| Saturday,March 24th We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand (泰国). All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North. |
| Tuesday, March 27th Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai. |
| Friday,March 30th Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life—no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say “hello”. Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year. |
The diaries above show the writer’s ______ days in Thailand.
| A.3 | B.7 | C.15 | D.30 |
It seems that visitors ______ in Bangkok.
| A.can’t take any photos | B.often feel hungry |
| C.can always find cheap things | D.can enjoy themselves |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A.The writer is traveling alone in Thailand. |
| B.Chiang Rai is a boring city in the mountains. |
| C.The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai by bus. |
| D.Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in the south of Thailand. |
The people in the village _______.
| A.are friendly to others |
| B.are very weak |
| C.hope to live in the cities |
| D.like to speak English |
The best title of this article is_________.
| A.My First Travel | B.The Outside World |
| C.Traveling in Thailand | D.A Country on the Train |
Traveling by train is usually not easy in China. It can be hard to get a ticket. When you’re traveling to the railway station, you look at your watch, for you are afraid you will miss your train.
But there is good news for people traveling between Beijing and Shanghai. Construction (建设) on the express railway (高速铁路) between the two cities started just before the Spring Festival of 2008. When it is finished by 2013, taking a train will be as easy as taking a bus.
“There will be trains every several minutes. Buying a ticket, getting through the checkpoint (检查站) and taking your seat, will take just 10 minutes,” said an engineer.
There may be high-speed trains running at 350 kilometers an hour. The travel time between the two cities will decrease from 10 to about 5 hours. The trains will carry twice the present number of passengers.
The new line will be 1,318 kilometers long and go across specially built bridges. It will run along side the present line. There will be 21 stations in Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Anhui and Jiangsu.
“The cost of traveling by the express railway may be around 800 yuan. That will be more expensive than an ordinary train, but cheaper than by air.” Said Zhang Xiaoling, a Jiangsu government official.
According to Zhang, the higher price is caused by the large cost of the railway project. At about 200 billion yuan, the project may be even more expensive than the Three Gorges Project (三峡工程).The express railway between Beijing and Shanghai will be finished _______.
| A.at the end of this year | B.before the Spring Festival of 2008 |
| C.by 2013 | D.in about 5 years |
Before taking your seat, you should _____ with your ticket.
| A.buy a ticket | B.get through the checkpoint |
| C.pack your things | D.make some friends |
The word “decrease” in the passage possibly means ______ in Chinese.
| A.延长 | B.缩短 | C.提速 | D.限速 |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A.Traveling by train is usually difficult in China because tickets are too expensive. |
| B.The high-speed trains will have 21 stations in Shanghai, Shandong, Hunan and Jiangsu. |
| C.Tickets for the high-speed trains will be cheaper than those for planes. |
| D.The cost of the express railway project is as high as that of the Three Gorges Project. |
What can be the best title of the passage?
| A.An enormous project. |
| B.Train tickets will get more expensive |
| C.Specially built bridges |
| D.Beijing—Shanghai express railway |
When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
My mother has realized the disadvantages of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was she. I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人).I said in a voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs Tan.” And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he doesn’t send me the check. It’s already two weeks late.”
And then, in perfect English I said : “I’m getting rather anxious .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.” Then she talked more loudly. “What does he want? I’ll come to New York and say it in front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t accept any more excuses. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.”
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English. When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is clear and direct. It was the language that helped me form the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.Why was the author’s mother poorly served?
| A.She was unable to speak good English |
| B.She was often misunderstood. |
| C.She was not clearly heard. |
| D.She was not very polite. |
From Paragraph 2, what can we know about the author?
| A.She was good at pretending. |
| B.She was rude to the stockbroker. |
| C.She was ready to help her mother. |
| D.She was unwilling to phone for her mother |
What happened after the author made the phone call?
| A.They forgave the stockbroker. |
| B.They failed to get the check. |
| C.They went to New York immediately. |
| D.They spoke to their boss at once. |
What does the author think of her mother’s English now?
| A.It confuses her. |
| B.It embarrasses her. |
| C.It helps her understand the world. |
| D.It helps her forgive rude people. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A.Chinese English is clear and natural to native speakers. |
| B.Chinese English is impolite to native speakers. |
| C.Chinese English has a very bad name in America. |
| D.Chinese English may bring inconvenience in America. |
I’m Ann. I’m English. I’m twelve. I was born on May 17th , 1991. I learn Chinese at Beijing No.3 Middle School. I have a good friend. Her name is Lucy. She is twelve, too. We are in the same (同样的) grade. But we are not in the same class. I’m in Class Two, and she is in Class Three. We have the same Chinese teacher(教师). Her name is Zhang Ying. We all like her. Lucy’s parents are both English teachers in China. And she has a sister.Her name is Lily. She is only five years old.Ann and Lucy are _________.
A. classmatesB. sistersC. friendsAnn was born _____________.
A. on May 17th , 1990 B. on May 17th ,1991 C. in May 17th, 1991 Zhang Ying is Lucy’s ________ teacher.
A. EnglishB. Chinese C. math Lucy’s parents are in _________. They teach English.
A. England B. China C. AmericaHow old is Lily? She is_____________.
A.twelve B.fiveC.three
This is a room in Kate’s house. There is a big bed, a table, a computer and some chairs in it. There’s a glass and some books on the table. There is a picture on the wall. Kate is in the room. She is looking at the picture. Her father and mother are in the school. They work hard.Is there one room in Kate’s house?
A.Yes, there is. B.There is a bed. C.There is a computer. What’s in the room?
A.Only a bed. B.Only a table.C.A bed, a table, a computer and some chairs.Is there anything on the table?
A.Yes, there is. B.No, there isn’t. C.Some books.Who is at home?
A.Kate’s father.B.Kate’s mother.C.Kate.Kate’s father and mother are ________.
A.teachersB.studentsC.at home
The French have special meal etiquette(礼仪). If you plan to go on holiday in France, why not read the following tips? They can make you feel good when you visit a French restaurant or are invited to a French house.
Breakfast in France
French meals are quite similar to those in the rest of the western world. The breakfast is lighter than elsewhere. Milky coffee or hot chocolate are also classics. Contrarily (相反地) to what happens in British(英国的) families.
Lunch in France
Lunch was traditionally(传统地) the main meal of the day in France, this is why the French still usually take more than one hour to have lunch. In big cities, lunch looks more like those in the UK or in the USA, being a sandwich or fast-food meal.
Dinner in France
In France, the dinner has become the main meal of the day over the last couple of years, as the lunch is now often made of a simple sandwich or salad.
The French dinner is made up with the starter, main dish, cheese often with salad or fruit, dessert and coffee.Breakfast is not very important in ____________.
A. France B. the UK C. the USATraditionally, __________ was the main meal of the day in France.
A. breakfast B. lunch C. dinnerWhy has the dinner become the main meal of the day now?
A. Because the French want to have more food.
B. Because the French have enough time at noon.
C. Because the lunch is often simple.Which is NOT true according to the passage?
A. French meals are similar to the rest of the western world.
B. Breakfast is more important in the UK than in France.
C. People eat fast-food meals in big cities in France.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. How to make three meals
B. Three meals in France
C. Different kinds of food in France