There is one language that is used in every country in the world. The people who use it are young and old, short and tall, thin and fat. It is everybody’s second language. It is easy to understand, although you can’t hear it. It is sign(手势) language.
When you wave to a friend who is across the street, you are using sign language. When you smile at someone, you are saying, “I want to be friendly”, but you are not using speech. You are using body language. When you raise your hand in class, you are saying, “Please ask me. I think I know the correct answer.”
Babies who can’t talk can point at things. They are using sign language. A policeman who wants to stop traffic holds up his hands. He is using sign language.
Many years ago, a French priest, Charles Michel de Epee, became interested in education for deaf people. He invented a finger alphabet (字母表). It is still in use. People can make the sign(手势) for letters and spell words with their hands, and deaf people can read and understand them. Soon there were schools for the deaf in many countries. The only university for the deaf is Gallaudet College in Washington, D.C.
Today, in the United States, there are special TV news programs for deaf people. The newsreader tells the news in sign language. At the same time, the words appear on the TV screen.
The actors in the Theatre of Deaf don’t spell every word. Sometimes they use hand signs. When they put two hands together, it means sandwich. They can make a roof with their hands when they want to show a house. One finger in front of an actor’s mouth can mean quiet. You can talk to people who are behind windows that are closed. And when you go swimming with your friends, you can have conversations under water.
How many hand signs do you use every day?
1.Which of the following about sign language is TRUE?
A. It is a special language used in a few countries in the world.
B. It is a way to express one’s ideas without words.
C. It is only used by the deaf.
D. It can be heard.
2.If you want to express the idea that “I am very friendly” to someone, you will ______.
A. raise your hand
B. put one hand onto the other
C. smile to the person
D. make a roof with your hands
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Hand signs instead of finger signs are used every day.
B. There are schools, colleges and universities for the deaf in the USA.
C. The French priest Charles invented sign language.
D. Even babies are using sign language.
4.The passage is mainly about ______.
A. an introduction to sign language
B. the importance of sign language
C. a famous priest in France
D. how to use sign language
About the year 1990, a small dark-haired boy named Charles Chaplin was often seen waiting outside the back entrances of theatres. He looked thin and hungry. He was hoping to get work in show business. He could sing and dance, and above all, he knew how to make people laugh. But he couldn’t get work and therefore wandered about the city streets. Sometimes he was sent away to a home for children who had no parents.
But twenty years later this same Chaplin became the greatest, best known, and best loved comedian in the world. Nearly all visitors to cinema must have seen some of Chaplin’s films. People everywhere had sat and laughed at them until the tears ran down their faces. Even people who don’t understand English can enjoy Chaplin’s films because they are almost silent. It isn’t what he says that makes people laugh. His comedy doesn’t depend on words or languages. It depends on little actions which mean the same thing to people all over the world. Acting out, without words, of common human situations plays an important part in the dances and plays of many countries. It’s a kind of world language.
Chapin lived most of his life in America and died in Switzerland on Christmas 1977, at the age of eighty-eight. There was sadness all over the world at the news of his death.
1.Why was young Chaplin waiting outside the back of the theatres?
A. He wanted to enjoy a play in the theatre.
B. He was hungry and wanted some food.
C. He liked to play a part in play and thus made a living.
D. He wished to become a man of business.
2.People all over the world can enjoy Chaplin’s films without translation because ____ .
A .English is widely known in the world
B. they can enjoy the film silently
C. they are mostly comedies
D. most of them are silent
3.Chaplin is regarded as king of comedy mainly because______.
A. he acted out the common situations best in his comedy
B. he could sing and dance well
C. he knew how to make people laugh
D. lots of people have seen his film
Last summer, my class and I were lucky to visit the German city of Nuernberg. It was a(n) __________ experience, because we had the chance to do special_________ , to live with the local people, and to see the sights in that beautiful city. The reasons we ___________ there were to work and to improve our spoken _________ . We spent two weeks there, and each of us lived in different homes and had __________ work. I’ll tell you what I did! I ________ in a well-known travel agency that___________people from all around the world and organized___________in the south of Germany, different kinds of events, visits to festivals, and ________ for tourists and businessmen.
I ________ the first week working in a(n) _______ including one Japanese, two Australians and four Americans. The most _______ thing that we experienced was traveling through __________on the Danube(多瑙河) by _____ and visiting the beautiful cities and towns along the way. Besides being a guide, I had to_________files in time, send faxes and _______other services for clients(顾客). In the second week, I worked a lot on the computer and ______ out different little tasks. The people who worked with me were very _________, and helped me explore different interests.
My experience was great, ________ not everybody enjoyed it there. In any case, I _______you arrange a similar experience for yourself. It’s the kind of experience that helps you get to know the world.
1.A. tiring B. ordinary C. painful D. great
2.A. trips B. jobs C. holidays D. courses
3.A. left B. flew C. went D. Sent
4.A. German B. Japanese C. English D. French
5.A. different B. same C. similar D. simple
6.A. taught B. studied C. lived D. worked
7.A. cared B. accepted C. invited D. received
8.A. trips B. meetings C. programs D. dinners
9.A. guides B. charges C. meals D. orders
10.A. missed B. wasted C. spent D. cost
11.A. part B. group C. formation D. agency
12.A. moving B. amazing C. interesting D. admiring
13.A. Italy B. France C. Europe D. England
14.A. ship B. bus C. taxi D. train
15.A. put up B. watch out C. apply for D. deal with
16.A. prevent B. multiply C. provide D. demand
17.A. brought B. took C. carried D. worked
18.A. kind B. strange C. familiar D. humorous
19.A. but B. and C. thus D. when
20.A. think B. suggest C. promise D. permit
In order not to , he spent the whole night preparing for the speech of next day.
A.lose courage B. lose heart
C. lose face D. lose voice
Can you ______ your sister from that group of girls?
A. bring out B. pick up
C. pick out D. bring up
In fact most people in that area are _______ than they were 5 years ago because of years of wars.
A. poorer off B. worse off
C. better off D. richer off
