D

Annual holidays have become a luxury and are no longer a staple of family life, according to government research.

A getaway of a week or more is no longer considered essential by many families and is often beyond their reach, said the analysis of what parents and children say they really need. Fashionable clothes for the children, expensive birthday parties and lots of toys are also on the list of luxuries families don’t have to have. Instead, recession-hit parents are thinking of the future, and the things they want for their children centre around learning to behave properly, good education and good health.

Their picture of what a family ought to have includes a space to eat together away from the television, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and bicycles so children can get exercise.

The breakdown of necessities and luxuries was prepared by researchers from the Department for Work and Pensions(DWP) who were trying to establish an up-to-date picture of what parents say they really need.

Their findings show how families have scaled down their expectations in the face of economic difficulties — how parents are now concentrating their attention and money firmly on the long-term interests of their children. Many believe that while it is vital for a family to do things together, day trips or weekend breaks are enough.

Spending on furniture or decorating the house was also considered luxurious, unless the state of the home was so bad it became difficult to invite visitors in.

Instead, researchers said: A family home should have an area where the family can eat together, not on their laps in front of a television. Families should be able to go on outings, overnight trips and possibly short holiday: the fact of being able to share these experiences is more important than the precise activity and its cost.

71. It can be inferred that ______________.

A. a week or more holiday is considered beyond many families’ reach

B. children hardly ever need fashionable clothes and lots of toys

C. what a family should have is basic things that they must have

D. annual holidays were once considered necessary and vital

72. In the opinion of most parents, _____________.

A. families can watch TV together in order to keep up their relationship

B. day trips or weekend breaks are enough for families to share experiences

C. their expectations should be increased in the face of economic difficulties

D. a week’s holiday is an essential minimum during the financial crisis

73. Which of the following is TRUE of the researchers from the DWP?

A. They confirm many families still need at least a week away on holiday each year.

B. They learn it is insignificant for a family to do things with each other regularly.

C. They want to know what parents really need in the face of economic difficulties.

D. They found spending on furniture or decorating the house was thought valuable.

74. We can conclude from the last paragraph____________.

A. being able to share experiences is important for families

B. a family needs at least a week away on holiday each year

C. a family home should have a comfortable area to watch TV

D. going on outings and overnight trips is wasting time for families

75. What does the author mainly discuss in the text?

A. Cycling is very important for children’s health.

B. Family holidays once a year have become a luxury.

C. It is vital for parents to eat together with children.

D. Parents are concerned with children’s future.

More American people take their troubles with them on holiday, according to a new survey. Although 40 percent said that the main reason for going away is to escape pressure (压力) from work, almost all said they worry more than they do at home. Only four in every 100 said that they are happy and free of care.

The most common worry is burglary ( 入室盗窃) , with four out of 10 worrying about their homes being broken into while they’re abroad．More than a quarter fear they will feel crazy with some other noisy and rough holiday-makers and 22 percent worry they may be attacked or their possessions will be missing. One in five think the car may break down; and the same number worry about the chances of bad weather.

The survey also showed that the stay-at-home Americans are no more. Three out of every five want to have a holiday abroad, a great increase from the figures only three years ago. The hotel holiday is still a winner, with about one third of all Americana preferring to go on a self-catering ( 自助 ) holiday.

56．The underlined word “survey” in the first paragraph most probably means ______.

A．research             B．review              C．exhibition           D．examination

57．According to the text, about ____ of people worry more on holiday than when they are at home.

A．25%                  B．40%                   C．80%                   D．95%

58．The third most common worry of American holiday-makers is that they may ______.

A．be attacked or lose their possessions    

B．have problems with their cars on the road

C．have bad weather on holiday             

D．get mixed with some rough fellow holiday-makers

59．Where do American holiday-makers like to stay most?

A．At a hotel.        B．In a quiet place.    

C．At a friend's house.                            D．Where they can cook for themselves.

