Every day, 340 million people speak it. One billion people are learning it and it is said that by 2050, half of the world’s population will be using it. What are we talking about? That is the global language—English.
The English language started in Britain in the 5th century. It is a mixed language. It was built up when German. Scandinavian and French invaders settled in England and created a common language for communication.
Today it is the official language of the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Ireland as well as many islands in the Caribbean. Many other countries and regions use it for politics and business, for example, India. Pakistan, Nigeria and the Philippines. English is also one of the official languages of Hong Kong.
But global advertising and pop music mean that in most countries, you will see or hear some English. Thanks to McDonalds, we all know about “burgers”. “fries” and “milkshakes”. Songs by Madonna, Britney Spears and Celine Dion are in English. We can sing along, even if we do not understand what we are singing!
English is a messy (杂乱的) language. Every year, dictionaries include new words that talk about popular culture, for example, computer-related words such as "blogging", "download" and "chartroom". Also included are words that teenagers use. Who does not know “cool”, “OK” and “hello”? Other languages also influence English. Many English words come from French. Words like “café” and expressions like “c'est la vie” (that is life) are all part of the English language. On the other hand, the French language includes English words like "le weekend" and "le camping". German words are also part of English. Words like "kindergarten" come from the German language.
Recently, British people have become interested in “yoga”. But the word comes from an ancient Hindu language in India.The English language has a history of ______.
| A．over 2000 years | B．over 1500 years |
| C．over 500 years | D．over 1000 years |
The underlined expression “thanks to” can be replaced by ______.
| A．as usual | B．in order to |
| C．because of | D．as if. |
Which of the following statements is true about the language of English?
| A．It has borrowed words from all the other languages. |
| B．It has been changing all the time. |
| C．French words are used by the English because dictionaries have French words. |
| D．Singers and film stars have the greatest influence on language. |
How many people in the world are using English now?
| A．One billion people. |
| B．not mentioned above, but the number is growing rapidly. |
| C．almost all the people in the world. |
| D．340 million. |
Many countries and regions use it for politics and business except______.
| A．Norway | B．Nigeria |
| C．the Philippines | D．the USA |
Fat and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team " Football, tennis, cricket - anything with a round ball．I was useless," he says now with a laugh．But back then he was the one always made fun of in school gym classes in Devonshire, England．
It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him．At first he went biking alone in a nearby forest．Then he began to ride the bike along with a runner friend． Gradually, Saunders set his mind on building up his body, increasing his speed and strength．At the age of 18, he ran his first marathon．
The following year, he met John Ridgway and was hired as an instructor at Ridgway's School of Adventure in Scotland, where he learnt about Ridgway's cold - water exploits．Greatly interested, Saunders read all he could about North Pole explorers and adventures, then decided that this would be his future．
In 2001, after becoming a skillful skier, Saunders started his first long - distance expedition towards the North Pole．It took unbelievable energy．He suffered frostbite （冻疮） ,ran into a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit, pulling his supply -loaded sled （雪橇） up and over rocky ice． Next October, Saunders, 27, heads south from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, a 2900 - kilometer journey that has never been completed on skis．What change happened to Saunders after he was 15 yeas old?
| A．He became good at most sports． |
| B．He began to build up his body． |
| C．He joined a sports team． |
| D．He made friends with a runner． |
The underlined word "exploits" （Paragraph 3） is closest in meaning to______．
| A．journeys | B．researches |
| C．adventures | D．operations |
Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Saunders?
a．He ran his first marathon． b．He skied alone in the North Pole．
c．He rode his bike in a forest,d．He planned an adventure to the South Pole．
| A．acdb | B．cdab | C．acbd | D．cabd |
What does the story mainly tell us about Saunders?
| A．He is a success in sports． |
| B．He is the best British skier． |
| C．He is Ridgway's favorite student． |
| D．He is good instructor at school． |
In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities (品质) of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability (可靠).
Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person's place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults (过错) in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on (信赖) a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.
There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience (经验) and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor (幽默), too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I've found a friend!Which of the following qualities the writer thinks is the most important in choosing a friend?
| A．understanding. | B．honesty. |
| C．reliability. | D．a sense of humor. |
If you have fair-weather friends, ______ .
| A．they will give you all that they have when you need help |
| B．you will be refused when you get into trouble |
| C．you will become rich |
| D．you can be sure that you get real friends |
Good friends need to ______.
| A．always point out each other's mistakes |
| B．be helped with money |
| C．understand each other's feelings |
| D．have money or luck |
This passage mainly discuss ______ .
| A．the qualities of a friend |
| B．where to choose friends |
| C．how to get along with friends |
| D．the importance of having a friend |
The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on the earth, is of great importance to African ecosystem(生态系统). Unlike other animals, the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big plant-eater, it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna(大草原) surroundings in which it lives, therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat.
