Just 40 years ago, the word first spread among men in the Singapore army. But before long, it had entered everyday Singapore English.

The first formal use of kiasu happened in 1990 in a government document(公文). Since then it has often been seen in Singapore newspapers. It spread to some other countries in southeast Asia, too. In 1992 Malaysia’s New Straits Times wrote of “kiasu parents providing their children with much more materials than necessary”.

Ten years after its first use in print, the word was used worldwide. Since around 2000, kiasu has appeared in British newspapers. The Guardian, in 2001, reported how this pursuit of material wealth and the strong need to be No.1 has created the Singaporean we hear so much about-the kiasu Singaporean’, and again reported in 2004 that Singaporeans’ value shows how much they feel the need to stay ahead of everyone else and that they have a word for it: kiasu.

The word entered the Urban Dictionary in 2003 and the Oxford English Dictionary in 2007. In the same year, Singaporean restaurant Kiasu opened in London.

The turning point on kiasu’s road to the mainstream came with its being used in documents and newspapers. Who dared to use kiasu in a government document? Who first used it in a newspaper?

It was these people who pushed kiasu into the mainstream.

【1】What is the passage mainly about?

A.How to use the word kiasu.B.What the word kiasu means.

C.The history of the word kiasu!D.The importance of the word kiasu.

【2】What marked the wide use of the word kiasu around the world?

A.Its appearance in British papers.B.Its use as the name of a restaurant.

C.Its acceptance by a key document.D.Its description in Singapore newspapers.

【3】What does the underlined word “pursuit” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A.the act of looking forB.the act of looking out

C.the act of giving upD.the act of giving out

【4】Which of the following statements is true?

A.Kiasu was first used in British newspapers.

B.Kiasu entered dictionaries in Singapore and Malaysia.

C.Kiasu was never formally used in any government document.

D.Kiasu spread to countries in southeast Asia.

TYPING

This course is for those who want to learn to type, as well as those who want to improve their typing.

The course is not common. You are tested in the first class and begin practicing at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each program lasts 20 hours.

Bring your own paper.

Course fee:$125 Materials:$25

Two hours each evening for two weeks. New classes begin every two weeks. This course is taught by a number of qualified business education teachers who have successfully taught typing courses before.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS

This twelve-hour course is for people who do not know very much about computers, but who need to learn about them. You will learn what computers are, what they can and can't do and how to use them.

Course fee:$ 75 Jan 4,7,11,14,18, Wed.& Sat.9~11:30 a.m. Equipment fee:S10

David is Professor of Computer Science at Beijing University. He has over twenty years of experience in the computer field.

STOP SMOKING

Do you want to stop smoking? Have you already tried to stop and failed? Now is the time to stop smoking using the latest methods. You can stop smoking, and this twelve-hour course will help you do it.

Course fee: $ 30 Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23 Mon. 2～5 p. m.

Dr John is a practicing psychologist who has helped hundreds of people stop smoking.

【1】How long will the STOP SMOKING course last?

A.For four weeks.B.For three hours.C.For a week.D.For twelve weeks.

【2】If you want to learn about computer and the same time you want to improve your typing, now much will you pay for it?

A.$200B.$150C.$235D.$180

【3】What’s the special difference between the TYPING course and the other two?

A.It takes less time.B.You will pay less money.

C.You will take a rest after a course.D.People with different skills levels may learn at different speed.

— _____. Few of them would become your real friends.

A.I can’t agree moreB.I’m pleased to know thatC.Never mindD.That’s not the case

—Sounds good.

A.don’t put your eggs in one basketB.the early bird catches the worm

C.actions speak louder than wordsD.something is better than nothing

A.that why it happenedB.how did the government help solve the problem

C.what caused the terrible accidentD.how many people are killed in the accident

— I like it very much, and I think it is the most beautiful place ____ I have ever been to.

A.whichB.thatC.whereD.who

— ______ the agreement is reached, I suppose.

A.how long; Not untilB.when; Not untilC.how long; UntilD.when; Until

— _____. His parents are very busy with their work, so he has to do some cleaning every day.

A.has; YesB.hasn’t; NoC.is; YesD.isn’t; No

—Em, that’s what children are like.

A.acrossB.beyondC.towardsD.through

要求: 80词左右，语言流畅，语法正确。

提示:

1. When did you begin learning English?

2. How do you learn English?

3. What do you think is the most important thing for learning English?

4. What do you think is the most difficult thing for learning English?

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