People all over the world celebrate the new year. However, not all countries celebrate in the same way, and in some countries, the new year doesn't begin on the   (1)   date every year.

   In many countries, the new year begins on 1st January, but people start celebrating on 31st December, New Year's Eve. In New York many people go to celebrate in Times Square.   (2)   they're waiting for the New Year, they listen to music, sing traditional songs and have fun. Just before 12 o'clock, everyone   (3)   down from 10, 9, 8...As soon as it's 12 o'clock, everyone shouts very   (4)  , "Happy New Year!"

   New Year's Day is often a family day. Some families get together for a special meal. When the weather is fine, many families go out for a   (5)  .

   On New Year's Day, many people make resolutions for the new year. They   (6)  a list of things, such as "I will help out more with housework. I will work  (7)  at school than others." or "I won't spend so much time playing video games." When they have made  (8)   lists, they read it to their family or friends and promise to   (9)  their resolutions.

   So it doesn't matter how they celebrate,   (10)   people in countries all over the world, it's a time to say goodbye to the old year, and to welcome the new.

 Texting（发短信）walkers arenˈt just an annoyance to other walkers, Australian researchers armed with movie special-effects technology have determined scientifically that theyˈre threats to themselves. Using motion-capture technology similar to that used for films, researchers concluded that texting while walking not only affects balance but also the ability to walk in straight line.

    “Some people like checking emails while walking to work in the morning” said the study co-author Hoorn, “but they may not know it has a serious effect on the safety of themselves”. Other facts have also proved this. A tourist from Taiwan walked off a pier(码头) near Melbourne last month while checking Facebook, bringing a sudden and icy end to a penguin-watching visit. Another person who was too wrapped up in his phone to notice dangers walked straight into the fountain in front of a shopping mall.

    The Australian study involved 27 volunteers, a third of whom admitted having knocked into objects while texting. They were asked to walk 8.5 meters three times—once without phones, once while reading text and once while writing text, when eight cameras recorded their actions.

    They found the volunteers using the phone walked slower, and, more seriously, they locked their arms and elbows in like “robots”, which forced their heads to move more, throwing themselves off balance. “In a pedestrian（步行的）environment, inability to maintain a straight path would be likely to increase potential for traffic accidents”, said Mr. Hoorn. “The best thing to do is to step aside and stop, or keep off the phone.”

    Authorities world-wide have taken note. Signs on Hong Kongˈs subway system advise passengers in three languages to keep their eyes off their phones. Police and transport authorities have highlighted the danger in Singapore, where the Straits Times newspaper recently declared cellphone-distracted road crossing as “bad habit No. 2” contributing to the rising number of road deaths. Some U.S. states, including New York and Arkansas, are considering bans on what theyˈre calling phone jaywalking(走路不遵守交通规则).

My daughter went to see The Wild One recently and she commented that Marlon Brando was wearing jeans so long ago. Of course he helped set the trend, so that got me thinking about the link between films and trends in fashion. Fashion and films have gone hand in hand for long. The Wild One is a good example: it appeared in 1954, starring Brando. Dressed in a black leather motorcycle jacket, leather cap and jeans, he created a look which is still considered “cool” today. Everyone from Madonna to middle-aged men is seen wearing the classic leather motorcycle jacket.

Another strong influence on fashion trends was Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn. She made famous the simple black dress that looks perfect at either a cocktail party or just standing around an expensive department store like Tiffany’s with a pastry and coffee in your hand, as Audrey Hepburn does in the film. She looks so elegant, wearing simple but beautiful dresses, big dark glasses and a string of pearls around her neck. Audrey Hepburn still influences women’s fashion with her “Tiffany’s look”.

In more modern times, the film star Uma Thurman created a major fashion trend when she appeared in the film Pulp Fiction, made in 1994. Her style was very simple. Her black trousers, crisp white shirt and hair stylewas copied by women in the world.

