If you ask people to name the one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like“Shakespeare”“Samuel Johnson” and“Webster”, but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn’t even speak English ——William the Conqueror.

Before 1066, in the land we now call Great Britain lived people belonging to two major language groups. In the west-central region in the Welsh, who spoke a Celtic language, and in the north lived the Scots, whose language, thought not the same as Welsh, was also Celtic. In the rest of the country lived the Saxons, actually a mixture of Anglos, Saxons, and other Germanic and Nordic peoples, who spoke what we now call Anglo-Saxon (or Old English), a Germanic language. If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would be close to German.

But this state of affairs did not last. In 1066 the Normans led by William defeated the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of England while Old English became the language of peasant. As a result, English words of politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction(区别)between upper-class French and lower-class Anglo-Saxon in its words. We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing farming, while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating.

When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find Germany more “foreign” than France because the German they see on signs and advertisements seems much more different from English than French does. Few realize that the English language is actually Germanic in its beginning and that the French influences are all the result of one man’s ambition.

1. The two major languages spoken in what is now called Great Britain before 1066 were __________.

A. Welsh and Scottish

B. Nordic and Germanic

C. Celtic and Old English

D. Anglo-Saxon and Germanic

2. Which of the following groups of words are, by inference, rooted in French?

A. president, lawyer, beef

B. president, bread, water

C. beard, field, sheep

D. folk, field, cow

3. Why does France appear less foreign than Germany to Americans on their first visit to Europe?

A.　　  Most advertisements in France appear in English.

B. They know little of the history of the English language.

C. Many French words are similar to English ones.

D. They know French better than German.

4. What is the subject discussed in the text?

A. The history of Great Britain.

B. The similarity between English and French.

C. The rule of England by William Conqueror.

D. The French influences on the English language.

A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders(想知道): Can I communicate(交际) with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?

Certainly, there are some differences between British and American English. There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital” and “Have you a pen?”, Americans say “in the hospital” and “Do you have a pen?”.Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like “bird” and “hurt”. Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, “color” and “honor” are British, “color” and “honor” are American.

These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.

1. According to this passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that __________.

A. British people cannot understand him

B. American people cannot understand him

C. the grammar is too hard for him

D. the spelling is too hard for him

2. American English and British English are different in __________.

A. spelling　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. pronunciation

C. grammar　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. all of the above

3.What is NOT mentioned(提及) in the passage?

A. Whether there are differences between British English and American English.

B. Whether British English and American English are one language or two.

C. How the differences between British English and American English came about.

D. How important the differences are.

4.Most __________ say “Do you have a watch?”

A. British people　　　　　　　　　　　　　  B. Americans

C. children　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. teachers

5. According to this passage, British people and Americans have __________ difficulty in understanding each other.

A. little　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  B. much

C. some　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    D. great

In order to know a foreign language thoroughly(完全地), four things are necessary. First, we must understand the language when we hear it spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves, correctly with confidence(自信) and without hesitation(犹豫). Thirdly, we must be able to read it without much difficulty. Finally, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are correct in grammar.

There is no short way to succeed in language learning. A good memory(记忆) is a great help, but it is not enough only to memorize the rules from a grammar book. It is no much use learning by heart long lists(一览表) of words and their meanings, studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. If we are pleased with a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. We must “Learn through use”. Practice is important. We must practice speaking and writing the language whenever(无论何时) we can.

1. The most important things to learn a foreign language are __________.

A. understanding and speaking

B. hearing, speaking, reading and writing

C. writing and understanding

D. memorizing and listening

2. Someone hears and writes English very well, but he speaks it very badly. This is because __________.

A. he doesn’t understand the language when he hears it spoken

B. he doesn’t have a good memory

C. he always remember lists of words and their meanings

D. he often hesitates to practice speaking it

3. One can never learn a foreign language well only by __________.

A. much practice

B. studying the dictionary

C. learning through use

D. using the language

4. Which of the following is the most important in learning a foreign language?

A. A good memory.

B. Speaking.

C. Practice.

D. Writing.

5.“Learn through use” means __________.

A. we use a language in order to learn it

B. we learn a foreign language in order to use it

C. we can learn a language well while we are using it

D. both B and C

I feel very excited at the thought that in another week I shall be with you again on holiday. I have enjoyed my stay in England very much indeed. Mr. Brown and my classmates are nice to me, but, as they say in England, “There’s no place like home,” and I think you feel this above all at Christmas time.

I am leaving here early on Thursday, the 23rd, and I shall arrive in Basie on Friday morning, so I shall be home somewhere about lunchtime. Can you meet me at the station, as I shall have a lot of luggage?

In some of my earlier letters I have told you all about the other students here. Well, I want to ask my Polish friend Jan to come and spend Christmas with us. Will that be all right? His father and mother died last year. He cannot go home for Christmas, and he has no friend in England except the Browns. He is a nice boy. I know you will all like him, and I feel sure he will enjoy Christmas with us .It is a very short notice, but you are always pleased, I know, if we bring our friends home. However, I have not yet invited him, as I thought it was better to ask you first, Please let me know as soon as possible if it will be all right.

1. The first paragraph suggests that________.

A. the writer will go on holiday with his parents

B. the writer misses his family very much

C. the writer will spend Christmas in a foreign country

D. the writer feels home is not a good place for Christmas

2. The writer wants someone to meet him because_________.

A. he doesn’t want to have lunch at home

B. he will be tired out after the trip

C. he will carry a lot of things

D. he has forgotten the way home

3. It can be inferred that the writer________.

A. is very kind and friendly

B. is quite independent

C. likes doing whatever he wants to

D. doesn’t often write letters to his parents

4. It is probable that________.

A. Jan will return to Poland in a week’s time

B. Jan will spend Christmas with the Browns

C. the writer’s parents will agree to his decision

D. the writer’s parents will not reply to his letter

Teenagers need friends

Many teenagers（青少年）feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members, especially their parents, don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice.

It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends, Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication（交际）is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something difficult to say to their family members.

However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of “choice” is an interesting one. Have you ever thought of the following questions?

Who chooses your friends?

Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?

Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like?

1. Many teenagers think their______ know them better than their parents do.

A. friends　　 B. teachers　　   C. brothers and sisters　　    D. classmates

2. When teenagers stay alone, the usual way of communication is to______.

A. go to their friends

B. talk with their parents

C. have a discussion with their family

D. talk with their friends on the phone

3. Which of the following is different in meaning from the sentence “Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends”?

A. Some parents may even not allow their children to meet their good friends.

B. Some parents may even ask their children to stay away from their good friends.

C. Some parents may even not let their children meet their good friends.

D. Some parents may want their children to stop to meet their good friends.

4. Which of the following sentences is true?

A. Parents should like everything their children enjoy.

B. In all families, children can choose everything they like.

C. Parents should try their best to understand their children better.

D. Teenagers can only go to their friends for help.

Going back as far as I can remember as a child in an Indian area, I had no senses of knowing about the other people around me except that we were all somehow equal…There was only one class. Nobody was interested in getting on top of anybody else.

You could see it in our games. Nobody organized them. There weren’t any competitive sports. But we took part in lots of activities and we were organized, but not in the sense that there were wars of finding out who had won and who had lost. We played balls like everyone else, but no one kept scores. Even if we did formally take part in the games we played, no one was a winner though someone may have won. It was only at that moment. If you beat someone by pulling a bow and arrow and shooting the arrow further, it didn’t mean you were better in any way. It just meant that at that particular time the arrow went further; maybe it was just the way you let the bow go. These kinds of things are very important to me and that is why I am talking about them.

One of the very important things was the relationship we had with our families. We didn’t always live at home. We lived wherever we happened to be at that particular time when it got dark. If you were two or three miles away from home, then that was where you slept.

1. According to the write __________.

A. all the people were kind and equal in different activities

B. all the people quarreled with each other in every fighting

C. people often took part in different fightings

D. every child tired to climb the top of all the activities

2.The underlined word“competitive”means __________.

