Among the four skills in learning English,which one of these is the “odd-man-out”? The answer is speaking.The other three you can do alone on your own.But you can’t really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be “dangerous” because men in white coats may come and take you away!
Where can you find people to speak English? And how can you practise speaking when you are alone?
At school If you pay to go to a language school, you should use the opportunity to speak.If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students, try to say as much as possible.Don’t worry about your mistakes.Just speak!
Conversation Clubs Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one language for another.Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you.They are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee.
Shopping Even if you don’t want to buy anything,you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop.“How much does this cost?” ‘‘Can I pay by cheque?” Often you can start a real conversation-and it costs you nothing!
Café and Bars There are often American,Britain,Irish and Australlan bars in many large cities.If you can find one,you’ll probably meet many people speaking English as a first or second language.
Language ia all aroundyou Everywhere you go,you find language.Shop names,street names,advertisements,notices,and car numbers—When you walk down the street,practise reading the words and numbers that you see.Say them to yourself. It’s not exactly a conversation, but it will help you to“think” in English.But don’t speak too loud!
Songs and Video Repeat the words of an English—language song singing with the music until it becomes automatic.It’s good practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English.
Above all, speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you have made a mistake,you know that you have made progress!What does “odd-man-out” probably mean according to the passage?
A.Someone or something appearing different from the others. |
B.Someone or something standing out of the group. |
C.Someone or something arranged in pairs. |
D.Someone or something that can be easily mistaken for another. |
What might happen if you speak to yourself loudly in public?
A.The police will take you away and punish you. |
B.The doctors will force you to stay in hospital. |
C.You will have to pay to escape being punished. |
D.You will be forbidden to be member of the club. |
In which places can you learn English NOT free of charge?
A.At school, in conversation clubs and café and bars. |
B.At school, in shops and café bars. |
C.In conversation clubs,shops,songs and video. |
D.In conversation clubs and in the streets. |
Why does the writer say “Make as many mistakes as possible”? Because .
A.everyone will make mistakes in learning English |
B.everyone will meet people speaking English with some mistakes |
C.making mistakes is a must in making progress in learning English |
D.making mistakes can make one realize the importance of speaking |
According to the passage,which way is NOT likely to be accepted by English beginners?
A.Recite poems loudly along the riverside. |
B.Listen to some English fashion songs and video. |
C.Find an Englishman to speak English with. |
D.In class, try to practise in groups or pairs. |
As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress is, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.
A.they do not know how to enjoy themselves | |
B.they do not believe that relaxation is important for health | C.they are travelling fast all the time |
D.they are becoming busier with their work |
According to the writer, the most important character for a good manager is his ________.
A.not fearing stress | B.knowing the art of relaxation |
C.high sense of responsibility | D.having control over performance |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.We can find some ways to avoid stress. |
B.Stress is always harmful to people. |
C.It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work. |
D.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress. |
In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______.
A."making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'" |
B."reaction to stress both chemically and physically" |
C."responding to crises quickly" |
D."losing heart at the signs difficulties" |
In the last sentence of the passage, "do so " refers to ______.
A."expose ourselves to stress" |
B."find ways to deal with stress" |
C."remove stress from our lives" |
D."established links between diseases and stress" |
One hot night last July, when our new baby wouldn’t or couldn’t sleep, I tried everything I could think of : a warm bottle, songs gentle rocking. Nothing would settle him down. Guessing that I would have a long night ahead of me, I brought a portable (便携式)TV into his room, figuring that watching the late movie was as good a way as any to kill off the hours till dawn. To my surprise, as soon as the TV lit up, the baby quieted right now, his little eyes focused brightly on the tube. Not to waste an opportunity for sleep, I then walked out of the room, leaving him to watch the actors celebrate John Bellushi's forty-fifth birthday.
My wife and I heard no more of the baby that night, and the next morning when I went into his room, I found him still watching TV himself. I found in my baby's a metaphor(启示)for the new generation. My wife and I had given him some books to examine, but he merely spit upon them. When we read to him, he did not feel comfortable. And so it is in the schools. We find that our students don't read , that they look down upon reading and scold those of us who teach it. All they want to do is watching TV.
After this experience with the baby, however, I have reached a conclusion: “Let them watch it!” If television is that much more attractive to children than books, why should we fight it? Let them watch it all they want! Father brought a TV set into his son's room____.