Influencing fashion trends can often be about timing. The movie Memoirs of a Geisha came just in time to start a trend in Japanese fashion. It started the Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, who wore beautiful silk kimonos(和服), and it won an Oscar for Costume Design. Many travel companies picked up on the trend and ran “geisha trips” to Japan. The film has also led to a regained interest in kimonos. It is now quite common to see young Japanese women wearing kimonos not just on traditional occasions, but at various social events. The fashion is also beginning to spread to western countries. 

A Welcome Gift

Dario and his mother loved their new apartment. The living room was large enough for their piano. That night, the two of them   (1)  side by side at the piano. They played jazz music to celebrate their new home. The loud   (2)  filled the room and made them feel very happy.

The next morning,   (3)  , their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a   (4)  under their door during the night. One of their neighbor had written to complain(抱怨) about the sound of the piano. Dario’s mother asked the building superintendent(管理员) if he knew anything about it. But he said that they were all   (5)  people and he couldn’t imagine any of them had done that. Later that morning, Dario suggested that they write a letter to their   (6)  and apologize for their playing.

“Maybe we could go and  (7)  everyone in person.” his mother said.

“What if we invited them to come here for a   (8)   instead? Dario asked.

They both loved the  (9)  . Over the next few days, they sent out invitations and prepared desserts  (10)  their guests. They decorated the apartment with streamers(彩带) and party lights.

Finally, the day of the party    (11)  Some guests brought presents. Others brought flowers. Some even brought desserts to   (12)   One woman, Mrs. Gilbert,    (13)  Dario’s mother with a book of piano music by Chopin.

“I heard you playing the other night,” she said. “The sounds woke me out of bed. I   (14)  that you might play like this every night. So I wrote a short note. I hope you don’t think I disliked the playing.”

Dario’s mother smiled at Mrs. Gilbert. “I think maybe we  (15)  you an apology.” she said. “I didn’t  (16)  how late it was when we were playing. Maybe we should play some quieter music at night.

“You play, you play!” Mrs. Gilbert said. “I like what you play! Just not so loud at night.” She pointed to the book she had given them. “These songs are not such  (17)  music. ”

“These songs are beautiful music. ” Dario’s mother said. “We will be   (18)  to play them in the evening.”

“And we won’t play so loud or late!” Dario said. He was already looking forward to  (19)    the new music. More than that, however, he was happy to see the big smile on his mother’s face. It gave him a feeling of  (20)  and made him feel that they were home at last.

I’ve read lots of stories about family memories. In those   41 , I’ve found voice of sadness and longing. It’s true that so much in our daily lives makes us   42  all the time. We find ourselves with less and less time to spend with our   43  and friends. I’ve had the same   44 myself.

I used to have   45  times with my grandfather when we lived together. When I was very young, I often enjoyed spending time in his   46 , watching the flowers and watering the fruit trees. But as I grew up, I   47  became “selfish”.

Once, when I was 6, we went shopping together. As we took the wrong bus and ended up getting   48 , unable to find our way back, I couldn’t stay   49  and shouted rudely in his face. I was so stubborn that I wouldn’t say sorry   50  returning home, thinking I had done nothing wrong.

Now I   51  how ridiculous（荒唐的）I was at the time! And I also realize how   52  it was when I finally admitted I was   53 ! When I truly wanted to express my   54 , my grandfather had left us   55 , leaving me with no more chance to   56  my mistake. I couldn’t   57  say to him the three words –– “I am sorry”.

We are spending more and more time outside, with less and less time to   58  with our families at home. So   59  the most of every second you have with your loved ones, because time   60  going, waiting for no one.

Below is some advice on how to prevent cancer:

8 Ways to Avoid Cancer in Your Life

1 Eat Blueberries

Aside from being a healthy and delicious snack, blueberries contain pterostilbene, which has important colon (结肠) cancer-fighting prosperities. But wait, it gets better. Blueberries also offer a large dose of vitamins C (14 milligrams per cup). So at breakfast, try to take in a cup and a half of blueberries in your cereal or yogurt, or mixed with other berries.

