People with many different relationships use small talk. The most common types of people to use small talk are those who do not know each other at all. It is also common for people who are only acquaintances (熟人), often called a “friend of a friend”, to use small talk.
There are certain “safe” topics that people usually make small talk about. The weather is probably the number one thing. Sometimes even friends and family members discuss the weather when they meet or start a conversation. Another topic that is generally “safe” is current events, such as sports news and entertainment news. If there is something that you and the other speaker have in common, that may also be acceptable to talk about. Negative comments about another person not involved in the conversation are not acceptable because you cannot be sure who his friends are when you do not know a person well.
People make small talk just about anywhere. Most often, small talk happens in places where people are waiting for something. For example, you might chat with another person who is waiting for the bus to arrive. Some social events (such as a party) require small talk among guests who do not know each other very well.
The most common time for small talk to happen is the first time you see or meet someone. However, the next time you see each other, you might just smile and say nothing. Do not interrupt two people in order to discuss something unimportant, such as the weather. If someone is reading a book or writing a letter in a waiting room, it is not proper to initiate a conversation either.
1. The third paragraph mainly tells us .
A. how people make small talk
B. people like making small talk
C. why people make small talk
D. where people make small talk
2.What can we learn about small talk according to the text?
A. Small talk only happens between strangers.
B. When people feel lonely, they will start small talk.
C. Unpleasant comments about another person aren’t a “safe” topic.
D. Small talk only happens when people want to make friends.
3.The underlined word “initiate” in the last paragraph probably means “ ”.
A. end B. start C. control D. Avoid
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Shyness equals (等于) losing opportunities, less pleasure and fewer social connections, but there are ways to make it a thing of the past.
When I was fifteen, I was shy. I remember an attractive girl trying to talk with me. My shyness made me focus on me instead of her. I heard my own voice but not hers and I thought about what I was trying to say instead of what she was trying to say.
To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax. This gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills. Relaxed socializing (社交) is so pleasurable. To start reducing your own shyness, I want you to absorb the following tips and ideas and start to put them into practice.
Focus your attention away from yourself. Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note, listen to their conversation, imagine where they might live, and make a point of remembering names. Not only does this give you more to talk about, it also reduces social anxiety, leaving you feeling calmer.
Ask people open questions. Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting. Ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response such as “What do you like about this place?’ rather than “Do you like this place?” Once they have answered, you can use add-on (追加) questions connected with the first such as “What other places do you like in this city?” Next you can express your views. This is a great way to get the conversation going.
Now I love meeting new people and suspect that my current social confidence would be unrecognizable to my fifteen-year-old self.
1. The author didn’t pay attention to what the girl was saying because .
A. her voice was very low
B. he was shy and nervous
C. he was attracted by her appearance
D. he wasn’t interested in her topic
2.To get rid of your shyness, you should .
A. pay much attention to yourself
B. find a beautiful girl to talk with
C. learn to talk to others in a relaxed way
D. ask people some interesting questions
3.It can be inferred from the text that .
A. people will notice our appearance if we focus on their looks
B. shy people will have no friends unless they change themselves
C. shy people may suffer a great deal and may be less happy
D. girls like to show off their voices in front of boys
4.Which of the following questions will the author probably advise us to ask?
A. What a lovely day, isn’t it?
B. Do you like playing basketball?
C. Do you think he will pass the exam?
D. Why do you find that English is hard to learn?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Claude Monet is surely one of the most famous French artists of all. Monet was particularly interested in the effect of light and would paint the same scene in different lighting conditions or times of the day. For example, he painted around 20 versions of the Rouen Cathedral from dawn to dusk. His most famous paintings include his Water lilies series.
The paintings of Paul Cézanne had a lot of influence in the development of 20th century art, including Cubism (立体派) and Fauvism (野兽派). Cézanne is one of the most famous French artists and is known as a “post-impressionist”, which was similar in some ways to impressionism but also broke away from some of its limitations. Famous French paintings include his Bathers and Mont St Victoire series.
Henri Matisse was one of the most important famous French artists of the 20th century. He was considered one of the leaders of the Fauvist movement. He had a long and varied (多样化的) artistic career, painting in different styles ranging from Impressionism to Abstract. In 1941, Matisse was diagnosed with cancer and was forced into a wheelchair. But this didn’t stop him completing the amazing Chapel of the Rosary in Vence.
