Thanksgiving Day

Almost every culture in the world has held celebrations of thanks for a plentiful harvest. The American Thanksgiving holiday began as a festival of thanksgiving in the early days of the American colonies almost four hundred years ago.

In 1620, a boat filled with more than one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. Their first winter in the New World was difficult. They had arrived too late to grow any crops, and without fresh food, half the colonists died from disease. The following spring Indians taught then how to grow corn, a new food for the colonists. They showed them other crops to grow in the unfamiliar soil and how to hunt and fish.

In the autumn of 1621, many crops of corn, beans and pumpkins were harvested. The colonists and much to be thankful for, so a festival was planned. They invited the local Indian chief and 90 Indians. The Indians brought deer to roast with the turkeys and other wild game offered by the colonists. To this first Thanksgiving, the Indians had even brought popcorn. In following years, many of the original colonists celebrated the autumn harvest with a festival of thanks.

Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, a different date every year. The Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and sharing. Even if they live far away, family members gather for a reunion(重聚)at the house of an older relative. All give thanks together for the good things that they have.

1.When did the American Thanksgiving holiday begin?

A. Two hundred years ago

B. Four hundred years ago

C. Three hundred years ago

D. One hundred years ago

2.What does the underlined word “colonists” mean?

A. 殖民地 B. 本地人

C. 土著人 D. 移民

3.Thanksgiving is a time for _________.

A. tradition B. sharing

C. reunion D. A, B and C

4.The first colony had a difficult winter because __________.

A. they didn’t have clothes

B. they couldn’t speak the language

C. they had no books

D. they had arrived too late to grow any crops

5.Which of the following is right?

A. In 1620, many crops of corn, beans and pumpkins were harvested.

B. The following winter the Indians taught them how to grow corn.

C. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November.

D. With fresh food, half the colonists died from disease.

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How to beat sadness

We all have days when we are down, tired and unhappy. That’s OK. You need days like this, or how would you know you are happy? You’ll enjoy your good days even more when you have a few bad days. Even if sadness is a part of life, let’s try to make it small. Here are a few simple ways to help you feel better when you are feeling sad.

1. Stand up straight and this helps your energy flow(流动). When your energy is flowing freely, you can flow too.

2. Smile! It’s easy to do and have good results. This way can not only leave you in a good mood but also bring others a good mood.

3. Listen to music. It can be your favourite music. Some kinds of music work better than others, so try and find out what kind of music works the best for you.

4. Take some “me” time. You can find pleasure in reading a book, watching a sunrise or having a hot bath, or something like that.

5. Exercise. Even something as simple as taking a walk will get your blood flowing. It is a great way to clear your mind of anything that makes you sad.

These ways will cheer you up when you are down, but don’t just use them when you are sad. Try and practice them every day to make them a habit. You will be surprised to learn that these simple ways will keep your sadness away. But if you are in a deep depression(沮丧), go to see a doctor.

Title : How to beat sadness

Opinions

● It is OK to feel down, 1. and unhappy.

● It is possible to make sadness a small2. 2. of life.

Simple 3.

to cheer you up

● Stand up straight so that your 4. can flow freely.

5. at others because it can bring you and others a good mood.

● Listen to your 6. music because it works the best.

7. pleasure in everyday life, such as watching a sunrise.

● Take a walk and you can clear your 8. of sad things.

Suggestions

● Try to make these simple ways a 9..

● Go to see a 10. when you are in a deep depression.

Jose, a young musician, is a rising star in Bolivia. He has already performed in some of the countries’ top venues(会场) including the Legislative Palace. What’s so great about that? Jose is just seven years old and he is blind!

Jose is musically talented. At the age of 4, he picked up the drums and showed surprising talent. Later he moved on to the piano and his musical talent became undeniable(不可否认的). By the age of 5, Jose had formed his own jazz trio(三重奏)。

The young boy knows every jazz song in his book and can play them all with great confidence. And it is not the only kind of music he enjoys. He also loves listening to blues, heavy metal, etc.

Roberto Montano is clearly a proud father when speaking of his son Jose. He said that he had nothing to do with his son’s unusual talent. In fact he didn’t even know much about jazz until Jose started to play. He believes the young boy is just born with a “music chip” (芯片) inside him.

Although Jose is a rising superstar, he lives a life like other children do. Just like his classmates, he goes to school, does homework and even does chores at home.

1.Jose showed his talent for music when he was _______ years old.

A. four B. five

C. six D. seven

2. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 refers to ________.

A. piano songs B. the drums and the piano

C. jazz songs D. blues and heavy metal

3.What can we learn about Jose’s father?

A. He is a blind man

B. He is a great musician.

C. He is very strict with Jose

D. He is very proud of Jose.

4. We can learn from the last paragraph that Jose lives a ________ life.

A. busy B. rich C. different D. normal

5. Which can be the best title of the passage?

A. A Bolivian boy’s future plan

B. A school day of a Bolivian boy

C. A talented young musician in Bolivia

D. A family of great musicians in Bolivia

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