Australia is the smallest continent(洲) in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is near the south of the equator(赤道).So when it is summer in our country, it is winter in Australia.
Australia has a small population (人口).The population of Australia is nearly the same as that of Shanghai, a city in China.
Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos. After driving for a short time from any town, you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep. Sheep are everywhere. Have you seen a kangaroo? It has a “bag” below its breast(胸). The mother kangaroo keeps its baby kangaroo in the “bag”. It is very strange, isn’t it?
【小題1】China is __________than Australia.

When someone says, “Well, I guess I’ll have to face the music”, it doesn’t mean that he is going to hear a singer. It is something far less happy, as you are called in by your leader to explain why you did this and did that or why you did not do this or that.
At some time or another, every one of us has to “face the music”, especially as children. We can all remember father’s angry words “I want to talk to you.” And only because we did not listen to him. What a bad thing it was!
In the middle or at the end of every term, we students have to “face the music”. The result of the exam will decide whether we will face the music or not. If you got a “D” in the exam, that means parents’ cold faces and the contempt(輕視) of the classmates.
“To face the music” is well-known to every American, young or old. It is at least 100 years old. It really means that you have to do something, no matter how terrible the whole thing might be, because you have no choice.
【小題1】“To face the music” means “to         ”.

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，選擇正確答案。
American country music is very old. It came from the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Great Britain. It’s a mixture (混合物) of music from all of these places.
In West America, cowboys (牛仔) had to take care of the cattle. They had to watch them all day and all night because the cattle sometimes ran away. A cowboy’s life was lonely and dangerous. When he was alone in the desert (荒野) with the cattle, he drank strong coffee to stay awake at night. He sang about the stars and the moon, about his family and his friends. The cattle listened to the cowboy and went to sleep. They didn’t run away if he sang beautiful songs.
In South America, many people came from Ireland and England. Other people came from France and Canada. They enjoyed their own kind of music. When they visited their friends and families on holidays like Christmas, they usually sang and played country music.
American country music describes (描寫) life. It talks about love, jobs, home and money. People in many parts of the world like western country music because everyone knows something about these ideas.
【小題1】The passage is about ________.

Rio de Janeiro(里約熱內(nèi)盧) will host the 2016 Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee announced(宣布) it on October 2,2009.Rio de Janeiro beat Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid to win the bid(中標(biāo)).It will be the first South American city to host the Olympics. The city will also host the 2014 World Cup. Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil.
*Population: 6 million
*Language: Portuguese
* Rio de Janeiro has the world’s largest urban forest(城市森林),Which is made up of many kinds of green plants.
*Every year Rio de Janeiro holds a carnival(狂歡節(jié)). It is like a  big party. People dress up, dance samba and have fun. It usually lasts for a week. More than two million tourists come to Rio de- Janeiro every year. About half a million people visit the city for the carnival each year.
【小題1】Rio de Janeiro beat the other      cities to win the bid For the 2016 Olympic Games.

Reader’s Digest is a monthly magazine. Before the 1980s, it belonged to a privately held company, which was started in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and Dewitt Wallace. This magazine is small and easy to carry, just half the size of most American magazines, which caused a phrase in 2005, “America in your pocket.” It is the best selling magazine in the USA. At present, its circulation(發(fā)行量） in the USA has reached 10 million copies and the number of the readers there is 38 million. Its global circulation outside the USA has reached 40 million people throughout more than 70 countries in 21 languages.
This magazine’s focus(焦點(diǎn)） is not news but more of cultural views because the editors think people now can get timely news from somewhere else. They hope this magazine can give readers something that is about special personal experiences, something the readers can share with their families. In different countries, this magazine provides a window to the world for the local readers. Some parts of the magazine are about the local customs and interests of the local readers. The other parts give the local readers information from all over the world.
This magazine actually used to be a family business until the Wallaces died in the 1980s. Because they had no children, there was no one to take over the company. Sixteen years ago, this company went public and became a public company.
【小題1】How often does Reader’s Digest come out in the USA?

