When people ask how many languages I speak,I reply I have forgotten six.That's the problem with languages: if you don't use them you lose them.But a little practice soon brings them back and you can once again enjoy the magic of talking to others in their own language and on their own terms.
I was a disaster at languages at school.I obtained 5 out of 200 in zero level French-an all time record.I was badly taught and I could never see the point.But as a young Royal Navy soldier to Singapore in the early 1960s,I heard that in Malay there was one word for "let's take off our clothes and tell dirty stories".Suddenly I saw the point.I never found the word,but in the process I learnt my first language.In the mid-60s,I was sent to the deep jungle among the local people.In their long-houses there were dried human heads hanging from the frames of the houses.I decided I would feel more comfortable if I knew their language too.
Not long after that,I spent two years learning official Chinese language in Hong Kong.One day,at a party with fellow students and teachers I tried to make a small talk with my female Chinese teacher."Have you ever flown in planes?" However,with my terrible Chinese tones,I made a mistake by asking "Have you by any chance sat upon a flying cock?" So you can imagine how I really felt inside my mind at that moment!You know what it means by speaking in such an uncomfortable tune to a female teacher!
Then I changed my languages and chatted with her in German,French and Russian in brief.God Heavens!My female Chinese teacher finally reacted and turned her red face to normal!Indeed this is the only time in my adult life when I haven't been learning a language.Languages have changed my life-and enriched it.And I think they can change yours too.
1.In the writer's eyes,the loss of using a language can be obtained .
A. by practicing it more often
B. from a zero level record
C. by learning the points
D. from a Chinese teacher
2.The writer was not very good at languages at school because .
A. he hated speaking Chinese with female people
B. he didn't learn languages very effectively
C. his French tests were always a zero record
D. his Chinese teachers taught him in a bad way
3.The mistake with the female teacher at the party .
A. would make the writer more confident of his Chinese level
B. would certainly bring the writer a severe punishment
C. brought the writer into a very embarrassing situation
D. would make her think highly of his Chinese level
4.The writer turned to other languages to talk to his teacher in order to .
A. warn people not to make any mistakes in official language
B. advise people to try using more languages to talk with others
C. suggest a diversity of changes of languages in people's life
D. relieve the tense atmosphere to make her relaxed
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
You are entering a world far different from the one my generation entered.My generation grew up with no MTV, no college loan,no $175 sneakers,no underwear worn in public and very little jewelry worn on the tongue.Yet somehow we broke through and,achieved all these things,and more.I believe that your generation is far more elegant and caring than my own.You ask questions: "What is the meaning of life?" "How can I make a fortune with almost no money down?" "Why do we have to sit round in the hot sun listening to an opening speech? "
I do not recall who it was that spoke at my own graduation.Whoever it was,I know I looked to him for wisdom and guidance,just as you now look to me.I suppose if there is one single suggestion I'd like to leave with you,it is like this: concentrate on what you are doing.If you have decided to do it well,you will be successful,no matter how hard your situation is.
Act bravely.Do not fear making mistakes; if you make one,look out.
Make a contribution to our society.Even though 70 percent of you will be lawyers,still I say to you: Try to do something useful with your life,if only in your spare time.
In a very real sense,your graduation here today is not an ending but a commencement.If I may say so,this is,in fact,the first day of the rest of your lives.I realize it is a bit shocking to look at graduation this way,but I believe we must.Thank you,and lots of luck.You'll need it.
1.The underlined word "commencement"in the last paragraph might mean .
A. beginning B. ending
C. contribution D. graduation
2.Where and how are the students listening to the speaker?
A. They are standing in the open air.
B. They are sitting in the open air.
C. They are sitting in a classroom.
D. They are sitting in an auditorium.
3.The speech is given to .
A. praise the graduates for what they have done
B. tell the graduates how to make a fortune
C. offer the graduates some useful advice
D. guide the graduates how to become good lawyers
4.The speaker encourages the graduates to do the following EXCEPT .
A. concentrate on what they are doing
B. face and avoid their possible mistakes
C. do something useful for the society
D. try their best to seek a good fortune
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Learn English Free Online
Exam English
Free TOEFL Practice Test Instructions
This TOEFL simulation is offered by TestDEN.com to help you prepare for university in the USA and Canada. Since 1997,TestDEN.com has helped tens of thousands of students achieve their educational goals.
●Enter your user name and e-mail (used to announce monthly winners).
●When you log out,return using your name and e-mail.
●You can do the TOEFL practice exam up to 3 times,as there are three practice tests available.
●Each sample TOEFL test requires 30 minutes and includes reading and listening questions.
●Speaking and writing are not graded.
●TestDEN will contact iPod winners by e-mail.
Top TOEFL Practice Test scores are displayed on the score board.Good luck!
Contest Rules:
l.Every month,TestDEN will randomly select five winners who will receive a free Online TOEFL
Course (value US$129 each).
2.To select the monthly iPod winner,TestDEN will choose from the top 10 scores and randomly select a winner. There will be one iPod winner for the contest.
3.Contest winners will be announced one week after the end of each month.
4.At the end of each month,all users' test scores will be removed from the score board.Users who have not won may participate in the contest for the next month.
5.Each user will have up to 3 free TOEFL tests.We will automatically display your top score.Only your top score will be shown.
6.iPod winners do not have the chance to win future monthly prizes.
1.At the end of each month,test scores of all the users .
A. might be increased B. can be repeated
C. will be canceled D. will be well kept
2.How many hours do you need at most to finish all the sample examinations?
A. 3 hours. B. 2.5 hours.
C. 2 hours. D. 1.5 hours.
3.This reading passage may probably appear .
A. on a school notice board B. on a foreign web site
C. in an application form D. in a university plan
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Driving could soon be a far more pleasant experience thanks to a personal in-car robot being developed by researchers.The robot,which is called "Affective Intelligent Driving Agent (AIDA)" will be able to tell you the best route home based on traffic reports,remind you to pick up petrol and suggest places you may like to visit.The robot is intended to be placed on the indication plate in the car and is being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in co-operation with Volkswagen.
AIDA communicates with the driver through an expressive robot screen and will even appear sympathetic if you're having a bad day.Cynthia Breazeal,director of MIT's Personal Robots Group,said: "We are developing AIDA to read the driver's mood from facial expressions and other clues and respond in a proper way."
AIDA works by analyzing the driver's moving patterns,keeping track of common routes and destinations.The creators say the robot should be able to work out home and work locations within a week of driving.Soon afterwards, the system will direct the driver to his favorite supermarket,suggesting a route that avoids crowded roads.AIDA might recommend a petrol stop on the way if the fuel tank is nearly empty.The robot will also analyze real-time information about traffic jams,the weather report,commercial activities,tourist attractions,and residential areas.
"In developing AIDA,we asked ourselves how we could design a system that would offer the same kind of guidance as an informed and friendly companion."
"AIDA can also give you response on your driving,helping you drive more efficiently and ensure safer driving behavior," Assaf Biderman from SENSEable City Lab added.
1.What is AIDA in this passage?
A. A personal driver. B. A traffic controller.
C. A traffic indicator. D. A smart car robot.
2.What's the most impressive about AIDA according to the passage?
A. It can stay away from traffic jams.
B. It can replace the driver to drive the car.
C. It can interact with the driver.
D. It can help the driver find the way.
3.From the last paragraph we can know that .
A. it's possible to drive a car without any petrol
B. AIDA can help us to become better drivers
C. people can save a lot of energy by driving a car
D. it's much safer to drive with someone else
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. An Intelligent Device for Drivers
B. A New Model of Volkswagen
C. The Cooperation of Two Car Makers
D. Traffic Management in Big Cities
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Nowadays many people are under great pressure from study,work and life.Some begin to become sad,hopeless and finally suffer from depression,which can make a person feel sad or upset.The American Academy of Family Physicians has made a research into this illness.1.
Reach out and stay connected
When you're depressed,reach out to close family members and friends can be tough.However,social support is absolutely essential to depression recovery.2.
Do things that make you feel good
Though you can't force yourself to have fun or experience pleasure,you can push yourself to do things you don't like.3.Even if your depression doesn't become better immediately,you'll gradually feel more optimistic and energetic as you make time for fun activities.
4.
Get as much exercise as possible to get the most benefit,taking exercise at least 30 minutes per day,six times a week.Research shows that regular exercise can be as effective as medical treatment to relieve depression symptoms.It also helps with your recovery.
5.Even if you're receiving professional help,these tips can be part of your treatment plan,speeding your recovery and preventing depression from returning.
A.Eat more mood-boosting food.
B.Keep these self-help tips in mind.
C.Take physical exercise every day.
D.Therefore,we'd better turn to others for help.
