In the US, the most popular way to welcome the new year is with a big party. Some parties are at private homes. But in recent years, it has become more and more common for Americans to go to a hotel or eating-place on the night of December 31st. There, they can eat a big dinner, drink champagne, and dance to orchestra music.

Most New Year’s parties are usually noisy. People shout and sing. And often, guests blow on small noisemakers when the new year arrives at midnight. This tradition of noise making is believed to start centuries ago. People thought that loud sounds would drive away the bad spirits of the old year.

The biggest, noisiest New Year’s party in the US takes place in Times Square in New York. Thousands of people gather(聚集) there. Some of them ring bells and set fireworks. Others blow whistles of car horns(喇叭). And at twelve o’clock, they begin to cheer as an electric sign in the shape of a red apple lights up on top of a tall building.

The Times Square celebration includes another well-known American tradition. Since 1929, the band of musician Guy Lombardo has given a concert on New Year’s Eve. Guy Lombardo died in 1977. But, Bill Lombardo, has kept the tradition alive with a band concert at a New York city hotel. When the crowds in Times Square start cheering the arrival of the new year, television cameras show the band playing the song Auld Lang Syne.

1. The most usual way to welcome the new year in the US is ________.

A. to go shopping      B. to meet friends    C. to travel abroad     D. to hold a big party

2. The biggest New Year’s party in the US is __________.

A. in Central Park     B. in Hollywood       C. in Times Square    D. in Disneyland

3. In the past, some American people made big noise when the new year arrived ________

A. to express their friendship         B. to drive away the bad spirits

C. to make others more excited       D. to give best wishes to each other

4.In 1929 a concert on New Year’s Eve was given by _________.

A. the band of Guy Lombardo        B. the band of Bill Lombardo

C. the band of Johann Strauss         D. the band of Elvis Aaron Presley

 

Imagine you are an astronaut, you find a new planet that looks like the earth, and when you want to put the flag on it, you find out that this planet has already got population. What would you do?
The US astronaut, Charles “Chuck” Backer, in the new cartoon film Planet 51 just comes across this thing.
Planet 51 is a place where there is no human being. So Chuck arrives in the planet and wants to name it “the US”. But he suddenly finds himself surrounded by lots of little green aliens.
These aliens live in fear that they may be invaded by strange being. They have never seen an alien until Chuck arrives. They think it is terrible and they get ready to defend themselves or attack Chuck. They send him to the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum. Chuck is very scared and tries to escape. The only thing he can do is to make his spaceship work and fly back to the earth. Luckily, he makes friends with a young alien named Lem. Then the adventure begins.
Planet 51 is a science fiction movie. It tells us that whether we are on the earth or in another society with aliens, we should accept the things that are different in our lives and experience them actively. In this way, we can grow up and understand ourselves better by changing.
The film is very funny and full of happiness. Will Chuck return home? If you want to know, see it!
【小题1】Charles “Chuck” Backer is a ___________.
A. US astronaut            B. green alien               C. US scientist
【小题2】When the green aliens see Charles “Chuck” Backer, they feel ___________。
A. excited                     B. scared                      C. sad
【小题3】What does the word “defend” mean in this passage?
A. 侵略                       B. 隐藏                       C.保护
【小题4】How can Chuck get out of the bad situation?
A. He must make friends with aliens there.
B. He must make the spaceship work and return to the earth.
C. He must destroy the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum.
【小题5】 What can we learn from the movie?
A. We shouldn’t explore or invade other planets.
B. We should learn to accept new things in order to improve ourselves.
C. We should experience more on the earth in order to be an astronaut.

The first Earth Hour was held in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals(个体) and more than two thousand businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later Earth Hour had grown into a global event with more than 50 million people across 35 countries and territories（行政区）participating(参加). Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent(紧急) by the hour. In March 2009, millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries and territories have promised their official support for the event. On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour. A record said 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action.
The event is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature, also known as the WWF. The organizers say climate change is one of the greatest threats(威胁) facing wildlife and nature. They also say when it comes to save energy and money, big changes start with small steps like turning out the lights. Now people are all joining together in a global effort to show that it’s possible to work on global warming. Earth Hour has brought about some new changes to our lives. People join in activities such as candle-lit dinners and star-gazing parties as a response to the call for "going dark".

This year , Earth Hour is asking people to take the next step and go beyond one hour. So if you haven’t done so, next year, late half past eight to half past nine, let us turn off the lights for one hour for the environment! Earth Hour is a call to stand up, to take responsibility(责任) and to get involved(与……有关) in working towards a better future. Earth Hour is a message of hope and a message of action. Everyone can make a difference. 
【小题1】What’s the main idea of the passage?                              

A．The climate change is one of the greatest threats facing wild life and nature.

B．Everyone can make a difference.

C．Earth Hour has brought about some new changes to our lives.

D．Tell the source(起源) of Earth Hour and its importance.

【小题2】The underlined word “global” in the passage means “________”.

A．全球性的

B．地域性的

C．官方性的

D．海洋性的

【小题3】 Which of the following is not true?

A．The first Earth Hour started in 2007 in Australia.

B．Earth Hour is hold to reduce the bad effect on climate.

C．The writer thought that big changes start with small steps.

D．More than one hundred countries and territories supported the action last year.

【小题4】The best title of the passage is_________________.

A．the WWF	B．Earth Hour in Australia
C．Climate Action	D．Earth Hour