Visitors to Britain may experience local culture in a traditional pub. But for a stranger visiting the country, these friendly pubs can be traps of potential bad manners for the uneducated.

A team of researchers have released some of the hidden customs of British pubs. Most people would like to start with getting a drink when meeting with difficulties. Most pubs have no waiters and as a result, you yourself have to go to the bar to buy drinks. A group of Italian youths wait 45 minutes before they realize they would have to fetch their own. This may sound inconvenient, but there is a hidden purpose.

Pub culture is designed to promote communication in a society known for its quietness. Standing at the bar for service allows you to chat with others waiting to be served. The bar counter is possibly the only site in the British Isles in which friendly conversation with strangers is considered entirely appropriate and really quite normal behavior.

"If you haven't been to a pub, you haven't been to Britain. " This tip can be found in a booklet The Tourists' Guide to Pub Etiquette （禮節(jié)）, which can be seen as a "passport" to the pub for those wanting to know about "a central part of British life and culture". The trouble is that if you do not follow the local rules, the experience may fall flat. For example, if you are in a big group, it is best if only one or two people go to buy the drinks. Nothing annoys the regular customers and bar staffs more than a crowd of strangers blocking all access to the bar while they chat and argue about what to order.

1．Why is the British pub the best place to experience local cultures?

       A．Because it is a potential place for all the educated to gather

       B．Because it is a traditional place with a lot of local strangers

       C．Because the educated can relax themselves entirely there

       D．Because you can meet different kinds of local people there

2．If you want to have a drink in a pub, you can       .

       A．go to get the drinks yourself             B．wait for the waiters to come

       C．wait in line for 45 minutes              D．bring some homemade drinks

3．The author introduces the British pub in a（n）        tone.

       A．critical                B．admiring          C．neutral              D．concerned

4．What might annoy others in a pub?

       A．Going to pub in a big group             B．Chatting about what to order

       C．Standing in the way to the bar           D．Buying drinks at the counter

Giving bad news is a difficult ball game. To help you get through an already difficult situation, try these tips when you have to tell someone bad news.

Think about your audience. People respond differently to bad news. Think about who you're talking to and how best to pass on unpleasant information to that person.

Consider the news. Are you the best person to give this news? If not, then you should consider letting others do it. Remember, however, that if you' re talking to someone about your relationship, there is no other choice. It is something you yourself have to face.

Look for an appropriate moment to break the news. You don't tell the bride her grandfather died right before she walks down the passage. Wait until the time is right and you are at a private place where you won't be interrupted.

Find a chair. No one should be standing when receiving bad news.

Go straightforward. Give bad news the same way you take off a bandage: QUICKLY. Say that you have bad news and then tell it. Don't leave the receiver twisting in the wind.

Let it sink in. Many people mentally shut down when hearing bad news. There's no reason to keep talking if someone can' t hear you any more.

Be ready for anything. Your audience may do nothing or may instead scream and throw things when you give unwelcome news. You just never know. If things get out of hand. you may need to temporarily excuse yourself or seek the help of friends or relatives.

Offer your help. Let people know you are there for them. If you're breaking up with someone, however, you should consider skipping this step, because the last thing she'll want is your help.

1．The proper way to express your dissatisfaction with your best friend is to        .

       A．think about his reaction and avoid letting him know it

       B．consider you are the best person to tell the truth

       C．try to find someone else to pass on your dissatisfaction

       D．go to your friend and let him know your dissatisfaction

2．What is the best way for you to break the bad news to a bride?

       A．To Let her stand up                         B．To wait for a right time

       C．To release it quickly                         D．To shut down her mind

3．If your friend loses control of himself after hearing the bad news, you' d better         .

       A．stay there and do nothing                B．scream and throw things

       C．quit and ask others for help                D．stay in and keep talking

4．What does the underlined sentence really mean?

       A．She hates accepting any of your help

       B．She will need your help later on

       C．You should have helped her earlier

       D．She will refuse any offered help

I find some of the ways in which Chinese parents show love for their children rather surprising. Obviously there are some pretty big differences between our behaviors and theirs in this respect. Most Chinese children seem to get whatever they want, from ice creams, sweets and toys to endless attention from the adults around them. Is this a sort of spoiling or love? I wonder.

Most westerners would think it is a sort of spoiling rather than love. We think love means educating your children and bringing them up to lead an independent life. That includes learning to accept the fact that he can't get everything he wants. As an adult, he will not always get the quite expensive car he hunts for; she will not always manage to acquire the beautiful dress she longs for. So we try to teach our children early to cope with the disappointment of not getting what they want.

