"How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly waythat people in the USA greet each other. But "How
are you" is also a very unusual question. It's a question that doesn't need an answer. The person who asks
"How are you" hopes to hear the the answer "Fine", even if the person's friend isn't fine. The reason is that
"How are you" isn't really a question and "Fine" isn't really an answer. They are simply other ways of saying
"Hello" or "Hi".
    Sometimes, people also don't say exactly what they mean. For example, when someone asks, "Do you
agree?" the other person may think, "No, I disagree. I think you are wrong…" But it isn't very polite to
disagree so strongly, so the other person might say, "I'm not sure." It's a nicer way to say that you don't
agree with someone.
    People also don't say exactly what they are thinking. For example,many talks over the phone finish when
one person says, "I've to go now." Often, the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse. "Someone is
at the door." "Something is burning on the stove."  The excuses might be real, or not. Perhaps the person
who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't polite to say that. The excuse is
more polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person.
    Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an idea, or finishing a talk, people don't say exactly
what they are thinking. It's an important way that people try to be nicer each other, and it's a part of the game
of language.

1. When a person in America asks "How are you", he or she wants to hear "______".

A. How are you.
B. Hello
C. I don't know
D. Fine

2. When a person doesn't agree with someone, it's more polite to say, "______."

A. You are wrong, I think
B. I am not sure
C. I'm sure I don't agree
D. No, I don't agree

3. A polite way to end a conversation on the phone is to say, "______."

A. I have to go now
B. You should hang up
C. You should have to go now
D. I don't like to talk any more

4. When a person says, "I have to go now", he may be ______.

A. ill
B. asking you a question
C. giving an excuse
D. hurting someone's feeling

5. One of rules of the game of language is erhaps "______".

A. Don't tell people the truth
B. Don't hurt the other person's feelings
C. Always say what you mean
D. Never say exactly what you are thinking about

       I'd l    1     to tell you about Halloween. People in the USA celebrate it in the evening o    2     October
31st.On that day, children like to play a game c    3     "trick or treat". They knock on p    4     doors and
shout "trick or treat". If people don't give them a    5     candies, they can play a trick o    6     them. Usually
they w    7     masks or paint their faces. People don't know who they are. Another i    8     thing is to make
pumpkin lanterns. On the evening of that day, families always have a s    9     party. People can h   10    hot
drinks and lots of nice hot food.
1.               2.               3.                4.                5.               
6.               7.               8.                9.                10.            

      Long, long ago people made fires from lightning (闪电). But they had to keep the fire burning, for they
couldn't start it again if there was no lightning. Later, they found out hitting two pieces of stone together could
make a spark (火花). The spark could fire dry leaves. In this way they could make the fire again if it went out.
Then people also learned to make a fire by rubbing (摩擦). They made a hole on a big piece of wood and put a
smaller stick into the hole. They turned the stick again and again. After a few minutes they got a fire.
      As years went by, people learned other ways to make a fire. Sometimes they used the heat (热) from the
sun. They held a piece of glass in the right way and made a piece of paper on fire.
      About two centuries ago, people began to make matches (火柴). Matches brought people a quick and easy
way to make fires. Toady matches are still being used, but people have more new ways to make fires. One of
them is to use an electric (电子) fire starter. Of course an electric fire starter is much more expensive than a
box of matches. But it is very useful.

1. A spark can _______.

A. fire any leaves
B. burn anything
C. burn dry leaves
D. keep fires burning

2. We can also get a fire by _______.

A. making a hole on a big piece of wood.
B. putting a smaller stick into the hole.
C. turning the stick hard for a while.
D. all above together.

3. Matches have been used _______.

A. for about two thousand years.
B. for about two hundred years.
C. since people began to use fire for cooking
D. since people used the beat from the sun.

4. From this passage we know _______.

A. an electric fire starter is only used in cars.
B. people haven't used matches since they had electric fire starters.
C. today there are only two ways to make fires.
D. some forest fires happen from lightning.

