There ________ a tall tree in front of the building over there, didn't there?

1. A.
   was
2. B.
   would be
3. C.
   must be
4. D.
   used to be

There ________ a tall building, several tennis courts and lots of non-deciduous trees on the center of the area．

1. A.
   is
2. B.
   are
3. C.
   stands
4. D.
   A and C

Every country has its traditional festivals. The Chinese New Year is now known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the beginning of spring. Though there are some sayings about its origin, all agree that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese means “year”, was originally the name of a beast that started to eat people the night before the beginning of a new year.
One story goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would take in a great many people at one time. People were very afraid. One day, an old man came to their help and said he would stop all this. He said to Nian, “I hear that you are very strong, but can you eat up all the beasts on earth instead of people who are too weak to be your enemies?” “Yes,” Nian agreed with him and went to kill many of the beasts on earth. People were very happy because those beasts also did bad things to people and killed their farm animals from time to time.
After that, the old man, who was a god, rode on the beast Nian and left. Nian was gone, and other beasts also went into forests; people began to enjoy their happy life. Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper-cuts on their windows and doors at each year’s end to drive Nian away, because red is the color the beast felt most afraid of.
From then on, every year at the beginning of spring, people prepare to “Guo Nian”. The word “Guo Nian” means “go through the Nian safely”. Putting up red paper-cuts to drive Nian away and making dumplings for a better new year are still an every-year doing by the Chinese people. However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, they just feel the color and the food make the New Year very enjoyable.
【小题1】How did the old man stop Nian from eating people?

根据首字母及中文填写正确的单词（共10小题；每小题0.5分，满分5分）
1. I could see a tall f_______ over there, but when I came near, I found it wasn’t a person.
2. After a few days’ stay in hospital, Mr. Green r_______  from his illness. 
3. In China, young children are usually taught to r_______ the old people.
4. He is a f_______ as an artist, but a success as an art teacher.
5. After g_____________ from university, he worked as a newspaper reporter.
6. The students are making p__________ for the coming mid- examination.    
7. Attention should be paid to m_______ good use of English newspapers rather than selling materials to students.
8. I am trying to lose weight because I’m so a________ of my body.
9. The children had an a_______ about what game to play, but they reached an agreement in the end.
10. He is so shy that he often feels e____________ about making speeches in public.