The British are known for their sense of humour, but it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, “She isn’t exactly friendly.” Or if someone is sunburnt outside, he might say, “
Another key to understanding British humour is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly things that happen in our everyday life when someone falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes of people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about the way they speak, the way they dress and the way they behave. What’s more, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The famous Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humour.
Mr. Bean is the role played by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn’t talk often. Instead, he uses his body movements and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world wouldn’t do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you don’t need to understand his humour with the help of English. As a result, British sense of humour has become well-known to many people.
1. How does the author explain “understatement”?| A．By listing facts. | B．By making a survey. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．It’s a little sunny today. | B．I love the sun so much. |
| C．The sun plays a joke on me. | D．The heat has nearly killed me. |
| A．The British prefer to laugh at themselves rather than others in their daily life. |
| B．The British usually fully express how they really feel or think in their conversations. |
| C．Most of English people suppose it’s impolite to make fun of people who can’t behave well |
| D．Mr. Bean is popular in the world because he often uses body languages instead of talking a lot. |
| A．Developing a Sense of Humour | B．Understanding British Humour |
| C．The Influence of British Humour | D．Movie Actors with British Humour |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】In the 2lst century people often join a“group chat”on Wechat, share videos on Douyin and give opinions on Facebook. We live in a world that has accepted the social media(媒体)wholeheartedly. Being the international common language, English has lent itself willingly to be used on social media, experiencing many small but important changes during the process.What are the effects of the social media on the English language?
♦ Old words but new meanings
When someone wants to post something on his“wall”, why do we think of the homepage of his Facebook, and not the walls in his house? This is the magic of social media. We know“friend”is a noun, but now it's also used as a verb. “friended”and“unfriended”mean the process of adding or deleting someone from your list of friends.
♦__________________________
Social media has invented new words like“selfie”or“emoji”to describe the new things. The most famous of these words perhaps is “google”which is used more than the old-fashioned simple word“search”.Generally speaking, a new word should be in use for at least 10 years before being entered in the Oxford English Dictionary. However, the dictionary officially included the word“tweet”.
♦Introducing acronyms(缩略词)
LOL (Laugh Out Loud). OMG (Oh My God) and BRB(Be Right Back)are examples of acronyms, the same as IDK(I Don’t Know)and TTYL(Talk To You Later). We need them to be short in length on social media, so we use acronyms to take the place of these phrases.
Social media is without doubt here to stay. In the future, it's likely to develop to a greater degree and take the English language along with it on the road of development.
1. What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?| A．Social media can be easily found in our daily life |
| B．It's exciting for everyone to live in the 21st century |
| C．Social media has a big influence on the English language |
| D．It's necessary for teenagers to make full use of social media |
| A．Creating short phrases | B．Introducing new words |
| C．Showing simple expressions | D．Keeping old but necessary words |
| A．TBH can be the acronym of To Be Honest. |
| B．English is becoming more and more important. |
| C．It's a long way for social media to become perfect |
| D．Wechat, Douyin and Facebook are popular in China |
【推荐2】Chinese has a long history. It has shaped other languages in Asia the way Latin has shaped languages in the west. With this history, will Chinese have a surprising future?
Over one billion people speak Chinese in the world—far more than any other language. It is the language of the country which is soon to have the world’s largest economy. Chinese people are found studying and doing business all over the world.
In fact, Chinese is definitely going to be a world language. Why is this certain? We must look at the economic and political power of China, which is increasing every day. In the past, world languages have always been the languages of countries with powerful economics. Latin, French and English were important because of the power of the countries that spoke those languages.
Foreign interest in Chinese has developed very quickly together with the development of the Chinese economy. Chinese has become one of the most important and popular languages to learn.
As China develops, more and more people will want to learn about Chinese language and culture, to work and study in China, and to do business with Chinese companies. Chinese will one day become an international language.
| Word Bank Economy 经济 political power 政治影响力 |
根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. In which way is Chinese similar to Latin?
| A．They both have influenced other languages. |
| B．Both languages have over one billion speakers. |
| C．They both have a long history and a bright future. |
| D．Both languages are spoken only by Chinese. |
| A．Always. | B．Certainly. | C．Never. | D．Possibly. |
| A．The more important language is, the stronger economy is. |
| B．The stronger economy is, the less important language is. |
| C．The weaker economy is, the more important language is. |
| D．The stronger economy is, the more important language is. |
| A．Because more and more Chinese go abroad |
| B．Because people across the world travel to China. |
| C．Because many universities in China are world-famous. |
| D．Because more foreigners are becoming interested in Chinese |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Unclear. | C．Dark. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐3】If someone says to you“give me five ”, do not look for five yuan for him in your wallet! The person is not asking for your money, but your hand.
