The British are known for their sense of humor. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone gets very wet in a shower of rain, he might say, “It’s a little damp (潮湿的) outside.” Or, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, “She isn’t exactly friendly.” Understatement is often used in unpleasant situation or to make another person look silly. Understatement plays an important part in British humor.
Another key to understanding British humor is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly and unpleasant things that happen to our everyday life when someone accidentally falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave. What’s more, the British love to watch comedies (喜剧) about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedies series Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.
Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn’t talk often, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humor. Because of this, many people have become familiar with the British sense of humor.
1.Why is it difficult for foreigners to understand British jokes?
A. The British often enlarge the fact.
B. British jokes are connected with many different cultures.
C. British jokes are not as funny as jokes in other countries.
D. The British try to make out that something is less important than it is.
2.The author explains understatement by _______.
A. describing a process B. making comparisons
C. following time order D. using examples
3.Mr. Bean makes laugh by ______.
A. using his body movement and facial expressions
B. making jokes about others’ accent
C. copying how others behave
D. telling funny stories
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. British Humor in Comedy B. Humor in Different Cultures
C. Understanding British Humor D. Developing Your Sense of Humor
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Internet time tied to teen depression(抑郁) symptoms
Spending time online is normal behaviour for teenagers. But too much Internet use by teens —or too little, for that matter —might be related to depression, a new study finds.
The findings, reported in the journal of Pediatrics, do not mean that the Internet is to blame. For one, teens in the study who spent no time online were also at increased risk of depression symptoms. Instead, the researchers say that both heavy Internet use, and non-use, could serve as signals that a teenager is having a hard time.
For the study, Dr Pierre-Andre Michaud and his colleagues at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, surveyed 7,200 individuals aged 16 to 20 about their Internet use.
Those who were online more than two hours per day were considered “heavy” Internet users,while those online anywhere from several times per week to two hours per day were considered “regular” users.
The teenagers also answered a number of health-related questions, including some standard questions about "depressive tendencies” that gauge(判定) how often a person feels sad or hopeless. Compared with regular Internet users, the study found, kids who were heavy users or non-users were more likely to be depressed or very depressed.
Among male teens, heavy users and non-users were both around one-third more likely to have a high depression score, compared to “regular” users. Among girls, heavy Internet users had an 86 percent greater chance of depression, while non-users had a 46 percent greater likelihood compared to regular users.
That was with factors like family income and any chronic health problems taken into account.
Since teenagers typically go online to contact with friends, the researchers speculate(推测) that those who are never online may be more socially isolated.
1.How long are those who are online per day considered “heavy” Internet users?
A. More than two hours. B. More than eight hours.
C. More than twelve hours. D. More than ten hours.
2.What’s the purpose of Dr Michaud and his colleagues’ study?
A. To know the actual number of teenagers online.
B. To know the actual time of teenagers online.
C. To know the influence of study online on teenagers.
D. To know the relationship between the Internet use and depression.
3.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “isolated” in the last paragraph?
A. Independent B. United
C. Separated. D. Capable.
4.According to the accounts of the sixth paragraph, what can we conclude?
A. Non-users of Internet aren’t likely to be depressed.
B. Among girls, heavy Internet users are more likely to suffer depression than regular users.
C. Heavy users will lead to death unless limited.
D. Non-users have more possibility to be depressed than heavy users.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American women to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exit today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers f pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor(1930-present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Standford Law School in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona State Senator(参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the US Supreme Court（高等法院）. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison, But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. (抵制行动) It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movements.“the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams famous for in history?
A. Her social work B. Her teaching skills
C. Her efforts to win a prize D. Her background
2.What was the reason for O’Connor’s being refused by the law firm?
A. Her lack of the training in law. B. Her little work experience in court
C. An unfair treatment to the women D. the poor financial conditions
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil rights movement in the US?
A. Jane Addams B. Rachel Carson
C. Sandra Day O’Connor D. Rosa Parks
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When I was six, Dad brought home a dog one day, who was called “Brownie”. My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games, Brownie, in return, loved each and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. we always felt better when she was around.
One day, as I was getting her food, she chewed up(咬破)one of Dad’s shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew Dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, ”Bad girl,” she looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes.
Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet, she went everywhere with us . People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she’d let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we’d be out walking and a small child would come over and pull her hair. she never barked(吠) or tried to get away. Funny thing is she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loves everyone.
Now many years have passed since Brownie died of old age. I still miss days when she was with us.
1.What would Brownie do when someone was ill in the family?
A. Look at them sadly. B. Keep them company.
C. Play games with them. D. Touch them gently.
2.We can infer from Paragraph 2 that Brownie__________.
A. would eat anything when hungry B. felt sorry for her mistake
C. loved playing hide-and-seek D. disliked the author’s dad
3.Why does the author say that Brownie was more than just a family pet?
A. She was treated as a member of the family. B. She played games with anyone she liked.
C. She was loved by everybody she met. D. She went everywhere with the family.
4.Some people got frightened by Brownie when she__________.
A. smiled B. barked
C. rushed to them D. tried to be funny
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The benefits of Keeping a journal
If you want to grow, one important thing you should do is keeping a journal. It may seem simple, but it can make a big difference in your life. I have been keeping journals for years. Writing all the lessons I learn and all the ideas I get has become a habit for me. 1. Here are some benefits you will get by keeping a journal.