I find too much such kind of love for the children can actually spoil them. To my surprise, it seems that the life of a Chinese child is rather hard. Without doubt, the child is the very center of a whole circle of adults, but on the other hand he or she is also expected to start studying according to adults' wishes. Many children of my son's age take piano lessons, painting classes and even English lessons. It looks as if Chinese adults think that just playing without learning anything is a waste of time. So in this respect our children appear spoiled, just because they are allowed to play. But without this sort of play how can western children develop such free and rich imaginations? In fact the connection between this imagination and the creativity is so important in the children’s future life.

1．In which way do most Chinese children seem to be spoiled?

       A．They can be supported by their parents

       B．They can play whenever they want

       C．They need not behave themselves

       D．Their demand can always be satisfied

2．In the author's opinion, the life of a Chinese child is         .

       A．rather hard         B．rather easy         C．independent        D．colorful

3．The author think western children appear spoiled because         .

       A．they can manage time by themselves

       B．they can have the freedom to play

       C．they can take piano lessons

       D．they may have expensive toys

4．The best title of the passage could be         .

       A．Chinese children's early education          B．How to develop kids' imagination

       C．What is the real love for children           D．The imagination and creativity

閱讀下面短文，根據所讀內容在表格中的空白處填入恰當的單詞。注意：每個空格只填一個單詞。

Being a good neighbor matters – not only because it makes life more pleasant, but also because being a good neighbor is part of being a good person.

Being a good neighbor has a lot to do with respecting privacy. It's often best to mind your own business, give neighbors a lot of space and try to sense when it' s appropriate to back off. But it' s just as important to know when the time is right to give a hand. Helping with physical work is one good way to establish trust. If your neighbor is going to be moving some heavy furniture, or needs help fixing something you know your way around, offer to help out. Once you' re getting familiar, this assistance can also extend to things like house -sitting or collecting the mail while your neighbor is away. If you have a close relationship with your neighbors, the day may come when you' re asked to take care of their kids. Should you accept, you'll probably end up playing with and entertaining these children.

It should go without saying that pet owners need to care for their animals properly. This includes cleaning up after them. There are few things more annoying for neighbors than a dog that uses their lawns（草坪）as a toilet，or that barks endlessly while chained up in a backyard. Don’t mess around – be a kind and responsible pet owner·

There are times when a certain level of noise is fine and there are times when it isn’t – and it’s good to know the difference. Turn the music down a bit after sundown，and further reduce the volume as it gets toward 10 p.m. It’s usually fine to throw an occasional loud party as long as the neighbors are invited or have been informed.

How To Be a Good Neighbor

2009年l1月初，你所在的城市下了一場罕見的大雪。此次大雪比去年提前了近一個月，雪災給人們的生產和生活帶來了巨大的影響。請根據下面的提示，敘述這件事，并談談你的感受。

1．早晨外面大雪飛揚，很多樹木被積雪壓斷，房屋受損；很多車輛被困在路上；人們被迫步行前往目的地；部分航班被取消；列車被迫延遲。

2．市政府號召全市人民參與除雪活動，并采取措施，解救被困群眾，確保市民生活盡快恢復正常。

3．最后寫出你的感受。

注意：

1．詞數：l00個左右；

2．文章的開頭已給出，不計人總詞數.

3．參考詞匯：目的地destination

In early November, 2009, our city witnessed a terrible disaster of snowstorm. The heavy snow happened a month earlier than last year, greatly affecting the life of people.

Sea turtles have been on Earth for millions of years, but they may soon die out．The main  1   to them is people who kill them for food, according to Dr．Wallace J．Nichols of the University of California.

But the latest news may   2   turtle hunting: Dr．Nichols has found that sea turtles   3   a lot of pollution from the ocean．This pollution is unhealthy for both turtles and humans．It can cause __4__ damage to their bodies and lead to death．Research shows that many people get sick    and even die from eating sea turtle meat．

In the US, most people have never eaten turtle．This is because turtles are   5   by the United States law, which makes it   6   to harm or kill these amazing animals．“But many people in other countries still eat them,” explains Nichols．“Our first   7   was to save turtles; now we must save   8   too.”

Davis said he also wants to send out a bigger   9   that we should protect the oceans．“The health of the ocean, animals in the ocean, and our own health are all   10  ．A clean ocean is really good for us too because of the food we eat from there.”

