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

In the US, 1 you ask kids 2 they want to be when they grow up, you may 3. Some will say they want to be the President, doctors, lawyers or movie stars. But many will say they want to be firefighters (消防员).
Bejing a firefighter is a dangerous job, 4 it doesn’t pay 5 a job in medicine, business or entertainment (娱乐). So why is the idea of 6 a firefighter so popular with kids?
One reason is that firefighters are heroes in the US society. They are strong and brave(勇敢). They risk their own lives (不顾自己的安危) 7 the lives of others.
8 the terrorist attack (恐怖袭击) in New York 9 September 11, 2001, firefighters became a symbol of national pride (骄傲) and strength (力量). Brave firefighters rushed to save people in the 10 buildings. They 11 save many lives, but many firemen 12. After the attacks, people 13 the US wore hats and T-shirts that said FDNY (Dire Department of New York) to show respect (尊敬) for the firefighters.
To be a firefighter is to be a hero. 14 no surprise that many kids want 15 heroes.

In the world , football is the most popular sport. This is because many countries have wonderful teams for the World Cup. The World Cup is held every four years.
To remember 2002 FIFA World Cup, children from different countries and more than 60 children from Japanese schools came together and drew a big picture called “Dream World Cups ”for a few days in Japan .The children drew animals, flowers and people playing soccer under a blue bright sky. They wished each football team good luck by drawing the flags of all the countries that would take part in the World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The picture was put up in a park near a playground in Yokohama .Some football teams would have games there.
Are you a football fan？The World Cup makes more and more people interested in football Teenagers like playing and watching football .Many of them love some football stars so much that they get the pictures of their favourite players on the walls of their rooms. That is the way to show their love for the World Cup as children in Japan.
【小题1】If a country wants to take part in the World Cup ,she must have______

In the past, when people had problems, they went to their families or friends to get advice. Today, it is possible to get advice from radio show, TV programmer and telephone hot lines, too. Most telephone hot lines are completely anonymous-callers, they do not have to say their names or telephone numbers. Most hot lines are usual free（免费的）too, even if the calls are long distance（距离）.Other hot lines pay their advisers for their work. Usually the advisers are professional with years of education and experience, but sometimes, the advisers have only taken a short class before starting to work on the hot lines. All the advisers listen to people and help them solve their problems.
【小题1】Today when people have problems, ____________________.