever you want.

It's fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads，move skillfully through traffic，and ride even on sidewalks(人行道)．Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can't provide.

Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture，I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied(陪伴)my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.

My first ride home was orderly(守秩序的)．To be safe，I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn't want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.

Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide，so crossing took time，skill and a little bit of luck.

I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.

1.According to the author，why are bicycles still popular in China today?

A. Because they are convenient and inexpensive.

B. Because they are traditional and safe.

C. Because they are colorful and available.

D. Because they are fast and environment friendly.

2.The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended .

A. to ride it for fun

B. to use it for transport

C. to experience local culture

D. to improve his riding skills

3.How did the author feel about his street crossing?

A. It was boring

B. It was wonderful.

C. It was lively.

D. It was difficult.

4.Which of the following can BEST describes the author's biking experience?

A. The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.

B. The author was annoyed by the air while riding.

C. The author was praised by the other bikers.

D. The author took great pleasure in biking.

Dr Wiseman started “the laugh lab” project in September 2001. It is the largest study of humour. Participants（参加者）are invited to log on to the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favourite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people.

The project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke. But there is also a serious purpose. The researches want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny. And they want to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humour. The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh.

This is a subject that has long attracted psychologists and philosophers. Most of the time, people are not completely honest. We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want. But laughing cannot be controlled. When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves. By December 2001 over 10, 000 jokes had been submitted. This gave the scientists enough evidence to make early conclusions. It seems that men and women do have different senses of humour, for instance.

“Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humour, ” said Dr. Wiseman. “Males use humour to appear superior to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play. ”Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humour. The British enjoy what is usually called “toilet humour”. But the French like their jokes short and sharp: “You’re a high priced lawyer. Will you answer two questions for $500?” “Yes. What’s the second question?”

The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humour. But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality. Perhaps that proves the point. Is this joke funny? I don’t know, but let’s say yes, just to be safe.

Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer. But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing. Perhaps this is relief. Computers already seem like they can do everything. At least they should leave the funny stuff to us.

1.Scientist started “ the laugh lab” project________

A. to find the funniest joke in European countries

B. to get more personal details about participants

C. to know what funny people are like from different nations and cultures

D. to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humour

2.We can infer from the passage that________.

A. most of the people all over the world are completely honest

B. people tell the truth about themselves only when they laugh

C. ordinary people are not interested in “the laugh lab” project at all

D. psychologists and philosophers take interest in the “laugh lab” project

3.According to the passage, we can safely say that ________.

A. Jokes created by computer are less appealing to people.

B. Men and women have similar senses of humour.

C. The project lasted from September, 2001 to December, 2001.

D. Scientists have collected enough evidence to make final conclusions.

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. Funny or not?

B. Laugh louder!

C. Men laugh better.

D. Watch out for the trap in jokes!

Top Tips for Travelling Abroad

Travelling abroad，for business or pleasure，should be a fun experience，1.Plan well in advance for your trip，be prepared for what you might experience，and protect yourself as best as you can from any accidents. Here are some tips：

·Check you are fit for travel. Before you book your trip abroad you should be aware of any health problems at your destination.2.Besides this，you should make sure you receive the necessary vaccines(疫苗)．·3.Don't forget to take your medication with you. You can carry your medication on the plan with you. It is wise to take the double amount of medication that you need—put half in your carry?on bag and half in your “in the hold” bag. That way，if your carry?on bag gets stolen，you still have your medication in your hold bag.

·4.Your medication makes your skin weaker，so protect it from sun by wearing sunscreen，a hat，and seeking shade where possible. Also，you may find that you are more sensitive to the heat，so drink plenty of water，and carry a hand fan.

·Eat and drink wisely. While abroad，drink bottled water and even clean your teeth with bottled water. Take extra care with your diet，so avoid any stomach upsets. If you travel to second or third world countries，eat vegetables and fruit that have been cooked.5.If in doubt，speak to a medical person to check what foods to avoid.

A．Check your medicine，ticket，passport and credit card.

B．Avoid eating uncleaned food，shellfish and even foods like ice cream.

C．Just remember the three “p” s.

D．On the website，you can search for travel advice on individual countries.

E．You should check about your fitness to travel to certain countries.

