For most kids, a typical school day includes lessons in math, science, and English language arts. But for Callista Grant, 11, a typical day might also include instruction in American Indian drumming and dancing. She studies the Ojibwe and Lakota languages, too, and enjoys school powwows（帕瓦仪式）.

Callista goes to the American Indian Magnet School（AIMS）, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is open to kids from pre-K to grade 8.

Although other U. S. schools teach American Indian culture, the teachers at AlMS say their school is unique. They connect lessons to American Indian culture . When students learn about plant life cycles in science, they also learn about how native people used herbs for ceremonies and healing. A language arts class may include a reading about the meaning of the jingle dress. Callista says the focus on American Indian culture helps everyone know that "the culture is still alive".

Callista is Cherokee and Ojibwe. Of the 680 students at AlMS, about one-quarter are American Indians. It is a public school that is open to all kids in the community. All students gain from the school's focus. "It's important for everyone to know about the people who were here first and that they still live here today, "says teacher Tamara Goggleye. Lessons give all students a chance to explore their heritage.

Callista represents the school at powwows and other events. She is proud to teach others about their history. "We might lose our culture if we don't show it to our kids," Callista says. "Kids need to help pass down our culture, or it could go away. " AIMS and Callista are working to make sure that won't happen.

【小题1】Why is the American Indian Magnet School different from others？

A．Students in this school learn about plant life cycles.

B．Only this school teaches American Indian culture.

C．Students here can learn how foreign people use herbs.

D．This school link lessons to American Indian culture.

【小题2】How many students are American Indians in the American Indian Magnet School？

A．About 170.	B．About 250.
C．About 340.	D．About 680.

【小题3】What does the underlined word " heritage" in Paragraph 4 mean？

A．Tradition.	B．Possession.
C．Language.	D．Future.

   It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather. Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr. Johnson’s famous comment that “When two English meet, their first talk is of weather.” Though Johnson’s observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago, most commentators(评论员) fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weather-speak.

Bill Bryson, for example, concludes that, as the English weather is not at all exciting, the obsession with it can hardly be understood. He argues that” To an outsider, the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it.” Simply, the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles.

Jeremy Paxman, however, disagrees with Bryson, arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive. Bryson is wrong, he says, “because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena(现象).” The interest is less in the phenomena themselves, but in uncertainty.” According to him, the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider.

Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weather-speak among the English. Both commentators, somehow, are missing the point. The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all. English weather-speak is a system of signs ,which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other. Everyone knows conversations starting with weather-speak are not requests for weather data. Rather, they are routine greetings, conversation starters or the blank “fillers”, In other words, English weather-speak is a means of social bonding.

【小题1】The author mentions Dr. Johnson’s comment to show that________.

A．most commentators agree with Dr. Johnson

B．Dr. Johnson is famous for his weather observation

C．the comment was accurate two hundred years ago

D．English conversations usually start with the weather

【小题2】What does the underlined word “obsession” most probably refer to?

A．A social trend.	B．An emotional state.
C．A historical concept.	D．An unknown phenomenon.

【小题3】According to the passage, Jeremy Paxman believes that________.

A．Bill Bryson has little knowledge of the weather

B．there is nothing special about the English weather

C．the English weather attracts people to the British Isles

D．English people talk about the weather for its uncertainty

【小题4】What is the author’s main purpose of writing the passage?

A．To explain what English weather-speak is about.

B．To analyze misconceptions about the English weather.

C．To find fault with both Bill Bryson and Jeremy Paxman.

D．To convince people that the English weather is changeable.

语法填空

Americans think time is money. They say, “You only get so much time in this life — you’d better use it 【小题1】 (wise).” Americans are trained to use their time for constructive activities,【小题2】 Americans admire a “well-organized” person, 【小题3】 has a written list of things to do and a schedule for doing them. They do not waste people’s time with conversations or other activities that have no obvious 【小题4】 (benefit) result.

The American attitude to time is not necessarily the one 【小题5】 (share) by others, especially non-Europeans. Non-Europeans are more likely to regard time 【小题6】 something that is simply there around them, rather than something of great value. In this background, the fast food industry can 【小题7】 (view) as a clear example of American cultural product. McDonald’s, KFC, and other fast food 【小题8】 (company) are successful in a country where many people want to spend the 【小题9】 (little) amount of time preparing and eating meals. As McDonald’s restaurants spread around the world, they have been viewed as symbols of American society and culture,【小题10】 (bring) not just hamburgers but speed, efficiency (效率), and shiny cleanliness.

If Confucius(孔子) were alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But that doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up the drawbacks of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
【小题1】The purpose or the first paragraph is mainly to ________.

A．attract the readers’ interest in the subject

B．provide some key facts about Confucius

C．show great respect for the ancient thinker

D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations

【小题2】We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students ________.

A．take an active part in Chinese competitions

B．try to get high scores in Chinese exams

C．fight for a chance to learn Chinese

D．show great interest in studying Chinese nowadays

【小题3】What is the best title for this passage?

A．Forgotten Wisdom in America

B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language

C．Old Thinker with a Big Future

D．Chinese Culture for Westerners

语法填空

Different countries have different customs. First，let's talk about the time 【小题1】（open）the present. If you are in China，it is rude to open it as soon as you receive it. But in Britain and America，people will open it at once，because the givers like to see 【小题2】 the person reacts.

Now let's talk about different wedding 【小题3】（ceremony）. In Korea，people will have a live hen and a live rooster — a hen is for good luck，and a rooster is for driving away bad things.

In Brunei，at wedding receptions，men and women sit in separate areas. The men are with the bridegroom while the women with the bride. Furthermore，alcohol 【小题4】（prohibit）in Brunei's weddings，which is 【小题5】（complete）different in China. Similar 【小题6】 parts of China, Brunei's people will play drums for hours or even a whole night for a wedding.  Another common custom to parts of China is that people will take off shoes before entering others' room.

Different languages can explain the cultural differences, but it's not always right. The British and the Americans share the same language, 【小题7】 they do not always have the same customs.

Take Bonfire Night as an example, the British 【小题8】(be) fond of it, while the Americans are not familiar with it.

All in all, there are many cultural differences around the world. Only by having 【小题9】 good knowledge of them can we behave properly when 【小题10】 (communicate).