Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself. But many of the expressions using water have unpleasant meanings.
The expression “to be in hot water” is one of them. It is a very old expression. “Hot water” was used five hundred years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle.
That no longer happens. But we still get in “hot water”. When we are in “hot water”, we are in trouble. It can be any kind of trouble---serious, and not so serious. A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother, if he comes into the house with dirty shoes.
Being in “deep water” is almost the same as being in hot water. When you are in “deep water”, you are in a difficult position. Imagine a person who cannot swim being thrown into water over his head. 
You are in deep water when you are facing a problem that you d
o not have the ability to solve. You can be in deep water, for example, if you invest(投资) in stocks(股票) without knowing anything about the stock market.
“To keep your head above water” is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job.
“Water over the dam” is another expression about a past event. It is something that is finished. It cannot be changed. The expression comes from the idea that water which has flowed over a dam cannot be brought back again.
53. The passage mainly tells us _______ .
| A．the importance of water in our life | B．some expressions about water |
| C．some sad stories about water | D．some lessons about daily life |
54. When a friend is troubled by a mistake she has made, you might tell her to forget about it. You say “ _______”.
| A．You are in hot water | B．You are in deep water |
| C．Keep your head above water | D．It is water over the dam |
55．Two of the phrases “to be in hot water” “to be in deep water” mentioned in the passage have the same meaning of “ _______ ”.
| A．to be in debt | B．to be in difficulty |
| C．to be useless | D．to be out of water |
56. Which of the following expressions is a bit different from the others in meaning?
| A．To be in hot water. | B．To be in deep water. |
| C．To keep your head above water. | D．Water over the dam. |
C
lt's a dog's life for the nation's mutts - who are becoming anxious and aggressive through lack of play， experts fear．
A study of 4，000 dog owners has found a clear link between limited playtime and behaviour problems， such as being nervous when left alone， disobedience and snapping at other animals． And while researchers can't be sure that playing less is directly to blame， they say that games provide vital intellectual stimulation and exercise． The Bristol University study showed that only one in five owners play with their dogs six times a day． Half play two or three times a day and 10 per cent have just one play session．
Mark Evans， former chief vet for the RSPCA， said that dogs are one of the few animals to play into adulthood． He told the Sunday Times： 'There is a clear association in the results． Owners report more potential behaviour problems in dogs that play less．'
Emily Blackwell -- who conducted the research uncovered tonight on Channel 4's Dogs： Their Secret Lives - said dogs often enjoy playing so much that they slow down or change strategy to make the fun last longer． The lecturer in canine（犬科动物） welfare hopes that 10，000 people will eventually fill out the survey． This will enable her to firmly establish whether lack of play is affecting dogs' moods - or if their emotional problems put their owners off spending time with them． For instance，they may slow down when playing 'chase'， allowing their owner to catch up with them and the game to continue． Favourite games include wrestling， chase and tugging at toys， and perhaps unsurprisingly，'fetch' topped the list． Tennis balls were the favourite toys， followed by soft， squeaky toys， rubber balls and rope toys．
The research comes just days after an animal charity warned that millions of dogs are becoming fat． aggressive and destructive because their owners are clueless about basic animal care．The PDSA said that treats including beer， chips and leftover takeaways are making dogs fat and unwell – and wamed that almost a million are never taken for a walk．
If the dogs are not looked after carefully， ．
| A．they may become rebelling and damaging |
| B．they may get hurt and run away from home |
| C．they may become less active and dislike playing with the owners |
| D．they are more likely to fight with other animals |
What is Emily Blackwell's opinion on dogs' behavior？
| A．If the owners spend less time with their dogs， they may become aggressive． |
| B．Dogs know how to make their playing time last longer． |
| C．Only a few owners spend enough time playing with their dogs． |
| D．Some junk food or leftover may cause obesity on dogs． |
The underlined word "this" in the fourth paragraph probably refers to ．
| A．canine welfare |
| B．Channel 4's Dogs：Their Secret Lives |
| C．the survey |
| D．favourite games |
What can we learn from the passage？
| A．Researchers confirm that playing less is to blame for dogs' bad behaviours． |
| B．Most of the owners will play with their dogs many times in a day． |
| C．Chase and tennis balls are the favourites of dogs． |
| D．It's obvious that dogs' behaviour problems are related with their playing time． |
B
On behalf of the Obama family，I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving．
Like many of you． we'll spend the day with family and friends，catching up，eating some good food and watching a little football．Before we lift a fork，we lend a hand by going out in the community to serve some of our neighbors in need．And we give thanks for each other， and for all of God's blessings．We all share this day，united by the gratitude for the bounty（慷慨） of this nation．
And we welcome the contributions of all people-no matter their origin or color or beliefs-who call America home， and who enrich the life of our nation． It is a belief as old as our founding：“Epluribus unum” -- that out of many，we are one． We are reminded that this creed， and America itself was never an inevitability， but the result of ordinary people in every generation doing their part to uphold our founding ideals-by taking the blessings of freedom， and multiplying them for those who would follow．
