Americans usually make allowance(宽容) for non-native-speakers who have some trouble understanding English. But they become annoyed when a person pretends to understand but doesn’t really and then creates problems because of misunderstanding what is said. No one wants soap when he asks for soup. So if you don’t understand what is said to you, admit it and politely ask the person to repeat or explain.
Second, it is quite rude to talk with a friend in your native language and leave your American friends standing there feeling stupid because they can’t understand the conversation. The Americans may also feel that you are talking about them or saying something you don’t want them to hear. If you must turn to your native language to explain something to a non-English-speaking friend, at least translate for your American friends so they don’t feel left out.
Learn just a few more polite English expressions, and you’ll be ready to face the world of Americans with confidence. The polite answer to a compliment(赞扬) about your looks or your works is “Thank you.” (A smile and a nod is not enough.) The response to “Thank you.” is, of course, “You’re welcome,” if someone asks “How are you?” don’t give your medical history. Just say “Fine, thanks. How are you?” Finally, what should you say when someone sneezes(打喷嚏)? It may not seem logical, but the correct response is “God bless you.” That’s about all there is to it. Now that you’ve learned this general knowledge of manners, in the U. S. A., you’ve ready to be polite in English. Let’s hope your American friends will be just as polite.
In the first paragraph, the underlined word “annoyed” means .
A.rather angry | B.very impolite | C.quite unfriendly![]() |
D.fairly pleased |
The passage is mainly about in the U. S. A.
A. the importance of good manners B. the general knowledge of English
C. the skill in daily conversations D. the good manners in communication When you talk with someone in your native language, your American friend may feel .
A.he should learn the language | B.you try to keep some secrets from him |
C.you are angry with him | D.he becomes a fool |
The dream of flying into outer space, cherished by the Chinese people for centuries, will soon come true.
China launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft (飞船)“Shenzhou Ⅳ” on December 30 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu Province. It was the 27th consecutive(连续的)and successful launch of China - made rockets since October 1996. This launch has made it more realistic for China to send a person into space on its own following Russia and the USA.
Qi Faren,leading designer of the spacecraft system, said all the functions (功能) designed for manned flights have withstood (经受住)the test of three previous, successful launches and return landings of the “Shenzhou” spaceships.
China launched the “Shenzhou Ⅰ ”, “Shenzhou Ⅱ ”and “Shenzhou Ⅲ ”spacecrafts in 1999,2001 and 2002 respectively.
“Shouzhou Ⅳ” was to make it a more comfortable place in which astronauts can live and work. All parts of the application system for manned flight are aboard the “Shenzhou Ⅳ”craft in all test flights.
China’s manned flight programme began in 1992. A number of unmanned test flights will be launched before Chinese astronauts are sent into space.
Leading scientists in charge of China’s manned space programme said the successful launch of the “Shenzhou Ⅳ” laid a solid foundation for the country’s future task of sending Chinese astronauts to outer space.
The spacecraft returned to the earth on January 5, after completing seven experiments in space.
Officials at the centre said that“ Shenzhou Ⅴ”, a manned spacecraft, is expected to be launched later this year.
How many countries can send a person into space on its own by now?
A.2. | B.3. |
C.4. | D.Not mentioned. |
China’s manned flight programme began in ________.
A.1992 | B.October 1996. |
C.1999 | D.January 2003 |
As a matter of fact, ________ .
A.“Shenzhou Ⅴ ”has been launched |
B.“Shenzhou Ⅳ” was a manned spacecraft |
C.“Shenzhou Ⅲ ”and“ Shenzhou Ⅳ” were not launched in the same year |
D.the dream of man flying into outer space has come true in China |
Which is the most suitable title for the passage?
A.The Successful Launching of “Shenzhou Ⅳ ”. |
B.The Landing of “Shenzhou Ⅳ ”. |
C.Chin a’s Manned Flight Programme. |
D.The Third Country Sending a Person into Outer Space. |
Life on land probably began about 430 million years ago, though it has existed in the water for perhaps as much as 3,000 million years. When we think of the first thing on land, we probably think of strange animals coming out of the oceans, but in fact no animals could have been living if plants had not been on land first. Plants had to be on land before animals arrived. They supplied the first land animals with the surrounding and food necessity, since they, the plants, are the only form of life that is able to get and store energy.
The first plants to exist out of the water were probably certain kinds of algae(海藻)which were followed by other plants that grew close to the ground and needed water in which to reproduce. Once the move to land had been made, however, evolution(进化)took place quickly. By the end of 100 million years, plants had developed their roots(根),and some had got tree -like forms since height was very important in gaining sunlight. About 300 million years ago, much of the world was covered with forests of huge trees. In most ways they were like modern trees. They had roots, leaves, wood, but mostly they had not developed seeds.
The main idea of the first paragraph is ________.