Degas is probably one of the most fascinating of all the famous French artists. He is known as one of the founders of Impressionism, but his paintings were also influenced by classicism, romanticism, and realism. His style is definitely very unique. He was a prolific (多产的) artist, producing over one thousand works. He is best known for his paintings of ballet dancers.
1.We can know that Claude Monet painted about 20 versions of the Rouen Cathedral .
A. within one day B. using the same colors
C. at different places D. in different lighting conditions
2.Which style does Bathers most probably belong to?
A. Impressionism. B. Post-impressionism.
C. Romanticism. D. Abstract.
3.During Henri Matisse’s long artistic career, he .
A. painted paintings of different styles
B. did his most famous paintings after 1941
C. painted in the style of Fauvism most frequently
D. spent most of his time painting in a wheelchair
4.We can infer from the last paragraph that .
A. Degas’ works all belong to Impressionism
B. Degas’ works were influenced by many styles
C. it’s not easy to tell Degas’ paintings from other artists’
D. Degas’ paintings influenced classicism, romanticism and realism
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Question: Which program is in Guinness World Records as the world’s longest running TV quiz show? Answer: “It’s Academic.”
“It’s Academic” is a Saturday morning program for high school students. The show has been broadcast in the Washington area for fifty years. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton competed on the show when she was a teenager. Teams from local schools are questioned about subjects like history, literature, math, science, religion, politics and sports.
Sophie was a TV producer in the 1950s. She started “It’s Academic” after local school officials asked her to create a program that showed outstanding students.
The show’s host, 84-year-old Mac McGarry, who has hosted “It’s Academic” since the beginning, says, “When we first started, the young people from various countries were not evident so much. Now, each program presents young people from all over the world, at least descendants (后裔) from people all over the world.”
Mac McGarry said, “Every time I look up, I see people who are just seventeen years old. And I think, ‘Well, I must not be growing older at all. They are full of enthusiasm. I really have to become more active to keep up with them.’” More than 20,000 students have appeared on the show. Mac McGarry has asked more than 200,000 questions and gotten more than a few funny answers.
Kelly Reeder led the team from Rockville High School in Maryland last year. Her school has won the championship on “It’s Academic” several times. She says, “We have put in a lot of effort over the years. It’s a really huge honor to end up on the A Team. My friends who are on ‘It’s Academic’ think it’s cool that I’m the captain of the A Team, but my friends who are not on ‘It’s Academic’ think it’s kind of funny.”
1.We learn from the text that “It’s Academic” .
A. was started half a century ago
B. was produced by Hillary Clinton
C. is broadcast across the US every week
D. is a TV show based on Guinness records
2.Sophie created the program originally to .
A. pick out outstanding students
B. focus on students’ schoolwork
C. attract more TV viewers
D. accomplish a given task
3.In Paragraph 4, McGarry mainly wants to say .
A. the show was not popular at first
B. they overcame difficulties in the beginning
C. the teams in the show are quite different now
D. the show becomes the longest running TV show
4.By saying “I must not be growing older at all”, McGarry means that she .
A. will have to retire soon
B. hopes to go on with the work
C. feels younger together with teenagers
D. worries about her health condition
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Children art education is something that is much encouraged for the child’s creative growth. This is necessary because a child can have a sense of appreciation of the arts and along with all the other things that they learn in school. 1.
Children art education should be designed from a very early age so that they are allowed to express themselves freely in whatever way that they wish to. 2.
However, the task of children art education is not a very easy one, because you have to find the right way in which you can help them get interested in what you are trying to teach them. 3. The physical space where the art education is to be carried out should also be carefully decorated to make it attractive to the children. Use of colors should be made in abundance (丰富) as that is what attracts a child first to it.
Displaying examples of artwork that you think would be important enough to influence the children is also a good idea. Of course, a photograph of a painting of the Madonna (圣母马利亚) is something that children might not appreciate. 4. This will be a source of inspiration for the children to try them out as well.
The creative process is something that you must not interfere with (干涉) during a children art education class. 5. But after that, you must wait for the children themselves to come up with something meaningful to their ability. As long as the end result is connected with the topic, every child’s art work is worth praising.
