On October 19, 1959, the first Special English program was broadcast on the Voice of America. It was an experiment. The goal was to communicate by radio in clear and simple English with people whose native language is not English. Experts said the goal was admirable, but the method would not work. They were proved wrong. The Special English programs quickly became some of the most popular on VOA. And they still are.
Forty years later, Special English continues to communicate with people who are not fluent in English. But during the years its role has expanded. It also helps people learn American English. And it provides listeners, even those who are native English speakers, with information they cannot find elsewhere.
Today, Special English broadcasts around the world seven days a week, five times a day. Each half-hour broadcast begins with ten minutes of the latest news followed by 20 minutes of feature programming. There is a different short feature every weekday about science, development, agriculture and environment, and on the weekend, about news events and American idioms.
Three elements make Special English unique. It has a limited vocabulary of 1500 words. Most are simple words that describe objects, actions or emotions. Some are more difficult. They are used for reporting world events and describing discoveries in medicine and science. Special English is written in short, simple sentences that contain only one idea. No idioms are used. And Special English is spoken at a slower pace, about two-thirds the speed of Standard English. This helps people learning English hear each word clearly. It also helps people who are English speakers understand complex subjects.
Through the years, Special English has become a very popular tool for teaching English, even though it was not designed as teaching program. It succeeds in helping people learn English in a non-traditional way. Individuals record the programs and play them over and over to practice their listening skills. In countries around the world, English teachers assign Special English to their students. They praise it for improving their students' ability to understand American English and for the content of the programs. Universities and private companies in many countries produce packages of Special English materials for student use.
At the beginning, Special English program was .
| A．well received |
| B．rejected by native people |
| C．doubted by some professionals |
| D．intended for teaching English |
What kind of English is spoken on Special English?
| A．British English. |
| B．American English. |
| C．Both British and American English. |
| D．Not certain. |
Which of the following are the elements that make Special English unique?
a. limited vocabulary
b. short simple sentences
c. good communication method
d. slow speed
e. interesting feature programming
| A．a, b, c | B．a, c, d |
| C．a, b, d | D．b, d, e |
From the last paragraph we can infer that .
| A．listening to Special English can be a student’s homework |
| B．listening to Special English can improve the content of the program |
| C．some student record the Special English material for sale |
| D．learning English from VOA is a traditional way for English learner. |
Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh, and do things with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We don’t always want people around. But we will feel lonely if we never have a friend.
No two people are just the same. Sometimes friends don’t get along well. That doesn’t mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will make up and go on being friends. Sometimes friends move away. Then we feel very sad. We miss them very much. But we call them and write to them. It could be that we would even see them again. And we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them.
Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men or women who have been friendly to people in a town. Some libraries are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.
There’s more good news for people who have friends. They live longer than people who don’t. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. If someone cares about you, you will feel good.The first paragraph tells us.
| A．what the feeling of having no friends is |
| B．we always need friends around us |
| C．making friends is a need in people’s life |
| D．we need to be alone in our life |
Which of the following places people name after their friendly people is NOT mentioned (提到) in the passage?
| A．A town. | B．A room. |
| C．A school. | D．A library. |
Why do people who have friends live longer?
| A．They know more about friendship. |
| B．They feel happier and healthier. |
| C．They take less care of themselves. |
| D．They care more about their friends. |
King’s College Winter School is an annual(每年的) training program for all the high school students who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King’s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year’s winter school will be from November 1 to December 15. More information is as follows:
| Application(申请) date Students in New York should send their applications before October, 18, 2014. Students of other cities should send their applications before October 16, 2014. Foreign students should send their applications before October 10, 2014. |
Courses English Language Spoken English:22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours American History: 16 hours American Culture:16 hours |
| Steps A letter of self-introduction A letter of recommendation(推荐) ★ The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. |
Cost Daily lesson:＄200 Sports and activities: ＄100 Travels: ＄200 Hotel service: ＄400 ★ You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. |
| Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King`s Street New York, NY 10016, USA Email: KC-Winter-School@yahoo.com |
You can most probably read the text in _____________.
| A．a newspaper | B．a travel guide |
| C．a textbook | D．a telephone book |
Which of the following is TRUE about King’s College Winter School?
| A．Only top students can take part in the program. |
| B．King’s College Winter School is not organized every year. |
| C．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| D．Only the teachers of King’s College give courses. |
If you are to live in your friend’s home in New York, you will have to pay the school_________.
| A．＄200 | B．＄400 | C．＄500 | D．＄900 |
What information can you get from the text?
| A．The program will last 2 months |
| B．You can write to Thompson only in English. |
| C．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on October 14, 2014. |
| D．You can get in touch with the school by telephone or by e-mail. |
Students who say they never or hardly ever used dictionaries may speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes.
The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every new word do not read fast. Therefore they do not have time to read much. Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give only one or two words as translations of English. But one English word often has many translations in a foreign language and one foreign word has many translations in English.
