There is one language that is used in every country in the world. The people who use it are young and old, short and tall, thin and fat. It is everybody’s second language. It is easy to understand, although you can’t hear it. It is sign language.
When you wave to a friend who is across the street, you are using sign language. When you smile at someone, you are saying, “I want to be friendly”, but you are not using speech. You are using sign language. When you raise your hand in class, you are saying, “Please ask me. I think I know the correct answer.”
Babies who can’t talk can point at things. They are using sign language. A policeman who wants to stop traffic holds up his hands. He is using sign language.
Many years ago, a French priest, Charles Michel de Epee, became interested in education for deaf people. He invented a finger alphabet (字母表). It is still in use. People can make the sign for letters and spell words with their hands, and deaf people can read and understand them. Soon there were schools for the deaf in many countries. The only university for the deaf is Gallaudet College in Washington, D.C.
Today, in the United States, there are special TV news programs for deaf people. The newsreader tells the news in sign language. At the same time, the words appear on the TV screen.
The actors in the Theatre of Deaf don’t spell every word. Sometimes they use hand signs. When they put two hands together, it means sandwich. They can make a roof with their hands when they want to show a house. One finger in front of an actor’s mouth can mean quiet. You can talk to people who are behind windows that are closed. And when you go swimming with your friends, you can have conversations under water.
How many hand signs do you use every day?
1.The passage is mainly about ______.
A．a famous priest in France B．the importance of sign language
C．an introduction to sign language D．how to use sign language
2.If you want to express the idea that “I am very friendly” to someone, you will ______.
A．raise your hand B．put one hand onto the other
C．make a roof with your hands D．smile to the person
3.Which of the following about sign language is TRUE?
A．It is a special language used in a few countries in the world.
B．It is a way to express one’s ideas without words.
C．It is only used by the deaf.
D．It can be heard.
A large number of women in Western European countries wish that they were born men. The number is said as high as 60% in West Germany.
“Women often wish that they had the same chance as men have, and believe it is still men’s world,” said Dr James Holden, one of the scientists who did the study.
Anne Harper has a very good job for an international oil company. She also believes in “Women’ s Liberation(解放)”.
“I don’t wish that I were a man,” she says, “and I don’t think many women do. But I do wish that people would stop looking down upon us women. At work, for example, we often do the work that men do but get paid less. There are still a lot of jobs that are usually the best ones and open only to men. If you’re a man, you have a much better chance of leading an exciting life. How many women pilots are there ... or engineers or scientists?”
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A．60% women in West Germany wish that they were born men.
B．Most women in Western European countries wish that their babies were all boys.
C．60% Western European women wish that they were born men.
D．60% Western European women who wish that they were born men are from West Germany.
2.“It is still men’s world.” means “______.”
A．There’re more men than women in the world
B．There’re more men scientists or engineers than women scientists or engineers in the world
C．Women have not been given the same chance as men
D．Women cannot live without men
3.Anne Harper considers that women should ______.
A．live a better life than men B．be really liberated
C．be well paid D．get better jobs than men
4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Usually the best jobs are not open to women.
B．Women are less paid than men for the same job.
C．There’re more men pilots, engineers and scientists than women ones.
D．Women are looked down upon because they’re the second-class citizens
A young man was one day taking a walk with a professor. As they went along, they saw 36 in the path a pair of old shoes. They guessed the shoes belonged to a poor man who had 37 finished his day’s work in a field close by.
The student 38 the professor, saying, “Let’s play the man a(n) 39 : we will hide his shoes, and we stay behind those bushes to see his 40 when he cannot find them.”
“My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should never 41 ourselves in that way. You are 42 , and may give yourself a greater pleasure by helping the poor man. Perhaps we put a 43 into each shoe, and watch his reaction.”
The student did so, and they both 44 themselves behind the bushes. The poor man soon finished his work, and came 45 the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While 46 his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something 47 , he bent down to feel what it was, and found the coin.
He was 48 , and looked at the coin again and again. He then looked around 49 on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and began to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was 50 on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his 51 , looked up to heaven and preyed, He spoke of his wife, sick and 52 , and his children without bread. The timely giving, from some unknown hand, would 53 from dying.
The student was moved and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, “are you not much better pleased than if you had played your 54 trick?”
The youth replied, “Thank you! Sir! I feel now the 55 of those words, which I never understood before: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
1.A．hanging B．lying C．sitting D．hiding
2.A．nearly B．seemingly C．closely D．equally
3.A．looked back B．referred to C．turned to D．puzzled over
4.A．fun B．amusement C．entertainment D．trick
5.A．opinion B．reaction C．emotion D．reply
6.A．treat B．dedicate C．amuse D．occupy
7.A．healthy B．cool C．mean D．rich
8.A．coin B．penny C．dollar D．pound
9.A．performed B．placed C．played D．proved
10.A．around B．across C．into D．toward
11.A．taking on B．looking on C．putting on D．hanging on
12.A．hard B．tight C．soft D．loose
13.A．surprised B．excited C．joyful D．satisfied
14.A．that B．it C．themselves D．himself
15.A．decreased B．accelerated C．doubled D．improved
16.A．hands B．knees C．feet D．legs
17.A．beautiful B．merciless C．hopeful D．helpless
18.A．support B．learn C．treat D．save
19.A．intended B．required C．wanted D．interested
20.A．faith B．fact C．truth D．reliability
—Some wine?
—Thank you. ______. I have to drive home.
A．With pleasure B．I’d rather not
C．That would be nice D．Just what I needed
—What do you mean by saying that?
—I think you _______ what I said. I meant no harm.
A．understood B．misunderstood
C．heard D．followed
Our school covers an area of 400 mu, which is _______ as yours.
A．twice as big B．twice bigger
C．twice the size D．twice the big
