Long ago, in days of the Roman Empire, people used to believe a god of farmings called “Saturn”. They believed that Saturn could make the weather good or bad, and that he had the power to control how much rain would fall.
Before a Roman farmer would plant his fields, he would try to get Saturn to give him good weather. He believed that if he killed an animal for Saturn, that would make Saturn happy. Then Saturn would make sure that the weather was good.
Not only did the people name a planet after Saturn but they also name a day of the week after him. They called this day “Saturni dies”, Latin words which mean “day of Saturn”. In English those words became Saturday.
6. What was Saturn believed to be in charge of?
A. Rainfall. B. The power of nature. C. Farming. D. Days in a week.
7. Why did a Roman farmer kill an animal before planting his fields?
Because .
A. killing an animal would bring him good luck
B. Saturn enjoyed eating animals
C. Saturn was happy to see animals being killed
D. he wanted to please Saturn so that Saturn would make the weather good for his planting
8. Which of the following is NOT TRUE?
A. Saturn is also the name of planet.
B. The Roman people used to believe Saturn to be their god.
C. Saturn was named for the last day of the week.
D. Saturn had three meanings.
9. What’s the aim of the author in writing this passage?
A. How the Romans worshipped (崇拜) Saturn.
B. Why the Romans believed in Saturn.
C. The different meanings of the word Saturn.
D. How Saturday got its name.
The Healthy Habits Survey shows that only about one third of American seniors(年长者) have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.
1.How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?
·Finding：About 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day.
·Step：Remove the 300 kinds of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush. Brush gently for 2 minutes, at least twice a day.
2.How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday?
·Finding：Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day—half of the number that doctors advise.
·Step：We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day-often inviting germs（病菌）to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes. Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds.
3. How often do you think about fighting germs?
·Finding：Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should.
·Step：Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge（海绵）that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.What is found out about American seniors?
| A．Most of them have good habits. |
| B．Nearly 30% of them bathe three days a week . |
| C．All of them are fighting germs better than expected . |
| D．About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day |
Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands _________.
| A．twice a day | B．three times a day |
| C．four times a day | D．eight times a day |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．We should stop touching our faces. |
| B．A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet. |
| C．There are less than 300 kinds of bacteria in the mouth. |
| D．We should wash our hands before touching a door handle. |
You may think that sailing is a difficult sport, but it is really not hard to learn it．You do not need to be strong．But you need to be quick．And you need to understand a few basic rules about the wind.
First, you must ask yourself, “Where is the wind coming from? Is it coming from ahead or behind or from the side?” You must think about this all the time on the boat．The wind direction tells you what to do with the sail.
Let's start with the wind blowing from behind．This means the wind and the boat are going in the same direction．Then you must always keep the sail outside the boat．It should be at a 90° angle (角度) to the boat．Then it will catch the wind best.
If the wind is blowing from the side, it is blowing across the boat．In this case, you must keep the sail half way outside the boat．It should be at a 45° angle to the boat．It needs to be out far enough to catch the wind, but it shouldn't flap (摆动)．It shouldn't look like a flag on a flagpole．If it is flapping, it is probably out too far, and the boat will slow down.
Sailing against the wind is not possible．If you try, the sail will flap and the boat will stop．You may want to go in that direction．It is possible, but you can't go in a straight line．You must go first in one direction and then in another．This is called tacking．When you are tacking, you must always keep the sail inside the boat.What should you consider first while sailing?
| A．Sailors' strength. | B．Wave levels. |
| C．Size of sails. | D．Wind directions. |
What does the word “It” underlined in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．The boat. | B．The sail. |
| C．The wind. | D．The angle. |
What do you have to do when sailing against the wind?
| A．Move in a straight line. | B．Allow the sail to flap. |
| C．Lower the sail. | D．Tack the boat. |
Where can you probably find the text?
| A．In a popular magazine. | B．In a tourist guidebook. |
| C．In a physics textbook. | D．In an official report. |
In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride (搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured (使……放心)me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favor I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.”