On Thanksgiving Day, a teacher asked her class of first-graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought that these children from poor families actually had little to be thankful for. And she found most of them drawing pictures of flowers or tables with food. The teacher was very surprised to see the picture Douglas handed in. It’s a hand, a simple hand.
But whose hand? The class were very interested in the strange picture. “I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food,” said one child. “A farmer,” said another, “because he grows beautiful flowers.” Finally when the others were at work, the teacher went over Douglas’ desk and asked whose hand it was. “It’s your hand, Teacher,” he said quietly and shyly.
She remembered that she had often taken Douglas, a dirty lonely child, by the hand while having a class break. She often did that with the children. But it meant so much to Douglas. Perhaps this is everyone’s thanksgiving, not for the material things we get, but for the chance, in whatever small way, to give to others.
【小題1】Whose hand did Douglas draw?  

In Singapore, many middle school students spend lots of their time on their studies．Most people think good education is a ticket to success（成功）in their future. So, many of these students try their best to get a good mark in their exams. They have a lot of homework every day and exams are a big trouble. Sometimes, some of them are even made to go to after-school classes.
Schools run activities outside school hours. The students can join in sports and games, music and dance, swimming and climbing, etc. They are also very interested in community service(社區(qū)服務(wù))．
In their spare time, most students like to listen to pop music. Hollywood blockbusters(大片), Hong Kong and Singapore movies are very popular among them. They understand IT very well. Some of them also spend their free time searching the Internet, e-mailing their friends, playing computer and video games.
They sometimes go to cafes, fast-food restaurants, shopping centers and big bookshops.
So, life as a middle school student in Singapore is not easy but it is rich and colorful.
【小題1】Many students want to get good education to be ________ in the future．

In England people can go to see a doctor nearby when they are ill．When the doctor see them, they usually ask about their troubles and soon give them a prescription（處方）for some medicine．
Usually, when people feel ill, they go to see their doctors．But when they only have a cold, they don't go to see their doctors．They usually go to the medicine shop to buy some medicine．Only when they are terribly ill, the doctor will go to their houses．In an emergency（緊急）, people can call 999 for an ambulance．The ambulance can take them to the hospital very soon．When they are in hospital, their friends or families can go to see them at a certain time, but they can't stay long．
Usually people have to pay for the doctors' prescriptions．And the price is the same for any kind of medicine．But when children, students, old people or people without jobs go to see their doctors, they don't have to pay for their prescription．
【小題1】When people are ill in England, they’ll _________．

Saturday，March 24th
We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand(泰國). All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North.
Tuesday, March 27th
Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai.
Friday，March 30th
Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life -- no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say “hello”. Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year.
【小題1】The diaries above show the writer’s _________days in Thailand.

In Britain you may often hear “Drop in any time” or “Come to see me soon”, but you can’t really do that. People just say those things to make you feel welcome. It is better to telephone before visiting someone at home. If you receive a written invitation to an event that says “RSVP”, you should reply to let the person who sent the invitation know whether or not you plan to go.
You should never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying. “Thank you for inviting me, but I will not be able to com.” If, after accepting, you are unable to go, be sure to tell those who are expecting you as soon as possible that you will not be there. Although it is not necessarily expected that you give a gift to your host, it is considered polite to do so, especially if you have been invited for a meal. Flowers, chocolate, or a small gift are appropriate(合適的). A thank-you note or telephone call after the visit is also considered polite and is an appropriate way to express your appreciation for the invitation.
【小題1】What can you do when a British friend says, “Drop in anytime”?
a.      Visit him or her at any time.
b.      Say no to him or her seriously.
c.      Telephone him or her before visiting.
【小題2】What does the word “RSVP” probably mean in Chinese?
a. 請(qǐng)自便     b.請(qǐng)回復(fù)    c.請(qǐng)審閱
【小題3】What should you do if your British friend sends you an invitation but you do not want to go?
a. Do not give him or her an answer.
b. Tell another friend to go instead of you.
c. Tell him or her that you can’t be there for some reason.
【小題4】 Which of the following is considered impolite in Britain?
a. Buy small presents when invited.
b. Refuse the invitation without telling anyone.
c. Write a thank-you note after a visit.
【小題5】Where would you probably see this passage?
a. In an invitation  b. In a guidebook  c. On a poster