Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
CLASS TIME: 8:30a.m.—10:00a.m., 10:30a.m.—12:00a.m., 1:30p.m.—3:00p.m..
The Language Center is open Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
SELF-ACCESS: The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15p.m. to 5:00p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games or word-processing（文字处理）. There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are dictation and listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are cloze exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
ATTENDANCE（出勤）：All students are expected to attend classes as it is required. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates（证书）when they finish their courses. It is also required by OSS for an extension to your visa.
BOOKS: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it.
If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520).
【小题1】When do classes begin and end on a full day?

A．8:30a.m.—1:30p.m..	B．8:30a.m.—3:00p.m..
C．8:30a.m.—3:15p.m..	D．3:15p.m.—5:00p.m..

【小题2】Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．No teachers are in the language lab.

B．90% attendance is required for the students.

C．Books can’t be taken out of the center.

D．Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes.

【小题3】The timetable can be seen in _____.

A．the lecture hall

B．Room 3520

C．the classroom

D．Room 1110

"Everybody loves a bargain．" One person’s useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain．That is why so many Americans do not throw things away．They put them outside their houses．They put on a "For Sale" sign．And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.
The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper．It tells, when and where the yard sale will take place．These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn．Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house．Then they sit all day in the sunlight—like tired guests at a party—waiting for someone to take them home．
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale．Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else．Cooking equipment is also popular．So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs．
Then there are objects called "white elephants"．A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless．It may be an electric light shaped like a fish．You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it．To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy．
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect．It may be old toy trains, for example, or paintings of dogs．Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before．Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special．They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating（谈判）over prices, even if they really do not need the object．Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought．
【小题1】What kind of things will go to a yard sale?

A．Things people no longer use．	B．Things of great, value．
C．Things out of season．	D．Things of beauty and joy．

【小题2】A white elephant refers to something _____．

A．that can cause a feeling of pain

B．disliked by the owners while appreciated by others

C．that looks like a golden fish

D．sold at the lowest prices in the old newspaper

【小题3】Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale?

A．It is held outdoors．	B．It may not be held on a cold day.
C．It can last for a whole day．	D．It is usually held with a party．

Every American family has its own traditions on Thanksgiving Day, and mine is no difference. Once the national holiday arrives, my mom rises early to make the meal. She puts a turkey in the oven, chops carrots and bakes pies. I’m sorry to say that the men in the family – my dad, my younger brother and myself – rarely pitch in to help. Our job is to wash the mountain of dirty dishes after the meal is over.
Around 2 pm every Thanksgiving Day, family members seat themselves around the kitchen table. Plates of turkey, vegetables, salad, rolls and pies cover it. At this point, we can hardly keep ourselves from drooling (流口水) all over our fancy clothes, but it’s not yet time to eat.
First, we must bow our heads, close our eyes and say a prayer of thanks aloud to God for giving us everything we have. Under normal circumstances, I would have no problem making a list of things I am thankful for. I grew up in a loving family. My parents, who aren’t wealthy, took out loans to help me pay for university.
But, the funny thing is, every time I sit down for Thanksgiving dinner and try to say a prayer of thanks, my mind usually goes blank. I think it has something to do with my growling (咕咕叫) stomach and all of that food sitting right there under my nose.
Eventually, though, we all finish our short prayers and dig in. To be sure, the day includes other highlights – visiting with family and watching football. But usually around 6 pm we are all ourselves stuffed like turkeys and thankful to have a nice warm bed to sleep in.
【小题1】The purpose of the text is to ________.

A．tell what the family do for Thanksgiving Day

B．tell how the family spends Thanksgiving Day

C．introduce foods served on Thanksgiving Day

D．introduce the American Thanksgiving Day

【小题2】On Thanksgiving Day the author’s family do the following except ________.

A．watching a movie	B．making visits
C．having a big meal	D．watching football

【小题3】Why does the author’s mind usually “go blank” when saying a prayer of thanks?

A．He is too thankful to say a word.	B．His mind is on the food before him.
C．He feels too excited to speak.	D．He is shy to speak in public.

