①People use sayings(谚语) every day. You may ask an unhappy friend why she's “feeling blue”. If you've done only a small part of a big job, you might call it “a drop in the bucket”.
②These sayings don't mean exactly what the words say. But it’s easy to tell why we use them. Blue is a cool, quiet color. So it's a good word for "sad". A bucket holds too many water drops to count. So just one drop is very little.
③Some sayings are difficult to understand. When you go to bed, you “hit the hay(干草)”. If you want to know the meaning of the saying, you must know where it came from. It was first used in the 1930s. At that time, many Americans were out of work. Some went from place to place, looking for jobs. At night they were very tired. They often made a bed of hay in a field or barn. As soon as their heads "hit the hay", they fell asleep.
④Here is another saying. When you are not feeling well, you might say you are “under the weather”. But why? This saying is more than 200 years old. It began in the days when many people went from place to place by boat. When the strong winds rocked the boat, people often felt uncomfortable. The boat was sailing(航行) “under the weather”.
⑤Old sayings can be hard for children to understand. But new sayings come along every day. Children often understand new sayings better than older people do, That's why your grandmother might not know what you mean when you say “chill out” or “give me five”. She might think you’re “off your rocker”.
1. The saying “hit the hay” means “________”.| A．go to sleep | B．look for jobs | C．go to work | D．make a bed of hay |
| A．“Feel blue”. | B．“Give me five”. |
| C．“Under the weather”. | D．“A drop in the bucket”. |
| A．old people know more about sayings | B．people used sayings a lot in the past |
| C．sayings are difficult to understand | D．some sayings have a long history |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
相似题推荐
The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong.
Exercise also helps the blood (血液) to move around inside the body. It is very important. Our blood moves to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood. Exercise helps us to think better.
1. If we want to be healthy, we must__________
| A．eat more |
| B．sleep more |
| C．play more |
| D．go to bed early and get up early |
| A．work well | B．be clever and healthy |
| C．eat well | D．A and B |
| A．eating | B．running |
| C．exercise | D．playing |
| A．Yes, it does | B．No, it doesn’t |
| C．No, it does | D．Yes, it doesn’t |
【推荐2】If life can be compared to a meal, I think the mistakes are like salt and the success is a candy.
“Hey,” said the boy whose name I couldn’t remember, sitting next to me. “Don’t worry. Take your time.” And so I did. But I still couldn’t correctly pronounce my Chinese name that was given by the teacher. I was so embarrassed on my first day of learning Chinese. I was so worried that I didn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t stop thinking what would happen in my Chinese class in the following days.
I took Chinese classes during my summer vacation. Every morning I walked for 25 minutes to the class while having a Chinese pancake from one of the breakfast carts（推车）on the way. Learning Spanish in school was a cushy job for me, because I could speak French and Italian which helped me with it. However, learning Chinese was difficult at first. As a boy who was born in America and grew up in America, I knew nothing about the language and had no experience of learning the language. I chose it mainly because my goal was to work and teach home and abroad. It is necessary for me to master different languages.
As the classes went on, I slowly found that I was making connections. My 10 years of playing the piano has allowed me to perform for others. My several years of writing has led me to become a school reporter. I knew that my Chinese classes would allow me to speak Chinese well. As the teachers helped me build up the confidence, I soon began tasting the sweetness.
So what did my summer really taste like? It tasted like the Chinese food that, for the first time, I did not order in English, my mother language.
1. Why did the writer feel embarrassed in his first Chinese class?| A．Because he didn’t remember his friend’s name. |
| B．Because he couldn’t write his Chinese name. |
| C．Because he had poor Chinese pronunciation. |
| A．difficult | B．easy | C．meaningful |
| A．Because Chinese is one of his school necessary subjects. |
| B．Because he wanted to teach and work internationally. |
| C．Because he was interested in all kinds of Chinese food. |
| A．An American girl who loves China. |
| B．How to learn Chinese well. |
| C．A sweet experience of learning Chinese. |
【推荐3】“How are you?” is a nice question. It’s a friendly way that people in the USA greet each other. But “How are you” is also a very unusual question. It’s a question that often doesn’t need an answer. The person who asks “How are you?” hopes to hear the answer “ Fine”, even if the person’s friend isn’t fine. The reason is that “How are you?” isn’t really a question and “Fine” isn’t really an answer. They are simply other ways of saying “Hello” or “Hi”.
