奶奶的圣诞节
1我父亲于1947年去世后，母亲去上班支持我们。当我读完高中时，我一直期待着和朋友们过圣诞节。但是圣诞节前两个星期，母亲告诉我我们要去祖母家度假。
2我的祖母和单身汉伯父亨利住在离镇约15英里的农场中。他们没有电也没有自来水，并且缺乏生活中我所谓的“好东西”。他们也没有圣诞节的计划。但我有！我一直在压低自己的第一份工作，感觉已经长大了。我原本打算与我的朋友，而不是老农场的一些亲戚分享这段特殊的时光。但是随着一天的临近，我意识到没有什么可以改变妈妈的想法。
3圣诞平安夜到来时，妈妈用最好的“我就这样”的声音告诉我，要拆除圣诞树上的所有装饰品。她把它们打包起来，以及完整的火鸡晚餐所需的所有装饰。
4个圣诞节早晨完美地黎明，阳光在新鲜的雪毯上明亮地照耀着。但是我无声地坐在汽车的后座上，当我们去奶奶的路上感到不高兴。这将是我有过的最糟糕的圣诞节！
5当我们走到她家门口时，奶奶很惊讶地看到我们。“你到底在做什么？我们没想到有人。今天是圣诞节，我什至没有火鸡为您做饭。”
6“我知道这一点，”妈妈在我们将食物放在厨房桌子上的时候说道。“这就是我们带来一个的原因。”
7妈妈坚持说：“我们必须有一棵树。” “否则，我们将如何处理所有这些装饰？”
8亨利叔叔很快就抓住了妈妈的精神，叫我加入他在附近树林中寻找一棵完美树的努力。
9不久，当我们装饰树时，房子闻起来清新宜人，这一天充满了欢乐的气氛。火鸡晚餐也很好。我实际上已经开始享受这个不寻常的圣诞节了。甜点被遗忘了，直到妈妈带着最后的惊喜–燃烧的圣诞节布丁！“圣诞节快乐。妈妈，”妈妈说。
10“亲爱的我！”奶奶喘着粗气说。“自从我离开英格兰以来，我再也没有见过火红的布丁。这是有史以来最好的圣诞节！
11我也无法忍住眼泪。那时我就​​知道，妈妈还给了我最好的圣诞节礼物–她教了我一件精美的礼物。

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译文：
外婆家的圣诞节
1 1947年父亲过世后，妈妈外出工作支撑全家。我一直盼着能跟朋友一起过圣诞节，直到中学毕业。但圣诞节前两个星期妈妈告诉我说去外婆家过节。
2我的外婆和单身的亨利舅舅住在离城约15英里的一个农场里。他们家里没有电，没有自来水，没有我认为的生活中的“好东西”。他们也没有过圣诞的计划。但是我有！我找到了第一份工作，开始感觉自己已经是个大人了。我本来想和朋友们一起度过这个特殊的时刻，而不是与一些生活在旧农场里的亲戚们一起过节。但随着日子一天天退化，我可以是什么也动摇不了妈妈的决心。
3圣诞夜，妈妈极端严肃地要我把圣诞树上的装饰品全部取下来。她把它们打包装好，还有完整的火鸡宴需要的全部东西。
4圣诞节的清晨完美降临，阳光明媚地照耀着刚落下的一层新雪，但坐在汽车后座的我在前往外婆家的路上一声不吭，情绪低落。这将是我度过的最糟糕的一个圣诞节！
5我们走到外婆家门口的时候外婆看到了我们，她十分小心。“你们来这儿干嘛？我们没料想有人会来。今天是圣诞节，但我这儿都没有火鸡招待你们。”
6“我知道，”妈妈说，我们把好几箱东西放到厨房桌子上，“所以我们带了一只来。”
7“我们必须得有棵树，”妈妈坚持道，“不然我们怎么处置这些装饰品呢？”
8亨利舅舅很快被妈妈的情绪感染了，叫我陪他一起去附近的树林里找一棵理想的圣诞树。
9 随着我们装扮圣诞树，屋里很快飘散起新鲜、美好的气味，呈现出节日的氛围，火鸡大餐也很不错，我居然开始喜欢这个不一般的圣诞节了。大家都忘了甜点，直到妈妈捧出一个圣诞火烧布丁，给了大家最后的惊喜。“妈妈，圣诞快乐！”妈妈对外婆说。
10 “天哪！”外婆屏住了气，“自从我离开英国后就再没见过火烧布丁了。这真是我度过的最好的圣诞节！”她的眼睛里满是喜悦的泪水。

Text A / Comprehension
A. Choose the best answer according to the text.

