Mr. Brown was going away for a week. Before he left, he said to his son, “ If anyone asks for me, you can tell him that your father has been out for doing something, and will be back in a week, then be sure to ask him to sit down for a cup of tea.”

“OK, Dad,” said his son. But he was afraid his son couldn’t remember this, he wrote these words down on a piece of paper and gave it to him. His son put it into his small pocket, took it out and looked at it every now and then.

Four days passed, but no one came to see his father. The boy thought that there was no man to come and that the piece of paper was of no more use for him, so he burnt it that evening.

The next afternoon, someone knocked at the door. The boy opened it. A man was standing at the door and said, “Where is your father?” The boy put his hand into his pocket at once and looked for the piece of paper. He could not find it. He suddenly remembered he had burnt it, so he shouted, “No more.”

The man was very surprised. He asked, “No more? I met your father last week. When did it happen?”

 "Burnt yesterday evening." 

21. A man came to visit the boy's father on ________. 

A. the second day   B. the third day      C. the fourth day    D. the fifth day 

22. The man was very surprised because _________. 

A. he couldn't find that piece of paper        B. the child didn't ask him to sit down 

C. the child gave him a cup of tea                      D. he thought the child's father was dead

23. What was burnt? ___________. 

A. The piece of paper           B. Mr Smith           C. The visitor         D. The boy 

In England, we look forward to our birthdays for 364 days a year!

       We invite special people to celebrate it with us.

The Presents

       Presents are opened as soon as the children are awake. They can’t wait for the birthday cake later in the day!

The Cards

       Friends and family send birthday cards. Sending birthday cards is a custom (风俗) that began in England about 100 years ago.

The Party

       The birthday child will have a party to which friends and family are invited. Visitors to the party bring presents for the birthday child. The children play games such as musical chairs and pass the parcel (包裹).

The Cake

       The birthday cake is decorated on a theme (主题). A candle for each year is lit and placed on top and the child blows out the candles making a wish. We don’t put objects inside the cake as stated on many websites.

The Bumps (碰撞)

       It used to be traditional for the birthday child to have the bumps. Friends would hold the child by the legs and under the arms and lift the child up and down bumping them gently on the ground. The number of bumps given is the age of the child plus one for extra good luck. As this can be dangerous, clapping (拍手) is often done instead.

The Sweets

       Some children do take sweets to school to share with their classmates on their birthdays. 

24. In England, the birthday present is opened _____.

A. before the child wakes up     

B. immediately after the child wakes up

C. as soon as the child gets up   

D. during the birthday party

25. If Alice is celebrating her 7th birthday, how many bumps will she be given?

A. Six.        B. Seven.        C. Eight.       D. Nine.

26. Which of the following facts about birthdays in England is NOT true?

A. All the children will receive birthday cards on their birthdays.

B. Clapping is often done for the birthday child.

C. Objects meaning good luck are usually placed inside the birthday cake.

D. Nowadays children may share sweets with their classmates on their birthdays.

27. What would be the best title for this passage?

A. How birthdays are celebrated in the world

B. Where to hold an English birthday party

C. What to send when invited to a child’s birthday

D. How English children celebrate their birthdays

The Sir Lankan coastline is filled with fishermen who use the sea as their main source of living. Their daily catch would define the life of their own and their families. But it only took a few hours to remove their life-long habitat right in front of their eyes.

Some fishermen had set sail on Christmas night. A very few were lucky enough to return the next morning. But none found any of what they left behind the other night. They were made to lose their families by the very waters that they used to love the most.

The few who made it through the day have been wondering about the meaning of their lives. They had used the sea for decades, but the sea used them for a single day. Is it justice(公平)? Or killing? What would become of them? For whom would they go fishing again? As they struggle with their conflicting feelings, they also come to remind themselves of their struggle for survival.

Where are they now? They didn’t leave the beach, or the sea. They will be back because the sea is their home and the only means of living, so they will continue in their fight for destiny(命运).

But will it be the same? Sadly not. Even though they force themselves to forgive, they can’t forget. They will never be able to get through the idea of a friend turning against them. That fear would always run deep in their hearts. As the fishermen get ready to take on their duties once again, each would take with them a frightful story that reminds them of the day of betrayal（背叛）, the day that rewrote their lives.

28. What did a few lucky fishermen find when they return? ________

A. Their family was dead and heir homes were destroyed.

B. Their family was alive, but their homes were destroyed.

C. Their family was dead, but heir homes stood still.

D. Their family came to welcome them.

29. What’s the writer’s wish to the victims ?

A. They would live happily in the sea.

B. They would remember the sad story.

C. They would be stronger to defeat the sea.

D. They would come back from the sea and live as usual.

30. What does “a friend” in the last paragraph refer to?

A. A family member of fishermen.

B. A person that fishermen went fishing with.

C. The fishermen’s country.

D. The sea

31. What is the purpose of writing this text?

A. To remember those who lost their lives in the sea.

B. To show the writer’s anger to the sea.

C. To encourage other fishermen to struggle.

D. To tell readers a sad story. 

The following are three advertisements from different newspapers. Read them carefully and answer the following questions.

32. If the customer has a China Daily of March 3, 2005, he will get a small present _____.

      A. every day             B. from China Daily                                 C. on March 8, 2005      D. on March 3, 2005

33. If a British editor has worked in China for 3 years and comes to the English Newspaper            office to ask for the job in April, he will _____ .

      A. get the job            B. not get the job   C. be a good editor   D. be not useful

34. When and where will the football match be held?

      A. In Dalian Shide on September 19.      B. In Hongkou Stadium on September 19.

      C. In Shanghai Shenhua on September 25.                            D. In Hongkou Stadium on September 25.

35. If three adults and six students want to watch the match, the tickets will cost RMB __ yuan.

      A. 135                       B. 165                    C. 195                       D. 225

 (41) When a person does a certain thing again, he is impelled(迫使) by some unseen force to do the same thing repeatedly; thus a habit is formed. Once a habit is formed, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get rid of. (42)  Children often form bad habits, some of which remain with them as long as they live. Older persons also form bad habits as long as they live. Older persons also form bad habits, and sometimes become ruined by them.

(43) Many successful men say that much of their success has something to do with certain habits in early life, such as early rising, honesty and thoroughness.

Among the habits which children should not form are laziness, lying, stealing and so on. (44) Unfortunately older persons often form habits which ought to have been avoided．(45)

A．There are other habits which, when formed in early life, are of great help.

      B．Whether good or not habit are, they are easy to get rid of.

      C．We ought to keep from all these bad habits, and try to form such habits as will prove good for ourselves and others.

      D．Habits, whether good or bad, are gradually formed.

      E．It is very important for us to know why we should get used to good habits.

      F．These are all easily formed habits.

      G．It is therefore very important that we should pay great attention to the formation of habits.