This Christmas, maybe different from previous years, a strong desire drives me to make my own Christmas gifts. Honestly speaking, I’ve promised myself this more than once. As a crafter (工匠), I’ve frequently thought I am supposed to turn it into action. However, this year I really plan to stick to it. It’s partly because I run short of money. More importantly, I’ve recently returned from an inspiring trip around Britain, collecting some information about crafting for BBC’s Newsnight.

    Actually I planned the trip couples of months ago. The idea of traveling the country — making things as I went, meeting artists and craftspeople — sounded perfect to spend the summer. I’d pack a tent and a sewing machine and I’d set off. But by the time I determined my plans and hit the road, leaves made a sighing sound under foot. It seemed crazy to camp with winter on the way; Luckily, Newsnight viewers offered me accommodations in return for help with a craft task.

My tasks ranged from sewing worn-out clothes to making trousers. Textile students in Harpenden offered to pay for my petrol in return for a talk about hats. In Derby, Amy needed help to change an old pair of curtains.

I was really struck by people’s increasing enthusiasm for making things. When I asked some people if they could sew, only a few raised their hands. But when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively, hoping to learn something practical.

Craft is definitely popular at the moment. But besides fashion, we’re learning to appreciate effort and quality again. Perhaps once people rediscover the pleasure to be gained from making something unique, it may stick.

Sue is director of quilts at the V&A, where next spring she’ll be putting on the museum’s first major quilting exhibition. Sue believes the return to crafting is related to how we rethink ourselves. “People, especially women, are beginning to think about the way they live their lives. It’s 40 years since the first women’s liberation(解放) conference was held in Oxford. Since then we’ve been in the workplace, and we’ve had the opportunity of choice. Now we’re carefully choosing to go back into the home.”

Whether you agree with that or not, there’s something about Christmas that brings out the artistic flavor(气息) in everyone. Whether it’s baking bread or pies or decorating the halls or rooms, we’re all prepared to have a try at any time. So if you fancy having a different and joyful party or holiday and making a few presents, try these really simple ideas, each inspired by my recent journey there. They make small and interesting gifts, and take no longer than 30 minutes each. Enjoy Christmas songs and settle down with a cup of hot cocoa, and the cold is gone. You’ll save yourself a small quantity of money and spread a little bit of love, too!

1.Why did the author promise to make herself a Christmas gift this year?

A. She wanted to enjoy a different Christmas.

B. She wanted to make more money.

C. She was inspired by her trip for a BBC TV program.

D. She hoped to present herself with a surprise.

2.The author had her plans carried out and set out for Britain in ______.

A. spring                      B. summer                            C. fall                            D. winter

3.What happened during the author’s trip to Britain?

A. She met many artists and craftspeople on her way to Britain.

B. She spent a whole summer in Britain making crafts.

C. She was asked to sew clothes, and curtains and made much money.

D. Many people showed great interest in making things themselves.

4.According to the passage, people learn to ______ through crafting.

A. be grateful to what they have gained

B. keep up with fashion

C. stick to something interesting

D. know more information about craft

5.What is the author’s opinion on homemade Christmas presents?

A. Making Christmas presents can only convey a bit of your love.

B. People can find their artistic talent in making Christmas presents.

C. A cup of hot cocoa can inspire you to make a creative present.

D. It would take a long time to prepare a homemade Christmas present.

Ad．1  April fool’s party

On Friday, April 1, Inner Affair goes back to the days of funk! Classic Tunes from the 70’s and 80’s by DJs Den & Sion．9 pm till late．

Tickets：Free entrance for those in costume, otherwise 50 yuan（US $6）

Time/date：9pm, April 1

Place：Inner Affair, 1/F Qiankun Dasha, 6 Sanlitun xiliujie, Chaoang District

Tel：8454-0321

Ad．2  Language in use

Enjoy free in-house coffee, tea and beer as well as music and dancing．Practice your Chinese, make friends and have fun．

Time/date：7 to 9 pm, March 25

Place：Language In Use Club, 2/F, Science Fortune Centre, 8 Xueqing Lu, north of Xueyuan Lu, Haidian District．

Ad．3  The “worst ” party

Organized by 0-zone productions, the party is set to be “the worst ever,” with the lamest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s．Special prizes will be awarded to the worst dressed or for bad fashion sense．

Tickets：Free entrance

Time/date：9 pm, April 1

Place：Pula Pula, Tianze Lu, Oriental Seven Colors Plaza, Chaoyang District

Ad．4  La Nuit Francaise

Again on the 2^nd Thursday of the month La Nuit Francaise will be held at Le Rendezvous．The monthly event is an opportunity for all French people and everyone interested in France of speaking French to gather together．

The evening features three glasses of wine and canapés for participants and a special exhibition．

Time/date：7 to 10pm, April 14

Place：Le Rendez-vous, 3 Gongti Beilu, across from the Pacific Century Plaza Chaoyang

Ad．5  Marco V

Dutch DJ Marco V drops by Banana for a gig which is supported by Hong Kong’s DJ Spark．

Marco V has been around for many years, as an inventive, style-blending deejay and successful and devoted producer．His spinning is energetic, crowd-pleasing and never sees an empty dance floor．He was ranked No 15 in this year’s international DJ MAG DJ Top 100．

Tickets：40 yuan （US $ 4．80） in advance, 50 yuan（US$6） at the door, both include a free drink．

1.Which of the following is NOT True of Ad．1and Ad．3 ?