A. united　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. breaking

C. common　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. fighting

3. From the passage, we can infer that __________.

A. they pretended to lose when they could win the games

B. they didn’t think it was very important who was the winner among their activities

C. they didn’t hold any activities which could produce winners or losers

D. they thought it was a good idea that no one could win in their activities

4. In their area, it was said that __________.

A. people could spend their nights anywhere whether it was their home or not

B. people only served their friends to spend their nights at home

C. people had to return to their home to spend their nights whether they were far away or not

D. strange people had to spend their nights in the field when it got dark

“High tech” and “state of the art” are two expressions that describe very modern technology．High tech is just a shorter way of saying high technology．And high technology describes any invention, system or device that uses the newest ideas    or discoveries of science and engineering．   

what is high tech? A computer is high tech．So is a communication satellite．A modern manufacturing system(生产系统)is surely high tech．

High tech became a popular expression in the United States during the early 1980s．Because of improvements in technology，people could buy many new kinds of products in American stores．such as home computers，microwave ovens(微波炉)，etc．

    “State of the art” is something that is as modern as possible．It is a product that is based on the very latest methods and technology．Something that is “state of the art” is the newest possible design or product of a business or industry．

     A “state of the art” television set，for example，uses the most modern electronic design and parts．It is the best that one can buy．

“State of the art” is not a new expression．Engineers have used it for years to describe the best and most modern way of doing something．

    Millions of Americans began to use the expression in the late 1970’s．The reason was the computer revolution. Every computer company claimed that its computers were “state of the art”．

    Computer technology changed so fast that a “state of the art” computer today might be old tomorrow．The expression “state of the art” became as common and popular as computers themselves．Now all kinds of products are said to be “state of the art”．

    1. what is the purpose of the passage?

    A．To give examples of high tech．

    B．To tell what “high tech” and “state of the art” are．

    C．To describe very modern technology．

    D．To tell how “high tech” and “state of the art” have developed．

2．what can we infer from the passage?   

    A．High tech describes a technology that is  not traditional(传统的)．   

    B．“state of the art” is not as popular as “high tech”．   

    C．A Wooden plow pulled by oxen is “state of the art”．   

    D．American stores could provide new kinds of products to the people．   

3．which of the following is NOT true?   

    A．“state of the art” means something that is the best one can buy．   

    B．with the rapid development of computer technology．A “state of the art” computer may easily become out of date．   

    C．All kinds of products are “state of the art” today．

    D．Since the computer revolution，the expression “state of the art” has become popular．

4. The best title for the passage is　　　　 ．

    A．Modern Technology

    B．Most Advanced Technology

    C．Two Expressions

    D．Computer Technology

5. The under lined word “claimed” means“　　    ”．

    A．said in public

    B．believed

    C．supported

    D．described

In the southern part of America，when somebody has a birthday．often family or friends，or both，will arrange a party．The party could be elaborate (精心准备的)and include a meal or may be simple with a birthday cake and drinks．One does not plan，nor give，one’s own birthday party as is the custom in some cultures．At a party there is usually a decorated cake，often with the words“Happy Birthday” and with the name of the person written on  the  top of  the  cake．Sometimes there is also one candle for each year of the person’s life．The candles are blown out by the person celebrating the birthday before the cake is cut．While blowing out the candles，the person makes a wish for something pleasant．

    Usually those invited to a birthday party will bring a gift for the person honored．Gifts given by friends do not have to be expensive，but the family of the birthday person will spend whatever they can afford on a gift．

    Christmas parties also are very popular in the south．Often this is the only time during the year that some people see acquaintances(熟人)．These parties can be elaborate or simple，ranging from a buffet(自助餐)to a reception called “open house”(家庭招待会)．”If you are invited to one of these, you don't need to take a Christmas gift，as it is not customary to take the hostess a gift every time you are invited to a party or a meat．However，if you wish to take a gift，it should only be something useful and inexpensive and should be given to the hostess at the door as you enter the party．Usually gifts of Christmas food treats are the most appreciated．

1. This passage mainly tells us about　　　　 ．

    A．two kinds of parties in the southern united States

    B．how to arrange a birthday party

    C．how to arrange a Christmas party

    D．who will arrange a party

2. In southern America，birthday parties are often arranged by　　   ．

    A．friends       B．oneself

    C．family   　　 D．Both A and C

3. which of the following is TRUE?

