Question

    An idiom is a phrase that we can’t understand from the meaning of each word. For example, if an American boy asks his mom what’s for dinner tomorrow, she may say “I’ll play it by ear”, that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later.

“Play it by ear” used to mean playing music without using the sheet music(乐谱), but now people often use it when they’re not talking about music!

There are many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be much more vivid(生动的)and colourful.

Have you ever heard the idiom “He bought the farm”? It means he died. Do you know how it became popular? It was first used during World War I. When a soldier died, the government gave his family enough money to buy a farm.

In the early 1930s, people in the U.S. often did not know when or where their next meal was coming from. So as soon as they got something in their hand that could be eaten, it would go into their mouth. That was how people began to use the idiom “living hand to mouth” to mean “living a poor life”.

And don’t be angry if your English friend says this to you, “Break a leg in your game!" In fact, he is wishing you good luck! Hundreds of years ago, people believed in sprites. Sprites enjoyed causing trouble. If the sprites heard you ask for something, they would make the opposite take place. Tell someone to “break a leg” and the sprites would make something good take place.

Aren’t English idioms interesting? And break a leg in your next football match!

1.The idiom “play it by ear” means“________”

A.have no plans for dinner today. B.have no plans for dinner tomorrow.

C.play music with sheet music. D.have no plans and will decide what to do later.

2.If someone is very poor, we can say he_________.

A.buys the farm. B.lives hand to mouth.

C.breaks a leg. D.plays it by ear

3.We can infer(推断)that in the early 1930s common American people________

A.loved buying farms. B.lived a hard life.

C.had meals at different places and times. D.liked eating from their hands.

4.British people used to believe the sprites liked to________

A.make something good take place. B.break a leg.

C.make trouble. D.make bad things take place

5.If your friend is having a basketball match, you can say all of the following excpt “_______”.

A.Bad luck B.Good luck C.Have fun D.Enjoy the game

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.B

4.C

5.A

【解析】

本文介绍了习语使英语更丰富多彩，如“I’ll play it by ear”的意思是看情况而定，“he bought the farm”的意思是他去世了，诸如此类的习语还有很多。

1.

细节理解题。根据第一段“if an American boy asks his mom what’s for dinner tomorrow, she may say “I’ll play it by ear”, that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later如果一个美国男孩问他妈妈明天晚饭吃什么，她可能会说‘我随机应变’，那意味着她没有晚餐的计划，她稍后会决定的”可知play it by ear意味着没有计划，稍后会决定做什么，故选D。

2.

细节理解题。根据第五段句意“在1930年早期，那时的美国人常常不知道他们的下一顿饭什么时候在哪里。所以只要他们手里拿着可以吃的东西，他们就会立刻送进嘴里”以及“That was how people began to use the idiom “living hand to mouth” to mean “living a poor life”那就是人们开始用“手对口”来形容一个贫穷的生活”可知如果说一个人贫穷的话可以用 lives hand to mouth 来形容，故选B。

3.

推理判断题。根据第五段“In the early 1930s, people in the U.S. often did not know when or where their next meal was coming from. So as soon as they got something in their hand that could be eaten, it would go into their mouth在1930年早期，那时的美国人常常不知道他们的下一顿饭什么时候在哪里。所以只要他们手里拿着可以吃的东西，他们就会立刻送进嘴里”可以推断那时的美国人民过着过着一个艰苦的生活，故选B。

4.

细节理解题。根据第六段“Hundreds of years ago, people believed in sprites. Sprites enjoyed causing trouble. If the sprites heard you ask for something, they would make the opposite take place数百年前，人们相信精灵，精灵喜欢制造麻烦。如果精灵听到你要什么，它们会做出相反的决定”可知人们过去相信精灵喜欢制造麻烦，故选C。

5.

细节理解题。根据最后一段“Aren’t English idioms interesting? And break a leg in your next football match英语习语难道不是有趣的吗？在你的下一场足球比赛中祝你好运”以及句意 “如果你的朋友有一个篮球比赛”可知你应该祝他好运或者玩得开心，BCD均符合题意，A项“Bad luck”意为坏的运气不符合题意，排除A项，故选A。