A.to stop his son crying | B.to let him learn something |
C.to make him frightened | D.to let his son spend a good night |
To the couple’s surprise the boy ___after they brought a TV set into his room.
A.soon fell asleep | B.cried all that night |
C.became quiet and silent | D.slept quite well that night |
Form the last paragraph we know that the writer thinks it____.
A.terrible for children to watch so many TV programmes |
B.useless for parents to blame their children |
C.necessary for TV stations to improve their TV programmes |
D.favorable for children to watch the programmes they like |
There are many commonly held beliefs about eyeglasses and eyesight that are not proved facts. For example, some people believe that wearing glasses too soon weaken the eyes. But there is nothing to show that the structure (结构) of eyes is changed by wearing galsses at a young age. Wearing the wrong galsses, however, can prove harmful. Studies show that only children can develop loss of sihgt if they have the wrong glasses. We have all heard some of the common myths(荒诞的说法)about how eyesight get bad. Too little light makes the eyes work harder, so they do get tired and strained (过劳). Eyestrain also resulsts from reading a lot, reading in bed, and watching too much television. But, although eyestrain may cause some pain or headaches, it does not harm eyesight all the time. Another myth about eyes is that they can be replaced from one person to another . It is quite difficult to connect aneyeball to a new brain.And it is impossible to replace a whole eyeball to a new person. Only certain parts of the eye can be replaced now. But if we keep clearing up the myths and learning more about the eyes, some day it may be possible to replace a full eyeball.One cause of eyestrain mentioned in the passage is ____. .
A.wearing eyeglasses too long | B.going to the cinemas |
C.reading a lot | D.not visiting your eye doctor |
From this passage one can conclude that ____. .
A.doctors are still learning things about eyesight | B.headcaches are usually caused by eyestain |
C.people should wear glasses as soon as possible | D.people only believe things that are proved facts |
"Commonly held beliefs" are ____. .
A.ideas that only low class people believe | B.ideas that moet people believe |
C.beliefs that have something in common | D.foolish beliefs |
This passage mainly tells us that ____.
A.people have many wrong beliefs about eyes and sight. |
B.there are many things about the body that are not completely understood |
C.there are several cuases of eyestrain |
D.eyes are very important to people |
Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers (青少年). But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son. Suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. "The door to his room is always shut," Joanna noted.
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. "She used to cuddle up (蜷伏)with me on the sofa and talk," said Mark. "Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring out which time is which."
Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what's on their minds. "In fact, parents are first on the list," said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. "This completely changes during the teen years," Riera explained. "They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last."
Parents who know what's going on in their teenagers' lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.. "The door to his room is always shut" suggests that the son ____.
A.is always busy with his studies | B.doesn't want to be disturbed |
C.keeps himself away from his parents | D.begins to dislike his parents |
What troubles Tina and Mark most is that .
A.their daughter isn't as lovely as before |
B.they can't read their daughter's mind exactly |
C.they don't know what to say to their daughter |
D.their daughter talks with them only when she needs help |
Which of the following best explains "the wall of silence" in the last paragraph?
A.Teenagers talk a lot with their friends. |
B.Teenagers do not want to understand their parents. |
C.Teenagers do not talk much with their parents. |
D.Teenagers talk little about their own lives. |
What can be learned from the passage?
A.Parents are unhappy with their growing children. |
B.Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers. |
C.Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers. |
D.Parents should try to understand their teenagers. |
475 Riverside Drive
New York N.Y. 10027
Jan.15, 2011
Dear John,
I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped(鼓掌)every time you walked on stage(舞台). Even the other actors loved you.
All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famouse actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time.
Love,
JaneJane wrote this letter because____.
A.she wanted John to get a part in the play he was trying out for |
B.she wanted to tell John that he shouldn't give up acting. |
C.she wanted to tell John how to become an actor. |
D.she was unhappy with John. |
Jane talks about other actors to show Jon that ____.
A.they are as bad as he is | B.acting is a hard life |
C.they sometimes get turned down for parts they want | D.they are lucky enough |
What does Jane think of John?
A.He is a good actor, and some day he will be successful. |
B.He is too easily dicouraged to become a good actor. |
C.He is a better actor than the person who has got the part. |
D.He is as unlucky as the other actors. |
The person who wrote this letter probably ____.
A.is an actress. | B.cares about John |
C.wants to be an actress some day | D.envies at John's success. |