1．A．doubt              B．stream                 C．danger                D．worry

2．A．accelerate          B．slow           C．improve           D．change

3．A．cause              B．expand            C．absorb             D．reduce

4．A．accidental           B．occasional         C．unknown          D．serious

5．A．qualified            B．protected           C．restricted           D．produced

6．A．impossible           B．difficult            C．illegal              D．abnormal

7．A．goal                 B．impression          C．difficulty            D．cost

8．A．Earth               B．ocean               C．people              D．animals

9．A．advertisement       B．message          C．sign                D．problem

10．A．concerned       B．disturbed         C．developed          D．connected

閱讀下面短文，按照句子結構的語法性和上下文連貫的要求，在空格處填入一個適當的詞或使用括號中詞語的正確形式填空。

It was a cold and cloudy afternoon．I was on the bus with my children, aged four and two, heading home when it started to rain．I realized this would mean a wet walk home   1   the bus stop.

Home was only two blocks away   2   it was not a pleasant walk with one small boy fast asleep in the pram （手推嬰兒車）, the other one in a raincoat and no umbrella for myself．A pick-up truck passed us on the road and, a few minutes later, I saw it   3   （pull） back and the driver looking directly at us．

A young man put the window down．“Hey, here’s an umbrella for you --- please take it.” He called out.

I stood there   4  （astonish）, barely believing that the man,   5   existence was unknown to me only moments ago, could be so   6  （thought）．“Come on, give this to your mummy,” he said to my older son．I gratefully accepted the offer,   7  （thank） him and watched the truck disappear down the road.

This man might have needed the umbrella for   8   later during the day but preferred to give it to me．It was a lesson to me   9   it’s possible to give without expecting anything   10   return.

Maurice Sendak’s children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, has become very successful throughout the years and was made into a movie earlier this year.

The book’s main character is a boy named Max who gets into trouble with his mother and is sent to bed without any supper．Before long, Max’s room magically becomes a forest, and he sails away to a land where monsters live．Max isn’t scared, though, and becomes king of the wild things, but after a while, he begins feeling homesick．Max sails back home and his supper is still hot when he arrives in his bedroom.                  

Many teachers and professors like this story and use it to help children develop creativity and imagination．Melina Davis, an education professor, said she likes how the book contains a couple of pages that have only pictures on them．“This allows children to shape the story themselves,” she said.

The book contains a few of larger words that some parents worry may confuse children, but experts say those words help improve children’s reading skills and challenge them．

Davis said the book is well written which helps kids get involved in the story．“The book talks about what all children go through, like ‘I was naughty but my mommy still loves me’,” Davis said.

The book also encourages children to face their fears．“I think it’s really good to show that Max is friends with the monsters,” Davis said．“Kids can find out monsters aren’t always the thing under the bed that’s going to scare them．I think this is good because it shows that the children can go to scary places but still have a positive experience.”

Since the book has been successful throughout the years, a movie was recently made and many people are excited to see it．Davis said she thinks the movie will be wonderful but it might be a little scary for younger children．“You don’t want bad dreams over a book that’s extremely wonderful,” Davis said．

1．Teachers and professors like the book Where the Wild Things Are because it helps children ___________.

A．learn to draw their own pictures            B．understand their own fear

C．develop more quickly                           D．become more imaginative

2．What is the intention of using the larger words in the book?

A．To add to the difficulty while children are reading.

B．To help challenge the children’s reading skills.

C．To cause the children some confusion.

D．To help children get involved in the story．

3．Which of the following is TRUE about the book?

A．The character Max is brave enough in the story.

   B．Max was sent to the forest as punishment.

   C．It is suitable for people of all ages.

   D．It is the most popular children’s book ever published.

4．What does Davis think of the movie?

A．She thinks children of all ages will love it.

B．She encourages children to see it to fight against their fear.

C．She worries that it might be too frightening for some children.

D．She believes it will be a better choice for children than the book．

5．What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To suggest ways to improve children’s reading.

B．To comment on a famous children’s book.

C．To encourage children to read scary stories.

D．To introduce a movie based on a children’s book.

There is a scene that is repeated up and down the land during the month of June．Outside a church in some Scottish town or village a small crowd has interrupted its daily affairs to gather on the pavement．Near the west door a dozen or so overdressed people are glancing impatiently at their watches．The men seem a little self-conscious in their hired kilts; the women hold their wind-blown dresses and loudly admire each other’s hats．They are all lively and talkative, yet at the same time strangely reserved．The crowd ignores them, barely noticing when they disappear into the church．Even the arrival of the groom rouses little excitement．These participants are not the main attraction．We are waiting for the bride.

Whatever her age or appearance, everyone will smile and express approval．By convention, all brides are beautiful．Nobody says so, but the spectators feel cheated unless she steps out of a car, dressed in white from head to toe．The nearer she matches their image, the greater their satisfaction．This event is not merely a wedding; it is a tradition, and such occasions are potentially dangerous．Participants must pay strict attention to detail．An untraditional bride destroys the magic.

