第二节 任务型读写(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)

   阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填一个单词。

Setting off firecrackers(爆竹) is the happiest part of the Spring Festival for most Chinese kids, which is the typical Chinese custom. While setting off firecrackers can bring kids so much fun, these firecrackers can also be a danger. Therefore, many Chinese big cities including Beijing began to ban them in the 1980s. Such an activity was completely or partially forbidden in big cities because the government considered it was not safe, and polluted the air. As a replacement, some buy tapes with firecracker sounds to listen to, some break little balloons to get the sound too, while others buy firecracker handicrafts(手工制品) to hang in the living room.

However, a few years ago the ban on firecrackers was cancelled（取消）. Hearing the news, many kids were wild with joy.

According to Chinese custom, lighting firecrackers is a must during the Spring Festival. People believe the sound of the firecrackers drives away bad luck for the coming year. Their beautiful colors and sound also bring much excitement during this most important traditional Chinese festival.

 Since the ban, people complained that the Spring Festival was too quiet and not traditional enough. Children lost the fun and grown-ups lost their childhood memories.

Some even worried that if the ban continued, the next generation would only know the custom of lighting firecrackers through books. This would be a great loss for tradition. So in recent years, many cities have brought back the old custom.

However, every year there are kids injured by setting off fireworks in a dangerous way. So while enjoying yourself, please keep safety in mind..

Don’t light fireworks among crowds, inside a bottle or with a part of your body right over it.

No matter how much fun firecrackers are, the most important thing is to keep away from danger. We wish every kid an exciting and safe Spring Festival!

第六节：任务型阅读（满分10分）

请认真阅读下面短文，并根据所读内容在文章后图表中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。每空一词

Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. Instead, they’re a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book. The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey or while you’re hanging out with the family.

Before getting into the recommendations, we need to determine your English reading comprehension level so you don’t pick a book which is so challenging that it’s stressful or so simple that it’s boring.

If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you’re already familiar with the story. If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options, as they’ll be guaranteed page turners and that will increase the possibility of your getting all the way through the book. For advanced readers, science fiction, classic works of literature or contemporary prize winners （Booker, Nobel, Pulitzer） are good options.

The most important thing is to pick a book that you’re really interested in. When I pick up a new book in Chinese, the first few chapters are always really hard to get through, as I have to get accustomed to the way the individual author uses the language. But after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story. Some of my favorite Chinese-language eye candy are books that are series like Brothers by Yu Hua or The Dancer by Hai Yan. I like them because there’s always a lot of action and story development to keep me involved, which helps me make it through those first few chapters.

Another great way to keep yourself motivated over the holiday is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve and discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or e-mail. I’m currently doing that with my friend Laura. We’ve been doing this since we were classmates in Chinese at college.

Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton or British writer Agatha Christie; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. But really you should just find a topic or author that you’re interested in, and the rest will go from there. Happy reading!

－from 21st Century （January 21, 2009）