As President Kennedy once wrote， even as we give thanks for all that we've inherited from those who came before us-“the decency（庄重，正派） of purpose， steadfastness（坚定）of resolve and strength of will， for the courage and the humility， which they possessed．” we must also remember that “the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them．”
Today，we are grateful to all Americans who do their part to live by those ideals， including our brave men and women in uniform overseas and their families， who sacrifice so much to keep America safe．We are grateful to the countless Americans who serve their communities in soup kitchens and shelters，looking out for those who are less fortunate，and lifting up those who have fallen on hard times．
This generosity， this compassion， this belief that we are each other's keepers， is essential to who we are， not just on this day，but every day．It's easy to focus on what separates us．But as we gather with loved ones on this Thanksgiving， let's remember and be grateful for what ties us together．
Our love of country．Our commitment to justice and equality．Our belief that America's best days are ahead，and that her destiny is ours to shape-and that our inherited ideals must be the birthright of all of our children．
That's what today is all about：that out of many，we are one．Thank you， God bless you．
What makes America as it is today？
| A．The blessings of God． |
| B．The persistent efforts of all Americans． |
| C．The contributions of people from different origin． |
| D．The bonus of World War II． |
As is mentioned several times in the passage， the sentence “out of many， we are one” implies
| A．although we come from different places， now we share the same culture． |
| B．onjy if we unite as one can we make a better world． |
| C．we are unique ones picked out by God． |
| D．among the many countries in the world， America is the best one to live in． |
What's the purpose by referring to President Kennedy's saying？
| A．To testify what we have today is inherited from our ancestors． |
| B．To emphasis the importance of giving thanks to our forefathers and fellows． |
| C．To remind people to share happiness with others． |
| D．To encourage every American to do their own part in building the country． |
President Obama's speech is made to ．
①call on Americans to unite together and help each other
② raise money to help the people in need
③clarify how the Thanksgiving comes into being
④express thanks to those who serve people at home or abroad
| A．①② | B．③④ | C．②③ | D．①④ |
A
My father wasn't a king， he was a taxi driver， but I am a prince-Prince Renato II， of the country Pontinha， an island fort on Funchal harbour． It's in Madeira，Portugal， where I grew up． It was discovered in 1419．
In 1903， the king of Portugal sold the land to a wealthy British family， the Blandys， who make Madeira wine． Fourteen years ago the family decided to sell it forjust €25，000， but nobody wanted to buy it either． I met Blandy at a party． and he asked if I'd like to buy the island． Of course I said yes，but I had no money-I was just an art teacher．I tried to find some business partners， who all thought I was crazy．So I sold some of my possessions，put my savings together and bought it．Of course， my family． my friends-all thought I was mad．
When the King originally sold the island，he signed a document， selling all the “possessions and the dominions”of the island．It means I can do what I want with it-I could start a restaurant， or a cinema but nobody thought someone would start a country．So that's what I did：I decided it would be my island， about the size of a one-bedroom house．
I have both a Portuguese passport and one for Pontinha （where my passport number is 0001）．There are four citizens： me， my wife， my son and my daughter．I am the police， the gardener，everything．I am whatever I want to be-that's the dream，isn't it？If l want to have a national flag，it could be blue today，red tomorrow．I can change it any time．Of course，my power is only absolute here， where I am the true sovereign．
I don't live in my country full time， but I am often there．My family sometimes drops by， and other people come every day because the country is free for tourists to visit； I never close for bad weather．Sometimes I come here when I'm feeling lively，after a few drinks．
Madeira is surrounded by water，but for some reason we all have to pay to swim in the ocean now，at the swimming spots．However．I have my island，which means I can come swimming whenever I want-it's as if someone has given me the key to the waters．
Our lives are gone in a flash．All change in the world begins with something very small， and this is my country-just a small island．How did the author get the island？
| A．It was a present from Blandy． |
| B．The king sold it to him． |
| C．He inherited from his father． |
| D．He bought it from Blandy． |
It can be learned from the passage that____．
| A．the author made his living by driving |
| B．the author's wife supported to buy the island |
| C．blue and red are the main colors of his national flag |
| D．people can travel around the island free of charge |
What did the author do with his island？
| A．He set up a restaurant． |
| B．He started a cinema． |
| C．He founded his own country． |
| D．He opened a swimming pool． |
From his own experience， the author wanted to tell the readers that____．
| A．you can change your life through small things |
| B．you should buy your own country and become a king |
| C．becoming a real ruler is of much fun |
| D．life is too short， so enjoy it to the fullest |
E
Before we start a voyage, we usually try to find out more or less definitely where we are bound and how we are supposed to get there.
I happen to have the “Concise Oxford dictionary” on my desk and that will do as well as any other. The word I am looking for appears at the bottom of Page 344. edition 1912.
