Slang is a popular, less official and often very current form of language. It is an important part of a living language and is constantly changing as language changes. Slang is often playful, direct and sometimes less respectful than the more official and traditional version of language. So now I'm going to lay it on you! To “lay it on” is American slang for “to tell” or “to explain.”
Slang can take many forms. For example, slang can be local to one city or area. In Washington, D.C. there is a whole set of slang to describe politics and business in the city. For example, the term POTUS stands for President of the United States. POTUS can often be found with his wife, FLOTUS, the first lady of the United States. “Inside the Beltway” is a popular expression that describes the area of Washington, D.C. The beltway is the large highway that circles the city.
The Internet has helped create a whole new kind of computer-related slang. An “angry fruit salad” is an expression that describes a Web site with too many bright colors. “Netiquette” is slang for correct behavior when using the Internet.
Young people often develop the latest slang. For example, to say Special English “rocks” or is “phat” means Special English is really great. A “kegger” is a party where beer is served. If something is “wack” it is wild and crazy.
Different professions often have their own slang as well. For example, medical workers might refer to a complaining patient as a “gomer”. A "tough stick" is someone whose veins are difficult to find when he or she needs to have blood taken.
No matter how well you speak English, there are always new and interesting slang words to discover. There are entire dictionaries for describing slang. Many experts do not even agree on what is and what is not slang. Often slang words later become a part of officially accepted language. Official or not, slang is an energetic and exciting part of the American language that continues to change.
46. Which of the following is not true for slang compared with the official language?
A. Playful B. Direct C. Less respectful D. More official
47. It can be inferred from the passage that______.
A. if you speak English very well, there is no problem for you to understand English speakers
B. slang words are created by people in their daily life
C. English speakers are clear whether it is a slang
D. slang words will never be accepted as official language
48.Which of the following is not mentioned to have helped create slang?
A. The internet. B. Young people. C. President of the United States. D. Professions
49. Where do you think is the passage adapted from?
A. A radio speech B. A magazine. C. A textbook. D. A newspaper.
50. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A. What is slang? B. Slang is popular. C. Who creates slang? D. Slang is a language.
Here in Alaska, the wolf almost disappeared a few years ago, because hunters were killing hundreds of them for sport. However, laws were passed to protect the wolves from sportsmen and people who catch the animals for their fur. So the wolf population has greatly increased. Now there are so many wolves that they are destroying their own food supply.
A wolf naturally lives on animals in the deer family. People there also hunt deer for food. Many of the animals have been destroyed by the very cold winters recently and by changes in the plant life there. When the deer can’t find enough food, they die.
If the wolves continue to kill large numbers of deer, the deer will disappear some day. And the wolves will, too. So we must change the life cycles there. If we killed more wolves, we would save them from starving. We also save deer and some farm animals.
In another northern state, wolves attack cows and chickens for food. Farmers want the United States government to send a team of scientists to study the problem. They believe it is necessary to kill wolves in some areas and to protect them in places where there is a small population.In Alaska, laws have been passed to ____.
| A．protect people from wolves and deer |
| B．protect wolves from becoming dangerous |
| C．protect wolves from dying out |
| D．keep wolves from killing large numbers of deer |
Why is it that if wolves go on killing a good many deer the wolves will die out?
| A．Because wolves will have no deer to kill. |
| B．Because people will kill them for punishment. |
| C．Because killing deer is dangerous. |
| D．Because wolves mainly live on deer. |
In order to protect more deer from being killed, one way is to ____.
| A．pass a law | B．keep deer away from wolves |
| C．kill more wolves | D．serve wolves more food |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Some wolves in some areas must be killed, which others should be protected. |
| B．Wolves should be protected, for there’s a small population of it on earth. |
| C．All wolves should be protected, for they eat deer, cows and chicken. |
| D．It is necessary for scientists to protect wolves, or the cycle of life will be changed |
Cars are an important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor , he doesn’t feel really poor when he has a car.
Henry Ford was the man who first started making cars in large numbers. He probably didn’t know how much the car was going to change American culture. The car made the United States a nation on wheels. And it helped make the United States what it is today.
There are three main reasons why the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country is a big one and Americans like to move around it. The car makes the travel the most comfortable and cheapest. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money.
The second reason cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed a practical and cheap public travel system. Long distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in other parts of the world. Now there is a good system of air-service provided by planes. But it is too expensive to be used often.
The third reason is the most important one, though. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don’t like waiting for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don’t like to have to follow an exact timetable. A car gives them the freedom to plan their own time. And this is the freedom that Americans want most to have.
Less oil has caused a big problem for Americans. But the answer will not be a bigger system of public transportation. The real answer will have to be a new kind of car, one that does not use so much oil.We can learn from this passage that Americans ______.
| A．spend a lot of money traveling by car | B．travel a lot in their cars |
| C．seldom travel by plane | D．use public traffic often |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．In the United States even the poor own cars. |
| B．In the United States all the poor have no cars. |
| C．When an American has a car, he will never be poor. |
| D．An American will feel poor unless he has a car. |
In the writer’s opinion, cars are popular in the United States mainly because ___.
| A．Americans like to plan their own time |
| B．The United States does not have enough public transportation |
| C．Americans will not feel poor when they travel in their cars |
| D．Americans cannot move around without their own cars |
“A nation on wheels” in the second paragraph means that _______.
| A．everyone in the United States owns a car |
| B．the United States produces most of the cars in the world |
| C．cars play an important part in American’ life |
| D．the United States depend on car industry for its development |
We experience different forms of the Sun’s energy every day. We can see its light and feel its warmth. The Sun is the major source of energy for our planet. It causes the evaporation (蒸发) of water from the oceans and lakes. Sunlight also provides the energy used by green plants to make their own food. These green plants then provide food for all organisms(生物) on the Earth.
