In the US, people prefer waiting for a table to sitting with people they don’t know. This means a hostess may not seat a small group until a small table is available, even if a large one is. If you are sitting at a table with people you don’t know, it is impolite to light up a cigarette first asking if it will disturb them.
At American restaurants and coffee shops you are usually served tap water before you order. You may find the bread and butter is free, and if you order coffee, you may get a free refill.
Most cities and towns have no rules about opening and closing time for stores or restaurants, though they usually do make rules for bars. Especially in large cities, stores may be open 24 hours a day.
Serving in restaurants is often large, too large for many people. If you can’t finish your meal but would like to enjoy the food later, ask your waitress or waiter for a “doggie bag”. It may have a picture of a dog on it, but everybody knows you’re taking the food for yourself.
Supper and dinner are both words for the evening meal. Some people have “Sunday dinner”. This is an especially big noon meal.
Tips are not usually added to the check. They are not included in the price of the meal, either. A tip of about 15% is expected and you should leave it on the table when you leave. In some restaurants, a check is brought on a plate and you put your money there. Then the waiter or waitress brings you your change.
1.Which statements is true?
A.American people like sitting with people they don’t know.
B.Hostess always seats a small group at a large table.
C.American people never sit with people they don’t know.
D.American people would not light a cigarette if the people who sit at the same table mind their smoking.
2.What do American people always do when servings are too large for them?
A.They take the food home with a doggie bag for their dogs.
B.They leave the food on the table and go away.
C.They take the food home with a doggie bag and enjoy the food later.
D.They ask the waitress or waiter to keep the food for them.
3.What can you learn about “tips” according to the passage?
A.Customers often add tips to their check.
B.Tips are supposed to be left on the table when customers leave.
C.People don’t need to pay tips.
D.The price of the meal usually includes the tip.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started to stand up and pushed the table, spilling his coffee over his notes. “How embarrassing! I am getting so clumsy in my old age.”
Everyone had a good laugh, and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments. It came around to Frank who sat quietly listening to the others.
Frank began,“My Dad was a fisherman. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad and the other kids that were still at home.”
Frank's voice dropped a bit. “When the weather was bad he would drive me to school. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here I was twelve years old, and my Dad would lean over and kiss me good-bye!”
He paused and then went on, “I remember the day I thought I was too old for a good-bye kiss. When we got to the school, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, ‘No, Dad.’ It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, ‘Dad, I'm too old for a good-bye kiss. I'm too old for any kind of kiss.’ My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear. I had never seen him cry. He turned. ‘You're right,’ he said. ‘You are a big boy ... a man. I won't kiss you anymore.’”
For the moment, the tears began to well up in Frank's eyes. “It wasn't long after that when my Dad went to sea and never came back.”
I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks. Frank spoke again.“Guys, you don't know what I would give to have my Dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek.”
1.Why did Frank feel embarrassed when his father kissed him good-bye at that time?
A.Because he didn’t want his father to drive him to school.
B.Because his classmates would laugh at him.
C.Because everybody was standing around and watching him.
D.Because he thought he was too old for a good-bye kiss.
2.When Frank refused his father's kiss that day, his father__________.
A.felt surprised and didn't know what to do
B.felt a little angry but agreed not to kiss him anymore
C.felt very sad but agreed not to kiss him anymore
D.felt very relieved because his son grew up
3.According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT correct?
A.Frank's father was hardworking and very responsible.
B.Frank's father drove him to school everyday when he was 12.
C.Frank regretted refusing his father's kiss very much.
D.Frank didn't think the good-bye kiss an embarrassment anymore.
4.Frank told us this when everyone told a story about the embarrassing moment maybe because the following reasons EXCEPT__________.
A.he regretted to have refused his father's kiss
B.he wanted to remind us to cherish the time with family
C.he still thought this was the most embarrassing thing
D.he understood his father's love and missed him
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Does stress cause gray hair? Many people believe that tension and stress can cause your hair to lose its color. In fact, it is an old-wives’ tale that being upset all the time can result in premature graying. Here is a closer look at this situation and why some believe that this old wives’ tale could be true.
As one ages, the hairs on the head also age. In fact, just about everything on the human body begins to show signs of wear and tear (磨损) after a while. The joints wear and become stiff and skin wears and becomes wrinkled. Hairs on the head grow and eventually die. They are replaced, but in the process something else happens.
When new hairs are replacing the old ones, the color or pigment (色素) is also added to them. However, as one ages, this pigment becomes less and less available. At first, hairs will have a limited amount of pigment and they will appear to be grayish in color. In time, they will lose all of their pigment and will be white. Many things are known to cause graying, and genetics is a very powerful factor. If one of your parents turns gray at an early age, there is a good chance that you will too. Some people begin the graying process in high school, while others may be over the age of forty.