1. The story happened when ________.
A. the writer’s father died
B. the writer had finished high school
C. the writer’s mother went to work
D. the writer was 18
2. The writer didn’t want to spend that Christmas at his grandmother’s because ________.
A. he had other plans for the festival
B. he didn’t want to visit some poor relatives
C. he wanted to spend the time with friends
D. all the above
3. The writer felt ________ on the way to his grandmother’s.
A. happy
B. excited
C. unhappy
D. angry
4. The grandmother seemed ________ when she saw her daughter and grandchild at the doorway.
A. surprised and happy
B. unhappy
C. disappointed
D. surprised
5. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the flaming Christmas pudding?
A. The flaming pudding was the final course of the dinner.
B. The flaming pudding moved both the grandma and the writer to tears.
C. The grandmother had never seen a flaming pudding till then.
D. The flaming pudding taught the writer that it was a beautiful thing to give.
Key: 1. B 2. D 3. C 4. D 5. C

B. Complete the following sentences orally with your partner.

1. Mother went to work to support the family after the writer’s father died.
2. Grandma lived on a farm some 15 miles out of town .
3. Mother took all the decorations on the Christmas tree and all the trimmings for a complete turkey dinner to grandma’s.
4. The writer began to really enjoy the Christmas when grandma’s house smelled fresh and pleasant as they decorated the tree and the day took on a festive air .
5. The writer couldn’t help crying because he knew then that his mother had given him the best Christmas present ever — she had taught him what a beautiful thing it is to give .

C. Make a dialogue with your partner according to the situation described below.

1. A: Hi, Jack. This is John (etc.) .
B: Hi, John .
A: Listen, I can’t come to your Christmas party on the 25th. I am very sorry.
B: What? But you promised! Look, we have made a lot of preparations for the day. We will have a big party throughout the night. Hey, what’s the matter with you ?
A: It’s my mother. She said we are going to my grandma’s house for the holiday . So we must, though I intended to share this special time with you, not some relatives at an old farm .
B: Oh, but aren’t you already a grown-up? Can’t you tell her that you may have your own plan for the day?
A: Of course I did. But it was no use.
B: Yeah, I see.
A: P lease tell the others that I won’t come . I’m so sorry. I wish you have a good time .
B: Thank you. The same to you.
A: Thank you. I’ll call you later
2. A: Hello, this is John . Merry Christmas. May I speak to Jack?
C: Hi, John . Merry Christmas. Wait a moment, please.
B: Hi, John . Merry Christmas.
A: Merry Christmas.
B: How was your Christmas Day? Was it the worst Christmas you had ever had?
A: It was actually perfect! Perhaps the best Christmas I’ve ever had.
B: Wow! What a change! What on earth happened? Tell me everything about it!
A: You see, I was very very upset at first. On Christmas Eve, mom told me to remove all the decorations from our tree and she packed them up, along with all the trimmings needed for a complete turkey dinner .
B: Mm, that was very thoughtful of her.
A: Yeah, but I was quite unhappy at that time and so I felt upset all the way to grandma’s.
B: How did she look, I mean your grandma, when she saw you coming along?
A: Oh, she was very surprised . She didn’t expect us at all. She said she didn’t even have a turkey to cook for us . But mom told her that she had brought a turkey. Then she asked Uncle Henry to look for a Christmas tree. So we went together to the nearby woods.
B: Sounds not too bad. I can even smell the pines in the woods!
A: Mm, I’ve to say it was very interesting to search for a Christmas tree in the woods, feeling so close to nature.
B: Seems that the fresh pines changed your state of mind, right?
A: Sort of. I was actually beginning to enjoy this unusual Christmas Day . The dinner was wonderful. And my mom’s flaming pudding was even more wonderful.
B: I can imagine that. Your mother cooks well.
A: No, it’s not because of that. It’s something else. When she brought out the dessert, grandma was moved to tears because she hadn’t seen a flaming pudding since she left England .
B: So were you, I imagine?
A: Yeah. I couldn’t keep the tears from my eyes either . You know, the pudding was also a great Christmas present for me.
B: For you?
A: Yes. It told me what a beautiful thing it is to give .

