Are you learning English and do you need help with grammar? Do you want to learn new vocabulary or slang (俚语)? Well, you can find help online with these top 5 free English as a Second Language websites.
1. Dave’s ESL Cafe
This is a complete website that can help you learn and practice English. You can read many stories and do a lot of exercises to test yourself. You can also post questions and answers onto the help center.
2. About.com
You can get free English courses from About.com and you’ll get regular e-mails that will help you learn English.
3. The Classroom by Voice of America
You can watch videos and listen to news stories to improve your listening and vocabulary skills. You can also hear English words and their meanings.
4. Heinle’s Newbury House Dictionary of American English
Do you need to find the definition of a word? Use this online dictionary to find simple and clear definitions, as well as example sentences and idioms (习语). You can also find different cultural facts.
5. Personal English Portal (门户网站) on YouTube
You can watch this series of videos on YouTube to develop your listening skills. You can also do a search for “learn English” on YouTube to find other videos. This is a good way to practice English and have fun.
1.You can at the help center on the website Dave’s ESL Cafe.
A. watch videos and pictures
B. listen to news and music
C. watch movies and matches
D. read questions and answers
2.About.com often sends e-mails to its visitors to help them .
A. get relaxed B. have fun
C. become famous D. learn English
3.The underlined word “definition” means “ ” in Chinese.
A. 来源 B. 释义
C. 意图 D. 背景
History
Water polo (水球) or water ball is a team water sport. It started in England in the nineteenth century. The sport has been popular ever since.
The Sport
Water polo is played between two teams in a swimming pool. Players swim in the pool, carrying and throwing the ball to their team members. They try to score as many goals as possible.
There are 6 players and 1 goalkeeper (守门员) on a team. The teams have two different coloured caps. Visiting team field players usually wear white caps, and home team field players usually wear blue caps. Both goalkeepers wear red caps, numbered “1”. During the game, the goalkeepers can use two hands, but the other team members can only use one hand when carrying or throwing the ball. The game is divided (划分) into 4 periods. Each goal is one point.
In the Olympics
Water polo was introduced in the Olympics of 1900. The only two teams were Great Britain and Belgium (比利时). Great Britain beat Belgium at last. Water polo used to be a sport for men only, but after a long wait, women’s water polo became an official sport in the Olympic Games in 2000 in Sydney.
1.Water polo started in America in the 1800s.
2.There are 7 players on a team in a water polo game, including a goalkeeper.
3.The goalkeepers usually wear blue caps in water polo games.
4.Each water polo game has 4 periods.
5.Women’s water polo was introduced in the Olympic Games in 1900.
完形填空(共10小题，计10分)
阅读下面短文，理解大意，然后从各小题的四个选项中选出一个最佳答案，使短文连贯完整。
People say Lionel Messi is from planet. He can’t stop . In 2012 he scored a total of 91 goals and the record. German Gerd Muller ever scored 85 goals in 1972 and set the record.
The 26-year-old soccer player is only 169cm. But playing was never for Messi. People call him “the Flea (跳蚤)” for both his speed size. Thierry Henry said Messi was “able to dribble (带球) past people like they are not there.”
Many people have compared Messi to the great Maradona. “They’re both small with brilliant (厉害的) left that can control the ball as if it were a hand, that can beat people, that can score goals, that can change games,” said former Barcelona striker Gary Lineker.
Messi is also a well-behaved young man. many players, when he fouls (犯规), he never pretends (假装) to be hurt. the field, he doesn’t go to the city’s bars or discos.
Coach Pep Guardiola thinks that Messi’s relationship with soccer is just like that of a child a toy. In both cases it is a relationship that brings . Guardiola says, “When he’s happy, everything he does is quite excellent.”
1.A. another B. others C. the other D. the others
2.A. score B. scores C. scored D. scoring
3.A. held B. set C. broke D. kept
4.A. important B. exciting C. hard D. easy
5.A. or B. but C. with D. and
6.A. hands B. feet C. arms D. legs
7.A. Like B. Unlike C. Dislike D. Just like
8.A. Off B. In C. From D. On
9.A. and B. of C. with D. for
10.A. happiness B. sadness C. money D. Time
You leave your kid alone at home. It’s very dangerous.
A. wouldn’t B. needn’t
C. couldn’t D. shouldn’t
She too much food for us, for we aren’t hungry at all.
A. has to cook B. should cook
C. needs to cook D. needn’t cook
junk food and take more exercise, and you will be healthy.
A. Stay away from B. Be afraid of
C. Focus on D. Take up
