1.As we recently discovered，there is a Stepmother’s Day，though it is not on any official holiday calendar.So，it would be safe to assume that there is a similar day for stepdads，too.Right? Well，it depends on what you read.A Google search brought up posts that say，for example，“It’s on father’s day--father’s day is for fathers，step—fathers and people who are like fathers to you-it’s a day for making father figures feel special.”Further searching found a Stepfather’s DayFacebook page that says，“The unofficial Stepfather’s Day is the fourth Sunday of June.”Unfortunately，as of the publishing of this article，only 30 people have “liked” the page.Considering that studies show 3.3 million men，or 11.1%of U.S.fathers，live with at least one stepchild，that’s only a drop in the ocean.It’s interesting to note that there is a National Grandparents’ Day.President Jimmy Carter signed it into law in 1978.Law! While grandparents are undoubtedly special people in our children’s lives，they are often seen as the most loving family members.But what about the stepparents? The stepparents are the ones who are often the outsiders，the ones who have to endure the hurtful “You’re not my dad!” or “You’re not my mom!” And yet they never give up.They do their best to overcome the inherent challenges of stepparents and be role models for their stepchildren.These unsung(未被颂扬的)family heroes deserve “official” days of honor.Perhaps if we are loud enough，President Obama，who had a stepfather himself，will sign into law NationalStepmother’s Day and National Stepfather’s Day.Are you with me? Follow me and get your voice heard.How cool it would be if we could make this happen!What is the reason for setting an official holiday for stepparents?

2.Toronto:A 300-pound adult Siberian tiger escaped from its four-meter high chain-link pen(圈)atthe Toronto Zoo yesterday, on one of the busiest days of the year. Though no one was hurt, thedangerous animal was separated from the public for a time by noting more than a four-foot fence.The escape occurred after one of the animal’s handlers left the pen gate open. It promoted a swiftresponse from officials. Staff were sent immediately to arrest the runaway tiger. General ManagerCalvin White told reporters that staff were preparing for the worst. “ I ordered a tranquilizer(麻醉剂)gun so we would have tranquilized her, but thankfully we didn’t have to”, Mr. White said. Thetiger was successfully led back into its cage after the brave escape.The incident occurred during the Toronto Zoo’s 28th annual Christmas Treats Walk, whereadmission is free in return for donation of food that does not easily go bad. Thousands of peopleattend each Boxing Day to see the animals fed by their handlers.Who is Calvin White?

3.选出下面读音不同的选项()。

4.We have learned about___English words

5.Many animals have an excellent sense of smell, which they use in hunting．On the other hand, their eyesight may be poor．Dogs, for example, have poor eyesight and no color vision．They see only shades of gray．But the dog's sense of smell is extraordinary, 　　The kind of dog known as Alsatian has 220 million olfactory (嗅觉) cells．Man has five million．Scientists believe that the Alsatian is one million times better than man in finding out odors． 　　The human sense of smell, however, is really quite good, The average human being can distinguish more than 10,000 different odors.The Alsatian's olfactory cells are __ times as many as man's.

6.In 1963, a Grade 8 student named Tom Sims ____ a ski-board for a school project in New Jersey.填入____处的最佳答案是()。

7.Most students choose “Homestay” accommodation when they study abroad：others select Homestay even if they are not on a study visit.Statistics show that it’s a form of accommodation gaining in popularity all the time.But what is Homestay? And what makes it so popular?Homestay means living with a family，or“host family”as we say.There are three ways of doing it：choose to learn English in a language school near to your Homestay location：have your English classes in the house with a member of the family who is a qualified teacher;select not to have classes at all when you visit——a popular choice if you want to do the tourist thing for example.Even in their busy summer period the organizations that arrange the Homestays will always try to place you with the most suitable host family to match your requirements.Placement( 安置)organizations think about location，interests，language level，eating requirements，allergies(过敏)and other requests you may have.Though prices vary according to your needs，good quality Homestay accommodation can berelatively economical--and although you may be charged an extra amount of money if you want your Homestay in or near the city center.Even if you stay further out，you can expect your journey into the center not to exceed 30 minutes.Not only does Homestay accommodation represent value for money， it also gives you an excellent opportunity to practice English with your host family.This is a very important extra for students who like to speak as much English as possible. But if you plan to learn English，why not have your English classes in your host family. There’s no better way to learn English than this—the perfect combination of learning and accommodation combined with the cultural experience !Who will consider students’requirements before their Homestay starts?