Vocabulary Building / Exercises
A. Match each word with their proper Chinese meaning.

B. Fill in each blank with a given word or expression in their right form.

1. He packed up his things and went on a journey to Egypt.
2. We’ll set off early, otherwise we may not get a seat.
3. I intend to give the CD back to you next time we meet.
4. What have you done with the letter?
5. The weather during the last few days has been perfect .
6. Let’s remove the books from the table.
7. Actually it’s we who should say thank you.
8. Along with the articles there are some photographs in the newspaper

Grammar Tips / Exercises
A. Complete each sentence with the given words in their proper forms.

1. I haven’t seen (not see) him since 1985.
2. Our guests have met (meet) before, so we didn’t need to introduce them to one another.
3. Mr. Brown has visited (visit) China twice this year.
4. When Tom arrived, they hadn’t left (not leave) yet.
5. By the time we arrived at the site, he had worked (work) for three hours.
6. My cup is empty. Who has drunk (drink) my tea?
7. I am not hungry. I have just had (have) my dinner.
8. Mrs. Green rung me up when I went (go) to bed.
9. — Has he finished (finish) his work today?
— Not yet.
10. — Have you been (be) to Hong Kong?
— Yes, I have been (be) there twice.

B. Choose the best answer.

1. You needn’t hurry her. She ________ it by the time you are ready.
A. will have been finishing B. would finish
C. will have finished D. will be finishing
2. Obviously, he ________ a bad cold. He sneezes so often.
A. has caught B. has been C. had D. was
3. It’s been a long time since I ________. How are you?
A. had last seen you B. saw you last
C. have least seen you D. last was seeing you
4. We ________ on it for several hours but we have not yet reached any conclusion.
A. work B. are working
C. have been working D. have been worked
5. He said that he ________ for Shanghai the next day.
A. will leave B. has left C. would leave D. had left
6. The film ________ for ten minutes when we got to the cinema.
A. have already been on B. had already begun
C. had already been on D. have already begun
7. She told us that her brother ________ the league for more than three years.
A. had been in B. had joined
C. joined D. had become a member of
8. — Where’s your brother?
— He ________ the library with his friend. He’ll be back in two hours.
A. goes to B. has been to C. come from D. went to
9. The interviewer asked Detective Lu where the murder ________.
A. was taken place B. had taken place
C. had been taken place D. is taking place
10. Not only his parents but also his brother ________ to the Summer Palace.
They haven’t come back.
A. had been B. had gone C. have gone D. has gone

C. Fill in each blank according to the Chinese given in brackets.

1. 到他参加考试时，他学英语已经六年了。
He had learned English for six years by the time he took his examination.
2. 我从没有看过如此有趣的书。
I have never read such an interesting book before.
3. 这支笔我只用过三次，因此它还是新的。
I have used this pen only three times. It is still new.
4. 我们到那儿时，他们还没有完成工作。
They hadn’t finished the work when we got there.
5. 在我回到家前，妈妈已经把饭做好了。
Mother had finished cooking before I arrived home.

Text B / Comprehension
A. Complete the following answers according to the text.

1. Where is First Night usually celebrated?
It is usually celebrated in many places all over the United States .
2. What acts do Annie’s family like to watch at the First Night celebration?
Annie likes the dancing ; her sister likes the puppet show and her parents love all the music .
3. Why is New York City the noisiest place in America on New Year’s Eve?
It is the noisiest place because thousands of people gather in Times Square to watch the “ball lowering” .
4. What does Annie decide to do in the new year?
She decides to be nicer to her sister and practice her violin more .
5. Why do people eat Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day?
People eat it because it is supposed to bring them good luck all year .

B. Read the sentences below and decide if they are true or false according to the text. Write T for true or F for false.

1. First Night is a New Year’s celebration only for children.
2. Annie’s family usually choose one act to watch on First Night.
3. Annie’s family go home and watch the celebration in Times Square in New York City on television.
4. The shining ball begins to drop one minute before midnight.
5. Annie makes resolutions to make herself a better girl in the new year.
Keys: 1. F 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T

Comprehensive Exercises
A. Choose the best answer.

