It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather. Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr. Johnson’s famous comment that “When two English meet, their first talk is of weather.” Though Johnson’s observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago, most commentators fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weather-speak.
Bill Bryson, for example, concludes that, as the English weather is not at all exciting, the obsession with it can hardly be understood. He argues that “To an outsider, the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it.” Simply, the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles.
Jeremy Paxman, however, disagrees with Bryson, arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive. Bryson is wrong, he says, because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena. “The interest is less in the phenomena themselves, but in uncertainty.” According to him, the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider.
Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weather-speak among the English. Both commentators, somehow, are missing the point. The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all. English weather-speak is a system of signs, which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other. Everyone knows conversations starting with weather-speak are not requests for weather data. Rather, they are routine greetings, conversation starters or the blank “fillers”. In other words, English weather-speak is a means of social bonding.The author mentions Dr. Johnson’s comment to show that______.
| A．most commentators agree with Dr. Johnson |
| B．Dr. Johnson is famous for his weather observation |
| C．the comment was accurate two hundred years ago |
| D．English conversations usually start with the weather |
What does the underlined word “obsession” most probably refer to?
| A．A social trend. |
| B．An emotional state. |
| C．A historical concept. |
| D．An unknown phenomenon. |
According to the passage, Jeremy Paxman believes that______.
| A．Bill Bryson has little knowledge of the weather |
| B．there is nothing special about the English weather |
| C．the English weather attracts people to the British Isles |
| D．English people talk about the weather for its uncertainty |
What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To explain what English weather-speak is about. |
| B．To analyse misconceptions about the English weather. |
| C．To find fault with both Bill Bryson and Jeremy Paxman. |
| D．To convince people that the English weather is changeable. |
It was a Sunday and the heavy storm had lasted all night. The morning after the storm, though, was beautiful: blue skies, warm air and a calm, inviting sea touching the shore gently.
My father realized it was a good day for fishing and invited my sister and me to go with him. I was only 14 and fishing had never been my thing, but I decided to go all the same. I ’m so glad I did.
On the road to the harbour we could see the terrible destruction on the coast, but the harbour itself was in fairly good shape. After all, it was protected by the arms of a bay that only one tiny channel to the sea. As we got on board, we noticed two big humps(里脊）in the distance.
On approaching them, we saw it was a mother whale with her baby. We couldn’t believe it---there aren’t any whales along the coast here. The storm must have driven them across the ocean into the bay, in which the still water was so badly polluted that nothing could survive.
The little baby whale--- actually as big as our boat-- was obviously stuck and could not move. The mother dived under the water and camp up suddenly, making big whirlpools(旋涡）and waves. “ she’s trying to help her baby, but on the wrong side,” my father said. At this point , my father moved our boat in a semicircle to the other side and, heading the boat towards the baby whale, pushed it gently. With our several gentle pushes the big hump turned over and disappeared under water. Then it swam up right beside its mum. They struggled in their desperate attempts to escape but missed the exit and started heading in the wrong direction. We hurried up to the whales and tried to lead them towards the bay channel. Slowly, they let us lead them, sometimes rising from the water right beside us to breathe---and to give us a trusting look with those huge eyes. Once they hit their first part of clean water flowing straight from the sea, the mum gave us a wave with her tail and off they swam into the distance.
In the excitement it had felt like only a few minutes, but we had been with those wonderful animals for almost an hour and a half. That was the simple and lasting beauty of the day. Nearly four decades later, I still look back fondly to that golden day at sea.The author says “ I’m so glad I did”(in Para.2) because_________
| A．he witnessed the whole process of fishing |
| B．he enjoyed the beauty of the calm sea |
| C．he spent the weekend with his family |
| D．he experienced the rescue of the whales |
The harbour survived the storm owing to____________
| A．the shape of the harbour |
| B．the arms of the bay |
| C．the still water in the channel |
| D．the long coast line |
The mother whale failed to help her baby because___________
| A．she had stayed in the polluted water for too long. |
| B．the whirlpools she had made were no big enough. |
| C．the waves pushed her baby in the wrong direction. |
| D．she had no other whales around to turn to for help |
What is the theme of the story?
| A．Fishing provides excitement for children. |
| B．It’s necessary to live in harmony with animals. |
| C．It’s vital to protect the environment. |
| D．Saving lives brings people a sense of happiness. |
The flag, the most common symbol of a nation in the modern world, is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark building, ships and other vehicles related to a country.
The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive artifact. It is , rather, the product of thousands of years’ development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction.
Early human beings used very fragile houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People’s food supplies were similarly vulnerable (易受损害的). Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another.
Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems (图腾)before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of the gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves.
These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked: The king of China around 1008 B.C. was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag.The best title for the passage would be_________________
| A．Uses of Flags | B．Power of the National Flag |
| C．Type of Flags | D．Development of the National Flag |
The earliest flags were connected with heavenly power because_____________
| A．they could tell wind direction |
| B．they could bring good luck to fighters |
| C．they were believed to stand for natural forces. |
| D．they were handed down by the ancestors |
What does the author know of the first national flag?
| A．He knows when it was sent to Europe. |
| B．He believes it was made in Egypt. |
| C．He doubts where it started |
| D．He thinks it came from China. |
What will the author most probably talk about next?
| A．The second ancestor of the national flag. |
| B．The role of China in the spread of the national flag. |
| C．The use of modern flags in Europe. |
| D．The importance of modern flags. |
Have you got any wonderful plans for your coming winter vacation? Here are some wonderful films for you to kill time.