A．The two parties will be held on the same day．

B．The two parties will be held at the same time．

C．The entrance fees of the two parties will not be charged．

D．Some old music will be played at the parties．

2.Which of the following is intended for the Chinese learners?

A．Marco V                              B．La Nuit Francaise

C．Language in use                      D．The “worst” party

3.Which of the following events takes place every month?

A．Marco V                              B．La Nuit Francaise

C．The “worst” party                      D．Language in use

4.We can infer that _____．

A．Marco V is a newly-established band

B．La Nuit Francaise may be French words

C．The “worst” party will attract a lot of college students

D．You will enjoy free drink at April fool’s party

单词拼写(共15小题, 每小题1分，满分15分)

1.Generally speaking, snow announces the a__________ of winter.

2.The students can’t enter the lab without the chemistry teacher’s a___________.

3. What can you do to c____________ to the poor?

4.The twins are s__________ to each other in appearance, but they have nothing in common in nature.

5.Charlie Chaplin, a famous actor, often appeared on the stage, s________ his stick in the air.

6.Unfortunately, he was d_________ in the last election.

7.The soldiers fought bravely to d________ against the enemies for their homeland.

8.The news that our team won spread t_________ the whole school.

9.In my opinion, parents should be s________ with their kids about table manners.

10.Children have a natural c_________ about the world around them.

11.When he came to life, he found himself lying on the bed, s_________ by many people.

12.Learning English as a second language can be a big c__________.

13.The pigeon r________ peace, which is the most important thing for human being.

14.Whenever he is late, he always has v_______ reasons for his being late.

15.Everyone was silent as he a__________ the winner of competition.

D
The following are the world-renewed attractions in London, so don’t miss them while touring there.
Shakespeare’s Globe
Shakespeare’s Globe, which officially opened in 1997, is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, built in 1599, and brings Shakespeare’s world to life. As a visitor to the exhibition you’ll discover how shows were produced in the theatres during Shakespeare’s time. The guide-storytellers take you on a fascinating half-hour tour.
Price: Adult ￡9.00；Child(5-15) ￡6.50;  Student ￡7.50;  Under 5 FREE.
The Tower of London
The tower, nearly 100 feet high, with walls 15 feet thick, was built in the early 1080s. King Henry Ⅲ made this tower his home. King Edward V and his younger brother were murdered inside by their uncle. Queen Elizabeth I was shut up in the tower for two months by her half sister Mary who felt that her throne(王位)was being threatened(威胁). In 1603, part of the tower became a museum.
Price: Adult ￡16.50; Child (5-15) ￡9.50; Under 5 FREE; Student ￡13.50; Family (two adults with three children) ￡46.00.
Banqueting(宴会) House
Banqueting House is the remains of Whitehall Palace which was built in 1529 and was home to the English kings. It was destroyed by fire. Famous for its architecture and painting, the building is also known for being the scene of Charles I’s execution(处决)。
Price: Adult ￡4.50; Child ￡2.25; Student (with ID) and senior citizen (60+) ￡3.00; Under 5 FREE.
Tower Bridge Exhibition
Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognizable bridges in the world. At the Tower Bridge Exhibition you can enjoy breath-taking views from the high-level walkways and learn about the history of the bridge and how it was built. You can then visit the Victorian engine rooms, home to the original steam engines that used to power the bridge.
Price: Adult￡6.00; Child (5-15) ￡3.00; Under 5 FREE; Senior citizen(60+) ￡4.50; Student￡4.50.
53. Which of the following places has the longest history?
A. Whitehall Palace.                      B. The Globe Theatre.  
C. The Tower of London.                  D. Tower Bridge.
54. If two parents with their 4-year-old son visit the Tower of London, they should pay      .
A. ￡33           B. ￡43              C. ￡46               D. ￡52
55. Queen Elizabeth I was shut up in the tower for two months by Mary mainly because        .
A. Mary didn’t like her                    B. she tried to steal Mary’s treasure
C. Mary feared she would become the Queen  D. she intended to murder Mary
56. How many places used as a king’s home are mentioned in this passage?
A. One.           B. Two.               C. Three.             D. Four.

Nine out of 10 people have run up unsecured debt and many fear they will never be able to pay back what they owe, a survey has claimed.
Around 89% of people aged between l|8 and 35 said they owed money on a credit card, loan or overdraft, the research showed．
A third of people admitted they did not think- they would ever be debt-free, 54% of whom said they would always need to borrow money in order to fund the lifestyle they wanted．
One in five of these people also claimed they were not worried about the possibility of their debts being passed on to their next of kin if they died before they were repaid．
Just over half who owed money said they did not feel in control of their debt, with 8% admitting they had needed to ask for help with repayments from a friend or family member．Eight out of 10 people also told the research for discount website MyVoucherCodes．co．uk that they thought it was too easy to borrow money through their bank or on credit cards．
Farhad Farhadi, MyVoucherCodes．co．uk’s personal finance expert, said: "The majority of British adults owe money m some way, shape or form, but to see that almost a third think they’ll never be free c ^ from debt is quite alarming．
"When borrowing money from any source, how you are going to repay it should always be in the back of your mind．
"A lot of people don’t-really think about ’die consequences of borrowing money and it can be easy to get complacent, but keeping it all under control should be a priority from the off．Only borrow what you really think you can afford to pay back．"
【小题1】The best title for this passage is_________．