Sometimes, people also don’t say exactly what they mean. For example, when someone asks “Do you agree?” The other person might think, “No, I disagree. I think you’re wrong…” But it isn’t very polite to disagree so strongly, so the other person might say “I’m not sure.” It’s a nicer way to say that you don’t agree with someone.
People also don’t say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking with other people. For example, many talks over the phone finish when one person says “I have to go now.” Often, the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse “Someone’s at the door.” “Something is burning on the stove.” The excuses might be real, or not. Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply doesn’t want to talk any more, but it isn’t polite to say that. The excuse is more polite, and it doesn’t hurt the other person.
Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an idea, or finishing a talk, people don’t say exactly what they are thinking. It’s an important way that people try to be nice to each other, and it’s part of the rule of the game of language.
1. When a person in America asks “How are you?” he or she wants to hear “________”.| A．How are you | B．Hello | C．Fine | D．I’m not sure |
| A．hurting someone’s feelings | B．feeling ill |
| C．giving an excuse | D．not good at cooking |
| A．Always say what you mean | B．Never tell the truth |
| C．Never say exactly what you’re thinking | D．Always be polite to the listeners |
【推荐1】A lot of people play sports, but very few people become sports professionals. If sports aren’t going to be your future, then why should you play them? Why should you train every day? Why should you work hard and feel sore the next day? Wouldn’t it be better to forget sports and only pay attention to your lessons?
There are actually a lot of good reasons to play sports. First of all, sports are a great way to exercise. Exercising keeps you healthy and strong. It also helps you stay in a good state. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins(内啡肽). Endorphins give you more energy and make you feel happier.
Sports are important for everyone, but they are especially important for young people. They teach young people about winning and losing. Also, they teach young people how to communicate and work as a team. For example, when you play football, you must learn how to communicate with your teammates and work together. Sports teach young people to respect their coaches, teammates, and people they fight against as well.
Many reports say that sports help young people stay out of trouble. If a young person plays sports, he or she is less likely to have problems. This is because sports teach people about rules. They also help people know that if they work hard, they might succeed.
Another good way of sports is that they make people leave their houses. These days, a lot of people spend too much time watching television and playing video games. When you play sports, you go outside and exercise in the sun. You take in fresh air. All of these things are important.
You’re probably not going to become a sports professional, but that doesn’t matter. Sports will help you become a better and happier person. Sports will help you make friends and stay healthy. Here is another good reason to play sports: Sports are fun.
1. The purpose of the first paragraph is to ________ .| A．encourage readers to think about playing sports | B．make a survey on playing sports |
| C．share knowledge of sports | D．ask for advice from readers |
| A．reports | B．sports | C．problems | D．rules |
| A．happiness, health, friendship and fun | B．fashion, health, friendship and fun |
| C．happiness, wealth, health and courage | D．health, courage, friendship and value |
| A．People should spend most of their time doing sports. | B．If you play sports, you will probably be in a good state. |
| C．Respecting others is the most important in sports. | D．If people work hard in playing sports, they will surely succeed in their lives. |
| A．Sports are very interesting | B．Sports teach people rules |
| C．Sports make people go outside | D．Sports are good for everyone |
Who is the greatest teacher in Chinese history? Many people would think of Confucius(孔子), whose birthday was September 28. Although he lived over 2, 000 years ago, people still remember and respect him for his contribution(贡献) to the education today.
Confucius lived in the Kingdom of Lu, which lies in Shandong Province. He lived during the Spring and Autumn Period. He had a hard childhood. His father died when he was only 3. His mother brought him up. As a child, he had to work to help his mother, but young Confucius didn’t give up studying. He visited many famous teachers and learned music, history, poetry and sports.
Later, he became a teacher and started the first public school in Chinese history. At that time only children fromnoblefamilies could go to school, but Confucius believed everyone should go to school if they wanted to learn. He had about 3, 000 students in his lifetime.
Today, people still follow Confucius’ lessons. He told us that we all have something worthy to be learned. “When I am with three people, one of them must be better than me in some areas. I choose their good qualities and follow them.”