“Geography: the science of the earth's surface, form, physical features, natural and political divisions, climate, productions and population.”
I could not possibly hope to do better, but I still stress some of the aspects of the case at the expenses of others, because I intend to place man in the centre of the stage. This book of mine will not merely discuss the surface of the earth and its physical features, together with its political and natural boundaries. I would rather call it a study of man in search of food and shelter and leisure for himself and for his family and an attempt to his background or has reshaped his physical surroundings in order to be comfortable and well nourished and happy with his limited strength.
Among the two million human beings in the world, there is of course the widest possible range for all sorts of experiments of an economic and social and cultural nature. It seems me that those experiments deserve our attention before anything else. For a mountain is after all merely a mountain until it has been seen by human eyes and has been walked on by human feet and until its and slopes and valleys have been occupied and fought over and planted by a dozen generation of hungry settlers.
The Atlantic Ocean was just as wide and deep and as wet and salty before the beginning of the 13th century as after, but it took the human touch to make it what it is today—a bridge between the New World and the Old, the highway for the commerce between East and West.
For thousands of years the endless Russian plains lay ready to offer their abundant harvest to whoever should take the trouble to sow the first grain. But the aspect of that country today would he a very different one if the hand of a German or a Frank, rather than that of a Slav, had guided the iron-pointed stick that plowed the first furrows (犁沟).
The island of Nippon would shake and quake just as continually, whether they happened to be settled by Japanese or by the Tasmanian race, but in the latter case they would hardly be able to feed 60,000,000 people.
Generally speaking, I have paid more attention to the purely “human” side of geography than to the commercial problems which are so important in a day and age devoted to mass production.
In the first four paragraphs, the author wants to share with the readers ______.
| A．his approach to planning a voyage |
| B．his emphasis on using a dictionary |
| C．his definition of the word “geography” |
| D．his altitude to the earth's physical features |
Which of the following will the author NOT consider to be on experiment according to Paragraph 5?
| A．Exploring a mountain. |
| B．Climbing a mountain. |
| C．Planting on slopes and valleys. |
| D．Becoming hungry. |
Which of the following is implied about the Atlantic Ocean?
| A．It is wide, deep, wet and salty. |
| B．Human touch makes it important. |
| C．There is a bridge over it. |
| D．The highway is busy there. |
The author mentioned the Russian plains and the island of Nippon to show that _____.
| A．they both feed a lot of people |
| B．they enjoy very good natural conditions |
| C．different people may make the same place different |
| D．their natural conditions haven't changed for many years |
D
“The really big concern over the last decade,” according to Dr. David Whitehead, “is the relative loss of opportunities for children to engage in child-led play.” That's true. One of the exhausting aspects of modern parenting is that everything, even doing nothing, has to be purposeful. Now that “parenting” has become a verb — a state of doing, rather than simply being — it can fed unnatural to leave your children to their own devices. Yet it creates spaces in which good things can happen. The psychology lecturer is responding to a survey showing that 80 percent of parents of small children feel under pressure to fill their days with “structured” activities. This, says Dr. Whitehead, is a mistake. Leaving your children to play on their own or with their peers enables them to develop “self-regulation abilities”, which in turn leads to better academic achievement.
One afternoon last autumn, sitting on a bench doing no parenting at all, I suddenly felt I was getting the hang of it.
That afternoon, my sister and I took our children to the park. We had lots to talk about, so we sat down on a bench and drove the children away. After briefly complaining, the cousins wandered off and started jumping into puddles (水洼).
They jumped and jumped, and then one of them kicked some muddy water at the others. My sister and I, deep in conversation, didn't notice this. So my nephew became more adventurous. He scooped up a handful of mud and threw it on my son's head. My son caught his breath happily, wiped the mud out of his eyes, and threw one back. My nephew, who has a talent for naming things, puffed out his tiny chest and roared: “Let's play Muddikins!”
The rules of Muddikins are simple. You run around throwing mud at each other until everyone is so thickly coated that you can no longer be sure which child is whose. Nothing is learnt from it; nobody is improved. It is pure fun, of the sort that can only happen when parents drop the reins (缰绳). They did it. “ Whoa, that's so cool,” said one. “I wish my mum was like you.”What is stressed in Paragraph 1?
| A．Child-led play matters in the development of children. |
| B．Parents' concern over their children is unnecessary. |
| C．Children's activities should be well organized. |
| D．Parenting is everything in a family. |
What does the author think of the behavior of the children in the puddles?
| A．Amazing. | B．Troublesome. |
| C．Adventurous. | D．Worthwhile. |
By saying “They did it” in the last paragraph, the author means that ______.
| A．The reins were dropped. |
| B．She failed to distinguish her child. |
| C．The children learned from the Muddikins. |
| D．She confirmed Dr. David Whitehead's theory. |
The text is mainly about the relationship between _____.
| A．parents and children |
| B．individual and group |
| C．play and acquisition |
| D．theory and practice |
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