Mouse potatoes joined couch potatoes (who spend much time watching TV on the couch), google officially became a verb and drama queens (extremely emotional persons) finally found the attention when they crossed over from popular culture to mainstream English language.
The mouse potato, the himbo (attractive, empty-headed man) and drama queen were among 100 new words added to the 2006 update of America’s best-selling dictionary, the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary《韦氏大词典》. The Internet search engine Google also found its way into the dictionary for the first time as a verb, meaning to find information quickly on the worldwide web.
New words and phrases from the fields of science, technology, pop culture and industry are chosen each year by Merriam-Webster’s team of editors after months of looking through books, magazines and even food labels. “They are not tracking spoken language. They are looking for evidence that words have been used in the written English language,” said Arthur Bicknell, senior editor of Merriam-Webster.
Other words first coming into the dictionary this year were soul patch (a small growth of beard under a man’s lower lip), unibrow (two eyebrows joining together) and supersize － the fast food industry phrase for extra large meals.
The technology world contributed ringtones (changeable incoming cellphone call signals) and spyware (software installed in a computer to track a user’s activities) while biodiesel (生物柴油) and avian influenza(禽流感) came from the world of science.
America’s first dictionary － Noah Webster’s A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language － was published 200 years ago and also introduced some fresh words that have now become familiar. Those “new” words in 1806 included slang, surf, psychology, naturally and Americanize. The mouse potato refers to ____________.
| A．a mouse that lives by potatoes |
| B．a person who spends much time on the computer |
| C．a mouse that is shown on the screen of the computer |
| D．a person who likes to eat mice and potatoes |
Which group of words and phrases is NOT the fresh words for the dictionary of this year?
| A．mouse potatoes, google, supersize， drama queen. |
| B．himbo, soul patch, unibrow, supersize. |
| C．ringtones, spyware, biodiesel, avian influenza. |
| D．couch potatoes, surf, psychology, Americanize. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?
| A．New words and phrases were introduced into the dictionary have close relationship with the time. |
| B．New words and phrases chosen by the editors of the dictionary have been used in written English somewhere. |
| C．Some words that are now familiar to us used to be fresh words collected in the dictionary. |
| D．The Merriam-webster Collegiate Dictionary becomes the best-seller because 100 new words are added to it. |
I am not just a successful architect（建筑师）. I also like to play the piano. In my spare time I often turn some dry musical symbols into beautiful music.
Many years ago, while I was in a university studying architecture, I worked in a workshop. During the break I found an old piano in the corner of the room. With the allowance of the boss I sat down to have a try. Following my fingers the keys danced brilliantly and at the same time beautiful music flew out and then to every part of the room. All my workmates suddenly stopped talking and made their ears ready for my music.
After graduation, I began to devote myself to my profession. All my musical talent was wasted into zero. Then one evening we went to a concert at which Mr. Stevenson, one of the ordinary workers in my company, sang us some beautiful songs. His musical talents made us all surprised. We all enjoyed ourselves with his beautiful voice so much that we even thought him a professional singer. I was also reminded of my musical talent.
I began to train in a training center. My teacher was strict with me. He encouraged me to train every weekend and each time he asked me to play better than the last. Now I can proudly say I am also a successful pianist because every time I played on the stage fresh flowers and warm clapping would come from my audience. So I say, my friends, don’t busy yourself with your work too much. Find some time to develop your potential talent（潜能） and your life will become more wonderful. What did the author do in his spare time?
| A．He played music. |
| B．He worked here and there. |
| C．He stayed at home practicing his lessons. |
| D．He read for his profession. |
After graduation, why did the author waste his music talent？
| A．He realized that his music talent was nothing at all. |
| B．His workmates did not like him to play music. |
| C．He went on with his further study. |
| D．He was too busy with his work. |
According to the passage, the author is not only a successful architect but also a good ___.
| A．worker | B．pianist | C．singer | D．basketball player |
What is the author’s aim in writing this passage？
| A．He wanted to tell us that he is successful both in work and life. |
| B．He wanted to tell us to develop our potential talent instead of busying ourselves with our work only. |
| C．He wanted to tell us that the concert is very important to his life. |
| D．He wanted to tell us that he was very welcome in his company. |
Why did the author have himself trained on piano?
| A．Because he lost his job. |
| B．Because his salary was too low. |
| C．Because he wanted to became a famous artist. |
| D．Because he was inspired by his workmate. |
As a teacher, I always think it right to teach my students to write about their true feelings and real experiences. But once I was puzzled about this.
After explaining a text one day, I asked my students to write a passage about their families. All the students wrote quite well but the best of them all was the one written by a small girl. I was deeply touched by it. The girl’s father had died years before and her mother had to work hard to support the family. Many times she had seen her mother working deep into the night but never seen tears on her face. Like her mother this girl also works hard at her lessons and she is really good at any of them. I even didn’t know anything about her unlucky family. She always appears happy every day so she is really liked by us all, both the students and teachers.
In order to make her an example to the class, I read this passage to the class. When I finished reading it I found my throat choked and my students’ eyes full of tears. Some of them even wept in a low voice. After the class nearly all my other students wanted to hand in their pocket money for the daily use to help this girl. To tell you the truth, I was really proud of my students.
