Tony and I are good friends. We tried to walk across the United States of America. We're not exactly sure 1. we were doing it. Part of it was to test ourselves; to see if we could face the challenges. When I was 2. teenager I often daydreamed that I was going to walk across the United States 3. I graduated from high school. 4. ，I didn't do that. Before I knew it I was in my thirties, married, 5. (have) a job, yet still had this idea in my mind with each 6. (pass) year. I figured I was too old and my opportunity had passed. Then, a few years ago，I met Tony, 7. was in his thirties and quit his job as a civil engineer in New York City to walk across the United States. He wasn't doing it for a cause 8. as part of an organization. He was doing it 9. （simple) because he loved to walk and discover. The idea was back and I no longer had an excuse. We planned on averaging 20 miles a day and taking some days off to rest, so we expected the walk to. take about 6 months realizing it could take 10. （long). We were in no hurry: The total distance would have been about 3,100 miles.
My nephew's 10-year-old son came for a visit one hot，July weekend. I persuaded him to inside and joined him in a game. After for an hour, I suggested that we relax for a while. I fell into my favorite recliner（躺椅）to let my neck muscles relax. He'd slipped out of the room and I was catching a few enjoyable moments of peace and quiet.
"Look，Alice，”he said as he ran over to the chair where I was sitting"I found a kite. Could we go outside and it?"
Glancing out a nearby window, I noticed it was outside.“I'm sorry, Tripper,.” I said, sad to see his eyes. "The wind is not blowing today. The kite won't fly.”
The 10-year-old replied,“I think it's windy enough. I can get it to fly,”he answered as he ran out to the back door Up and down in the yard he ran, pulling the kite to a small length of string. He ran back and forth，as hard as his ten year-old legs would carry him, looking back at the kite behind. After about ten minutes of unsuccessful determination, he came back in.
I asked, "How did it go?"
"Fine，”he said, not wanting to admit ．“I got it to fly some”
As he walked past me to return the kite to the closet shelf, I heard him say under his breath, "I guess I'll have to wait for the ．”
At that moment I heard another Voice speak to my . "Alice, sometimes you are just like that. You want to do it your way instead of waiting for the Wind.，，
And the voice was right. We usually want to use our own efforts to what we want to do. We wait for the Wind only after we have done all we can and have exhausted（耗尽） our own ．We must learn how to rely on Him in the first place!
1.A. live B. study C. stay D. lie
2.A. playing B. resting C. challenging D. arguing
3.A. casually B. enthusiastically C. stubbornly D. deliberately
4.A. decorate B. drop C. hang D. fly
5.A. hot B. still C. noisy D. fine
6.A. bright B. disappointed C. dull D. satisfied
7.A. clever B. talented C. determined D. fearless
8.A. hurriedly B. curiously C. suddenly D. unwillingly
9.A. adapted B. added C. attached D. devoted
10.A. angrily B. nervously C. doubtfully D. hopefully
11.A. win B. defeat C. mistake D. luck
12.A. wind B. order C. news D. sunshine
13.A. heart B. memory C. dream D. world
14.A. imagine B. decide C. apply D. accomplish
15.A. courage B. patience C. strength D. knowledge
It is one of the most annoying words in the English language and it seems there is no escaping it. The word “huh?” is in worldwide use, a study found.
Researchers discovered that languages spoken in countries from Ghana and Laos to Iceland and Italy all include “huh?”, or something that sounds very like it. They said that while the study may sound silly, the word is an absolutely necessary part of speech. Without it and similar words, it would be impossible to show that we haven’t heard or understood what had been said and this would lead to constant misunderstandings.
But while other words used in the same context, such as “sorry” or “what”, vary widely across languages, “huh?” remains unchanged.
The Dutch researchers carefully studied ten languages from around the world, including Siwu, which is spoken in Ghana, and an Australian Aboriginal language, as well as Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Mandarin Chinese.