When the crowd has left, some bystanders will remain to watch the bride walk out of church on the arm of her groom．The guests troop out behind the happy couple and all gather on the pavement with an obvious air of relief．A piper strikes up Mairi’s Wedding and the guests start shouting and jumping everywhere, putting the photographer off his work．Before bride and groom lead their party to the reception, someone is sure to disobey the priest and scatter forbidden confetti （五彩碎紙）.

The particulars of this scene are modern; yet three elements are present that have existed since marriage in Scotland began—ancient Roman law redefined in a Christian context, Celtic tradition, and pre-Christian tradition.

1．Why is the scene mentioned in this article often seen all over Scotland in June?

    A．It’s hot in June so men can wear kilts and women can put on beautiful dresses.

    B．A lot of Scottish people like getting married at that time of the year.

    C．In June people can get away from their daily affairs and go to church.

    D．June is considered the luckiest month of the year.

2．The underlined word “them” （in Paragraph 1） refers to ________.

     A．the overdressed people                     B．the bride and groom

     C．the people on the street                     D．the people’s hats

3．Please put the following in correct order.

       a．The bride arrives.

       b．The couple walks out of the church.

       c．A piper plays some music.

       d．The groom arrives.

       e．The bride and groom lead people to the reception.

       f．People wait outside the church． 

A．f, d, a, c, b, e      B．f, d, a, b, c, e  C．d, f, a, b, e, c      D．d, a, f, b, e, c

4．The underlined part “putting the photographer off his work” （in Paragraph 3） most probably means _____.

A．making the photographer feel relieved

B．giving the photographer a chance to rest

C．disturbing the photographer when he is taking pictures

D．having the photographer taken away from his duty

5．What can we infer from the passage?

  A．Women going to a wedding ceremony pay most attention to each other.

  B．Spectators of a wedding ceremony are particularly interested in the groom.

  C．Confetti is forbidden at the wedding ceremony because it is not all white.

  D．If the bride is dressed all in white traditionally, she is considered beautiful.

閱讀下列應用文及相關信息，并按照要求匹配信息。

首先請閱讀下列餐館的信息：

A．Pasta House – new Italian restaurant located in the heart of the city．Simple but delicious inexpensive meals．Also has a good range of vegetable-only meals．It’s always crowded so be ready to order take-away or share a table．Open 11 a.m．to midnight.

B．A Taste of India – famous for its spicy curries and many southern Indian dishes using chilli．You will usually be able to find a table during the week but if you’re planning to go on the weekend make sure you book a table in advance．Open noon to midnight.

C．Paris Match – this is the finest French restaurant in the city．Wonderful food you can enjoy in luxurious surrounding．The perfect place to have a romantic meal or impress a business partner, but be prepared for a large bill．Open noon to 2 a.m．Booking essential.

D．Mountain Diner – not fancy but tasty．Excellent Asian and European dishes．Countryside location surrounded by forest．It’s at least an hour’s drive from the city so you might want to stay at the nearby Mountain Hotel overnight．Open 7 a.m．to 10 p.m.

E．Owl Café – open 24 hours a day the café has a large selection of set breakfast, lunch and dinner meals for you to choose from, or you can enjoy one of their many delicious snacks and desserts over a cup of freshly made coffee．

F．Greek Bistro – a lively restaurant that serves great-value Greek food and has live Greek music played by a local band．Customers are encouraged to take part in the entertainment so be ready for a night of loud fun and laughter．Open 6 p.m．to 2 a.m.

以下是五個人的選擇要求，請匹配每個人擬選擇的地方：

1．Bill – was late getting up today so hasn’t had time to make breakfast．He wants to pick up something to eat before he goes to work so he has enough energy to last through to lunch time．

2．Julie – works in the city and wants to get some lunch．She doesn’t want anything too special so long as it is tasty and not too expensive．Julie likes all kinds of food but because she is on a diet she wants to avoid anything containing meat．

3．Sally – has friends visiting her from out-of-town and wants to take them to dinner．She wants to take them somewhere they can enjoy the atmosphere and have fun．She is a university student so doesn’t have a lot of money and doesn’t like her food too hot．

4．Albert – is a businessman who will meet an important European client for a business dinner next week．Want to book a table at a quiet restaurant that will impress his guest with both its food and its surroundings．

5．Robert – is meeting his friend Ben for lunch today （Tuesday） and wants to take him to a nice restaurant．Both Robert and Ben enjoy good quality spicy food．Robert doesn’t like arranging things in advance so he hasn’t booked a table.