He also taught us that thinking is very important in study. “All study but no thinking makes people puzzled (困惑的). All thinking but no study makes people lazy.”
Confucius is not only a great teacher, but also a famous thinker with wise thoughts about the world and society. His most important teachings are about kindness and good manners. “A person should be strict with himself, but be kind to others.” he said.
根据短文内容，选择正确的答案。
1. Today we still remember Confucius mainly because ________.
| A．he had wise thoughts and great views about education | B．he lived a poor life in his childhood |
| C．he traveled with his students from state to state | D．he lived during the Spring and Autumn Period |
| A．by teaching himself at home | B．with the help of his mother |
| C．by going to school | D．by visiting many famous teacher |
| A．poor | B．bright | C．rich | D．cute |
①Confucius worked to help his mother as a child.
②Confucius educated about 3, 000 students in his lifetime.
③Confucius’father died.
④Confucius started the first public school in Chinese history.
| A．③①④② | B．②③④① | C．①③②④ | D．④③①② |
| A．All study but no thinking makes people puzzled. |
| B．No one has something worthy to be learned. |
| C．All thinking but no study makes people lazy. |
| D．A person should be strict with himself, but be kind to others. |
【推荐3】Maori people in New Zealand have a very special way of greeting people. It's called hongi(碰鼻礼).
When people meet, they always greet each other by pressing one's nose against another's nose. When a visitor is greeted in this way, people there won't regard the person as a visitor's stay — he has to share all the duties(职责).
At meetings or important ceremonies(典礼), people always greet in this way. And it's just like a handshake in China.
根据短文内容,判断正(T)误(F)。
1. Hongi is a way of greeting for Maori people in New Zealand.
2. A visitor can't press his nose against another's nose.
3. When a man is greeted in this way, he has to stay there.
4. Maori people in New Zealand always greet in this way at meetings.
5. A handshake isn't often used in China now.
Are you a teacher? Do you like children? Can you help them with Chinese on weekends? Come to join us. Call John at 378-5788 for more information(信息)．
＊Ping-pong Club
Do you like to play ping-pong? Do you want to play ping-pong well? Mr. Cai can teach you. You can come here every Saturday afternoon.
Tel: 368-5778
Add: Room 212 in School's P.E. Building.
＊Musicians Wanted
Are you a music lovers? Can you sing or dance? Can you play any instruments(乐器)?
Welcome to our Star Rock Band.
Please call Tina at 898-3443 or send an e-mail to music@163.com.
1. Gina is a good teacher and she wants to find a job. Who may offer(提供)her a job?
| A．Tina. | B．John. | C．Jane. | D．Mr. Cai. |
| A．Go to Room 212 in School's P.E. Building. |
| B．Call Jane. |
| C．Send an e-mail to music@163.com. |
| D．Call 368-5778. |
【推荐2】Liao :I think there is a really close connection (联系) between festivals and food. My dad is a businessman. He travels on business a lot. He even has to travel during holidays, like Mid —Autumn Festival .But he once told me that as long as, he can eat my mom’s homemade mooncakes, he can feel like he’s at home with us.
Zhang : Eating mooncakes during Mid— Autumn Festival drives me crazy, I really don’t like the taste of mooncakes , but Mom forces (强迫) me to eat them every year ; but as I eat more mooncakes , I start to hate the holiday! This holiday should be held to celebrate some special person and event, not a food. I don’t want this tasteless food to ruin (毁坏)my holiday anymore.
Chen : In my opinion , eating traditional food during holidays is part of our culture.I remember one time during Lantern Festival, my parents were so busy that they didn't bring home any sweet dumplings. Although we still lit up our rabbit lantern(灯笼)that night, I still felt like the festival was not complete (完整), since we didn't have any dumplings.
Yuan : In the past ,people would usually save precious(饼的)food for special days. But now, we can eat it whenever we want, I don't think it is important to eat traditional food during holidays anymore. We can still do some other things to celebrate, such as watching the moon during Mid —Autumn Festival or remembering Qu Yuan during Dragon Boat Festival.
