Starting a New Tradition

    Shantelle Davis is a nine-year-old girl in New York. On a cold night in December, her family is standing around the kitchen table while she lights a candle. The table is decorated with baskets of fruits and vegetables and ears of com for Shantelle and her two brothers.

    “This candle represents umoja, an African word that means being together,” Shantelle says. “That"s the most important thing for a family.”

    Tonight is the first night of Kwanzaa, and Shantelle is spending the holiday with her family. More than 5 million African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa every year from December 26 until January I. It"s a time when they get together with their families to think about their history and their ancestors in Africa 1.

    Kwanzaa is very unusual because it was started by one man. In 1966, an American named Maulana Karenga wanted a holiday for African-Americans to honor their culture and traditions. So he used words and customs fromAfricato create a new celebration. He took the name Kwanzaa from the words for “first fruits” in Swahili, an African language. At first, a few American families had small celebrations at home. Now there are also Kwanzaa events in schools and public places，and Kwanzaa has spread to other countries like Canada and Jamaica.

    The main symbol of Kwanzaa is a candleholder with seven candles, one for each of the principles of Kwanzaa. Each night, a family member lights one of the candles and talks about the idea it represents：being together, being yourself, helping each other, sharing, having a goal，creating, and believing. The candles are red, black, and green, the colors of Kwanzaa. The parents also pour drinks to honor family members who have died. On the last night of Kwanzaa, there is a big dinner with African food, and children receive small presents.

    Today people can buy Kwanzaa greeting cards and special Kwanzaa clothes. Stores sell Kwanzaa candles and candleholders. Some people don"t believe that Kwanzaa is a real holiday，because it"s so new. But other people say that customs and celebrations are always changing and that Kwanzaa shows what is important in people"s lives 2.

    Shantelle Davis says she likes Kwanzaa because it"s fun. “But I also learn new things every year," she says.

 

词汇：

ancestor  n.祖宗，祖先

be decorated with 由……所装饰

honor/ "ɒnə(r) / vt. 尊敬,使荣幸; n.荣誉,尊敬

ears of com玉米穗

candleholder/ "kændlˌhəʊldə / n.烛台

 

注释：

1.    It"s a time when they get together with their families to think about their history and their ancestors in Africa.这段时间里他们和家人待在一起缅怀他们的历史和非洲的祖先。

2.    ... shows what is important in people"s lives. ……展现了人们生活中重要的东西。

Children receive presents at the end of Kwanzaa.

A:Right B:Wrong C:Not mentioned

More and more residences, businesses, and even government agencies are using telephone answering machines to take messages or give information or instructions. Sometimes these machines give (1) instructions, or play messages that are difficult to understand. If you (2) telephone calls, you need to be ready to respond when you get a (3)
The most common machine is the (4) used in residence. If you call a home (5) there is a telephone answering machine (6) you will hear several rings and then a recorded message that (7) says something like this: "Hello. We can’t come to the (8) right now. If you want us to call you back, please leave your name and number after the beep." Then you will hear a "beep", (9) is a brief, high-pitched (10) . After the beep, you can say who you are, whom you want to speak to, and what number the person should call to (11) you, or you can leave a (12) . Some telephone answering machines record for only 20 or 30 seconds after the beep, (13) you must respond quickly.
Some large businesses and government agencies are using telephone answering machines to provide information on (14) about which they receive a large volume of (15) . Generally speaking, using these systems (16) you to have a touch-tone phone ( a phone with buttons rather than a rotary dial). The voice on the machine will tell you to (17) a certain button on your telephone if you want information on Topic A, another button for Topic B, and so on. You listen (18) you hear the topic you want to learn about, and then you push the (19) button. Immediately after making your (20) , you will hear a recorded message on the topic.

