When my family moved to America from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect(尊敬) elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire(退休) or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises or jogging, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
1.Jack brought the couple their food very fast because______.
A. the manager asked him to do so B. he respected the elderly
C. the couple wanted him to do so D. he wanted more pay
2.In Jack’s hometown, ______.
A. people dislike being called “old”
B. people are proud of being old
C. many people reach the age of seventy or eighty
D. the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants
3. After this experience, Jack ______.
A. lost his job in the restaurant
B. made friends with the couple
C. no longer respected the elderly
D. changed his way with older people
4.Which of the following is TRUE?
A . The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got.
B. Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience.
C. The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple.
D. From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture.
5.Which is the best title for this passage?
A. Different countries, different customs B. Old people, old customs
C. Different restaurants, different services D. Differences between old and young
English is spoken as a first language by most people
in the USA，Britain，Australia，New Zealand，Ireland and
Canada. However，English is spoken all
over the world. It is the main language in
over 60 countries，including India，Singapore and many of the Caribbean and Pacific
islands. In these places English is often a second language.
English is also an international language in many other
countries，like China and Japan. People in these
countries use it for business，and travelers to these
countries use English when they get there to communicate. Other people may
learn English because they enjoy reading books in English，lis
tening to British or American music or
watching American films.
English has changed a lot over the years and still goes on changing. It is no longer right to talk about British English or American English if the speakers come or don’t come from those countries. People in Japan and Korea，for example，may use the American spelling but may not sound like Americans.
English will probably be the most widely used language in the world by the end of the 21st century. This language no longer belongs to British，American or Australian speakers. It belongs to anyone in the world. So，as a middle school student of English today, think about how you can use this language. After you leave school, you will almost certainly need it.
1.In how many countries is English spoken as a first language in the passage?
A. Five. B. Four. C. Three. D. Six.
2.In which other countries is English spoken as a main language?
A. Britain, the USA and Australia.
B. India, Singapore and many of the Caribbean and Pacific islands.
C. China and Japan.
D. New Zealand and Canada.
3. People from other countries learn English for ________.
A. passing exams
B. business and traveling
C. reading English books, enjoying English music or films
D. both B and C
4.Even if people in Japan and Korea use American spelling they ________.
A. will speak the same as Americans
B. may not sound like Americans
C. will speak British English
D. will speak English much better
5. Which is the best title for the passage?
A. A First Language in the World B. A Second Language in the World
C. English around the World D. A Useful Language
Now satellites are helping to forecast（预报）the weather. They are in space, and they can reach any part of the world. The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere, because this is where the weather forms. They send these pictures to the weather stations. So meteorologists（气象学家）can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.
Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures, the meteorologists compare them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours. This may mean that the weather on the ground may soon change, too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.
So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for three or five days. Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead.
1.Satellites travel _____________.
A. in space B. in the atmosphere
C. above the ground D. above space
2.Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere? Because __________.
A. the weather satellites can do it easily
B. clouds form there
C. the weather forms there
D. the pictures can forecast the weather
3.Meteorologists forecast the weather __________.
A. when they have received satellite pictures
B. after they have compared new satellite pictures with earlier ones
C. before they received satellite pictures
D. during they study satellite pictures
4.Maybe we’ll soon be able to forecast the weather for ________.
A. one day B. two days
C. five days D. seven days or even longer
5.The main idea of this passage is that satellites are now used in _________.
A. taking pictures of the atmosphere
B. receiving pictures of the atmosphere
C. doing other work in many ways
D. weather forecasting
Menu
HAMBURGERS DRINKS
Chicken $5.50 Orange juice $1.50
Egg $3.40 Coke $3.00
Fish $4.80 Coffee $5.50
Beef $6.20 Tea $2.00
RICE DESSERTS
Fried $3.50 Ice cream $2.50
With meat $5.70 Apple pie $4.50
With eggs $4.20 Fruit $3.50
With vegetables $3.90 Chocolate $6.00
1. Where do we often see a menu?
A. In a hospital. B. In a restaurant.
C. In a supermarket. D. In a school.
2.I have only two dollars. What can I buy?
A. Coke. B. Ice cream. C. Tea. D. Fruit.
3.I want to eat a beef hamburger, a cup of coffee and an apple pie. How much should I pay?
A. $ 15.20. B. $ 16.70. C. $ 16.20. D. $ 15.80.
4.“Dessert” here means _______?
A. 沙漠 B. 冷饮 C. 热饮 D. 甜点
5.The most expensive food in the above menu is _________.
A. beef hamburger B. rice with meat C. coffee D. chocolate
My life is always filled with sadness and little joy. However, no matter what happens, I can always ______it bravely.
Last year, I couldn’t believe the ______that I was allowed to enter the only key high school in my hometown. Then I rushed to my home and told my ______. But my father didn’t seem as ______as I was. He just kept smoking without saying a word and my mother put her head down and couldn’t help ______.
I knew very well what my family was ______. My mum had been ill in bed for 2 years. We lived a ______ life and I couldn’t continue my schooling. I felt so upset but I could say ______to my parents. I decided to help my father with his work ______my family.
To my surprise, things completely changed ______the beginning of the new term. My head teacher came to my family with some money, which had been ______by my schoolmates. He encouraged me, “Always have a dream.” ______tears in my eyes, I stepped into the key high school.
I have been studying hard since I entered the high school. Whenever I meet difficulties, I always ______ my teacher and schoolmates. I have a college dream and I must work hard for it, no matter ______ hard life is. Just as a great man says, “When one door shuts, ______opens in life.”
1.A. solve B. meet C. face D. make
2.A. idea B. news C. story D. thought
3.A. teachers B. parents C. grandparents D. brothers
4.A. nervous B. interested C. excited D. worried
5.A. laughing B. crying C. saying D. shouting
6.A. about B. before C. like D. against
7.A. hard B. happy C. nice D. rich
8.A. everything B. something C. anything D. nothing
9.A. to leave B. to stop C. to support D. to fire
10.A. after B. since C. before D. on
11.A. spent B. raised C. planned D. saved
12.A. From B. Between C. With D. Without
13.A. think of B. dream of C. hear of D. talk of
14.A. what B. which C. how D. that
15.A. other B. others C. the other D. another
—What did he say just now?
—He wondered___________________.
A．when would the film begin B．how he could get to the zoo
C．if he could join us or not D． where he will go tomorrow
