Some expressions in English can be really puzzling. Have a look at the following to see how it challenges your brainpower.

Homeric laughter

    The "Homer" in this expression is the Greek poet. People laugh differently. Some laugh silently, while others tend to laugh loudly. "Homeric laughter" refers to laughter of the latter kind. It is at times uncontrollable, and the entire body shakes during the process. This kind of laughter is called Homeric laughter because this is how the gods laughed in Homer's classics.

A three-ring circus

    When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion. There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed. The expression comes from the world of entertainment — the circus. The area where the artists perform their acts is called the "ring". In the past, some of the circuses were so grand that they had three acts taking place simultaneously in three different "rings". The audience had to decide which "ring" they wanted to focus on.

In the swim (of things)

    When someone is in the swim of things, the individual is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in "I've been ill, but soon I’ll be back in the swim of thing." In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word "swim" to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty. So, if you are a fisherman and wish to catch a lot offish, where would you be? You would be "in the swim".

Chickens have come home to roost

    The word "roost" refers to the place where birds rest. It could be anything — the branch of a tree, a henhouse, etc. The expression is normally used to mean that the bad things that someone did in the past have come back to bite or upset the individual. In other words, one has to face the consequences of the deeds done in the past. The original form of this 700-year-old expression was "curses are like chickens; they always come home to roost".

1.Which of the following can best describe the picture?

A. Homeric laughter                            B. A three-ring circus

C. In the swim (of things)                         D. Chickens have come home to roost

2.What does the underlined word "simultaneously'(Paragraph 3) mean?

    A. At the same time.                          B. Step by step.

    C. All of a sudden.                              D. One after another.

3.lf you want to know more about such expressions, which website will you probably visit?

    A. www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/China.html

    B. www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/university.html

    C. www.chinadaily.com.cn/culuture/language.html

    D. www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/fashion.html

4.The passage is written to        .

    A. tell readers some old and interesting stories

    B. indicate the development of English phrases

    C. correct some misunderstandings about words

D. explain the meanings and origins of some phrases

 

Nickname: Hawaii’s Island of Adventure 

Size: 4,028 square miles(平方英里)

Population: 148,677. The most heavily populated areas are Hilo on the east side and Kailua-Kona on the west.

Temperature: Averages between 71°F and 77°F year around (expect the mercury (水银柱) to drop at higher heights).

Beaches: 47      Golf Courses: 20      Highest Peak: Mauna Kea, 13,796 feet.

Agriculture: The bulk (主体) of Hawaii’s farming products are grown and processed on the Big Island, including coffee, macadamia nuts and papaya.

Lodging: 9,655 rooms total; Nightly rates range from$ 35—$ 5,000.

Airports: Hilo International Airport on the east side and Kona International Airport on the west side.

Rental Cars: All of the nationally known rental car companies have locations at Hilo International and Kona International Airports as well as many resorts(度假胜地). In addition, Hilo, Kona and the major resort areas are serviced by taxis.

Resources: Call (800) 648—2441 to order a video, poster, brochures and maps from the Big Island Visitors Bureau. See www.bigisland.org for Updated information.

Shopping: The large shopping centers are in Hilo, Kona, Waimea and the Kohala Coast.

1.The passage is intended to be read by _______.

A．tourists                               B．businessmen

C．students                              D．immigrants(移民)

2.The average population per square mile on the island is about _________.

A．28               B．32               C．44               D．37

3. What does the underlined part “expect the mercury to drop at higher heights” mean?

A．Things are easy to lose weight at higher places.

B．Dropping things from higher places is expected.

C．Temperature is expected to be higher at higher places.

D．Temperature is expected to be lower at higher places.

4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a traffic means(交通工具) to get around the Big Island?

A．By rental car.                           B．By air.

C．By train.                              D．By taxi.

5. What can we infer from the passage?

A．You may pay a high price for spending one night on the island.

B．You can call (800) 648 – 2441 to order some food.

C．You can find some courses to play tennis on the island.

D．You can see www.bigisland.org for updated information.

 

第二部分阅读理解（共15小题；第一节每小题2分，满分30分）

第一节阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳答案，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Primary source Holiday Shopping Night at Ten Thousand Villages Brookline

●Shop for four holiday gifts and give back go primary Source at TenThousand Village on Friday, December 4! 15% of all sales from 3:00p.m.---7:00p.m. that day will be donated to Primary Source. Join us for light refreshments and enjoy beautiful handmade gifts from artisans around the world. All are welcome!

Primary Source’s Holiday Shopping Night

Friday, December 4,2009

3:00p.m.---7:00p.m.

Ten Thousand Villages

226 Harvard Street, Brookline, Massachusetts (Coolidge Corner)

Download our flyer and tell your friends!

