Every person has their own way of saying things, their own special expressions. Many everyday American expressions are based on colours.
Red is a hot colour. Americans often use it to express heat. They may say they are red hot about something unfair. When they are red hot they are very angry about something. The small hot tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their colour and their fiery taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a cool colour. The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music. Blues is slow, sad and soulful. Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song—Mood Indigo—about the deep blue colour, indigo. In the words of the song: “You aren’t blue till you’ve had that Mood Indigo.” Someone who is blue is very sad.
The colour green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural colour for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as his friend’s, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars of greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the colour of the back side of the paper money.
The colour black is often used in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a black day. The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day. A blacklist is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.If you had your wallet stolen while doing some shopping, you may call it _____.
| A．a white day |
| B．a black day |
| C．a red day |
| D．a green day |
Suppose Mr. Brown says he is very happy because his three children are all in the pink, this means all his children are .
| A．lucky and wealthy |
| B．gentle and modest |
| C．fit and healthy |
| D．creative and energetic |
When she got home and found nothing had been done by her husband, Jane was really .
| A．red hot |
| B．green |
| C．blue |
| D．black |
In the following paragraph, the writer might tell the reader something about .
| A．unpopular organizations in the world |
| B．people’s response towards a black day |
| C．the influence of the traditional blues |
| D．more words about a colour, such as brown |
Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy---they’re given after all. Choice can be hard.
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2300 percent per year. I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me, I had just turned 30 years old , and I’d been married for a year, I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t , and I wasn’t sure what to expect, MacKenzie told me I should go for it. As a young boy, I’d been a garage inventor, I’d always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my passion.
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people, and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park, listened carefully to me, and finally said, “That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job.” That logic made some sense to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision. Seen in that light, it really was a difficult choice, but ultimately, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing. And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.
After much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion, and I’m proud of that choice, For all of us, in the end, we are our choice.What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?
| A．His dream of being an inventor. |
| B．The support of his wife. |
| C．The greatly increasing usage of the Internet. |
| D．Millions of exciting titles. |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?
| A．The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him. |
| B．He would be very excited if he tried it out. |
| C．He would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try. |
| D．The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him. |
We can know from the passage that ______.
| A．the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author |
| B．the author wanted someone else to try the idea |
| C．the author might not regret if he failed the idea |
| D．the author might go back to his boss if he failed |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Cleverness and Kindness | B．The Starting of Amazon |
| C．Following My Passion | D．We Are What We Choose |
It is important for countries to develop. Sometimes development can do more harm than good for a country. Therefore, this development needs to be different from past development, which polluted the environment and wasted natural resources. One possible solution to this problem now being discussed is sustainable development. It focuses on preserving the environment and natural resources. It is all about creating better health care, education, housing and improved standard of living for everyone. This is a simple idea, but one that is hard to put into practice. However, it is something that we must do, because without sustainable development our future and the lives of our children and our grandchildren will be in danger.
Nearly everything we do in our modern lives requires the use of the Earth’s natural resources. These natural resources provide the energy for many important things. The list is almost endless. For all these things, we mostly depend on fuels such as coal, gas and oil to produce energy. We are now consuming these fuels at a much higher rate than they are being produced. On top of this, burning these fuels produces carbon dioxide, which is harmful to the environment. This is why many people are pushing for the use of alternative energy sources.
Alternative energy sources can be used without running out. Some examples of the alternatives are solar energy, wind energy and hydroelectricity. As people are becoming more aware of the need to protect the environment, these types of energy are becoming more and more popular.
In many parts of the world, tentative(试验性的) steps are being taken to introduce these forms of alternative energy. For example, some people in Nigeria are training to use solar power, and in Costa Rica, people are now using hydroelectricity to provide power for their small villages. The introduction of programmes like these will hopefully help end the systematic destruction of the environment and see alternative energy promoted around the world. This will mean good things for our future, our children’s future and our grandchildren’s future.We know from the passage that sustainable development _________.
| A．means to develop slowly |
| B．can bring little good to the people |
| C．has ended the environmental destruction |
| D．is an idea being discussed |
It is important to preserve the natural resources because they _________.
| A．consume the energy for important things |
| B．are running out |
| C．provide the energy for people to use |
| D．are being produced at a high rate |
Hydroelectricity means ___________.
| A．using the sun to provide electricity |
| B．using wind power to produce electricity |
| C．using water power to produce electricity |
| D．using water to protect the environment |
What is the author’s attitude toward sustainable development?
| A．Critical. | B．Positive. |
| C．Tolerant. | D．Doubtful. |
Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family were rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied: “Things aren’t always what they seem.”
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable(好客的)farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had，the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning，the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, “How could this happen?” “Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house,” she accused. “The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help.”
