Like most English children, I learned foreign languages at school. When I made my first visit to the United States, I was sure I could have a nice and easy holiday without any language problem. But how wrong I was!
At the American airport, I was looking for a public telephone to tell my friend Danny that I had arrived. An American asked if he could help me. “Yes,” I said, “I want to give my friend a ring.”
“Well, that’s nice. Are you getting married?” he asked.
“No,” I replied, “I just want to tell him I have arrived.”
“Oh,” he said, “there is a phone downstairs on the first floor.”
“But we’re on the first floor now,” I said.
“Well, I don’t know what you are talking about. Maybe you aren’t feeling too well after your journey,” he said. “Just go and wash up, and you will feel a lot better.” And he went off, leaving me wondering where on earth I was: At home we wash up after a meal to get the cups and plates clean. How can I wash up at an airport?
At last we did meet. Danny explained the misunderstanding: Americans say “to give someone a call”, but we English say “to give somebody a ring”. When we say “to wash your hands”, they say “to wash up”. And Englishmen start numbering from the ground floor so the first floor is the second for Americans.
1.The writer went to America by __________.
A. plane B. ship C. bus D. train
2.The writer went to America for __________.
A. education B. business
C. holiday D. friendship
3.The American thought “a ring” should be a __________.
A. phone call B. present
C. person D. letter
4. Englishmen usually wash up __________.
A. after dinner B. after a journey
C. when they are tired D. before they telephone someone
5. The third floor in England is the __________ floor in America.
A. first B. second C. third D. fourth
It was the year 1867. Mark Twain was out of money. He walked in the streets, trying to find a way to make some money. At last he a hotel and sat down in the lobby. There came a lovely dog. Mark Twain put the dog in his lap.
At this time an Army General came along and he loved the dog. He said to Mark Twain, “He is a . Would you sell him?”
Thinking of his stomach, Mark Twain thought it seemed to be a good thing and said, “Yes.”
The General asked, “What do you ask for him?”
“Three dollars.”
The General was and said, “Only three dollars! Are you serious?”
“Three dollars.”
“Very well, since you just want it,” said the General. He gave Mark Twain the , led the dog away and disappeared upstairs.
In about ten minutes a middle-aged gentleman came along and began to . Mark Twain asked if he was looking for a dog.
The man’s face had been sad and , but now it became bright and he answered, “Yes. Have you seen him?”
“Yes. He was here a minute ago, and I saw him follow a gentleman . I think I can find him for you, if you would like me to .”
The gentleman said he would pay for the trouble. He asked how much Mark Twain would .
“Three dollars.”
“Dear me, it is nothing. I will .”
“No. Three is the .”
Mark Twain got the General’s room number from the clerk. The door was and Mark Twain asked the General to give back the dog.
“Why?” asked the General.
“The dog’s owner wants it back.”
“Are you not the owner?”
“No, I am not.”
The General began to shout, but he was too tired to with Mark Twain. Finally, Mark Twain paid back the three dollars, and led the dog downstairs. He the dog to the owner and got three dollars for the job.
1.A. stopped B. entered C. built
2.A. neighbor B. wonder C. doctor
3.A. empty B. large C. comfortable
4.A. angry B. patient C. surprised
5.A. money B. answer C. freedom
6.A. look after B. look around C. find out
7.A. relaxed B. disappointingC. troubled
8.A. downstairsB. upstairs C. everywhere
9.A. follow B. finish C. try
10.A. ask over B. ask about C. ask for
11.A. pay more B. pay up C. pay off
12.A. price B. answer C. question
13.A. opened B. shut C. broken
14.A. discuss B. argue C. discover
15.A. returned B. sold C. brought
If we want to do well in the exam, we must practice________ we can.
A. as many as B. as much as C. much more than
Who is the boy________ you talked to just now?
A. which B. who C. that
The doctor fixed some of the old woman’s _______.
A. tooth B. tooths C. teeth
Since last term, everyone except the twins_________ a dictionary.
A. had B. has had C. have had
