Throughout history, people have been interested in knowing how language first began, but no one knows exactly where or how this happened. However, we do know a lot about languages, the languages of today and also the languages of earlier times. There are probably about three thousand languages in the world today. Chinese is the language with the most speakers. English, Russian and Spanish are also spoken by many millions of people. On the other hand, some languages in the world have less than one hundred speakers.
There are several important families of languages in the world. For example, most of the languages of Europe are in one large family called Indo-European. The original (最初的) language of this family was spoken about 4,500 years ago. Many of the present day languages of Europe and India are modern forms of the language of 4,500 years ago.
Languages are always changing. The English of today is very different from the English of 500 years ago. In time some even die out completely. About 1,000 years ago English was a little -known relative of German spoken on one of the borders(边界)of Europe.
If a language has a lot of speakers or if it is very old, there may be differences in the way it is spoken in different areas. That is, the language may have several dialects. Chinese is a good example of dialect differences. Chinese has been spoken for thousands of years by many millions of speakers. The differences between the dialects of Chinese are so great that speakers of Chinese from some parts of China cannot understand speakers from other parts.The first paragraph mainly tells us that_______.
A.most people in the world speak Chinese |
B.there are thousands of languages in the world today |
C.man has much knowledge about languages |
D.some people know several languages |
Many European and Indian languages ______.
A.will soon die out completely |
B.were once a relative of English |
C.are the same as before |
D.come from the same family |
_____ seems to have changed a lot
A.Chinese | B.English | C.Spanish | D.German |
The best title of this passage is_________.
A.English | B.Changes of English | C.Chinese | D.Knowledge of Language |
If you are in a crowd, a first and most important thing is to make yourself familiar with your surroundings(周围的事物) and mentally notice alternate exits. No matter where you are, make sure you always know how to get out.
Make sure you know the type of ground you are standing on. For example, in a crowd of moving people wet ground can be dangerous, causing you to fall. You should know the general atmosphere of the event, as panic situations can often be predicted. When in danger, a few seconds can make all the difference, giving you the possibility of taking advantage of your escape route. Always stay closer to the escape route
If you find yourself in the middle of a moving crowd, do not fight against the pressure, do not stand still or sit down, because you could easily get injured or even be killed by being stepped on by other people. Instead, move in the same direction of the crowd; take advantage of any space that may open up to move sideways to the crowd movement where the flow is weaker. Keep your hands up by your chest, which will protect your chest during the movement.
If you fall, get up quickly. If you can’t get up because you are injured, get someone to pull you back up. If you fall and can not get up, keep moving by crawling(爬行)in the same direction of the crowd. Do not lie on your stomach or back, as this is dangerous for your body.
The worst situation is to be pushed by the crowd against an immovable object. Try to shun
High walls, as the crowd pressure can build up rapidly. After you’re pushed forward, the way you move is on a diagonal(斜线). There’s always space between people. You work your way out that way till you get out of the crowd. When you are in a crowd the first thing you do is ____.
A.fight against the pressure |
B.stay closer to an immovable object |
C.move in the same direction of the crowd |
D.be familiar with the surroundings |
When you are in the middle of a moving crowd, ____.
A.you must go to the exit quickly |
B.you must not stand still or sit down |
C.you’d better stop moving forward |
D.you should push your way out |
The underlined word “shun” in the last paragraph probably means ____.
A.leave for | B.keep off |
C.jump on | D.break down |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.How to survive the rush crowd |
B.How to enjoy yourself in a crowd |
C.How to protect yourself outside |
D.How to run away from people |
In American schools there is something called Homecoming Day. Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a homecoming game. This can be the most important event of the year except graduation or commencement (毕业典礼)Day. Students plan Homecoming Day many weeks in advance.
Several days before Homecoming, students start to decorate the school. There are signs to wish luck to the team, and many other signs to welcome all the graduates. Many people still come to Homecoming twenty or thirty years after their graduation.
The members of school clubs build booths(售货棚) and sell lemonade(柠檬汽水),apples and sandwiches. Some clubs help to welcome visitors.
During the day alumni and their wives will gather at the school. They like to look for teachers that they remember. Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school.
Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over, the band comes onto the field and plays school songs. Another important moment is when the Homecoming Queen or King appears. All the students vote the most popular student Homecoming Queen or King. It is a great honor to be chosen.
Homecoming is a happy day, but it is not perfect unless the football team wins the game. Even if the game loses, the students still enjoy Homecoming. Some stay at the school to dance, and others go to a party. For everyone it is a day worth remembering. The best title of this passage is ________.
