A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders (想知道): Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences? Certainly! there are some differences between British and American English. „There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital” and “Have you a pen?” Americans say “in the hospital!” and “Do you have a pen?”. Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like “bird” and “hurt”. Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, “colour” and “honour” are British, “color” and honor” are American. These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.American English and British English are different in ___ _____.
| A．spelling | B．pronunciation |
| C．grammar | D．all of the above |
What is not mentioned (提及) in the passage?
| A．Whether there are differences between British English and American English. |
| B．Whether British English and American English are one language or two. |
| C．How the differences between British English and American English came about. |
| D．How important the differences are. |
Most _____ say “Do you have a watch?”
| A．British people | B．Americans |
| C．children | D．teachers |
According to this passage, British people and Americans have _______ difficulty in understanding each other.
| A．little | B．much | C．some | D．great |
As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us．Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks．The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem．
Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days．Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool．
The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction -- up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins．But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu．
In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations．
Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years．These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins．
Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products．These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life．
Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business．The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury（奢侈的）goods has become a full-scale war．The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming．Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end products that rely on killing animals．The underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means _______．
| A．follow |
| B．keep |
| C．change |
| D．show |
From the passage, we know _______．
| A．a lot of wild animals have been killed for products |
| B．Jackie Chan and Ang Lee make fin soup popular |
| C．Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspires us to protect sharks |
| D．the number of African elephants has been increased |
What can we infer from the passage?
A． People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup．
B． Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants．
C． Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals．
D． More animals for high-end products will be saveD．
Many people rush into the commitment of bringing home a four-legged family member, only to find out that they are not ready for a pet．This often results in the dog being turned over to a shelter where it may not find another home．This can be avoided if potential pet owners take the time to figure out if they are truly ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership．
Being a responsible pet owner involves a financial commitment that goes beyond buying dog fooD． There are also parasite (寄生虫) prevention, boarding costs while traveling and the cost to care for the pet should it become ill or injureD． That is not to say that one must be rich in order to have a dog, but it is important to be prepared for the expenses that come with being a pet owner．
Another consideration is the time commitment．An owner away from home for 14 hours every day is not an ideal situation for a dog．A potential dog owner must also consider the time it takes to care for his or her pet, the time it takes to feed, walk, play with, bathe and clean up．Also, dogs require attention．Be prepared to spend time each day petting and playing with it．
Dogs are dogs, and will act like dogs．This includes barking, digging, having accidents in the house and, possibly, destroying some of the owner’s prized possessions, such as furniture, shoes and cell phones．If the above would cause an owner to want to get rid of the dog, then he or she is not yet ready to be a pet owner．Many wonderful pets end up in shelters simply because they acted like dogs!Who might be qualified to be a dog owner, according to the text?
| A．Jim, who has a daughter sensitive to dog’s smell． |
| B．Dick, a jobless teenager who can hardly pay his rent． |
| C．Kari, a teacher who works eight hours a day． |
| D．Steven, a business man who travels a lot on business． |
To be a responsible dog owner you need to do all the following EXCEPT _________．
| A．finding a shelter for it when you are bored with it |
| B．buying dog food and feeding it |
| C．taking it to hospital when necessary |
| D．spending time each day playing with it |
What does the underlined part in the first paragraph probably mean?
| A．Rush to adopt a dog formally． |
| B．Decide to be a pet owner without thinking about it carefully． |
| C．Run into a pet shelter and take one home so quickly． |
| D．Commit to buy a dog and take it home． |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Dogs Are Dogs |
| B．Pets Are Family Members |
| C．Have Time for a Dog? |
| D．Ready for a Pet? |
I will never forget the day--- September 10th 2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun．When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster’s office．When I got into the office, I saw a police officer．Suddenly, I realized something was wrong．The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up．After that, we went to the hospital and waiteD． Time went slowly．Finally, we got to see our mother．It was terrible．
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happeneD． I was taking a test that day．I knew it had something to do with my mother．I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better．How I wished that she had gotten better．When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me．She started crying, “She’s gone, Terresa, mommy’s gone．She’s deaD． ” I couldn’t believe it．We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital．Most of my family were there．The silence was terrible．I knew I had to say goodbye．
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live．My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart．She was an angel walking on the earth．I will always remember her as a living．When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears．When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother．My mother lives everyday．That is what makes her a true hero．
Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick?
| A．On the beach． |
| B．At the hospital． |
| C．At school． |
| D．At home． |
Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?
| A．Her sister． |
| B．The headmaster． |
| C．The police officer |
| D．Her teacher． |
What did the headmaster tell the two teachers on the next day?
A． Her father had been very ill．
B． Her mother had gotten better．
C． Her mother came to see her．
D． Her mother had been deaD．
From the last paragraph of the passage we know that _____________．
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother． |
| B．the writer feels sad about her mother． |
| C．the writer feels sorry for her mother． |
| D．the writer is proud of her mother． |
London’s newest skyscraper(摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres，it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However，not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London，Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire(尖顶)．He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name：the Shard.Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts(桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top，there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty，but eventually there will be a fivestar hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants，apartments and offices.
Before building work began，a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York，but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration，only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain，however，that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of .
| A．its cost |
| B．its size |
| C．its shape |
| D．its height |
When he designed the Shard，Piano wanted it to .
| A．change London’s skyline |
| B．inherit London’s tradition |
| C．imitate the Egyptian style |
| D．attract potential visitors |
The critics who refer to social division think the Shard .
| A．is only preferred by the rich |
| B．is intended for wealthy people |
| C．is far away from the poor area |
| D．is popular only with Londoners |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Shard：Cheers and Claps |
| B．The Shard：Work of a Great Architect |
| C．The Shard：New Symbol of London? |
| D．The Shard：A Change for the Better? |
Here is some mustknow information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.
In Brazil
Brazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible，with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. But to be safe，be on time. Meals can stretch for hours—there’s no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social，preferring facetoface communication over emails or phone calls.
In Singapore
Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small，polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal，so meetings and dealings often are fastpaced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions，even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines how people interact in meetings. For example，people avoid disagreeing outright with someone of a higher rank.
In the United Arab Emirates
In the UAE，status is important，so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So do not pull away from the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes，but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are onetoone，if your host offers you coffee，you should refuse. It might seem odd，but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is already set out or presented.
In Switzerland
The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality(守时) is vital，something that comes from a deep respect for others’ time. Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higherups make the final decisions，even if others might disagree. Neat，clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.
The passage is mainly about___________
| A．communication types |
| B．the workplace atmosphere |
| C．customs and social manners |
| D．living conditions and standards |
Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?
| A．They put efficiency in the first place. |
| B．They dislike facetoface communication. |
| C．They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible. |
| D．They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank. |
In the UAE，when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?
| A．When greeting seniors. |
| B．When meeting the host alone. |
| C．When attending a presentation. |
| D．When dining with business partners. |
In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?
| A．In Brazil. |
| B．In Singapore. |
| C．In the United Arab Emirates. |
| D．In Switzerland. |
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