I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.The author(作者) had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because____________ .
| A．the town was far away from Sydney |
| B．she was going home for her holidays |
| C．she missed the only train back home |
| D．her work delayed her trip to Sydney |
Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
| A．He helped the girl find a ride. |
| B．He gave the girl a ride back home. |
| C．He bought sandwiches for the girl. |
| D．He watched the girl for three hours. |
The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that.
| A．she realized he was Gordon |
| B．she had known him for decades |
| C．she was going to the nearby town |
| D．she wanted to pay back the help she once got |
What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
| A．People should offer free rides to others. |
| B．Those who give rides will be repaid. |
| C．Good manners bring about happiness. |
| D．Sometimes giving produces nice results. |
How many of us have heard that question, "Where was GOD when the World Trade Center(世贸中心) and the Pentagon(五角大楼) were attacked?" Well, I know where my GOD was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy!
He was trying to discourage anyone from taking these flights. Those four flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard.
He was on 4 commercial flights giving frightened passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a loved one on one of the hijacked(被劫持的) planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one of the flights he was giving strength to passengers to try to overtake the hijackers.
He was busy trying to create obstacles(阻碍) for employees at the World Trade Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a Miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or they had traffic delays.
He was holding up 2-110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't fall when the jets crashed. And when they did fall, GOD made them fall inward, as many more lives would have been lost.
So when anyone asks, "Where was your GOD on September 11," you can say "everywhere"! And yes, although this is without a doubt the worst thing I have seen in my life, I see God's miracles in every bit of it. I can't imagine going through such a difficult time and not believing in GOD – life would be hopeless. So shines a good deed in a weary world!In what way the author tried to prove his point in the passage?
| A．By telling a story. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By answering questions. | D．By performing experiments. |
Which one of the following is TURE according to the passage?
| A．There were three planes together hijacked in the attack. |
| B．The passengers on the planes were not frightened at all. |
| C．Many people working at WTC were delayed by traffic jams on Set. 11. |
| D．Many more people were killed in the buildings than we could imagine. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “Miracle” in the context?
| A．something funny | B．something important |
| C．something reliable | D．something unbelievable |
Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage?
A. Everyone has a GOD.
B. Where was the GOD?
C. Never forget September 11.
D. September 11 – A Disaster To America.
The airline lost your baggage. The hotel laundry(洗衣房) ruined your favorite shirt. The taxi driver overcharged you. When you're abroad, sometimes things go wrong. Now you can do something about it! Use these tips when you want to express an effective complaint in English.
No matter how unfair the situation, it's best to phrase your complaint politely. In English, you'll sound more polite if you use indirect language. Here are some examples:
“I'm sorry to bother you...” Starting a complaint like this puts the listener who may have heard many complaints that day at ease. Use this phrase if the situation isn't that serious. For example, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted a baked potato, not fries."
“Can you help me with this?” Everyone would much rather be asked to do something than told! So try phrasing your complaint as a request for help: "Can you help me with this? My shirt came back from the laundry without buttons."
“I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding.” This is a polite way of saying, "Your information is wrong. Please fix it now." You'll most likely use this phrase if you made reservations(预定) for a flight, hotel or restaurant, and when you arrive, it's not what you expected. For example, "I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding. I requested a non-smoking room."
“I understand it's not your fault...” Often when you make a complaint, you deal with a person who was not directly responsible for the problem. But the problem isn't your fault, either! This phrase is helpful when you need swift action. Tell the person you're dealing with you understand they're not at fault and then directly state the problem: "I understand it's not your fault, but the airline promised they would deliver my baggage yesterday."
“Excuse me, but I understood that...” Using this phrase lets the person know you're well-informed and are suspicious they might be trying to take advantage of you. Don't say, "Hey! You're trying to cheat me!" Instead, start indirectly by stating what you know to be true: "I understood that the taxi ride to the airport was only 25 dollars." Then give them an opportunity to do the right thing.What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To give an introduction of life abroad. |
| B．To give suggestions on how to learn English. |
| C．To offer advice on giving complaints in English. |
| D．To offer guides to those who travel around the world. |
According to the passage, if we meet an unfair situation, we’d better .
| A．state our complaints politely |
| B．go for the police immediately |
| C．use indirect language to hurt people |
| D．fight against the one who is responsible |
Why should we start a complaint with polite phrases?
| A．Because the situation is never serious. |
| B．Because the listener may not speak English. |
| C．Because it can help solve the problem more easily. |
| D．Because we should be always in good manners abroad. |
Several effective complaints in English are mentioned above EXCEPT .
| A．“Can you help me with this?” |
| B．“I understand it's not your fault.” |
| C．“Hey! You’re trying to cheat me!” |
| D．“I'm afraid there may be a misunderstanding.” |