澳大利亚位于太平洋（the Pacific）的两侧，是大洋洲最大的国家，面积760万平方公路。

人口稀少，只有1，000多万，多数集中在东部沿海地区。

首都堪培拉（Canberra）风景秀丽。

悉尼（Sydney）是澳大利亚最大城市。有许多名胜，其中悉尼歌剧院（Opera House）闻名于世。2000年奥运会就是在悉尼举行的。

注意：1). 词数：100左右，文章开头已给出（不计入总词数）；

2). 可以根据内容要点提示适当增加细节，使行文连贯。

Australia

    Australia is the largest country in Oceania.

    ⒈理想中的职业；

    ⒉选择的理由；

    ⒊为此所要做的准备。

注意：

    ⒈词数100左右；

⒉可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

要点如下： 1）节日的日期；

2）节日的由来；

3）庆祝的方式。

注意：1）词数100左右；

2）短文开头已给出，不计入总词数；

3）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

参考词汇: 战国时期the Warring States Period; 自杀 commit suicide; 粽子Zongzi。

    The Dragon Boat Festival

Gossip

    “Did you hear what happened to Adam Last Friday?” Lindsey whispers to Tori.

    With her eyes shining, Tori brags, “You bet I did, Sean told me two days ago.”

    Lindsey and Tori aren't very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip and I have noticed the effects of gossip.

    An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about. Usually, gossip spreads information about a topic—breakups, trouble at home—that a person would rather keep secret. The more embarrassing the secret is, the juicier the gossip it makes. Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie. People often think of gossipers as harmless, but cruel lies can cause pain.

    If we know that gossip can be harmful, then why do so many of us do it? The answer lies in another effect of gossip: the satisfaction it gives us. Sharing the latest rumor can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don't. Similarly, hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the “in group”. In other words, gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority.

    Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. For instance, if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention. The do's and don'ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.

    The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation. The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your “juicy story” might have.

    There was a boss who made a contract with his workers: he will pay their salary each week, but not in cash. Instead, the workers would choose some goods in a shop, which equal the value of their salary. Then he will pay the cash to the owner of the shop.

    But one day, one of the workers complained to his boss, “The shop owner said 'no cash, no goods'. And he requested us to pay in cash.” For that reason, the worker asked the boss to pay him in cash, too. The boss agreed. After a while, the shop owner came to the boss, asking him to pay for his workers.

    The boss was confused and looked into the issue, and finally found out that the worker told a lie. However, he paid the shop owner as usual, because he must keep his promise, even he was cheated and had to pay more money.

    Good merchants won't scrap(废除)their contracts. They won't sign contracts easily and usually chaffer(论价)for their benefits if they have to sign them. But after that, they will definitely follow them whatever the price.

【写作内容】

用约30词概述上文内容；

结合高中生活，简要分析你对契约精神的理解(不少于两点)；

你的启示和打算(不少于两点)。

【写作要求】

可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接引用原文中的句子；

作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。

【评分标准】

概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，语篇连贯。

⒈春节是中国最重要的传统节日之一，它总是让人想到家庭团聚。(remind...of...)

⒉在春节，人们盛装打扮，参加各种各样的活动。(dress up，take part in)

⒊人们相互表达感激、原谅或宽恕之情。(make an apology for)

⒋人们给孩子们压岁钱，盼望美好 未来。(look forward to)

⒌很遗憾的是有些人由于各种原因，不能参与这个重大节日的庆祝。(it is a pity that...)