1. ________hates eating mooncakes,| A．Liao | B．Zhang | C．Chen | D．Yuan |
| A．traditional food is tasteless |
| B．holidays aren't complete without traditional food |
| C．family get—together is an important part of the holidays |
| D．traditional food means little to us these days |
| A．Liao | B．Zhang | C．Chen | D．Yuan |
| A．Liao | B．Zhang | C．Chen | D．Yuan |
| A．Is food part of holidays? | B．Do we need food for holidays? |
| C．Are you interested in holidays? | D．Are our festivals complete? |
A new study warns that about 30% of the world people may not have enough water by the year 2025.
A private American organization called Population Action International (PAI) did the new study. It says more than three hundred and thirty-five million people lack enough water now. These people live in twenty-eight countries. Most of the countries are in Africa or the Middle East.
PAI researchers Robert Engelman says by the year 2025， about three thousand million people may face water problems. At least 18 more countries are expected to lack enough water. The need for water keeps increasing. Yet the amount(数量) of water on the earth stays the same.
The report says lack of water in the future may cause several problems. It may increase health problems. Lack of water often means drinking water is not safe. Mr. Engelman says there are problems all over the world because of diseases， such as cholera， which are carried in water. Lack of water may also lead to more international conflict(冲突). Countries may have to fight for water in the future. Some countries now get sixty percent of their water from other countries. This is true of Egypt， the Netherlands， Cambodia， Syria， Sudan， and Iraq. And the report says lack of water would influence the ability to improve their economies(经济). This is because new industries often need a great amount of water when they are beginning.
The Population Action International study gives several solutions to the water problem. One
way， it says， is to find ways to use water for more than one purpose. Another way is to teach people to be careful not to waste water. A third way is to use less water for agriculture.
The report also says a long-term solution to the water problem is to control population growth. It says countries cannot provide clean water unless they slow population growth by limiting the number of children people have.
1. The PAI study shows that countries will lack water by the year 2025.
| A．at least 46 | B．at most 46 |
| C．18 | D．28 |
| A．It may bring about a lot of health problems. |
| B．It may cause more international conflict. |
| C．It may lead to the improvement of new industries. |
| D．It may influence the development of economies. |
| A．To use water in different ways. |
| B．To realize the water problem. |
| C．To reduce water for farming. |
| D．To limit the rising birth rate. |
| A．①②→③④→⑤⑥ | B．①②③→④→⑤⑥ |
| C．①②③④→⑤→⑥ | D．①②③→④→⑤→⑥ |
| A．begin to fight for water |
| B．try to find ways to save water |
| C．increase the amount of water |
| D．move house to the Middle East |
【推荐1】Many people complain(抱怨) in their life. Do you ever complain? When you try a new dress on, but only find you are too “big” to put yourself in. Do you complain about your shape of body? Do you tell yourself “If I have time tomorrow, I will go to the gym.” But do you actually take action?
Karen always complained about her house. One day I asked why she didn't look for another house. Karen answered, “I will look for another one when I come back from vacation.” Sam hated his job. However, he loved taking photos, and was taking a two-year course to get a certificate (证书). Every day he complained about his work. I asked him why he didn’t give up his job and start a business of taking photos. His reply was , “When I finish my course, I will start a business.”
Here is another example. Harry worked for a company that allowed him to retire (退休)early, but at a reduced pension (削减的养老金). Now Harry became very weak and found it difficult to deal with his work. I was worried about his heavy work and its influence (影响)on his health. “Why don’t you retire, Harry? Do something that you want to do,” I said. “If I were older, I would get my foil pension.” “When the next summer comes, maybe I will,” Harry replied.
There is an old saying that says, “If and When were planted, and Nothing grew.” A year later, Karen is still living in the house, and she hates it. Sam is still complaining about his job and hasn’t finished his course. Harry is still working and his health is even worse. These people had a lot of stress in their lives that they could have reduced(本该可以减少). But all of them beat themselves by thinking “if or when”.
Life is too short for “ifs and whens”. The next time you find yourself thinking “if or when”, remember the saying, “If and When were planted, and Nothing grew”.
