Although many Chinese students say that their knowledge of English grammar is good, most would admit that their spoken English is poor. Whenever I speak to a Chinese student, they always say, “My spoken English is poor.” 1. I would like to suggest that there may be some reasons for their problems with spoken English.
First, they fail to find suitable words to express themselves due to a limited vocabulary. 2.However, you can speak with a limited vocabulary, if you choose a positive attitude. Others will follow you as long as you use the words that you know.
3.Sometimes they make mistakes when they are speaking because they are shy and nervous. Yet students should remember that their goal should be FLUENCY NOT ACCURACY. Your aim in writing is to be accurate following the rules for grammar and using the right words and spelling them correctly. However, in speaking your aim is fluency. You want to get your message across, to talk to someone in English, as quickly and as well as you can, even though sometimes you may use a wrong word or tense, but it doesn’t matter. 4.
The third reason is that not enough attention is paid to listening. You have one mouth but two ears! All that hearing is necessary for you to start speaking.
Fourth, most Chinese students are reactive rather than proactive(主动的) language learners. Instead of actively seeking out opportunities to improve their spoken English they passively wait for speaking opportunities to come to them and wonder why their English always remains poor. 5..
A. The person you are speaking to will understand you and make allowances for any mistakes he hears.
B. Obviously the better answer is to expand their vocabulary.
C. They may try to avoid making similar mistakes next time.
D. If you have this proactive outlook, then you will see English opportunities wherever you go.
E. Second, they are afraid of making mistakes.
F. However, their spoken English does not have to remain “poor”!
G. The second reason lies in the reluctance of using what has just been learned.
All over the world，children in hospital are being treated with a new kind of medicine：Laughter. Lucy is 23 and works for Theodora Children’s Trust. She is one of many clown (小丑) doctors who bring a smile to the faces of sick children.
“I’m a Theodora clown doctor. I call myself Dr Looloo. I spend two days a week in children’s hospitals，making funny faces，telling jokes，and doing magic tricks. As I walk into the wards(病房) I blow bubbles，shake hands with the kids，and make up nonsense songs for those children well enough to sing. I take special balloons to make ‘balloon animals’ and tell funny stories about them.
I’m naturally a very cheerful person. I’ve always been a clown. In fact my father’s a clown and I started working with him when I was eight years old. I knew it was just the job for me and I became a clown doctor because I think it’s a great way to cheer up sick, frightened children in hospital.
Being a clown in hospital is very tiring both physically and emotionally. We have to learn not to show our feelings，otherwise we’d be useless. Clown doctors are sensitive but this is not a side most people see. To the children we’re happy all the time. I’m still learning to allow myself to feel sad occasionally. There working with a very sick little girl from Bosnia who speaks no English，so our only common language is laughter.
At weekends I participate in events to raise money for Theodora Children’s Trust. It’s a charity, so we are paid with the money people give. Being a clown doctor makes the worries of everyday life seem small. All in all I feel honoured to do this job.”
1.Lucy works as a clown doctor because________.
A. her father is a clown
B. she has been a clown since she was eight
C. laughter is a great help to sick children
D. working in hospital brings her extra money
2.What do clown doctors usually do in hospital?
A. Teach kids how to speak English.
B. Cheer kids up with funny stories.
C. Join in activities to raise money.
D. Develop kids’ sense of humour.
3.Lucy thinks that being a clown doctor is________.
A. an experience of great fun
B. an interesting job to make a living
C. a good way of getting rid of her worries
D. an honourable and meaningful practice
Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies inside their bodies. At that time—about eight hours after you wake up—your body temperature goes down. This is what makes you slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in these experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern. They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps（小憩） in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that naps are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from problems such as heart disease. Many working people, unfortunately, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making the most of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can also happen if you sleep for too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap—even ten minutes of sleep can be helpful.
1.Why do you sometimes feel sleepy in the early afternoon?
A. Because you eat too much for lunch.
B. Because it’s hot in summer.
C. Because your body temperature goes down at that time.
D. Because you didn’t have a good sleep last night.
2.What can we learn about “naps” according to the last paragraph?
A. All the people in warmer climates take naps in the middle of the day.
B. Doctors need to take naps while employers don’t.
C. If you take naps every day, you’ll never suffer from heart disease.
D. Taking naps regularly is good to people’s health.
3.If you get up at 6:30 am, what is the best time for you to take a nap?
A. About 12:30 pm. B. About 1:30 pm.
C. About 2:30 pm D. About 3:30 pm
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A. All for a Nap B. Just for a Rest
C. A Special Sleep Pattern D. Taking Naps in Warmer Climate
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Similarly, if we drink a little more water every day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often. A healthy diet is made up of water and a great many different kinds of foods. We know that healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and fish, are important as they provide us with energy and fiber, without giving us too much fat and sugar. But why is water important?
The human body needs water to survive. Water is important as it carries poisons and waste out of our bodies. However, doctors advise us to drink plenty of water, much more than the small amount we need to stay alive.
Some doctors believe that water is important for our health in all kinds of ways. They believe that a great many illnesses and health problems start as a result of dehydration(脱水)—a lack of water in the body. Most people are dehydrated at least some of time, although they probably don’t know it. It is surprising to learn that if we feel thirsty, we are already in the first stage of dehydration. In fact, we are advised to drink water before we feel thirsty.
These doctors think that health problems such as headaches, high blood pressure and asthma(哮喘) could be helped if people drink more water. They also believe that drinking more water can help people who are overweight. Water contains no calories so it will not make us put on weight. If we drink water, we will probably drink less sugary soft drinks such as Coca-cola. Doctors also believe that drinking more water may stop people from overeating. They say that many people think that they are hungry when they are, in fact, thirsty. Doctors suggest, therefore, that we eat less food and drink more water. There are still many health problems that cannot be solved by drinking water, so we should not stop going to seeing the doctor completely. However, if we make a decision to drink water every day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often.
1.From the text, we know water can carry_________.
A. poisons and waste out of our bodies B. fruit, vegetables and fish in our bodies
C. sugar and fat out of our bodies D. energy and fiber in our bodies
2.Some doctors think that________.
A. people eat too much sugar
B. water is not important for our health
C. we should go to the doctor less often
D. some health problems are caused by a lack of water
3.Lack of water caused people to put on weight too much because_______.
A. they think they are thirsty and eat less
B. they think they are hungry and eat too much
C. water has no calories
D. it makes them thirsty
4.Which of the following isn’t mentioned in the passage?
A. Drinking more water may stop people from overeating.
B. Some healthy problems start because of a lack of water.
C. The amount of water a person should drink in a day.
D. Fruit provides us with energy and fibre.
Teachers’ Day is, interestingly, not celebrated on the same day all over the world. In some countries it is marked by a holiday, in others it is a working day.
International Teachers’ Day is celebrated on October 5. Being held ever since 1994, it is in honor of teachers' organizations worldwide. Its aim is to encourage supports for teachers and to meet the needs of students.
China ― In 1939, Teachers’ Day was set for August 27, Confucius' birthday. In1951, the celebration was stopped. However, it was founded again in 1985, and the day was changed to September 10.
India ― Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5 in honour of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India, whose birthday falls on that day.
Russia ― In Russia, Teachers’ Day was celebrated on the first Sunday of October between 1965 and 1994. Since 1994, the day is observed on the October 5, just the same day as World Teachers' Day.
The US ― In the US, Teachers’ Day is non-official holiday. It is celebrated on the Tuesday of the first full week of May. A number of activities are organized in schools to honor teachers. The celebrations can continue for the whole week of May.
Thailand ― In Thailand, National Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year on January 16. The first Teachers’ Day was held in 1957. The day is a holiday in schools.
1.Which country celebrates Teachers’ Day in October?
A. India. B. Russia.
C. Thailand D. The US.
2.Which of the following has the same meaning as the underlined word “observed”?
A. stopped B. held
C. celebrated D. fell
3.Which of the following is possibly true?
A. China has celebrated Teachers’ Day since the year 1931.
B. Teachers’ Day is an official holiday in the United States.
C. Teachers’ Day is a working day in schools of Thailand.
D. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday is in September.
4.From the passage we can learn that ________.
A. The first Teachers’ Day was held in 1965 in Thailand
B. Teachers’ Day falls on Confucius' birthday in China
C. International Teachers’ Day aims to benefit teachers and students
D. A lot of activities are held on Teachers’ Day across the world
I’ve heard such a story.
On a Friday______ , a poor young artist stood at the gate of the subway station, playing his violin. The music was_____, and many people______and put some money into the _____of the young man.
The next night, the young artist took out a large piece of______and laid it on the ground. Then he began _______ The music sounded more pleasant. Some people gathered and they found the _____on that paper. “Last night, a gentleman put a(n)_____thing into my hat. Please come to get it back.” When the people saw that, they felt very curious and began to______what it could be. After about half an hour, a man ______there in a hurry and said, “It can’t be true！You ...you ...”.
The young violinist asked, “Did you______ something?” “Lottery (彩票).”the man answered_____.
The violinist took out a lottery ticket. “Is it?” he asked.The man was too ______to say a word ...George Sang ____ a lottery ticket a few days ago. The awards(奖)opened yesterday and he won $500,000. So lucky and excited did he feel that he ______50 dollars and put it into the hat when hearing the music. However, the lottery ticket was also thrown into the hat without being noticed. The violinist found the lottery ticket. Thinking that the owner would ______to look for it, he came back to where he was given the lottery ticket.
Someone askedthe violinist_____ he returned the lottery ticket to the man. He said, “_____ I don’t have much______ , I live happily; but if I lose_____ I won’t be happy forever.”
1.A. morning B. afternoon C. noon D. night
2.A. quiet B. beautiful C. familiar D. exciting
3.A. slowed down B. speeded up C. passed by D. went away
4.A. wallet B. bag C. hat D. box
5.A. paper B. glass C. plastic D. cloth
6.A. working B. waiting C. singing D. playing
7.A. poems B. articles C. words D. texts
8.A. important B. fantastic C. dangerous D. interesting
9.A. talk B. care C. expect D. guess
10.A. came B. rushed C. walked D. left
11.A. get B. find C. forget D. lose
12.A. quickly B. anxiously C. seriously D. carefully
13.A. confused B. anxiously C. excited D. surprised
14.A. bought B. made C. found D. sold
15.A. handed out B. took out C. hunted for D. picked up
16.A. forget B. remember C. return D. leave
17.A. where B. why C. when D. how
18.A. If B. Why C. Because D. Although
19.A. money B. food C. time D. luck
20.A. friendship B. hope C. love D. honesty
