I was asked in an email about learning idioms in a foreign language.Maybe I am different from most people，but I do not bother with them.To me they are kind of dessert of language learning.They come at the end of a meal.Once you have filled up with the solid fare—the key words and phrases that are used in a variety of situations，then you can add a few idioms to spice up things.And by that time you will be able to pick them up naturally anyway.

I find that many learners have an obsession(困扰) with slang and idioms，as if repeating some very colloquial expressions is going to upgrade how they sound in a language.In fact it is the opposite.Idioms are difficult to use correctly.They can easily sound very strange coming from someone who obviously does not have a good sense of the language.

Yes，occasionally you hear idioms or slang and do not understand.But，in my experience，there are always situations where you do not understand.It is best to focus on the most important words，what they mean and how they are used.Certainly，it is best for a non?native speaker to stick to standard speech.

Some teachers even try to teach the “real language”．Then you hear non?native speakers saying things like “I gonna” ，“You wanna” etc.I just cringe(厌烦)．

You will learn all the idioms you need just by exposing yourself to the language.In general，you can save any phrase that you find interesting，and if that includes idioms，go to it.But I would not make any special effort to go after idioms.I，in fact，avoid them.If I come across something in Russian that strikes me as a particularly slangy or idiomatic use of words，I just leave it aside; do not even bother trying to learn it.If it keeps on appearing，then I will learn it.But I would certainly be reluctant(勉强的) to try to use it.

1．In the writer's opinion，when one learns a new language，one should learn its idioms ________.

A．at the beginning　　 B．on one's own

C．in the end　　　 　　 D．without help

2．The underlined word “colloquial” in Para.2 means “________”．

A．oral 　　　　　 B．informal

C．formal　 　　　　 D．written

3．It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．idioms are the most important part in a language

B．the writer is not very willing to use idioms

C．non?native speakers should learn more idioms

D．there are no ways to master idioms

4．Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．It's better to avoid idioms in a language

B．Idioms are very charming in a language

C．How to learn idioms in a language

D．Why it's difficult to use idioms in a language

5．How did the writer develop the passage?

A．By inferring.

B．By comparing.

C．By listing examples.

D．By giving explanations.

I believe that families are not only blood relatives, but sometimes people who show up and love you when no one else will.

In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson’s motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I 21 a room with two double beds and a bathroom which was too 22 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 　23 and my stepmother had 　24 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no　 25_ what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 　26 .

Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 　27　 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 　28 with them for the next seven years.

Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 　29 I had lunch money, doctors’ appointments, help with homework and nightly hugs. Barbara and Roland attended every football game where Su and I were being cheerleaders. 30 I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 31 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.

When Su and I 32 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance policy they bought when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.

The Beaches knew 33 about me when they took me in – they had heard the whole story from Su. When I was seven, my mother died and from then on my father relied on other people to _34 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 　35__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.

36 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 37 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed(使瘫痪 ,使麻痹 ,使无能力)by my _38　 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.

I 　39 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 　40　 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate 10.

16．A. lived　　 B. shared 　　 C. possessed　　　　 D. bought

17．A. cheap　　 B. noisy　　　 C. small　　　　　　 D. limited

18．A. in trouble B. in sight 　　 C. in place 　 D. in parts

19．A. struck　　　　 B. removed　 C. kicked 　　 D. knocked

20．A. plan　　　　 B. choice 　　　 C. chance 　　 D. idea

21．A. looked after　 B. showed up　　 C. turned over 　　 D. came cross

22．A. so　　　　　 B. because　　　 C. until 　　　　 D. while

23．A. worked　　　 B. traveled　　　 C. lived 　　　　 D. learned

24．A. worked out　　 B. called up　　 C. watched out　　　 D. made sure

25．A. As long as B. As far as　　 C. As soon as 　　　 D. As many as

26．A. change 　　 B. problem 　 C. conflict 　 　　D. difference

27．A. set off　　　　　 B. left for　　　　 C. entered into 　　 　　　 D. admitted into

28．A. all 　　 B. little 　 C. something D. nothing

29．A. supply B. teach C. encourage D. raise

30．A. different 　 B. unfair 　　　 C. easy　　 　　　 D. hopeful

31．A. Thanks to B. In spite of C. Except for 　　　 D. But for

32．A. home 　　　 B. house 　　　 C. ability 　　　 　　D. lesson

33．A. choice 　　 B. failure 　　　 C. past　 　　 　　D. present

34．A. doubt about 　　 B. call on 　　 C. center on　　 D. believe in

35．A. born B. accepted 　 C. educated　　 D. deserted

—I am going to be a volunteer at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

—________！ Me, too.

A. That's it　　　　　　　  B. Don't worry

C. Good luck      D. That's great

An 11?month?old baby helped raise the alarm that her mother had fallen down unconscious by using a mobile phone.

Amelia Boyle，known as Millie，picked up the ringing mobile and answered the call when her mother Elizabeth,20，fainted in the hall of their home.

Linda Wright，Millie's grandmother，was on the other end of the line and heard the baby say “Who's that？”and “Mama”．

The girl is not allowed to play with the mobile so Mrs.Wright knew something was wrong with Millie's mother，who has a history of fainting and fitting，and dialed 999.Miss Boyle，whose phone it was，woke up in her home in Braintree，Essex，to find police and ambulance crews at her door.She became confused and told them she had not called them.A few minutes later three paramedics arrived and examined her.She did not need hospital treatment.Miss Boyle said，“I went upstairs to get Millie some clothes.I came downstairs again and I was going to get her dressed up as normal.”

“She was moving around playing with some toys when I suddenly fainted between the passage and the living room blocking the stairs.”

“My mum phoned me back on the home phone and when she didn't get through，she tried on the mobile，then the home phone again.”

She added，“I am so lucky to have Millie.”

“Millie does not seem to be disturbed by it.She must have watched me open the phone—she is not usually allowed to play with it because she tends to stick it in her mouth.”

“She is a very clever little girl.I was proud of her anyway but now she is even more special.”

Mrs.Wright said，“If Millie hadn't answered the phone，I wouldn't have known what had happened.”

1．Miss Boyle fell down ill while her baby was________.

A．answering Mrs.Wright's phone call

B．following her mother up and down

C．having fun with her toys

D．playing with her mother's mobile phone

2．Which one is the right order according to the passage?

①Miss Boyle went to get her daughter's clothes.

②Police and doctors reached Millie's home.

③Millie answered her grandma's call.

④Miss Boyle fainted on the floor.

A．①④③② 　　　　 B．②③①④

C．②①④③ 　　　　 D．③①②④

3．From the passage，we know that Millie________.

A．could help her mother get clothes

B．could speak a lot of words

C．was frightened by her mother

D．was a lovely and clever baby

4．What is the author's purpose by writing this story?

A．To introduce an 11?month?old baby to us.

B．To persuade us to use mobile often.

C．To tell us how a baby saved her mother.

D．To describe an accident happening to a baby.

I felt so bad all day yesterday that I decided this morning I couldn’t face ________ day like that.

A. other　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. another

C. the other　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. others