浙江省新目标（Go for it）版初中英语九年级上学期期中模拟试卷（8）

    My friend feels that every kid before a certain age（not sure what that age really is）can't make his own decisions, but I don't agree. I feel that young children have the ability to choose, and parents need to provide them with the tools to make that choice. With these tools, children can make decisions to benefit themselves and make themselves happy. I have always encouraged my children to make their own decisions. However, sometimes things change—usually when they go to school. When they are at school, do they have choices about things, such as what to learn and how to learn? It is as if the children are not allowed to make their own decisions. Decisions are made for them! Will they be able to make decisions by themselves when they grow older? Many parents feel that it is easier to teach than to give children space and time to learn on their own. Getting kids to make decisions and to learn from the wrong ones takes a long time. I guess there is still a lot to learn about being a parent.

    No one knows when the first kite was made. The first record of a kite was more than 2, 000 years ago in China. Han Xin, the leader of an army, wanted to bring down a king. He decided to dig a tunnel(隧道) into the king s palace. He flew a kite over the wall of the palace to make sure the length(长度) of its string(线). In this way, he could determine how long the tunnel should be. His men in n the tunnel took the kite string with them. When they reached the end of the string, they knew to dig up.

    Kites have been flown in Japan for hundreds of years. In the 1700s, kites were flown in autumn to give thanks for a good harvest. They were also flown to send good wishes to couples who had their first son. Today in Japan, kites are often flown as part of a celebration, such as the beginning of a new year. And kite festivals are held each year in many parts of the country.

    Kites have been used for scientific purposes in the Western world. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin tied a key to a kite and flew it in a storm to find out that lightning was a form of electricity. In the 1890s, Lawrence Hardgrave invented the box kite to test ideas about flight. From 1898 to 1933, the United States Weather Bureau(气象局) used box kites to collect weather data. The Wright brothers also experimented (试验) with kites. What they learnt helped them make the first airplane flight in 1903.

    A gentleman once advertised (登广告) for a boy to help him in his office, and nearly fifty persons asked for the place. Out of the whole number he chose one in a short time, and sent all the other boys away.

    "I would like to know," said a friend, "on what ground you chose that boy. He didn't even have a recommendation (推荐信) with him."

    "You are mistaken," said the gentleman, "he had a great many."

    "He made his shoes clean when he came in, and closed the door after him, showing that he was orderly (井然有序的)."

    "He gave his seat to the disabled old man, showing that he was."

    "He took off his cap when he came in. and answered my questions quickly and respectfully (恭敬地), showing that he was polite."

    "He lifted up the book which I had purposely (故意地) laid on the floor, and put it on the table, while all the others stepped over it or pushed it aside, showing that he was careful."

    "And he waited quietly for his turn, instead of pushing the others aside, showing that he was modest (谦逊的)."

    "When I talked with him, I noticed that his clothes were carefully brushed, his hair in nice order, and his teeth as white as milk. When he wrote his name, I noticed that his fingernails were clean, instead of having some untidy personal habits."

    "Don't you call these things letters of recommendation? I do, and the things that I can discover about a boy by using my eyes for ten minutes, are worth more than all the fine letters that he can bring."

    Hello! Tom, I am glad you are coming to college next Wednesday. I planned to meet you at the train station, but unfortunately I will have to go out for an important speech. So I e-mailed you a map of our town.

Can you find the train station on the map? Yes, it's in the northwest of the town. When you come out of the station, you can see Greshman Street. Turn left and walk along Greshman Street. At the second crossing, turn right, and you come to King Street. Go along this street about five minutes. You will see a crossing again. There's a supermarket there. Turn left, and you come to Cheapside Poultry. Walk along, and you can see a bank and a post office on the right. Between them is Addison Road. Our college is on Addison Road. I think you won't miss it.

    If you don't want to do the walking, you can also take a taxi. And the driver will bring you directly to our college. I think you'd better take this way. It's much easier for you to reach our college. I'm looking forward to seeing you. Goodbye!

    I was a schoolgirl in Grade 7 when Danny came to my school and became one of my classmates. He was handsome with blond hair, so many girls in my class liked him very much. Every day, his parents picked him up in an old car. We all realized he was from a poor family. I had a poor family as well, but I just hid it from everyone. I was afraid the kids in my class would leave me if they knew the truth.

    One day, our teacher, Mr. Sims, announced that we would have a field trip. We decided to go to an amusement park. My classmates were excited. I sat back and looked at them, knowing that my parents did not have the money to send me. To my surprise, Danny stood up and said simply, "I won't go with you. My dad hurt his back and lost his job. I am not asking my parents for money."

    "Danny, I'm very proud of you for understanding the situation that your parents are in," Mr. Sims replied. "But the trip is at the end of the month, so we have plenty of time to raise money for it." While walking home from school that day, I noticed three boys talking with Danny. I was a little worried that they were giving him a hard time. But as I got closer, I found they were discussing how to raise money for the trip.

    By standing up and admitting(承认)he was poor, Danny changed my life. I no longer felt I had to lie about my family's situation. As for Danny, I will remember his courage and honesty forever.

    Before graduating from college, Jackie began to look for a job. She aimed at a famous company, but the1for such jobs was very strong. The company Jackie chose planned to employ only one person, but more than twenty people applied for the job.2, Jackie was one of the three people invited for the final interview. The interview was very3. The interviewer asked just a few questions and it was all over in less than 10 minutes. Then the interviewer said to them, "All of you are very good. Please go home and4our response."

    Three days later, Jackie received a message saying she would not be5the job. She felt deeply disappointed. That evening, however, she received another6. This time it said that she got the job.

    Jackie later found out that the first message sent to her phone was part of the interview—a7to see if she was suitable for the job. All the three people received the8text, but only Jackie's reply9the company. Of the three, one did not reply. The other said "Goodbye" and Jackie said "Thank you". This reply showed that Jackie was a(n)10person, so the company offered her the job.

—Oh, it tastes a little (salt).

—I will ask my dad for help.

假设你是司湘，你的美国笔友Amy来信想要了解中国的传统节日端午节。 请根据以下提示用英语写一篇80词左右的回信给她。

参考词汇：端午节the Dragon Boat Festival；为了纪念in memory of