They analysed tapes of recorded conversations for words that sounded like “huh?” and were used to request that whatever had just been said be repeated. All contained a version of “huh?”. The word was also found in another 21 languages. While there were subtle differences in each country, all sounded basically the same.
This is surprising because normally unrelated languages will use very different words to describe the same thing. For instance, the Japanese for “dog” is “inu”, while the French is “chien”. It is thought that languages around the world have developed their own version of “huh?” because the sound is quick and simple to form, as well as being easily understood.
The researchers, said that it might seem unimportant to carry out scientific research into a word like “huh?” but in fact this little word is an essential tool in human communication. They also have an answer for those who claim that “huh?” isn’t a word. They say that it qualifies because of the small differences in its pronunciation in different languages. It also can be considered a word because it’s something we learn to say, rather than a grunt or cry that we are born knowing how to make.
1. According to researchers, the word “huh?” is very important in speech because of ________.
A. its stable meaning in language development
B. its important function in communication
C. its simple and easy sound and spelling
D. its popularity in every language
2.What is the natural response if you hear the lady you’re speaking to say “huh?”?
A. You should ask her to repeat what she says before that.
B. You should apologize to her for speaking in a low voice.
C. You should invite her to share her different views politely.
D. You should try to repeat what you’ve just said in a clearer way.
3.The main method used in the research of “huh?” was ________.
A. interviewing language experts in universities
B. talking with people from ten different countries
C. analyzing the recorded conversations in different languages
D. comparing different words with the same meaning in different languages
4.According to researchers, “huh?” should be considered a word rather than a sound because ________.
A. it is listed in most dictionaries
B. it is something humans learn to say
C. there is a clear and consistent spelling of the word
D. there is a big difference in the way it pronounces in different languages
5.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To inform readers about research on the worldwide used word “huh?”.
B. To argue that “huh?” is the most important word in every language.
C. To entertain readers by relating similar idioms in different languages.
D. To instruct readers of the differences of “huh?” in different languages.
Silk production has a long and colourful history unknown to most people. Scientific discoveries have shown that silk production existed in China from around 2500 B.C., although it could be much older. For hundreds of years, China kept the secret of silk to itself as one for the most closely protected secrets in history. Anyone revealing the secret of silkworms or trying to take silkworm eggs out of ancient China was punished by death.
At one time silk was reserved only for the Chinese emperor. Gradually, others began wearing silk. In addition to being used for clothing, silk came to have industrial uses in ancient China, something that happened in the West only in modern times. Silk was used to make musical instruments, fishing lines, weapons, ropes and even paper. During the Han Dynasty silk became a form of money. Farmers paid taxes in both rice and silk. The prices of goods were calculated in lengths of silk just as they had once been calculated in gold. The importance of silk is even reflected in the Chinese language. For example, of the 5000 most common Chinese characters, around 500 have silk as their “key”.
In spite of their secrecy, the Chinese eventually lost their monopoly on silk production. It reached Korea in around 200 B.C. when immigrants from China arrived there. Silk production came to India in 300 A.D.. It was not until 500 A.D. that silk production came to Europe when travellers smuggled out silkworms in hollow tubes of bamboo. These were used to establish silk industry in Rome (modern-day Italy), although Chinese silk was still considered to be the best.
Silk was brought to Rome from China by means of the Silk Road. There were actually two Silk Roads, one over land and one on the sea. The land route in particular had a huge effect in history. All sorts of trade goods — silver, gold, jade, porcelain — passed along this road. Ideas travelled the Silk Road too. For example the religion of Buddhism was carried to China from India by traders on the Silk Road. The Silk Road created the first international culture, exposing many people to the ideas and treasures of both Western and Chinese cultures.
1. How was China able to keep the secret of silk production?
A. It refused to sell its silk to other countries.
B. Foreigners were not permitted to enter China.
C. The silkworms needed were not able to survive outside China.
D. Chinese passing on the secret to foreigners were seriously punished.
2. Which of the following uses of silk is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. A way of purchasing goods people sold.
B. A material used for making different products.
C. A method of paying money to the government.
D. A valuable gift given to foreigners travelling in China.
3.In what order did silk production spread throughout the world according to the passage?
