When I was a child, my parents always told me that I should never talk to strangers. This was part of a whole list of things I should never do: Never accept food or candy from strangers, never get in a car with strangers, and so on.
But if we didn’t start a conversation with strangers, we’d never make new friends. We’d never get a job. We may miss the joy that comes from talking with strangers. And the more people you know, you more chances you can get.
The following passage offers you some advice on how to break the ice.
Don’t just stare at your shoes. Go and say “Hi” to that new guy. It will be easier to break the ice if you know more about different cultures.
British: Beautiful day, isn’t it?
The weather in Britain is changeable. So, it is one of the topics the British care most about. And there’s a simple rule: Say “Yes” whether you agree with the person’s idea on the weather or not. That’s because the British start a conversation using the weather so that they can continue their talk.
French: Where did you go on holiday?
To talk with a French person, the safest way is to ask his or her last holiday. French students enjoy a 10-to-15-day holiday every two months. French employees get more than six weeks of holidays per year.
American: So, where are you from?
The US is so big and people move so often that location is always a source(来源) of talk. You can try to find a connection with the place they’re from. For example, if someone’s from Los Angeles, you could say:“Oh, I have a friend who studied there”Why did the writer’s parents tell him not to talk to strangers?
| A．It was dangerous. |
| B．Is wasted time. |
| C．It was part of the life. |
| D．Their son didn’t like to talk to strangers. |
The best thing to talk with British is .
| A．the fog | B．the rain |
| C．the weather | D．the wind |
To talk with a French person, the safest way is .
| A．his or her family | B．his or her parents |
| C．his or her friends | D．his or her last holiday |
The location is always a source of talk in America because .
| A．They are energetic |
| B．They love their home |
| C．Los Angeles is their location |
| D．The US is so big and people move so often |
According to the passage, the writer thinks .
| A．his parents were right |
| B．he can talk with strangers freely |
| C．It is necessary to talk with strangers |
| D．he can find jobs easily |
A Frenchman went to a small Italian town and was staying with his wife at the best hotel there. One night, he went out for a walk alone. It was late and the small street was dark and quiet. Suddenly he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man who quickly walked past him. The man was nearly out of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found that his watch was gone. He thought that it must be the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided to follow him and get back the watch.
Soon the Frenchman caught up with the Italian. Neither of them understood the other's language. The Frenchman frightened the Italian with his fist(拳头) and pointed at the Italian's watch. In the end the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman.
When he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife what had happened. He was greatly surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that by mistake he had robbed the watch and it was the Italian's. The Frenchman went to a small Italian town _______.
| A．alone | B．with his wife | C．with his friend | D．with an Italian |
The Italian gave up his watch to him at last because ________.
| A．he had stolen the watch from the Frenchman. |
| B．he understood what the Frenchman wanted |
| C．he had picked up the watch on his w ay from work |
| D．he was afraid of the Frenchman |
Who was robbed of the watch on earth?
| A．The Frenchman was. | B．The Italian was. |
| C．Both of them were. | D．Neither of them was. |
Parents should stop complaining themselves because there’s not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.
I’ve seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted(坚持) that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling（四肢摊开）himself on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was only a quick look at me. His mother was ashamed. “I don't know what to do with him these days,” she said. “He’s forgotten all the manners we taught him.”
He hasn't forgotten them. He’s just decided that he’s not going to use them. She admitted（承认）that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.
Another good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, “I don’t like your dress; it’s ugly.” One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.
“Where did we go wrong?” her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.This text is most probably written by ______.
| A．a specialist in teenager studies |
| B．a headmaster of a middle school |
| C．a parent with teenage children |
| D．a doctor for mental health problems |
The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to ______.
| A．the change from good to bad that’s seen in a child |
| B．the way that parents often complained about themselves |
| C．the opinion that a child has of his parents |
| D．the advice that parents want their children to follow |
The boy on the sofa would most probably be described as ______.
| A．clever | B．quiet | C．unusual | D．rude |
From the second example we can infer that the parents of the two daughters ______.
| A．pay no attention to them |
| B．are too busy to look after them |
| C．have come to hate them |
| D．feel helpless to do much about them |
What is the author' s opinion about the sudden change in teenage children?
| A．Parents have no choice but to try to accept it. |
| B．Parents should pay still more attention to the change. |
| C．Parents should work more closely with school teachers. |
| D．Parents cause the change in their children. |
It’s not easy to be an astronaut’s son. Everybody expects you to be special or perfect. I often wonder how my father ever had a son like me. I mean he’s so special and so good at everything he does. Even in middle school he was monitor and captain of the football team.
Well, to be honest, I often dream about being some kind of hero or doing something special—like saving a child from a burning building. One morning my teacher said there would be a Father’s Day writing competition for the whole school. “I hope we have a winner right here in my class.”
When I got home, I started to think about what to write. My father is an astronaut. No, I wouldn’t start like that. That was the way others saw him. How did I see my father? Hmm.
