Now the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.
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Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. When they are red-hot, they are very angry about something. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say such music is red-hot.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the 20th century. It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health.
Blue is a cool color. The blues music in the United States is the opposite of red-hot music. Blues is slow and sad. Someone who is blue is very sad.
The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in the stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green. Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back of the paper money.
The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day.
(MUSIC)
I’m Warren Scheer. Listen again next week for another Words and Their Stories program in Special English on the Voice of America.We say you are in the pink when you are _______________.
| A．very sad | B．very happy |
| C．in good health | D．feeling well |
What does the word “ upset” mean ?
| A．happy | B．sad |
| C．satisfied | D．active |
We describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a __________ day.
| A．red | B．green |
| C．pink | D．black |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．People in the USA use black to express heat. |
| B．If you are blue, you are very happy. |
| C．Green is a natural color for humans. |
| D．If you have a sick feeling in the stomach, you feel a little green. |
What is this passage probably written for?
| A．A radio program. | B．A news report. |
| C．A telephone call. | D．A TV play. |
It was a very foggy day in London. The fog was so thick that it was impossible to see morethan a foot or so. Buses, cars and taxis were not able to run and were standing by the side of theroad. People were trying to find their way about on foot but were losing their way in the fog. Mr. Smith had a very important meeting at the House of Commons and had to get there but no onecould take him. He tried to walk there but found he was quite lost. Suddenly he bumped into astranger. The stranger asked if he could help him. Mr. Smith said he wanted to get to the Housesof Parliament. The stranger told him he would take him there. Mr. Smith thanked him and theystarted to walk there. The fog was getting thicker every minute but the stranger had no difficultyin finding the way. He went along one street, turned down another, crossed a square and at lastafter about half an hour's walk they arrived at the Houses of Parliament. Mr. Smith couldn'tunderstand how the stranger found his way. "It is wonderful," he said. "How do you find theway in the fog?"
"It is no trouble at all to me," said the stranger, "I am blind." According to the passage, we can infer that " bumped into" means_______.
| A．撞飞 | B．偶然碰见 | C．敲打 | D．踩踏 |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The stranger has a better sight than Mr. Smith. |
| B．Heavy fog can cause traffic accidents. |
| C．It's easy to get lost on a foggy day. |
| D．The fog was getting thicker and thicker. |
Why is it no trouble at all to the stranger to find the way in the fog?
| A．Because he is a local inhabitant（当地居民） of London. |
| B．Because he lives next to the Houses of Parliament. |
| C．Because he is familiar with the route. |
| D．Because he finds the way not by sight but by heart. |
This article mainly tells us that_______.
| A．London is a foggy city |
| B．Mr. Smith works for the government |
| C．a blind stranger led the way for Mr. Smith on a foggy day |
| D．Mr. Smith had a very important meeting and lost his way in the fog |
Teachers say the digital age has had a good and a not-so-good influence on the American teenagers. More than 2,000 high school teachers took an online survey.
75 percent of the teachers said the Internet and digital search tools have had a “mostly good” use for their students' research habits and skills, But 87 percent agreed that these technologies "make the students not have enough attention.” And 64 percent said the technologies “do little to help them in courses.”
Judy Buchanan is a director of the National Writing Project. Ms. Buchanan says digital research tools are helping students learn more, and learn faster. Teachers really like these tools, because they are ways to make some of learning exciting. Young people enjoy using these tools. And the goal is to help them become creative students of meaningful work, and not just that kind of copyist.
But one problem the survey found is that many students don't have a good understanding of how to use the digital knowledge well. In other words, they trust(信任) too much of the information. Judy Buchanan says these students have not developed the skills they need to tell whether the online information is good or bad.
Another problem the survey found is something that might not seem like a problem, at all, being-able to quickly find information online. Teachers say the ability of their students to work hard to find answers is becoming weaker. They say students depend too much on search engines (引擎) and do not make enough use, of printed books or research, librarians.
Besides, many teachers are also worried about the problem that the Internet makes it easy for students to copy work done by others, instead of using their own abilities. of the teachers agreed technologies may stop students from having enough attention.
| A．50% | B．64% | C．75% | D．87% |
How many problems are mentioned (提及) in the passage'?
| A．One | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
Teachers like the digital search tools because they can .
| A．make some of learning exciting |
| B．help students find answers easily |
| C．tell whether the information is good or not |
| D．help students copy the work done by others |
What does the writer want to tell us by writing this passage?
| A．Digital search tools have quite a lot of advantages. |
| B．Students don't know how to use the digital search tools. |
| C．Many teachers are worried about the students' abilities. |
| D．Students should learn how to use the digital tools in a right way. |
Do you ever find yourself getting really unhappy for almost no reason? Or suddenly feeling down without knowing why? Going from sadness to anger to joy in a matter of minutes can make many teens feel as though they're losing control. But why is the feeling so common among teens?
