吉林省吉林市永吉县2023-2024学年九年级上学期期末考试...

—No, thanks. I ____ drink coffee. 

—I study ____ working with a group.  

—Go along the street, it's on your right.

—It uses its nose to look for its food—rubbish. And the rubbish will turn into energy. 

(A student reporter, Tina, is interviewing Miss Gao about after-school activities in the school studio. )

Tina: Miss Gao, are after-school activities good for the ninth graders?

Miss Gao: Sure. 

Tina: Recently, several parents left messages online expressing their worries about this question. 

Miss Gao: 

Tina: What are they?

Miss Gao: First, doing an activity is a good break. 

Tina:  They are so busy studying. 

Miss Gao: They are, so they should take a break and do something for fun. 

Tina: Hmm. …then after a break, students can better pay attention to their studies. 

Miss Gao: 

Tina: What can students learn from after-school activities? 

Miss Gao: Students can learn new skills, such as managing their time and working with others. 

Tina: That's true.

Miss Gao: 

Tina: Yes. Thank you for your time, Miss Gao. Let me write all of these down and tell them. 

Miss Gao: Good idea!              

A: Look, Frank! The jacket on sale looks very nice. 

B: So it does. It seems very good. 

A: I think you'll look very handsome in this jacket.

B: . I'm glad to hear that.

A: ?

B: Yes, the jacket is made of cotton. It feels very soft. 

A: Where was it made?

B: I'm not it. Let me see. Oh, the label(标签) reads it was made in the USA.

A: Got it! Look at these blouses. ?

B: They are made of cotton or other natural materials. We can get cotton from plants and get wool or silk from animals or insects. 

A: Wow, you know a lot about them! Well, I want to buy a blouse.  choose one for me?

B: Sure, I'd love to choose one for you. Look at the red one. I think it suits(适合) you very much.

A: OK. I'll take it.

Asking for the way is the first thing we do when we arrive in a different country. Knowing how to ask for help can make our1 much easier. Here is some advice for you. 

First, use2 expressions. Starting the conversation with a greeting is a must. If you want to get a nice answer, begin by saying "hello"first. And some words like "may", "can" and "could" will help you express3 better.

Second, increase your vocabulary. You should know more words that you can use when getting4 . It may be useful to remember the names of the places you visited. 

Third, know how to ask a question. Use the right words and try not to leave any information out. If you ask a specific(具体的)question, there are more chances (机会) of5 a specific answer. 

Last, know where your house or hotel is on a map. Find it and mark it! It is important to know where you live. 

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This day is always the first full moon in the new year. Ancient people also  it Shangyuan Festival. Celebrations andon this day began from the Han Dynasty (朝代)and became popular in the Tang Dynasty. Watching the redis one of the main traditions. Lanterns of different shapes and sizes are usually put on trees, orriver banks on show. It is said that sky lanterns were first used by Zhuge Kongming to ask for help when he was in trouble. Today, when the lanterns slowlyinto the air, people make wishes. 

Another tradition islantern riddles (谜语). The riddles are usually short, wise, and sometimes humorous (幽默的). The answer to a riddle can be a Chinese character (汉字)，a famous person's name, or a name of a place.

The mostthing is to eat sweet dumplings with different tastes, because they are symbols of reunion and wishes for good luck. In northern China, they are called yuanxiaoin southern part they're named tangyuan. Because making sweet dumplings is like a game or an activity, they are usually done happily by a group of friends or .

In old times, the Lantern Festival was also romantic (浪漫的). lanterns gave young people a chance to meet each other. A line from Xin Qiji, a poet during the Song Dynasty, shows this:

Hundreds and thousands of times I searched for her in the crowd. Suddenly I turned, and there she stood, in the dim.

All around the world, people drink tea. But tea does not mean the same thing to everyone. In different countries people have different ideas about drinking tea. 

In China, for example, tea is always served when people get together. The Chinese drink it at any time of the day at home or in tea houses. They prefer their tea without putting any other thing in it. 

Tea is also important in Japan. The Japanese have a special way of serving tea called a tea ceremony(茶道). It is very old and full of meanings. Everything must be done in a special way in the ceremony. There is even a special room for it in Japanese homes. 

Another tea-drinking country is England. In England, the late afternoon is "tea time". Almost everyone has a cup of tea then. The English usually make tea in a teapot and drink it with cream and sugar. They also eat cakes or cookies at tea time.

In the USA, people drink tea mostly for breakfast or after meals. Americans usually use tea bags to make their tea. Tea bags are faster and easier than making tea in teapots. In summer, many Americans drink cold tea, "Ice Tea". Sometimes they drink iced tea from cans（易拉罐）.

Over the last few centuries, there have been many changes in our lives. 

To start with, people were not able to travel such a long distance in such a short time in the past. Planes were not very popular at that time because they used to be a very expensive way to travel. Nowadays, we have fast, comfortable vehicles (车辆), such as cars and high-speed trains. 

