In the US, the most popular way to welcome the new year is with a big party. Some parties are at private homes. But in recent years, it has become more and more common for Americans to go to a hotel or eating-place on the night of December 31st. There, they can eat a big dinner, drink champagne, and dance to orchestra music.

Most New Year’s parties are usually noisy. People shout and sing. And often, guests blow on small noisemakers when the new year arrives at midnight. This tradition of noise making is believed to start centuries ago. People thought that loud sounds would drive away the bad spirits of the old year.

The biggest, noisiest New Year’s party in the US takes place in Times Square in New York. Thousands of people gather(聚集) there. Some of them ring bells and set fireworks. Others blow whistles of car horns(喇叭). And at twelve o’clock, they begin to cheer as an electric sign in the shape of a red apple lights up on top of a tall building.

The Times Square celebration includes another well-known American tradition. Since 1929, the band of musician Guy Lombardo has given a concert on New Year’s Eve. Guy Lombardo died in 1977. But, Bill Lombardo, has kept the tradition alive with a band concert at a New York city hotel. When the crowds in Times Square start cheering the arrival of the new year, television cameras show the band playing the song Auld Lang Syne.

1. The most usual way to welcome the new year in the US is ________.

A. to go shopping      B. to meet friends    C. to travel abroad     D. to hold a big party

2. The biggest New Year’s party in the US is __________.

A. in Central Park     B. in Hollywood       C. in Times Square    D. in Disneyland

3. In the past, some American people made big noise when the new year arrived ________

A. to express their friendship         B. to drive away the bad spirits

C. to make others more excited       D. to give best wishes to each other

4.In 1929 a concert on New Year’s Eve was given by _________.

A. the band of Guy Lombardo        B. the band of Bill Lombardo

C. the band of Johann Strauss         D. the band of Elvis Aaron Presley

By the time Bill arrived in a little town．every hotel room had been taken．“You have to give me a room somewhere，”he said to the manager at the hotel，“or just a bed—I don’t care where．”

“Well，I do have a double room with one guest，”answered the manager，“but to  tell you the truth，he snores（打鼾）so loudly that people in the next room have complained．I’m not sure if you would like to live with him．”

“No problem．”Bill said to him．“I’ll take it．”

The next morning，Bill came down to breakfast happily．

“HOW did you sleep?”asked the manager．

“Very well。”answered Bill．

The manager was surprised．“Didn’t that guest snore last night?”

“No，I made him stop snoring at once，”said Bill．

“How did you do that?”asked the manager．“Did you give him some medicine to stop the snoring?”

“No，I didn’t．But here is what I did．He was lying in bed when I went into the room。”Bill explained，“I went over，gave him a kiss on the face，and said，‘Good night，my dear，’and he sat up all night watching me．”

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。

1．Bill lived with _______ in a double room at the hotel．

A．his wife               B．his son                 C．a friend                D．a guest

2．People in the next room complained because that guest_______ loudly at night．

A．snored．             B．laughed                C．cried                   D．sang

3．The guest was _______ when Bill went into the room．

A．eating supper                                           B．sitting on the chair

C．lying in bed                                             D．talking on the phone

4．Bill made that guest stop snoring by_______．

A．giving him some medicine                         B．giving him a kiss on the face

C．chatting with him all night                         D．snoring more loudly than him

5．We know from the text _______ slept well that night．

A．Bill                        B．everyone              C．that guest             D．no one

Ⅰ．听短文，根据短文内容选择正确的答案

1．Workers must have their hair cut ________.

[　　]

A．during working hours

B．at night

C．in the day time

D．in their own time

2．One day Bill and the boss ________.

[　　]

A．went to the barber's together

B．had a good time at the barber's

C．happened to be at the same barber's

D．went to different barber's

3．The boss must be ________ when he found Bill at the barber's.

[　　]

4．Bill's excuse for having his hair cut was that ________.

[　　]

A．his hair grew during working hours

B．his hair grew in his own time

C．his hair grew in the factory

D．he could have his hair cut at any time he liked

5．Did the boss agree with Bill?

[　　]

A．We don' t know.

B．Yes. he did.

C．Yes, he didn't.

D．No, he did.

Ⅱ．听短文，判断正误，正确的写T，错误的写F

1．A man gets off the bus, and the bus driver drives on.

(　　)

2．An old man gets on the bus at a bus stop.

(　　)

3．Some old women get on the bus.

(　　)

4．A young boy in the front seat moves when the old woman gets up to him.

(　　)

5．Jim wants to find a seat for the old woman.

(　　)

6．The old woman says to the boy, “Please give me your seat.”

(　　)

7．Jim is angry with the boy and gives him a hard push.

(　　)

8．Jim says that must people are kind, only they sometimes forget to do good deeds.

(　　)

　　A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape (逃脱) punishment(处罚).

　　The event happened in the early morning hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923 . He and his family were living in the same third-floor suite (套房) at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied (占居) several years before. The former President's wife was still living in the White House.

　　Coolidge awoke(醒来) to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain.

　　Coolidge spoke: “I wish you wouldn't take that. ”

　　The thief, finding his voice, said: “Why?”

　　“ I don't mean the watch and chain, only the charm (表坠) . Take it near the window and read what is impressed(印，刻) on its back, ” the President said.

　　The thief read, “ Presented to Calvin Coolidge. ” “ Are you President Coolidge?” he asked.

　　The President answered, “Yes, and the House of Representatives (众议院) gave me that watch charm. I'm fond of it. It would do you no good. You want money. Let's talk this over. ”

　　Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice:“I'll take this and leave everything else. ”

　　Coolidge, knowing there was $80 in it, persuaded(说服) the young man to sit down and talk. He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill.

　　Coolidge added up the roommate and two rail tickets back to the college. Then he counted out $32 and said it was a loan (借款) .

　　He then told the young man: “There is a guard in the corridor (走廊) . ” The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered.

1．What caused the thief to meet the President?

[　　]

A．He knew the President had lots of money.

B．He knew the President lived in the suite.

C．He wanted to be a rich businessman.

D．He wanted to steal some money.

2．Why did Calvin Coolidge live at the Willard Hotel in those days?

[　　]

A．Because the former President was still living in the White House .

B．Because the former First Lady hadn't left the White House .

C．Because the First Lady like to live in the White House.

D．Because he liked to live there.

3．Coolidge counted out $32 ________ .

[　　]

A．in order not to be killed by the thief

B．in order to be out of danger

C．so as to help the young student overcome his difficulty

D．because he had no more money

4．The young man and his roommate went back to the college ________ .

[　　]

5．Which of the following might happen afterwards?

[　　]

A．The young student repaid the $32.

B．The thief was put into prison.

C．The President told many reporters the thief's name.