【小题4】The underlined phrase “dig in” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．chat with others	B．make a hole
C．mix things up	D．start eating

Everyone has got two personalities(个性)—one shown to the world and the other secret and real. You don't show your secret personality when you are awake because you can control your behavior, but when you are asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, people frequently change their position. The important position is the one that you go to sleep in.
If you go to sleep on your back, you are a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas. You don't like to upset people, so you never express your real feeling. You are quiet, shy and you aren’t very confident.
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a rather secretive person. You worry a lot and you are always easily upset. You're very stubborn(顽固的), but you aren’t very ambitious(有野心的). You usually live for today, not tomorrow. This means that you enjoy having a good time.
If you sleep curled(卷曲) up, you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself, so you are often defensive. You are shy and you don't normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own. You are easily hurt.
If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well-balanced(通情达理的) personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You are usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel anxious, but you don't often get depressed(沮丧的). You always say what you think even if it annoys people.
【小题1】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Two personalities.

B．Proper sleeping positions.

C．Sleeping positions and personalities.

D．Ways to tell your real personalities.

【小题2】According to the text, you naturally show your secret  personality when_____.

A．you are awake

B．you are asleep

C．you can't control your behaviour

D．you change your sleeping position

【小题3】Tom is used to sleeping on his side. Which of the following can NOT describe him?

A．Well-balanced.	B．Careful.
C．Selfish.	D．Anxious sometimes.

【小题4】If you are shy and often defensive, you are used to sleeping____.

A．on your back	B．curled up
C．on your stomach	D．on your side

The Body Temperature
The temperature of your body should be always just the same, no matter whether the weather is hot or cold. That is why the doctor uses his thermometer （温度计）when your are sick.
The body keeps the same temperature all the time ,because it balances the heat it produces and it gives off. It is always burning up food and , producing heat. It can produce heat faster when it needs to give off heat than when it becomes too warm. Let’s see how this happen.
The heat of your body is given off mainly through the skin. When you are cold, your skin is tight and shows “good flesh”. When you get chilly, you must dance around to keep warm or else you will shiver. Then your muscles begin to work, burn up fuel, and produce more heat. It is not pleasant to shiver, so you usually prefer to warm up by exercise, or put on more clothes to keep heat in.
When you are warm, the skin is loose and soft. It is so supplied with blood that heat is given off rapidly. If you get too warm, you begin to sweat ,and more body heat is used in evaporating the moisture（水蒸气） from your skin. You wear less clothing, too, in warm weather or warm room, so that warm can be given off freely. You feel less like exercising because your body is warm already, and the extra heat produced by exercise makes you uncomfortable.
You can see from the way you feel differently in different kinds of weather. In summer, when it is warm, you feel tired and lazy. You do not care to work or play, but enjoy lying and doing nothing. When you get out of doors in winter, the cold air makes you feel lively. You want to play.
【小题1】Which is another title suitable of the passage?

A．The Patients’ Temperature

B．The Body Temperature Should Always Be the Same

C．The Body Temperature

D．The Temperature and Your Skin

【小题2】How does the body keep the same temperature all the time?

A．It is always producing heat from food.

B．It gives off the heat produced in it.

C．It balances the heat it gets and loses.

D．It stops producing heat when necessary.

【小题3】When one feels chilly, which of the following will he do?

A．His skin becomes tight in order to keep warm.

B．He does exercises to make his muscle produce more heat.

C．He puts on more clothes to keep heat in.

D．He keeps shivering to produce more heat.

【小题4】When in summer, people prefer to_____.

A．work

B．play

C．do exercise

D．relax and do nothing

So there are four of them in this car heading north from Coleman in the heart of Texas to the town of Abilene (阿比林), some 53 miles away. It is a hot day, and the drive is dusty and boring. Someone has had the bright idea to interrupt a nice family game of dominoes (多米诺) to go on a four-hour round-trip to eat at a really not very good restaurant.
When they are back home again, one family member admits that she hasn’t enjoyed herself all that much. One by one they all confess that they would rather have stayed at home. “I only went along with it because I thought the rest of you wanted to go,” says everyone. No one wanted to go to Abilene. It had just happened.
This story was first told by Professor Jerry Harvey in an article published in 1974 called The Abilene Paradox (悖论) and other meditations on management. It offers a wonderful insight into the way that decisions can sometimes just emerge, without ever being consciously “made”.
Whether they mean to or not, groups exert a pressure to conform (顺从). A senior management team can find itself a long way down the track to a bad decision without realizing that the idea has very little support around the table.
Close-knit (组织严密的) teams are easily influenced by the pull of groupthink. The late Professor Janis suggested several ways in which teams can avoid it. Two key steps are to invite experts from outside into meetings, and to appoint at least one person to the role of “devil’s advocate” — a role that should be played by different people in different meetings.
【小题1】The four family members have decided to go on a four-hour round-trip to the town of Abilene because _______.

