I. Read the text and fill in each gap with ONE suitable word. (10points)
Would you like to know how we see the New Year in Spain? Eating twelve grapes. Tradition has it that you have to eat (1) _____________ one by one, in time with the striking of the clock at midnight (2) ___________31 December. What is more, if you manage to eat all the grapes on (3) ____________, you are in for a year of prosperity and good luck. Whether or not you believe in magic, come and try the experience – it (4) ____________a great fun.
The eating of grapes is the high point (5) ____________ New Year’s Eve. In fact the striking of the clock is broadcast (6) _____________ on television throughout Spain. On this day, family or friends usually get (7) _____________ for a delicious dinner and then the (8) _____________ grapes. In many villages, towns and cities, people head to squares or other emblematic places with a clock to (9) ______________ them together and share the last minutes of the “old” year. If you would (10) ____________ to take part, head for the local tourist office for full details.
II. Read the following text and decide which answer best fits each numbered blank. (10points)
The giant stalagmite-like pillars create huge arrays of labyrinths that (1) _________ easy to become lost in. Shillin is divided (2) ____________ many smaller stone forests and features caves, waterfalls, ponds, (3) ____________ lake with an island, and even an underground river. Two (4) ____________ the smaller individual stone forests, Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village, are a (5) ______________ of South China Karst, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of Shillin’s most famous (6) ____________ is the Ashima Stone, which legend says was formed after the (7) ____________ Sani girl, Ashima, ran into the forest and was turned to stone after beig forbidden to marry the (8) ____________ she loved. Every year on June 24 the local Sani people (9) _____________ the time-honored Torch Festival at Shillin, which features many “traditional performances (10) ___________ as wrestling, bull fighting, pole-climbing, dragon-playing, lion-dancing, and the A-xi Moon Dance.”
1. A. am B. is C. are D. to be
2. A. into B. onto C. in D. on
3. A. X B. a C. an D. the
4. A. to B. at C. with D. of
5. A. part B. piece C. pile D. group
6. A. attracting B. attracted C. attraction D. attractions
7. A. beauty B. beautiful C. beautifully D. beautify
8. A. man B. guy C. boy D. buddy
9. A. make B. do C. bring D. hold
10. A. much B. like C. such D. so
III. Choose the best option among A,B, C or D to complete the sentences. (5 points)
Preparation for Tet, Vietnamese New Year, starts two or three months before the actual celebrations. People try to pay off their debts in advance so that they can be debt-free on Tet. Parents buy new clothes for their children so that the children can wear them when Tet arrives. Because a lot of commercial activities will cease during the celebrations people try to stock up on supplies as much as possible.
In the days leading up to Tet, the streets and markets are full of people. Everyone is busy buying food, clothes, and decorating their house. Each family prepares some special foods for the holiday. Those who live far away from home will try to come home to celebrate Tet with their family. Vietnamese families usually have a family altar to pay respect to their ancestors. During Tet the altar is thoroughly cleaned and new offerings are placed there.
On New Year’s Eve, each home is thoroughly cleaned and decorated with flowers and offerings for ancestors by the night before Tet. Many people stay up until midnight to welcome the New Year or go to the pagoda to pray for luck, prosperity, and happiness.
In the morning, actual Tet celebrations begin. The first day of Tet is reserved for the nuclear family. In big cities, the streets are usually empty as most people stay at home or leave the city to visit their close relatives in the countryside. Usually, children dress their new clothes and give their elders the traditional Tet greetings before receiving the lucky money.
1. This passage is about ________.
A. New Year’s Eve C. the first day of the New Year
C. preparation for Tet and Tet holiday D. paying debt before Tet
2. Vietnamese children ________.
A. have to pay off debt before Tet
B. should not receive any money during Tet
C. are not allowed to wear new clothes at Tet
D. receive lucky money from adults during Tet
3. Which is NOT mentioned as a preparation for Tet?7
A. visiting friends and relatives B. cooking special foods
C. decorating houses D. paying off debts
4. Which is NOT referred during Tet celebration?
A. going to the pagoda B. the increasing of commercial activities
C. visiting relatives D. wearing new clothes
5. Vietnamese families ________.
A. do not celebrate Tet if they are poor
B. only celebrate Tet when they are wealthy
C. have an altar to worship their ancestors
D. gather in the streets on the first day of Tet
1 from
2 similiar
3 relationship
4 stories
5 email
6 exciting
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the world (1) from the eyes of a stranger? To see what they think and how life must feel for them? How different or (2) similiar are you? Being a pen pal is essentially just that. Pen pals are sets of people who regularly write to each other, primarily via postal mail or email. They don’t usually have a well-established (3) relationship in person and so are, most of the time, strangers. They share their thoughts and (4) stories with each other and often develop lifelong friendships. For some individuals the fun of having pen pals often lies in the fact that the letters are handwritten, therefore snail mail is their preferred way of communicating, while for others the modernity of (5) emails interaction is a better fit. Regardless of the preferred mode, having a pen pal is super fun and (6) exciting.