E.Here are some suggestions for dealing with depression.
F.Staying connected to other people will make you in good mood.
G.You might be surprised that you will feel better once you join in.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Winters are always long and cold in North China.The winter of2008 was especially tough in one southwestern city,______it became extremely cold and it was also a difficult time for me.What was worse,a(n)______injury happened to me and it might keep me in bed for several months, "Just in time for the Spring Festival," my mother said to me,sighing.But how could I feel the______when the snow was so heavy and I had months of painful physical_____ahead?
One day I was doing my housework______there was a tap against the window from a branch of the troublesome fruit tree.On hearing this,with my eyes closed,slowly,I began to recall the fall of 1995 when somebody placed a pipe from my pump next to the______.The earth was so wet that it______immediately with most of its bare roots upward.Seeing this,my mother______to pull it out,but I refused."How hard it's trying!" I said,______the direction of its strong holding of the earth."It is______of a chance to survive." With tools,we______dry soil around the tree and put up some supports into the ground,making it______upright.
Several months had passed before I could be______of it.Surprisingly,when spring returned,my "rescue______"
had grown some leaves and many______.In 2009 that little rescue stick had grown into a towering tree.What an unbelievable miracle of life!
The day before the Spring Festival,the______at the window was continuing,the more fierce wind,the ____
sound,as if to remind me to look up and appreciate its powerful life
That night I slept peacefully having a(n)______.In the dream some flowers were coming out______.The next morning I stood against the window._____the window was the tree bursting with life.Anyway,I had a wonderful Spring Festival that year.
1.A. that B. which C. when D. where
2.A. admirable B. slight C. terrible D. favorable
3.A. joy B. duty C. cold D. failure
4.A. exercise B. report C. treatment D. experiment
5.A. while B. when C. as D. that
6.A. window B. wall C. branch D. tree
7.A. fell down B. came out C. got out D. stood up
8.A. failed B. pretended C. decided D. continued
9.A. attaching to B. pointing to C. looking into D. watching over
10.A. confident B. proud C. certain D. worthy
11.A. placed B. turned C. needed D. threw
12.A. bend B. stand C. drop D. swing
13.A. worthy B. tired C. aware D. proud
14.A. stick B. tool C. pipe D. pump
15.A. roots B. flowers C. nuts D. stems
16.A. attacking B. striking C. tapping D. hitting
17.A. more B. most C. best D. better
18.A. dream B. walk C. re st D. idea
19.A. politely B. wildly C. passively D. shyly
20.A. On B. Besides C. Inside D. Outside
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In the past, children walked and rode bikes to and from school and parents seldom worried about their safety.1.(fortunate),young people today are not free enough to walk and play outdoors2.many communities have been designed to be3.(convenience) for cars,not for children.
Our "Kids Walk-to-School" program aims to get children to walk and cycle to and from school in groups4.(accompany) by adults.This5.(give) kids a chance to be more physically active and learn more about their environment,and6.the same time,the program encourages people7.walking a safe and enjoyable part of everyone's lives.It is also great for anyone living in neighborhoods,and it can also be adapted for children of all8.(age),especially those9.live in neighborhoods further from the school10.those in neighborhoods without safe walking routes.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。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（＼）直接划掉；
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。
According to a new report,more than one in five people are lived in extreme poverty around the globe. Therefore,China's continued economic growth has improved the lives of million of people.The poverty rate in the world's largest developing country had decreased by nearly three-quarters in the past six years.The report is made of a research company in the U.S.It says that the trend has resulted from the economic reforms in the country in last ten years.One reason for this soclo-economic success lies in the rapidly development of the country.Another reason is that why more and more people are moving from many poorer rural areas to look for better jobs in urban centers.The improvement of education but healthcare has also played an important part in help many people get out of poverty in China.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
你的美国笔友Mike听说你的外籍英语老师Mr.Smith很受学生欢迎，来信向你了解他的相关情况，并且很想到你们学校看一看。请根据以下内容，以李华的名义用英语向Mike介绍你的英语老师Mr.Smith:
1.工作努力，耐心热情，关心学生。
2.讲课生动有趣，学生对英语感兴趣，英语提高很大。
3.经常帮助英语有困难的学生并时常和学生一起进行体育活动。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.开头和结尾已经给出，但不计入总词数。
Dear Mike,
I've just learned that you'd like me to introduce to you my favorite English teacher,Mr.Smith._______________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析