What’s a “gift”? If you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll see that it’s another word for a present. For example, “They brought him some gifts.” However, if you’re German, “gift” means something completely different: poison!
This word “gift” is an example of a false friend--- a word that looks the same in two languages, but which actually has two different meanings. As English is basically a mixture of German, French and Latin, there are many words that are similar in these languages. For example, the English word “education” is “education” in Spanish. And the English words “word, book, nine, house” are “Wort, Buch, Neun, Haus” in german.
These similar-looking words can be very helpful when learning other languages --- they’re our “friends”. However, sometimes they can turn out or be “false friends”. Here are a few examples.
In English, someone who is “sensible” thinks before they act and shows good judgement. For example , “The sensible thing to do would be to consult a lawyer.” However, in Spanish, “sensible ” means “sensitive” (showing understanding of other people’s problems, needs or feelings).
The English word “coin” refers to a piece of money made of metal. For example, “I had a few coins in my pocket.” But the French word “coin” means “corner”.
The English word “library” is a place where you can go to borrow books. For example, “I borrowed six books from the library.” But the Spanish word “libreria” refers to a bookshop (where you buy books).
The English word “actually” means “in fact”. For example, “Actually I’m not Italian, I’m form American.” But the Spanish word “actualmente” means “currently” or “at the moment”.
Finally, the English word “embarrassed” means “ashamed”. For example, “They looked a bit embarrassed.” However, the Spanish term “embarazada” means “pregnant” (with a child).
| A．is easy to master |
| B．is simpler than Spanish |
| C．has a complex background |
| D．has changed greatly throughout history |
| A．Nine and Neun. | B．Library and libreria. |
| C．Actually and actualmente. | D．Embarrassed and embarazada. |
| A．“coin” means “corner” |
| B．“gift” refers to something negative |
| C．“educacion” simply means “book” |
| D．“sensible” doesn’t necessarily means “wise” |
| A．following the order of space | B．comparing different ideas |
| C．providing typical examples | D．analyzing the cause and effect |
Welcome to Language upon Thames. This brochure has been designed to give you an overview of our Language School and the courses we offer. If you have some additional questions please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
At Language upon Thames，we feel it is important to be flexible，in order that students can decide what period of study suits them best.
Small Group General English Courses
These courses are aimed at students who wish to improve their speaking，listening，reading and writing skills and are offered at the following levels：
BEGINNERS
ELEMENTARY(初级)
PRE-1NTERMEDLATE
UPPER-INTERMEDLATE
Studying one of the above courses will enable you to use English more confidently and competently on a daily basis.
Try our free online test to see which level you are at—CLICK HERE.
Exam Courses
These courses ale aimed at students who wish to gain academic qualifications in English and are offered at the following levels：
University of Cambridge exams：
ADVANCED l — FCE (First certificate)
ADVANCED 2一CAE (Advanced)
ADVANCED 3一CPE (Proficiency)
Studying one of the above courses will enable you to continue your education or enter university in this country. (Students wishing to gain admission to a British university are normally required to have the Cambridge Proficiency Certificate.)
Speaking, Listening & Pronunciation
This course builds on communicative confidence and competence and is aimed at students who wish to develop the important skills of speaking and listening.
Emphasis is also placed on pronunciation，with activities designed to meet the needs of students of different nationalities，who need to focus on different areas.
CLICK HERE to register for a General English course.
Other Languages
At Language upon Thames we offer a wide range of cafeterias，restaurants，shops and bars. Most importantly，we have foreign language classes of French，Japanese，German，Spanish and Italian during the day，evening or on a one-to-one basis.
68. What does this passage mainly talk about?
A. English courses.
B. Ways to improve students’ English.
C. The best way to improve your skills.
D. The importance of English.
69. If you attend Exam Courses，you will .
A. use English as fluently as a native speaker
B. deal with everyday English well
C. . have better pronunciation of English
D. be able to continue your education or enter university in this country
70. Judging from the description，we can tell that this passage must be taken from .
A. a newspaper B. a magazine
C. . the Internet D. a guidebook
71. The following statements are true EXCEPT .
A. Only Englishmen can attend the courses.
B. The courses are designed for learners of different levels.
C. . One can learn French even in the evening.
D. Language upon Thames is a school aimed to offer help with language learning.
Organic food has no nutritional or health benefits over ordinary food，according to a major study．
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said consumers were paying higher prices for organic food because of its imagined health benefits，creating a global organic market worth an estimated $48 billion in 2007．
A systematic review of 162 scientific papers published in the scientific literature over the last 50 years，however，found there was no significant difference．
“A small number of differences in nutrient content were found to exist between organically and conventionally(通常)produced foodstuffs，but these have nothing to do with public health，” said Alan Dangour ，one of the report's authors．
“Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority ．”
The results of research，which was commissioned by the British government’s Food Standards Agency，were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition．
Sales of organic food have fallen in some markets，including Britain，as a slowdown in economic growth has led consumers to cut back on purchases．
The Soil Association said that growth in sales of organic products in Britain slowed to just 1.7percent，well below the average annual growth rate of 26 percent over the last decade．
