NEW YORK— Picking a Christmas tree takes most people a few minutes, or a couple of hours if they head for the woods. Dave Murbach needs 11 months.

Almost every day of every year, Murbach’s thoughts turn to vision of a perfectly shaped evergreen tree that will take everyone's breath away.

     Murbach is the man responsible for finding the towering tree that makes more attractive Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.

     “I'm always looking for a tree,” the center's chief gardener says. “I look for it even when I go to the beach in the summer. It' s like a homework assignment hanging over your head.”

     And if he gets it wrong, there's nothing hiding it.

     “Every day it's up, 400,000 people go by, and 2.5 million people watch the lighting celebration on television,”he says.

    This year’s tree, a 74-foot Nomy spruce (云杉) from Richfield, Ohio, flown to New York on the world's largest cargo plane, was lighted on December 2.

    The arrival of the tree leads in the Christmas season in New York — a tradition dating back to 1931, when the workers building Rockefeller Center put up a small tree with ornaments (裝飾品). 

     The search for the next year's tree starts soon after the old tree is chopped up for wood chips and horse-jumping logs.

    Murbach has three standards: The tree must be at least 65 feet high, at least 35 feet across and leaves dense (密集的) enough not to see through.

    That's not as simple as it sounds. Though forests are full of evergreens, few get enough sunlight or space to fill out. And branches in snow regions often break under the weight, making trees unbalanced.

    Back at the office, he sorts through hundreds of letters from people offering their trees, many addressed simply to “Mr. Christmas Tree Man.”

Though there was occasional anxiety attack and sleepless night, Murbach knows the effect the tree has on people: “It's for bringing people together, attempting to bring together people you love. That's what I hope it sets off.”  But Murbach says he's always too worn out to celebrate Christmas.

51． Which is the correct order of the events in the passage?

a. Murbach’s thoughts turn to a perfectly shaped tree.

b. 2.5 million people watch the Christmas tree.

c. The tree is flown to New York.

d. It was lighted on December 2.

e. The tree is chopped up.

f. Murbach searches for the tree.

A. a, b, c, d, e, f                                B. c, d, b, f, e, a

C. c, d, e, b, a, f                                D. a, f, c, d, b, e

52． Murbach spends a lot of time         that are exhibited in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.

A. taking care of Christmas trees

B. deciding on the perfect evergreens

C. sorting the letters from people

D. deciding the TV programs

53． Why does Murbach take his job seriously?

A. Because he wants everyone to be happy with his choice.

B. Because he hopes to make everybody unable to breathe.

C. Because he enjoys showing off.

D. Because he wishes to attract people's attention to himself.

54． According to Murbach' s standard of trees, the best tree must_______ .

A. be evergreen

B. have lots of space between their branches

C. be tall enough not to see through

D. be equally balanced

55． What kind of person do you think Murbach is?

A. A person always ignoring his family.

B. A person full of love.

C. A person devoted to his work.

D. A person with great anxiety.

NEW YORK— Picking a Christmas tree takes most people a few minutes, or a couple of hours if they head for the woods. Dave Murbach needs 11 months.

Almost every day of every year, Murbach’s thoughts turn to vision of a perfectly shaped evergreen tree that will take everyone's breath away.

      Murbach is the man responsible for finding the towering tree that makes more attractive Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.

      “I'm always looking for a tree,” the center's chief gardener says. “I look for it even when I go to the beach in the summer. It' s like a homework assignment hanging over your head.”

      And if he gets it wrong, there's nothing hiding it.

      “Every day it's up, 400,000 people go by, and 2.5 million people watch the lighting celebration on television,”he says.

    This year’s tree, a 74-foot Nomy spruce (云杉) from Richfield, Ohio, flown to New York on the world's largest cargo plane, was lighted on December 2.

    The arrival of the tree leads in the Christmas season in New York — a tradition dating back to 1931, when the workers building Rockefeller Center put up a small tree with ornaments (裝飾品). 

      The search for the next year's tree starts soon after the old tree is chopped up for wood chips and horse-jumping logs.

