Recently, I came across an interesting article on the differences between British English and American English. I had a lot of fun reading it and thinking of as many differences as I could as an American.
Their cars have “bonnets(发动机罩)”，while ours have “hoods”. They park their cars in a “car park” while we leave our in a “parking lot”. Our “cookies” are their “biscuits”, while their “rubbers” are our “erasers”.
Then there are the food words. Would you want to eat something called “Toad in the Hole” or “Bangers and Mash” or “Spotted Dick”? I’m here to report they are all very tasty. There are American equivalents(相等物)， of course. We’ve got “Shoofly Mud Pie”. What they call “crisps” is what we call “potato chips” and when we ask for “chips” in England we will get what we know at home in America as “French fries”.
They find it hysterical that we call the “toilet” the “bathroom” and they really double over (弯腰) with laughter when we ask for the “restroom”. American ladies in England who ask for the “little girl’s room” or the “power room” will be met with blank stares. A “fag” is a “cigarette” in the UK, which can lead to endless confusion for British visitors looking for a cigarette in America. Americans on the other hand are endlessly confused by English signs put up over doorways saying “Way Out”. We Americans walk on the sidewalk not the pavement. “Pavement” in America is the actual cement(水泥)the sidewalk is made of.What do British people call French fries?
| A．Chips. | B．Crisps. |
| C．Shoofly Pie. | D．Mississippi Mud Pie. |
The examples given at the end of the passage mainly show that ____.
| A．Americans don’t like dealing with the British |
| B．American English is very different from British English |
| C．English signs are very hard for people to understand |
| D．Americans and the British may find it hard to understand each other |
What does the underlined word “hysterical” in paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．Funny | B．Difficult | C．Perfect | D．Normal |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Some similar habits between Americans and the British. |
| B．Different communicating ways between Americans and the British. |
| C．Different body languages between Americans and the British. |
| D．Some differences between American English and British English. |
Denmark is one of the happiest nations on earth with some of the best quality of life. You don’t need statistics to understand the Dane’s happy lot. Walk around any Danish town and you’ll experience some of the most harmonious civic spaces anywhere. Their intimate scales and perfect transport systems combine the rich history and bold modern lines of the built environment to delight the eye, and the locals’ manners and sense of humor is refreshing.
Denmark’s capital Copenhagen is a remarkable city with well-preserved medieval streets, renowned art galleries, Michelin-starred restaurants and a healthy business center. Finding something to do is never a problem and if all else fails, just admiring the streets with a hotdog in hand is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours .
Beyond the capital and the bigger cities, Denmark offers a mix of lively towns such as Ribe and Odense plus rural countryside, medieval churches , Renaissance castles and tidy 18th-century villages.
The coastline of Denmark with its sand dunes and greenery is a sight that always attracts visitors. So, no matter what time of year you’re in Denmark, you shouldn’t miss out on a trip to the nearest beach .
It’s hard , in short , to find fault with the place. The visitor’s most heartfelt complaint is usually the cost of visiting Denmark. True, it is not a cheap destination , but no more so than the UK, and which nation’s public transport system would you rather use?
Cheer yourself up by thinking of the country’s remarkable organization and clockwork railway timetable as being financed by the extremely high taxes paid by your hosts. When viewed in this way , this first-rate destination seems like good value, and you get the fairy tales thrown in for free: the Danish royal family is genuinely loved and respected by the vast majority of its citizens, not least handsome Prince Frederik , his beautiful Australian-born princess-bride, Mar, and their young family.Which of the following words can best describe Danes ?
| A．Polite and humorous . | B．Happy and romantic. |
| C．Kind and friendly. | D．Out-going and humorous . |
The writer implies in the last two paragraphs that __________ .
| A．Visiting the U.K. will cost less than travelling in Denmark . |
| B．The transport system in the UK can’t equal that in Denmark . |
| C．People in Denmark pay high taxes to welcome visitors . |
| D．The Danish royal family plays an important role in politics . |
How does the passage mainly develop ?
| A．By providing examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By giving descriptions. | D．By following time order. |
What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage ?
| A．To introduce Danish culture . |
| B．To show the attractions of Denmark . |
| C．To share experiences of travelling in Denmark . |
| D．To describe the happy life people live in Denmark . |
Is the “Go to College” Message Overdone?
Even in a weak job market, the old college try isn’t the answer for everyone. A briefing paper from the Brookings Institution warns that “we may have overdone the message” on college, senior fellow Isabel Sawhill said.
“We’ve been telling students and their families for years that college is the only way to succeed in the economy and of course there’s a lot of truth to that,” Ms. Sawhill said. “On average it does pay off… But if you load up on a whole lot of student debt and then you don’t graduate, that is a very bad situation.”
One comment that people often repeat among the years of slow job growth has been the value of education for landing a job and advancing in a career. April’s national unemployment rate stood at 7.5%, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate for high-school graduates over 25 years old who hadn’t attended college was 7.4%, compared with 3.9% for those with a bachelor’s degree or more education. The difference is even bigger among those aged 16—24. The jobless rate for those with only a high school diploma in that age group is about 20%. At the same time, recent research by Canadian economists warns that a college degree is no guarantee of promising employment.
Ms. Sawhill pointed out that among the aspects that affect the value of a college education is the field of one’s major: Students in engineering or other sciences end up earning more than ones who major in the arts or education. The cost of tuition (学费) and the availability of financial aid are other considerations, with public institutions generally a better financial bargain than private ones.
