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I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑) in Japan because most streets there don’t have names; in Japan, people use landmarks(地标) in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1.When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually ______.
A. describe the place carefully B. show him a map of the place
C. tell him the names of the streets D.refer to recognizable buildings and places
2.What is the place where people measure distance in time?
A. New York.. B. Los Angeles. C. Kansas. D. Iowa.
3. People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ______.
A. in order to save time B. because of honesty
C. so as to be polite D. for fun
4.What can we infer from the text?
A. It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences.
B. It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly.
C. People have similar understandings of politeness.
D. New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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Recently a Beijing father sent in a question at an Internet forum (̳) asking what "PK" meant.
"My family has been watching the 'Super Girl' singing competition TV programme. My little daughter asked me what 'PK' meant, but I had no idea," explained the puzzled father.
To a lot of Chinese young people who have been playing games online, it is impossible not to know this term. In such Internet games, "PK" is short for "Player Kill", in which two players fight until one ends the life of the other.
In the case of the "Super Girl" singing competition, "PK" was used to refer to the stage where two singers have to compete with each other for only one chance to go up in competition ranking.
Like this father, Chinese teachers at high schools have also been finding their students' compositions using Internet jargons which are difficult to understand. A high school teacher from Tianjin asked her students to write compositions with simple language, but they came up with a lot of Internet jargons that she didn't understand.
"My 'GG' came back this summer from college. He told me I've grown up to be a 'PLMM'. I loved to 'FB' with him together; he always took me to the 'KPM'," went one composition.
"GG" means Ge Ge (Chinese pinyin for brother). "PLMM" refers to Piao Liang Mei Mei (beautiful girl). "FB" means Fu Bai (corruption). "KPM" is short for KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald's.
Some specialists welcome Internet jargons as a new development in language.
If you do not even know what a Kong Long (dinosaur, referring to an ugly looking female) or a Qing Wa (frog, referring to an ugly looking male) is, you will possibly be regarded as a Cai Niao!
1.By writing the article, the writer tries to ________ .
A. explain some Internet language B. suggest common Internet language
C. laugh at the Beijing father D. draw our attention to Internet language
2.What does the writer think about the term "PK"?
A. Fathers can't possibly know it. B. The daughter should understand it.
C. Online game players may know it. D. "Super Girl" shouldn't have used it.
3. The examples of the Beijing father and the Tianjin teacher are used to show that Internet jargons ________ .
A. are used not only online B. can be understood very well
C. are welcomed by all the people D. cause trouble to our mother tongue
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. A puzzled father B. Do you speak Internet-ish?
C. Keep away from Internet-ish D. Kong Long or Qing Wa?
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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To discover whether bees can see colors, the following experiment is set up. A table is put in a garden and on the table is a piece of blue cardboard (硬纸板) with a drop of syrup (糖浆) on it. After a short time, bees come to the syrup. The bees then fly to their hive (蜂窝) and give the syrup to other bees in the hive. Then they return to the feeding-place which they have discovered. After a while, the blue cardboard with the syrup on it is taken away. Instead of this card, a blue card is now put on the left side of the first feeding-place and a red card to its right. These new card have no syrup on them. Thus, the blue card is on the left, the red card on the right, and there is nothing where the first blue feeding-card used to be. Very soon bees arrive again, and fly straight to the blue card. None to the red card.
1.To do the experiment, altogether how many cards do you need to prepare?
A. Two, one blue and one red. B. Three, two blue and one red.
C. Three, one blue and two red. D. Four, two blue and two red.
2.If figure 1 (图1) below shows the table top during step 1 of the experiment, which picture in figure 2 represents (代表) step 2?
(blue card with syrup blue card red card )
Figure 1:
Figure 2:A B C D
3.During step 2 of the experiment, the bees come to_______.
A. the original blue card with syrup on it
B. the new blue card with no syrup on it
C. the empty space where original blue card was
D. the new blue card with syrup on it
4.The experiment has proved that bees _______.
A. cannot see colors B. can see colors
C. cannot see blue D. cannot see red
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
CLASS TIME: 9:00a.m.---10:30a.m., 11:00a.m.---12:30p.m., 1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.. The Language Center is open Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
SELF-ACCESS: The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15p.m. to 5:00p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games or word-processing（文字处理）. There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are dictation（听写）and listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are cloze exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
ATTENDANCE（出勤）：All students are expected to attend classes regularly. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates（证书）when they finish their courses. It is also required by OSS for an extension to your visa.
BOOKS: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it.
If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520).
1. When do classes begin and end on a full day?
A. 9:00a.m. ---1:30p.m. B. 9:00a.m. ---3:00p.m.
C. 9:00a.m. ---3:15p.m. D. 3:15p.m. ---5:00p.m.
2.How many afternoons does a class meet each week?
A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five.
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. No teachers are in the language lab.
B. 90% attendance is required for the students.
C. Books can’t be taken out of the center.
D. Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes.
4.Timetable can be seen in _____.
A. the lecture hall B. Room 3520 C. the classroom D. Room 1110
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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Adding Humors to Your Conversations
Humor adds bright light to your conversations . People like and trust with a good sense of humor . In order to make others laugh , you have to be fun and relaxed . It’s hard to be funny when you’re stressed out .（心力交瘁的）
When you feel tense（紧张的）, your humor will disappear . You have to find ways to bring your humor back and feel relaxed .
Here are some ideas to keep your humor :
72. ________
When you feel tired , you can just open your favorite book of humor writing or cartoons to lighten the moment .
73. ________
Maybe you have a picture of your kids at Disney World . Maybe it’s a picture of your last year’s Halloween costume . Perhaps a photo will remind you that your dog makes you laugh . The photo will also open the door to fun-filled conversations with visitiors to your office .
74. ________
If you’ve been with people , spend some time alone . If you’ve been sitting , take a walk . If you’ve been in a quiet environment , go someplace exciting . If you’ve been indoors , step outside .
Whenever , you’re stressed , your body is usually telling you that you need to do something different . You want to keep yourself in a humor-ready state .
75. ________
This will provide a place for you and your co-workers to have a mind-vacation . Find some fun posters to decorate the room . Put interesting things , like games and puzzles in the room . Design a notice board for fun photos , cartoons and contests . The idea is to fill the room with fun and make people forget about the stress .
A. Consider breaking the pattern（模式）when you’re in a bad mood . Do something different .
B. Have a fun photo of something that recalls wonderful memories on your desk .
C. Help design a better room .
D. Keep something that makes you laugh or smile near you .
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Figure 1:
