Have you ever listened to a private conversation? Maybe you were standing by a door or in a hallway and you heard people talking about someone else. You paused ... you perked up your ears ... and you listened. These people were not speaking to you. You eavesdropped.
To eavesdrop means you secretly listen to something said in private. Nosy people, people who like to gossip and spies are all good eavesdroppers. When it was first used in the 1600s, "eavesdrop" was the water that fell, or dropped, from the eaves of a house. After even more time passed, "eavesdropper" described someone who stood near a house to secretly listen to a conversation happening inside.
English has another expression related to eavesdropping and the home: the walls have ears. This means be careful what you say as there might be people listening.
Some word experts say this expression may come from story about an ancient Greek ruler who had an ear-shaped cave cut and connected between the rooms of his palace. This form of eavesdropping became common practice with rulers from many cultures.
There’s a great one more for eavesdropping – to listen in on. When you listen in on something, you listen to people speaking without joining in, usually secretly. But not always. You can listen in on a class at university or listen in on a meeting at work. These examples do not suggest that you were listening secretly.
Now, maybe you were minding your own business. Maybe you just happened to have overheard a private conversation. Overhearing is more innocent than eavesdropping. You can overhear something by being in the wrong place at the right time.
1.How many expressions are mentioned on listening in different ways?
A.3. B.4.
C.5. D.6.
2.Which is TRUE about the word of “eavesdrop”?
A.It means the fallen water from a house now.
B.It was first used in 1600 in ancient Greece.
C.Rulers seldom eavesdrop in many cultures.
D.It didn’t originally mean “to listen secretly”.
3.Which word or phrase means to listen to something by coincidence?
A.Eavesdrop. B.Listen in on.
C.Overhear. D.The walls have ears.
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Overhear and eavesdrop take on the same meaning.
B.A gossip or a spy is good at eavesdropping.
C.The walls have ears means be careful when listening.
D.“Listen in on” always means listen secretly.
Timing is everything. This is especially true when a student is seeking admission to a college or university and it can often be a long and complex process in the United States.
Many people think the process begins in the final year of high school. However, students should start taking action well before that. In the US, young people generally attend high school for four years. It's suggested that students take their first step toward applying to college in the months before their third year. At this point, young people are still likely to have several unanswered questions in their mind. Those questions could be as complex as"What do you want out of your college experience? " or as simple as"Where do you want to study? Students can get closer to finding the answers by visiting any college or university.
The next step involves testing. Most US students take exams to prove their level of academic performance in the second half of their third year. After taking these tests, the period between the third and fourth years of high school is busy. This is the time when they should narrow the list of colleges and universities under consideration. Once they have made a shorter list, they should contact these schools
Then, students should begin working on a writing sample. Most US colleges and universities require applicants to provide a writing sample that does more than show off their writing ability. It should also tell admissions officers more about who the applicants are. So students should begin working on it even before their final year of high school
Finally, in the United States, most deadlines for college application materials are in early winter. Students should hand in all their application materials a week before the actual date. That way if any emergencies come up, students have plenty of time to contact the schools. Spring is when most schools make their decisions and inform students if they will accept them.
1.When should American high school students begin to apply to college?
A.In the final year
B.At the end of the second year.
C.In the second half of the third year
D.After the early winter of the third year.
2.Why may students be busy between the third and fourth years of high school?
A.To prepare a writing sample
B.To prepare application materials
C.To make a list of colleges and universities
D.To take tests to prove their academic abilities
3.What is the function of a writing sample?
A.It shows the student how to contact schools
B.It shows the student how to write an application
C.It helps admissions officers get to know the student
D.It helps the student solve some unanswered questions
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.College Life and Study
B.Time Arrangement in High School
C.High School Life: Valuing the Experience
D.College Application: Getting the Timing Right
There are around 6,000 living languages in the world- and at least half of these are in danger. In every part of the world, languages are disappearing. In fact, one scientist has said that languages are in more danger of extinction than binds or mammals. Professor Steve Sutherland of the University of East Anglia says that in the past 500 years 4.5 percent of languages have died out- compared with 1.3 percent of birds, and 1.9% percent of mammals
Languages come and go, and thousands have done exactly that without leaving any trace. Only a very few- Basque, Greek and Latin among them- have lasted more than 2,000 years. But it seems that the pace of their disappearance is becoming quicker
The Ethnologue, a database of all the languages spoken in the world, states that 417 languages are spoken by so few people that they are in the final stages of becoming extinct. If very few people speak a language, it will probably die out.
Languages may be lost through migration (迁移), as people move from small towns to city centers, or when environments are destroyed by the search for oil or wood. Natural disasters can also devastate populations, and along with them, their language. Governments also play a role in the extinction of languages. The need to establish “official languages”, for a country to educate its children and carry out its business, had a disastrous effect on many small languages.
What is lost if a language is lost? Some people argue that languages die as the human race develops. Obviously there could be great benefits if everyone in the world spoke the same language- some industries already reflect this, with English essential for pilots and air traffic controllers. But there are more important things than convenience.As languages are lost, whole ways of life and knowledge may be lost along with them.
To put it simply, language expresses something about identity, about our place in the world. Ani Rauhihi, a Maori teacher in New Zealand's North Island, sums it up: “If you grow up speaking our language, you won 't know who you are.”
1.The figures mentioned in the first paragraph suggest that__________.
A.most languages have died out completely
B.languages are in great danger of extinction
C.animals are disappearing faster than languages
D.languages are disappearing slower than before
2.The underlined word "devastate"can best be replaced by“__________”
A.increase B.control
C.destroy D.improve
3.If a language is lost, __________
A.there will be great trouble
B.there is no need to worry about it
C.its culture and knowledge will also be lost
D.people will be able to communicate with others conveniently
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Languages reflect our identity.
B.People will speak the same language one day
C.Fewer people will remember their own languages.
D.Ani Rauhihi cares less about languages dying out
Sharon, Aged 22
The most important thing to keep in mind when going into high school is to be yourself. Besides, I don’t know what your middle school was like, but high school teachers will not care about things such as how much homework you already have in one night. It’s best to just learn to deal with things and manage your time wisely so you can achieve everything you need to.
Frank, Aged 21
I think almost every kid feels both nervous and excited before their first day. You will probably love it. I know I did. You should join some sports or activities that will make your high school experience more enjoyable. Good luck!
Eddie, Aged 20
When I started high school I was really nervous too, especially since I had been homeschooled all through middle school and didn’t really know anyone. I suppose the best advice would be to just relax. The first couple of days can be a little bit hard, but things will become easier before you know it.
David, Aged 19
I’m not going to lie. The first day is kind of frightening(令人恐惧的). But you’ll get used to it. Don’t be afraid of anyone; upperclassmen will pick on you more if you let them know you’re afraid. Just take it easy. Making some friends and staying with them will greatly help you get used to high school quickly. After the first week it’s really not bad at all. Don’t worry.
1.What can we infer from Sharon about high school?
A.Teachers are quite strict
B.Students often stay up at night
C.Teachers provide little care for students
D.Students should make good use of their time
2.How did Eddie feel on his first day of high school?
A.Excited B.Bored
C.Worried D.Relaxed.
3.Who mentions the importance of friends?
A.Frank B.David
C.Sharon D.Eddie.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
David is a 22-year-old man. Not having received a college education, he found it difficult to find a job. He worked at a small company and wasn't paid well. He thought life was unfair and often complained.
One day, his boss asked him to go to his office. To his sadness, he was told he didn't need to come to work again.
That day, David didn't go straight back to the small apartment he shared with another man. He wanted to find a quiet place and sit there quietly for some time. Having lost his job, he had no idea what to do.
He walked and walked. Finally he stopped in front of a beautiful house. The house had a very big garden behind it. He saw an old man sitting in the garden.
"The old man must be a millionaire thought David, "How I wish I were him! If I were him, I wouldn't have to work and I'd have a large amount of money. I would be the happiest man in the whole world. "
Thinking how poor he was, David was even sadder. He hurriedly walked forward and found a place and sat there quietly.
Finally, he became hungry and decided to go back home. On his way back home, he passed the old man's house again. This time the man was sitting in his front yard. When David passed by him, he noticed that the old man was looking at him. The old man looked as if he admired him very much. David was confused. Why would such a rich man admire him? He was so poor while he was so rich.
Finally, David decided to have a talk with the old man. So he stopped and walked to the old man.
“Hello,” he said.
"Hello,” said the old man.
Then they started talking. David told the old man he really admired him.
“You have such a beautiful house. You're so rich! How I wish I were you!" said David.
Hearing that, the old man smiled and said, "And I admire you, too! I wish I were you! If
I were you, I'd still enjoy my youth. Now I'm so old. Wealth doesn't mean much to me!”
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150词左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语以为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
What the old man said struck David,
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Paragraph 2:
David stopped complaining about his life.
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假定你是李华，你的英国笔友Betty最近在学习汉语，她给你发来一封邮件，询问如何提高 汉语口语水平。请给她回一封邮件，内容包括：
1. 提出建议（至少两点）；
2. 表达祝愿。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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