Dear Mr. Smith,
I currently rent (租) APT #832 in the Canyon Crossing apartments. Overall, I am happy with the location. At the beginning I had planned to live here for at least two years. I like here.
However, I am very disappointed in that there seems to be a terrible roach (蟑螂) problem. I can’t invite any guest over because of this problem and I cannot recommend (推荐) Canyon Crossing to any of my classmates either.
I have left two voice mails for you which are concerned with this problem. You have not returned either one. Therefore, this letter is my next step in hoping to solve the problem. I am kindly asking you to ask an exterminator (灭蟑人) by July 15th. If you fail to do so, I will have no choice but to make a complaint to the BBB (Better Business Bureau).
You are welcome to text me anytime at (435) 234-3452. I hope this problem will be solved soon.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely, Unhappy Ursula
Dear Sir,
I am a new resident (居民) at Sunning Court. I have seen the condition of the building becoming worse and worse since I moved here last year.
First of all, the management of the building is really terrible. Sometimes, there is a bad smell when I walk on the road. I see much rubbish there. No cleaners clean the rubbish. Many roaches and rats run around the building.
My second problem is about the security (安全). I always see the guards reading newspapers or smoking when they are on duty. The security room is very dusty too. When I want to use the phone, they say, “We can’t help.”
I am therefore writing to demand your company’s action to improve the situation. Thank you for your consideration.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong
1.What’s the major problem that Ursula is facing now?
A. She is being troubled by roaches in her apartment.
B. The exterminator fails to kill the roaches on time.
C. She has become more afraid of roaches than before.
D. She can’t find a cheap and comfortable apartment.
2.The first letter is most probably written by .
A. a student B. an exterminator
C. a housekeeper D. a BBB official
3.How does Chris Wong feel about his living conditions at Sunning Court now? .
A. A bit confused B. Quite frightened
C. Really excited D. Very disappointed
The Pickup
Nadine Gordimer
The book talks about the love between an Arab man and a white South African woman. They come from very different cultures with very different ways of looking at the world.
List price: $16.00
Price: $11.30
You save: $4.70(29%)
Publisher: Picador
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right
Atul Gawande
The modern world has given us huge know-how. Yet failures continue to influence us in health care, government, the law, the financial industry and so on. And the reason is simple: there is so much knowledge that it is hard for people to fully command it. Atul Gawande makes an argument that we can do better, using the simplest of methods: the checklist.
List price: $15.00
Price: $ 11.76
You save: $3.24(21%)
Publisher: Picador
Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer
Micheal White
Micheal White tells the colorful life of the world’s first modern scientist. Interesting yet based on fact. Micheal White’s learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him. Newton is shown as a great scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic ended and science began.
List price: $19.95
Price: $15.01
You save: $4.94(25%)
Publisher: Basic Books
1.Who has written a book that talks about cultural differences?
A. Micheal White. B. Adrian Vickers.
C. Atul Gawande. D. Nadine Gordimer.
2.What do The Pickup and The Checklist Manifesto have in common?
A. They have the same price cut.
B. Their list prices are the same.
C. Their authors are introduced in detail.
D. They share the same publisher.
3. In the book Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer Newton _____.
A. is a great but not perfect man
B. lives a meaningful and colorful life
C. is the same as what we commonly know
D. is an old-time gifted scientist and magician
4.Which of the following books offers the biggest price cut?
A. The pickup.
B. Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer.
C. A History of Modern Indonesia.
D. The Checklist Manifesto : How to Get Things Right
English, as we all know, is considered as the universal language. It is spoken all over the world. However, you will also notice that people all over the world are using different types of English. Let’s take a closer look at these two popular types: UK and US English. Even if both types of English are wildly used, there are some differences that will be worth knowing to find out the type of English that you are using.
US English is what we know as the American English which is wildly used in the United States. UK English, on the other hand, is known as the British English. Some also call it the BBC English since it is the English used by British reporters, and another name for it is the Queen’s English.
In terms of vocabulary, some words in US English may mean something different in the UK English. For example, the word biscuit for the British means baked sweet or salty cake that is hard when baked and softened over time; while in the US it is a quick bread served with salty foods.
With regards to pronunciation, American English is more nasal (鼻音的). Stress (重音) is also another difference to consider. Just like in the word princess, British stress the second syllable (音节) while Americans stress the first.
