Middle school days are both fun and busy. Students spend their days in class, listening to the interesting and        boring words of the teacher. They spend the short breaks running, playing and shouting happily        going back to the classroom again. But        should students spend their free time outside school?
In Western countries, it is ordinary for students to have a part-time job after school and at weekends. Students can make their own money and learn more about the “        world”. They enjoy the independence(独立) and(of course) money, and parents enjoy the quiet house.        , it seems that, in China, parents        so much about their children’s studies that they prefer to see their children        most of their free time studying and preparing for all those exams. It is natural for        to feel that way in China, but I believe the answer lies in balance. Sometimes, western school children work long hours after school to make money, so they become too tired to listen in class or have no time for homework. But Chinese students spend        much time on their studies that other things become3 less important.
So, find a good and healthy balance! If you have a part-time job and you feel        , your parents will also be happy because you’re spending the money you make and not theirs!

小题1:	A．always B．sometimes C．forever D．even

小题2:	A．while B．after C．before D．without

小题3:	A．where B．what C．why D．how

小题4:	A．true B．real C．developing D．developed

小题5:	A．Because B．And C．However D．Although

小题6:	A．know B．talk C．worry D．complain

小题7:	A．spend B．use C．talk D．keep

小题8:	A．students B．teachers C．children D．parents

小题9:	A．such B．so C．very D．too

小题10:

A．happy B．tired C．nervous D．busy

It's not just women who wear skirts. Men can wear them, too. In Scotland, men wear a kind of skirt called a kilt. The kilt is their national dress and an important part of their tradition (传统).
A kilt is a colored skirt reaching down to the knees(膝盖). It has checks (格子) on it with different colors, like red or blue. Each family in Scotland has its own colors.
How did the Scots start to wear kilts? There are many stories about it. One story is that the kilt was invented (发明) in the 1720s by an English factory owner, Thomas Rawlinson. Rawlinson had a lot of Scottish workers in his factory and he thought their clothing got in the way of their work. So he cut their long clothes into a shorter skirt.
Today, most Scotsmen see kilts as formal(正式)dresses. They usually only wear them at weddings or big dinners. There are only a few men who still wear a kilt every day. Scots also wear kilts in parades when they play their traditional musical instrument(乐器): bagpipes (风笛). The army still has kilts as the dress uniform (制服), but they no longer wear them to fight (打仗).
小题1: A kilt is ____.

A.

B.

C.

D.

小题2:In Scotland, different families have different ___.

A．colors

B．checks

C．rules

D．shapes

小题3:What does "got in the way of" in the third paragraph mean?

A．到达

B．得到

C．在路上

D．妨碍

小题4:When do Scotsmen wear kilts?

A．At weddings

B．At big dinners

C．In parades

D．all of the above

小题5:The story mainly tells us ____.

A．things about Scotsmen's traditional kilts

B．how to wear kilts

C．when to wear kilts

D．Scotsmen's important tradition

You may know the English letters A, B and C. But do you know there are people called ABC? You may like eating bananas. But did you know there is such a thing as a “banana person”? How strange! Are these people from “another earth” ? No. They are just Chinese people like you and me.
ABC means American-born-Chinese. An ABC is a Chinese, but was born in the United States. Sometimes, people call an ABC a “banana person”. A banana is yellow outside and white inside. So, when a person is a banana, he or she is white inside---hinting like a Westerner(西方人) and yellow outside --- looking like a Chinese.
Do you know why? Usually, ABCs know little about China or the Chinese language. Some of them don’t speak Chinese. Also, they are not interested in Chinese politics(政治),But if ABCs can’t speak Chinese, can we still call them Chinese people? Yes, of course. They are Chinese. They are overseas(海外的) Chinese. These people may be citizens(公民) of another country like the US, Canada or Singapore. But they have Chinese blood. Their parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents were from China. They all have black eyes and black hair. But they are not Chinese citizens. They are not people of the People’s Republic of China. For example, we all know the famous scientist C.N. Yang(杨振宁). He got the Nobel Prize Physics in 1957. Chinese people love him. But he is an American citizen.
小题1:“ABC” in this passage stands for “_______”.
A. a kind of banana       B. three English letters     C. Chinese born in American
小题2:Chinese in Westerner countries are called “banana persons” because __________
A. their bodies are white inside but yellow outside.
B. they think like Westerners but look like Chinese
C. they were born in China but go to study in America
小题3:The underlined word “blood” may probably mean _________
A. 血统           B. 洪水             C. 身份
小题4:C. N. Yang is mentioned here to show that _________
A. American Chinese are great    
B. Chinese people can win Nobel Prize.
C. American Chinese are not Chinese citizen.
小题5:This passage mainly talks about________
A. overseas Chinese        B. the Nobel Prize       C. the life story of C.N. Yang

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小题1:The underlined word “accent” means “          ” in Chinese.

A．口型

B．口译

C．语气

D．口音

小题2:         provides homestays services.
A. YES Youngdo English School
B. Speaking Your Best Inc.
C. Canada language Learning Center(CLLC)
D. BROWNS English Language School
小题3:If you want to get more information about BROWNS English Language School, you can call_____ .

A．070-7445-1110	B．(416)784-0550
C．(774)212 3241	D．(+617)5561 1192

小题4:The material mainly tells us         .

A．some ways of learning English

B．some English language schools

C．English around the world

D．some advantages of learning English

Everyone may feel it difficult to fit in with a new culture. However, you needn’t change everything about yourself, because all of your experiences are part of you and make you special. The following tips may help you live in a new culture more easily.
Teach people your culture. You’re the one who meets the new culture, but it doesn’t mean you should be the one doing all the learning. Take the opportunity to teach new friends your culture. They may know little about it. Invite them for traditional dishes from your culture, or show them how you celebrate your holidays.
Find a support group. Find people in your neighborhood who recently moved here. You can share experiences, cheer each other up when things get difficult, and introduce each other to the new friends you’ve made.
Keep in touch with home. You probably left behind your good friends and family when you move. If it’s a long time, keep in touch with them. Write letters, send emails, and make phone calls so that you can learn about the things happening there, and talk about your new experiences. Keep pictures around to remind you of home.
Remember: the key to getting over your culture shock(文化冲击)is to understand the new culture and find a way to live comfortably within it  52  keeping your culture in your heart.
It’s important to be yourself. Do not change too fast or too many things at once. You should have your own style. So, maintain(保持)what’s important to you and find a good combination between old and new cultures, and you’ll be fine.
小题1:The underlined phrase “fit in with”means “           ” in Chinese.

A．改变

B．研究

C．适应

D．产生

小题2:The underlined sentence in the second paragraph means          .

A．you should meet a new culture

B．you should keep the new culture far away

C．you should teach your culture to others

D．you should learn and follow the new culture

小题3:Which of the following words can fill in the blank of paragraph 5?

A．what

B．why

C．while

D．whether

小题4:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?     

A．People should teach their new friends their culture.

B．People should try to make some friends in a new place.

C．people should keep in touch with home after they leave.

D．People should give up their old culture in a new place.

Making sense of how the US shows humor
Living in a new country gives me many surprises. The first surprise was the way that the US people speak
One day I saw someone was having a public speech in a square. I thought it would be a serious speech. But I soon found it became a kind of entertainment show.
The speaker told the audience to protect the environment with humorous words. Later he said some people’s behavior didn’t go with their words. He took the example of Taylor Swift’s song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.[
He said that since Swift doesn’t want to be with the boy any more, she doesn’t need to speak it aloud, she doesn’t need to sing unless she still keeps in touch with that guy. It sounds like she is a hypocrite.
Then he sang the song in a funny way. The audience laughed out loudly. I felt a little angry because Swift is my favourite star. I couldn’t understand why they laughed at Swift.
As time goes on, I find many US people make fun of others. But they don’t mean to hurt them. They do that to show closeness and humour. And people who are laughed at seldom get angry. Now I understand the speaker at the square. Now I’ve got used to the way the US people speak.
It’s easy to find culture shock when you’re in a new place. But everyone should learn to understand different cultures and customs. 
小题1:The man in the square was _______________.

A．teaching people how to give a speech

B．calling on people to protect the environment

C．giving a singing show in public

D．criticizing the US government

小题2:What does the underlined word “hypocrite” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．会唱歌的人

B．真诚的人

C．虚伪的人

D．爱护环境的人

小题3:From Paragraph 6, we learn that_________________.

A．many US people like to laugh at others

B．many US people are friendly and humorous

C．the US people get angry at others easily

D．the writer doesn’t like the way the US people speak

小题4:Which is Not suitable for the passage?

A．The writer went to America and protect the environment.

B．Americans show humour in a different way from China.

C．It’s easy to find culture shock when you are in a new place.

D．Tailor Swift is an American famous singer.

小题5:What does the article mainly talk about?

A．Differences between the Chinese and the US people.

B．In what way the US people speak in public.

C．How to get used to life in the US.

D．A Chinese girl’s culture shock experience in the US.

For many people of Norway(挪威), skiing(滑雪) is the best way to have fun in winter. Almost everyone can ski. Children learn to ski after they learn to walk. Long, long ago in Norway, there were no buses, trains or cars. People had to find a way to walk over the deep snow. Skis were the right answer!
Although they love winter, the people of Norway are also happy to see summer come. They enjoy the out-door activities at any time of the year. In summer they swim and sunbathe near the beach. Some people go hiking and go mountain climbing. Sail-boating is also very popular during the warm sunny summer months.
The Norwegians(挪威人), like people everywhere, find many in-door ways to have a good time. During the long winter they also enjoy movies. They like to read books from the libraries in all seasons. Family life is very important to the people of Norway.
小题1:In winter, ______ is the most popular sport for Norwegians to have a good time.

A．skiing.

B．skating.

C．swimming

D．skateboarding

小题2:Long, long time ago, Norwegians skied for  ______.

A．having fun	B．crossing the deep snow
C．making money	D．taking exercise

小题3:How many activities can you find in the passage?

A．5

B．7

C．8

D．6

小题4:The writer wants to tell us about ______.

A．skiing	B．the life of Norwegians
C．out-door activities	D．the way to have fun

小题5:Which sentence is right according to the passage?

A．Norwegians like winter, but they don’t like summer.

B．Norwegians don’t think family life is very important.

C．Norwegians also like indoor activities.

D．Norwegians dislike buses, trains or planes

从方框中所给的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项补全短文，其中有一项是多余选项。（10分）
Pablo Picasso（毕加索） was born in Spain in 1881. His father was a painter and art teacher. 小题1:__________________He won a prize — “Science and Charity” for his first important painting when he was only fifteen. He studied in several cities in Spain. But there was no one to teach him all that he wanted to know. 小题2:________________________
Paris was then the center of the world for artists. Everything that was new and exciting in the world of paintings seemed to happen there. 小题3:__________________When he was twenty-three, Picasso moved there to live . 小题4:_______________________
When he was over ninety, this great painter still lived his life like a young man. 小题5:____________________________
When he died in 1973, he was ninety-one years old.

Many people go to school for an education. They learn languages, history, politics, geography, physics, chemistry and mathematics. Others go to school to learn a skill so that they can make a living.
School education is very important and useful. Yet, no one can learn everything from school. A teacher, no matter how much he knows, can not teach his students everything they want to know. The teacher’s job is to show his students how to learn. He teaches them how to read and how to think. So, much more is to be learned outside school by the students themselves.
It is always more important to know how to study by oneself than to memorize some facts or a formula（公式）. It is actually quite easy to learn a certain fact in history or a formula in math. But it is very difficult to use a formula in working out a math problem.
Great scientists before us didn’t get everything from school. Their teachers only showed them the way. Edison didn’t even finish primary school. But they were all so successful. They invented so many things for mankind. The reason for their success is that they knew how to study. They read books that were not taught at school. They would ask many questions as they read. They did thousands of experiments. They worked hard all their lives, wasting not a single moment. Above all, they knew how to use their brain.
小题1: People go to school to _________.

A．learn several subjects	B．make a living
C．get an education	D．learn from teachers

小题2: According to the passage, the most important thing a teacher should do is _________.

A．to teacher his students everything he knows

B．to teach the students how to think

C．to know everything they want to know

D．to teach the students how to work out a math problem

小题3:To work out a math problem, you need to know _________.

A．only a certain formula	B．a certain fact
C．some facts	D．the way to solve it

小题4:Why were many scientists so successful?

A．They received good education.	B．They were very clever.
C．They knew how to learn.	D．They learned lots of facts and formulas.

小题5: How did great scientists study?

A．They read a lot of books and asked many questions while reading.

B．They did thousands of experiments.

C．They always worked hard and never wasted time.

D．All of the above.

During the last winter holiday, I went to China with my parents. The five-day trip left me with a deep impression.
As the capital of China, Beijing is a very beautiful city with fresh air and clean streets which make the travelers feel very pleased. To my surprise, many people there were learning English. Later I was told that they did so because Beijing would hold the 29th Olympic Games and they wanted most foreigners to understand them. They strictly kept the traffic rules. When there was a red light, no one was seen crossing the street.
Of all the places I visited, I liked the Summer Palace best. To our surprise, although it was winter when we were there, we still saw green trees and many fresh flowers. The whole park was very beautiful. We visited a very modern football field. We were told the buildings where the Olympic Games would be held were even better than that. I also enjoyed skiing in Xiangshan. Skiing is an interesting and exciting sport liked by many people.
In my eyes, China is a nice place and Chinese people are very kind. In Beijing Station, there were so many people, and most of them were going home to spend the Spring Festival—the most important Chinese festival, with their families. Passengers helped each other carry luggage（行李）, and they were very kind to foreigners. We were given a card by the hotel we stayed at, on which was the address of the hotel. With the card we never got lost in the city.
The five days passed quickly, but the trip left me a lot of sweet memories.
根据短文内容选择正确答案。
小题1:From the passage, we know the Summer Palace ______.

A．has flowers only in summer

B．is worth visiting all the year round

C．is a place where people visit only in summer

D．is a place where many people ski in winter

小题2:The writer enjoyed ______ in Xiangshan.

A．skating

B．swimming

C．skiing

D．board-skating

小题3:The five-day trip of Beijing was ______.

A．during New Year’s Day	B．after the Spring Festival
C．on the Mid-Autumn Day	D．before the Spring Festival

小题4:The foreigners were given a card each by the hotel ______.

A．so that they could easily find their hotel

B．in order to go shopping

C．so they could get something freely from the hotel

D．as the New Year’s gift

小题5:In the writer’s eyes, Chinese people ______.

A．are kind	B．are helpful
C．strictly kept the traffic rules	D．all of the above