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.

Well, if you insist on eating so much, you will have to suffer the______of putting on weight.

A. consequences　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. exercises

C. evidence　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. effect

Your cold is worse, Ann. Go back to bed and I _______ the school to tell them you can’t come.

A. have rung　　　　　　　　 B. ring　　　　　　　　　 C. will ring　　　　　　　　　 D. rang

Most people have heard of Shakespeare and probably know something of the plays that he wrote.However，not everybody knows much about the life of this remarkable man，except perhaps that he was born in the market town of Stratford?upon?Avon and that he married a woman called Anne Hathaway.We know nothing of his school life.We do not know，for example，how long it lasted，but we presume(推测)that he attended the local grammar school，where the principal subject taught was Latin.

Nothing certain is known of what he did between the time he left school and his departure(出发)for London.According to a local legend，he was beaten and even put in prison for stealing rabbits and deer from the estate of neighbouring landowner，Sir Thomas Lucy.It is said that because of this he was forced to run away from his native place.A different legend says that he was apprenticed(做学徒)to a Stratford butcher, but did not like the life and for this reason decided to leave Stratford.

Whatever caused him to leave the town of his birth，the world could be grateful that he did so.What is certain is that he set his foot on the road to fame when he arrived in London.It is said that at first he was without money or friends there，but that he earned a little by taking care of the horses of the gentleman who attended the plays at the theatre.They stopped and spoke to him.They found his conversations so brilliant(有才气的)that finally he was invited to join their company.

1．In the early life of Shakespeare，he ______.

A．attended a public school　　　　　　 B．lived in London

C．studied Latin　　　　　　　　　　　 D．was put in prison for stealing cattle

2．Why was he forced to leave his native place according to this passage?

A．Because he didn’t want to go to school.

B．Because he left for London to become famous.

C．Because he had stolen deer and was beaten.

D．No one knows for certain.

3．What is the reason why the world could be grateful?

A．He wrote many world?famous plays.　　　　　 B．He was an actor.

C．He lived a hard life.　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．He liked to travel all over the world.

4．“In time，as he became a familiar figure”“in time” means ______.

A．on time 　　　　 B．sometime　　　　　 C．some time later 　　 D．some time

5.The best title is ______.

A．The Early Life of Shakespeare　　　　　　　 B．Shakespeare’s Life in London

C．Shakespeare’s Role in Performance　　　　 D．Shakespeare’s Later Life

Thomas Alva Edison was awarded more patents on inventions than any other American.When he died in 1931，Americans wondered how they could best show their respect for him.One suggestion was that the nation observe a minute or two of total blackout.All electric power would be shut off in homes，streets，and factories.Perhaps this suggested plan made Americans realize fully what Edison and his inventions mean to them.Electric power was too important to the country.Shutting it off for even a short time would have led to complete confusion.A blackout was out of the question.

　 On the day of Edison’s funeral，many people silently dimmed their lights.In this way they honored the man who had done more than anyone else to put the great force of electricity at his countrymen’s fingertips.

1.This selection says that Thomas Edison　　　　 .

　 A.was the only important American inventor

　 B.received the first American patent

　 C.received more patents than any other American

　 D.was the first American inventor

2.People decided to honor Edison when　　　　 .

　 A.he made the first electric light

　 B.electric power was 100 years

　 C.the country realized electricity’s importance

　 D.he died in 1931

3.The suggested plan was to　　　　 .

　 A.turn off the lights in factories and schools

　 B.observe a few minutes of total silence

　 C.dim all electric lights

　 D.shut off all electricity for a short time

4.Americans fully realized what Edison’s inventions meant when they　　　　 .

　 A.heard of his death

　 B.heard of the plan to honor him

　 C.first used electric power

　 D.tried to carry out the plan

5.The plan was never carried out because　　　　 .

　 A.not everyone wanted to honor Edison

　 B.it was too difficult

　 C.electric power was too important to the country

　 D.it honored only one of Edison’s inventions