But to my disappointment, this student of mine left the class even without telling me the next day. I don’t know the reason why, can you tell me? The author asked his students to write about their families because he wanted them to ___.
| A．speak out open-heartedly |
| B．tell him some stories about themselves |
| C．make up some stories about themselves |
| D．say something good to him |
What do you think about the girl? She is ___.
| A．honest and kind | B．hardworking and determined |
| C．brave and helpful | D．kind and loyal |
The underlined word “choked” may mean ___ in Chinese.
| A．疼痛 | B．激动 | C．哽咽 | D．惊奇 |
What do you think is the main reason for the girl to leave the next day?
| A．She got angry at what the teacher had done. |
| B．She didn’t want the others to know her unluckiness. |
| C．She didn’t know the teacher’s kindness to her. |
| D．She may have found a better school. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The teacher asked her students to read the little girl’s article by themselves. |
| B．The little girl’s father died of a traffic accident. |
| C．The little girl’s classmates were willing to help her. |
| D．The little girl’s mother blamed her for her writing. |
Once my friend Peterson bought a pack of chicken, the brand of which was very famous at that time. But when he got home he found that the chicken had gone bad. He took the chicken back to the shop and he was paid twice of the price. We may say now he should have been satisfied but my friend would not like to stop. He decided to write a letter to Frank, president of the company, who was also the founder of the chicken brand.
About a week later he received a letter written by the president himself. In the letter he apologized to my friend for the company whole-heartedly. There was also a card in the envelope, with which my friend could get another pack of chicken in any of the shops. In the end my friend was asked to answer some questions.
1. When and where did you buy the chicken?
2. What was the real problem of the chicken?
3. What did the shop assistant say to you when you took the chicken back to the shop?
4. What do you think is the reason for the chicken to go bad?
5. What do you suggest we should do to get away from such problems?
Two days later, my friend also received a telephone call from the president’s office, asking whether he had received the letter as well as the card and then some other questions. Since then, my friend has always bought chicken only of this brand whenever he wanted to. What did the author’s friend get when he took the bad chicken back to the shop?
| A．Another pack of chicken. | B．Two packs of chicken. |
| C．Money twice of the price. | D．A whole-hearted apology. |
What did the author’s friend do when he came back from the shop after he was paid back?
| A．He felt satisfied with the result. |
| B．He wrote a letter to the President of the US. |
| C．He became very angry with the shop assistant. |
| D．He wrote a letter to the president of the company. |
A week later the author’s friend received ___.
| A．A letter of apology |
| B．A card with which he could get another pack of chicken |
| C．Neither the letter nor the card |
| D．Both of the letter and the card |
What do you think is the author’s friend’s attitude towards the chicken brand?
| A．He still believes in it. |
| B．He doesn’t believe it at all. |
| C．He will never buy it again. |
| D．He has never been satisfied with it. |
What can’t we infer from the passage?
| A．The company may still be a top brand now. |
| B．The president of the company is a responsible person. |
| C．The company must have closed down. |
| D．The author may even believe in the chicken brand. |
It is difficult for doctors to help a person with a damaged brain. Without enough blood, the brain lives for only three to five minutes. More often the doctors can' t fix the damage. Sometimes they are afraid to try something to help because it is dangerous to work on the brain. The doctors might make the person worse if he operates on the brain.
Dr. Robert White, a famous professor and doctor, thinks he knows a way to help. He thinks doctors should make the brain very cold. If it is very cold, the brain can live without blood for 30 minutes. This gives the doctor a longer time to do something for the brain.
Dr. White tried his idea on 13 monkeys. First he taught them to do different jobs, then he operated on them. He made the monkeys' blood go through a machine. The machine cooled the blood. Then the machine sent the blood back to the monkeys' brains. When the brain' s temperature was 10°C, Dr. White stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes he turned the blood back on. He warmed the blood again. After their operations the monkeys were like they had been before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the jobs the doctor had taught them. The biggest difficulty in operating on the damaged brain is that _______.
| A．the time is too short for doctors |
| B．the patients are often too nervous |
| C．the damage is extremely hard to fix |
| D．the blood-cooling machine might break down |
The brain operation was made possible mainly by _______.
| A．taking the blood out of the brain |
| B．trying the operation on monkeys first |
| C．having the blood go through a machine |
| D．lowering the brain' s temperature |
With Dr. White' s new idea, the operation on the damaged brain _______.
| A．can last as long as 30 minutes | B．can keep the brain' s blood warm |
| C．can keep the patient' s brain healthy | D．can help monkeys do different jobs |
What is the right order of the steps in the operation?
a. send the cooled blood back to the brain
b. stop the blood to the brain
c. have the blood cooled down
d. operate on the brain
| A．a,b,c,d | B．c,a,b,d | C．c, b, d, a | D．b, c, d, a |
Our “Mommy and Me” time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of age 6 and under ride their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children out alone,” said Christie.
Then we worked out a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I’ll watch her other three. And when she watches two of mine, I’ll take someone out.
The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie’s daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She’s like a different child when there’s no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn’t have to make an effort to gain attention.
Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I am always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering（口吃的）son, Tom doesn’t stutter once during our activities since he doesn’t have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who’s always a follower when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.
The “Mommy and Me” time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves（应得到）to be an only child at least once in a while. What is the text mainly about?
| A．The basic needs of children. |
| B．The advantage of spending time with one child at a time. |
| C．The happy life of two families. |
| D．The experience of the only child being with mother. |
Right after McKenzie came back, the other children were _____________.
| A．happy | B．curious | C．regretful | D．friendly |
What is one of the changes the author finds in her children?
| A．Tom has less difficulty in speaking. | B．Sam holds her hand more often. |
| C．The boys become better followers. | D．The daughter acts like a leader. |
The author seems to believe that ___________.
| A．having brothers and sisters is fun |
| B．it’s tiring to look after three children |
| C．every child needs parents’ full attention |
| D．parents should watch others’ children. |
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