The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them too often. When they are reading, these students first try to get the general idea and understand new words from the context (上下文). Then they reread and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. If they are not sure how to spell a word, they always use a dictionary. Also, if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form, they check this in a dictionary.The writer thinks that .
| A．choose a good dictionary, and you’ll be successful in learning English |
| B．dictionaries are not necessary to the students who learn English |
| C．it is very important for students to use good dictionaries in a right way |
| D．using dictionaries very often can’t help to improve writing |
Which is NOT talked about in this passage?
| A．How to make good use of a dictionary. |
| B．When to use a dictionary. |
| C．How to improve spoken English. |
| D．How to practice reading fast. |
When does the writer advise students to use a good dictionary?
| A．At the beginning of the reading |
| B．At the end of the reading |
| C．During the first reading |
| D．After the first reading |
This passage mainly tells us .
| A．that students shouldn’t use small two-language dictionaries |
| B．what the shortcomings of small two-language dictionaries are |
| C．why students should use large college edition dictionaries |
| D．what dictionary students should choose and how to use it |
We’re surrounded by chemistry in everyday life. Sometimes it is easy to see, like when your science teacher does a big experiment in class. At other times, it can be pretty hard to see everyday chemistry at work, but nearly everything you touch or use has some element of chemistry in it.
Something as simple as toothpaste contains at least three chemicals, if not more. It is the mixture of them and its chemical reaction that keeps your teeth clean. Other things you use every day are created by chemistry, such as hair products, shampoo and soap. Adding detergent (洗涤剂) to water involves chemistry. Without chemistry, we would never have known that we need soap to get the oil out of clothes or skin. Chemistry not only helps us make products for use, but it also helps us understand the world around us. Chemistry helps us understand what the ozone layer (臭氧层) is and how it protects us.
Chemistry also gives us sunscreen to protect us from the sun. Thanks to chemistry, we know bleach (漂白剂) can’t be mixed with vinegar, because it can produce poisonous gas. Without chemistry, we wouldn’t have fireworks displays on important days.
Chemistry plays a big role in food preparation. Cooking food causes it to go through a chemical change. That is why cooked food often tastes different from raw food. Baking is a great example of chemistry. Too much or too little of any ingredient makes a difference to the result of baking, for example, the dough (面团) won’t rise or the cake will be flat.
Chemistry isn’t something that just lives in a lab; it’s something that you meet hundreds of times every day. Knowing how chemistry works will give you a greater understanding of the science behind some of the simplest looking things.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 1?
| A．Chemistry is easy to see around us. |
| B．Sometimes chemistry is hard to see around us. |
| C．How a science teacher does a big experiment. |
| D．Few things in everyday life contain chemistry. |
The following actions are about chemistry EXCEPT _____.
| A．cleaning teeth with toothpaste |
| B．washing hair with hair products |
| C．using soap to get the oil out of clothes |
| D．washing your face with water |
The underlined word “poisonous” in Paragraph 3 means _____.
| A．harmful | B．healthy |
| C．fresh | D．pleasant |
Which one is TRUE according to Paragraph 4?
| A．One can’t find chemistry when cooking food. |
| B．Chemistry plays an important part in food making. |
| C．That dough rises is nothing to do with chemistry. |
| D．A flat cake is the result of too many ingredients. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Chemistry around the House |
| B．Chemistry in Science |
| C．Chemistry for Dinner |
| D．Chemistry in Everyday Life |
The English language is the result of the invasion(入侵) of the island of Britain over many hundreds of years.The first invasions were by a people called Angles about 1, 500 years ago. The Angles were a German tribe who crossed the English Channel(英吉利海峡). Later two more groups crossed to Britain. They were the Saxons and the Jutes. Through many years, the Saxons, Angles and the Jutes mixed their different languages. The result is what is called Anglo-Saxon or old English.
The next great invasion of Britain was done by Vikings about 1, 100 years ago. Many English words used today come from these ancient Vikings.
The next invasion of Britain took place more than 900 years ago, in 1066. History experts call this invasion the Norman Conquest. The Normans were a French-speaking people from Normandy in the north of France. These new rulers(统治者) spoke only French for several hundred years. It was the most important language in the world at that time. It was the language of educated people. But the common people of Britain still spoke old English.
Old English took many words from the Norman French. Some of these include “damage”, “prison”, and “marriage”. The French language used by the Norman rulers greatly changed the way English was spoken 800 years ago. English became what language experts call Middle English. Middle English sounds like Modern English. But it is difficult to understand now. The history of the English language continues as Middle English becomes Modern English, which is spoken today.Who was the first invaders(入侵者) of Britain?
| A．The Angles. | B．The Saxons. |
| C．The Jutes. | D．The Normans. |
How many groups of invaders are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Three. | B．Four. |
| C．Five. | D．Six. |
Which of the following is TURE about Middle English?
| A．It sounds like Old English. |
| B．It’s quite different from Modern English. |
| C．Few people understand it now. |
| D．It stopped developing. |
During the rule of the Normans, the language people spoke showed their ______.
| A．races (种族) | B．social positions |
| C．ability | D．names |
What is mainly discussed in this passage?
| A．The historical invasions of Britain. |
| B．Other languages that have influenced English. |
| C．The origin (起源) and development of English. |
| D．Old English and Modern English. |