We all have to give gifts during the year. No matter what the occasion is, birthday, holiday or a special event, we make it a point to show we care by buying something nice for that special person. Well, the waste created by gift giving can really add up in the trash. Keep in mind that there are several ways that you can cut down on the remaining waste next time you buy that special someone a gift. w_w w. k#s5_u.c o*m

Make sure that your gift will be used. It’s almost impossible to make sure that the receiver will find your gift to their liking, but if you do your homework, you can be as sure as possible. Consider a gift wish list or just ask them, if you’re really not sure. It may cut down on the surprise, but if they give you a list of two or three things that they’d truly appreciate, then you can shop with the confidence that it won’t end up in the garbage five miuntes after it’s opened. w w w.k s 5 u.c o m

When you buy a gift, make sure that it’s as ecofriendly(有利于生态的) as possible. Buy hemp(麻布) clothing, or products made with natural dyes(染料). w_w w. k#s5_u.c o*m

Give the gift of donation. If you have no idea what to buy, then consider making a donation to a charity. Take into consideration their interests and passions and donate in their name.

Make it or bake it. Give something that can be eaten or can be used, like some homemade vinegar or cookies. Homemade candles are very popular and can be made to be more eco-friendly than store-bought ones.

Give a gift of your time. Offer babysitting services or a day of housecleanin g. Most people would appreciate a little lessening of stress or responsibility on any given day.

Wrap(包装) with care. The paper products you use for gift wrap should be recycled at the very least. Gift bags can be found made from recycled materials and can be reused over and over again for many gift giving occasions.

According to Paragraph 2, when you need to give somebody a gift, you’d better_______. A．prepare a special one              B．find out what they like in advance

C．finish your school homework first   D．shop for the gift confidently

By saying “It may cut down on the surprise” in Paragraph 2, the author probably means_______.

A．your gift may be a big surprise to the receiver w w w.k s 5 u.c o m

B．the receiver will open the gift with surprise

C．the gift will cost you much less money

D．the receiver will be less surprised at your gift

Which of the following ways of gift giving will the author most probably agree with?

A．Helping to clean the house.

B．Wrapping a gift with thin paper.

C．Donating something to a charity in your name.

D．Buying a beautiful plastic toy.

Who are probably interested in reading the passage? w_w w. k#s5_u.c o*m

A．Those who like to go shopping every day.

B．Those who like to give eco-friendly gifts. w w w.k s 5 u.c o m

C．Those who have little money to buy gifts.

D．Those who manage a gift shop.

William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony (和睦) that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered “little of childhood but its pain”. In fact, he inherited (继承) excellent taste in art from his family—both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama (戏剧) and poetry.
Yeats had strong faith in coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at the beginning. He didn’t lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats’s poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Price in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would who probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet Auden wrote, among others, the following liners:
Earth, receive an honored guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel (船) lie
Emptied of its poetry.
【小题1】Which of the following can describe Yeats’s family?

William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony (和睦) that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered “little of childhood but its pain”. In fact, he inherited (继承) excellent taste in art from his family—both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama (戏剧) and poetry.

Yeats had strong faith in coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at the beginning. He didn’t lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.

Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats’s poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.

He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Price in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would who probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet Auden wrote, among others, the following liners:

Earth, receive an honored guest:

William Yeats is laid to rest.

Let the Irish vessel (船) lie

Emptied of its poetry.

1. Which of the following can describe Yeats’s family?

A. It filled Yeats’s childhood with laughter.

B. It was shocked by Yeats’s choice.

C. It was a typically wealthy family.

D. It had an artistic atmosphere.

2. According to the passage, what do we know about Yeats’s life?

A. Yeats founded the first Irish theater.

B. Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry.

C. Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s.

D. Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize.

3.What kind of feeling is expressed in W. H. Auden’s lines?

A. Envy.                        B. Sympathy.

C. Emptiness.                    D. Admiration.

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Yeats’ literary achievements.

B. Yeats’ historical influence.

C. Yeats’ artistic ambition.

D. Yeats’ national honor.

William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered "little of childhood but its pain". In fact, he inherited (继承) excellent taste in art from his family — both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama and poetry. 
Yeats had strong faith in the coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at the beginning. He didn't lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama. 
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats's poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition. 
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Prize in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produces his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75. After Yeats's Death in 1939, W. H. Auden wrote, among others, the following lines: 
Earth, receive an honoured guest:
        William Yeats is laid to rest. 
        Let the Irish vessel (船) lie
        Emptied of its poetry.
【小题1】Which of the following can describe Yeats's family?

Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen. The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster. Luckily, they are just the director’s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either.
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example. Once I took a trip to the glacier. Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years. They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top when I finally saw melting glaciers(融化的冰川). My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second.
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact. Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that's about the population of the en tire Italy. According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water.
Our fortune is in our own hands. It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now. Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water. Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away. Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place. It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future. Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them．
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean. The earth does not belong to us. On the contrary, we belong to the earth. Please bear in mind that the earth is our home. It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality．                
【小题1】Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ?