Holiday shopping is also important to whom？

Of all the people on my holiday shopping list, there was one little boy for whom buying a gift had become increasingly difficult. He ’s a wonderful child, adorable and loving, and he ’s not f irritable or spoiled. Though he lives across the country from me, I receive regular updates and photos, and he likes all the things that the boys his age want to play with. Shopping for him should be easy, but I find it hard to summon up any enthusiasm, because in all the years I ’ve giv presents, he never once sent me a thank-you note.

“Sending thank-you notes is becoming a lost art, ” mourns Mary Mitchell, a syndicated columnist known as “Ms. Demeanor”and author of six etiquette books. In her view, each generation, compared with the one before, is losing a sense of consideration for other people. “Without respect, ” she says, “you have conflict. ”

Ms. Demeanor would be proud of me: I have figured out a way to ensure that my children always send thank-you notes. And such a gesture is important, says Ms. Demeanor, because “a grateful attitude is a tremendous life skill, an efficient and inexpensive way to set ourselves apart in the work force and in our adult lives. Teach your children that the habit of manners comes from inside ― it ’s an attitude based on respecting other people. ”

A few years ago, as my children descended like piranhas on their presents under the Christmas tree, the only attitude I could see was greed. Where was the appreciation of time and effort?

A thank-you note should contain three things: an acknowledgement of the gift (Love the tie with the picture of a hose on it); a recognition of the time and effort spent to select it (You must have shopped all over the state to find such a unique item!); a prediction of how you will use your gift or the way it has enhanced your life (I ’ll be sure to wear it to the next Mr. Ed convention!).

So, five years ago, in one of my rare flashes of parental insight, I decided that the most appropriate time to teach this basic courtesy is while the tinsel is hot. To the horror of my children, I announced that henceforth every gift received will be an occasion for a thank-you note written immediately, on the spot. I have explained to my kids how I have reacted to not hearing from the little boy ― how it made me fell unappreciated and unmotivated to repeat the process next year.

I have reluctantly given my kids the green light to send e-mail thank-you notes; though hand-lettered ones (at least to me) still seem friendlier. But pretty much any thank -you makes the gift giver feel special ― just as, we hope, the recipient feels. It ’s a gesture that perfectly c the spirit of the holidays.

The author felt unmotivated when buying a gift for the little boy because he ________.

A.purposely intended not to show gratitude for her kindness and consideration

B.had never expressed appreciation of the gifts he received in previous years.

C.had no idea how thoughtful she was in choosing a gift for him

D.didn’t like any of the gift she had given him

According to Ms. Demeanor, showing appreciation has the benefit of ________.A.forming the habit of good manners

B.regaining the lost art of expressing thanks

C.motivating the gift giver to buy more gifts

D.distinguishing oneself from others in work and life

In a thank-you note, “The book will be my good companion when I am alone”serves as ________.A.a recognition of the time and effort spent to select it

B.an announcement of how it has enhanced your life

C.a prediction of how you will use your gift

D.an acknowledgement of the gift

What does the author mean by “while the tinsel is hot (Line 2, Para. 6)?A.The moment her kids receive a gift.

B.The moment she starts choosing gifts for each kid.

C.When the art of sending thank-you notes isn’t lost yet.

D.When her kids still remember who bought the gifts for them.

请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析，谢谢！

Holiday shopping is an exciting and (36) thing to do for many people. They love the crowds, the time spent picking out that (37) gift for a loved one.

Then there are those of us who hate crowds. Robb Empson used to be one of those (38) holiday gift buyers. Not anymore. The 50-year-old man checked off his (39) gift list two weeks ago—shopping online. Knowing he doesn’t have to visit (40) during the crowded holiday season is a “wonderful feeling,” said Empson, who has been full of (41) online shopping for several years. This year, he spent about 700 dollars on a (42) holiday gifts from Amazon. com. (43) , Internet holiday sales grew 28 percent last year and 54 percent in 2000.

(44) .

Many are turning to online shopping as an alternative. The idea of shopping in your soft loose clothes you wear at home is pretty cool to those who hate shopping. The perfect gift is out there; one needs merely to surf the Web.

(45) .

With the click of a mouse, consumers can send flowers and gifts to distant relatives. Shopping online can be safe and convenient. Consumers need only to know the rules and to take steps to protect themselves. (46).

请在(36)处填上最佳答案.

Planning is a very important activity in our lives.It can give pleasure and even excitement, but cause quite severe headaches.The more significant the task ahead, the more careful the planning required.Getting to school or to work on time is a task requiring little or no planning.It is almost a routine.A month’s touring holiday abroad, or better still, getting married, is a different matter altogether.If the holiday involves a church wedding, with 50 guests, a reception, a honeymoon in Italy, and returning to a new home, this requires even more planning to make sure that is successful.Planning is our way of trying to ensure success and of avoiding costly failures we cannot afford.It is equally essential to mankind as a whole, to nations, to families and to each individual; the scale may vary, but the degree of importance does not.(英译中)

Easter is probably the most important Christian holiday on the calendar because it commemorates Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Like many other religious holidays, though, Easter has incorporated many traditions from pagan beliefs and pre-Christian rites of seasonal regeneration. The word Easter has Indo-European roots and means “dawn”. This is a direct reference to the pagan goddess of dawn and new life.

The egg, a symbol of Easter, is a sign of fertility which reflects ancient spring renewal rites and beliefs that have been absorbed into the Christian tradition. Even the Easter bunny who brings the eggs was the escort of the Germanic goddess Ostara, who had a holiday named after her that fell on the vernal equinox. This serves to underscore the pagan elements that still remain a part of this quintessential Christian holy day. In the United States, Easter is celebrated in several ways.

On Easter morning children usually begin their day by looking for Easter eggs that the Easter bunny has hidden for them. Of course, most children know that the eggs were hidden by their parents, not the Easter bunny. In fact, many children help their parents color the Easter eggs, knowing that soon they will be eating them as a snack on Easter day. Some cities have Easter egg hunts at the local parks. Since Easter is always celebrated on Sunday, many people attend “Sunrise services” at their local church.

In fact, more people go to church on Easter Sunday than at any other time of the year. Sunrise services begin very early in the morning, usually right about the same time as when the sun begins to rise, and last until almost noon. After church families gather and have a big holiday feast. Easter also marks the coming of spring. People are usually happy that winter is over, so parks are usually full of people who want to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.

Which of the following best defines Easter?

A.It is partially religious.

B.It is a Christian holiday.

C.It is purely a religious tradition.

D.It is the most important Christian holiday.

The Easter egg represents __________.A.spring

B.new life

C.productivity

D.Easter

What is the main point of the third paragraph?A.Children like eating eggs on Easter.

B.Children help their parents on Easter.

C.People participate in many activities on Easter.

D.A lot of people go to church on Easter.

The celebration of Easter does not include __________.A.eating Easter eggs

B.hunting Easter eggs

C.buying gifts for children

D.having religious ceremonies

Why do people go to parks on Easter?A.Because spring is coming.

B.Because it is part of the celebration.

C.Because the air is fresh on that day.

D.Because they feel free on that day.

请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析，谢谢！

听力原文：M: It's half past seven. I must go to school, Mum.

W: Today is a holiday. Don't you know?

M: Oh yes! It's Saturday.

Q: What day is it today?

(18)

A．Friday.

B．Sunday.

C．Saturday.

The Chinese New Year is a big traditional holiday in Singapore. On its Eve, while many will 【C1】______ for the reunion dinner, others will head for the airport or train station to "flee" 【C2】______ such festivities. With a 【C3】______ number of Singaporeans going on overseas tours during this time, the Chinese New Year holiday has in recent years become a 【C4】______ season for travel agents, 【C5】______ it Used to be a lull period for them. Isn't Chinese New Year the 【C6】______ important traditional festival for the Chinese? Well, for those who choose to 【C7】______ flight, it means an opportunity to enjoy a holiday out of the country. The concern is, if even Chinese New Year can be 【C8】______ , what other traditional festivals cannot be disregarded? Why do we need to 【C9】______ traditional festivals? Firstly, they are inseparable from our ethnic identity. The Chinese, Malays and Indians all have their own traditional festivals 【C10】______ which they derive "a sense of belonging to a particular community". So if any Chinese does not see himself 【C11】______ one, there is no need for him to celebrate any Chinese festivals. True, everyone has the right to 【C12】______ traditions. The problem is: you cannot deny your ethnic origins or change your skin color. We are 【C13】______ with a certain skin color which cannot be "bleached"—if one has a "yellow face" and yet refuse to 【C14】______ with the Chinese, who else can he or she identify with? Secondly, the 【C15】______ spirit of the more than 2000-year-old Chinese New Year is closely intertwined with the traditional culture and values of the Chinese. 【C16】______ its core is the Confucian value of good interpersonal relationships. Traditional Chinese festivals 【C17】______ center on maintaining and improving human relations. Reunion dinner helps to 【C18】______ family ties while the exchange of gifts and greetings enhance relations among friends. To skip the reunion dinner and stay 【C19】______ from Chinese New Year means losing many great opportunities to forge stronger kinship and friendship ties. A tradition must be capable of being 【C20】______ down from one generation to another. Yet this does not mean traditions cannot be changed.

【C1】

A．separate

B．invite

C．gather

D．long