◆ It prevents you from losing an idea. Have you ever gotten an idea only to lose it later because you didn’t write it down? 2. But then I developed the habit of writing down every idea that came into my mind as soon as possible. If I’m away from my computer, I usually write it down on a piece of paper that I bring wherever I go. I will then transfer the idea to the journal in my computer.
◆ It helps you review all the lessons you’ve learned. By reviewing your journal, you can quickly see the lessons you’ve learned and the ideas you’ve gotten. 3. You can use the ideas to propel (鞭策) yourself forward.
◆4. After keeping a journal for years, you can look back at it and see how far you’ve gone. Things that were big problems in the past might seem small today. The raw ideas you had in the past might have been realized today.
◆ It helps you expand your ideas. When you try to come up with a sentence to express an idea, you are thinking actively about it. 5. In the end, you will expand your ideas.
A．I often experienced that myself.
B．It trains you to express your thoughts.
C．It allows you to see your progress over time.
D．Just use whatever tool you feel comfortable with.
E. Thinking actively helps you connect your idea to another idea.
F. And to be honest, I can’t imagine what my life would be like without it.
G. Then you can do whatever necessary to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As a child, I was very shy. I wanted to be ______, but lacked confidence. When I discovered _______, I found something I was good at. I began to be _______by my friends and this gave me the desire to climb harder and higher _______. I discovered that nothing was impossible if I could find the _______to try.
Both individual determination and teamwork are _______to success when climbing. You need to rely on the _______of your team and share in the achievement. But personal focus and determination to keep _______despite any difficulty is an important _______to team success.
My greatest achievement in climbing is being the first ever to _______the 5,000-foot Troll Wall in Norway, whose rock face is the _______and most vertical(垂直) in Europe. A stone which drops from the summit will touch nothing until it _______on the valley floor one mile below.
53___our climb, the experts in Europe had said it was ______to climb the Troll Wall. But with three companions, I decided to _______. It took ten days to make the climb and we slept on ledges(岩石架) no more than a foot wide. But I _______.
Afterwards, I said to myself, “________I can do that, I can do anything.” Some years later, I succeeded in climbing Mount Everest-the highest mountain in the world.
_____to me is not hanging on a rope on the side of a mountain, but is just one field where adventurous people can constantly ______themselves. If we look at every day as an adventure, we can challenge ourselves and continue to grow throughout our ______. That is the final adventure.
1.A. intelligent B. successful C. curious D. generous
2.A. surfing B. wrestling C. fishing D. climbing
3.A. denied B. envied C. recognized D. tricked
4.A. mountains B. trees C. walls D. buildings
5.A. method B. secret C. courage D. skill
6.A. suitable B. convenient C. equal D. important
7.A. guide B. support C. protection D. sympathy
8.A. going B. refusing C. waiting D. burning
9.A. examination B. transportation C. investigation D. contribution
10.A. plant B. remove C. conquer D. surround
11.A. smallest B. safest C. lowest D. highest
12.A. lands B. stops C. dies D. rests
13.A. After B. Before C. During D. With
14.A. easy B. impossible C. foolish D. brave
15.A. try B. struggle C. seek D. compete
16.A. failed B. gave up C. succeeded D. took off
17.A. Unless B. If C. Though D. Whether
18.A. Failure B. Fear C. Adventure D. Confidence
19.A. hold B. forgive C. understand D. challenge
20.A. life B. study C. childhood D. country
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。(满分15分)
Imagine a road crossing without the three-day traffic signal, cars, trucks, school buses, bicyclists and students walking to school would try to rush through the crossing1. the same time. Their safety would be in danger.
Thanks to an African American2. (invent) named Garrett Augustus Morgan, we have three-way traffic signals that help make crossings much3. (safe). Mr. Morgan was born in Kentucky in 1877. He only received six years’ education. As a teen he left his family’s farm in search of better4. (opportunity). Living in Cincinnati, Ohio, he continued his studies in English grammar. Then he moved on to Cleveland5. he worked as a repairman for a clothing factory. He had a keen interest in solving problems 6. (meet) in everyday life. Later he patented several inventions. The three-way traffic signal was just one of 7.. One day he felt very sad when he saw a traffic accident. To help reduce traffic accidents and save people’s lives, he 8. (immediate) began to work on the invention. Finally, it was 9. great success which saved lives then, and 10. (be) still saving lives today.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
英语课上，老师要求同桌同学相互修改作文。假设以下书信为你同桌所写，请你对其进行修改。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
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。
Attention please, everyone. We have received the weather forecast on radio this morning that there will have a heavy rain tonight. Be sure to shutting the windows and doors until you leave your classrooms. The sports meet that we planned to hold on tomorrow will be put off. After it becomes fine, we’ll make other announcement. We will have classes on Wednesday as usually. Since it is colder tomorrow, please put on more clothes in times. Those who comes to school by bike, don’t keep your umbrella open while riding.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
你发现周围很多同学在用手机发短信，玩游戏等，影响了正常学习，请针对这个现象，写一份广播稿，呼吁同学放下手机，多关注身边的人和事。内容包括：
1、简述频繁使用手机的危害性；
2、提出至少三项合理化的建议(多锻炼……)。
注意：1、词数100左右
2、开头及结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
3、可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear fellow students,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
That’s all. Thank you for your listening.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析