Have you ever listened to young kids talking in the playground? They are always boasting. They say things like, “My Dad’s car is bigger than your Dad’s,” and “My Mom is smarter than yours.” They particularly like to boast about their families.

There were three little boys, Harry, Ted and Gavin, who were always boasting. Gavin was the worst. Everything about his family was always the best or the biggest or the most expensive.

    Whatever the others said, he could always go on better. One day when they were walking to school, Harry said, “My father had a bath twice a week,”

  Ted spoke next. “That’s nothing,” he said. “Having a bath twice a week is dirty. My father has a bath every day, sometimes twice a day.”

Ted looked at Gavin. Now it was his turn. But what could he say?

“This time,” Ted thought, “I’m going to win.”

Gavin didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t say that his father had a bath three times a day. That was silly.

He walked on in silence.

Ted smiled at Harry, and Harry smiled back. They were sure that for once they had beaten Gavin.

  They reached the school gate. Still Gavin said nothing.

  They went into class. Morning break, lunch-time, afternoon break all passed. Still Gavin said nothing.

“We’ve won,” Ted said to Harry, but he spoke too soon. On the way home, Gavin said, “My Dad is so clean that he doesn’t have to bathe at all.”

51.  According to the passage, the meaning of the word “boast” is __________.

A. to sing a nice song           B. to talk big

C. to go on better              D. to have a bath three times a day

52.  Who is the biggest boaster?

A. Harry         B. Ted        C. Gavin          D. Gavin’s Dad

53.  Why did Ted think that Harry’s father was dirty?

A. He had a bath every day.                 

B. He had a bath only twice a week.

C. Ted’s father often had a bath twice a day.    

D. He never had a bath.

54.  How long did Ted and Harry have to wait for Gavin’s answer?

A. almost a whole day       B. a few minutes

C. some days              D. several months

55.  Which is the best title of this passage?

A. Three boys’ fathers       B. Kid’s talk

C. How to take a bath        D. A silly boy

According to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, we officially welcome the Year of the Horse better than others.
The horse has played an important role throughout human history all over the world. Horses were used for thousands of years as a means of transportation, a weapon of war and a plougher of fields(犁地农具), but "the horse was more than just a vehicle - it had more character than a car, a tank or a tractor," Clare Balding wrote for The Telegraph.

In the Middle Ages in Western societies, the horse was a symbol of chivalry（骑士神）and nobility(贵族). In fact, the word "chivalry" comes from "cheval" in Old French, which meant horse. The idea of chivalry helped to fashion the 19th-century "gentleman", which was about good manners, courage and honesty to friends.
Nowadays, because of economic(经济) development, people in Western societies are less likely to see or ride horses. People living in cities, in particular, hardly ever experience horses except through movies, paintings or books. But horse racing, and betting .money on horse races, is still popular. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular sporting events every year in the US.
In the UK, the royal police still go around the city on horseback and the Queen rides in a traditional horse-drawn carriage on "ceremonial occasions (正式场合)”．
Some sayings about horses are still used in English today. For example, people still say "hold your horses" to mean “slow down". If someone seems too proud, people might tell him or her to "get off his or her high horse". And since horses are strong and energetic, there are expressions such as "as strong as a horse", "workhorse" and "horsing around".   .
Interestingly, the horse also appears in many Chinese sayings, such as Qianlima, which means a talented person. Other Chinese horse sayings include Madaochenggong (instant success) and Baimawangzi (prince charming).
Besides their physical strengths, horses are smart and have "excellent memories", according to Discovery News. Maybe that's why Chinese people say, "An old horse never gets lost".
Since the horse is honored as a symbol of many great qualities, people born in the Year of the Horse are said to share them.
【小题1】According to Chinese tradition, which year is welcomed best officially?

According to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, we officially welcome the Year of the Horse better than others.
The horse has played an important role throughout human history all over the world. Horses were used for thousands of years as a means of transportation, a weapon of war and a plougher of fields(犁地农具), but “the horse was more than just a vehicle – it had more character than a car, a tank or a tractor,” Clare Balding wrote for The Telegraph.
In the Middle Ages in Western societies, the horse was a symbol of chivalry (骑士精神) and nobility(贵族). In fact, the word “chivalry” comes from “cheval” in Old French, which meant horse. The idea of chivalry helped to fashion the 19th-century “gentleman”, which was about good manners, courage and honesty to friends.
Nowadays, because of economic(经济) development, people in Western societies are less likely to see or ride horses. People living in cities, in particular, hardly ever experience horses except through movies, paintings or  books. But horse racing, and betting money on horse races, is still popular. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular sporting events every year in the US.
In the UK, the royal police still go around the city on horseback and the Queen rides in a traditional horse-drawn carriage on “ceremonial occasions (正式场合)”.
Some sayings about horses are still used in English today. For example, people still say “hold your horses” to mean “slow down”. If someone seems too proud, people might tell him or her to “get off his or her high horse”. And since horses are strong and energetic, there are expressions such as “as strong as a horse”, “workhorse” and “horsing around”.
Interestingly, the horse also appears in many Chinese sayings, such as Qianlima, which means a talented person. Other Chinese horse sayings include Madaochenggong (instant success) and Baimawangzi (prince charming).
Besides their physical strengths, horses are smart and have “excellent memories”, according to Discovery News. Maybe that’s why Chinese people say, “An old horse never gets lost”.
Since the horse is honored as a symbol of many great qualities, people born in the Year of the Horse are said to share them.

【小题1】 According to Chinese tradition, which year is welcomed best officially?

　　Jackson lived in a small town, but then he got a piece of work in a big city and went there with his wife and his two children.

　　On the first Saturday in their new home, Jackson took his new car out of the garage（车库）and washed it when a man living next to him came by. When he saw Jackson's new' car, the man stopped and looked at it for a minute. Then Jackson turned and saw him.

　　The man said, “That's a nice car. Is it yours?”

　　“Sometimes, ”Jackson answered.

　　The man was surprised. “Sometimes?”he said.“Why do you say so?”

　　“Well,”answered Jackson,“When there is a party in town, it is my daughter's. When there is a football game somewhere, it is my son's. When I have washed it, and it looks nice and clean, it is my wife's. And when it needs petrol（汽油）, it is mine.”

[　　]

A．Because they liked living in a big city.

B．Because they could drive their new car in a big city.

C．Because Jackson worked in a big city.

D．Because Jackson could have a new car in a big city.

[　　]

A．taking his new car out of the garage

B．cleaning his new car

C．looking at his new car

D．washing something in the car

[　　]

(4) Which sentence（句子）is right?

[　　]

A．All the family like washing the car.

B．No one cleans the car.

C．No one helps Jackson wash the car.

D．Jackson is good at washing the car.

[　　]

A．Jackson can use the car only some time every day

B．Jackson sometimes cleans the car

C．Jackson can drive the car some days in a week

D．Jackson can drive the car when other people in his family don't need it