The tradition of birthday parties started a long time ago. There are some traditions that you can find almost anywhere, anytime, such as sending birthday cards, blowing out the candles(吹熄蜡烛) on a birthday cake and singing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song. Others are only found for certain ages and in certain countries.

In China, on a child’s second birthday, family members put many things on the floor around the child. According to Chinese tradition, the first thing that the child picks up tells you what job the child will choose later in life.

For Japanese children, the third, fifth and seventh birthdays are especially important. At this age, there is a special celebration(庆祝) Shichi-Go-San (seven, five, three in Japanese) when children go to the temple wearing a new kimono (和服). The priest (僧侣) gives them special sweets, and the parents usually organize a party for their friends in their home.

In Argentina, Mexico and several other Latin American countries, girls have a special birthday celebration when they reach the age of fifteen. After a special ceremony (仪式), the girls dance a waltz with their father and other boys.

Eighteen is the traditional ‘coming of age’— the age when (in many countries) you have the right to vote (选举权), join the army （参军）and (in Britain) drink alcohol （酒）or buy a house.

In many English-speaking countries, a twenty-first birthday cake often has a key on top, or the cake itself is sometimes in the shape of a key. The key means that the young person is now old enough to leave and enter the family home at any time they want to! 

1.Which of the following birthday traditions can you find almost anywhere, anytime?

A. Putting many things on the floor.

B. Sending birthday cards.

C. Dancing a waltz.                         

2.Mexican girls have a special birthday celebration at the age of       .

A. five           B. seven              C. fifteen 

3.In many countries you can ___ when you reach the age of eighteen.

A. join the army    B. have a key    C. have a special ceremony  

4.Which of the following sentences is NOT true?

A. The tradition of birthday parties started a long time ago.

B. Some birthday traditions are only found in certain countries.

C. You become the owner of your house at the age of fifteen.

5.Which is the best title of this passage?

A. Birthday Traditions around the World 

B. The Drinking Age in Many Countries

C. Japanese Special Celebration

—             does your school have the parents’ meeting?
— Twice a year.

根据短文内容填空。
Every year in English-speaking countries, people list the most popular names. Here are some examples. In the United States at the moment, the three most popular names are Emily, Emma, and Madison. For boys, they are Michael, Joshua and Mathew. In Britain parents today might call their little girl Grace, Jessica or Ruby. If they have a little boy, they could call him Jack, Thomas or Oliver.
In China names have very clear meanings. If a girl is called Mei, her name means “beautiful”. If a boy is called “Wu”, his name means “ like a soldier”. Names in English-speaking countries are like this too. The girl’s name Joy is probably chosen because the parents with their daughter to be joyful and bring joy to others. If a girl is Ruby, it may be because of the beautiful valuable stone.
Parents often pick names that can be shortened. They might choose such names because they want to be able to speak to their child in a personal way.
For exampale, a popualr name is William. But William can be shortened to Will, Willy, Bill and Billy. The same is true of the favourite old name for a girl, Elizabeth. Elizabeth can be shortened to Beth, Liza and Liz.
Another reason children get the names is that parents want their boy or girl after someone who is famous, such as an actor, a pop star or sports star. David is a popular name in Britain, partly because David Beckham is a famous footballer.
【小题1】At the moment, Michael is one of the three most popular names for boys _______ while Grace for __________ in Britain.
【小题2】Mei means ________ and Ruby means ________ according to the passage.
【小题3】From this passage, we know that both parents in ________ countries and in China would like to choose names for their __________.
【小题4】 Parents often pick names that can be _________ so that they can ____________ in a personal way.
【小题5】David is a popular name in Britain partly __________________ the famous football _____________, David Beckham.

The class teacher thought that hobbies were important for children. So she encouraged all her students to have one, and sometimes she arranged hobby shows for their parents to see as a result.

One morning the teacher told the class to have a holiday and get their hobby things to school before 5p.m. A hobby show would be held the following afternoon.

So in the afternoon, the students with nothing to show did their lessons at school as usual, while the lucky ones had a holiday to go home for their hobby works.

When the afternoon lessons began, the teacher was surprised to see that Tommy was not there. “I don’t believe Tommy has a hobby,” she thought. However, at a quarter to five, Tommy arrived with a beautiful collection of butterflies in glass cases. The teacher liked the samples(标本) very much and put them on a desk in the classroom. But, to her surprise, Tommy picked them up again and began to leave.

“What are you doing, Tommy?” she asked. “Those things must stay here until tomorrow afternoon. That’s when the parents are coming to see them.”

“I know that,” answered Tommy, “and I will bring them back tomorrow, but my big brother doesn’t want them to be out of our house at night.”

“But, aren’t the butterflies yours?” asked the teacher.

“No,” answered Tommy. “They are my brother’s”

“But Tommy, you should show your own hobby here, not somebody else’s”

“I know that,” answered Tommy. What surprised her most was the answer, “My hobby is watching my brother collecting butterflies.”

1.What did the class teacher think of hobbies for children?

A．Unwelcome        B．Hopeless          C．Harmful           D．Important

2.What time did Tommy get back to school that afternoon?

3.What would NOT happen the following afternoon?

A．The parents would enjoy the show in the classroom

B．Tommy would bring the butterflies back

C．The teacher would encourage her students for hobbies

D．The butterflies would fly away

4.Which was the teacher’s greatest surprise?

A．Tommy was not at school as usual

B．Tommy picked the butterflies up again and began to leave

C．Tommy said his hobby was watching his brother collecting butterflies

D．Tommy came back to school before 5 that afternoon

5.What’s the best title for this passage?

A．Important Hobbies                      B．Tommy’s Hobby

C．Different Hobbies                       D．Collecting Butterflies

Maybe you know about Sun Ying on TV. She is a        young woman. She was born in Jilin Province. In January 2006, she left her hometown        Shenzhen. She found a job in a factory and began to work there.       after working for seven months, she went to a mountain shool in Guizhou Province for        because she wanted to help the students there. She found that the school had        but(除…之外) the old houses without doors. She felt quite      . When she got there, she got a warm       . The students called her“Aunt”and the parents       food to her. All the people       her. She planned to work there all her life. She wanted to bring        to the kids there.

1.A. 32-years-old       B. 32-year-old       C. 32 years old  D. 32 year old

2.A. to               B. for          C. in              D. from

3.A. And           B. But          C. So         D. Or

4.A. teaching         B. living              C. farming     D. studying

5.A. everything B. something         C. anything            D. nothing

6.A. happy             B. interested          C. sorry            D. excited

7.A. talk            B. medal              C. heart             D. welcome

8.A. bought           B. brought     C. took              D. cooked

9.A. loved     B. hated(讨厌的)        C. laughed           D. asked

10.A. food             B. hope              C. books            D. money