1. When we ________ to the airport, we learned that the plane had already ________ in Shanghai. A. arrived; reached
B. reached; got
C. got; arrived
D. arrived; got
2. We used to go shopping on Sundays, but ________ for the past five weeks.
A. I didn’t do that
B. I hadn’t done that
C. I don’t do that
D. I haven’t done that
3. The engineer tried to start the machine ________.
A. run
B. runs
C. running
D. was run
4. The teacher expected all the students ________ earlier the next morning.
A. come
B. coming
C. to came
D. to come
5. — Do you like the cloth?
— Yes, it ________ very soft.
A. is feeling
B. felt
C. feels
D. is felt
6. He saw his friends ________ at the airport last Sunday.
A. through
B. off
C. leave
D. goodbye
7. — Can I get you a cup of tea?
— ________.
A. That’s very nice of you
B. With pleasure
C. You can, please
D. Thank you for the tea
8. The exam was much more difficult than we ________.
A. expect
B. have expected
C. expected
D. had expected
9. Almost everybody knows ________ it is to master a foreign language in today’s world.
A. what important
B. how important things
C. what important things
D. how important
10. There was nothing to ________ so.
A. keep her from doing
B. keep her do
C. prevent her doing
D. stop her do

B. Fill in the blanks with the words given below.
England travel Turkey learn together organized

Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, about the time most crops are harvested in North America. American families get (1) together on this day to give thanks to God, to enjoy a big dinner and to remember the first Thanksgiving, which took place long ago.
The first settlers were a religious group who moved from (2) England to America in the early 17th century. In the beginning, their life in America was very difficult. When they had a good year, they (3) organized a dinner party for all the settlers to thank God for His kindness. They also invited some of the Indians who had helped them (4) learn to hunt and grow local food. That was the first Thanksgiving.
Today, Thanksgiving is a family holiday. Family members sometimes (5) travel thousands of miles to get together for Thanksgiving. (6) Turkey , sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie are eaten on the occasion.

C. Translate the following sentences into English, using the given words or phrases.

1. 他们打算明天一早就动身回家过春节。(set off)
They intended / planned to set off home early the next morning for Spring Festival.
2. 我们包装好给爷爷和奶奶的礼物，要给他们一个新年的惊喜。(pack up)
We packed up the gifts for our grandparents and wanted to give them a surprise on New Year’s Day.
3. 装饰精美的圣诞树让房子里有了节日的氛围。(take on)
The house took on a festive air for the beautifully decorated Christmas tree.
4. 除夕之夜，家人们会团聚在一起吃年夜饭。(family reunion dinner; be supposed to)
On Spring Festival’s Eve, families are supposed to get together and have a family reunion dinner.
5. 这场庆典以焰火表演结束。 (end with; fireworks display)
The celebration ended with a fireworks display.

D. Translate the following passage from Text A into Chinese.

Christmas morning dawned perfectly, with the sun shining brightly across a fresh blanket of snow. But I sat in the backseat of the car silently, feeling upset when we made our way to grandma’s. This was going to be the worst Christmas I had ever had!
圣诞节的清晨完美降临，阳光明媚地照耀着刚落下的一层新雪，但坐在汽车后座的我在前往外婆家的路上一声不吭、情绪低落。这将是我度过的最糟糕的一个圣诞节！

Practical Reading and Writing
A. Read the greetings on the cards above and write the answer to the questions.

1. In sample 1, how is the weather going to be at Christmas?
It’s going to be snowy at Christmas.
2. What does Mr. Brown do?
Mr. Brown is a professor of a university.
3. Who does Susan send her wishes to?
Susan sends her wishes to her mother.
4. What is the relationship between Miss Baker and Lucy?
Miss Baker is Lucy’s teacher.
5.丽莎在圣诞节期间去了哪个国家？
丽莎在圣诞节期间去了英国。

B.春节是中国人民最重要的节日。参考上面的示例，写两张贺卡，一张给您的老师，一张给您的密友。

文本框：致玛丽，衷心祝愿春节快乐，并祝您新年快乐，身体健康，工作成功。姚明
文本框：亲爱的陈教授，在春节时回想您，并祝您假期快乐。感激姚明