A．they really like the restaurant they are going to

B．they are tired of the game they have been playing

C．they have not been to Abilene for a long time

D．everyone thinks all the other family members want to go

【小题2】When they are back home, they find that______.

A．they have not really trusted each other

B．they have all enjoyed the trip except one family member

C．they would have had a better time if they had stayed at home

D．they have all had a good time although none of them wanted to go

【小题3】A senior management team can make a bad decision because ______.

A．the idea has the support of everyone around the table

B．everyone on the team is too tired to think clearly

C．the group puts a pressure to conform

D．they understand what each member means

【小题4】According to Professor Janis, at least one person should be appointed to the role of “devil’s advocate ” at each meeting so that _______.

A．the pull of groupthink can be avoided

B．each member will play a different role

C．team members can agree with each other more easily

D．experts from the outside can be invited into meetings

Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him.
He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him.
With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously—but without knowing how to escape the swarm. With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously, he sped down the rough road. As the bees came closer, his panic increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇). The last sting had landed him in hospital—and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed for two whole days. Suddenly, his father’s words came to him. “When you are in a tight situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it. ”
On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.” Andy raced towards the Nelson house, but the bees were gaining ground. Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his vegetable garden. Off his bike and into the cool water he dived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother.
“You’ll really need that fishing break to help you recover,” laughed his mother with relief. “Thank goodness you didn’t panic!” But Andy did not hear her. He was dreaming once again of the fish he would catch tomorrow.
【小题1】Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier?

A．He was riding to school.

B．He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip.

C．He was going fishing with his father.

D．He was listening to a strange sound.

【小题2】Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the swarm of bees in the passage?

A．They crowded like a black cloud.

B．They shocked and terrified Andy.

C．They tried to attack Andy in a mass.

D．They made Andy stay in hospital for two days.

【小题3】How did Andy avoid the bees in the end?

A．He asked Mr. Nelson for help.

B．He hid himself under the water.

C．He rushed into the Nelson house.

D．He rode off in the opposite direction.

【小题4】Which of the following can best describe Andy’s escape from the bees?

A．No pains, no gains.

B．Once bitten, twice shy.

C．Where there is a will, there is a way.

D．In time of danger, one’s mind works fast.

Visiting London can be an expensive trip, so establishing a budget and finding bargains when you arrive will help you get around London on the cheap. The following steps can help you find cheaper alternatives for transport for your London trip.
l Familiarize yourself with the city’s boroughs and specifically the area where you will be staying. You can use a street map, or an online map search engine, to establish where in the city you will be staying and the distance you are from the major tourist attractions you want to visit.
l Find a local provider of Transport for London tickets or travel cards, since your first bargain purchase will be an Oyster Card. Traveling around London with an Oyster Card will give you access to the cheapest option of transportation methods and the Oyster Card is accepted citywide on buses, boats and the London Underground, known by the locals as “the tube”.
l Seek out your nearest Tube Station. The Tube is the cheapest and most reliable form of transportation and runs from around 6 a.m. until around 1 a.m. ..., depending on the line or the station.
There are 287 tube stations in London that accept the Oyster Card, with a high concentration in central London. If you are staying anywhere in central London, there will be a tube station less than 10 minutes away.
The Transport for London website offers a tube station search facility to find the nearest subway station to any location in the city. When you find a tube station, you can easily locate the closest bus stop by using the comparison bus-tube maps at the station’s entrance.
l Follow the Transport for London Tube Guide to your destinations and always plan ahead. Making a plan for transport will save you unnecessary expenses, wasted trips on the tube and doubling back on your journey .
【小题1】What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To introduce the public transport system in London.

B．To show readers how to use the Oyster Card.

C．To prove the subway in London is easy to use.

D．To offer tips for saving transport costs in London.

【小题2】Which of the following can help a traveler spend the least money on transport?

A．Trying different transportation methods.

B．Taking buses as much as possible.

C．Traveling with an Oyster Card.

D．Making a plan before your journey.

【小题3】By visiting the Transport for London website, people can ________.

A．identify their own location	B．locate the nearest bus station
C．find the nearest subway station	D．use an online map to avoid getting lost

【小题4】We can conclude from the passage that ________.

A．the subway is the cheapest means of transport in London.

