I ran into quite a few language problems while vacationing (度假) with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in amazement, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants or knickers( 内裤), not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From Britain
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing(指引) me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to (使...明白)someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
Last summer we went on a two-week family touring holiday, so Dad hired a car over the Internet. This was an old vehicle and there turned out to be lots of things wrong with it. When he phoned the hire company and tried to explain that the lock on the boot was broken, they thought he was talking about footwear! He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.
Mary — From Britain
1.Hearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in amazement because _______.
A. Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans
B. Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty
C. they mistook “pants” in American for underpants
D. they didn’t know English
2.Which of the following words is from British English？
A. Pants. B. Ground floor.
C. Restroom. D. Trunk.
3.When Tom asked for the “restroom”, the people around him thought ________.
A. he wanted to have a rest
B. he wanted the toilet
C. he wanted a chair
D. He wanted to go to a department store
4.The underlined word “garage” is probably ________.
A. a parking place B. a car
C. a gas station D. a place to repair cars
Can you imagine that several hundred years ago, tomatoes were seen as toxic food in Europe?
What made Europeans believe this was John Gerard’s publication of Herbal in 1597. Gerard wrote: “The leaves and stalks of the tomato plant are toxic.” Undoubtedly, Gerard’s opinion was based on a misunderstanding of tomatoes. But his opinion was widely spread in Britain and North America for over two hundred years.
In the late 1700s, a lot of Europeans held more fears for tomatoes. A nick name for the fruit was “poison apple” because it was believed that aristocrats(贵族) got sick and died after eating them. But the actual reason was the pewter plates they used. Since tomatoes are high in acidity, when placed on the plates, the lead(铅) in the plates would dissolve(溶解). This caused many deaths. Unluckily, no one knew this at that time. So the innocent tomatoes were picked as the killer.
Today, more than one and a half billion tons of tomatoes are produced every year around the world. Tomatoes are cooked in various ways. This healthy and tasty food finally wins its innocence(清白) back.
1.Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
A. Europeans’ fears for tomatoes
B. History of tomato planting
C. Why do people eat so many tomatoes
D. How did the tomato prove its value
2.What does the underlined word “toxic” in paragraph 1 mean?
A. delicious B. nutritious(有营养的)
C. poisonous D. safe
3.When did people begin to eat tomatoes according to the text?
A. About 100 years ago. B. About 200 years ago.
C. About 300 years ago. D. About 400 years ago.
4.What’s the key point for the death of the aristocrats mentioned in the passage?
A. Tomatoes. B. The pewter plate.
C. Serious illness. D. Chemical reaction.
I was walking down the road one day when my cell phone rang. A strange on the other end spoke to me, “Dad, please come back soon. I miss you so much!” I judged that it was a number. A little while later, the call came once again, so I rudely , “You’ve dialed the wrong number!” and then .
During the following days, I got the same now and then. But I didn’t care much about it.
Then one day she constantly called me I didn't answer. Finally I answered the phone and heard a weak voice, “Dad, please come back. I miss you so much! Dad, I’m so much pain! Mom said you were too busy to take of me. But, dad, please me again, OK?” The innocent(天真) was difficult to refuse. I made a kiss on the phone and heard the weak voice say, “Thank you．．．Dad, I am so…happy, so…happy…”
Shortly after this, I became about who had been on the other end of my phone. So I called back, and a woman answered, “Sorry, sir. I am really sorry to have you. My daughter has suffered from bone cancer she was born. And her father… died in an a short while ago. I dare not tell her this sad . Poor baby．When she couldn’t bear (忍受) the painful chemotherapy (化疗), she would cry for her dad, who had always her. I really couldn't bear it, so I gave her a random(随意的) phone number…”
“How is your daughter now?” I couldn't to ask.
“She’s . You must have kissed her on the phone, because she passed away with a smile, tightly holding the cell phone…”
filled my eyes and I was so sad to hear that.
1.A. sound B. noise C. voice D. shout
2.A. bad B. different C. unlucky D. wrong
3.A. refused B. explained C. returned D. answered
4.A. hung off B. turned off C. got off D. took off
5.A. number B. call C. telephone D. result
6.A. as if B. so that C. in order that D. even though
7.A. of B. on C. in D. at
8.A. care B. control C. attention D. interest
9.A. support B. kiss C. treat D. encourage
10.A. condition B. suggestion C. request D. advice
11.A. soft B. sweet C. low D. loud
12.A. surprised B. curious C. cruel D. amazed
13.A. bothered B. warned C. interrupted D. calmed
14.A. when B. since C. as D. after
15.A. invitation B. event C. accident D. experiment
16.A. experience B. reason C. story D. news
17.A. encouraged B. supported C. satisfied D. praised
18.A. help B. wait C. expect D. want
19.A. survived B. passed C. gone D. escaped
20.A. Tears B. Cries C. Anger D. Disappointment
We always lose sight of those who adore(爱慕) us, adore those who ___________ us, and hurt those who love us.
A. care B. attack
C. ignore D. educate
The old man __________ many dangers during the war. He said he narrowly escaped death.
A. went through B. set down
C. made use of D. got along with
He _________ to curiosity and opened the letter secretly.
A. gave in B. calmed down
C. made up his mind D. escaped from
