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.

Once there was a very brilliant, creative and educated man. He gained much  36  while traveling throughout the world.  37 , he lost his legs and left arm in a tragic accident, leaving only a finger and thumb on his right hand. He became so depressed(沮丧的）that he was afraid he would spend his life 38  and would no longer be able to use his life in a(n)   39  way.
One day, he remembered how he had always loved getting  40  . He realized that he still had partial   41  of his right hand and could write with  42 . Then, he had an idea. “Why not write to other people who need encouragement?”
He  43  where he could find those who could be encouraged if they read his letters. He thought of people in  44 . Many of them had hope of regaining their  45 . Others would keep feeling depressed and remain put away for the rest of their lives. He decided that he must try to  46 them. So he wrote to a prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied that writing to the prisoners would be  47 . However, it would be against prison rules for the prisoners to write back.
 48 with the intention, the man began sending 49 messages of God’s love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul  50 his words,  51  his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of any  52 . Frequently, he felt discouraged, wondering if anyone  53  read his letters. However, this was his  54   chance，so he determined to continue.
At last, he received a letter from the prison officer, which said, “Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell (牢房) to cell until they almost fall to   55 !”
We all have unique experiences, abilities and talents. We can discover ways to reach others in need of encouragement and strength.

Students who say they never or hardly ever used dictionaries often speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes.

The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every new word do not read fast. Therefore they do not have time to read much. Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give only one or two words as translations of English. But one English word often has many translations in a foreign language and one foreign word has many translations in English.

The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them too often. When they are reading, these students first try to get the general idea and understand new words from the context. Then they reread and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. If they are not sure how to spell a word, or divide it into syllables, they always use a dictionary. Also, if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form, they check these in a dictionary.

The writer thinks that        .

  A. choose a good dictionary, and you’ll be successful in learning English

B. dictionaries are not necessary to the students who learn English.

C. it is very important for students to use good dictionaries properly

D. using dictionaries very often can’t help to improve writing

According to the passage, which of the following is wrong?

A. Dictionaries have little effect on learning to speak English.

B. Whatever new words you meet while reading, never use dictionaries.

C. Small two-language dictionaries have serious disadvantages.

D. Reading something for the first time, you’d better not use dictionaries.

This passage mainly tells us 　　　　　　．       .

A. that students shouldn’t use small two-language dictionaries

B. what were the defects of small two-language dictionaries

C. why students should use large college edition dictionaries

D. what dictionary students should choose and how to use it

Which is not mentioned in this passage?

A. How to make good use of a dictionary.

B. When to use a dictionary.

C. How to improve spoken English.

D. How to practise reading fast.

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.

“You will never walk again．You will have to use a wheelchair．” I heard his   36  fall heavily on my ears, numbing my soul．If I had never felt hopeless before, I felt hopeless then．
The car accident has left me unconscious．When   37  , I found both legs in casts（石膏）．While I had other serious injuries, my    38  were my first concern．Working as a special needs teacher and busy and active by nature, I couldn’t imagine being   39  in a wheelchair．
Lying in my bed, I wondered how I   40  give my ten-year-old son hope that mom would  41 ．He’d been cheerful on every visit, but I saw    42  in his eyes． He needed the ray of hope that I would not be in a wheelchair forever．
Just maybe, I thought, I could use this experience to teach him what to do when misfortune 43 ．
It didn’t take me long to become  44 with my limited movements and even with the pace the doctors were willing to go with me．I was determined to learn everything they showed me．
Every night in my private room, as soon as I knew I wouldn’t be   45 or discovered, I would move myself from the bed to the floor,  46  on to the bed rail（床栏杆） for dear life, and slowly putting my weight   47  my feet．After several weeks of such difficult   48 , my strength and confidence continued to    49  ．
It came the time to share my accomplishments with the person most    50   to me．One night, when I heard my son greet the nurses at the station, I    51  myself up．As he opened the door, I took a few small steps．   52  , he could only watch as I turned and started back to bed．All of the pain, the fear, and the struggle   53 as I heard the words I had longed to hear, “Mommy, you can walk!”
I am now able to walk alone, sometimes using a stick．I am able to take public transportation to shop and visit friends．My life has been blessed with many   54 of which I am proud．But none has ever brought me the satisfaction and joy   55  by those four little words of my son．