It is the elephant’s great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and underbushes, and pulls branches off big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas(热带草原). In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.
Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state, the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants, elephants make open spaces, allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations, the forests become suitable for large hoofed plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Disappearance of African elephants. |
| B．Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants. |
| C．The effect of African elephants’ search for food. |
| D．The eating habit of African elephants. |
What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?
| A．Fixing the time. | B．Worsening the state. |
| C．Improving the quality. | D．Deciding the conditions. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The African elephant is the largest animal on the earth. |
| B．African elephants have 300 pounds of plants every day, including small trees and underbushes. |
| C．The African elephant is in a way the builder of the environment like other land animals. |
| D．If the African elephant disappears, the whole ecosystem won’t be affected. |
The passage is developed mainly by .
| A．showing the effect and then explaining the causes |
| B．pointing out similarities and differences |
| C．describing the changes in space order |
| D．giving examples |
Traveling can be a way to gain life experiences，especially during Spring Break—a week long school vacation in the United States. But what if you're a student and don't have enough money for a trip？Don't worry. Here are some useful suggestions.
Save：This probably is the most important preparation for traveling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you'll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.
Plan ahead：Don't wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings.
Do your homework：No matter where you go，research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.
Plan sensibly：Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.
Travel in groups：Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences.
Work as you go：Need more money to support your trip？Look for work in the places you visit.
Go off the beaten path：Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesserknown area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights.
Pack necessary things：The most important things to take are not always clothes. Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.
Use the Internet：The net can help to save money. Some useful websites include www.bargainslowestfare.com_and_www.Economictravel.com.
By planning sensibly，even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.This passage is about________.
| A．how to plan your travel |
| B．how to travel with enough money |
| C．how to make your travel interesting |
| D．how to get life experiences |
Before your trip，the first thing you should do is________.
| A．to make a plan of the route |
| B．to get information from the Internet |
| C．to save money by spending less |
| D．to buy tickets in advance |
The writer advises you________.
| A．to share costs with any other people |
| B．not to go to wellknown places |
| C．not to visit dangerous places |
| D．to buy anything you want to buy |
During your trip，________.
| A．you need more shoes than clothes |
| B．you shouldn't look for work all the way |
| C．you can gain valuable life experiences |
| D．you should forget to do your homework |
Wherever she goes, Molly leaves her mark. Without saying a word, she speaks to people with her kind eyes. Even when she walks away, she leaves an impression．Molly’s mark is a smile, stamped into the ground by the horseshoe at the bottom of her false leg．
A few years ago, Molly was badly attacked by a dog．The dog bit all four of Molly’s legs and left large cuts in her face. Molly’s owner, Kate Harris, took her to an animal hospital．Doctors there were able to save Molly’s life, but soon one of her legs became very infected(感染).
At first, doctors thought Molly would have to be put to sleep．But Molly changed their minds. This pony, doctors noticed, shifted her weight, and rested her good leg from time to time. Doctors knew that Molly had amazing intelligence, and that she wanted to live.
Several doctors operated on Molly, and removed her infected leg. A false leg was made for her. The leg was a hollow cast with a pole at the bottom for balance. Doctors gave Molly a special horseshoe at the bottom of the leg. This horseshoe she had had a stamp of a smile face in it!
After the operation, Molly walked around on all four legs, as if nothing had ever happened to her! Now, with every step she takes, she stamps a smile in the dirt．But she leaves her m ark in other ways, too.
Kaye Harris took Molly to the false leg center. There were children there who, like Molly, had artificial arms or legs. They were amazed to see a pony with a false leg. Molly made them smile and gave them hope. Soon, Molly began to visit schools, nursing homes, army bases and hospitals. A book was even written about Molly!Molly is the name of a . .
| A．dog | B．horse | C．parent | D．child |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．Molly can speak to people in kind words. |
| B．Kay Harris took Molly to a children’s hospital after the attack. |
| C．In the beginning, doctors had planned to end Molly’s life. |
| D．Molly sometimes leaves smiling marks on people’s faces. |
What is unique about Molly?
| A．Molly has a false leg with a horseshoe shaped like a smiling face. |
| B．Molly ran a race and won the first prize. |
| C．Molly often visits places such as schools and parks. |
| D．Molly has become a symbol of hope for people of all ages. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Book on Molly | B．A False Leg |
| C．A successful Operation | D．Leaving her Mark |