B．only Tube stations in Central London accept Oyster Card.

C．subway lines in London run no less than 19 hours a day.

D．the transfer from subway to bus is very convenient.

Hiking
If you like to hike during the warm months, you’ll probably like to hike in the winter. The landscape changes completely from summer to fall to winter, and the snow can make for some really beautiful photos. Be sure to bring your camera with you to capture all the awesome scenery. Because it’s cold out, you also have the added benefit of not sweating too much through your clothes, and it’s a great excuse to grab some hot chocolate when you finish your hike.
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is great exercise and a great way to see the winter scenery at the same time. If you’ve never done cross-country skiing before, be sure to check with an expert before trying it yourself. Knowing what to expect can keep you safe and prevent an injury.
Snowball fighting
Everyone remembers going outside, building a snow fort(城堡),and having snowball fights when they were kids. The fun doesn’t have to stop when you’re an adult! Go outside with your friends, build a fort and start throwing snowballs at each other. If you have kids, get them in on the action. Throwing snowballs is a great way to use some extra energy and can be really fun for the whole family.
Bird-watching
Lots of birds migrate during the winter months, and these quiet, cold hours can be a great time to see them like never before. Eagles, for example, migrate through central Illinois in February, and watching them fly through Starved Rock State Park is a breathtaking sight. Check your local parks to find out what birds you can see in your area and get out there to see them.
【小题1】What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Outdoor winter activities

B．Popular winter sports around the world

C．Fun winter activities for children

D．Best ways to enjoy winter scenery.

【小题2】As for cross-country skiing, the author suggests people_______.

A．try to do it on their own

B．ask an expert for advice

C．take a camera with them

D．take a rest whenever possible

【小题3】Which of the following does the author suggest for those with kids?

A．Hiking	B．Cross-country skiing
C．Snowball fighting	D．Bird-watching

【小题4】What can we know about Starved Rock State Park from the passage?

A．It’s the largest natural park in Illinois.

B．It’s a good place for bird-watching.

C．It’s well-known for its strange animals.

D．It is home to a lot of birds.

I can remember the day my father came home from the war. As he walked up the front path of our home, he saw Mum and me and he dropped the suitcase.
I was only five years old so Dad made a fuss of me, then began making an even bigger fuss of my mother. This left me free to examine all the stuff lying around the broken suitcase, and I was quick to notice a newspaper advertisement displaying a new piano. When Dad saw me holding up the newspaper cutting, he smiled.
“Yes, that’s right,” he said. “I bought your mum a piano for ten pounds down and two pounds a week.”
A few moments later, a horse pulled a cart with a piano on top. Soon we all stared at it in our small lounger room. Mum had never been close to a piano before, except at the kindergarten I attended, and she used to say how wonderful it would be if the teachers could teach her to play.
After tea that night, Mum began to teach herself to play. She plinked the keys for about two hours and drove everybody in the street mad, until Dad gently said, “Enough is enough.”
From that day on, she would plink between doing the cooking and housework. Three months went by and Mum was now a skilled pianist, holding parties with all the neighbors gathering around to sing.
Although we were poor, Mum felt like a princess and was delighted at all the attention she was receiving.
At the height of Mum’s happiness, I began to notice that Dad was looking increasingly worried. It turned out that since returning from the war, he’d been unable to find a job. Then, a few weeks later, I observed two men taking Mum’s piano away. Mum sobbed in the kitchen. Suddenly, it all became clear to me: no job, no money, no piano.
Dad finally got a job. Mum was happy again as if he’d just win the lottery(彩票). Dad had to study to qualify as an account. Every night after dinner he’d place a stack of books on the kitchen table and study late into the night. Mum didn’t say much but I could tell she was proud of Dad.
Two years later, Dad bought Mum another piano. This time he paid cash for it.
【小题1】How did the author’s Dad buy the piano for his mum?

A．He paid part of the bill regularly.

B．He earned it by winning a bet.

C．He paid cash for it.

D．He bought it as a big bargain.

【小题2】By saying “Enough is enough”, the author’s dad meant_______.

A．practice makes perfect

B．it was time to stop practicing

C．he couldn’t bear being troubled

D．his wife played the piano well enough

【小题3】What made the author’s mum proud of his dad?

A．His dad’s willingness to help cook.

B．His dad’s winning the lottery luckily.

C．His dad’s loyalty to his motherland.

D．His dad’s determination to rebuild his life.