The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is estimated(估计) to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms.
In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate(足够的) working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation.
The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West. What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．The Difficulties of Learning English |
| B．International Communications |
| C．The Standard Varieties of English |
| D．English as a World Language |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English. |
| B．There are some 260 million native speakers of English in the world. |
| C．It is almost impossible to estimate the number of people with an adequate working knowledge of English. |
| D．People learn English for a variety of reasons. |
According to the passage, what is the main reason for the widespread use of English?
| A．It was popular during Shakespeare’s time. |
| B．It is used in former British colonies. |
| C．It serves the needs of its native speakers. |
| D．It is a world language that is used for international communication. |
What forms an adequate working knowledge of English?
| A．The ability to read a newspaper. |
| B．It is difficult to judge because it differs for each situation. |
| C．Being a multilingual. |
| D．Being a native speaker. |
What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English?
| A．Those geographically close to the United States. |
| B．Those interested in the culture of the United States. |
| C．Former colonies of Great Britain. |
| D．Countries where international conferences are held. |
“I like your smile, but unlike you put your shoes on my face”. A charming way of saying “Keep off the grass”. But could you figure it out? Or this: “Wash Clothing Store” for laundry.
They are both typical Chinglish, a combination of English vocabulary and Chinese grammar. Expressions such as “people mountain people sea”, means extremely crowded, and “give you some color to see”, meaning a punishment, are widely known and recognized.
Chinglish has been attracting global attention in recent years as China grows rapidly in status on the world stage, attracting both fans and detractors(批评者).
The Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme and English First China Company, a language trainer known as EF Education, jointly launched a campaign to root out poor grammar and misused vocabulary in downtown Beijing. They argue Chinglish is an embarrassment that we should let it die out at all costs.
“It is meaningful to allow the capital to show its most beautiful historical and cultural heritage to the world." Michael Lu, vice-president of EF Education said, “since the launching of the campaign, foreign teachers and students had been very keen to volunteer participation.”He believed signs were very important in public services. "The signs in some old buildings confused foreign visitors.
Chinglish, although the target of much criticism, has also won supporters who regard it as an interesting way for foreigners to learn how Chinese people think and express themselves.
“Many Chinglish logos carry Chinese elements and they will enrich the English language,” 32-year-old Oliver Radtke said. He had even published a book “Chinglish: Found in Translation,” on the subject. About 50,000 copies of the book have been sold since it was published in 2007.
Some Chinese university experts also side with Chinglish. "English has absorbed elements from other languages such as French and Spanish in its growth, and the emergence of Chinglish again testifies(说明) to the language’s vitality and inclusiveness," said Shi Anbin, an associate professor of Tsinghua University.How did Chinglish come into being?
| A．Chinese people misunderstood the meaning of the new words. |
| B．Chinese people combined English vocabulary with Chinese grammar. |
| C．Chinese people based their English on the native English speakers. |
| D．Chinese people make wide use of English vocabulary with bad spelling. |
What Shi Anbin said means .
| A．there are many French and Spanish words in English |
| B．English is the language with vitality and inclusiveness |
| C．Chinglish enriches English and shouldn’t be got rid of |
| D．Chinglish has greater effect on English than French and Spanish |
According to Oliver Radtke, Chinglish .
| A．shows how Chinese people think |
| B．does damage to the English language |
| C．shows the great humor of Chinese people |
| D．should be sold to all over the world |
Once again, I was in a new school. So was a girl in my class named Paris. That's where the similarities ended.
I was tall and she was small. My thick, black hair had been recently cut short. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was awkward and shy. She wasn't. I couldn't stand her. I considered her my enemy. She liked me. She wanted to be friends.
One day, she invited me over and I said yes — I was too shocked to answer any other way. No one had invited me over to play. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go home with her after school.
I got very surprised when she led me into an apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother, her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister.
When we got to the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Barbies — which was my next surprise. I would have thought she'd outgrown them. I had never played with them. But we sat on the floor of a walk-in closet, laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Barbies. That's when we found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and we both had wild imaginations.
We had a great day that afternoon. Our jaws ached from smiling so much. She showed me her wardrobe, which had mostly come from a designer clothing store down the block. The woman who owned it used her as a model sometimes for her newspaper ads and gave her clothes in exchange.
Paris had the whole neighborhood charmed. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines, the movie theater gave her free passes and the pizza place let her have free slices. Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each other's houses, spent every free moment together. My dark hair grew out and I learned to love being tall.
Paris, my first real friend since childhood, taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: that your worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend.The writer and Paris were similar in that.
| A．they were both new students |
| B．both of them were friendly |
| C．both of them were tall |
| D．they were both the youngest in class |
In the article the writer described Paris as a girl who was.
| A．awkward and shy | B．fashionable and proud |
| C．quiet and lonely | D．friendly and lovely |
What did the writer learn from Paris?
| A．How to make best use of her neighborhood. |
| B．How to dress and look fashionable. |
| C．How to become a good writer |
| D．How to make friends. |
From the article, we can see that through her friendship with Paris, the writer.
| A．found she and Paris had more similarities than differences |
| B．was able to fit in at her new school with Paris’ help |
| C．was not so awkward or shy as before |
| D．learned more about fashion herself |
Good nutrition (营养)and a balanced diet will help your children grow up healthily .No matter how old your kids are , you can take steps to improve nutrition and to encourage smart eating habits .Here are some suggestions.