Read the following text. Choose the best word (s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C, or D on ANSWER SHEET 1.10（）

A:take B:make C:answer D:receive

More and more residences, businesses, and even government agencies are using telephone answering machines to take messages or give information or instructions. Sometimes these machines give (1) instructions, or play messages that are difficult to understand. If you (2) telephone calls, you need to be ready to respond when you get a (3)
The most common machine is the (4) used in residence. If you call a home (5) there is a telephone answering machine (6) you will hear several rings and then a recorded message that (7) says something like this: "Hello. We can’t come to the (8) right now. If you want us to call you back, please leave your name and number after the beep." Then you will hear a "beep", (9) is a brief, high-pitched (10) . After the beep, you can say who you are, whom you want to speak to, and what number the person should call to (11) you, or you can leave a (12) . Some telephone answering machines record for only 20 or 30 seconds after the beep, (13) you must respond quickly.
Some large businesses and government agencies are using telephone answering machines to provide information on (14) about which they receive a large volume of (15) . Generally speaking, using these systems (16) you to have a touch-tone phone ( a phone with buttons rather than a rotary dial). The voice on the machine will tell you to (17) a certain button on your telephone if you want information on Topic A, another button for Topic B, and so on. You listen (18) you hear the topic you want to learn about, and then you push the (19) button. Immediately after making your (20) , you will hear a recorded message on the topic.

14（）

A:take B:make C:answer D:receive

More and more residences, businesses, and even government agencies are using telephone answering machines to take messages or give information or instructions. Sometimes these machines give (1) instructions, or play messages that are difficult to understand. If you (2) telephone calls, you need to be ready to respond if you get a (3) . The most common machine is the (4) used in residence. If you call a home (5) there is a telephone answering machine in operation you (6) hear several rings and then a recorded message (7) usually says something (8) this: "Hello. We can’t come to the (9) right now. If you want us to call you back, please leave your name and number after the beep." Then you will hear a "beep," (10) is a brief, high-pitched (11) . Alter the beep, you can say who you are, whom you want to speak to, and what number the person should call to (12) you, or you can leave a (13) . Some telephone answering machines (14) for only 20 or 30 seconds after the beep, so you must respond quickly. Some large businesses and government agencies are using telephone answering machines to provide information on (15) about which they receive a large volume of (16) . Using these systems (17) you to have a touch-tone phone (a phone with buttons rather than a rotary dial). The voice on the machine will tell your to push a certain button on your telephone if you want in-formation on Topic A, another button for Topic B, and so on. You listen (18) you hear the topic you want to learn about, and then you push the (19) button. After making your (20) , you will hear a recorded message on the topic.

14（）

A:record B:speak C:receive D:work

More and more residences, businesses, and even government agencies are using telephone answering machines to take messages or give information or instructions. Sometimes these machines give (1) instructions, or play messages that are difficult to understand. If you (2) telephone calls, you need to be ready to respond if you get a (3) . The most common machine is the (4) used in residence. If you call a home (5) there is a telephone answering machine in operation you (6) hear several rings and then a recorded message (7) usually says something (8) this: "Hello. We can’t come to the (9) right now. If you want us to call you back, please leave your name and number after the beep." Then you will hear a "beep," (10) is a brief, high-pitched (11) . Alter the beep, you can say who you are, whom you want to speak to, and what number the person should call to (12) you, or you can leave a (13) . Some telephone answering machines (14) for only 20 or 30 seconds after the beep, so you must respond quickly. Some large businesses and government agencies are using telephone answering machines to provide information on (15) about which they receive a large volume of (16) . Using these systems (17) you to have a touch-tone phone (a phone with buttons rather than a rotary dial). The voice on the machine will tell your to push a certain button on your telephone if you want in-formation on Topic A, another button for Topic B, and so on. You listen (18) you hear the topic you want to learn about, and then you push the (19) button. After making your (20) , you will hear a recorded message on the topic.