Spelling is another area of difference. American English spelling is more simple. Example of which includes, color for the US and colour for the UK, same goes with honor and honour. The doubling of letters in words is another good example. It will be traveler in the US and traveller in the UK. The use of “-og” instead of “-ogue” in word such as dialog and dialogue or catalog and catalogue.
1.What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Similarity between US English and UK English
B.Difference between US English and UK English
C.The future of US English and UK English
D.The history of US and UK English
2.What does the underlined word “it” refer to according to Paragraph 2?
A The British English.
B The American English.
C The BBC.
D The Queen of UK.
3.he word biscuit in UK English refers to the cake which may be finally.
A.sweet and hard
B.salty and sweet
C.hard and salty
D.salty and soft
4.Which of the following may belong to UK English?
A. Color. B. Traveler.
C. Dialog. D. Catalogue.
A long time ago there lived a poor slave （奴隶）whose name was Aesop. He was a man with a large head and bright big eyes. When Aesop was about 20, his master (主人) a lot of money and had to sell his slaves. To do this, he to take them to a large where there was a slave market. The city was far away. The slaves must the whole distance and there were a number of bags for them to carry. “ your bags, boys,” said the master. “There is one for each of you.”
Aesop at once chose the one. The other slaves laughed at him and said he was . But he threw it upon his shoulders and seemed very . The next day, the laugh was the other way. For the bag Aesop had chosen was filled with the for the whole party. After all had eaten three meals from it, it was much lighter. And before the end of the journey Aesop had nothing to carry the other slaves were suffering under their heavy bags.
“This is a fellow,” said the master. “The man who will buy him must pay a price.”
A very rich man, named Xanthus, Aesop and took him to his home in Samos. Soon the little slave became known for his . He often told some funny stories that taught some great truth to his master and his master’s friends. They how Aesop could have thought of them.
His master was so much with him that he gave him . Aesop was no longer a slave. Many great men were glad to call him their friend, and kings asked his advice and were amused by his stories.
1.A. small B. strong C. tall D. weak
2.A. spared B. borrowed C. spent D. lost
3.A. happened B. decided C. agreed D. hoped
4.A. community B. country C. city D. village
5.A. cover B. recognize C. finish D. walk
6.A. Find B. Choose C. Check D. Prepare
7.A. largest B. most useful C. most important D. lightest
8.A. strange B. careless C. foolish D. selfish
9.A. worried B. uncomfortable C. angryD. confident
10.A. goods B. food C. water D. clothes
11.A. while B. although C. until D. because
12.A. calm B. grateful C. wise D. dishonest
13.A. low B. fair C. frequent D. high
14.A. saved B. bought C. accepted D. knew
15.A. cleverness B. bravery C. work D. skills
16.A. encourage B. amuse C. change D. help
17.A. ignored B. imagined C. wondered D. guessed
18.A. bored B. impatientC. strict D. pleased
19.A. freedom B. attention C. praise D. expression
20.A. yet B. ever C. even D. still
Once upon a time, there was an island where 1. great number of feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and others, including Love. One day, they 2. (tell) that the island would sink (下沉), so they all began packing things and left except Love.
Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to stay 3. the last possible moment.
When the island had almost sunk, Love was concerned 4. her safety and decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by in a grant boat. Love asked, “Richness, can you take me with you?”
Richness answered, “No, I can’t. My gold and silver is 5. (important) than you.”
Love asked Vanity (虚荣) for help but was refused again.
Then love asked Sadness and Happiness for help, neither of 6. was willing to help.
Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It was an elder. When 7. (hear) that, Love was so happy that she even forgot to ask 8. the elder’s name was. When they arrived on land, the elder went on her own way. As it was the first time that Love 9. (meet) the elder, she asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who helped me?”
“It was Time,” Knowledge answered.
“Time?” asked Love. “But why?”
Knowledge smiled and said, “because it is only Time 10. is able to understand how valuable(有价值的) Love is.”
目前，对于我国的英语学习状况，有两种截然不同的观点：
1、应加强英语学习，以适应当前的国际发展形势。2、仅为考试而学习英语，大部分人毕业后根本不使用英语，因而没必要再学。
请以Learn English or Not为题，写一篇短文，首先简述以上两条建议，然后表明你的观点，并说明理由，词数120左右。