    Murbach has three standards: The tree must be at least 65 feet high, at least 35 feet across and leaves dense (密集的) enough not to see through.

    That's not as simple as it sounds. Though forests are full of evergreens, few get enough sunlight or space to fill out. And branches in snow regions often break under the weight, making trees unbalanced.

    Back at the office, he sorts through hundreds of letters from people offering their trees, many addressed simply to “Mr. Christmas Tree Man.”

Though there was occasional anxiety attack and sleepless night, Murbach knows the effect the tree has on people: “It's for bringing people together, attempting to bring together people you love. That's what I hope it sets off.”  But Murbach says he's always too worn out to celebrate Christmas.

1. Which is the correct order of the events in the passage?

a. Murbach’s thoughts turn to a perfectly shaped tree.

b. 2.5 million people watch the Christmas tree.

c. The tree is flown to New York.

d. It was lighted on December 2.

e. The tree is chopped up.

f. Murbach searches for the tree.

A. a, b, c, d, e, f                                               B. c, d, b, f, e, a

C. c, d, e, b, a, f                                               D. a, f, c, d, b, e

2. Murbach spends a lot of time         that are exhibited in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.

A. taking care of Christmas trees

B. deciding on the perfect evergreens

C. sorting the letters from people

D. deciding the TV programs

3. Why does Murbach take his job seriously?

A. Because he wants everyone to be happy with his choice.

B. Because he hopes to make everybody unable to breathe.

C. Because he enjoys showing off.

D. Because he wishes to attract people's attention to himself.

4. According to Murbach' s standard of trees, the best tree must_______ .

A. be evergreen

B. have lots of space between their branches

C. be tall enough not to see through

D. be equally balanced

5. What kind of person do you think Murbach is?

A. A person always ignoring his family.      

B. A person full of love.

C. A person devoted to his work.

D. A person with great anxiety.

NEW YORK— Picking a Christmas tree takes most people a few minutes, or a couple of hours if they head for the woods. Dave Murbach needs 11 months.
Almost every day of every year, Murbach’s thoughts turn to vision of a perfectly shaped evergreen tree that will take everyone's breath away.
Murbach is the man responsible for finding the towering tree that makes more attractive Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.
“I'm always looking for a tree,” the center's chief gardener says. “I look for it even when I go to the beach in the summer. It' s like a homework assignment hanging over your head.”
And if he gets it wrong, there's nothing hiding it.
“Every day it's up, 400,000 people go by, and 2.5 million people watch the lighting celebration on television,”he says.
This year’s tree, a 74-foot Nomy spruce (云杉) from Richfield, Ohio, flown to New York on the world's largest cargo plane, was lighted on December 2.
The arrival of the tree leads in the Christmas season in New York — a tradition dating back to 1931, when the workers building Rockefeller Center put up a small tree with ornaments (裝飾品). 
The search for the next year's tree starts soon after the old tree is chopped up for wood chips and horse-jumping logs.
Murbach has three standards: The tree must be at least 65 feet high, at least 35 feet across and leaves dense (密集的) enough not to see through.
That's not as simple as it sounds. Though forests are full of evergreens, few get enough sunlight or space to fill out. And branches in snow regions often break under the weight, making trees unbalanced.
Back at the office, he sorts through hundreds of letters from people offering their trees, many addressed simply to “Mr. Christmas Tree Man.”
Though there was occasional anxiety attack and sleepless night, Murbach knows the effect the tree has on people: “It's for bringing people together, attempting to bring together people you love. That's what I hope it sets off.”  But Murbach says he's always too worn out to celebrate Christmas

1. 1.

   Which is the correct order of the events in the passage?
   a. Murbach’s thoughts turn to a perfectly shaped tree.
   b. 2.5 million people watch the Christmas tree.
   c. The tree is flown to New York.
   d. It was lighted on December 2.
   e. The tree is chopped up.
   f. Murbach searches for the tree

   1. A.
      a, b, c, d, e, f
   2. B.
      c, d, b, f, e, a
   3. C.
      c, d, e, b, a, f
   4. D.
      a, f, c, d, b, e
2. 2.

   Murbach spends a lot of time         that are exhibited in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season

   1. A.
      taking care of Christmas trees
   2. B.
      deciding on the perfect evergreens
   3. C.
      sorting the letters from people
   4. D.
      deciding the TV programs
3. 3.

   Why does Murbach take his job seriously?

   1. A.
      Because he wants everyone to be happy with his choice
   2. B.
      Because he hopes to make everybody unable to breathe
   3. C.
      Because he enjoys showing off
   4. D.
      Because he wishes to attract people's attention to himself
4. 4.

   According to Murbach' s standard of trees, the best tree must_______

   1. A.
      be evergreen
   2. B.
      have lots of space between their branches
   3. C.
      be tall enough not to see through
   4. D.
      be equally balanced
5. 5.

   What kind of person do you think Murbach is?

   1. A.
      A person always ignoring his family
   2. B.
      A person full of love
   3. C.
      A person devoted to his work
   4. D.
      A person with great anxiety

NEW YORK— Picking a Christmas tree takes most people a few minutes, or a couple of hours if they head for the woods. Dave Murbach needs 11 months.

Almost every day of every year, Murbach’s thoughts turn to vision of a perfectly shaped evergreen tree that will take everyone's breath away.

     Murbach is the man responsible for finding the towering tree that makes more attractive Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.

     “I'm always looking for a tree,” the center's chief gardener says. “I look for it even when I go to the beach in the summer. It' s like a homework assignment hanging over your head.”

     And if he gets it wrong, there's nothing hiding it.

     “Every day it's up, 400,000 people go by, and 2.5 million people watch the lighting celebration on television,”he says.

    This year’s tree, a 74-foot Nomy spruce (云杉) from Richfield, Ohio, flown to New York on the world's largest cargo plane, was lighted on December 2.

    The arrival of the tree leads in the Christmas season in New York — a tradition dating back to 1931, when the workers building Rockefeller Center put up a small tree with ornaments (裝飾品). 

     The search for the next year's tree starts soon after the old tree is chopped up for wood chips and horse-jumping logs.

    Murbach has three standards: The tree must be at least 65 feet high, at least 35 feet across and leaves dense (密集的) enough not to see through.

    That's not as simple as it sounds. Though forests are full of evergreens, few get enough sunlight or space to fill out. And branches in snow regions often break under the weight, making trees unbalanced.

    Back at the office, he sorts through hundreds of letters from people offering their trees, many addressed simply to “Mr. Christmas Tree Man.”

Though there was occasional anxiety attack and sleepless night, Murbach knows the effect the tree has on people: “It's for bringing people together, attempting to bring together people you love. That's what I hope it sets off.”  But Murbach says he's always too worn out to celebrate Christmas.

41. Which is the correct order of the events in the passage?

a. Murbach’s thoughts turn to a perfectly shaped tree.

b. 2.5 million people watch the Christmas tree.

c. The tree is flown to New York.

d. It was lighted on December 2.

e. The tree is chopped up.

f. Murbach searches for the tree.

A. a, b, c, d, e, f                                B. c, d, b, f, e, a  

C. c, d, e, b, a, f                                D. a, f, c, d, b, e

42. Murbach spends a lot of time         that are exhibited in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.

A. taking care of Christmas trees

B. deciding on the perfect evergreens

     C. sorting the letters from people

D. deciding the TV programs

43. Why does Murbach take his job seriously?

A. Because he wants everyone to be happy with his choice.    

B. Because he hopes to make everybody unable to breathe.

C. Because he enjoys showing off.            

D. Because he wishes to attract people's attention to himself.

44. According to Murbach' s standard of trees, the best tree must_______ .

     A. be evergreen

B. have lots of space between their branches

C. be tall enough not to see through

D. be equally balanced                                                                             

45. What kind of person do you think Murbach is?

A. A person always ignoring his family.

B. A person full of love. 

C. A person devoted to his work.

D. A person with great anxiety.

There are many traditions around the holidays. “Holiday traditions” are things that people do every year during a holiday such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. At Christmas, for example, many people put up a Christmas tree or Christmas lights. These are Christmas traditions that have been going on for many years. But there is a “new” Christmas tradition that has become very popular: the TV firelog, a TV channel that shows nothing but a large log fire, blazing in a fireplace.

People put it on their TV and it makes them feel like they are watching and listening to a crackling fire. It makes them feel calm and comfortable. The origin(起源) dates back to 1986 in Canada. At that time, not very many people knew about it or watched the channel. Today, more than three million people watch the firelog channel during the winter holiday season. That year, the firelog channel was created(創(chuàng)造) to give the workers in the company that is now called Shaw Cable, a break at Christmas. By running the firelog during the holidays, everyone could go home for a few days and enjoy a bit of time off.

At that time, it was only broadcast to people in Edmonton but today it reaches people across Canada and beyond. This year, the Shaw firelog was updated. It is pretty high tech. Although it’s still really just a fire log that has been filmed, it has its own Twitter account (@ShawFireLog), its own Facebook page and it even has a computer App so you can see the burning log on a smartphone or a tablet. The Shaw firelog will burn until Jan. 5 on Shaw Cable, channel 222.

1.What does this passage mainly talk about?

A. The origin and popularity of the TV firelog.

B. Famous holiday traditions.

C. What makes the TV firelog so popular.

D. The TV firelog today.

2.What does the underlined words “the TV firelog” mean in Paragraph 1?

A. It is an old Christmas tradition beginning a long time ago.

B. It is a TV channel that shows nothing but a fireplace.

C. It is a TV channel with all kinds of Christmas traditional programs.

D. It is a TV channel where people can watch a large log fire.

3.For what purpose was the TV firelog created?

A. To attract more people to watch their programs.

B. To make people feel calm and comfortable by watching a crackling fire.

C. To give the people working at the company a few days off at Christmas.

D. To create more new traditions for people to celebrate Christmas.

4.What can we learn about the TV firelog from the passage?

A. More than three million people watched the channel in 1986.

B. It was broadcast to people in Edmonton and across Canada when it first started.

C. It has its own Twitter account but no Facebook page now.

D. The burning of the firelog will last until Jan. 5 on Shaw Cable.

閱讀理解。

It was a Christmas night. I was an unlucky nurse who had to work on such a beautiful festival. When I was complaining（抱怨）about it, three people appeared at my desk — a tired woman and two children.

“Are you all sick?” I asked doubtfully because they seemed all right.

“Yes,” the woman answered weakly and lowered her head.

But when they started to present their problems, things became unclear. One child had a fever, but his temperature was OK. The other child had an earache, but she could not tell me which ear hurt. It seemed that the mother was pretending（假裝）to cough.

Something was wrong. But I only explained that it might take a while before a doctor could meet them. “Take your time, please,” said the mother. I checked their charts — no address. Suddenly I knew, they were homeless while the hospital was warm.

The family huddled（蜷縮）together under the Christmas tree, smiling and talking with each other sweetly. Quietly, I went back to the nurses’ station and told them what happened in the waiting room. It was just like God sending us a gift on Christmas Day. The nurses’ station suddenly came back to life. All the nurses went into action for “a Christmas emergency（急診）”.

We took out our meals for our Christmas “patients”. We also put together oranges and apples as presents. We tried to exceed the needs of a family who only wanted a warm place on Christmas night. Later, the little girl kissed me and said, “Thanks for being our angel（天使）.”

1.Before the family appeared in the hospital, the writer was very_______.

A．proud B．unhappy C．pleased

2.The family came to the hospital because________.

A．they came to visit a patient

B．they were all sick

C．they were homeless

3.The nurses offered the family meals and gifts in order to _______.

A．make them feel at home B．make them leave C．make them feel upset

4.What does the underlined word “exceed ” in this passage mean?

A．降低 B．超出 C．拒絕

5.From the story, we learn that_________.

A．homeless people often tell lies

B．a(chǎn) hospital is a good place to spend Christmas night

C．we should always be friendly and kind to those in need

My name is Miang. I am from Thailand. I would like to tell you about my favorite holiday, which is Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year takes place in January or February every year. My family is Chinese, so we celebrate this day, too. My aunt prepares some Chinese dishes, such as duck, chicken, fish, pork and so on.

I am Janine. My favorite holiday is Christmas. On Christmas, we dance, play music and sing. We have great fun on that day. We eat Christmas sweets and many special foods. We decorate our house with colorful lights. I love Christmas mainly because it is Jesus’ birthday!

I’m Zhenia. My favorite holiday is New Year. We celebrate the New Year on the 31^st of December. Father Frost comes with his grand daughter Snegoorochka on this night. He comes at night and puts his presents under the New Year Tree. We have a party and stay up until midnight to see the New Year in and the Old Year off. We cook nice food for parties.

My name is Pat, and I am From Thailand. My favorite holiday is Songkran. It is a Thai New Year celebration. It takes place from 13^th to 15^th of April. People pour water on each other on that holiday. It is a lot of fun. People also buy new clothes and they have big parties.

I am Malena, and I’m from Argentina. My favorite holiday is New Year. We celebrate with fireworks at midnight. I go to Punta del Este with my family. We usually eat Arabian food.

46. According to the passage, what is the main reason why Janine loves Christmas?

A. Because there is a lot of fun.

B. Because it is Jesus’ birthday.

C. Because she can get a lot of presents.

D. Because she can stay with her family.

47. We can infer that Father Frost and Snegoorochka most probably are        .

       A. sellers of presents                       B. Zhenia’s relatives

       C. characters in stories                           D. father and daughter

48. Besides Pat, who else most probably celebrates Songkran?

       A. Janine                     B. Malena            C. Zhenia                    D. Miang

49. What is the topic of this passage?

       A. An unforgettable day.

       B. My favorite holiday.

       C. Holiday around the world.

       D. Food for New Year’s Day.

Miang

My name is Miang，I come from Thailand. I would like to tell you about my favorite holiday，which is Chinese Spring Festival，taking place in January or February every year. My family is Chinese，and we celebrate this day all together，too. My aunt prepares some traditional Chinese dishes，such as duck ，chicken，fish，pork and so on. We will have a get-together to enjoy all these delicious food，especially a kind of food—“dumplings”．

Janine

My favorite holiday is Christmas. On Christmas，we dance，play music and sing. We have great fun on that day. We eat Christmas sweets and many special foods. We decorate our house with colorful lights. I love Christmas mainly because it is Jesus' birthday!

Zhenia

My favorite holiday is New Year. We celebrate the New Year on the 31st of December. Father Frost comes with his granddaughter Snegoorochka on this night. He comes at night and puts his presents under the New Year Tree. We have a party and stay up until midnight to see the New Year in and the Old Year off. We cook tasty food for parties.

Pat

My name is Pat，and I am from Thailand. My favorite holiday is Songkran. It is a Thai New Year celebration. It takes place from the 13th to 15th of April. People pour water on each other on this holiday. It is a lot of fun. People also buy new clothes and they have big parties.

Malena

I am Malena，and I'm from Argentina. My favorite holiday is New Year. We celebrate with fireworks at midnight. I go to Punta del Este with my family. We usually eat Arabian food(kibbe，Lajmayin and so on)．

1.On Chinese New Year's Day，Miang's aunt may cook all of the following EXCEPT________.

A．duck B．dumplings

C．Lajmayin D．pork

2.We can infer that Father Frost and Snegoorochka most probably are________.

A．present-sellers B．Zhenia's relatives

C．characters in tales D．father and daughter

3.What's the topic of this passage?

A．An unforgettable day.

B．My favorite holiday.

C．Holidays in the world.

D．Food on New Year.

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it; overspending, running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and powder for Grandma…
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, at 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended and before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.
As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear to protect a wrestler’s ears. They obviously could not afford.
Mike shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”
Mike loved kids—all kids—and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came.
That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.
On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.
【小題1】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it; overspending, running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and powder for Grandma…

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, at 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended and before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.

As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear to protect a wrestler’s ears. They obviously could not afford.

Mike shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”

Mike loved kids—all kids—and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came.

That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

1.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Precious Present                       B．Christmas Gift

C．The Small White Envelope                 D．The Good Old Tradition

2.Why did Mike hate Christmas according to the passage?

A．He didn’t like the true meaning of Christmas

B．He didn’t like people spending too much money on presents

C．He hated buying presents for Uncle Harry and Grandma

D．He didn’t want to receive gifts like shirts, sweaters or ties.

3.Which is the closest meaning to the underlined phrase “take the heart right out of them”?

A．make them excited

B．make them inspired

C．make them lose confidence

D．make them kill themselves

4.Why was his smile the brightest thing about Christmas that year? ( paragraph 9)

A．He received some sporting goods

B．He found a potential wrestling team

C．His son won the wrestling match

D．His wife sent presents to those poor kids

5.What can we infer from the passage?

A．The tradition of sending presents will pass from generation to generation.

B．The children were eager to get their new toys ignoring the envelope.

C．With the presents, the poor kids will surely win the match one day.

D．Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it; overspending, running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and powder for Grandma…
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, at 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended and before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.
As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear to protect a wrestler’s ears. They obviously could not afford.
Mike shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”
Mike loved kids—all kids—and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came.
That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.
On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us

1. 1.

   Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Precious Present
   2. B.
      Christmas Gift
   3. C.
      The Small White Envelope
   4. D.
      The Good Old Tradition
2. 2.

   Why did Mike hate Christmas according to the passage?

   1. A.
      He didn’t like the true meaning of Christmas
   2. B.
      He didn’t like people spending too much money on presents
   3. C.
      He hated buying presents for Uncle Harry and Grandma
   4. D.
      He didn’t want to receive gifts like shirts, sweaters or ties
3. 3.

   Which is the closest meaning to the underlined phrase “take the heart right out of them”?

   1. A.
      make them excited
   2. B.
      make them inspired
   3. C.
      make them lose confidence
   4. D.
      make them kill themselves
4. 4.

   Why was his smile the brightest thing about Christmas that year? ( paragraph 9)

   1. A.
      He received some sporting goods
   2. B.
      He found a potential wrestling team
   3. C.
      His son won the wrestling match
   4. D.
      His wife sent presents to those poor kids
5. 5.

   What can we infer from the passage?

   1. A.
      The tradition of sending presents will pass from generation to generation
   2. B.
      The children were eager to get their new toys ignoring the envelope
   3. C.
      With the presents, the poor kids will surely win the match one day
   4. D.
      Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas — oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it — overspending... the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma — the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.

As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”

Mike loved kids — all kids — and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent the anonymously to the inner-city church.

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years.

For each Christmas, I followed the tradition — one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

55.　 Why did Mike get so bored with Christmas at first?

A.　 People would pour into stores to blindly purchase gifts over Christmas.

B.　 He wasn’t satisfied with the Christmas presents he had ever received.

C.　 People couldn’t come up with any fantastic ideas for Christmas gifts.

D.　 The true meaning of Christmas remained unchanged in people’s minds.

56．The writer mentions what the two teams wore in Paragraph 4 in order to _______.

A.　 show her pride in her children’s present living conditions

B.　 explain the reason why her son’s team won the match

C.　 reflect the financial difficulty of the inner-city church

D.　 express the shock those lower-class teenagers brought her

57. What did Mike mean by saying “l(fā)osing like this could take the heart right out of them”

(Paragraph 6)?

A．They didn’t care whether they could win the match or not.

B．They didn’t acknowledge the defeat because of the unfairness.

C．Being defeated in this way could make them lose confidence.

D．Being defeated in this way could inspire them to train harder.