Read the following text. Choose the best word (s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1.14（　）

A:record B:speak C:receive D:work

Section Ⅰ Use of English Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word (s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 Points) More and more residences, businesses, and even government agencies are using telephone answering machines to take messages or give information or instructions. Sometimes these machines give (1) instructions, or play messages that are difficult to understand. If you (2) telephone calls, you need to be ready to respond when you get a (3) The most common machine is the (4) used in residence. If you call a home (5) there is a telephone answering machine (6) you will hear several rings and then a recorded message that (7) says something like this: "Hello. We can’t come to the (8) right now. If you want us to call you back, please leave your name and number after the beep." Then you will hear a "beep", (9) is a brief, high-pitched (10) . After the beep, you can say who you are, whom you want to speak to, and what number the person should call to (11) you, or you can leave a (12) . Some telephone answering machines record for only 20 or 30 seconds after the beep, (13) you must respond quickly. Some large businesses and government agencies are using telephone answering machines to provide information on (14) about which they receive a large volume of (15) . Generally speaking, using these systems (16) you to have a touch-tone phone ( a phone with buttons rather than a rotary dial). The voice on the machine will tell you to (17) a certain button on your telephone if you want information on Topic A, another button for Topic B, and so on. You listen (18) you hear the topic you want to learn about, and then you push the (19) button. Immediately after making your (20) , you will hear a recorded message on the topic.

Read the following text. Choose the best word (s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1.12（）

A:take B:make C:answer D:receive

Insurance companies provide a service to the community by protecting it against expected and unexpected disasters. Before an insurance company will agree to (1) anything, it collects accurate figures about the (2) . It knows, for example, that the risk of a man being killed in a plane accident is less than the risk he (3) in crossing a busy road. This (4) it to quote low figures for travel insurance. Sometimes the risk may be high, as in motorracing or mountaineering. Then the company (5) a much higher price. (6) too many climbers have accidents, the price rises still further. If the majority of climbers fall off mountains, the company will (7) to insure them.
An ordinary householder may wish to protect his home against fire or his (8) against burglary. A shop keeper may wish to insure against (9) . In (10) cases, the company will check its statistics and quote a premium. If it is (11) , it may refuse to quote. If it insures a shop and then receives a suspicious (12) , it will (13) the claim as a means of protecting itself against false claims. It is not unknown for a businessman in debt to burn down his own premises so that he can claim much money from his insurance company. He can be sure that the fire will be investigated most carefully. Insurance companies also (14) insurance against shipwreck or disaster in the air. Planes and ships are very expensive, so a large (15) is charged, but a (16) is given to companies with an accident-free record.
Every week insurance companies receive premium (17) from customers. These payments can form a very large total (18) millions of dollars. The company does not leave the money in the bank. It (19) in property, shares, farms and even antique paintings and stamps. Its aim is to obtain the best possible return on its investment. This is not so greedy as it may seem, since this is one way by which it can deep its premiums down and continue to make a profit (20) being of service to the community.

14（）

A:receive B:extend C:accept D:prevent

The biggest problem with the U. S. health - care system is that it has long been designed to respond to illness rather than prevent it. According to an analysis by the Common wealth Fund, a foundation that funds health - care research, half of American adults in 2005 did not receive recommended preventive care, which includes vaccinations, cancer screenings and blood -pressure checks. When we do get our cardiac health checked, too often it’s because we’ve been rushed to the emergency room suffering from chest pains. When we do get a cancer evaluation, too often it’s a diagnosis of advanced disease that has spread beyond the initial tumor site.
What will probably happen under the present US health -care system

A:All Americans do not receive preventive care. B:Many Americans seek medical help when it is too late. C:Everyone who is sick will receive medical help. D:Americans do not receive medial help even when they are sick.

The biggest problem with the U. S. health - care system is that it has long been designed to respond to illness rather than prevent it. According to an analysis by the Common wealth Fund, a foundation that funds health - care research, half of American adults in 2005 did not receive recommended preventive care, which includes vaccinations, cancer screenings and blood -pressure checks. When we do get our cardiac health checked, too often it’s because we’ve been rushed to the emergency room suffering from chest pains. When we do get a cancer evaluation, too often it’s a diagnosis of advanced disease that has spread beyond the initial tumor site.
What will probably happen under the present US health -care system

A:All Americans do not receive preventive care. B:Many Americans seek medical help when it is too late. C:Everyone who is sick will receive medical help. D:Americans do not receive medial help even when they are sick.