Secondly, in the past, people had to work much harder because they did not have the tools that we have today. Today, most of the difficult and dangerous work is done by computers and machines. 

Thirdly, in the past, the living conditions were not as good as they are now. There were no bathrooms or running water in many houses, and many people could not buy things like fridges, TV sets or washing machines. Now, most families have several of these things. 

Lastly, communications have become much easier than before. In the past, we kept in touch with others by writing letters or sending faxes (传真), but now we have many other ways to choose from, such as making a phone call, sending emails or messages and chatting online. Moreover, we can even see the people whom we care making a phone call with through mobile phones, and we can see each other while chatting online. The most surprising thing is that we can make a phone call with the astronauts (宇航员) and see them when they are in space. What a magical thing!

Thanks to the technology, especially the Internet, our lives have become much easier and happier than before. I'm sure they will become more wonderful in the future. Don't you think so?

We know music is very important in our daily life. Do you notice music playing at any of those places when you go somewhere? Today most stores, stations, restaurants and other places play music. You might even hear music in an office or on a farm. 

Scientists believe that music influences the way people behave. They think that the sound of western classic (古典的) music makes people feel richer. When a restaurant plays classical music, people spend more money on food and drinks. When the restaurant plays modern music, people spend less money. Without music, people spend even less. 

Scientists also believe that loud, fast music makes people eat faster. Some restaurants play fast music during their busy hours. This makes people eat faster and leave quickly. Restaurants can make more money in this way. 

Some scientists think that music makes you think and learn better. They say that music helps students to be more active. It is true that people learn better when they are relaxed. And listening to music can help you relax. 

The next time you hear music somewhere, be careful. It might influence the way you do things. 

Sometimes our lives seem to get boring. You can start changing that right now. Here is some advice:

Get a new hobby. There are hundreds of different things you can do. By keeping yourself busy with something you enjoy, not only will you be less bored, but it'll make you a more

interesting person. 

 There are many online courses. Many universities offer certain online courses to everyone. It not only keeps your mind busy, but also opens up your eyes. 

Take part in an organization that you believe in. You can volunteer at a hospital, an old people's home, and just giving dogs at the Humane Society walks are all your best choices.

Also, you'll get to know people who want to make the world better.

Take a minute to think of something you've never done and then put your mind to doing it. It could be going to a country music concert, or traveling to a completely new place. It helps you become a more active person.

To plan for a holiday trip, the important thing is to set a budget（预算）. It helps you to plan and enjoy the trip within your limits (限度). Always prepare a little more than what you might need. 

 The first thing you need to do is be sure of what you want from this trip. Do you want to experience the local culture or just have fun on those sandy beaches? Do you want to make friends with the locals or free yourself from busy workdays? Plan your trip according to your needs. 

 Prepare yourself before setting out for an unknown holiday destination (目的地). Buy a good guidebook and read up on the culture, history, and places of interest in that city. You can visit its local website or surf the Internet for more information. The more you know about the place and traditions there, the better you can enjoy yourself. 

 Pack only important things. Avoid carrying unnecessary things around. Heavy luggage (行李) may sometimes make your holiday a terrible experience. Carry clothes that are comfortable and right for the season. Try to put everything you need in a single carry-on bag. 

It's always better to book a room ahead of time if possible because all you need is a good night's sleep after an exciting day.

(a)根据短文内容，从方框中选出每段的主旨大意, 其中有一个选项是多余的。 

(b)根据短文内容，补全下面的语段，每空填一个词。

I had spent an hour in the bank with my dad to transfer (转帐) some money. I asked him, "Dad, why not use online banking?"

"Why would I do that?" He replied.

"Well, then you won't have to spend an hour here to transfer your money. You can do your shopping online. Everything will be easier!" I was excited to try to persuade (说服) my father to use online banking.

He asked, "If I do that, I won't have to step out of the house?"

"Yes!" I said. I told him how even large things like cars or computers can be delivered (递送) to our doors now and how SF (顺丰速运) delivers everything.

However, his answer left me tongue-tied. He said, "Since I walked into this bank today, I have met four of my friends and I have chatted a while with the staff (员工). I have plenty of spare time, so I like to come to the bank. Two years ago, when I was seriously hurt, the store owner from whom I buy fruit came to see me. Besides, when your mom fell down a few days ago, the bank manager saw her and helped her get to the hospital. "

He continued, "Why would I want to stare at my computer all the time? I like to know the person that I'm dealing with and not just the ‘seller'. Does SF deliver bonds (情感纽带) and relationships as well?"

I was silent after hearing his words. My dad was right, of course. We shouldn't depend so much on technology. It's better to spend time with real people.

要求：（1）行文流畅，表达清晰, 语句通顺，语法正确, 上下文连贯； （2）短文须包括所有提示内容，可适当发挥，90-100词(开头与结尾已给出, 不计入总词数)；（3）文中不得出现真实的人名、校名和地名。

Dear Paul，

How is everything going？I'm writing to introduce one of the traditional festivals in China.

Yours，

Simon