Do you know the following expressions?
Homeric laughter
The “Homer” in this expression is the Greek poet who wrote The Iliad and the Odyssey. People laugh differently. Some laugh silently, while others tend to laugh loudly. “Homeric laughter” refers to laughter of the latter (后者) kind. It is at times uncontrollable, and the entire body shakes during the process. This kind of laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer’s classics.
Faustian bargain
According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life. The devil( 魔 鬼 ), Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul, he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge. Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul is condemned to the hell (下地狱). A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin. It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration.
A three-ring circus (马戏团)
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion. There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed. The expression comes from the world of entertainment — the circus. The area where the artists perform their acts is called the “ring”. In the past, some of the circuses were so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three different “rings”. The audience had to decide which “ring” they wanted to focus on.
In the swim (of things)
When someone is in the swim of things, the individual is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in “I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things.” In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word “swim” to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty. So, if you are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be “in the swim”!
1.According to the text, Homeric laughter _______.
A.was the way Homeric laughed
B.means nervous, silent laughter
C.is a way to show disagreement
D.comes from a Greek poet’s works
2.If a person makes a Faustian bargain, _______.
A.he might come to a bad end
B.he would be considered clever
C.his life would become satisfying
D.he would gain power and knowledge
3.What does the underlined word “simultaneously” most probably mean?
A.All of a sudden. B.Little by little.
C.At the same time. D.One after another.
4.What do we learn about the expression “in the swim (of things)”?
A.It means having a lot of things to do．
B.It has nothing to do with swimming．
C.Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing"．
D.Patients use it to express their desire for health.
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the more wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she’d said again, “it’s for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace— it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside —a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose. Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
1.The passage shows that ______.
A.mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter
B.mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done
C.mother cared much about her daughter in words
D.mother wrote to her daughter in careful words
2.The word “gulf” in the passage means ______.
A.deep understanding between the old and the young
B.different ideas between the mother and the daughter
C.free talks between mother and daughter
D.part of the sea going far in land
3.What did mother do with her daughter’s letter asking forgiveness?
A.She had never received the letter.
B.For years, she often talked about the letter.
C.She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life.
D.She read the letter again and again till she died.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A.My letter to Mother B.Mother and Children
C.My mother’s Desk D.Talks between Mother and Me
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友Leslie打算到中国成都大熊猫繁育研究基地(Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding)参观，请你写封邮件，给他一些建议。内容包括：
1. 出行方式；
2. 出游季节；
3. 其他注意事项。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
短文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（/\），并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
For example, one evening when it is so warm, I stayed awake on purpose until half past eleven in order have a good look at the moon by myself. And as the moon gave far too many light, I didn’t dare open a window. Another time five month ago, I happened to be upstairs at a dusk when the window was open. I didn’t go downstairs after the window had to be shut. The dark , rainy evening, the wind , the thundering clouds held me entire in his power; it was the first time in a year and a half that I have seen the night face to face.
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空，并将答案转填到答题卡的相应位置上。
People will do anything to see a free show, even if it is a bad one.
When the news got around that a comedy show would 1. (give) at our local cinema, we all rushed to see it. Everyone had to queue for hours to get 2. free ticket and there must have been several hundred people present. Unluckily, the show was one of the most boring shows we have ever seen. Those 3. failed to see it needn’t have felt 4.(concern), as a great number of the artists who should have appeared didn't come. The only funny thing we 5.(hear) that evening came from the advertiser 6. the beginning of the program. He seemed to be 7.(extreme) nervous and for some minutes stood nervously before the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth to make an introduction, everyone burst out 8.(laugh). We all knew 9. the poor man should have said, but the words he actually said was, ”Good ladies, evening and10.( gentleman).”
Many Tuesday mornings I have coffee with my father. Although my father is a man of few words, I really ______ the time along with him.
One recent Tuesday, I found it a bit ______ when I rang the doorbell, no one seemed to be home. I climbed in through the window, noticing the lights that shone from the kitchen, and ______ that my dad must be there, but he wasn’t. I ______ through his home, checking every room. I tried not to ______. Yet, upstairs, downstairs, no Dad anywhere.
I was worried. ______, my father was seventy-one years old. Anything could have happened to him. Then, I got in my car and drove to my mother’s aerobics（有氧运动）class.
On the drive, I thought a lot about my father and our ______ together. Suddenly, I was three years old and he was ______ me up to the living room window to see the Christmas lights. In his ______, I was safe and secure. At age ten, he used to wake me up with warm breakfast in bed. Then I was twelve and my dad was _____ all the kids at my birthday party with his magic tricks. I was so ______ of my father for being so ______ and talented. He’d made my party a ______.
As I entered my mother’s class. I was nervous. My mom looked at me in ______.
“Mom, where’s Dad?” I asked, “He’s working in the ______ on the side of the house!” she answered.
And I hurried to my car and ______ back to the yard. “Hey, Dad!” I yelled out and told him about my fears of the last half hour. My dad ______ laughing his typical laugh that was always ______. I was so thankful that I still had my daddy. And so , as I ______ the door to my father’s house, we went inside for our usual cup of coffee.
Thanks, Daddy, for all the ______ and more importantly, for all your love.
1.A.dislike B.share C.get D.enjoy
2.A.dangerous B.unusual C.joyful D.relaxing
3.A.decided B.hoped C.expected D.wondered
4.A.lived B.pulled C.hurried D.came
5.A.cry B.panic C.believe D.confirm
6.A.Above all B.In all C.After all D.For all
7.A.journey B.family C.interest D.history
8.A.holding B.picking C.calling D.bringing
9.A.heart B.chest C.eyes D.arms
10.A.amazing B.cheating C.inviting D.providing
11.A.sure B.aware C.proud D.afraid
12.A.honest B.special C.lucky D.practical
13.A.feast B.prize C.secret D.success
14.A.anger B.worry C.sorrow D.surprise
15.A.yard B.kitchen C.room D.home
16.A.fought B.raced C.looked D.fled
17.A.kept B.remembered C.began D.stopped
18.A.bitter B.simple C.familiar D.tight
19.A.closed B.unlocked C.kicked D.knocked
20.A.memories B.chances C.assistance D.advice