Constant worry and tension can have many harmful effects on the human body. It is a known fact that stressful times can cause one to suffer hair loss. It would make sense that if it can cause these problems, perhaps it also may contribute to graying. However, there is no sound evidence to support this.
On the other hand, many medical professionals believe that there may be a link between graying and a constant state of anxiety or tension. Does stress cause gray hair? There is no scientific evidence to support the theory, but it is best to avoid stressful situations.
1.The underlined phrase in the first paragraph most probably means________.
A.clever remarks B.silly remarks C.exciting remarks D.disappointed remarks
2.The second paragraph mainly tells us __________.
A.every part of body is replaced with age B.hairs will grow weak but not die
C.skin becomes wrinkled with age D.every part of body ages with age
3.What might play the most important role in the graying process?
A.Genetics and the amount of sleeping time.
B.The amount of food people eat and living environment.
C.The amount of pigment and genetics.
D.Genetics and the amount of water people drink
4.From the passage we can infer that________.
A.stress causing gray hair is still in question
B.gray hair has nothing to do with tension
C.stressful situations can be of benefit
D.sound evidence has been found
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
What can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you'll earn later.
The idea that popularity could have a serious effect on one's earning potentia（潜在性） shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The researchers found that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work..
“If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations," said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. "Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you feel bad," said Xu. She believed that all this helps you "earn a higher salary”.
Maybe that's why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism (交友狂症). A woman even complained that the networking website Facebook's 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large number of social contacts.
But what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency（货币）?
“Call me uncoil, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition (定义) of ‘friend',” said Meghan Daum, who works with The Los Angeles Times in the US.
Daum dislikes the idea that quantity trumps quality in the age of friendaholism. She thought the idea of friendship, at least among the growing population of Internet social networkers, was to get as many of not-really-friends as possible. For example, a friend might be someone you might know personally but who could just as easily be the friend of a friend of some other Facebook friend you don't actually know. Although she agreed that social ties grease (润滑) the wheels of life, she also wamed, "Too bad one thing money can't buy is a real friend."
1.What will be needed if you are to achieve success according to the researchers?
A.Social skills, friends, good mood and fortune.
B.Social skills, talent, hard work and facebook.
C.Social skills, networking, potential and fortune.
D.Social skills, networking, talent and hard work.
2.What can friends do in the eyes of Xu Yanchun?
A.They can help you with your schoolwork.
B.They teach you how to make more money.
C.They introduce their friends to you.
D.They help you to get rid of sadness and cheer up.
3.We learn that Meghan Daum's attitude towards friends is somewhat _____.
A.up-to-date B.traditional
C.confused D.optimistic
4.What does the word "trumps" in the last paragraph mean?
A.is worse than B.is equal to
C.is better than D.is similar to
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Some people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel you are already close friends. They are always good talkers.
Here are several skills that good talkers have in common. If you follow the skills, they’ll help you put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly.1.
First of all,good talkers ask questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says, “At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning.2.” From there you can move on to other matters—sometimes to really personal questions.3.. Second,once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers . Your questions should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully .
Real listening at least means some things. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he’s really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to tones of voice. 4.
Finally, good talkers know well how to “say goodbye”.If you’re saying goodbye, you may give him a firm handshake and say,“I’ve really enjoyed meeting you.”5..Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away,happy and satisfied.
A.You can become a popular person.
B.You’d better change the subject if the voice sounds dull.
C.Don’t be afraid to say so if you want to see that person again.
D.Although the question is common，it will get things going.
E.It’s polite to listen to others with a smile.
F.And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.
G.These people have something in common.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As a high school coach, I did all I could to help my boys win their game. I cheered as hard for _________ as they did. A dramatic ___________, however, following a game in which I was a referee(裁判), changed my _________ on victories and defeats.
It was a league championship basketball game between New Rochelle and Yonkers High. New Rochelle was _________ by Dan O’Brien, Yonkers by Les Beck. The gym was _________, and the noise made it impossible to hear. The game was well played and _________ competed. Yonkers was _________ by one point as I _________ at the clock and discovered there were but 10 seconds left to play. New Rochelle, the home team, took _________ of the ball, passed off and shot. The ball __________ around the rim(篮筐边沿) and off. The fans ____________. New Rochelle recovered the ball, and tapped it in for what looked like victory. The noise was __________.