She suggested two ways to improve the situation: increasing vocational (职业的)-technical training programs and taking a page from Europe’s focus on early education rather than post-secondary learning. “The European countries put a little more attention to getting people prepared in the primary grades,” she said. “Then they have a higher bar for whoever goes to college—but once you get into college, you’re more likely to be highly subsidized (资助).”
She also is a supporter of technical training—to teach students how to be plumbers, welders and computer programmers—because “employers are desperate” for workers with these skills.People usually think that.
| A．the cost of technical schooling is a problem |
| B．technical skills are most important for finding a job |
| C．one will not succeed without a college degree |
| D．there is an increased competition in getting into a college |
What does the underlined part “taking a page from” (in Para.5) possibly mean?
| A．Learning from. | B．Changing from. |
| C．Differing from. | D．Hearing from. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Public institutions charge more for education. |
| B．European universities are stricter with students. |
| C．Canadian students prefer to major in engineering. |
| D．Students with certain skills are in great demand. |
Ms. Sawhill may probably agree that .
| A．technical training is more important than college education |
| B．too much stress has been put on the value of college degrees |
| C．a college degree will ensure promising employment |
| D．it’s easier for art students to find favorite jobs |
There has been an outpouring of love for a 23-year-old disabled woman whose dog was killed in front of her while a groomer(美容师) tried to trim(修剪) its claws.
Calls and e-mails came from as far away as the Upper Peninsula and Arizona as well as Oakland and Macomb counties, offering Laurie Crouch, who uses a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis(硬化症), everything from dogs to money, such as that from Jason Daly of Roseville who said, “ I would like to buy her a new dog.”
A story about the death of Crouch’s pet, Gooch, was printed on the front page of Macomb Daily. Crouch said a man sat on the dog to trim its nails. Gooch died after one claw was trimmed.
Crouch yelled at the groomer to stop when she saw Gooch was struggling to breathe, but she said she was ignored. “If I could have walked, I would have put my hands on her and pulled her off my dog and physically stopped her, but I can’t do that.” Gooch was not a trained service animal, but naturally helped Crouch by picking up things for her.
“This case is absolute animal abuse(虐待),” Larry Obrecht, division manager of the Oakland County Animal Shelter in Auburn Hills, said.
People who read the story contacted Oakland Press to offer help. A message, from Rebecca Amett of Giggles N Wiggles Puppy Rescue, in Roseville, said, “We have puppies to donate … and want to help the young woman who lost her service dog.”
“When Gooch was with me, I was happy,” Crouch said, “I think I can be happy again but no animal can replace Gooch. There’s never going to be another Gooch out there but I think I will find a dog that can bring me joy again.”What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．A disabled woman’s service dog. |
| B．A cruel groomer killed a disabled woman’s dog. |
| C．People’s love for a disabled woman who lost her dog. |
| D．Disabled woman loves to have the dog as company. |
People called and emailed to .
| A．offer help and care to Laurie Crouch. |
| B．give their angry voice to the groomer. |
| C．offer a cure for Crouch’s disease. |
| D．tell Crouch how to punish the groomer. |
We can infer from the passage that .
| A．Crouch refused to take another dog. |
| B．Crouch must be sad after losing her dog. |
| C．Crouch has accepted another dog from a stranger. |
| D．Crouch can live well without a dog’s company. |
Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways .Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third, note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research for a report.
Whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.
The following methods may work best for you.
●Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.
●Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and
supporting facts.
● Write your notes in your own words.
●
● Note any questions or ideas you may have about what was said or written.
As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand(速记). When you do, be sure that you understand your symbols and that you use them
all the time.
| A．Use words, not complete sentences. |
| B．There are three practical note-taking methods. |
| C．You must write your notes on separate paper. |
| D．Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later. |
E. you will also want to develop your own method for taking notes.
F. That means you must first decide what is important enough to include in your notes.
G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.
American cities are similar to other cities around the world. In every country cities reflect the values of the culture. Cities contain the very best aspects of a society: opportunities for education employment and entertainment. They also contain the very worst parts of a society: violent crime racial conflict and poverty. American cities are changing just as American society is changing.
After World War II city residents became wealthier more prosperous. They had more children. They needed more space. They move out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs areas near a city where people live. These are areas without many offices or factories. During the 1950s the American “dream” was to have a house in the suburbs.
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in 1950s are now adults. They unlike their parents want to live in the cities. Many young professionals doctors lawyers and executives are moving back into the city. Many are single; others are married but often without children. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; they are afraid of the fuel shortage; or they just enjoy the excitement and opportunities which the city offers.
This population shift is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright , new future .Others see only problems and conflicts. One thing is sure：many dying cities are alive again.What does the author think of cities all over the world ?
| A．They are alive . | B．They are hopeless. |
| C．They are similar | D．They are different. |
Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War Ⅱ?
| A．Because older American cities were dying. |
| B．Because they were richer and needed more space. |
| C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society. |
| D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city. |
According to the 4 th paragragh, a great many poor people in American cities ____ .
| A．are faced with housing problems |
| B．are faced to move to the suburbs |
| C．want to sell their buildings |
| D．need more money for daily expenses |
We can conclude from the text that_____?
| A．American cities are changing for the wars |
| B．people have different views on American cities |
| C．many people are now moving from American cities |
| D．the population is decreasing in older American cities |