Expressions about water are almost as common as water. 1.
The expression “to be in hot water” is one of them. It is a very old expression. “Hot water” was used five hundred years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of extremely throwing hot water down on enemies attacking a castle. When we are in “hot water”, we are in trouble. 2. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother if he comes into the house with dirty shoes.
3. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job.
Another common expression, “to hold water”, is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about. If it can hold water, it is strong and has no holes in it. If your argument can hold water, it is strong and does not have any holes. 4.
“Throwing cold water” also is an expression that deals with ideas or proposals. 5. For example, you want to buy a new car because the old one has some problems. But your wife “throws cold water” on the idea, because she says a new car costs too much.
A．It means disliking an idea.
B．You are in a difficult situation.
C．A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police.
D．If it does not hold water, then it is weak and not worth debating.
E. But many of the expressions using water have unpleasant meanings.
F. A man who has long been jobless will find it hard to make both ends meet.
G. “To keep your head above water” is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt.
September 21, 2050----At a press conference today it was announced that the first tourist heading for Mars will be the 38-year-old US businessman Patrick Clifford. He will leave the earth in the launching window of June 2052 and set his foot on the surface of Mars in November, together with the other 6 astronauts assigned for the mission to further explore the planet.
Patrick has now two years of training ahead of him to get ready for the trip. Not only will he spend five months in getting to Mars, but another 600 days there before he can go back home. Patrick was of course very excited, “ This has been my dream since I was four, and seeing the first man on Mars 20 years ago made me realize that it was possible.”
To be able to pay the $ 1. 3 billion for his ticket for the trip Patrick sold his majority stake (股份) in the company his father had built. “I know that my father would have been proud of me if he had still been alive today, he knew what this means to me”, says Patrick. There is no risk though that you will find Patrick begging in your street corner when he comes back, but it is said that he was paid twice as much for his part of the company.
So, how is he going to spend his 600 days on the red planet? “Well, since I don’t have a job when I get back after selling the company, I have plenty of time to come up with a new business idea”, he says and laughs. If he brings a shovel（铁锹）he can start building the first hotel there, but maybe he shouldn’t expect too many guests until someone can offer a cheaper ticket.
1.How long will Patrick Clifford be away before he comes back?
A．About five months B．About two years C．About 600 days D．About 750 days
2.The underlined part in Paragraph 3 means that .
A．the trip will turn Patrick into a beggar
B．Patrick will get much money from the trip
C．we needn’t worry about Patrick’s economic condition
D．it’s likely that Patrick will be very poor after he comes back
3.What can be inferred from the passage?
A．Patrick is an optimistic man
B．A total of six people will go to Mars
C．Patrick’s father felt excited at the news
D．Patrick will spend all his money on the trip
Congratulations! You have applied for a job and now you are getting ready for that important job interview and you are looking forward to making a good impression on your future (hopefully) boss.
When you walk in the room the very first impression you make on the interviewer can have a great influence on the rest of the interview. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, and are friendly. In a job interview, the first question is often a “breaking the ice” type of question. Don’t be surprised if the interviewer asks you something like: “How are you today?” or “What do you think of the weather lately?” Answer the question without going into too much detail.
Talking about qualifications (资历) is the most important part of any job interview. Your qualifications include your education and any special training you may have received in the past. Your qualifications also include your experience in any previous work. It is important to explain what experience you have in detail. Generally, employers want to know exactly what you did and how well you accomplished your tasks. This is not the time to be modest.
Try to avoid some big mistakes in the job interview, such as leaving the mobile on and criticizing previous bosses. The worst thing is you yourself have no questions. Having no questions shows you are either not interested or not prepared. Remember that interviewers are more impressed with the questions you ask than the selling points you try to make.
1.The passage is mainly about .
A．the typical questions asked in job interviews
B．importance of interviewees’ qualifications in job interviews
C．some common mistakes found in job interviews
D．Dos and Don’ts in job interviews
2.A “breaking the ice” type of question is .
A．a question that makes people unhappy
B．an opening question asked to make people less nervous
C．a sharp question that makes people angry
D．a question asked about serious topic
3.All of the following are considered to be the interviewee’s qualifications EXCEPT .
A．educational background B．social background
C．all kinds of special training received D．experience in previous work
4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a mistake found in job interviews?
A．Leaving the mobile on B．Criticizing previous bosses.
C．Having no questions. D．Arriving late.
Tired of Working in Your Country!
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foreign languages. We now have positions open in Tokyo starting September/October 2012 for teachers of English, German, Spanish and French.
·Teach many different kinds of classes using the latest technology in small classes of up to 3 students.
·Accommodation(膳宿) , and other necessary documents (文件) will be ready before you leave.
·Applicants will teach their first language only.
·Excellent teacher training programs.
If you are young with a university degree and are willing to experience different cultures, apply now. Experience in teaching is an advantage but not specially required. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not necessary but good English skills and practical computer knowledge are basic requirements.
Apply with C. V. and send letters to:
NOVA France, Mr. Sampy (IHT3/2)
34, Bd. Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France
Fax: 33148014804
Or visit our website: www.teadyp.com
The manager expects to meet and talk with successful applicants in Paris in June and July.
1.What is the purpose of the text?
A．To introduce a language school in Japan.