64. Why does organic food cost more than conventionally produced food?
A. Because people think they are much healthier.
B. Because they are more delicious.
C. Because people prefer organic food.
D. Because they sell better.
65. According to the study，organic food is than conventionally produced food.
A. much healthierB. better
C. no healthierD. less healthier
66. Sales of organic food have fallen because of . .
A. high price B. economic decline
C. bad service D. poor quality
67. Where can you find this passage in a newspaper?
A. Economy B. Science．
C. Food & Nutrition D. Fashion
Don't believe all of the stereotypes (模式化的形象) you may have heard about Americans．Even the ones that are true in general may not be true about specific individuals or a large part of the population．For example，although Americans tend to be louder than people from other cultures(especially at athletic events)，many of the people you meet will be quiet and polite．Some people may be intolerant，but most will be pleasant and welcoming．Remember that American films and television exaggerate(夸张)in order to generate excitement，and so present a rather false picture of what 1ife in the United States is really like．Therefore，tourists in the US are not always on their best behavior．
Americans do tend to be more informal than people from other countries．It is common for Americans to wear casual clothing to school and to greet professors by first name．However，good manners and politeness are always appreciated．If you are polite，and dress a little more formally than your American friends，it will not be poorly thought of.
However，some businesses require their employees to wear a uniform or a suit．It would be improper to wear a T-shirt and blue jeans to a job interview．Some of the more prestigious restaurants require a coat and tie．Americans tend to dress up for cultural events(the opera，theater and ballet)and to dress down for athletic events．Formal wear is required at weddings and funerals，or any other event with religious event．If you rely on the stereotypes，you will likely put yourself into an embarrassing situation
60. The underlined sentence probably means .
A. Some of the stereotypes you may have heard about Americans are not true
B. You should not believe the stereotypes you may have heard about Americans
C. None of the stereotypes you may have heard about Americans should be believed
D. None of the stereotypes you may have heard about Americans should not be believed
61. The passage is probably written for .
A. businessmen
B. visitors to America
C. American students
D. American film--makers
62. The second paragraph suggests that .
A. most Americans are polite
B. people who are polite are welcome
C. casual clothing makes others uncomfortable
D. American students are impolite to their teachers
63. We can learn from the passage that .
A. American films are mostly poor comedies
B. it is good manners to wear blue jeans to a wedding
. Americans usually wear formal clothes in a theater
D. to dress formally makes others feel you are not easy to get on with
The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition－and I told the sisters: You take care of the other three. I take care of this one who looked worse. So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand as she said just the words “Thank you” and she died.
I could not help but examine my conscience before her and I asked what I would say if I was in her place. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much more－she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face. So did that man whom we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. “I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for”，he said at the end . And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel－this is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus has said: I was hungry, I was naked, I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me.
And with this prize that I received as a Prize of Peace, I am going to try to make the home for many people who have no home. Because I believe that love begins at home and if we can create a home for the poor I think that more and more love will spread. And we will be able through this understanding love to bring peace, be the good news to the poor, the poor in our own family first, in our country and in the world. When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger. But to a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out from society, that poverty is so full of hurt and so unbearable… And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something.
56. What can be learned from the second paragraph?
A. The woman should have paid more attention to herself.
B. The man couldn’t blame anyone.
C. The author is religious.
D. The man died in the street.
57. The purpose of this passage is .
A. To appeal for more donation for the poor.
B. To call on the public to love each other.
C. To tell the readers the poor are wonderful.
D. To express how moved the author is to receive the prize.
58. is NOT inferred from the passage?
A. The author has few supporters.
B. The author was somewhat surprised at what the man said.
C. The author is delighted to help others in trouble.
D. The author may agree to solve social problems in soft ways.
59. What’s the best title of this passage？
A. Have Sympathy for the Poor
B. The Poor are Wonderful
C. Smile and Love
D. Relieve Poverty
How Room Designs Affect Our Work and Feelings
Architects have long had the feeling that the places we live in can affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. But now scientists are giving this feeling an empirical(经验的，实证的) basis. They are discovering how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep people focused and lead to relaxation.
Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can influence creativity. In 2007, Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota, reported that the height of a room's ceiling affects how people think. Her research indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely, which may lead them to make more abstract connections. Low ceilings, on the other hand, may inspire a more detailed outlook.
In additions to ceiling height, the view afforded by a building may influence an occupant's ability to concentrate. Nancy Wells and her colleagues at Cornell University found in their study that kids who experienced the greatest increase in greenness as a result of a family move made the most gains on a standard test of attention.
Using nature to improve focus of attention ought to pay off academically, and it seems to, according to a study led by C. Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design & Planning Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Tanner and his team found that students in classrooms with unblocked views of at least 50 feet outside the window had higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and maths than did students whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads and parking lots.
Recent study on room lighting design suggests that dim(暗淡的) light helps people to loosen up. If that is true generally, keeping the light low during dinner or at parties could increase relaxation. Researchers of Harvard Medical School also discovered that furniture with rounded edges could help visitors relax.
So far scientists have focused mainly on public buildings. "We have a very limited number of studies, so we're almost looking at the problem through a straw(吸管)," architect David Allison says. "How do you take answers to very specific questions and make broad, generalized use of them? That's what we're all struggling with."
What does Joan Meyers-Levy focus on in her research?
A. Light. B. Ceilings. C. Windows. D. Furniture.
The passage tells us that ______.
A. the shape of furniture may affect people's feelings
B. lower ceilings may help improve students' creativity
C. children in a dim classroom may improve their grades
D. students in rooms with unblocked views may feel relaxed
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that ______.
A. the problem is not approached step by step
B. the researches so far have faults in themselves
C. the problem is too difficult for researchers to detect
D. research in this area is not enough to make generalized patterns
70. Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?
CP: Central Point P: Point SP: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion