Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a lot of antique (古董) shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth - so I decided that my approach must be wrong. I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, "Would you like to buy a chair?" "Twenty pounds," I said. "OK,"he said. "I'll give you twenty pounds." "It's got a slightly broken leg," I said. "Yes, I saw that. It's nothing." Everything was going according to the plan and I was getting excited. "What will you do with it?" I asked. "Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done. " "I'll buy it," I said. "What do you mean? You've just sold it to me," he said. "Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it." " You must be crazy," he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. "I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair." "You're right," I said. "And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, 'Would you mend this chair for me?'" "I wouldn't have agreed to do it," he said. "We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But l'll mend this for you. Shall we say for five pounds?"
He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing.
We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer_____.
| A．was rather impolite |
| B．asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair |
| C．asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair |
| D．was warmly received |
The underlined word "approach" in the second paragraph means_____.
| A．plan for dealing with things |
| B．decision to sell tings |
| C．way of doing things |
| D．idea of repairing things |
The expression "the penny dropped" means the shopkeeper______.
| A．changed his mind |
| B．accepted the offer |
| C．saw the writer's purpose |
| D．decided to help the writer |
From the text, we can learn that the writer was_____.
| A．honest | B．careful | C．funny | D．smart |
Beautiful cars surrounded by even more beautiful models--it’s no secret why the 2012Beijing Auto Show was popular.
The exhibition was held between April 23 and May 2. Although renowned companies showed off their top models, it wasn’t just their expensive sports cars that grabbed people’s attention.
Concept cars are a way for designers to test out their ideas on the public with complete freedom. They can try out cars with special features that could not be massively(批量) produced easily.
Designers don’t have to follow industry rules；they don’t even need to worry about whether their cars would be fllowed on the roads．
At the Beijing Auto Show，the@Ant by Chery was one concept car to draw a lot of attention．China Daily called it‘‘the very definition of a concept car”．
The vehicle is powered by electricity and is capable of driving itself．But the magic doesn’t end there．
The@Ant was inspired by actual ants．According to Car News China，with the help of automated telemetric systems，@Ants are able to“see” other@Ants and compare destination information. If two are heading the same way for a while, the vehicles connect, with one car’s rear (后面的)wheels matching up with the front wheels of another car．Up to 10@Ants can be put together and will automatically connect to form a“train"．This will help save energy while traveling, as well reducing traffic jams.
The car sounds like a great idea．Further research will be needed to turn this concept car into something for the market，but concepts like Chery’s show how carmakers are working for cleaner and greener vehicles．It’s like what the@Ant motto says，“Exploring future human beings’lifestyles”．The concept car is getting popular because.
| A．it looks like an ant |
| B．it is beautifully designed |
| C．it is exhibited as a top model |
| D．it conveys a new idea for the future |
How can the@Ants help save energy while travelling according to the passage?
| A．By connecting each other and running together． |
| B．By driving themselves without man’s control． |
| C．By comparing their destination information． |
| D．By reducing traffic jams on the roads． |
What the designers of the concept car need to do at the Auto Show is.
| A．to test the safety of the concept car |
| B．to follow the rules in the car industry |
| C．to show their unique idea of complete freedom |
| D．to see if concept cars can be massively produced |
The best title of the passage is.
| A．Concept Cars Are Driving to the Future |
| B．The@Ant Draws a Lot of Attention |
| C．The@Ant Is a Top Model of Concept Cars |
| D．Concept Cars Are Cleaner and Greener |
One day I was driving to a business appointment and, as usual, I was planning in my mind what I was going to say. I came to a very busy crossroad where the stoplight had just turned red.
A young couple, both blind, were walking across the road. Each of them had a white cane(手杖). They were overcoming the most feared blindness. I held my breath when I noticed that the couple was not walking on the crosswalk, but was instead stepping directly into the middle of the crossroad. Without realizing the danger they were in, they were walking right into the path of the oncoming cars. I was frightened for them because I didn’t know if the other drivers understood what was happening. Then I saw a miracle unfold before my eyes. Every car in every direction came to a stop at the same time. Nobody can yelled, “Get out of the way!”
Amazed, I noticed that everyone’s attention was also fixed on the couple. Suddenly the driver to my right reacted. He yelled, “To your right.”Other people followed, shouting, “To your right!”Trusting their elite canes and the calls from some concerned citizens, they made it to the other side of the road. I could judge they had no idea what was really going on around them. Yet I immediately felt smiles appeared on everyone’s face. The driver to the left of me was saying, “I can’t believe it!”
I thought all of us were deeply moved by what we had just seen. Here were human beings stepping outsides themselves for a while to help other people in deed.When the author drove to work, he saw_________.
| A．some drivers were driving their cars very fast |
| B．a couple failed to cross the road as usual |
| C．most drivers drove in the same direction |
| D．A blind couple was walking into the driveway |
What does the underlined word “miracle” in paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．Everybody told the blind couple to go to the right |
| B．The blind couple avoided many cars by themselves |
| C．The blind couple kept calm in danger |
| D．Every car stopped for the blind couple |
It can be inferred from the text that________.
| A．people felt a relief after the couple crossed the road |
| B．the author was amazed at the expressions on the couple’s faces |
| C．the couple’s quick crossing of the road surprised everyone |
| D．calls from everyone made the couple realize their danger |
Disney’s cartoon, Finding Nemo, tells a touching story of a father called Martin and his son Nemo.
Martin loses his wife and an entire family of unhatched eggs to a huge shark. Only one fish egg remains, Nemo. Martin promises his dead wife that he will protect his young son at any cost. So, Martin becomes fearful of almost everything in the ocean. That makes him over protective-he hopes to keep his kid safe from the challenges that life presents. Martin’s nagging（唠叨）makes Nemo feel that he doesn’t need his dad telling him what to do.
So on his first day of school, Nemo and some friends swim to the edge of their coral reef, a place Martin always thinks is very dangerous. When Martin shouts at Nemo come back, Nemo refuses to listen to him and swim out to a boat in the distance. Suddenly, he gets caught by some divers. So begins Martin’s journey to find Nemo, who ends up in an aquarium in an office in Australia. Soon the worried father runs into Dory, a forgetful blue fish, who helps Martin find his son. Meanwhile, Nemo misses his father terribly. He soon hears that he will be given to an eight-year-old girl who likes to kill fish.
Can Martin find his son before it is too late?
Finding Nemo is a physical and mental journey. Martin overcomes his shyness and anxieties and Nemo discovers his own and his father’s hidden strengths. It celebrates the relationship between fathers and their sons.
The cartoon paints a sea world that is alive with color. All the characters are very human-like and have their own personalities.
Finding Nemo was released in the US on may 30, earning about US $70.6 million in just three days, it has set a new opening records for a cartoon. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How a father finds his son |
| B．How to get home when getting lost |
| C．A brief introduction to a cartoon film |
| D．The love between a father and his son |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the second paragraph?
| A．Martin’s wife and most of his children died because of disease. |
| B．Martin is a coward that he is afraid of everything. |
| C．Nemo has grown up and doesn’t need his father’s protection any longer. |
| D．Martin loves his son so much that he becomes so protective. |
It can be concluded according to the cartoon that ________.
| A．Nemo has a wonderful journey after leaving his father. |
| B．Martin has met a lot of difficulties finding his son. |
| C．Nemo is really independent after leaving his father. |
| D．Nemo never needs any protection from his father. |
What is the theme of the cartoon?
| A．We should always listen to our parents. |
| B．Parents should let their children have an independent life. |
| C．Parent should take care of their children in case they get lost. |
| D．Parental love is the greatest love in the world. |
Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there’s a big difference between “ being a writer” and “ writing”. In most cases these individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a computer. “You’ve got to want to write,” I say to them, “not want to be a writer.”
The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the US Coast Guard to become a free writer, I had no promise at all. What I did have was a friend who found me my room in a New York apartment building. It didn’t even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought a used computer and felt a real writer.
After a year or so, however, I still hadn’t gotten a break and began to doubt myself. It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat. But I know I wanted to write. I had dreamed about it for years. I wasn’t going to be one of those people who die wondering. What if? I would keep putting my dream to the test--- even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the Shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there.The passage is meant to _______.
| A．warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience |
| B．advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer |
| C．show young people it’s unrealistic for a writer to be after wealth and fame |
| D．encourage young people to be after a writer career |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．Real writers often find their work interesting and rewarding |
| B．Writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort |
| C．Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation（隔离） |
| D．The chances for a writer to become successful are small |
Why did the author begin to doubt himself after the first year of his writing career?
| A．He wasn’t able to produce a single book |
| B．He hadn’t seen a change for the better |
| C．He wasn’t able to have a rest for a whole year |
| D．He found his dream would never come true |
“Shadowland” inthelastsentencerefersto_____.
| A．thewonderlandonoftendreamsabout |
| B．thebrightfuturethatoneislookingforwardto |
| C．thestateofuncertaintybeforeone’sfinalgoalisreached |
| D．aworldthatexistsonlyinone’simagination |
Speaking in any language is all about imitating (模仿) other people. You want to be able to speak like native speakers do. Before you can form your own correct sentences, you first need to see lots of similar ones in the language you are learning.
When you speak in your native language, you don't have to think about the grammar or the words you use. Correct sentences just come to you. In fact, your brain uses sentences you've already seen or heard. If you want to speak a foreign language fluently, you have to learn it the way you learned your native language--- by massive(大量的) input.
Reading and listening will help you develop language intuition(直觉). It's all about putting lots of correct sentences in your head. Then your brain can imitate them, producing similar sentences to express the meaning you want. When you read and listen a lot, paying attention to useful vocabulary, you will soon start to use new words and phrases in your speaking and writing, and you will develop language intuition. You will start to feel what sounds good and what sounds bad --- just as you do in your native language.
It may seem like you need more time to learn a language by reading and listening, as opposed （相反的）to learning based on grammar rules. For example, to get a good feeling for the use of articles in English you need to read lots of sentences, analyzing them closely. Wouldn't it be easier to read a unit on articles in a grammar book? Well, the problem is that it takes lots of time to build a sentence when you have to think of grammar rules. When you talk to someone, you don't have time for that. The input-based approach may seem to be more demanding, but it's the only way to achieve fluency.According to the passage, if you want to speak a foreign language like a native speaker, you must_________.
| A．learn grammar very well |
| B．input many sentences in your head |
| C．read many books in the foreign language |
| D．write many compositions |
Which of the following sentences can explain the meaning of language intuition?
| A．Ability to understand a foreign language |
| B．Ability to use a foreign language without thinking about it |
| C．Ability to speak a foreign language |
| D．Ability to imitate a native speaker |
In the author’s view, what plays an important role in developing language intuition?
| A．Listening and Reading |
| B．Writing and Listening |
| C．Reading and Translating |
| D．Listening and Translating |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．You can speak your native language without think about grammar |
| B．Before you can speak your native you must hear millions of sentences |
| C．The input-based approach is the only way to speak a language fluently |
| D．Grammar is no use at all |