F．Travel insurance is a must.

G．Protect yourself against the sun and heat.

My six?year?old granddaughter，who is called Caitlyn，stopped with me at a cake shop to buy some treats. As we were going out of the door，a young teenage boy was______in.

This young man had______hair on the sides of his head and a patch(块)of blue hair on top of it. He had a nose ring，which was______to a ring he was wearing in his ear by a ______.He held a skateboard under one______and a basketball under the other.

Caitlyn，who was walking ahead of me，______when she saw the teen. I thought he'd ______her，and she'd frozen on the spot. I was______.My angel went back to the door and opened it as wide as it would go. Now I was ______ with the young man. I stepped ______and let him pass. His______was a polite one，“Thank you very much.”

On our way back home，I praised Caitlyn for her ______in holding open the door for the young man. She didn't seem to be troubled by his______，but I wanted to______.Once we had spoken I realized it was me who needed to ______the way I had responded.

The ______thing Caitlyn noticed about the teen was the fact that his arms were ______.He would have had a hard time ______the door.

I saw the partly shaved head，the strange ______，the rings and the chain. She saw a person carrying something under each arm and heading towards a closed door. In future，I hope I am as ______as her and not so judgmental about others.

1.A. looking B. rushing C. breaking D. coming

2.A. much B. no C. less D. more

3.A. joined B. added C. attached D. belonged

4.A. chain B. rope C. jewel D. thread

5.A. hand B. arm C. foot D. leg

6.A. cried B. ran C. shouted D. stopped

7.A. known B. recognized C. frightened D. attracted

8.A. angry B. wrong C. worried D. curious

9.A. hand in hand B. neck and neck C. side by side D. face to face

10.A. back B. aside C. over D. up

11.A. response B. action C. performance D. expression

12.A. way B. custom C. manners D. interest

13.A. appearance B. character C. hair D. rings

14.A. cheer up B. make sure C. calm down D. hold on

15.A. give up B. work out C. answer for D. think about

16.A. first B. last C. only D. simple

17.A. broken B. strange C. short D. full

18.A. closing B. opening C. knocking D. finding

19.A. hairstyle B. expression C. clothing D. skateboard

20.A. careful B. positive C. thoughtful D. patient

According to a recent survey, violence did 1.(existence) in schools. Students showed their fear and parents and teachers also expressed their great concern about it. 2.(obvious), it’s time for the whole society to pay more attention to the mental health of adolescents (青少年).

Nowadays, school violence is 3. hot issue. I think this is a phenomenon (现象) 4. calls for our great concern. We should try every effort to prevent violence from 5.(happen) at school, for more and more students would drop out of school 6. their personal safety could not be ensured. In fact, violence can 7.(learn). Children learn violent behavior from adults or from 8. they see on television or on the Internet.

If I meet with school violence, I will not answer violence 9. violence, for it will result in more fighting. I will tell my teachers or parents about it. I think they will help me deal with it well and they will protect me from the bad guys.

All in all, every student 10. behave himself and keep away from violence.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或

修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。

修改：在错的词下画一横线，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。

An old man was seating in an armchair at home, reading his newspaper. Beside him lay a dog sleep soundly. The old man decided to leaving home for a while, and he couldn’t go out with his slippers on. So he woke up the dog and let it fetched the shoes for him. Out of its expectation, the dog didn’t even stand, but just barked with two eyes closed again. He was complete puzzled. As he was wondering what was happening, a cat appeared in the front of him. Why do you think a cat came there?

据报道，越来越多的农民去城市打工，孩子被留在农村，成为“留守儿童”。而缺少父母关爱对“留守儿童”的成长极为不利。假设你是林晓，请就这一问题给21st Century编辑部写一封信，阐述“留守儿童”存在的下列问题，并呼吁社会关注。

1．情感寂寞；

2．与人交流出现困难；

3．学习成绩不理想；

4．很多儿童出现心理问题；

5．容易受到伤害。

参考词汇：农村(rural area)；心理的(psychological)

要求：字数100左右。开头和结尾已经为你写好，不计入总词数。

Dear editor，

I'm writing to say something about the problems of children left behind in rural areas.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Only in this way can we ensure that they will have a good future as other kids.