    A．For a birthday party，the cake is often cut before candles are blown out．

    B．For a birthday party，neither friends nor the family will buy expensive presents．

    C．It’s customary to take the hostess a gift when you are invited to a party．

    D．If you take a gift to a Christmas party，you’d better take something useful and inexpensive．

 4. what kind of gift is the best if someone is invited to a Christmas party?   

    A．Expensive things．   

    B．candles． 

    C．Food．  

    D．Money

From early times, man has been interested in art. People have often worked together to collect and save the world’s art treasures.

Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre（罗浮宫）in Paris, France. The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries. It is the biggest art museum in the world.

The Louvre has not always been a museum. The first building was a fort（堡垒）. In 1190, it was the king’s castle with high walls and a round tower. It had a moat（护城河）to keep out the enemies.

Over the years, the number of buildings around the castle grew. By 1350, the castle no longer needed a fort. The Louvre became a palace home for French kings and queens.

During time of peace, new treasures were brought in. During the days of war, many treasures were stolen, and the buildings were damaged.

When Francis I became king of France in 1515, he brought in many artists from other countries. One of the artists was Leonardo Da Vinci from Italy. Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is the best known painting in the museum today.

In 1793, the Louvre became a public museum, just as it is now. It is a place where art treasure are kept for everyone to enjoy. Every year millions of people from all over the world come to the Louvre to see the masterpieces.

1. How long has the Louvre been a museum?

A. For over 800 years.

B. Since 1350.

C. Since 1515.

D. For over 200 years.

2. Most of works of art in the Louvre have been collected probably__________.

A. by the French people

B. by Francis I

C. by Leonardo Da Vinci

D. by people of the world

3. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?

A. Da Vinci once stayed in France.

B. “Mona Lisa” is kept in the Louvre.

C. The Louvre was once a church as well as a palace.

D. The Louvre is a place of interest to different people from all over the world.

4. Why is it good for the works of art to be kept in public museums?

A. In public museums works of art will not be stolen.

B. In public museums works of art will not be damaged.

C. In public museums artists can study the works of art.

D. In public museums everyone has a chance to enjoy the works of art.

City people usually think they are a lot smarter than country people. They often laugh at simple country ways. But people do not laugh at country music. It is one of the most popular kinds of music in the United States today.

   Perhaps it is so popular because it is about simple but strong human feelings and events-love, sadness, good times and bad times, it tells real life stories and sounds the way people really talk. As life becomes more and more complicated (复杂的), it is good to hear music about ordinary people.

    Country music, sometimes  called  country western, comes from two kinds of music. One is the traditional music of the people in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. The other is traditional cowboy music from the West. The singers usually play guitars, and in the 1920s they started using electric guitars.

    At first city people said country music was low class. It was popular mostly in the South. But during World WarⅡ, thousands of southerners went to the Northeast and Midwest to work in the factories. They took their music with them. Soldiers from the rest of the country went to army camps in the South. They learned to like country music. Slowly it became popular all over he country.

    Today country music is popular everywhere in the United States and Canada, in small towns and in New York City, among black and white, and among educated and uneducated people. About 1 200 radio stations broadcast country music twenty-four hours a day. People sing it in their languages. The music that started with cowboys and poor farmers is now popular all over the world.

     1. Which of the following can be used as the best title for this passage?

　　　　 A. American Country Music

　　　　 B. Life in the American Country

　　　　 C. American Cowboys

　　　　 D. American Radio Stations

     2. People enjoy country music because　　    .

　　　　 A. it is about ordinary people

　　　　 B. it is easy to learn

　　　　 C. it is free of charge

  　　   D. it is very exciting

    3. The fourth paragraph mainly tells us　　    .

　　   A. why people love country music in the United States

　　   B. when people began to enjoy country music

　　   C. how country music became more and more popular

   　　D. where country music was most popular

4. From the last paragraph we can see that　　　　 .

  A. all people enjoy country music all over the world

　　   B. country music is well received all over the world

　　   C. rich people love country music best of all

　　   D. black people enjoy country music best of all

5. Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?

　　    A. American country music first started in the South.

　　    B. American country music comes from Appalachian Mountains and the West.

　　    C. American country music is becoming more and more complicated.

　　    D. American country music is low class.