浙江省新目标版初中英语九年级上学期期末模拟试卷（6）

    Two years ago, I got a job in a Chinese—Canadian company in Vancouver. One day my new boss said he would invite me to lunch to celebrate my new job in a Chinese restaurant. "A Chinese restaurant? Chopsticks? Oh no! Will I make a complete fool of myself?" I thought.

    That evening, I cooked noodles and spent two whole hours trying to learn how to use chopsticks. Try as I might, I didn't succeed. I called my penfriend and asked her to explain exactly how to use chopsticks. She patiently explained the proper way of holding them. "Louise, it's not that hard," she said. "That's easy for you to say," I replied. "You've been eating with chopsticks all your life. It's natural for you!"

    I didn't sleep well that night. The next day, when my boss took two co-workers and me to the restaurant, he spoke to the server in Chinese. My heart was beating fast, but then I noticed something strange. Instead of chopsticks, we all had knives, forks and spoons. I didn't understand at first, but then, it hit me. My boss knew that I would have trouble with chopsticks. To save me from embarrassment (尴尬) , he had arranged for us to be served with knives, forks and spoons. I couldn't believe how thoughtful he was.

    Now, we often go out for lunch. After a lot of practice, I've mastered how to use chopsticks. And it isn't really that difficult once you get used to them.

    There was a little girl named Jane Eyre whose parents had passed away. Jane used to live with her aunt and her aunt's three spoiled(被宠坏的) children. Her cousins always got her into trouble so her aunt did not want to look after her anymore. Soon, Jane was sent to a school far from home.

    On her first day at school, the headmaster, Mr. Brocklehurst introduced Jane to the other pupils. He told them that no one was allowed to talk or sit beside Jane because she was a bad child. He punished her by making her stand in a corner that day. She was very sad and lonely. Nobody dared to disobey(不服从) Mr. Brocklehurst, or they would have to clean the school hall all night. The pupils had no enough food to eat and they were usually hungry. Jane felt very miserable there.

    Ten years later, Jane completed her schooling. She was glad to get away from the school. She worked for a rich man named Mr. Rochester. Jane was asked to look after his young daughter, Adele. Jane liked working in the house. However, Mr. Rochester was a strange man. He was very quiet and always looked sad. Jane felt sorry for him and was kind to him. Jane would spend time talking to him. Soon, little by little, his sadness lifted.

    My 14-year-old son, John, and I saw the coat at the same time in a second-hand clothing store. It stood out among big and old coats. It was so beautiful and had an unbelievable price, $ 28. I looked at my son and we both said nothing, but John's eyes shone. Dark, woolen coats were popular with teenage boys, but new ones could cost several hundred dollars. This coat was even better. John tried it on and turned from side to side, eyeing himself in the mirror. It fit him so well.

    John wore the coal to school the next clay. After he came home, I asked. "Did the kids like your coat?"

    "They loved it," he said with a big grin.

    Over the next few weeks, John changed. He was polite, less argumentative, more thoughtful, and much happier. "Good dinner, Mom," he would say every evening. Without a word of complaining, he would carry in wood for the stove. One day when I suggested that he might start on his homework before dinner, John, who always put things off, said, "You're right. I guess I will." When I mentioned this change to one of his teachers, she joked that the coat must have changed him.

    John and I both know we should never judge a person by his clothes. But it is true that when wearing beautiful and suitable clothes, we may try to be better in thought, speech and behavior to match what is on the inside to what is on the outside.

    One day an Australian farmer Joe saw a bright light in the sky. The light came nearer and nearer and suddenly Joe saw that it was a spaceship. The spaceship landed in a field quickly.

    The door of the spaceship opened and two strange beings climbed out. Joe was afraid of them. He tried to run away. But the spacemen walked towards him, picked him up and carried him into the spaceship. They put wires from a machine onto his head and then they could speak to him in English.

    They asked him questions about the Earth. "We're from Venus（金星）," they said, "but it is getting very hot there. A lot of our people are dying and we haven't much time left. We are trying to find a new home."

    After some time they freed Joe and at last the spaceship took off and could not be seen.

    Joe told his friends about the spacemen, but no one believed his story." You'll believe me one day, "Joe told them." The spacemen will come back..."

    How important is music? Many people usually think that listening to music is nice but not very important. It is often only thought to be entertainment, but not the first choice for education. This opinion is wrong.

    Music reflects the musicians' thoughts and ideas, and the social environment they came from. For example, just as Mozart's music represents a lifestyle and rock music also represents a lifestyle. George Gershwin's music is another example. He introduced jazz style into his music.

    Science explains how the sun rises and sets. Music explores emotional (情绪) meanings, such as sadness and happiness. People need every possible way to learn about our world.

    It's a special language. We can "talk" to each other and exchange our thoughts in this amazing way. Through the language we express our feelings, discoveries, ideas and hopes. All of these can be shared with others. When we do not let our children receive a good music education, we take them away from the meaning that music expresses. Our children are lacking in a wonderful part in their lives.

    Have you ever listened to jazz music? Louisiana is1for its jazz. There have been many great jazz masters that were born in this state—Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, and Wynton Marsalis, to name2.

    We will start with the best—Louis Armstrong. Louis was born in New Orleans31901. When he was twelve years old, he was sent to a boarding school4he had fired a gun into the air on New Year's Eve. He was sent home 18 months later where he5coal with a cart(手推车)to earn a little money. He loved to listen to bands 6in the city. Joe "King" Oliver was a great jazz musician7took young Louis under his wing. When Louis was 21 years old, Oliver8him to play in his band. Louis loved9! By 1929, Louis had his own band named Hot Five. Louis went on to10one of the best jazz musicians of all time.

    Fats Domino was born in 1928 in New Orleans. He was tall and strong, which is11he earned the nickname(绰号)of "Fats". He worked12in a factory but earned little after he left school. He would also play the piano and sing in clubs around town13the time he was in his early 20's, he had become a great success.141955 and 1960, Fats Domino had almost twenty Top 20 singles. He was a great15and was picked into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

—No，he doesn't. But he used to (smoke) a lot, now he has given it up.

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    Before we go to another country, it is necessary for us to learn something about its customs and history. Take Britain as an example. …

    The golden rule is: Watch the other people. Do as they do.