2 Drink Pomegranate（石榴）Juice

The deep red juice of the pomegranate contains polyphenols, is oflavones and ellagic acid, which together create a powerful anticancer mixture. Most recently, researchers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison has discovered that 16 ounces of pomegranate juice per day also may inhibit the growth of lung cancer.

3 Relax

Feeling stressed or worried? Find ways to relax and you may reduce your chances of developing cancer. Purdue University researchers tracked 1,600 men over 12 years and found that half of those with high levels of worry died during the study period. Only 20 percent of the optimists died before the study were completed, while 34 percent of the extremely anxious men died of some type of cancer. Instead of stressing about the past or future, focus on the present and relax!

4Take Selenium（硒）

Selenium is well known for its cancer-fighting properties. In a study of almost 1,000 men, researchers from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that when men with the lowest initial levels of selenium in their bodies received a daily supplement over a 4 year period, they cut their prostate（前列腺）cancer risk by a remarkable 92 percent. However, it is possible to get too much of a good thing, so monitor your intake of selenium-containing supplements, Brazil nuts, tuna, meats and grains carefully.

5 Eat Sushi（寿司）

Seaweed may not be your idea of a great snack, but it is high in fiber, calcium and iron, and dry, roasted seaweed sheets used in sushi provide the additional benefits of vitamins A and C. Sushi rolls are also high in protein — a typical spicy tuna roll has only 290 calories but packs 24 grams of protein. So don`t skimp（节省）on the Sushi!

6 Enjoy the Outdoors

Vitamin D causes early death of cancer cells. A study published in the American Journey of Clinical Nutrition reported that women who supplemented their diets with 1,000 international. Units of vitamin D every day had a 60 percent to 77 percent lower incidence of cancer ever a four-year period that did women taking a placebo(无效对照剂). Experts recommend supplementing your fun in the sun with 1,100 to 2,000IU of vitamin D each day.

7 Breathe Clean Air

There’s no question that secondhand smoke kills. A recent American Journal of Public Health study showed that nonsmokers working in smoky places had three times the amount of carcinogen（致癌物质） in their urine（尿） than nonsmokers working in smoke-free locations. What’s worse, their levels of the carcinogen rose 6 percent for every hour worked. Nine states have banned smoking in all workplaces, bars and restaurants. The message is clear: Do whatever you can to avoid the cloud of smoke.

8 Break a Sweat

Even a small amount of exercise can offer major cancer-fighting benefits. In a study of 29,110 men published in the International Journal of Cancer, men who exercised just once a week had a percent lower risk of metastasis(转移性) prostate cancer than men who didn’t work out at all. The better the frequency, duration and intensity of the exercise, the bigger the reduction in risk, according to the study.

Mother’s Day is coming. It is a time to let Mom know she’s special to you. Finding the right for Mom on that day is not always easy. We often want something personal and thoughtful. But how can we make it? These following ideas may help you.

Gift of Time

Moms just want to spend time with their children so make it a Mother-Daughter/Son day. Spend the whole day with her. Do the things she likes doing with her.

Home Video

Take your family videos and make them a short home video. She can enjoy it whenever she misses you. Although it may take a lot of time, the process(过程) can be great fun and the result is often priceless(无价).

Mom Mix

Make a CD for her. It’s a collection of all the songs that remindher of you and your growing up.

Write a Letter

Write a letter instead of a simple card. Write about all the good memories you have with her and all the things she has done for you.

Flowers

People send carnations(康乃馨) on Mother’s Day. You can easily spend a lot of money on them. If you have flowers in your garden, or can handpick them, it can be a great gift.

Dinner

Make a dinner and invite her over. You can also take it over to her house and surprise her. Just don’t’ forget to wash the dishes after the dinner.

1.Why is it not easy to find a right gift on Mother’s day?

A．Because we want to save money

B．Because mothers don’t like gifts.

C．Because we always want to get something special

D．Because mothers are very difficult to deal with

2.Making a home video may be _______.