Ten Thousand Villages provides vital, fair income for the people from developing countries by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Learn more and preview toys, home décor（家庭装修）, jewelry, and other gifts online.

●Can’t join us on Dec.4? At Goodshop, 30% of your spending will be given go to Primary Source. The next time you’re ready to make an online purchase, visit www.goodshop.com and enter “Primary Source” in the space provided. Click “verify” and choose from more than seven hundred popular stores and sites, from Apple to Zappos. Goodshop is free and easy to use, and each purchase you make will help Primary Source provide global education materials for schools all over New England.

1．What is ten thousand villages?

A．A town    B．A website        C．A shop     D．An organization

2．The underlined word “flyer” probably means ________.

A．a software B．an e-book C．a ticket     D．an advertisement

3．If you pay $10 for a gift at GoodShop ,  ________ in the end.

A．7 dollars will go to GoodShop       B．3 dollars will go to GoodShop

C．7 dollars will go to Primary Source       D．10 dollars will go to schools in New England

 

Dear Teresa Silva,

The official of the university has reported to us that you are an English major who meets the high standards for membership in Sigma Tau Delta. As is known, Sigma Tau Delta was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. It is an international collegiate honor society for students of English. It presently has over 850 chapters in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Over 9,000 new members are admitted into the organization annually.

Sigma Tau Delta’s purpose is to promote literature and writing and to advance the study of the written word. Members gather annually in the spring at the international meeting to present papers and share experiences and ideas within the English subject. The Society offers tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships, awards, as well as publication chances in its journals The Rectangle and The Sigma Tau Delta Review.

It is our pleasure if you can complete the application for Sigma Tau Delta membership. If you would like to be included in this spring’s induction (入会) ceremony, please complete the application form, and include amount to cover both local and international fees. Your completed form must be received by date to be considered for the upcoming induction ceremony.

We congratulate you on your outstanding academic record and hope you will join us as a Sigma Tau Delta member. If you want to get more information, please visit our website www.sigmataudelta.org, or give us a call. The phone number is 583-2864.

Sincerely,

Emily Lister

1.According to the passage, Sigma Tau Delta ______.

A．deals with language learning

B．opens its door to all the students of English

C．changes its members every year

D．mainly takes charge of scientific publications

2.At the annual meeting, members of Sigma Tau Delta have the chance to ______.

A．meet all the chapter leaders

B．receive tens of thousands of dollars

C．share experiences and views

D．choose a particular subject as a major

3.This passage is basically a letter of _____.

A．introduction

B．congratulation

C．thanks

D．invitation

 

Get Your Degree at Home!

Have you ever wondered what a degree might be worth to you in your job or career? It means a lot of Americans with an Associate Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma(毕业证).

① Harcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today’s growing fields without having to go to college full time. ② With Harcourt, you can study at home, in your spare time—so you don’t have to give up your present job while you train for a better one. Choose from exciting majors like Business Management, Accounting, Dressmaking & Design, Bookkeeping, Photography, Computer Science, Engineering, and more!

Your training includes everything you need!

Books, lessons, learning aids—even professional quality tools and equipment—everything you need to master your training and move ahead to a new career is included in the low tuition(学费) price you pay.

Your education is nationally recognized!

Nearly 2,000 American companies—including General Electric, IBM, Mobile, General Motors, Ford, and many others have used our training for their employees. If companies like these recognize the value of our training, you can be sure that employers in your area will, too!

Earn your degree in as little as two years! Get a career diploma in just six months!

The career of your dreams is closer than you think! Even if you have no experience before, you can get valuable job skills in today’s hottest fields! Step-by-step lessons make learning easy. Prepare for promotions, pay raises, even start a business of your own!

Send today for FREE information about Harcourt at home training!

Simply fill in your name and address on the coupon(登记表) above. Then, write in the name and number of the one program you’re most interested in, and mail it today. We’ll send you free information about how you can take advantage of the opportunities in the field you’ve chosen. Act today!

Mail coupon today or call the number below!

1-800-372-1589  Call anytime 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

www.harcourt-learning.com

E-mail: harcourt@learning.com

1.What kind of people will probably answer this advertisement?

A．College students preparing to work in some big companies.

B．College students preparing to study for a degree.

C．High school graduates preparing to have at-home training.

D．High school graduates who aren’t accepted by colleges.

2.With Harcourt, people can get a Specialized Associate Degree by              .

A．doing full-time learning at school           B．joining the classes

C．studying in their spare time                D．staying at home

3.Harcourt training has NOT been used by              for its employees.

A．General Motors                        B．Harvard University

C．General Electric                        D．Mobile

4.How can you contact Harcourt Learning Direct?

A．By sending an E-mail.

B．By visiting the office on weekdays.

C．By making a call on weekdays only.

D．By sending a letter not later than today.