Maybe you're starting a new school and not able to see old friends as much. Getting good grades or wanting to be better in sports or other activities can be a concern (关注)for many teens.
Being accepted by friends is important. Teens also may notice, for the first time, a sense of distance from parents and family. You may feel you want to be on your own and make your own decisions, but it can also seem a bit lonely at times.
Another important cause for mood swings is biology. When puberty（青春期）begins, the body starts producing hormones（荷尔蒙）. These hormones cause physical changes in the body. But in some people, they also seem to cause emotional(情绪的)changes.
Here are some things you can do that might make those bad moods a bit easier to deal with.
Recognize you're not alone. Although not every teen experiences mood changes to the same degree, they are common.
Talk to people you trust. Friends can help each other by realizing that they're not alone in their feelings. Talking to parents is important, too. Parents can share their own experiences dealing with bad moods. Teachers are often good resources and a doctor can help to answer questions about development.
Get enough sleep. Though it can be hard to find enough time, getting enough rest is very important. Being tired can lead to more sadness.
Create. Taking part in some kinds of activities, like building something out of wood, or starting an art or music piece. Writing can help you organize and express your thoughts and feelings. Get your thoughts on paper. Do the same thing with paint, music, or other art forms. Put your feelings into your artwork.
When puberty begins, many teens feel__________.
| A．unhappy | B．angry | C．joyful | D．emotional |
_______may not make some teens be in bad moods.
| A．Study pressure | B．Getting good grades |
| C．The sense of distance from parents | D．Missing old friends |
It’s easier to deal with your mood changes by ___________.
①realizing they are common ②explaining your feelings to people you trust
③playing computer games ④being creative
⑤breaking school rules ⑥getting enough sleep
| A．①②③④ | B．①②③⑥ |
| C．①②④⑥ | D．①③④⑤ |
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED, 牛津英语词典) is thinking of adding the Chinese word tuhao (土豪) to its 2014 edition (版本).
The word has become popular in China during the past few months to describe newly rich people who spend money in extravagant（铺张的，浪费的）ways. Tuhao has caught on in Western countries, too, to describe similar people in their countries.
The adoption (采用) of the word by foreign countries is an example of China’s spreading influence in the world not just economically, but also socially and culturally. People are paying attention to what is happening in China and are picking up some Chinese words in the process, especially those words that express unique (独特的) Chinese ideas that cannot be easily translated (翻译) into English.
The OED is also thinking of adding hukou (户口) and dama (大妈) to the already 120 Chinese words in its dictionary. Hukou refers to China’s system of residency permits (户籍系统) and dama refers to middle-aged Chinese women whose gold buying habits influence the global gold markets.
The news that the OED was adding these words has met with some criticism (批评). Some people say the words embarrass (使人尴尬) China, but others insist that in a globalized (全球化的) society it’s natural for words to spread and be adopted elsewhere. In fact, a word like tuhao expresses the humor of China. It’s easy to pronounce and very accurate (精准的) at poking fun at (嘲弄) rich people who have more money than taste. ___________ can be called “tuhao” according to the passage.
| A．All newly rich people |
| B．People who own their money easily |
| C．People who love money very much |
| D．Newly rich people who spend money in an extravagant way |
The underlined word “caught on” (in Paragraph 2) most probably means________.
| A．流行 | B．继续 | C．接受 | D．蔓延 |
The last paragraph mainly talks about __________________.
| A．humor of Chinese style |
| B．criticism on the adoption of Chinese words into OED |
| C．support on the adoption of Chinese words into OED |
| D．different opinions on the adoption of Chinese words into OED |
Try reading the following sentences as fast as you can. “She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sells are surely seashells. So if she sells shells on the seashore, I’m sure she sells seashore shells.”
Not very easy, was it? What you’ve just read is called a tongue twister (绕口令). It is an exercise made up of sounds that are hard to pronounce in order to help people pronounce words faster and more correctly. Try the next example.
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper. Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers? If Pete Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?”
Tongue twisters usually do not have much meaning. They are just designed to improve people’s ability (能力) to pronounce words. Although they may be very difficult, these exercises are very important to people who are trying to speak English correctly. This is because tongue twisters help people to tell the differences between similar sounds.
So if you wish to pronounce words more smoothly, you’d better try picking out some tongue twisters and practicing them.
| A．listening | B．pronunciation |
| C．writing | D．communication |
A.it is very boring to read B.it teaches us a lot of knowledge
C.we don’t know who “she” is C.the sounds of “s” and “sh” are similar
| A．Story Time | B．Latest News |
| C．Study Garden | D．Lost and Found |
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