A．fun              B．boring            C．easy             D．nothing

3.What does the underlined word “remind” mean in Chinese?

A．使……防范       B．使……想起        C．使……经过        D．使….. 痛苦

4.How many kinds of ideas have been mentioned here for Mother’s Day?

A．4                B．5                C．6                D．7

5.From the passage we know _________.

A．you can buy a big cake for your mom on Mother’s day

B．writing a letter is better than sending a simple card to your mom on Mother’s Day.

C．inviting your mom to eat in a restaurant is a good gift for her.

D．buying carnations for her is a good way.

They can be seen more frequently than ever before on college campuses, wearing flannel(法兰绒) and thick­framed glasses while listening to music. One might find them playing unusual musical instruments, shopping at second­hand stores or expressing themselves in other unique ways.

They call themselves hipsters. Being “hip” used to mean following the latest fashion. But gradually the word has become a sign of “being cool, unique and unusual”．

Hipsters value independent thinking, progressive politics, an appreciation of creativity and intelligence. Hipsters take pains and pride in not being mainstream. However, their culture has become quite trendy. This irony(讽刺) is central to their culture and offers an interesting conflict.

“I do take things in the mainstream with a positive attitude，” says Ben Polson, a college student at Brown University. “But sometimes I also question what determines popularity, especially regarding music.” Polson represents many hipsters.

When less­known bands become popular, they often lose their former fan base in exchange for a new one. There is a famous hipster saying that goes, “I used to like that band before it got popular，” Polson quoted.

According to Polson, bands' music changes when they go mainstream. They become less experimental, doing things just to save popularity and fans. The original elements that we were drawn to slowly disappear for the sake of popularity.

Many young adults have started to view hipsters' outlook as cool and they are adopting hipsters' anti­mainstream culture mind to themselves. This has led to specialized brands, stores and music for the hipster consumers. But on the other hand, some such stores, including clothing labels Urban Outfitters and American Apparel, have gained mainstream popularity. This has seemingly made the anti­mainstream culture become weaker.

“A lot of people that are self­defined hipsters aren't really hipsters. They're just trying to act as hipsters to seem cooler，” says Amanda Leopold, a college student from Oberlin College, US. Although Leopold has many unusual tastes and seems quite individualist, she refuses to classify herself as a hipster.

1.In the passage, hipsters refer to people ________.

A．who are fans of pop music

B．who study in different colleges

C．who appear cool and unusual

D．who try to attract others

2.According to the author, ________.

A．hipsters are the pioneers of the mainstream

B．hipsters are unhappy with the mainstream

C．hipsters' culture exists mainly in music field

D．hipsters' culture can also become popular

3.What is the main idea of the seventh paragraph?

A．Urban Outfitters and American Apparel are famous clothing labels.

B．Hipster consumers have more specialized brands, stores and music.

C．Anti­mainstream culture can gain mainstream popularity.

D．The culture of hipsters is becoming more and more terrible.

4.When describing hipsters, the author speaks ________.

A．in an ironic voice  B．in an objective voice

C．in an angry voice  D．in a funny voice

The oldest subway system in China is the Beijing Subway. Before the government undertook the building of a subway system, the only __  (1)  __ of public transport in Beijing were buses and trolleybuses. In 1965, the Chinese government __  (2)  __ the construction of a subway line. The tunnels for the __  (3)  __ were all dug by 1969. __  (4)  __，the opening of the new subway line was postponed until 1971, when the platforms and stations were finally __  (5)  __. In 1984 a second subway line was completed. The Beijing Subway grew __  (6)  __ until 2000, with only one new section being added to the two lines. Then in 2001, Beijing was chosen to host the 2008 __  (7)  __. As a result, between 2002 and 2008 the system was __  (8)  __. Altogether, six new lines were built in order to convey the many crowds of people coming to the Olympics, and to make transport in Beijing more __  (9)  __. Even after the Olympics, the growth of the Beijing Subway has __  (10)  __，and there will be 19 lines in total in the coming few years.