“Things aren’t always what they seem.” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement，I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal(封口) the wall so he wouldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.”The younger angel was very angry because .
| A．the older angel treated the two families unfairly. |
| B．the older angel killed the farmer’s cow. |
| C．the wealthy man gave them a bad place to live. |
| D．the angel of death took the cow away. |
Why did the older angel let the farmer’s cow die?
| A．Because she wanted to save the farmer’s wife. |
| B．Because she wanted to teach the younger angel a lesson. |
| C．Because she was sympathetic to the rich. |
| D．Because God wanted the older angel to take the cow. |
The story tries to tell the reader that .
| A．the young should always learn from the old |
| B．angels are always ready to help the poor. |
| C．angels are always ready to help the rich. |
| D．sometimes things are not what they seem. |
Every student wants to learn English well, but how can we learn it well? It’s a good topic for English learners. Here are some good methods, which can help you improve your English quickly.
First of all, you must have correct attitude. Please love English, not hate it. And you don’t feel shy when you say or speak English. Remember one sentence: Put your face in your pocket.
Secondly, I think grammar rules, new words and phrases are important, but they are not enough. For example, some people are quite good at grammar and learned a lot of English words and phrases. But they can’t speak English when they meet foreign friends.
The most effective way to learn English well is to often use English. Don’t be afraid and don’t laugh at others. We’d better listen, speak, read and write more. You can go to English corner, talk with foreigners or talk with your friends. If you have time, listen to the radio or English program. Listening to this good material can help you improve your listening and understanding. And then, you can read English books, newspapers or novels. They are wonderful. You can use the internet, chat with net-friends or write E-mails, dairies …Through these ways, you can get more for your English.
English isn’t so difficult that we can’t learn it well. As long as we set our mind to learn English well, I’m sure everyone will be successful.The underlined sentence “Put your face in your pocket.” suggests that____
| A．you should love English |
| B．you should not let others recognize your face |
| C．you should try not to make mistakes when speaking English |
| D．You should not feel shy when using English |
In the writer’s opinion,_____
| A．English learners should not spend time on grammar rules, new words and phrases. |
| B．Grammar rules, new words and phrases are the most important thing for an English learner. |
| C．If you are good at grammar, your spoken English will be bad. |
| D．Learning grammar rules, new words and phrases is only part of English learning. |
The writer gives the following tips EXCEPT____
| A．go to English corner |
| B．communicate with people in English |
| C．travel in English-speaking countries |
| D．write English diaries |
Tomato Festival
Started in 2005, the Tomato Festival has grown into a local tradition in Malta． In recent years, the festival has added amusement park-style rides and a yearly Creature Feature, which screens old horrible movies．There are also dance competitions, parades and pancake breakfast．Third weekend in August．
Address: 833 Tinkham Rd, Fountain Park, Wilbra-ham, Massachusetts 01095
Phone: （413）599-0010
Brat Days
Don't mistake this festival for a day filled with poorly behaved children． Begun in 1953, the gathering is the biggest festival in the city each year and features more than 50 stands selling the sausage, as well as a contest to see who can quickly eat the most bratwurst in ten minutes．Early August．
Address: 17th and New Jersey sts, Kiwanis Park, She boygan, Wisconsin 53081
Phone: （920）457-9491
Hope Watermelon Festival
The festival dates back to the 1920s, when many trains went through this small town and local watermelon growers would sell their watermelon to parched travelers．These days, the festival sees a Watermelon Queen crowned（加冠的） and sometimes a world-record watermelon grown．There are also more than 300 stands selling arts and crafts from a six-state area, as well as a car show and the Watermelon Olympics．Early August．
Address: 108 W 3rd St, Hope, Arkansas 71801
Phone: （870） 777-3640
Oyster Festival （牡蛎节）
Featuring appearances from tall ships and oyster boats, this festival has regularly drawn 60,000 visitors a year since it began in 1978．More than 3,000 volunteers make the festival possible each year．Norwalk is less than a two-hour drive from many of New England's larger cities, making it easy to attend the festival during a trip to New York or Hartford．Weekend after Labor Day．
Address: Sea view Ave, Veteran's Park, East Nor-walk, Connecticut 06855
Phone: （800） 866-7925Which of the following festivals has the longest history?
| A．Oyster Festival | B．Hope Watermelon Festival |
| C．Brat Days | D．Tomato Festival |
The underlined word "parched" in the third passage means _____.
| A．tired | B．hungry | C．thirsty | D．excited |
In which of the following activities can you enjoy the frightening films?
| A．The Creature Feature |
| B．The Watermelon Olympics |
| C．The Eating-bratwurst Contest |
| D．Dance Competitions |
If it is August 15 today this year, you might still attend _____.
| A．Brat Days | B．Oyster Festival |
| C．Hope Watermelon Festival | D．Tomato Festival |