In America, “give me five ” or “give me the high five ” is very popular. You can often see it in films and on TV. It means clapping (拍击) of each other's right hands together.
People sometimes do it when they celebrate something good. For example(例如), the football players will give the high fives to everyone around to celebrate when their team wins a game.
“Give me five ” may come from the old Roman gesture of raising the right arm for the emperor（皇帝）. It shows that the person does not keep any sharp things in his hand. It is not dangerous for the emperor to meet this person.
Well, what are you waiting for? Try “give me five ” with your friends.
1. “Give me five ” means clapping of ________.| A．heads | B．hands | C．arms | D．legs |
| A．make people happy | B．ask for money |
| C．celebrate a good thing | D．look for the wallet |
| A．站姿 | B．坐姿 | C．卧姿 | D．手势 |
| A．When people say “give me five”. | B．Where “give me five” comes from. |
| C．What “give me five” means. | D．What people think of “give me five”. |
【推荐1】In English classes, we spend a lot of time studying grammar and learning new words. We work hard to get better with our reading and listening skills. However, few of us pay enough attention to body language. So body language is not important, is it?
The answer is, “Yes!” As the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” Sometimes, we can communicate things even without a word. For example, shrug our shoulders (耸肩), and without a word, we mean “I don’t know.”
Body language can help us express (表达) our true inner feelings. For example, body language can help us find out if someone is lying. Often, people who are lying do not make eye contact (接触). They may turn away or raise their shoulders because they are uncomfortable with the conversation.
Body language is important in our personal lives, too. It can show if you really care about your friends. Leaning (倾斜) forward into the conversation, for example, means you are interested in what the speaker is saying. Listening without making eye contact means you are not paying attention but are waiting for your turn to speak.
Scientists have been studying body language for a long time. They say more than 70% of our messages are delivered through body language. Sometimes, body language is more accurate than the words we use. You can exactly understand the speaker’s message through body language even without listening to his words.
So, it is very important for us to learn body language. By understanding body language, we will find it easier to understand others. We will also have lasting friendships.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．It’s not useful to spend a lot of time learning new words. |
| B．Not many people take enough notice of body language. |
| C．Shrugging your shoulders means “I feel very sorry.” |
| D．Body language can help us care about our friends. |
| A．body language can make our words clear |
| B．body language can share our different ideas |
| C．body language can tell our real feelings |
| D．body language can express our interest in others |
| A．exact | B．careful |
| C．popular | D．fantastic |
| A．How can body language help us? |
| B．What does body language mean to us? |
| C．Where should we use body language? |
| D．Why should we learn body language? |
【推荐2】When people talk to each other, write letters or make phone calls, words of the spoken form or the written form can send any messages they want to pass on.
But besides words, do you know any other ways you can use to communicate with people? Rich expressions on your face can be one of them. A smile on your face shows that you are happy. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad or excited. Body languages can do the same job. When you put your hand up in class, the teacher knows that you want to say something or you may have some questions to ask. You shake your head from side to side and people know you are saying “no” or disagree to others’ requirements. When you nod, people will understand that you are saying “yes” or agree to others’ opinions or suggestions.
Other forms can also carry different messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop gives passengers instructions on which bus to take. Sound from the school bell tells the students and the teachers when to begin or end a class. Music and films also convey the feelings and ideas of the musicians and the directors. So next time when you see a piece of art or listen to some music, take it as communication with its creator and try to get the meaning behind it.