Family Meals
Family meals are comforting for both parents and kids. Children like to guess what they are going to have and parents get the chance to introduce new food to children and to find out which food they like and which ones they don’t.
Teens may turn up their noses at your plan of a family meal. It is not surprising because they’re trying to establish independence. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents’ advice, so use the mealtime as a chance to reconnect.
Stocking up (储备) on healthy food
Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what they can get at home. That’s why it’s important to control the supply lines — the food which you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks. You should have enough fruits, vegetables, lean meat and other good sources of protein, such as eggs and nuts, and healthy snacks, such as yogurt, peanut butter and whole-grain biscuits.
Being a good example
The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding fast food and sugary drinks, you’ll be sending the right message.
No conflicts over food
Parents might find themselves shouting at children to get them to have healthy food in front of them. This in fact can make children dislike what they are aske d to eat.
Get kids included
Most kids will enjoy making the decision about what to make for dinner. Talk to them about making choices and planning a balanced meal. It can help them make good decisions on their own about the food they want to eat.Family meals provide the chances for parents to do the following things EXCEPT ________.
| A．guessing what kids are going to have |
| B．finding what kids like and dislike |
| C．introducing new food to kids |
| D．reconnecting with kids |
What does the phrase “on hand” mean?
| A．Being dealt with. |
| B．Out of one’s reach. |
| C．Made by persons instead of machines. |
| D．Close by and ready when needed. |
According to the passage, which should NOT be done by parents?
| A．Form a healthful eating habit themselves. |
| B．Force kids to have vegetables. |
| C．Stock up on some fruits at home. |
| D．Make meal plans with kids. |
The best title for the article is “________”.
| A．Eat healthily |
| B．What is a healthy meal |
| C．Help kids form healthy eating habits |
| D．How to grow up healthily |
Ellis Island is located in New York. Harbor Ellis Isl and is open daily year-round from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p. m. , with extended hours during summer. It is closed December 25. There is no admission charge to Ellis Island; donations(捐款)are gratefully accepted.
At Your Fingertips
Park information (212)363-7620
Emergencies (212)363-3260
Ferry boat information (212)269-5755
Lost and found (212)363-7620
Dining, gifts, & audio tour (212)344-0996
Transportation
Statue of Liberty a nd Ellis Island Ferry: Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9:15 a. m. (ferry schedule subject to change)
Hours: May vary; call the number below
Closed: December 25
Ferry fees: (Includes Liberty and Ellis Islands) adults, $7; senior citizens, $6; children(age 3 to 17), $3. (group rates are available for 25 or more adults)
Ticket & schedule information: (212)269-5755Which number would you call if your friend were suddenly ill?
| A．(212)344-0996 | B．(212)363-7620 |
| C．(212)363-3260 | D．(212)269-5755 |
Which of the following is not true?
| A．People can visit Ellis Island free of charge. |
| B．The boats departure time is at 9:15 a.m. all the year round. |
| C．Ferry fees for children are cheaper than for adults. |
| D．Ferry fees for group visitors can be reduced. |
We may infer from the passage that _________.
| A．visitors prefer to go to Ellis Island by boat |
| B．there are more visitors in winter |
| C．Ellis Island is open every day |
| D．Boat is the only transportatio n to Ellis Island |
Robots are smart. With their computer brains, they help people work in dangerous places or do difficult jobs. Some robots do regular jobs. Bobby, the robot mail carrier, brings mail to a large office building in Washington, D.C. He is one of 250 robot mail carriers in the United States. Mr. Leachim, who weights two hundred pounds and is six feet tall, has some advantages as a teacher. One is that he does not forget details. He knows each child’s name, their parents’ names, and what each child knows and needs to know. In addition, he knows each child’s pets and hobbies. Mr. Leachim does not make mistakes. Each child goes and tells him his or her name, then dials an identification (识别) number. His computer brain puts the child’s voice and number together. He identifies the child with no mistakes.
Another advantage is that Mr. Leachim is flexible. If the children need more time to do their lessons they can move switches. In this way they can repeat Mr. Leachim’s lesson over and over again. When the children do a good job, he tells them something interesting about their hobbies. At the end of the lesson the children switch Mr. Leachim off. The first paragraph of the passage tells us
| A．human beings are not as smart as robots |
| B．robots will take the place of man to rule the earth |
| C．we can only use robots to do some regular jobs |
| D．robots can help people in many different ways |
What is the most important thing Mr. Leachim can do in his lessons?
| A．To meet the needs of each student. |
| B．To talk to the students in different languages. |
| C．To keep everyone’s interest in his lessons. |
| D．To introduce more hobbies to the children. |
The underlined word “flexible” probably means
| A．not strict | B．not hard |
| C．suitable | D．changeable |
Which of the following statements may be TRUE according to the passage?
A. There are 250 robot teachers in the United States.
B. Mr. Leachim is run and controlled by electricity.
C. Bobby works in a large office building in Washington D.C.
D. The lessons taught by Mr. Leachim are given on a TV set.