Away We Go
Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph) and Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) are in their early thirties and struggling to meet daily needs and build fulfilling lives as an artist and a salesman.
When they learn they will soon become parents, they are faced with the challenge of how and where to raise a child and build a happy family. With a baby on his way, the young couple, look at their lives and are puzzled about what they really want.
Another Happy Day
Lynn was married to Pual, but they broke up and Lynn took their daughter Alice while Paul got their son Dylan.
Years later, now Dylan is getting married, and Lynn is attending the wedding, with her younger son Elliot and Ben. Elliot is a drug addict and Ben keeps everything to himself. Dylan hasn’t spoken to Lynn in years, and Lynn is fearful of Pual and his wife Patty. At last, all this has put Lynn in a depressed situation, and she’s not sure just how she’s going to get through the day.
La Vita e bella
Also named as Life is Beautiful, the film is a black comedy and also a best medicine that heals the scar left by war. This movie has some kind of characteristics as natural and active. On the 7th Oscar Award Ceremony , the movie won three great awards.
It is not a sad movie from the very beginning , but when the father uses a great way to hide his murder from his son, all people are impressed by this moving deed. Under the protection of the father, the son has lived a happy life.
The Shawshank Redemption
The film is an American film directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The film tells the story of Andy, a banker who spends nearly two decades in Shawshank State Prison for the murder of his wife and his wife’s lover despite his claims of innocence. There he makes friends with Red. Andy manages to escape from the prison by digging a tunnel with the rock hammer over the years. When Red is later released , he remembers Andy’s advice. He then visits the place Andy mentions before he escapes. There, he finds money and a note left by Andy, telling him to get to Zihuatanejo.This passage aims to _______________
| A．make comments on films for a cinema |
| B．recommend several films for fun |
| C．introduce films for a film corporation |
| D．advertise several films for a website |
Which film might best help a newly married couple to figure out their new roles in future life?
| A．La Vita e bella | B．Another Happy Day |
| C．Away We Go | D．The Shawshank Redemption. |
What is the ending of The Shawshank Redemption?
| A．Andy killed his wife and his wife’s lover. |
| B．Andy became famous for helping Red. |
| C．Red felt cheated by Andy in a way. |
| D．Red and Andy got reunited happily. |
While there has been public debate about whether running is good for your health for a long time, experts agree that running has more benefits than the costs. Some people are concerned that the pressure on your knees and ankles can be detrimental. While this can be true, there are many things that you can do to reduce your risk of injury.
You should always go to a doctor for advice before you begin any type of exercise program. Then, a good pair of running shoes can be helpful as your feet hit the ground. They will help protect your ankles by providing stability to your feet. So it is good idea to visit a specialty(专业) running shoe store. The staff there can suggest shoes which are ideal for your running style.
In order to learn the proper form, you may get some advice from a friend who has been running for some time, or even join a running club. They can provide good tips as well as some support and encouragement for you.
Lastly, it is important to start out slowly. When it comes to getting in shape and losing weight , short bursts of speed followed by periods of slower movement would be proper. Aim for around 30 minutes of exercise a few days a week. As you get better, you can increase your speed. Always allow your body to rest in between heavy exercise as your muscles need time to bring energy back.
Follow these instructions and your running experience will be a great one!In the expert’s opinion,______________________.
| A．running is good for your health as well as your mind. |
| B．you should buy running shoes in an expensive store. |
| C．running has more advantages than disadvantages for you. |
| D．you should go to the doctor if you have a running injury |
The underlines word “ detrimental” in Paragraph 1 probably means___
| A．harmful | B．useful | C．expensive | D．rare |
If you take up running, you should___________________
| A．worry about the pressure on your knees and ankles |
| B．ask the shopkeeper for a pair of running shoes |
| C．take advice from friends whom you will start running with |
| D．join a running club so that you can get encouragement |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．More and more people have become interested in running. |
| B．Good running methods can reduce the risk of injury. |
| C．It’s better to run as far as possible to lose weight. |
| D．The instructions in the passage are given by a famous doctor. |
EVERYBODY in this world is different from one another. But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money?
As we grow up, we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs. These are influenced by society, our family, the education we receive and so on. Once this value system is set up, it’s not easy to change later in life.
Financial experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances. This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money.
According to our different values, experts put us in three categories. They are: the ant, the cricket and the snail.
The ant—works first
Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter, these people don’t care about enjoying the moment. They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire. The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk.
The cricket—fun first
The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn’t think too much about the future. They even borrow money when they really want something. Many young people now belong to this group. These people have little savings. When they get old, they might have problems. They should learn to save and buy insurance.
The snail—lives under pressure
The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves. They take big long-term loans from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses. They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure they can afford it. This can cause problems in the future. They should plan more carefully.We can learn from the text that _____.
| A．we spend money because we have earned it |
| B．saving money is a good way to manage money |
| C．your way of managing money is a reflection of your value or belief |
| D．spending money is a wiser way |
Of the three types of people, the one that has no weakness is _____.
| A．the ant | B．the snail | C．none of them | D． the cricket |
If you had three dollars, you would spend all of it. Which type do you belong to?
| A．The cricket | B．The ant | C．The snail | D．None of them |
The text tells us mainly about _____.
| A．understanding differences |
| B．our own values and beliefs |
| C．living behaviors of small animal |
| D．spending nature |