A.life on land probably began 430 years ago |
B.the first animal on land came from oceans |
C.there wouldn't be animals without plants |
D.plants are the only form of life that is able to get and store energy |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.Algae has existed for more than 430 million years. |
B.It is impossible that algae might be the earliest plant on land. |
C.Plants get food from animals in the oceans. |
D.Evolution began after animals appeared on land. |
Plants with roots appeared about ________ million years ago.
A.430 | B.300 | C.330 | D.100 |
According to the passage, ________ appeared earlier than ________.
A.apples; oranges | B.oranges; apples |
C.oranges; roses | D.algae; wheat |
Some time ago ,I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn’t think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended ,as there are a whole lot of antique(古董)shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception(接待). I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't oven look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth - so I decided that my approach must be wrong.
I went into the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper,“ Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said,“ Yes, not a bad chair. How much do you want for it, sir?” “Twenty pounds,”I said. “OK, ”he said, “I’ll give you twenty pounds. ”“It ‘s got a slightly broken leg,”I said. “Yes, I saw that, it's nothing.”
Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. “What will you do with it?”I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done. ”“I'll buy it,”I said. “What do you mean?You’ve just sold it to me,”he said. “Yes, I know but I’ve changed my mind. I'm sorry, I'll give you twenty -seven pounds for it. ”“ Your must be crazy, ”he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair. ”“ You’re right, ”I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said,’Would you mend this chair for me I wouldn't have agreed to do it,” he said. “We don’t do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I’ll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver?”He was a very nice man and was greatly amused(感到有趣)by the whole thing.
We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer ________.
A.was rather impolite |
B.was warmly received |
C.asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair |
D.asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair |
The expression “the penny dropped” in the last paragraph means the shopkeeper ________.
A.changed his mind | B.accepted the offer |
C.saw the writer’s purpose | D.decided to help the writer |
How much did the writer pay?
A.£ 5. | B.£ 7. | C.£ 20. | D.£ 27. |
From the text, we can learn that the writer was ________
A.hanest | B.careful | C.smart | D.funny |
How many coins nave you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? A bent one?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
(1) What do you do with it?
Go to a telephone box marked(you guessed it) “phonecard”.Put in your card, make your call and when you’ve finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
(2) Now appear in a shop near you.
Near each Cardphone place you’ll find a shop where you can buy one. They’re at bus, train and city tube stations(地铁).
Many universities, hospitals and clubs. Restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centres. At airports and seaports.
(3) No more broken payphones.
Most broken payphones are like that because they’ve been vandalized(故意破坏). There are no coins in Cardphone to excite thieves’ interest in it. So you’re not probably to find a vandalized one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out ,or get a bigger wallet.
The passage is most probably ________ .
A.a warning |
B.a note |
C.an advertisement(广告) |
D.an announcement |
There are three sections(部分) in the passage. Which section do you think is about why phonecards are good?
A.Section 1. | B.Section 2. |
C.Section 3. | D.None. |
Choose the right order or the steps under“How do you use a phonecard”.
a. Put in your phonecard.
b. Look at the screen to find out how many calls you can still make.
c. Go to a telephone box marked “Phonecard”.
d. Make your call.
A.a, b, c, d | B.c, a, d, b |
C.a, d, c, b | D.c, d, a, b |
An explosion on Thursday killed one and injured 21 in a busy street in Tongren, Southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
The bomb was hidden in a rubbish bin in the city’s commercial hub(商业中心),where lots of shops and restaurants are concentrated.
The ear-splitting blast was heard around 12∶50 p.m.,said a local newspaper, citing witnesses. The power of the blast shattered(使粉碎)nearby shop windows and ripped the stainless(不生锈的)steel rubbish can to pieces.
One passer-by,identified(确认)only as Zhang,said she was shocked by the noise and saw a lot of pedestrians lying on the ground when she got to the scene.
Thirteen of the injured were taken to a local hospital after the explosion. A doctor there said five were in serious condition but already out of danger after emergency treatment. The others were just slightly hurt.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, said an officer with the Tongren police, but refused to speculate as to the cause.
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.All the injured were taken to a hospital |
B.8 of the injured were not taken to a hospital |
C.The rubbish bin with a bomb was in a restaurant |
D.The rubbish bin with a bomb was in a shop |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.One passer- by, indentified only as Zhang, saw the man throwing a bomb into a bin. |
B.Some customers in restaurants were injured. |
C.The writer didn’t get to the scene. |
D.All customers in shops got hurt. |
In the last paragraph the underlined word“ speculate” probably means ________.
A.tell | B.guess |
C.discuss | D.talk |
What of the follwing can be the best title for the passage?
A.Bomb Hidden in a Rubbish Bin |
B.The Cause of the Explosion |
C.A Terrible Thing |
D.Market Blast Kills 1 ,Injures 21 |