A. You can just give them a topic for drawing.
B. A trip to an art museum can be an inspiration to many students.
C. They also have a place where they can express all their feelings.
D. The reason for this could be the lack of interest in the teacher.
E. This is the only way that art can be appreciated as children grow up.
F. So creating the right environment for children art education is very important.
G. Instead, put up paintings that children will be fond of.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
During the course of a lifetime, we all make mistakes. And, we often take for granted what we have, either thinking we what we already have, or believing we will never need anyone to us.
Such was the of Cecilia.
Cecilia had a great job, a nice house and everything she . She was, , not a kind person for several reasons that became once you got to know her. The first thing was her lack of sympathy for others not as as her. She would not express any sympathy for anyone in trouble. Her was that they were just too lazy. But, then came the fateful day. Her husband got into difficulty, to the point where he was to declare bankruptcy. Then she found she was the one who nothing.
The tables were completely , and she was desperate for help. She also found her parents were unwilling to help her, but for her, his family were willing and able to help them through those difficult times despite the that she had excluded (排斥) them from her life.
I wish I could give you a beautiful to this story but sadly I cannot. Even though Cecilia was assisted through times, once over, she returned to her self.
But this is not the main point of this story. We all need somewhere along life’s path whether we think we will or not. And, if you are the one and helping, just remember this: no matter what later, you will always be secure in the fact that you have remained strong and true to assist those that need your help.
1.A. recognize B. show C. deserve D. treasure
2.A. know B. praise C. thank D. assist
3.A. case B. report C. path D. dream
4.A. needed B. booked C. hated D. shared
5.A. thus B. though C. just D. still
6.A. obvious B. easy C. strange D. necessary
7.A. intelligent B. fortunate C. pretty D. famous
8.A. purpose B. plan C. promise D. view
9.A. emotional B. technical C. financial D. behavioural
10.A. forced B. persuaded C. guided D. directed
11.A. knew B. had C. learned D. finished
12.A. ignored B. lost C. turned D. broken
13.A. simply B. similarly C. naturally D. luckily
14.A. reason B. fact C. tradition D. rule
15.A. key B. ending C. secret D. alternative
16.A. challenging B. boring C. exciting D. satisfying
17.A. smiling B. careful C. curious D. true
18.A. surprise B. education C. help D. entertainment
19.A. communicating B. relaxing C. working D. giving
20.A. forms B. pauses C. happens D. Develops
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(不多于3个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
W: What do you think of the football match we 1. (watch) yesterday afternoon?
M: Very 2. (excite). The two teams did very well in the match and it was really 3. close game.
W: I enjoyed it very much too. I have never seen a more interesting game so far this year.
M: I had expected it to be a wonderful match because 4. of the teams had excellent players.
W: I’m sorry I missed the first part of it.
M: You were late for the match? What for?
W: I was filled with 5. (anxious) to see the match and fell off my bike on the way. My legs hurt, 6. I had to ride my bike slowly. It took me quite some time 7. I got to the sports field.
M: I’m sorry to hear that. Were your legs hurt?
W: Yes, but not very 8. (serious). I only got my skin scratched and bled a little.
M: You 9. (see) a doctor first.
W: But I didn’t think it necessary. I cleaned my skin and then started again.
M: How long were you late for the match? 10. time was it when you got to the sports field?
W: When I got to the sports field, it was already three twenty.
M: Three twenty? Oh, you were twenty minutes late for the match. You missed a very wonderful part of the match.
W: Yeah. It was really a pity.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
请修改下面的短文。短文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
One night a man came to my house and told me what a family with eight children hasn’t eaten for days. I took some rice and followed with him. When I came to the family, I gave the rice for the mother. She divided it into two, and went out, carry half of the rice with us. When she came back, I asked her, “Why did you go?” She answered, “To my neighbors. They are hungry, either.” I used to think that when we were suffered, we were so focused on ourselves that we had time for others, but what she did made me realize I was wrong.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
好的心情可以使我们感到愉快、幸福。但是怎样才能保持一个好的心情呢？请你根据以下提示，以How to keep a good mood为题用英语写一篇短文：
1. 保持健康； 2. 好好休息；
3. 回忆过去令自己高兴的事情； 4. 多考虑事情的积极方面。
注意：1. 词数100左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析