Once in a village, the villagers built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it. They admired its beauty! They said it was the most beautiful building in the world. Up on the roof, a little nail（钉子）heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure – except the nail! No one even knew he was there, and he became very angry and sad.
“If I am not important, nobody will miss me if I quit!” So the nail then released (松开) its hold, got down from the roof, and fell into the mud.
That night it rained and rained. Soon, the board that had no nail was blown away, and the roof began to leak (漏水). The water flowed down along the walls and over the beautiful pictures on the walls. The plaster (石膏) began to fall, the floor was ruined, and the Bible was also ruined by water. All this was because a little nail decided to quit!
But what of the nail? While holding the board, it was not known by others but it was useful. Buried in the mud now, it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust!
What the story wants to say is that every member is important to a whole group!
You may, like the nail, feel not important at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. A big building might fall to pieces. You are important to a group even if you are small.
【小题1】Why did the nail decide to quit?

Hiking

If you like to hike during the warm months, you’ll probably like to hike in the winter. The landscape changes completely from summer to fall to winter, and the snow can make for some really beautiful photos. Be sure to bring your camera with you to capture all the awesome scenery. Because it’s cold out, you also have the added benefit of not sweating too much through your clothes, and it’s a great excuse to grab some hot chocolate when you finish your hike.

Cross-country skiing

Cross-country skiing is great exercise and a great way to see the winter scenery at the same time. If you’ve never done cross-country skiing before, be sure to check with an expert before trying it yourself. Knowing what to expect can keep you safe and prevent an injury.

Snowball fighting

Everyone remembers going outside, building a snow fort(城堡),and having snowball fights when they were kids. The fun doesn’t have to stop when you’re an adult! Go outside with your friends, build a fort and start throwing snowballs at each other. If you have kids, get them in on the action. Throwing snowballs is a great way to use some extra energy and can be really fun for the whole family.

Bird-watching

Lots of birds migrate during the winter months, and these quiet, cold hours can be a great time to see them like never before. Eagles, for example, migrate through central Illinois in February, and watching them fly through Starved Rock State Park is a breathtaking sight. Check your local parks to find out what birds you can see in your area and get out there to see them.

1.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Outdoor winter activities

B．Popular winter sports around the world

C．Fun winter activities for children

D．Best ways to enjoy winter scenery.

2.As for cross-country skiing, the author suggests people_______.

A．try to do it on their own

B．ask an expert for advice

C．take a camera with them

D．take a rest whenever possible

3.Which of the following does the author suggest for those with kids?

A．Hiking　　　　　　　                   B．Cross-country skiing

C．Snowball fighting　　　                  D．Bird-watching

4.What can we know about Starved Rock State Park from the passage?

A．It’s the largest natural park in Illinois.

B．It’s a good place for bird-watching.

C．It’s well-known for its strange animals.

D．It is home to a lot of birds.

Diao Weihao, a student who studies business English at the Chengdu campus of Sichuan International Studies University, was in his dormitory when the earthquake struck at 2:30 pm on Monday.
The 22-year-old felt that his chair was shaking. All of a sudden, the textbooks on the bookshelf began to fall to the floor. The glass in the window broke.
“It felt like our dormitory building was being hit by a tractor,” recalled Diao. “I wasn’t afraid.. I was even excited and curious. Now, looking back, it was a scary experience.”
Diao and his roommates kept their calm. They didn’t try to get out of the building until the shaking stopped. They were on the fifth floor and they feared there might be trouble if they didn’t remain calm.
“We’ve watched lots of disaster films, and that helped us keep cool,” he said. “Only one student sprained（扭伤） his ankle. He was escaping in a hurry. Most of us got outside quickly and safely.”
They were surprised to see so many students outside.
“I began to realize then what had happened,” he said. The college had warned them that in the event of an earthquake, they should leave the dormitory immediately. A few did rush in when it was safe to grab some clothes to keep warm.
Without any tents or bedding, the students stayed on the football field for the whole night. Rain started falling in the morning, but the students all kept in good order. They simply chatted and shared their feelings and comforted each other.
“Our students seemed to have self-control,” he said. “I heard that hospitals in Chengdu have lots of injured people who jumped out of buildings.”
Now, Diao is mostly worried about the people in Wenchuan County.
“It seems we won’t be able to have classes in one or two day’s time,” said Diao. “I want to become a volunteer at the damage-hit area, or donate my blood to the injured people in hospital. Also, I will write on my blog to keep people calm and encourage them to protect themselves during emergencies.”
Since the university is close to Dujiangyan, Diao and his classmates are still forbidden to return to their dorms or classrooms. However, they can eat in the canteen and get information about other parts of Sichuan by reading the newspapers.
【小题1】Where was Diao Weihao when the earthquake happened?

【小题1】His dream was that the Olympic Games would make it possible for countries and people live p_____ side by side.
【小题2】Did you know the f_____ of the national table tennis competition? The result was very surprising.
【小题3】If we don’t fall in deep thought and are just satisfied with surface things, sooner or later we will find we haven’t gained anything because our first i_______ has blinded and misled us.
【小题4】Before our talk, I did not think very much about how an advertiser might be trying to t_______ customers into buying a product or a service.
【小题5】PSAs are often placed for free, and are i______ to educate people about health, safety, or any other issue which affects public welfare.
【小题6】Join me in wishing the Olympic movement a successful future to match its （光辉的）________ past .
【小题7】 One of the PSAs to teach us how to live healthy lives is ‘Smoking is ______ suicide(自杀) slowly’.
【小题8】Our new packaging will be colorful and ________ (引人注目).
【小题9】 It is ______(极其) important to know your audience so you can create the right message for the right people.
【小题10】 Fifteen years later the Qin Dynasty was _______ (推翻).

根据下列句子及所给汉语注释，在对应位置上写出空缺处各单词的正确形式。（每空只写一词）
【小题1】Things fall to the ground because of the earth’s ________(万有引力).
【小题2】Two children ________ (溺死) after falling into the water.
【小题3】The ________ (场景) of this play is set in Ireland.
【小题4】Each of us has our strengths and ________ (弱点).
【小题5】He ________ (道歉) publicly the day before yesterday.
【小题6】Today’s festivals have many _______ (起源)， some religious, some seasonal, and some for special people or events.
【小题7】Easter is an important religious and social festival for ______ (基督徒) around the world.
【小题8】What will happen to you if you don’t eat a _______ (平衡的) diet?
【小题9】The fact is that I earned my passage by working as an unpaid hand, which ________ for (导致)my appearance.
【小题10】They laid eggs too and _______ (存在) on the earth for more than 140 million years.