Much of the energy that comes from the Sun never reaches the Earth’s surface. It is either reflected or absorbed by the gases in the upper atmosphere. Of the energy that reaches the lower atmosphere,30% is reflected by clouds or the Earth’s surface. The remaining 70% warms the surface of the planet, causes water to evaporate, and provides energy for the water cycle and weather. Only a tiny part, approximately 0.023%, is actually used by green plants to produce food.
Many gases found in the atmosphere actually reflect heat energy escaping from the Earth’s surface back to the Earth. These gases act like the glass of a greenhouse in that they allow energy from the Sun to enter but prevent energy from leaving. They are therefore called greenhouse gases.
When sunlight strikes an object, some of the energy is absorbed and some is reflected. The amount reflected depends on the surface. For example, you’ve probably noticed how bright snow is when sunlight falls on it. Snow reflects most of the energy from the Sun, so it contributes to the low temperatures of winter. Dark-coloured surfaces, such as dark soil or forest, absorb more energy and help warm the surrounding air.According to the passage, the root( 根本的) cause for weather changes on the Earth is .
| A．the atmosphere surrounding the Earth |
| B．water from oceans and lakes |
| C．energy from the Sun |
| D．greenhouse gases in the sky |
Only a small part of the Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s surface because most of it is .
| A．absorbed by the clouds in the lower atmosphere |
| B．reflected by the gases in the upper atmosphere |
| C．lost in the upper and lower atmosphere |
| D．used to evaporate water from the oceans and lakes |
We learn from the passage that .
| A．all living things on the Earth depend on the Sun for their food |
| B．a forest looks dark in winter because it absorbs solar energy |
| C．only 0.023% of the energy from the Sun is made use of on the Earth |
| D．greenhouse gases allow heat energy to escape from the Earth’s surface |
A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.
Grimsvom is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes Grimsvom different is that it lies under a huge glacier（冰川）of ice up to 12 maters thick. The hot volcano heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer（层）of water between the glacier and the volcano This layer of water puts pressure on the volcano, keeping it stable, As the water flows out from under the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava（岩浆）from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is exactly what happened today.
Now, airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic ash. According to KLM. one of Europe’s biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane’s engines, causing damage to the plane.
The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp. Glass-like rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them from eating ash- covered grass to the sharp object.What makes Grimsvom different from other volcanoes?
| A．It is below ice. | B．It lies under the sea |
| C．It is the largest volcano | D．It is lava affects the airlines |
What keeps Grimsvom still?
| A．The slow flow of water | B．The low water temperature |
| C．The thick glacier | D．The water pressure |
Which of the following is the result of the volcanic eruption?
| A．People stop traveling in Europe |
| B．Airlines suffer from the loss of planes |
| C．It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside |
| D．Farmers have lost many of their animals |
This text is most probably taken from_____
| A．a research paper | B．a newspaper report |
| C．a class presentation | D．a geography textbook. |
My name is Amanda LaMunyon. I have Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism (自闭症). I don’t see myself as a person with a disability. I share who I am when I paint, sing and write.
I started writing poetry because I wanted to tell people what it was like to have Asperger’s syndrome. I don’t know how my life would be different without Asperger’s, but I know I look at the world differently than most people. I’m also learning that you don’t have to be like everybody else. You just have to be confident in who you are.
I discovered I could paint when I was 7. My math teacher Mrs. Brock loved one of my paintings so much that she hung it on the wall in her bedroom. I was so encouraged by her and since then my life has changed greatly.
Soon after, people asked me to show my art for charity events. I began to donate prints of my work for charity auctions (拍卖). I was glad that I really made a difference. I learned that when you give, you receive happiness.
I think it is very important for teens to express themselves. It’s a way to know yourself more clearly. You can turn your thoughts and feelings into a piece of artwork or a poem.
For example, when you paint, colors can help you express different emotions. When you write a poem, you have to get really honest with yourself and not be afraid to write down what you feel.
Creativity makes you unique and sets you apart from others. Creative ideas also help you make your dreams come true. They help you look at things in a new way.
I hope my story helps people to believe they can overcome their challenges and achieve their dreams. I like to encourage others. I know what encouragement has meant to me.The author mentions Mrs. Brock because she ______.
| A．taught the author how to paint |
| B．found the author had a gift for painting |
| C．influenced the author’s later life greatly |
| D．encouraged the author to change her life |
The author advises teens to ______.
| A．learn more about themselves | B．express themselves in art |
| C．show their thoughts to others | D．dream big and go for it |
Which of the following words can best describe the author?
| A．Lucky. | B．Hardworking. | C．Positive. | D．Humorous. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Power of art | B．Happiness of giving |
| C．Importance of creativity | D．Wonder of encouragement |