Teachers’ Day is, interestingly, not celebrated on the same day all over the world. In some countries it is marked by a holiday, in others it is a working day.

International Teachers’ Day is celebrated on October 5. Being held ever since 1994, it is in honor of teachers' organizations worldwide. Its aim is to encourage supports for teachers and to meet the needs of students.

China―In 1939, Teachers’ Day was set for August 27, Confucius' birthday. In1951, the celebration was stopped. However, it was founded again in 1985, and the day was changed to September 10.

India―Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5 in honour of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India, whose birthday falls on that day.

Russia―In Russia, Teachers’ Day was celebrated on the first Sunday of October between 1965 and 1994. Since 1994, the day is observed on the October 5, just the same day as World Teachers Day.

The US―In the US, Teachers’ Day is non-official holiday. It is celebrated on the Tuesday of the first full week of May. A number of activities are organized in schools to honor teachers. The celebrations can continue for the whole week of May.

Thailand―In Thailand, National Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year on January 16. The first Teachers’ Day was held in 1957. The day is a holiday in schools.

21. What country celebrates Teachers’ Day in October?

A. India.         B. The US.         C. China.         D. Russia.

22. Which of the following has the same meaning as the underlined word “observed”?

A. stopped?      B. celebrated?       C. held?         D. fell

23. Which of the following is possibly true?

A. China has celebrated Teachers’ Day since the year 1931.

B. Teachers’ Day is an official holiday in the United States.

C. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday is in September.

D. Teachers’ Day is a working day in schools of Thailand.

24. From the passage we can learn that ________.

A. The first Teachers’ Day was held in 1965 in Thailand

B. Teachers’ Day falls on Confucius' birthday in China

C. International Teachers’ Day aims to benefit the students

D. A lot of activities are held on Teachers’ Day across the world

  Hundreds of years ago, news was carried from place to place by people on foot or by horse. It took days, weeks and sometimes months for people to receive news. Now it is possible to send words and pictures around the world in seconds. Billions of people learn about news stories of their own country and all over the world every day, either by watching TV or reading newspapers. 
     Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life since the 18th century. Many countries have hundreds of different newspapers. How do newspaper editors decide which news stories to print? Why do they print some stories and not others? What makes a good newspaper story?   
     Firstly, it is important to report new stories. TV stations can report news much faster than newspapers. Yet, newspapers give more about the same story. They may also look at the story in another way, or they may print completely different stories to those on TV. 
     Secondly, a news story has to be interesting and unusual. People don't want to read stories about everyday life as a result, many stories are about some kind of danger and seem to be "bad" news. For example, newspapers never print stories about planes landing safely, instead they print stories about plane accidents. 

 Another factor (因素) is also very important in many news stories. Many people are interested in news in foreign countries, but more prefer to read stories about people, places and events in their own country. So the stories on the front page in Chinese newspapers are usually very different from the ones in British, French and American newspapers. 
25. According to the passage, how do people learn about news stories in the world now?
 A. They carry news stories and tell others from place to place on foot or by horse. 
 B. They tell each other what they have seen with their eyes. 
 C. They watch TV or read newspapers. 
 D. They listen to the radio every day. 
26.  The difference between newspaper stories and TV news reports is that _____. 
 A. people can learn more about the same news story from a newspaper
 B. people can read the news story more quickly in a newspaper
 C. people can read news stories in other countries 
 D. people can read news stories about their own country
27. To make a good newspaper story, how many factors does the passage talk about?
 A. Two.            B. Three.            C. Five.               D. Six. 
28. According to the passage, which of the following can you most possibly watch on TV?
 A. You often play football with your friends after school. 
 B. Your teacher has got a cold. 
 C. A tiger in the city zoo has run out and hasn't been caught. 
 D. The bike in the front of your house is lost. 

Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission(录取) to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling.
     In 1849, after graduation from medical school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon(外科医师) , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea.
     Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women.

29. Why couldn't Elizabeth Blackwell realize her dream of becoming a surgeon? __

A. She couldn't get admitted to medical school.
B. She decided to further her education in Paris.
C. A serious eye problem stopped her.
D. It was difficult for her to start a practice in the United States.

30. How many years passed between her graduation from medical school and the 
opening of her hospital?_____

A. Eight years.    B. Ten years.    C. Nineteen years.   D. Thirty-six years.

31. According to the passage, all of the following are "firsts" in the life of Elizabeth Blackwell EXCEPT that she ______.

A. became the first woman physician
B. was the first woman doctor
C. and several other women founded the first hospital for women and children
D. set up the first medical school for women

Mark Twain was a great writer. He was from the USA. He was born in 1835. He was also a famous speaker. He was famous for his sense of humour. Many people liked to listen to him talk because he liked to tell some interesting stories to make people laugh all the time.  

One day Mark Twain was going to a small town because of his writing. Before he was going to leave, one of his friends said to him that there were always a lot of mosquitoes in the town and told him that he’d better not go there. Mark Twain waved (摇动) his hand and said, “It doesn’t matter. The mosquitoes are no relatives of mine. I don’t think they will come to visit me.”
   After he arrived at the town, Mark Twain stayed in a small hotel near the station. He went into his room, but when he was just about to have a rest, quite a few mosquitoes flew about him. The waiters felt very sorry about that. “I’m very sorry, Mr Mark Twain. There are too many mosquitoes in our town.” One of them said to him.
   Mark Twain, however, made a joke, saying to the waiter, “The mosquitoes are very clever. They know my room number. They didn’t come into the wrong room.” What he said made all the people present laugh heartily.
   But that night Mark Twain slept well. Do you know why? That was because all the waiters in the hotel were driving the mosquitoes away for him during the whole night. 
32. That day Mark Twain went to the town _____.
  A. to see one of his friends

B. because he was told there were a lot of mosquitoes there 
  C. because he wanted to do something there for his writing 

D. to see one of his relatives
33. The waiters felt sorry because _____.
  A. they did something wrong to Mark Twain   

B. their hotel was too small 
  C. the room was not very clean  

D. there were quite a few mosquitoes in Mark Twain’s room
34. All the people present laughed heartily because _____.
  A. the mosquitoes were very clever and they didn’t come into the wrong room
  B. the mosquitoes knew Mark Twain’s room number
  C. Mark Twain made a joke
  D. Mark Twain gave the waiters some nice presents  
35. From the story we know _____.
  A. no mosquitoes troubled Mark Twain in the night
  B. the owner of the hotel told the waiters to look after Mark Twain well at night
  C. Mark Twain didn’t have a good rest that night
  D. there were not mosquitoes in the hotel any longer

I feel very excited at the thought that in another week I’ll be with you again on holiday.

36  My host and my fellow-students are all very nice to me, but as they say in England, “There’s no place like home”, and I think you will feel this above all at Christmas time.

I’m leaving here early on Thursday, the 23^rd, and I’ll be arriving in Paris on Friday

morning.  37  Please meet me at the station. In some of my earlier letters I have told you all about the other students here. 　38　Because he has no friends in England except me. He is a very nice boy. I know you will like him and I feel sure he will enjoy Christmas with us. 　39　Please let me know soon if that’s all right. I’ve got some Christmas presents for you all, but I’m not going to tell you what they are, so it will be a surprise.

　40　I hope you are all keeping well. See that father always puts on his big coat when he goes out so that he will not catch a cold. We don’t want him ill for

Christmas.

A. I will have him spend Christmas with us.

B. But I haven’t invited him yet.

C. I enjoy my stay in England very much indeed.

D. How are you all at home?

E. So I’ll be home about lunch time.

F. Well, I want to ask my Canadian friend, Jan, to come and spend Christmas.

G. Things at home are much better than things in other places.