Among the four skills in learning English, which one of these is the “odd-man-out”? The answer is speaking. The other three you can do alone on your own. But you can’t really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be “dangerous” because men in white coats may come and take you away!
Where can you find people to speak English? And how can you practice speaking when you are alone?
At school—If you pay to go to a language school, you should use the opportunity to speak. If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students, try to say as much as possible. Don’t worry about your mistakes. Just speak!
Conversation Clubs—Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one language for another. Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you. They are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee.
Shopping—Even if you don’t want to buy anything, you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop. “How much does this cost? ” “Can I pay by cheque? ” Often you can start a real conversation—and it costs you nothing!
Café and Bars—There are often American, Britain, Irish and Australian bars in many large cities. If you can find one, you’ll probably meet many people speaking English as a first or second language.
Language is all around you— Everywhere you go, you find language. Shop names, street names, advertisements, notices, and car numbers.... When you walk down the street, practice reading the words and numbers that you see. Say them to yourself. It’s not exactly a conversation, but it will help you to “think” in English. But don’t speak too loud!
Songs and Videos—Repeat the words of an English song singing with the music until it becomes automatic. It’s good practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English.
Above all, speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you have made a mistake, you know that you have made progress!
1. What does the underlined part “odd-man-out” probably mean according to the passage?| A．Someone or something that can be easily mistaken for another. |
| B．Someone or something appearing different from the others. |
| C．Someone or something standing out of the group. |
| D．Someone or something arranged in pairs. |
| A．Because everyone will make mistakes in learning English. |
| B．Because making mistakes is a must in making progress in learning English. |
| C．Because everyone will meet people speaking English with some mistakes. |
| D．Because making mistakes can make one realize the importance of speaking. |
| A．To tell us that English is all around us. |
| B．To tell us that we can speak English alone. |
| C．To give us some advice on how to practice speaking English. |
| D．To tell us speaking is the easiest of the four skills in learning English. |
相似题推荐
Many students want to find friends on the Internet as a way of practising their language skills and learning more about new cultures. Traditional pen pals（朋友） were the primary source for such contacts and students could write each other letters. With the Internet, finding friends has become much easier, and such relationships are called key pals.
However, care and consideration should be given when finding friends on the Internet:
◆Search the Internet for reputable(有信誉的) services. Look for reviews of such sites to learn more about other students’ experiences. Don’t join a service until you have done your research.
◆Check to see if you can use a nickname（绰号）, instead of ______, to protect your identity(身份).
◆Never give personal information to anyone, including your home address, phone number and birthday.
◆Stop contact with others if you feel uncomfortable with the topics of conversation. Again, if you protect your identity, this will be easier to do. Tell your teachers, parents or even local law enforcement（执法组） if problems arise.
◆Try to use the language you are studying in the classroom in your communication with others.
◆Ask appropriate(适当的) questions that will also help you learn about other cultures. Remember that someone’s personal experience might help you to understand a whole culture. You have to talk to many different people, and this will get you started.
1. Please give this passage a proper title. (Please answer with 10 words.)2. Please fill in the blank with proper words. (Please answer within 5 words.)
3. Which sentence in the passage is the closest in meaning to the following one?
Pen friends used to write letters to keep in touch with each other.
4. Please translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
5. Why do many students want to find friends on the Internet? (Please answer within 30words.)
Spend the time!
By far the most important factor is how much time you spend in learning the language. The more time you spend with the language, the faster you will learn.
Focus on words and phrases!
To build up your vocabulary, you’ll need lots.
Listen wherever you are on your MP3 player. Read what you are listening to. Listen to and read things that you like, things that you can mostly understand. If you keep listening and reading, you will get used to the language.
Take responsibility for your own learning!
If you do want to learn the language, take control. Choose content of interest that you want to listen to and read. Seek out the words and phrases that you need to understand in your listening and reading.
Relax and enjoy yourself!
Do not worry about what you cannot remember, or cannot yet understand, or cannot yet say. It does not matter.
| A．Listen and read every day! |
| B．You are learning and improving. |
| C．That is the greatest guarantee of success. |
| D．Do not wait for someone else to show you the language. |
| E．Start to notice words and how they come together as phrases. |
| F．Soon you will run into your new words and phrases elsewhere. |
| G．This means spending time enjoyably connected to the language you are learning. |
【推荐3】Swimming and English Learning
Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.
Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English-speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, and try to catch every word.
Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important. When there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make.
Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important.
Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.
Easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way.
1. Why does the author compare Swimming with English learning?| A．The author likes swimming. |
| B．The author prefers English learning to swimming. |
| C．Swimming is easier than English learning |
| D．English learning way is similar to swimming. |
| A．on the radio | B．by train | C．every minute | D．now and then |
| A．Don't make mistakes. | B．Study hard. |
| C．Don't be afraid. | D．Try not to speak English |
| A．listening and speaking | B．reading and writing | C．swimming | D．A and B |
【推荐1】Ariel Novoplansky, an ecologist in Israel, set up an experiment among pea plants to study how they communicate with each other.
In the experiments, Ariel put the pea plants in rows of containers. The center plant in the row was the target. The pea plants had been grown with two main roots. On one side, each pea plant had one root in its own pot and the other reaching into a neighbor’s pot. The central plant connected to its closest neighbor, which connected to another neighbor, and so on down the line. On the other side, all the plants kept their roots in their own pots, unconnected to their neighbors.
With everything ready, the ecologist created a dryness for the central target plant, which had quickly closed up its leaf pores(气孔)to save water. Amazingly, the connected plants on one side gradually closed up their leaf pores, even though only one of them had experienced real dryness. On the other side, with unconnected roots pea chain, all their pores stayed open. This means the warning signal didn’t travel from the stressed plants leaves through the air, but only from its roots through the soil.
It’s possible that plants are just eavesdropping (偷听) even if the damaged plant didn’t mean to send signals to them. Maybe the damaged plant leaks certain chemicals and nearby roots could sense those signals. But the plants with connected roots that weren’t dried out passed on the drought signals to their neighbors too, which means simple eavesdropping probably isn’t the answer. They seem to be having a real conversation, picking up information on one side and sharing it with a neighbor on the other.
The benefit to a plant that receives this information is pretty clear. But what’s the benefit to sending a danger signal to your neigbour? Remember, your neighbor may actually be you.
1. Which aspect of the experiment does Paragraph 2 mainly concern?| A．Its finding. | B．Its application. | C．Its purpose. | D．Its design. |
| A．By connecting their roots. | B．By opening their leaf pores. |
| C．By spreading a special smell. | D．By leaking certain chemicals. |
| A．Complex. | B．Cooperative. | C．Efficient. | D．Direct. |
| A．To better its surroundings. | B．To make itself strong. |
| C．To develop its root. | D．To keep itself safe. |
The first stage is usually referred to as the honeymoon stage. Upon arriving in a new environment, you’ll be interested in the new culture. Everything will seem exciting, and everyone will seem friendly and helpful.
The second stage is called the withdrawal stage. The excitement that you felt before changes to frustration (沮丧) as you find it difficult to deal with new problems. The language is hard to learn; friends are hard to make; simple things like shopping and going to the bank are challenges. It is at this stage that you are likely to feel anxious and homesick.
If you are one of those who manage to stick it out (坚持下来), you will enter the third stage---- the recovery stage. At this point, you’ll feel more confident in the new culture. You’ll start to understand and accept the way things are done and the way people behave in your new environment.
The last stage is the stability stage---- this is the point when people start to feel at home in the new culture. At this stage, you will behave well in the new culture, and prefer some aspects (方面) of the new culture to your own culture.
There is, in a sense, a fifth stage to this process. If you decide to return home after a long period in a new culture, you may experience what is called “reverse culture shock”. This means that you may find aspects of your own culture “foreign”, because you’re so used to the new culture. Reverse culture shock is usually pretty mild (温和的) and doesn’t last for very long.
1. At the honeymoon stage, people will__________.
| A．find the new culture is hard to accept |
| B．miss their family and friends very much |
| C．begin to understand what culture shock is |
| D．have a good impression of the new culture |
| A．The honeymoon stage. | B．The withdrawal stage. |
| C．The recovery stage. | D．The stability stage. |
| A．lucky | B．relaxed |
| C．nervous | D．disappointed |
| A．It’s important to know that culture shock is natural. |
| B．People will suffer less from culture shock in future. |
| C．Reverse culture shock usually happens in the foreign countries. |
| D．Reverse culture shock is as difficult to deal with as culture shock. |
【推荐3】As many as 300 million full-time jobs throughout the world could be automated in some way by the newest wave of artificial intelligence that has made platforms like ChatGPT, according to Goldman Sachs economists.
In a report Sunday, they predicted that 18% of work globally could be computerized, with the effects caused more deeply in advanced economies than emerging markets. That’s partly because white-collar workers are seen to be more at risk than manual laborers. Administrative workers and lawyers are expected to be most affected, the economists said, compared to the “little effect” seen on physically demanding or outdoor occupations, such as construction and repair work.
In the United States and Europe, about two-thirds of current jobs “are exposed to some degree of AI automation”, and up to a quarter of all work could be done by AI completely, the bank estimates.
Further use of such Al will likely contribute to job losses, the Goldman Sachs economists wrote. But they noted that technological innovation that initially displaces workers has historically also created employment growth in the long run.
While workplaces may shift, widespread adoption of Al could ultimately increase labor productivity — and boost global GDP by 7% annually over a 10-year period, according to Goldman Sachs economists.
“Although the impact of AI on the labor market is likely to be significant, most jobs and industries are only partially exposed to automation and are thus more likely to be complemented rather than replaced by AI,” the economists added. “Most workers are employed in occupations that are partially exposed to AI automation and, following AI adoption, will likely apply at least some of their freed-up capacity toward productive activities that increase output.”
Of US workers expected to be affected, for instance, 25% to 50% of their workload “can be replaced,” the researchers added. “The combination of significant labor cost savings, new job creation, and a productivity boost for non-displaced workers raises the possibility of a labor productivity boom like those that followed the emergence of earlier general-purpose technologies like the electric motor and personal computer.”
1. Who are less likely to be affected by AI automation according to Paragraph 2?| A．Repairmen. | B．White-collar workers. |
| C．Administrative workers. | D．Lawyers. |
| A．AI may cause little impact on the labor market. | B．AI has replaced most jobs and industries. |
| C．AI may increase labor productivity. | D．AI has caused huge job losses. |
| A．To add to something to improve. | B．To destroy. |
| C．To introduce new things. | D．To displace. |
| A．The Concept of AI | B．The Achievements of AI |
| C．The Impacts of AI | D．The Development of AI |
【推荐1】The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Minor Snow, the 20th solar term of the year, begins this year on Nov.22 and ends on Dec.6.
Here are five things you should know about Minor Snow.
Light snow
An ancient Chinese book about plants explains that “in Minor Snow, the weather is cold and it is going to snow, but the snow is light and the earth is not frozen enough.”
Drinking soup
During Minor Snow, indoor heating begins to work, making most people might find their noses and mouths feel a bit dry. The solution is to drink more hot soup, such as cabbage and bean curd soup, mutton and radish (小萝卜) soup and so on.
Eating glutinous (粘的) rice cakes
People have glutinous rice cakes around Minor Snow, which in ancient times, were a traditional festival offering to the bull god.
Making preserved pork
After Minor Snow, the temperature declines sharply and the air becomes dry. It is the best time to start making preserved pork to eat in the bitter winter, especially in the Spring Festival. In the past, when storage conditions were poor, people developed many ways to store food and preserved pork is one such example. Some even say preserved pork tastes more delicious than fresh meat.
Avoiding spicy food
On cold days, people may be greedy for some hot and spicy food to keep warm.Experts say it’s wise not to eat overly spicy food since that will increase your inner heat.
1. Which of the following is true about Minor Snow?| A．It will certainly snow in this term. |
| B．It has the coldest days of the year. |
| C．It is a term used in China’s northern areas. |
| D．It is a term concerned with weather in China. |
| A．Cabbage and bean curd soup. | B．Preserved pork. |
| C．Cakes. | D．Spicy food. |
| A．Because people found it hard to store meat in cold winter. |
| B．Because it was more delicious to eat than fresh meat. |
| C．Because people couldn’t afford to buy fresh pork. |
| D．Because nowhere could people buy fresh pork in winter. |
【推荐2】Jules is now in his sixties, and is one of the many homeless people who live on the streets; he buys a newspaper most days. Today, with his fellow tramps, he reads about yesterday's student demonstrations.
Like many of the tramps who live under the bridges, Jules was not always so poor. A long time ago he was in the Navy, and like many who have been to sea for a long time, he has stayed slim and fit. Despite the strict organization on board ship, he loved his life, and had the opportunity to see many countries. He visited Poland and Russia; in South Africa he realized what he valued in each country was the people he met. He was always astonished and delighted by the ways in which the people he met differed from one country to another. Some day, he hopes, everyone will see the world as he does.
After many happy years in the Navy, he had to retire. The good things in life always come to an end. His mother and father had long since died and he’d lost touch with his other relatives. He became an industrial designer. He was happy, although it wasn’t the same as the sea. He never wanted to get married and have children.
And then there was the period of darkness. He smiles sadly. He shrugs his shoulders and looks at his hands. There are tears in the corners of his eyes. This is something that he cannot bring himself to talk about. ''It all went wrong, '' he whispers.
He was silent for a while, then recovered. He began to talk more loudly. ''Look at me now---it makes me angry. And what about the President? He's been in power for years, and look what he's done for us. Nothing! I am still out on the streets and live the life of a dog.''
1. What can we learn about Jules’ life in the Navy？| A．He only visited three countries. |
| B．He enjoyed the life on board ship. |
| C．He was very well paid for the job he did. |
| D．He liked meeting people from different countries. |
| A．He wanted to start a family. | B．He wanted to be near his relatives. |
| C．He didn't enjoy the work any more. | D．He was too old to stay in the Navy |
| A．The President should increase pensions for old people. |
| B．The President had not had enough time to change things. |
| C．The President should have done more to help people like him. |
| D．The President should not allow homeless people to stay on the streets. |
【推荐3】There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic trash in the world’s oceans, and each year, 8 million tons of plastic are added to the figure. Though the oceans seem vast enough to stomach a lot of plastic, the level of waste is starting to reach a crisis point: According to a new report by the Ocean Conservancy, by 2025, the ocean could contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish.
All these floating bits of plastic not only disrupt marine ecosystems, but also poison the global supply of seafood. “It’s reaching crisis proportions,” says Andreas Merkl, CEO of the Ocean Conservancy. “Plastic breaks down into small pieces that look like plankton (浮游生物) and is eaten by everything from plankton to whales.”
The new report calls for a focus on improving waste management systems in a handful of developing countries that account for the plastic leakage into the ocean. China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam contribute more than half of the oceans’ plastic since their waste facilities haven’t kept up with rapid industrialization.
How can countries reduce the leakage of waste into the ocean? The Ocean Conservancy report suggests that by providing more waste collection services, closing the leakage points within the collection system, getting rid of waste with effective landfill, and building more recycling facilities, the plastics leakage could be cut by 50% by 2020.
It’s not just an environmentalist’s daydream. Coca-Cola and Dow Chemical, along with some other multinational companies, have joined forces with Ocean Conservancy to fight ocean pollution. “We’re committed to working toward a future of a plastic-free ocean. Companies don’t make plastic with the intention of it ending up in the ocean, and we acknowledge the strong role industry must play in order to help eliminate ocean plastic waste by 2035.” Says a Dow Chemical director.
“While building landfills and incinerators (焚化炉) across these developing countries might not be pretty, it’s far more environmentally friendly than letting waste slide into the world’s oceans.” Says Andreas Merkl.
1. Five developing countries are mostly responsible for plastic leakage because ___.| A．there are too many factories in those countries |
| B．they produce the majority of the waste worldwide |
| C．their waste facilities fail to adapt to rapid industrialization |
| D．their citizens don’t make good use of waste management systems |
| A．end | B．increase | C．remain | D．reduce |
| A．many companies have begun to play a role in fighting ocean pollution |
| B．environment-friendly plastics will be invented by multinational factories |
| C．developing countries will be much more beautiful with a plastic-free ocean |
| D．landfills and incinerators have greatly reduced plastic leakage into the ocean |
| A．suggest countries learn more about oceanic waste |
| B．persuade companies to produce fewer plastic goods |
| C．warn people of the danger of using too many plastic items |
| D．inform people about the serious issue of plastic in the ocean |
【推荐1】Each year Canada’s Chocolate Town, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, celebrates our community’s rich and delicious heritage with our annual Chocolate Fest. Now in its 31st year, this week-long, family-oriented festival is choc-full of activities, fun events, and all things chocolate-related. Our beloved mascot, the Great Chocolate Mousse, and his lovely wife Tiffany, invite you to join us this August for the sweetest festival of the year Chocolate Fest 2018!
Ball Hockey Tournament
8:30 am to 11:30 am Location: Garcelon Civic
Center Game on!! Enjoy the great game of Ball Hockey and be the first team to claim the “Chicken Bone Cup”. We encourage sportsmanship and equal opportunity for all players 3-on-3, maximum 7 players per team. For details call Heather, 465-5616. Sponsored by SUBWAY Restaurants and Chocolate Fest. Cost: $100/team.
Ca-r-ma Charlotte County Coffee Morning
9:30 am to 12 noon Location: St. Stephen Town Square
Come out and join us for a Starbucks coffee, cup of tea or juice and scrumptious home-baked goods, many featuring chocolate. Sponsored by Ca-r-ma Charlotte County and adoption programs—caring for homeless and feral cats.
Lucy the Lady Bug’s 1st Birthday Party
12 noon to 3 pm. Location: Kingsbrae Garden, St. Andrews, NB
Come to celebrate with Lucy and her friends for a picnic on our front lawn——bring your own picnic, or grab lunch at our Garden Cafe. At 2 pm, join Lucy and her friends for an amazing race adventure through the big maze, obstacle course on the main lawn, find treasure in the fantasy garden and much, much more! Cost: $38/Family Day Pass, $16/Adult, $12/Students and Seniors, Free/Children 6 and younger and Family Season Pass Holders.
1. Which of the following might be a good choice for a pet lover?| A．Kingsbrae Garden Party. | B．Lucy the Lady Bug’s 1st Birthday Party. |
| C．Ball Hockey Tournament. | D．Ca-r-ma Charlotte County Coffee Morning. |
| A．$38. | B．$50. | C．$24. | D．44. |
| A．To introduce a sports game. | B．To arrange some activities. |
| C．To advertise an annual fest. | D．To promote a chocolate brand. |
【推荐2】We were driving along a road in the middle of nowhere,a few trees on each side, mountains in the distance. There hadn’t been a town for ages and no road signs except one with “Bungee Jumping, 5km” on it, and an arrow pointing to the left.
We drove on for what seemed much more than five kilometers to me. Then we heard people shouting and laughing. We pulled over and walked to where the noise and people were. In the middle of a bridge were a big group of kids who were all leaning over and looking down into the ditch, shouting and laughing. Another person was hanging from a long piece of elastic rope in the middle of the ditch He was screaming like mad. The other people slowly pulled him up to the bridge. As the guy come to the top he looked scared and shocked, but also very, very happy.
Seeing your sparkling eyes, I knew what you were thinking —“Let’s try it, Daddy!” — But I didn’t want to. “Danger!!! Damage to internal organs! Damage to your eyes! You can get tangled up in the rope! What happens if the rope breaks? Who knows who these people are? Have you any idea how far away from a hospital we are?” But then I remembered how I felt when I used to take a bike without brakes and go down a big hill on it as kid myself. Eventually I bit my tongue before all those rushed out.
I breathed in, closed my eyes, and jumped, thinking I was going forever and wondered when I would stop. But it felt great. I felt sacred and thrilled and alive. Yes, it was dangerous, and thrilling. But the most exciting, thrilling, and wonderful thing of all was seeing your smiling face as I came back up to the bridge.
1. Why was the “bungee Jumping” sign mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To lead to the following experience. | B．To arouse readers’ curiosity. |
| C．To explain what bungee is. | D．To show he was careful enough. |
| A．We aimed to find the place of bungee jumping. |
| B．Kids on the bridge were too frightened to bungee. |
| C．The man performing the bungee jumping was mad. |
| D．People there had great fun through bungee jumping. |
| A．I couldn’t help speaking out my worries. |
| B．I held back those thoughts and kept silent. |
| C．I tried to stop my son trying the dangerous activity. |
| D．I was so anxious that I hurt my tongue with my teeth. |
| A．realized bungee was an really exciting activity. |
| B．felt happy to perform the bungee. |
| C．realized what true love was for his son. |
| D．was regretful for performing bungee. |
【推荐3】Have you ever loved a destination but couldn’t figure out why — or even a way ——to express your feelings? That’s my dilemma with Morocco.
In August, I traveled in a country that had long been, on my wish list. I rode a camel, got lost in Medinas, and ate more couscous (粗麦粉) than was humanly possible.
I loved the trip. Our friendly guide introduced us to the helpful locals. I made friends with my tour mates and my roommate (which, on a tour, is a huge blessing). I loved being lost in the smell of different spices, and the chaos of millions of people and the dark red of the Sahara were all I wanted them to be.
There were many moments when I felt like a fish out of water and things didn’t go my way. But I take pleasure in those moments because it’s when you are pushed out of your comfort zone that you grow. Morocco lived up to all my expectations, but for some reason, my experience has been hard to express. Why?
One constant in my travels is that of a touchstone, one defining point where the trip all comes together and acts as a prism (三棱镜) for everything the journey represented . In Costa Rica，it was getting lost in a jungle. In Thailand, it was meeting those five people who changed my life.
I’m so inconsistent about Morocco because I lack that touchstone. There’s no “whoa” moment. But I have thousands of little ones - staring at a million stars in the blackness of the desert, discovering new foods with some amazing Australians on my tour, and befriending the fish sellers.
1. What does the author regard as a huge blessing?| A．Going on a guided trip. |
| B．Having a helpful guide. |
| C．Being warmly received by the local people. |
| D．Getting along well with the fellow travelers. |
| A．To prove Morocco lacks the touchstone. |
| B．To show his reliance on the touchstone. |
| C．To compare Morocco with Costa Rica and Thailand. |
| D．To share his experience in Costa Rica and Thailand. |
| A．The lack of big moments. |
| B．The little “whoa” moments. |
| C．Meeting with five Thai people. |
| D．Making friends with Australians. |
| A．Unpleasant travel in Morocco. |
| B．Finding a touchstone on travel. |
| C．Reflection on traveling in Morocco. |
| D．Lack of special moments in Morocco. |
