Mr Smith teaches English in a university(大学). He is often very busy with work. When it’s summer or winter holidays, he goes out to take vacations to relax. Usually he goes to France because he thinks it’s an interesting country. And he can speak French very well.

But last month he said to his wife(妻子), “I’m not visiting France this time. I want to go to a different country. I choose Japan. But I can hardly speak Japanese, so I’m going to study it for a month before I go.”

He studied pretty hard for a month, and then his vacation started.

Ten days later, he came back. His wife asked him, “How about your short vacation in Japan? Did you have any trouble(麻烦) with your Japanese there?”

“No, I didn’t,” answered Mr Smith. “But the Japanese did!”

1.Mr Smith goes out to ______ when it’s summer or winter holidays.

A．have a rest                            B．learn languages

C．look for interesting jobs                  D．visit museums

2.The underlined word “choose” means(意思是) ______.

A．learn from         B．arrive in           C．work for          D．decide on

3.Mr Smith stayed in Japan for ______.

A．a month          B．ten days           C．two weeks         D．Sorry, I don’t know

4.Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Mr Smith works as a math teacher in a university.

B．Mr Smith takes vacations in different countries every year.

C．Mr Smith can speak English and French very well.

D．Mr Smith went to Japan with his wife.

5.What can we know from the last paragraph(段落)?

A．Mr Smith’s Japanese isn’t good.

B．The Japanese were friendly to Mr Smith.

C．Mr Smith speaks Japanese well.

D．Japanese is difficult to learn.

Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don’t have enough time to relax or to stay with their family.

   Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year than a French worker.

   Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don’t pay overtime. Their workers don’t get more pay for more work. Some people think it’s their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don’t work more hours.

   Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world.

1. A Japanese worker works __________ more hours a year than a French one.

A. 513          B. 1,646           C. 2,159         D. 3,805

2.The word “overtime” in Paragraph 3 means _____________.

A. 税费          B. 加班费                  C. 学费          D. 冷饮费

3.People in ________ get only two weeks of paid vacation a year.

A. France            B. Germany        C. the United States       D. Great Britain

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. No companies offer vacations to their workers.

B. Many people say they have enough time to relax.

C. Not all companies pay their workers for more work.

D. More than half of workers use all their vacation days.

5.What can we infer(推断) from the passage?

A. Many workers have to work long hours.

B. Many people have vacations long enough.

C. Work hours are the same around the world.

D. There are a lot of dull people in the world.

It’s Friday evening. My daughters, 3 and 9, sigh(叹息) when I gently take the iPads away from their laps. One by one, our screens are turned off. We light the candles and sit down to have a big meal.

Most people in our lives know they will not be able to contact us by using computer or moblie  phones for 24 hours. And so it has gone, every week for three years. We call it our “Technology Shabbat(科技安息日)" which lasts from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

I first understood the importance of disconnecting in 2008, when my father was told that he

had got brain cancer. Some days he would have ony one good hour, and I wasn’t willing to be disturbed when I was with him, so I’d turn off my mobile phone.

Soon after, encouraged by National Day of Unplugging(全国断网断电日) on March 1st, my husband and I decided to unplug for one full day every week.

During our “Technology Shabbats”, time slows. Our Saturdays now feel like mini-vacations. We drive our car or ride our bike. We, with our kids, work in the garden, play board games and cook meals. I feel more balanced. I feel like a better mother, wife and person.

Keeping a balance between the good and the bad of technology is my lasting state. The technology we’ve created makes it possible for us to share knowledge and take in carious ideas all over the world. But the technology also take something away from us. When we stay up late at night linking(连接) from website to website or sending messages or e-mailing, we click again, and again, and again until we’ve overloaded(超负荷的).

When we rush into the time full of high technology, it's necessary for us to pay attention to what we are doing online and when we should go off.

I will always remember the most important thing in my family: “Technology Shabbat".

1. When is “Techtwhgy Shabbat' in the writer's family?

A. Only on Sunday.

B. From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

C. Only on Friday.

D. From sunset on Saturday to sunset on Sunday.

2. The writer's family have “Technology Shabbat" every week mainly becausc they hope to ______.

A. save energy 

B. enjoy life together

C. stay away from others

D. follow National Day of Unplugging

3. What do the writers family NOT do during their “Technology Shubbats”?

A. They drive their car or ride bikes for mini-vacations.

B. They light the candles and sit down to have a big meal.

C. They work in the garden, play board games and cook meals.

D. They stay up late at night linking from website to website.

I always take my vacations at home．But this summer，I want to do something different．I'm going sightseeing．Next week I am leaving for Hainan．I am staying there for two weeks．Then I'm going to Tibet．Of course，I'm taking a lot of photos．I can't wait!

I think the best place for a summer vacation is the seaside（海滨）．I'm going to Hawaii on August 1st．It has fantastic beaches and I like the sand，the sea and the sun．I'm staying there for three weeks．There are lots of exciting things to do there．

This summer vacation，I'll be busy．I'm going to Europe to visit my grandparents in Paris and my uncle in London．I plan to go to New York，because I want to meet my pen pal Tony．

1.Li Hui is going to _____ first for vacation. 

A. Henan    B. Tibet    C. Hainan   D. Tianjin

2.Molly is staying in Hawaii for _____ weeks. 

A. two   B. three   C. four   D. five

3.Hector is going to Europe _____.

A. to visit his pen pal  B. to go sightseeing

C. to take photos  D. to visit his relatives(亲戚)

4.Hector’s pen pal lives in _____. 

A. Hawaii   B. London   C. New York   D. Paris

5.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Li Hui is not taking his vacation at home this summer.

B. Li Hui is taking lots of pictures during the summer vacation.

C. There are beautiful beaches in Hawaii.

D. Hector’s uncle lives in Paris.

We think it’s probably a good idea for parents to allow teenagers ____in groups during the evenings. I know we get ____sometimes, but we learn a lot from each other. We also think that vacations should be ____.At present they’re too short. Longer vacations would give us time to do things like volunteering. ___summer I had an opportunity ___at the local hospital, but I couldn’t because I had to go back to school.

1.A .to watch      B.to study         C.study          D.play

2.A. noisy        B.quiet           C.crowded       D.lonely

3.A. short         B.quicker         C.longer         D.slower.

4.A. Last          B.Next           C.Before         D.In

5.A. volunteering   B.to volunteer     C. volunteering    D. volunteered