1. When people want to use words to communicate with others, they ________.| A．make friends | B．cry aloud | C．keep quiet | D．write letters |
| A．close your eyes | B．put up your hand | C．nod | D．shake your head |
| A．传递 | B．掩饰 | C．克制 | D．爆发 |
| A．Spoken and Written Languages | B．Ways of Communication |
| C．Different Messages | D．Different Feelings |
How can you tell if a friend is lying to you? They’ll often start becoming red in their faces, because they know they’re not telling the truth. They’ll probably look away while they’re talking. That’s because our eyes can “tell” what we’re thinking about.
Boys usually look at the ground when they’re lying, while girls look at the ceiling（天花板）. If they put a hand over their mouths, it’s another sign that they’re lying. It is as if they’re trying to cover up the lie.
Imagine you’re asking your teacher for a few more days to finish your homework. As you talk, she starts rubbing her ear. This is a sign that she doesn’t want to listen to what you’re saying.
We use folded arms to protect ourselves when we don’t feel good. So, if you’re making a point in a discussion, and the others fold their arms, you’d better give up! They don’t agree with you—even if they say they agree with you.
1. How can you read someone’s mind according to the passage?
| A．By reading their diaries. |
| B．By picking up some messages that their bodies send. |
| C．By watching their faces. |
| D．By reading the messages that they write. |
| A．He looks at the ground. | B．He looks at the ceiling. |
| C．He raises his head. | D．He closes his eyes. |
| A．It means “I want to listen to you carefully”. |
| B．It means “I agree with you”. |
| C．It means “I don’t want to listen to you”. |
| D．It means “I can’t hear you clearly”. |
| A．Make them accept your ideas. |
| B．Put your hand over your mouth. |
| C．Fold your arms to protect yourself. |
| D．Give up your ideas. |
| A．Telling the truth. | B．Reading others’ mind. |
| C．Finishing your homework | D．Protecting yourself. |
【推荐1】
Mobile phones have changed the way we communicate, but people disagree on whether the devices are useful tools for education.
Students can be easily distracted by their phones during class. Are they listening to the teacher or texting their friends? Are they taking a picture of a quiz to cheat?
School officials, teachers and parents are all trying to find out the best way to supervise students’ use of mobile or cellphones.
In the Canadian province of Ontario, officials are restricting (限制) phone use during teaching time. However, there are exceptions for classroom activities, health and other emergencies.
France passed a law in 2018 banning (禁止) the use of cellphones in schools for students up to age 15, the age when they go to high school.
Last July, a new law was signed in California. It says state public and charter schools can ban students from using smart phones in class and at school. It does not, however, say schools are required to completely ban the devices. There are exceptions, which include emergencies or problems related to health.
So, the officials turned to technology for answers. San Mateo High School now locks up cell phones during the day in a special container. Each student must put his phone away in small bag with a kind of lock. At the end of the day, students unlock the bag with a device.
Other schools are choosing simpler answers to the problem—they ban cellphones in classrooms. “They wanted to provide a clean break for students and not have the frenetic energy that can happen if kids start texting each other or social-media posts start going,” Behm said.
Education Week found that more than 30 schools, and in some cases school districts, have put in place some kind of restrictions during the current or last school year. Districts across the country also have their own ways of phone restrictions both formal or informal.
Toth said students have grown up with cellphones, and “it is our responsibility to teach them correct use for tools within the classroom.” He added that schools are teaching about cellphones and how to use them with social media and the Internet.
“It is part of changing education for kids,” he said, “as long as we teach them to use them responsibly.”
The technology is here, Toth said, schools should use it to help students, and not fear it.
1. From the passage we can know _________.| A．the students in Ontario aren’t allowed to use mobile phones |
| B．a high school student can use cellphones in schools in France now |
| C．bringing smart phones to school breaks the new law in California |
| D．most people think mobile phones are useful for school education |
| A．students should be banned from using smart phones at any time |
| B．teachers shouldn’t return students’ cellphones during class break |
| C．each school finds its own way of cellphone restriction |
| D．teachers should face the cellphone problem and teach its correct use to them |
| A．wild | B．worried | C．peaceful | D．anxious |
| A．Should Schools Ban Mobile Phones? | B．Do We Need to Change Our Ideas? |
| C．Best Way to Supervise Students. | D．Mobile Phones Belong to Technology. |
【推荐2】Have you ever posted your videos online? Have you ever heard of TikTok? As the global version of Chinese app Douyin, TikTok has played an important part in online entertainment for users around the world. With a large number of short videos with amazing music, it's no wonder that this social platform has become popular in many countries.
However, the future of TikTok in the United States is uncertain: The Trump government is going out of their way to ban the app, saying TikTok has had a bad influence on the privacy of American users and the national safety of the US.
On Aug 6, US President Donald Trump said that he would ban TikTok from running in the country unless the app is sold to a US company. He added that ByteDance, the Chinese tech company that owns TikTok, has 45 days to make the sale, CNN reported.
It happened because of a trade war between China and the US that includes US bans on products made by Huawei, another Chinese tech company.
The topic SaveTikTok had been shared nearly 1 billion times on the app as of Aug 9. Nine TikTok creators with 54 million followers posted an open letter to Trump on Medium, saying "TikTok has kinds of interactions(互动) that could never take place on the likes of Facebook and Instagram".
The idea of banning TikTok has caught the attention of American young users. In the US, about 45 percent of teenagers aged between 13 and 16 have downloaded TikTok, according to Global Times. For them, TikTok is not just another social media app, it's part of their lifestyle.
Nicole, a 16-year-old from San Diego, told the Guardian that she used it to stay connected with friends. She said "TikTok has allowed people from different parts of the world to connect in ways I didn't think were possible."
Many young TikTok users have been working to save the platform.
Sofia Lee, a high school junior living in Texas, told Global Times that everyone should question whether TikTok really had something to do with the "safety" problem.
She planned to speak out against the "childish attack" on TikTok, which she regards as a platform that's helping bring together teenagers and is creating a new online culture. "TiKTok is here to stay, and teens will go out of their way to use it," she said.
1. According to the open letter to Trump, what do young users think of the app TikTok?| A．It has something to do with the "safety". | B．It will take the place of Instagram. |
| C．It helps people stay connected. | D．It has more users than Facebook. |
| A．She will give up using TikTok. | B．She believes TikTok will be banned. |
| C．She is hopeful about the future of TikTok. | D．She thinks TikTok had something to do with the "safety" problem. |
| A．The Trump government like Huawei better than TikTok. |
| B．CNN, Global Times and Global Times are also apps for online entertainment. |
| C．Nicole doesn't think it is possible to stay connected with friends by using TikTok. |
| D．The trade war between China and the US has influenced some Chinese tech companies. |
| A．a newspaper | B．a science textbook | C．a guide book | D．an advertisement |
【推荐3】Have you ever splashed(溅洒) water onto your shirt right before an important event? Usually, clothes become darker in color when they get wet. It would certainly be nice if the water didn’t change the color of the clothes so much. But sadly, this isn’t how things work. So why do clothes often appear darker when they get wet.
Before understanding this question, we should first take a quick look at how we “see” colors. Take a red shirt as an example. When it’s hit by the light from the sun, it takes in different wavelengths(波长) of light, except for the red light wavelength. The red light wavelength is reflected to our eyes. That is why the shirt appears red to us.
Now let’s return to the wet shirt. When the light hits a wet shirt, it has to pass through the water on the shirt. The light that should be reflected by the shirt re-absorbed(重新吸收) by the water. This means less light will be sent to our eyes. As a result, the shirt looks “darker”.
But remember: sometimes a wet shirt can seem brighter when viewed from a certain angle. The surface of the shirt is usually rough (粗糙的). Adding water to it makes it smoother. A smooth surface reflects light in a different way from a rough surface. Thus, you may see a small and bright reflection of the light from a certain angle. So basically, a wet shirt will be darker than a dry one, but it can also appear more “shiny” at times.
1. How does the writer explain how we “see” colors?| A．By showing a fact. | B．By raising a question. |
| C．By giving an example. | D．By showing his experience. |
| A．穿透 | B．中断 | C．接收 | D．反射 |
| A．More light will be sent to our eye. | B．Certain light will be re-absorbed by the water. |
| C．The water on the shirt will be absorbed. | D．The light reflected by water will be reduced. |
| A．You can make your shirt more rough by adding water to it. |
| B．The light on a smooth surface reflects is different from light on the rough one reflects. |
| C．From different angles, some small and bright reflection of the light can be seen. |
| D．It is unusual to see a wet shirt is darker than a dry one in our daily life. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
