The fourth of July marks the anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence from Britain. During the summer of 1776, American colonists were deeply divided. Almost one in three was loyal to Britain. Yet most were increasingly angry about what they considered unfair treatment by the British government. By June, fighting had already taken place between colonial forces and Britain. The idea of independence was spreading.

Delegates (代表) from the thirteen colonies gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Continental Congress decided that a document declaring separation from Britain should be declared. Thomas Jefferson led a committee chosen to write it.

On July 4^th, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence. It says that people have the right to change their government if it denies them their rights. It states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit (追求) of happiness.

Today, the Fourth of July holiday is a time for friends and families to gather. They might play sports and eat hot dogs, hamburgers and other foods cooked outdoors. They might watch a parade in their community. At night, many people gather to watch fireworks bursting in the dark sky.

In Washington, D. C. this year (2011), thousands of people attended a concert with performances by musicians. There was also a huge fireworks show with more than two thousand five hundred shells exploding over the National Mall.

Another event that traditionally took place on the National Mall was the Smithsonian Folk life Festival. This year’s event celebrated the cultures of Mexico and Asian Pacific Americans. Visitors heard the music, eat the food and learn about the many traditions of these cultures.

The third subject of the festival was called “Smithsonian Inside Out”. Smithsonian experts had a chance to present their research and knowledge to the public.

1.Why was the idea of independence spreading before July 4, 1776? (No more than 10 words)

2.What right does everyone have according to the Declaration of Independence? (No more than 13 rds)

3.What does the Fourth of July holiday mean to Americans today? (No more than 10 words)

4.What happened at “Smithsonian Inside Out” this year (in 2011)? (No more than 12 words)

Directions:Write an English composition according to the instructions given below

in Chinese.      

在紧张的高二备考阶段，英语王老师为了提高复习效率，广泛征求学生意见，并借此训练学生的书面表达能力。假如你叫张华，请根据以下提示，给老师写封信，表达你的需求和建议。

● 为夯实基础，适当放慢进度，留出思考和消化的时间；

● 请反复训练易错的知识点，提供典型试题；

●…… （个人补充）

●…… （个人补充）

●…… （个人补充）

注意：

1．短文必须包括以上要点以及个人的补充要求或建议，不要逐句翻译，可适当增加细节以使行文连贯。

2. 参考词汇：lay a solid foundation打下坚实的基础  slow down减缓速度；放慢速度

3．词数：120个左右。开头已给出，不计词数。

Dear Mr．Wang,

Thank you for providing us with an opportunity to share our views．

In the course of the general revision, __________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________  

Yours

Zhang Hua

Standing inside ____ lots of strange creatures with white skin and large black eyes.

If ____ in, the viruses can result in illness or even deaths.

When Justin didn’t ____ for lunch the next day, Mrs Foster became worried and called the police.

The police said they would not give up looking into other possibilities ____they find out what happened.

I still remember that terrible accident a few days ago, ____ more than 20 pupils were killed.

We’ll live with the local people in their villages, and eat and drink whatever they ____, including cow’s blood.

Do you think it is worth ____ your life for adventure?

When we got up this morning, we found the sun rose, ____ it always does, in a clear sky.