A.American School | B.Homecoming Day |
C.Homecoming Queen or King | D.Homecoming Game |
Which of the following is NOT done on Homecoming?
A.To see old friends. |
B.To call on teachers they remember. |
C.To watch the football game. |
D.To organize clubs. |
The underlined word “ alumni” refers to ________.
A.male former students of a school or college |
B.female former students of a school or college |
C.grandfathers of the students in a school or college |
D.grandmothers of the students in a school or college |
It was 6 p. m. on 24 January 2001, the first day of Chinese New Year. As I drove along the road, a small car flew across the centre double amber lines(双黄线) from the ____ direction and crashed into my car head-on. I was ____ and was awakened by the ringing of my mobile phone. It was a travel agent, asking me ____ I had arrived at the Mandarin Oriental for my work.
I was ____ to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. But the hospital staff was too ____to attend to me, so I called a friend and told him about the ____. Some friends arrived very soon after and sent me to a private hospital nearby.
I was given ten months’ medical leave and then I was ____. My heart ____, knowing that it meant I couldn’t work. As a tour guide and tour leader, I only got paid if I took on more work. I felt completely ____, but a lot of unexpected blessings came my way. Friends and relatives ____ me with my banking, insurance or simply came to cheer me up.
But I was only 30, and wanted to see the world. When the casts were removed, I did not let the sight of my weak legs ____ me. I worked hard at my physiotherapy(物理疗法) with only one aim: I must ____ again. ____five months of tiring therapy up to three sessions a week, I was back on my feet. After eight months, I was walking ____ the aid of walking stick. By February the following year, I ____ my job again.
The accident made me____ how lives can change in a split second. I recall the Chinese family drove me to the hospital ____ my bloodied condition on Chinese New Year. The kindness I’ve experienced taught me never to ____ hope. I value life ____ , not only my own but also everyone I know, and will always try to help when I know of someone ____.
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I was never neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her projects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both get tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “ take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together; giving in, cleaning up and holding on.How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?
A.By listing facts. | B.By doing comparison |
C.By giving examples | D.By drawing a conclusion |
What made Kate so angry that evening?
A.She got the news that her grandmother was ill. |
B.She couldn’t find her shoes. |
C.She heard the author shouting loud. |
D.She saw the author’s shoes under her bed. |
What was the author’s attitude to Kate but for the call?
A.Annoyed | B.Envious |
C.tolerant | D.Sympathetic |
What might be the best title for the story?
A.How to be organized | B.My Friend Kate |
C.Learning to Be Roommates | D.Hard Work Pays Off. |
Few of us haven’t read Cinderella, the story of a young woman living in poverty who meets the prince of her dreams. Some might not want to admit it, but there is a hidden Cinderella in everyone’s heart-we all wish we could achieve recognition or success after a period of obscurity.
Mary Santiago has that secret dream, too. Her story is shown in Another Cinderella Story, a film set in a US high school.
Mary is shy but loves to dance. Compared with other girls, she is invisible. However, her world changes completely when a famous teenager pop singer, Joey Parker, appears.
Joey is everything the rest of the boys in her class are not-kind, handsome and desirable. Mary and Joey’s paths cross at a ball. They meet and fall in love with each other. But when Mary has to rush back home, she leaves behind her MP3 player, which becomes the only clue Joey has to find the girl. Of course, there is a wicked stepmother, Dominique. She takes in Mary after her dancer mother dies. Dominique treats Mary like a maid and does everything she can to make sure Mary doesn’t get into the top dance school. Her two daughters are equally determined to stop Joey finding Mary, even if that means embarrassing them.
The story, though it mostly follows Cinderella, does add a few modern-day twists to the classic fairy tale. Refreshingly, the film, unlike many high school films, does not focus on looks, although the actors are all beautiful. There is a lot less materialism in Another Cinderella Story than in many similar movies.
“The movie takes the Cinderella fairy tale as its jumping off point,” writes movie critic Amber Wilkinson, “Yet the focus is firmly on following your dream.”The first paragraph is mainly to
A. raise a question on poverty
B. remind us of a fairy tale inform us of the importance of dream
D. build our interest about the following movieWhat can we infer from the passage .
A.Joey is just like other boys in Mary’s class |
B.Mary’s mother used to be a singer |
C.The MP3 player helps Joey find Mary |
D.Another Cinderella Story is just another copy of Cinderella |
What does the underlined word “obscurity” probably mean?
A.being popular | B.being unknown |
C.being famous | D.being silent |
The passage is mainly about
A.An advertisement of Another Cinderella Story |
B.An essay about dreams |
C.A review about a movie |
D.A fairy tale |