The most important holiday in spring, especially for Christians, is Easter. This Christian holiday is not on the same date every year，but it’s always on a Sunday. It can be any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Many people celebrate Easter by buying new clothes. Children celebrate by hunting for colored eggs that their parents have hidden around the house. People also give Easter baskets filled with candy and other goodies to one another to celebrate the day.
But the holiday is more than new clothes and good things to eat. On Easter, many people go to church to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection（复活）from the dead. Most people color Easter eggs. Some people hide them. Others just eat them. But no matter what one does with Easter eggs，they are an important Easter tradition throughout the Western world. People from many different cultures celebrate Easter. In both America and Belgium, children look for Easter eggs hidden on lawns and in bushes. In America, children believe the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny (兔子).But in Belgium, the hidden eggs are supposed to have fallen from church bells. In Bulgaria (保加利亚), red Easter eggs are lucky in churches. Bulgarian families also hit these Easter eggs together to see whose is the strongest. The winner looks forward to good fortune that year. Still dozens of other Easter traditions exist. In parts of Austria，for example，children sing from door to door and are rewarded with colorful eggs.
【小题1】Easter comes _______.

任务型阅读（共10小题，每小题1分，满分10分）

请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入恰当的单词。

注意：每个空格只填一个单词。

Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. Instead, they’re a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book. The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey or while you’re hanging out with the family.

Before getting into the recommendations, we need to determine your English reading comprehension level so you don’t pick a book which is so challenging that it’s stressful or so simple that it’s boring.

If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you’re already familiar with the story. If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options, as they’ll be guaranteed page turners and that will increase the possibility of your getting all the way through the book. For advanced readers, science fiction, classic works of literature or contemporary prize winners （Booker, Nobel, Pulitzer） are good options.

The most important thing is to pick a book that you’re really interested in. When I pick up a new book in Chinese, the first few chapters are always really hard to get through, as I have to get accustomed to the way the individual author uses the language. But after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story. Some of my favorite Chinese-language eye candy are books that are series like Brothers by Yu Hua or The Dancer by Hai Yan. I like them because there’s always a lot of action and story development to keep me involved, which helps me make it through those first few chapters.

Another great way to keep yourself motivated over the holiday is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve and discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or e-mail. I’m currently doing that with my friend Laura. We’ve been doing this since we were classmates in Chinese at college.

Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton or British writer Agatha Christie; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. But really you should just find a topic or author that you’re interested in, and the rest will go from there. Happy reading!

－from 21st Century （January 21, 2009）

Are you a big fan of pirate（海盗） stories? Do you know how to talk like a pirate? You can have fun on September 19th. This special holiday is called International Talk Like A Pirate Day. It was invented in 1995 by two young Americans, John Baur and Mark Summers.
These two good friends came up with this idea when they were playing racquetball, and began to talk like pirates. At that moment, they thought, “Young people are interested in pirate, but there is no such a chance for people to get together to share it. Why not have a day when everybody talks like a pirate?” They decided to make September 19th the date. Since then, Baur and Summers have tried hard to promote Talk Like A Pirate Day. As Baur said, “We’ve talked like pirates, and encouraged several of our friends to do so every September 19th.”
At first, this day was only known by a few people. In 2002, Baur and Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to Dave Barry. This columnist（专栏作家）really liked their idea. He promoted the holiday and made it known to more and more people. Now, it has really become an international holiday. On Talk Like A Pirate Day, you need to dress like a pirate. You should wear a big hat or maybe cover one of your eyes. You can pretend to be any kind of pirate that you can find in any story or movie.
Having fun and being relaxed are not the only best things about the holiday. Young people share the same interest and childhood dreams that day. That's why it is welcomed by so many people, especially young people.
Unlike traditional holidays, International Talk Like A Pirate Day is a brand new holiday which is invented by the youth themselves and celebrated by themselves too. Because of Baur and Summers’ imagination and creativity, thousands of young people’s pirate dream come true. Next time, when you have a good idea, why not share it with your fiends and insist on your belief? Maybe you can create another wonderful holiday for the youth in the future.
【小题1】How did John Baur and Mark Summers invent the special holiday?