58．Mike’s bright smile at the note suggests.
A．what his wife had done as against the Christmas spirit.
B．he thought the very Christmas gift had real significance
C．what was written on the note was easy to understand
D．he was amused by the Christmas tradition of his family.
59．What happened at the first Christmas after Mike’s death?
A．The writer asked her children to follow their family tradition.
B．All the children stood around the Christmas tree with expectation.
C．The writer removed the Christmas tree to avoid thinking of Mike.
D．The children each put an envelope on the Christmas tree for their dad.
60．In the writer’s eyes, the white envelope is a symbol of　　　　 .
A．Mike’s spirit　　　　　 B．children’s love　　　　 C．unusual ideas　　　　　 D．special gifts

I was with a group of businessmen, and we were dealing with a question—What is a good person?
At a certain point during the discussion, one of the students—a young man of about thirty—described an event that happened at Christmas. He and his five-year-old son were decorating the Christmas tree, and a little boy came to the front door begging. If you ever visit Mexico, you will see that the people there take begging as nothing to get upset about and nothing to get embarrassed by.
So, this little boy came to the door, a boy about the same age as my student’s son. The father and the son went to the front door, and the father went back with his five-year-old son and said to him, “Give him one of your toys.” At the words, the little boy quickly picked up some toy, and his father said to him, “No, no－give him your favorite toy.”
And the little boy, like a little tiger, said, “No way!” He cried; he refused. But the father, like a big tiger in a way, insisted gently, “No, you must give him one of your favorite toys.”
And finally the boy, with his head down, picked up a toy he had just gotten. The father waited in the living room, and the boy walked to the front door with the toy in his hand. The father waited and waited.
What do you think happened?
After a couple of minutes, his son came running back into the living room, his face radiant (喜氣洋洋). “Daddy,” he said, “can I do that again?”
I think I have got the answer to the question.
【小題1】From the passage, we can learn that in Mexico ________.

A “Green” Christmas spirit is upon us this year and it seems like everyone is wondering which kind of Christmas tree serves eco-friendly the best this year.

One of the concepts that I have seen this year is whether to purchase a real Christmas tree or an artificial tree. Which one is more “Green”? People are leaning in the wrong direction when they assume that the artificial Christmas tree poses less of a threat to the Earth.

The truth of the matter is, if you have to have a tree this year(because the greenest option is no tree) the real tree is far more eco-friendly than the fake one. Why? Most of the artificial trees are made of PVC. Beyond the fact that the creation of PVC emits nasty gases into the atmosphere, this plastic is definitely not recyclable, which means that you should throw away artificial trees and bury them in land-and that is something that eco-conscious people want to steer away from.

If you want to take your sustainable Christmas tree, find a local organic Christmas tree farm. They don’t use the harmful pesticides and chemicals. You will want to start thinking and planning ahead in order to locate the best place to purchase your “Green” Christmas tree. Don’t forget to figure out what you will do with your tree after the holiday is over as well.

Here are some Earth-friendly ways to dispose of your real tree this year:

1)If you purchased the tree at an organic tree farm and you are sure that it wasn’t treated with harmful chemicals, think about dumping it into s small lake or pond. It can offer a wonderful new play land for fish.

2)Most cities gather trees on a certain day after Christmas. Be sure to call your local township and ask them if and when they do this prior to the holidays.

3)You could replant it, however you will need to make sure that you choose the right tree and have enough roots to make this option work.

Planning ahead is the key to hosting a Green Christmas this year. Map out where you will purchase your tree and where and how you will dispose of it prior to Christmas in order to achieve the most sustainable plans. You don’t have to go treeless to enjoy a Green Holiday Season…just make sure that you look into all of your options and choose the most sustainable option that is available in your area. Happy Holidays!

If you look at the word Christmas, you can see the word Christ in it. On Christmas, people celebrate (慶祝) the birthday of Jesus Christ.
Of course (當(dāng)然) not everyone in America thinks Christ a great man, but Christmas is a holiday for all the people. It’s on December 25. Shops and schools are not open. Almost (幾乎) every family has a Christmas tree in the house. People make their Christmas trees very beautiful. They put many colored bulbs on the trees. The bulbs make the trees more beautiful at night. They also put some dolls, balls and small animals on the trees. On Christmas day almost everyone gives gifts to others and also gets gifts from others.
【小題1】The word Christmas comes from          .