Day 1

Tian does it on her own

True or false:

_____ 1. To Hebe is Tian Fuzhen’s second solo album, which came out in September.

_____ 2. Tian is thinking about trying a sweet pop style under her real name.

_____ 3. Tian mixed folk, jazz and rock music in her new album.

_____ 4. Tian’s first live show was in Taiwan in October.

_____ 5. Tian used to be shy and nervous without her friends by her side.

_____ 6. At Tian’s first live show, she was too nervous to sing alone.

Day 2

Get into the Christmas spirit

Choose the best answer:

1. With the economic crisis, the best way to celebrate Christmas is to _____.

A. buy a lot of expensive gifts

B. travel with the family by driving

C. stay at home for the holidays

D. have a big dinner at a restaurant

2. Which of the following is NOT true of making your own decorations?

A. It can keep your holidays eco-friendly.

B. It can bring your family together.

C. It can help you save money.

D. It can help you earn lots of money.

3. According to the story, the writer’s family likes to _____ on Christmas.

A. buy expensive gifts for each other

B. donate money to charities

C. have big dinners together

D. play fun games together

4. We can tell from the story that Christmas is about all of the following EXCEPT _____.

A. spending B. giving

C. family and friends D. fun and food

Day 3

Smooth road for the king

Choose the best answer:

1. Who would win the contest, according to the rule?

A. The one who could travel the highway the fastest.

B. The one who could wear the most beautiful clothes.

C. The one who could bring the greatest food.

D. The one who could travel the highway the best.

2. What did most people complain about after the contest?

A. The bad weather during the contest.

B. The large pile of rocks in their way.

C. Too many people running on the road.

D. The highway was unfinished.

3. What did the man do during the contest?

A. He complained as the other people had.

B. He gave up before he got to the rocks.

C. He cleared the pile of rocks.

D. He blocked the road with rocks.

4. Why could the man win the contest?

A. Because he was willing to help others.

B. Because he gave the king some gold.

C. Because he traveled the fastest.

D. Because he showed the king respect.

Day 4

Give me five!

Choose the best answer:

1. According to the story, we know that a high-five _____.

A. often happens during travel

B. is uncommon in America

C. is a thing Americans do

D. is what spies do in America

2. How many steps are there to doing a high-five?

A. two B. three C. four D. five

3. Midgets raised their hands up high at first because _____.

A. they wanted to shake hands with tall people

B. they didn’t want to be looked down on by others

C. they wanted to greet others with their hands

D. they wanted to hit people of normal height

Day 5

Cloze

The United States is full of automobiles (机动车). There are still many families without cars. But some families have two or 1 more cars. However, cars are used for more than pleasure. They are a 2 part of life.

Cars are used for 3 . They are driven to offices and factories by workers who have no other way to 4 their jobs. When salesmen are sent to different parts of the city, they have to drive in order to 5 their products. Farmers have to drive into the city in order to shop for necessities.

Sometimes, small children must be driven to 6 . In some cities, school buses are used only when children 7 more than a mile from the school. When the children are too young to walk that far, their parents take 8 driving them to school. One 9 drives on Mondays, taking her children and the neighbors' children as well. Another mother drives on Tuesdays, another on Wednesdays and so on. This is called forming a car pool (拼车). Working people also form car pools, with three or four people taking turns driving to the place 10 they work.

More car pools should be formed in order to put 11 cars on the road and to use less oil. 12 is a great problem, and so is the traffic in and around cities. Too many cars are being driven. Something should be done about the use of cars.

1. A. even B. much C. little D. such

2. A. great B. necessary

C. proper D. possible

3. A. families B. business

C. educationD. farms

4. A. get to B. look for C. find out D. use up

5. A. catch B. create C. cover D. carry

6. A. cities B. schools C. parks D. gardens

7. A. move B. study C. live D. work

8. A. money B. time C. pride D. turns

9. A. parent B. child C. way D. car

10. A. where B. that C. which D. when

11. A. more B. fewer C. many D. less

12. A. Driving B. Running C. Parking D. Forming