Every fall, many Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Sukkot (结茅节). They build huts (茅舍) in their backyards, and if it is warm and dry outside, they live in those huts for seven days and nights. Living in a sukkah (苏克棚) is meant to remind Jewish people that for 40 years their ancestors (祖先) lived in huts in the desert. In modern times, it has also become a reminder that many people do not have a place to call home.

In 2010, an American reporter named Hoshua Foer was building his own sukkah when he came up with an idea. He wondered what it would be like to have a competition for people around the world to use their imaginations to create modern sukkahs. It would be a design competition. But the sukkah would have to be built according to Jewish laws. These laws are found in an ancient book called Talmud. Some of the laws are surprising!

* It can be built on a boat.

* It must have at least two and a half walls.

Joshua got in touch with his friend Roger Bennett. They announced the competition in May 2010. More than 600 designers sent plans. Twelve were chosen as finalists (参加决赛者). Then those finalists were each given money so they could build their sukkahs in a park in New York City. People building the final sukkahs were from the United States, France, England, Japan, and Germany.

More than 17,000 people voted (投票) for the winners. At the end of the competition, the sukkahs were sold. The money was then given to a group that helps homeless people.

60. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that _______.

  A. Jewish ancestors lived in huts for many years

B. the holiday of Sukkot is celebrated in spring 

C. Jewish people spend seven days building huts during the holiday                  

D. the holiday is meant to remind people many people still live in the desert

61. According to Joshua Foer, _______.

A. imaginations are very important to win the competition           

B. sukkahs can be built at any place and in any shape

C. the winning sukkahs will be included in Talmud           

D. competitors should follow laws made by him

62. Which of the following is TRUE about the first competition?

  A. More than 600 sukkahs were built in a park in New York City.

  B. The winning sukkahs were sold to help homeless people.

  C. Only American people took part in the competition.

  D. There were 12 judges voting for the winners.

63. What’s the passage mainly about?

  A. How Jewish people design and build modern sukkahs.

  B. How Jewish people celebrate the holiday of Sukkot.

  C. A Jewish holiday reminds people of their ancestors.

  D. A Jewish tradition becomes the idea for a competition.

My new teacher is cool. Her name is Paula so we call her Miss Paula.

The first time we met her she said we are going to be good friends and that good friends are always nice to each other.

Miss Paula has been teaching us a lot of things. Some of us used to get in trouble for talking in the hallway. Miss Paula says she can’t change the rule that we can’t make noise in the hallway but we can still talk to each other. She is teaching us sign language. I already know how to say “hello” and “how are you” with my hands. Now we love it when we have to walk somewhere and we are always quiet except for a laugh or two.

Miss Paula likes everybody even Sam and nobody likes Sam. He never does what he’s told but now he is doing better. Miss Paula says every single one of us is perfect and beautiful just the way we are. I guess that includes Sam.

This week at school was really the best ever. I didn’t even get in trouble when I thought I would, because I spilled (洒) milk on my homework and had to hand it in when it was still wet. Miss Paula just smiled and asked, “What’s this?” So I told her what happened. Miss Paula put it near the window to make it dry. She said the sun had been waiting for such an important job as this and would be happy to help us.

Well, I have to go and get ready for bed now. I have school in the morning and I want to wake up early so I will have time to pick Miss Paula some flowers.

56. What do we know about Miss Paula?

  A. She changed the school rules.              B. She is very kind to her students.

  C. She is strict with the writer.                D. She uses sign language in class.

57. According to Paragraph4, Sam_______.

  A. dislikes his new teacher                         B. is often praised by Miss Paula

  C. has made some progress                          D. is one the the writer’s best friends

58. How did the writer probably feel when he handed in his homework?

  A. Worried.                               B. Bored.

  C. Excited.                                  D. Relaxed.

59. We can learn from the passage that the writer _______.

  A. is a bit afraid of her new teacher            B. always picked her teacher some flowers

  C.wrote this article in the morning                 D. loves and respects her new teacher

“Hurry up, Chris,” my dad said in a low voice. “He’s gonna get away. You need to   36  him now.” I was pointing my   37  at a duck. It was a(n)   38  day for me. Shooting those ducks would make my father   39  , but I just couldn’t. My father   40  fishing and hunting ducks. I thought fishing was boring,   41  Dad hardly ever asked me to go with him. I had gone hunting with Dad before but   42  brought a gun, because I didn’t own one, and his were too big for me. The gun was a present for my birthday. I’d been   43  almost every evening.

I   44  I could hit that duck, but I didn’t want to. I had never   45  killing things, and I hated people who killed animals for no reason at all. I liked   46  . I didn’t want to hurt it.

I pointed the gun at the duck. He was trying hard to find food and had to keep a careful eye on his   47  at the same time, and now my dad asked me to kill him so we could have one nice   48  . I hated myself for   49  pointing the gun at the duck, but I hated to   50  my father’s feelings too.

“I… I can’t tell which is the duck,” I explained.

“Just try, Chris. I know you can do it,” Dad   51  me.

“Thanks, Dad.” I   52  to myself. “Your words just make it harder for me.” My eyes filled with tears as my brain had made a(n)   53  —I wouldn’t shoot the duck.

“You really don’t want to shoot him, do you?” Dad quietly cut in on my   54  . I was too choked (哽咽的) to say anything.   55  , a nod was enough.

 -- In order to improve your spoken English, you need to practice more.

-- _______. Practice makes perfect.

A. Certainly, go ahead   B. Well, it depends     C. I don’t think so      D. I couldn’t agree more

 We were going out for a Christmas meal together _______ the accident happened.

A. unless              B. until                  C. while                       D. when

 -- Could I use your computer while you are out tonight?

   -- Of course you _______.

  A. should              B. can              C. could             D. need

 -- Jeremy, would you like to go hiking with us ?

-- Thanks, but I prefer to _______ TV at home.

  A. watch             B.watching           C. be watching              D. being watching

 This area is beautiful. Unfortunately, it _______ by careless visitors.

A. destroyed          B. was destroyed       C. destroys               D. is being destroyed

 The old professor made full use of the time to _______ all possible ways to increase rice production.

  A. design            B.serve                    C. explore              D. found

 -- I don’t know my way around the school.

-- Come, I _______ you.

A. show                 B. will show             C. have shown                 D. showed