牛津版（深圳·广州）初中英语八年级上学期Unit 2 Numbers 同步精练

—Good idea. There are many interesting things in November's ____.

—Yeah, there's no ________ Ezhou will develop into a modern city in the near future.

—There are many ways. For example, ____ the water to do some cleaning or water plants after ____ your face.

—Of course. They hold the sweetest ____ about my childhood.

— Yes, I'll be there on time.

— ____.

In most countries, people usually eat traditional food on special holidays. 1  special day in the United States is Thanksgiving. In the US, this festival is always on the fourth Thursday in November, 2  in Canada it falls on the second Monday in October. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for food 3  the autumn and other good things people enjoy in life.

Families see Thanksgiving as a time to get together and usually celebrate 4  with a big family meal. The main dish of this meal is almost always turkey, a large bird. To go with the turkey, people often 5  other things, such as gravy, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin or apple pie.

Here is one way 6  turkey for a Thanksgiving dinner. First, mix together 7  bread pieces, onions, salt and pepper. Next, fill the turkey with this bread mix. Then, put the turkey in a hot oven and cook it for a few hours. When it is ready, place the turkey on a plate that is 8  than the turkey and cover it with gravy. Finally cut the turkey into thin pieces. Then, you 9  eat the delicious meat with vegetables like carrots and potatoes. 10  simple it is! Try to make it for your family!

Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.

 In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on December 31st-January 1st. People may go to parties, sometimes dressed in formal (正式的) clothes, and they may drink champagne (香槟) at midnight. During the first minutes of the new year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the new year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the new wear with the first light of the sunrise.

Many cultures also do special things to get rid of (摆脱) bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (重新). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.

Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck in the new year. One widespread Spanish tradition for good luck is to eat grapes on New Year's Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-eyed peas for good luck—but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!

Manners at table

The customs(习惯)in different countries are rather different. If I have dinner with a Chinese host(主人), he will put more food onto my plate as soon as I have emptied it. That often discomforts(使不安)me greatly. I have to eat the food even if I do not want to, because it is considered(认为)bad manners in the West to leave one's food on the plate. I have also noticed that when a Chinese sits at an American's dinner party, he often refuses the offer of food or drink though he's in fact still hungry or thirsty. This might be good manners in China but it is not in the West at all. In the United States, it is impolite to keep asking someone again and again until he accepts your offer.

Americans have a direct way of speaking. If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, "No, thanks." When an American is served with beer(啤酒)by the host, for example, he might say, "No, thanks. I'll take some juice(果汁)if you have." That is what an American will do. So when you go to the United States to deal with us, you'd better remember the famous saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Mrs. Green: Good morning. This is Mrs. Green.

Jack: Good morning, Mrs. Green. This is Jack speaking.  

Mrs. Green: Sure! Just hold the line, please. (A moment later)

Jack: Hey, Tom! I had a big fight with Lee!

Tom:  What happened?

Jack: Well, you know we were planning to watch the new cartoon this Sunday. But he changed his mind to go horse riding with his friend.

Tom: Well, he probably thought it was a good chance. 

Jack: Maybe! Anyway, we argued (争吵), and he refused to talk to me!

Tom: Don't worry! Let me talk to him, ok?

Jack: Good idea! He usually listens to you.

Tom: I'm still your friend. And Lee is, too!

Jack: Yes, I know. Thanks, Tom.

A. Come on!

B. That's too bad!

C. May I speak to Tom?

D. That's great news!

E. Who's calling, please?

F. I don't know why he treated you like this.

G. I'm sure he didn't want to hurt your feelings.

Once upon a time, there was a farmer, who was always worried about the growth of his crops. Every day he  (go) to see them. 

But the crops grew much (slow) than he expected. He was so anxious after three days' watch in his fields. Then he said to (him): "I must use a better way (help) them grow faster."

Finally, a good idea came up to his mind. Then he rushed towards the fields. For the whole day, all the crops (pull) upward by him. He worked hard till the sunset. Then he came home, exhausted.  farmer couldn't wait to tell his two sons the great thing he had done in the daytime. But he was so tired that he was out of breath. "I am exhausted, my efforts were not in vain, I helped all the little crops grow faster. It's worth it." the farmer said joyfully and he even couldn't help (laugh) loudly. However, one of his (son) found something wrong. He ran to the fields in a hurry, but it was too late when he found that all the crops died back.

This story tells us things would be worse if we make them happen speedily following the developing rules of them.

December 24, 2021

Friday Cold

It's a cold Friday. I saw accident in the morning on the way to school. At about 7:00, a boy on a bike passed me quickly I was walking on Ocean Road. The road was empty at that time so he kept riding in the middle.

A car appeared. It (follow) the boy for a while. The driver sounded the horn (鸣笛) in order (pass) the boy. However, the boy didn't hear it. He (listen) to music while riding his bike!

Suddenly the car went (fast) than before. Unluckily, it hit the boy! The boy fell off his bike onto the road. But the car went on without stop. I believe the driver knew he hit the boy because I saw (he) look back from the window.

The car was quite old and dirty, so I could not see its number (clear). The driver was a man with long hair.

I ran to the boy and saw he was badly hurt. So I called 120 and 110 once. They soon arrived. The doctor sent the boy to the hospital in no time. A policeman asked me some (question) and I told them what I saw.

内容提示：1. 英国人第一次和你见面时会问好或握手；2. 喜欢谈论天气、假期或其他的话题，避谈年龄、体重；3. 甚至在家时也"请"和"谢"字不离口；4. 吃饭时总是表现得很礼貌，他们会等每个人吃完再离席；5. 这些小提示都对我们很有帮助……

Good manners in the UK