A. Europe à India à Korea à China. B. China à Korea à India à Europe.
C. China à India à Korea à Europe. D. China à Europe à India à Korea.
4.The underlined phrase “smuggled out” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. quietly traded B. openly removed
C. illegally transported D. violently stole
5.Which of the following is true about the Silk Road?
A. It allowed for economic and cultural exchanges between countries.
B. It made China the most powerful country in the ancient world.
C. It could only be completed by travellers with access to a boat.
D. It was first developed for transferring religious ideas.
Michael J. “Crocodile Dundee” (also called Mick), played by Paul Hogan, is the main character in the fictional Crocodile Dundee film series consisting of Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile Dundee II, and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. The character is a crocodile hunter, hence the nickname.
In the first film, Crocodile Dundee, Mick is visited by a New York reporter, Sue Charlton, who travels to Australia to investigate a report she heard of a crocodile hunter, who had his leg bitten off by a crocodile in the outback. The hunter supposedly walked more than a hundred miles back to civilization and miraculously survived his injuries. However, by the time she meets him, the story turns out to be a somewhat exaggerated legend where the “bitten-off leg” turns out to be just being some bad scarring on his leg; a “love bite” as Mick calls it. Still intrigued by the idea of “Crocodile Dundee”, Sue continues with the story. They travel together out to where the incident occurred, and follow his route through the bush to the nearest hospital. Despite his old-fashioned views, the pair eventually become close, especially after Mick saves Sue from a crocodile attack.
Feeling there is still more to the story, Sue invites Mick back to New York with her, as his first trip to a city (or “first trip anywhere,” as Dundee says). The rest of the film depicts Dundee as a “fish out of water,” showing how, despite his expert knowledge of living outdoors, he knows little of city life. Mick meets Sue’s boyfriend, Richard, but they do not get along. By the end of the film, Mick is on his way home, lovesick, when Sue realizes she loves Mick, too, and not Richard. She runs to the subway station to stop Mick from leaving and, by passing on messages through the packed-to-the-gills crowd, she tells him she won’t marry Richard, and she loves him instead. With the help of the other people in the subway, Mick and Sue have a loving reunion as the film ends.
1. Which of the following statements is true about Mick?
A. He is a crocodile hunter living in Los Angeles.
B. He is based on a real person in Australia.
C. He got his nickname because of his job.
D. He wrote a film series about himself.
2. In the film Crocodile Dundee, Mick ________.
A. pretends he was bitten by a crocodile
B. urges Sue Charlton to write his life story
C. hasn’t been abroad before his trip to America
D. shows Sue Charlton around the town he lives in
3. The underlined word “intrigued” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. annoyed B. interested C. troubled D. surprised
4. When in New York, Mick ________.
A. makes friends with Richard
B. makes full use of his bush skills
C. feels excited about living in a big city
D. doesn’t know how to fit into city life
5. The film Crocodile Dundee can be best described as ________.
A. a romantic story B. an action movie
C. a science fiction D. a frightening story
Robert Burns is the most famous poet to write in Scots, the traditional language of Scotland.
Born in Ayrshire, Scotland to a poor farming family, his parents made sure that he was well educated as a child. In 1783 he started composing poetry 1. a traditional style using the Ayrshire dialect of Scots. These poems were well received 2. (local) and in 1786 they were published in the volume, Poems, Chiefly, 3. made him famous in Scotland overnight.
4. , his fame was not accompanied by money and he found 5. necessary to return to farming. 6. this also proved unprofitable, he entered government service in 1789.
He died at the age of 37 as a result of a weak heart, brought on by years of poor working conditions on the farm 7. (date) back to his childhood. Within a short time of his death, money started pouring in from all over Scotland 8. (support) his widow and children.
Today, his memory 9. (celebrate) by Burns clubs across the world and his birthday is
10. unofficial “National Day” for Scots and those with Scottish ancestry, celebrated with Burns suppers.