1. Karen planned to _________ a year ago.| A．look for another house | B．go to the gym |
| C．start a business | D．give up her job |
| A．He gave up his job. | B．He finished his course. |
| C．He didn’t love taking photos. | D．He is still complaining about his job. |
| A．to work hard and never give up | B．to always hope for the best |
| C．to take action right away | D．to look at the brighter side of life |
①=Para.(自然段)1 ②=Para.2 ③=Para.3 ④=Para.4 ⑤=Para.5
| A．①②,③,④⑤ | B．①,②③④,⑤ | C．①②③,④,⑤ | D．①,②,③④⑤ |
【推荐2】Americans began their days by eating whatever was most easily available from the earliest days of the United States. These foods often included bread, eggs or leftovers (剩饭).
Today, the feeling of relaxed and comfortable without worries is still an important reason when it comes to breakfast. However, what people eat has changed over time. And some of today's common breakfast foods, such as cereal (燕麦), are the result of advertising (广告).
"People created advertising to sell cereal," says the writer of the book Breakfast: A History. Arndt Anderson adds, "One of the first ways that advertising was successfully used was to make mothers believe that it was okay for their children to eat these instant cereals (速溶谷物食品). It gave working mothers a chance to let kids take care of themselves in the morning."
____________ also played an important part in orange juice becoming a morning drink. In 1916, farmers grew more oranges than usual, so advertisers began saying, "Drink an orange." They wanted to make people believe that drinking orange juice was a healthy way to start the day.
As for coffee, it became so popular that some people carried coffee beans with them everywhere in the 1930s.
Researchers think people made pancakes in the morning because they are much quicker to prepare than bread. Cooks could then have to make fresh bread for dinner.
Arndt Anderson hopes more Americans will see leftovers as a breakfast food. She adds that leftovers taste good and are a great way to make less waste.
1. What can be put back into the blank?| A．Mothers | B．Children | C．Advertising | D．Farmers |
| A．Arndt Anderson is the writer of the book Breakfast: A History. |
| B．Orange juice became a morning drink because it's cheap. |
| C．Arndt Anderson disagrees Americans to eat leftovers for breakfast. |
| D．Advertising made great difference to making kinds of food become breakfast. |
| A．①/②/③④⑤⑥/⑦ | B．①/②③/④⑤⑥⑦ | C．①/②/③④/⑤⑥⑦ | D．①②/③④/⑤⑥/⑦ |
| A．Different kinds of breakfast foods. | B．The history of American breakfast. |
| C．Americans' favorite food for breakfast. | D．Some ways to make less waste. |
【推荐3】Just like any relationship, best friendships depend on trust, promise, respect and interests. When any of these elements（要素） is missing, the friendship will be hard to go on. If the trust is totally broken, you may not be able to forgive him/her.
Sometimes a friendship ends because either you or your friend gets tired of putting the heart into it. This can happen when one of you finds a new friend or even a new hobby that takes up much time. Or, perhaps you find the relationship is always going in an unhealthy way and you want some distance（距离）. Other times, you simply change and want to leave each other. Sure, it seems sad at the time, but it's completely normal.
Not all friendships are meant to last forever. So, what should you do if something like this happens to you? Read on for some friendly advice.
Whatever the reason you're breaking up with your best friend is, always remember that he/she was once super important to you. Take the time to sit down and tell him/her what's going on and why. Don't send him/her an unpleasant e-mail. Don't start ignoring him/her though you're busy with your new hobby. In fact, maybe he/she has known there's a problem and would be willing to have a heart-to-heart chat. If you're not sure about wanting an end forever, you could suggest you two take a break from each other. If, after a while, you realize why you became the best friends in the beginning, you can try getting back to your former behaviors.
Whatever you do, be honest about your feelings while having respect for his/hers. And if you both agree the Best Forever Friend thing is over, make sure not to be enemies.
1. According to the passage, what may end a friendship?| A．Competing with each other for the same thing |
| B．Living too far away from each other. |
| C．Realizing it's hard to understand each other. |
| D．Spending too much time on your new hobby |
| A．忽视 | B．原谅 | C．理解 | D．误解 |
| A．What is friendship? |
| B．How to make friends? |
| C．What to do when friendship is in trouble? |
| D．How to find a real friend? |
（①＝Par.（自然段）1 ②＝Para.2 ③＝Para.3 ④＝Para.4 ⑤＝Para.5）
| A．①②; ③④⑤ | B．①②; ③④; ⑤ | C．①; ②③④; ⑤ | D．①②③; ④⑤ |