8.A. Sounds great! B. This is our frst trip here.C. When shall we set off? D. Could you recommend some places for us?E. You are welcome. F. What could I get?G. Have great fun. H. Is there anyhing interesting there?Receptionist: Good momning!Mr. Smith: Good morming! Today we are free for sightseeing. 56 Receptionist: Okay. Have you ever been here before?Mr. Smith: No. 57 Receptionist: Then, I suggest that you visit the Ancient Cultural Street.Mr. Smith: 58 Receptionist: Yes. The architecture is wonderful. It represents the folk style of the Qing Dynasty.Mr. Smith: 59 Thank you very much.Receptionist: 60 Have a good time!60.（）

9.What happened to the ship heading for New Orleans in 1784?

10.根据以下资料，回答25-28题。A man once said how useless it was to put advertisements in the newspapers．"Last week," said he, "my umbrella was stolen from a London Church．As it was a present, I spent twice its worth in advertising, but didn't get it back." 　　"How did you write your advertisement?" asked one of the listeners, a merchant. 　　"Here it is," said the man, taking out of his pocket a slip cut from a newspaper．The other man took it and read, "Lost from the City Church last Sunday evening, a black silk umbrella．The gentleman who finds it will receive ten shillings on leaving it at No．10 Broad Street．" 　　"Now," said the merchant, "I often advertise, and find that it pays me well．But the way in which an advertisement is expressed is of great importance．Let us try for your umbrella again, and if it fails, I'll buy you a new one." The merchant then took a slip of paper out of his pocket and wrote: "If the man who was seen to take an umbrella from the City Church last Sunday evening doesn't wish to get into trouble, he will return the umbrella to No, 10 Broad Street．He is well known." This appeared in the paper, and on the following morning, the man was astonished when he opened the front door．In the doorway lay at least twelve umbrellas of all sizes and colors that had been thrown in, and his own was among the number．Many of them had notes, fastened to them saying that they had been taken by mistake, and begging the loser not to say anything about the matter.25 The result of the first advertisement was that __.

11.Jenny is the only one of the grade who ____ selected to school fashion-show team.

12.根据以下材料，回答40-43题 It is customary for adults to forget how hard and dull and long school is．The learning by memoryof all the basic things one must know is a most incredible and unending effort．Learning to read isprobably the most difficult and revolutionary thing that happens to the human brain and if you don’tbelieve that，watch an illiterate adult try to do it．School is not easy and it is not for the most partvery much fun，but then，if you are very lucky，you may find a real teacher．Three real teachers ina lifetime is the very best of my luck．My first was a science and math teacher in high school，mysecond，a professor of creative writing at Stanford，and my third was my friend and partner，EdRicketts． My three had these things in common：They all loved what they were doing．They did not tell；they catalyzed a burning desire to know．Under their influence，the horizons sprung wide and fearwent away and the unknown became knowable．But most important of all，the truth，that dangerousstuff，became beautiful and very precious． I shall speak only of my first teacher because in addition to the other things，she：brought discovery．She aroused us to shoutin9，book—waving discussions．She had the noisiest class in school andshe didn’t even seem to know it．We could．never stick to the subject．Our speculation ranged theworld．She breathed curiosity into us so that we brought in facts or truths shielded in our hands likecaptured fireflies． I Call tell my son who looks forward with horror to fifteen years of drudgery that somewhere inthedusty dark a magic may happen that will light up the years if he is very lucky．According to the author，what is the difficult thing to people in school?

13.Many countries face some serious problems of land use, __ result from population growth and the demands of modem technological living.

14.

Food is very important.Everyone needsto1well if he or she wants to have astrong body.Our minds also need a kind of food.This kind of food is2.We begin toget knowledge even3we are very young.Small children are4in everythingaround them.They learn5while they are watching and listening.When they are getting older,they begin to6story books,science books....anything theyhike.Whenthey find something new,they love to ask questions and7to find out answers.Whatis the best8to get knowledge?ifwe learn by ourselves,we will get9knowledge,If we are10getting answers from others and do not ask why we will neverlearn well.When we study in the right way,we will learn more and understand better.6,

15.The Saturday Evening Post "became symbolic of the reading fare of middle-class America". In 1897 Curtis began to revive (重振) the Post on the proposition that a man's chief interest in life is the fight for livelihood -- business. Fiction and articles about romantic business and successful businessmen filled its pages, and products backed by its advertisements directed at the needs and desires of the business world. The general interest weekly reached new audiences. Its conservative viewpoint and strong admiration for material success appealed to the tastes of the millions who settled in an easy chair with it each Thursday evening. As a more commercial, mass-circulation magazine than The New Yorker, the widely readable Post set out to interpret America to itself.As a national and international institution, The Saturday Evening Post made its mark in the lives of massive numbers of men and women, and served society as a stabilizing influence. Its editorial matter addressed the problems and interests of the readers as never before. Neither highbrow nor lowbrow, the Post set out to interpret average middle-class America, for that was its audience.However, this magazine lost touch with the mood of the American people in the 1930s. The Post's editor Lorimer, opposed Roosevelt and the New Deal and changed his magazine from an organ of entertainment and enlightenment into a weapon of political warfare. He believed that in opposing the New Deal he had spoken for the majority of voters, but the 1936 election proved him wrong.His conservatism extended beyond politics, it dominated the magazine's content and style causing a decline in reputation and authority. The Post met its greatest success when it went beyond the tastes of the masses, challenging its readers to acknowledge the genius of contributors such as F.Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner. It was later reformed in an effort to fulfill its responsibility to awaken lethargic (昏昏欲睡的)America, however, The Saturday Evening Post seemed to play to conventions while The New Yorker took off to redefine the character of American Humor.What makes the Post so commercially successful?