B．To hire language teachers to work in Japan.
C．To describe working conditions in Japan.
D．To make clear the requirements for Japanese teachers.
2. We know from the text that those who are going to Japan will .
A．teach English only in Osaka B．receive a degree from a university
C．have free accommodation D．get trained for the job
3.Before going to Japan, you need .
A．to see the manager of NOVA France B．to take some computer courses
C．to write a letter to Japan D．to find a place to live
4.If you want to work in Japan you should .
A．have some working experience B．know how to use computers
C．present good teaching plans D．speak several languages
One morning, Charley, a little green frog, was sitting in a pond by the side of the road.
Wanda, the neighborhood witch(女巫), was walking along the road. She was a good witch and dreamt to become a fairy godmother who can save people from trouble with magic powers. Wanda had been learning fairy godmother magic for 103 years. That morning, she decided to try the magic she had learned and bring happiness to others.
Seeing Wanda, Charley cried, “Hi, Wanda.”
“Hi, Charley,” replied Wanda, “I have a surprise for you.”
Then, Wanda waved her wand(魔杖), said a magic word, and Charley turned into a prince!
When Charley-turned-prince looked at himself in the water, he cried, “Hey! You turned me into a prince! It’s a surprise all right, but I don’t want to be a prince! Change me back right now!”
“Oh, dear,” Wanda said. “You shouted so loud that I forgot the way to change you back. But who wouldn’t rather be a prince?”
“I wouldn’t!” cried Charley. “I want to be a frog!” He stuck out his tongue, missing a bug (虫子)flying by the end of his nose. “Look at that, Wanda! I was a good fly catcher. But now, this tongue is too short! Please change me back!”
“I can’t, Charley. But you’ll learn to be happy as a prince.” She waved her wand, and suddenly a castle appeared. Out of the castle dozens of musicians were playing various instruments. “Charley! You’ll have servants, eat delicious foods, and you can sing and dance and snap fingers(弹响指).”
“No!” Charley interrupted, “I don’t want all these! I want bugs!” Charley cried. “I don’t want to sing and dance! And why would I do something as silly as snapping my fingers?”
“Snapping fingers!” cried out Wanda. “That’s what I forgot!” She snapped her fingers, cried “Upsi-doodle!” and the castle and musicians disappeared and the prince became a little green frog.”
Charley looked at himself in the water. “ You did it, Wanda. Oh, happy day! I’m a frog.”
“I must apologize, Charley,” Wanda said, “You are a happy frog. I should know this a moment ago.”
1.Wanda turned Charley from a frog into a prince .
A．of her own will B．to play a joke on him
C．at the request of charley D．to teach Charley a lesson
2.After the little green frog became a prince, he . .
A．was grateful to Wanda B．wanted a great palace
C．couldn’t recognize Wanda D．became angry with Wanda
3.At the end of the story, Wanda probably felt . .
A．satisfied B．ashamed C．worried D．excited
4.According to the passage, which of the following conclusions can we get?
A．Just be yourself B．Do nothing by halves
C．Helping others is a virtue D．Where there is a will, there is a way
Dine with General St. Amour
General St. Amour was famous for his bravery, but he was born into the family of a poor peasant. Even when he became a general, he never 1. his humble origin（卑微的出身）.
While his 2. was stationed in his hometown, he invited some of his principal officers to a dinner party at a 3. . They had just sat down at the table when his father 4. to drop in on him. When the guard 5. it to the general, he 6. rose and told his guests that his father had 7. .
He said that he knew the 8. he owed to them, but at the same time he hoped they would excuse him 9. he withdrew (退出) because he would like to 10. with his father in another room.
Hearing what he said, all the guests present 11. that the father should be introduced to them, 12. that they would be very pleased to see one who was so closely 13. to him. But to their 14. , General St. Amour replied, “Ah, no, gentleman. You are 15. wrong. I mean my father would find himself so 16. in company with so many people who are unsuited to his rank. 17. , it would deprive(剥夺) us both of the only pleasure of the 18. ——the natural intercourse(交流) of a parent and his son.”
He then 19. himself from the table and spent the evening dining with his father.
The moral of the story is: you can’t give people 20. , but you can provide the kind of understanding that makes people keep their pride.
21. A．forgot B．knew C．minded D．cared
22. A．family B．army C．company D．organization
23. A．park B．school C．restaurant D．cinema
24. A．agreed B．promised C．decided D．happened
25. A．explained B．whispered C．reported D．shouted
26. A．strongly B．immediately C．simply D．suddenly
27. A．resigned B．started C．left D．arrived
28. A．respect B．understanding C．support D．love
29. A．before B．until C．if D．unless
30. A．chat B．dine C．walk D．dance
31. A．demanded B．commanded C．stressed D．requested
32. A．saying B．complaining C．admitting D．reminding
33. A．used B．opposed C．related D．devoted
34. A．joy B．disappointment C．excitement D．surprise
35. A．terribly B．completely C．slightly D．partly
36. A．embarrassed B．frightened C．disturbed D．disappointed
37. A．Above all B．After all C．In addition D．In time
38. A．party B．interview C．appointment D．discussion
39. A．defended B．allowed C．introduced D．excused
40. A．time B．money C．pride D．confidence