I looked at the clock and saw that the game was over. I hadn’t heard the final buzzer(终场哨) because of the noise. I __________ with the other official, but he could not help me. So, I __________ the timekeeper, a young man of 17 or so. He said, “Sir, the buzzer __________ before the final tap-in was made. ” Yonkers won!
I had to tell O’Brien the sad news. His face __________. The young timekeeper came up and said, “I’m sorry, Dad. The ____________ ran out before the final basket. ”__________, like the sun coming out from a cloud, O’Brien’s face lit up. He said, “that’s okay, Joe. You did what you had to. I’m __________ of you.” The two of them then walked off the ____________ together, the coach’s arm around his son’s shoulder.
1.A.honesty B.devotion C.victory D.glory
2.A.conversation B.incident C.gesture D.challenge
3.A.view B.attitude C.theory D.impression
4.A.organized B.represented C.imagined D.coached
5.A.crowded B.cleared C.shaken D.arranged
6.A.happily B.closely C.smartly D.freely
7.A.moving B.progressing C.leading D.shooting
8.A.waved B.glanced C.signaled D.stared
9.A.control B.place C.care D.need
10.A.stuck B.fell C.turned D.rolled
11.A.laughed B.jumped C.yelled D.danced
12.A.annoying B.amazing C.thrilling D.deafening
13.A.examined B.watched C.researched D.checked
14.A.criticized B.approached C.interviewed D.reminded
15.A.broke down B.faded away C.went off D.carried on
16.A.clouded over B.softened up C.sweated over D.wrinkled up
17.A.audience B.ball C.time D.player
18.A.Certainly B.Similarly C.Fortunately D.Suddenly
19.A.ashamed B.proud C.aware D.fond
20.A.court B.course C.track D.field
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
First impressions are the most lasting. After all, you never get ___ second chance to make ___ first impression.
A.a; the B.the; the
C.a; a D.the; a
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
You are saying that he is dishonest, and this is I disagree.
A.why B.where C.what D.which
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The book 30 short novels, three written by my father.
A.contains; included B.contains; including
C.includes; contained D.includes; containing
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
—Hi, Mary! Where are you in such a hurry?
—Sports ground! A great musician is giving a concert there!
A.heading for B.heading C.heading to D.head for
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
What do you think to make himself ？
A.Tom will say; believe B.will Tom say; believe
C.Tom will say; believed D.will Tom say; believed
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Jogging is a great way to keep fit. , swimming is helpful for your health.
A.Correctly B.Completely C.Similarly D.Familiarly
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
We run after happiness, thinking one day we will find it. But it by looking for it.
A.rarely will we find B.rarely we will find C.rarely will find we D.rarely find we will
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It is ________ certain that all your classmates will be dressed________at the new year evening party.
A.pretty; pretty B.pretty; prettily
C.prettily; prettily D.prettily; pretty
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Under good treatment, she is beginning to and soon come back to work.
A.take up B.grow up C.pick up D.show up
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Working as a businesswoman, Catherine admitted it hard between work and her family.
A.finding; balancing B.finding; to balance
C.to find; balancing D.to find; to balance
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
When I left for the United States to study, I had butterflies in my stomach. I was nervous because I was going to1.new place with new people and new customs. I couldn’t even understand2.(they) language. Everything was3.(difference) from my own country. There was nobody4. I could talk to. I just had my husband, who was a new person for me, too.
It was a sad moment 5. I had to say goodbye to my family and friends. I didn’t want 6.(leave) my hometown because I grew up there and had wonderful7. (memory) of the place.
So, 8.(think) about all these changes made me nervous and I 9.(worry) about my new life. But studying abroad was a 10.(decide) that I made myself. I had to continue and accept the challenge. I looked forward to visiting my family in the summer vacation.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
请改正下面短文中的错误。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误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 day, when I was on our way to school, I was asking myself whether it would be better to stop persuade myself that I could do well in my weak subjects? Wouldn’t it be easy to give up math and physics? Just as I was thinking about this, I come across my teacher, with who I often discussed my problems. He gave me some suggestions and taught me several method of addressing my problems. In end, he said, “Keep it up!” From his words, I sudden realized that if I don’t give up, it will always be someone to help me. Because of my teachers and my family is always supporting me, I have no reason to give up.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，暑期在澳大利亚参加夏令营，来自英国的Sam是你的室友，在相处一段时间后你发现Sam的一些行为给你造成了困扰。请你给他写一封电子邮件予以提醒，内容包括：
1.晚上玩游戏时说话声音太高；
2.脏衣服随地乱扔；
3.经常忘记锁门。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Sam,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best regards,
LiHua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析