16.“I love you Bob.” “I love you too, Nancy.” it was 2 a.m., and I was hearing my parents’ voices throughthe thin wall separating my bedroom from theirs. Their loving words were sweet, touching—andsurprising. My parents married on September 14, 1940, after a brief dating. She was nearly 30 andknew it was time to start a family. The handsome well-educated man who came by the office whereshe worked looked like a good bet. He was attracted by her figure, her blue eyes. The romancedidn’t last long. Seeds of difference grew almost immediately. She liked to travel; he hated thethought. He loved golf; she did not. He was a Republican, she a loyal Democrat. They fought at thebridge table, at the dinner table, over money, over the perceived shortcomings of their respectivein-laws. There was a hope that they would change once they retired, and the angry winds did calmsomewhat, but what remained changed itself into bright, hard bitterness. “I always thought we’d …”my mother would begin, before launching into a precise listing of my father’s faults. The complaintswere recited so often, I can repeat them by heart today. as he listened, my father would say angrythreats and curses in a low voice. It wasn’t the happiest marriage, but as their 60th anniversary(纪念日)approached, my sister and I decided to throw a party. Sixty years was a long time, after all;why not try to make the best of things? We’d provide the cakes, the balloons, the toasts, and they’dfollow one rule: no fighting. The agreement was honored. We had a wonderful day. When wethought back, we found it was an important celebration, because soon after, things began tochange for my parentsWhat do we know about the writer’s parents?

17.Despite the sudden breakdown of the General Manager,＿＿work is going on in the company.

18.Well ,it could not have got better for young Kavya Shivashankar , a 13-years-old student from Olathe , Kansas as she came out very successfully at the Scripps National Spelling Bee 2009(2009全美拼字大赛). On Thursday night she defeated the other 11finalists to win the 82nd Scripps National Spelling Bee,taking home more than $40,000 cash money along with other prizes.Kavya Shivashankar, whose parents migrated to the United States from India, and who aims tobecome a doctor, enjoys playing the violin, bieyeling, swimming and learning Indian classical dance .Thing came a bit late in Kavya’s life since she could win the championship with her fourthappearance in the competition . The last three times when she had taken part in the samecompetition she had finished Tench. Eighth and fourth.However ,this time Kavya proved her courage and determination by winning the title she had beencompeting for so long . Her last challenge was to spell out“laodicean”. The word “laodicean” means one who is indifferent, mostly in religious matters. She spelled it correctly and a big smile appearedon her face. Kavya wrote the word on her palm each time and spelled every word correctly.After winning Kavya exclaimed, “I can’t believe it happened ……It feels kind of unreal.” Her family was there to support her through the competition . Her father , Mirle Shivashankar said, “The competitiveness is in her….but she doesn’t show that .She still has that smile. That’s her quality .”He went on to say that this was “the moment”they had been waiting for so long. It was like “a dream come true” for them.Before spelling out the last word “Laodicean”,Kavya_________.

19.--Mum,Ann's coming tonight.Let's give her___to eat.－Good idea!

20.Laura and Anthony Valois are a young New York couple who have been trying in vain to have their first child.Several years ago.Belinda Ramlrez read an Internet adoption listing and quickly contacted them from her home in Texas,telling them they could adopt her unborn baby. Excited, Laura and Anthony spent weeks communicating with Ramirez and got regular updates on her preg –nancy.Before long, Ramirez began to ask them for financial support. That took the Valoises by surprise.But were willing to do a lot to ensure a smooth birth. They sent more than $1,000 to Ramirez over several months.Laura and Anthony finally drove to Texas so they could be on hand for the birth. But once they arrived,Ramirez avoided their daily phone calls. After there weeks, the couple drove back to New York-empty-handed and emotionally crushed.They later learned Ramirez had been cheating about ten other people for such things as Wal-mart gift cards in ststes ranging from California to Ohio to Florida. From start to finish,it was a scam .In fact,Ramirez was never even pregnant. She was sentenced to 24 months in prison as she deserved.“When you find out you can’t have children, it’s just depressing.” Laura Valois told a Texas Tv station.“But when somebody intentionally does this to you,it’s 15 times worse.”The couple were excited because___________.