Best wishes.

Yours，

Lin Xiao

A Step-by-Step guide to Writing Great Papers

Time For Kids

Want to be a better writer? TFK’s “Write Ideas” gives your writing a rise by walking you through every step involved in writing a paper. Using sample papers, idea organizers and checklists, you can write better research papers, persuasive essays, news stories and much more.

Spelling, Grammar and More

English Zone

This is the perfect site for English homework; It has a section on almost every topic you will cover in English class, such as spelling, parts of speech and writing. It does not just give you summary of the topic; rather it makes sure you understand it completely.

Reading Rocks!

Reading Rockets

From this great resource, learn to love reading or to love it even more! Read articles about reading and education, and share them with your teachers and parents. You can even read books by famous authors like Jane Yolen and Patricia MacLachlan.

Definitions, Rhymes and Word Games

Merriam-Webster Word Central

If you want to review words you know and learn new ones, visit this site. Here you’ll visit a school called “Word Central” where you can click on different areas to learn things like definitions and rhymes for different words or play word games.

Help with Foreign Languages

Kidspace @ The Internet Public Library

This is a really cool site if you need help with foreign-language homework. It teaches you how to say hello in many different languages and has a lot of other useful information. It also tells how you can listen to real people saying the words in other languages.

1.Which of the following sites can help you remember the new words?

A. Time For Kids. B. English Zone

C. Reading Rockets. D. Merriam-Webster Word Central.

2.What can “Help with Forreign Languages” teach you?

A. How to read books by famous authors.

B. How to say hello in many different languages.

C. How to write better research papers.

D. How to use grammar in a right way.

3.The ad is mainly intended .

A. to increase the students’ learning skills

B. to offer some useful sites in language study

C. to attract the students to join some learning clubs

D. to help students understand language study better

“What’s that?” my ten-year-old daughter, Genie, asked. She’d caught me laughing at a piece of mail I’d just opened. “Wake-up service, $2.50 per call.” At the bottom was a phone number and a drawing of a rotary phone, like the one my great- aunt Sara had owned 40 years ago.

“Is that mail funny?” Genie asked.

“Not really,” I admitted. “It’s just outdated.”

“What’s a wake-up call?” She asked. I explained how, before smart-phones, people sometimes paid someone to wake them with a call.

“Who sent this flyer（传单）?” she pressed.

“Probably someone older,” I said.

Her eyes lit up. “Can we order a wake-up?” she asked.

“We don’t need it.” I picked it up and headed for the recycling bin.

“Wait!” she screamed. “I feel sorry for the wake-up man, if he needs some money,” she said, tearing up. “Can’t we order?”

I looked at the flyer with its drawing of a rotary phone. I remembered, again, my great-aunt Sara and her rotary phone. As a kid, I’d visited her over Labor Day, when Jerry Lewis would host his charity event for the disabled kids. Aunt Sara would squeeze my hand, then reach for the rotary phone, dialing the number on the screen. Holding the receiver between us, we’d announce to the operator, “We’d like to help those kids.”

Now here was my own child, showing the same big heart I’d once been encouraged to have, and how could I ignore her? I googled the flyer’s return address. The address belonged to a man called Raymond. He was in his mid-60s. We called him and, holding the receiver between us, the way Aunt Sara and I used to, told him we needed his services. “Great!” Raymond said in a shaky but friendly voice, clearly amazed at receiving an order from a child.

Genie was happy all week.

Technology has made some things outdated. But there are still other things the world will always require. In the rush of my daily life, I’d temporarily forgotten that, I guess I just needed a wake-up call.

1.Why did Genie beg to order the service?

A. She was afraid of being late.

B. She wanted to help the old man.

C. She was curious about the service.

D. She was interested in the rotary phone.

2.What made the author finally decide to order a wake-up call?

A. Her own childhood experience.

B. The less fortunate wake-up man.

C. Genie’s curiosity about the service.

D. The information she found on Google.

3.How did Raymond feel when receiving our order?

A. Excited. B. Disappointed.

C. Doubtful. D. Regretful.

4.What could be the best title for the passage?

A. A Wake-up Man B. A Kindhearted Girl

C. The Wake-up Call D. The Rotary Phone