5. Choose the right order to the ways to make fires people got to know ______.
    a. with a match     b. from the sun     c. from lightning
    d. by rubbing        e. with an electric fire starter

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

     Today, roller-skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, the idea
of   1  (skate) didn't exist. That changed because of a man _2_(name) Joseph Merlin.
     One day Merlin received an invitation _3  (attend) a fancy dress ball. He was very pleased and a little
excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how _4_(make) a grand entrance at
the party. He had an idea. He thought he _5_(get ) a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
     Merlin _6_(try) different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each
shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving
at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
     On the night of the party, Merlin rolled into the room _7_(play) the violin. Everyone was astonished
to see him. There _8  (be) just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on
and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that _9_(hang)on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to
pieces. Nobody _10  (forget) Merlin?s grand entrance for a long time.
1.______ 2.______ 3.______ 4.______ 5.______
6.______ 7.______ 8.______ 9.______ 10.______

     You may know May Day, but do you know Lei Day? Like May Day, Lei Day is also celebrated
(庆祝) on May 1st. People wear leis (花环) on this day. A lei is a big circle usually made of flowers
(花). On Lei Day, people give leis to each other. Where do you know this holiday is celebrated? Hawaii,
of course! People give leis on birthdays, weddings (婚礼) and as a way to say "I love you". In 1928, a
writer, Don Blanding, wrote an article saying that this tradition should become a holiday. Another writer,
Grace Tower Warren, thought of the idea of celebrating this day on May 1st and said, "May Day is Lei
Day. "On this day in 1928, people wore leis and celebrated with music, dancing and a lei-making
competition. The next year, Lei Day became a public (公共的) holiday. Today, people still celebrate
Lei Day in Hawaii. We hope they all have a happy May Day and a happy Lei Day!
根据短文内容，选择最佳选项。
1. The underlined word "circle" can be replaced (替代) by "_____".
A. ring  
B. card  
C. garden  
D. watch
2. What do people give each other on Lei Day?
A. Clothes.  
B. Books.  
C. Leis.  
D. Cakes.
3. Lei Day became a public holiday in _____.
A. 1928  
B. 1929  
C. 1930  
D. 1931
4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Lei Day is on the day after May Day.
B. Lei Day was first celebrated in 1928.
C. Don Blanding said "May Day is Lei Day".
D. People all over the world celebrate Lei Day.
5. What is the passage about?
A. Lei Day in Hawaii.  
B. May Day in Hawaii.
C. How to make a lei.  
D. How to celebrate May Day.

     At midnight at New Year's Eve. people in Rome (罗马) and Italy (意大利) throw (扔) all the things
they no longer want. The streets are filled with old chairs, beds, clothes and dishes .... In Madrid
(马德里), Spain (西班牙), new year comes in more quietly (安静地). People go to the main square
(广场), each holding a bag of grapes. As the clock strikes (敲) twelve, the people eat grapes.
     In Tokyo people eat noodles at New Year's Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next
morning, some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji (富士山). There they watch the first sunrise (日出)
of the new year.
     In China , New Year's food include (包括) a whole fish and a chicken . The chicken must be
presented (呈现) with a head, a tail and two feet to symbolize (象征) completeness (完美).
1. This story is about New Year's Eve in _____.
A. Italy and Spain              
B. England
C. Japan and China              
D. Both A and C
2. From the story we know that people in some countries bring in New Year By _____.
A. throwing everything            
B. playing games
C. eating some special food        
D. drinking coke
3. People climb Mount Fuji to _____.
A. ee the sun come up          
B. look at the stars
C. search for New Year's flowers  
D. watch the sun go down
4. The people who hope to have long life from their New Year's food _____.
A. are Spanish    
B. are Japanese    
C. are Chinese  
D. are Italians
5. People in China eat _____ at New Year's Eve because they symbolize completeness.
A. grapes      
B. noodles      
C. fish and chicken    
D. whole fish and chicken