I saw him sitting with me in the dark when I had a terrible dream．I remembered how he hugged me for hours when my dog Spotty was killed by a car. Yes, these were the things I was going to write. To me, he wasn’t just a famous astronaut. He was my dad．
My parents and l went to school Thursday night. There were so many people in the big hall! My dad looked at me, and I shrugged.
The third prize was announced and it was not me. 1 was relieved and disappointed at the same time. The second prize was announced. It was me.
I went up to the stage and read what I had written, “My father’s son”. When I finished, the people stood up and excited. I saw my father blowing his nose. Tears were running down my mother’s face. Dad cleared his throat and put his hand on my shoulder, “Son, this is the proudest moment of my life.”
It was the proudest moment of my life, too. Maybe I’ll never be a great hero or win a Nobel Prize, but it was enough just to be my father’s son. The writer felt it to be the son of a famous person．
| A．1ucky | B．natural | C．hard | D．pleasant |
In order to_ the writer would like to save a child from a burning building.
| A．become astronaut | B．become a great hero |
| C．be made school team captain | D．be made monitor |
What did the boy probably write in his composition?
| A．A lot of special things he had done. |
| B．The story of his father as an astronaut. |
| C．The unforgettable time he spent with his father. |
| D．The experiences his father had in middle school. |
The writer felt proud when he .
| A．got a prize in a writing competition | B．won a Nobel Prize |
| C．saved a child from a burning building | D．discovered a new star |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．My daydream | B．My father’s son |
| C．My famous father | D．My happy family |
The airport in Boswell in twenty-one miles from the city. The banks and business offices are in the center of the city. Read these notes from the diary of Miss Shirley, a travel agent.
| April 2008 |
|
| 16 MON |
17 TUES |
| A group of 45 Japanese students visit Boswell---want cheap holiday. |
Mr and Mrs Johnson coming from New York need an overninght stop at Boswell---leave early on the 18th by air. |
| 18 WED |
19 THUR |
| Mr Thomas, Boston, comes for two-day business trip |
75 German students need two days in a cheap hotel |
| 21 SAT |
23 MON |
| Mr and Mrs Washington, from Seattle, arriving by air, traveling---want a first-class comfortable hotel. |
Mr and Mrs George, Tokyo, a small inexpensive hotel needed for two days. |
How many people in all arrive in Boswell according to the diary?
| A．127 | B．45 | C．47 | D．125 |
What will the Johnsons come to Boswell for?
| A．a visit |
| B．a business trip |
| C．a night stop |
| D．a small inexpensive hotel |
On Monday, the twenty-third, who will come Boswell?
| A．A group of 45 Japanese students |
| B．Mr and Mrs Johnson |
| C．75 German students |
| D．Mr and Mrs George |
When will Mr Thomas leave?
| A．April 18 |
| B．April 20 |
| C．April 22 |
| D．April 21 |
According to the diary, on which day will Miss Shirley be free?
| A．On Friday and Sunday |
| B．On Wednesday and Thursday |
| C．On Mondays |
| D．On weekends |
A group of swans（天鹅）flew down to a beach where a crow(乌鸦) was jumping around. The crow watched them with disdain(鄙视).
“You have no flying skills at all!” he said to the swans. “All you can do is to move your wings. Can you turn over in the air? No, that’s beyond you. Let’s have a flying competition. I’ll show you what real flying is!”
One of the swans, a strong young male, took up the challenge. The crow flew up and began to show his skills. He flew in circles, performed other flying tricks, and then came down and looked proudly at the swan.
Now it was the swan’s turn. He flew up, and began flying over the sea. The crow flew after him, making all kinds of comments(评价) about his flying. They flew on and on till they couldn’t see the land and there was nothing but water on all sides. The crow was making fewer and fewer comments. He was now so exhausted that he found it hard to stay in the air, and had to struggle to keep himself from falling into the water.
The swan pretended(假装) not to notice, and said, “Why do you keep touching the water, brother? Is that another trick?”
“No,” said the crow. He knew he had lost the competition. “I’m in trouble because of my pride! If you don’t help me, I’ll lose my life…”
The swan took pity on him, and took him on his shoulders and flew back to the beach.What’s the correct order of the following events?
a. The crow showed off its flying skills.
b. The swan felt pity for the crow and saved it.
c. The crow laughed at the swan’s flying.
d. The crow followed the swan and got into trouble.
e. The crow challenged the swans and a strong young swan accepted it.
| A．e, c, d, a, b | B．a, e, c, d, b | C．c, e, a, d, b | D．e, a, d, c, b |
What does the underlined word “exhausted” in Paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Tired. | B．Angry. | C．Frightened. | D．Regretful. |
Why did the crow keep touching the water?
| A．It was showing another flying skill. |
| B．It was struggling to keep itself from falling into the water. |
| C．It was thirsty and wanted to drink some water. |
| D．It was enjoying itself by doing so. |
What can we infer(推断) from the passage?
| A．The crow didn’t know flying. |
| B．Flying skills were useless. |
| C．The swan saved the crow because they were good friends. |
| D．The swan was better at long-distance flying than the crow. |
What does the story tell us?
| A．No pains, no gains. | B．The early bird catches the worm. |
| C．Pride goes before a fall. | D．Practice makes perfect. |
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