江苏省泰州市姜堰区2016-2017学年八年级下学期英语期末考试试题

— I think it ___________ successfully in Zhanjiang last year.

— I cannot agree more.

— She ______ Hong Kong on business for a few days.

— Yeah, you cannot imagine         interesting it is if you don't experience it yourself.

— I think so, and we ______ stay at home now.

— Wonderful! I think it is ______ a meaningful TV show that ______ many people like watching it.

— ________. He can't save a coin, though.

— Yes, now English is more and more important. English ____________ the first language in England and some other countries.

— You are welcome. Now it's easier _____ you to understand it.

— I think Ted is ______ to do it. But the door is _____ for him to go through.

— Sounds good!

—         . There were good things and bad things about them.

— Yes, I am still wondering          .

    A wise man was walking from one town to another with a few of his followers, and they happened to pass a lake. So they stopped there to 1 for a while, and the wise man said to one of his followers, "I am very 2. Could you please 3 me some water from the lake?"

    The follower walked to the lake4 the wise man requested. Some people were washing clothes in the water, and right at that moment, several carts (手推车) started crossing the lake. 5, the water became very muddy(泥泞的).

    Then he went back and told the wise man that the water was very muddy and not 6 to drink.

    After they had rested for about half an hour, the wise man again asked the 7 follower to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. As requested, the follower went to the lake again. This time he found that all the mud had settled(沉淀) to the 8. The water was very 9 and looked fit to drink. So he 10 his water bottle and took it to the wise man.

    The wise man took the water bottle and drank, then looked up at the follower. "See what you did to make the 11 clean?" he said. "You let it be for a while and the mud settled down on its own, 12 you could get some clear drinking water. Your mind can also be like that lake when it is disturbed(被搅乱的) by something. If you just let it be and give it a little 13, it will most likely settle down on its own 14 being put in any effort(努力) at all to 15 it."

    China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them.

    This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for the start of spring and farming. This year, the day fell on March 10.

    The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the "descendants(传人) of the dragon". Therefore, people celebrate the Dragon Head Raising Day with many customs(传统) about dragons.

    On the day in ancient times(古代), people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to "lead the dragon into the house". People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest (收成) in autumn.

    Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat "dragon whisker (细须)" noodles and dumplings called "dragon teeth".

    Today, many customs have faded away (消退). But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother's brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.

    In films, spies(间谍) are lucky people. They are smart and adventurous. But a real spy's life is not that exciting. They must live a life of lies. Their work is dangerous and they may have to pay for it with their lives. American spy Nathan Hale (1755-1776) was one of these people.

    Why does someone want to be a spy? Some do it for their country. Some for money. Some just love it. Nathan Hale became a spy for the first reason. He lived during the American Revolution (革命). He and his people fought the British army.

    In 1774, Hale joined the American army. Before that, he was a school teacher. Two years later, he chose to be a spy. He had to get information from the British army. He went to the city where the British army was staying. He told them that he was a school teacher and wanted to find a new job. As a young spy, Hale didn't have enough experience. He had told his secret to somebody else. But that person sold him out to the British army. He tried to get information for the American army. Hale finally got something important and decided to go back. He hid some papers in his boots. He went to the river bank and waited for a boat to pick him up. However, British soldiers caught Hale at the river bank and found the papers in his boots.

    Hale died on Sept 22, 1776. His final words were: "I only regret(后悔) I have but one life to lose for my country." He died at the age of 21.

    When you cough or sneeze, you'd better turn your head away from others and cover your mouth with the full part of your hand. And then, you should say, "Excuse me."

    This seems so simple, but it is surprising how many kids have never been told to do this. Actually, I notice adults all the time who cough and sneeze in public without placing a hand over the mouth. One important thing I point out to the kids is that after they sneeze or cough on their hands, they should wash their hands as soon as possible. If not, they will be passing those germs (细菌) along to everything and everyone they touch.

    If you come to a door and someone is following you, hold the door. If the door opens by pulling, pull it open, stand to the side, and allow the other person to pass through first, then you can walk through. If the door opens by pushing, hold the door after you pass through.

    After a few weeks of seeing kids try to get through doors in the school and watching them enter restaurants as the door hit other people, I knew I had to discuss the problem with my students. Teaching them small acts of kindness, such as letting someone else go through a door first as they hold it open, may seem unimportant, but it can go along way toward helping students realize how to be polite and thank others. Once they've been told, they're halfway there.

    When we have to go up moving stairs, we will stand to the right. That will give others who are in a hurry a choice of walking up the left-hand side of the moving stairs. When we are going to enter a lift, the underground, or a doorway, we will wait for others to exit before we enter.

    After college when I moved to London, I was surprised at how polite everyone was in the subways. I was even more touched when I traveled to Japan. In both places, people made efforts to make way for others. On moving stairs, everyone stood to the right and walked to the left. On lifts, everyone would stand over to the side and allow others to exit before they would begin to enter.

— Because nobody (hand) in their homework.

— Oh, my car broke down and it needs (mend).

— Sorry, I have no idea.

    Some students, parents and teachers in Shanghai were surveyed last month. According to the result of the survey, the generation gap (代沟) between students and parents as well as teachers is becoming wider. Here is what they said.

    Voice of the students:

    "Our parents hold too high expectations（期待）which put us under lots of pressure（压力）. They care too much about our lives and studies," one student said.

    "It's impolite that some students' parents read their children's diaries without permission!" one student said angrily.

    "Some of our teachers are so serious that we can't make friends with them at all," another student said sadly.

    Voice of the parents:

    One mother said, "After school, my daughter usually locks herself into her room and spends lots of time talking with others on the phone. And I can't stand her clothes and hairstyle!"

    "I thought my son was doing very well in his studies. I didn't realize I was being cheated (欺骗) by him until I got a call from his teacher," said a father.

    Voice of the teachers:

    An English teacher said, "Today, the role of the teacher is to put knowledge into students' brain. The power teachers have kept students away from them."

    "Some parents pay too much attention to their children's grades. They never create a lively and colorful environment at home," another teacher said.

    "In the past, teachers and students often played games together or talked with each other. Today, only studies and grades are talked about," said a teacher.

    Voice of scientists:

    Scientists say that a school should be a place where students can learn not only knowledge, but also how to face failure bravely enough.

    In a cold winter, a couple had to move out from the luxury (豪华的) house because of bankruptcy（破产）. The husband worked day and night to support the family but with no care of his wife. So she thought, "He doesn't love me any more. He just cares about his business ...... not me".

    One day, she began to take a bath, but he stopped her at the door, "Let me take it first, okay?"

    "Why not let me shower first," she asked.

    "I was tired, sweetie! You take it later, okay?" She was totally discouraged. (泄气的)

    On a tiring day, she found nothing to do and turned on his computer, a few words blurred(使……模糊)her eyes. It was his diary:

    Today, I was quite sad. She asked me why I was always taking the bath first, and I said to her that I was tired out. She was unhappy, in her mind, to think I treated her not as well as usual. But what can I do? I was not as rich as before! We moved to the small apartment, and there was only a shower in the bathroom. It was so cold to take a shower in such a freezing winter. But I found that if one person took the shower first, the room could get warmer, so every time I rushed to the bathroom first. I was thinking that, when she took the shower, the room would get warmer, at least 1℃, 2℃ or 3℃. Now I can't give her comfortable life, bring her the luxury restaurant, buy expensive dresses for her, but at least, I can give her 1℃ love.

    After reading the diary, the wife was deeply moved.

Indian movies hit in China

    Hollywood movies seem to be China's favourite movies. But that is not always the case. Recently an Indian movie has become very p.

    The movies called Dangal (摔跤吧！爸爸) c out on May 5. In less than five days, it has made more than 100 million yuan, according to China Daily.

    The movie is about a father who turns his daughters i great wrestlers(摔跤手) . It is based upon the story of former Indian wrestler Mahavir Phogat. Famous Indian actor Aamir Khan, 52, plays the father.

    Indian movies often include lots of singing and dancing. But Dangal isd. As Yahoo said, the sport story shows gender stereotypes (性别歧视) and a complex(复杂的) father-daughter relationship. There are so many moments that may m you want to cry. In the movie, when the father t his daughters to wrestle, people in the village all laugh at him. Above all, f girls did this sport at that time. But the father keeps teaching them. He even l home and goes to his daughters' city to train them. "It makes me think of my father, and his selfless love for us," a Chinese audience member told Hindustan Times.

    The daughters' success shows that "girls are as g as boys". It's the movie's theme, as Hindustan Times said. And it attracts(吸引) m of Chinese fans. "It is like the story of a Chinese village girl becoming an Olympic champion," said Tan Zheng, editor of Film Art magazine.

    Hello, everyone. I'm Simon. Back to the life in the last year, I think I have changed a lot and made great progress(进步) in some ways.……

    Thank you for listening!