Cats are the most popular pets among Americans. So it is not surprising there are many expressions about cats. Do you know any of them? Now let me introduce some to you.
Some cats like to catch small birds, like canaries. If someone looks very proud or satisfied(满意) with himself, we say he looks like the cat that ate the canary.
Sometimes，a cat likes to play with a small animal it catches. So if you play cat and mouse with someone, you change between different kinds of behavior when dealing with another person. For example, a child might offer something sweet to her little brother, and then take it away when reaches for it.
A cat will often catch a small animal and present it to its owner. The saying that looks like something the cat dragged in describes something in bad condition.
A fat cat is a person with a lot of money.
There are many other expressions about cats in America. How interesting! Which kind of cat are you, or which kind would you like to be?
【小题1】Americans like ______ best as pets.

Choose the words or expressions and complete the passage

There is a saying in England which goes; ‘the rain in Spain(西班牙. falls mainly on the plain’. I can tell you now that it is a        . The rain in Spain seems to fall mostly on me. I am spending a year in Galicia and, although it is certainly a beautiful part of the world, I think it rains more than in England.

There are no plains here. It is a coastal area, and clouds and storms directly get pushed in from over the ocean with force. As I write, there is a heavy rain outside. I have three umbrellas. Two big ones and a little one which I keep on me          ,  just in case. Believe me what I tell you is all true.

The problem is that very often, umbrellas offer no help at all. The wind is so strong that even the best umbrella in the world becomes useless.        , I often arrive at work with a dry head and shoulders (protected by my umbrella., but with wet feet and legs. The rain falls hard and fast, and there is no escaping it.

When people from England think of Spain, they imagine beaches and sunshine. Those things are a world away from my experiences here in Galicia. But I’m not        . It is because of all this rain that the countryside here is so green and beautiful. In the town a very nice white wine is made. And there are beautiful beaches here in Galicia, although there probably is         on them at the moment.

And most important of all is the people. They are very friendly here. Most people I have spoken to are helpful. So I think that’s worth having a bit of         for. Anyway, I love my life here in Galicia.

1.A. story                    B. warning                       C. lie                              D. tradition

2.A. at all times          B. in the future          C. for the time being D. in time

3.A. In addition          B. After all                            C. In all                                  D. As a result

4.A. studying              B. complaining           C. dreaming                         D. questioning

5.A. somebody           B. anybody                           C. everybody                       D. nobody

6.A. money                          B. wine                                  C. rain                                   D. work

Expressions cover all parts of our life. They may be around your ears every day. You may know a lot of Chinese expressions that describe how you feel. Here are some English ones for your enjoyment.
Have Your Heart in Your Mouth
This expression means that you're really afraid or anxious about something. When your heart starts beating so much that you can feel a thumping(怦怦跳) in your throat, it may feel like you "have your heart in your mouth."
Have Butterflies in the Stomach
How did butterflies get in your stomach? Well, those really aren't butterflies in there. It is a way of describing those nervous feelings you might get before a test or a very important decision.
These stomach flutters (跳动) are normal and happen to many people. Some people believe having a few butterflies might even help you perform better.
Sick as a Dog
If you've ever been very sick, you may have used this expression. Because dogs eat just about anything they find, they often get sick. So it's all right to describe someone who's not feeling well as being "sick as a dog".
Under the Weather
When it's rainy all day outside, how would you feel? This expression comes from the idea that bad weather might hurt a person's health and mood(心情).
【小题1】The expression "__" is most probably used while you are watching a thriller.
A. have your heart in your mouth
B. sick as a dog
C. under the weather
【小题2】Someone believes__ if you "have butterflies in the stomach" before a test.
A. you're sure to fail
B. you will forget everything
C. you might do better
【小题3】It's __ to say somebody is "sick as a dog" when he is not feeling well.
A. impolite   B. suitable       C. wrong
【小题4】When somebody says "under the weather", he must feel     
A. upset      B. happy         C. calm
【小题5】All expressions discussed in this passage are about      
A. health      B. habits        C. feelings

Dreams are expressions of thoughts, feelings and events that pass through our mind while we are sleeping. Everybody dreams. But only some people remember their dreams. Our dreams often include all the senses—smells, sounds, sights, tastes and things we touch. We dream in color. Sometimes we dream the same dream over and over again. These repeated dreams are often unpleasant. They may even be nightmares—bad dreams that frighten us.
Early in the twentieth century, two famous scientists developed their personal ideas about dreams. Australian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud published a book called The Interpretation(诠释) of Dreams in 1900. Freud believed people often dream about things they want but can't have. These dreams often have something to do with sex and aggression(侵犯). Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung worked closely with Freud for several years, but he believed dreams could help people grow and understand themselves. He believed dreams provide solutions(解答) to problems we face when we are awake. He didn't believe dreams hide our feelings about sex or aggression. Today we know more about the science of dreaming because researchers can take pictures of people's brains while they are sleeping.
Other researchers are studying how dreaming helps our bodies work with problems and very sad emotions(感情). Robert Stickgold is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard University in Massachusetts. Doctor Stickgold says that when we dream, the brain is trying to make sense of the world. He does not agree with Sigmund Freud that dreaming is the way we express our hidden feelings and desires．
Scientists believe it is important to keep researching dreams. Doctor Stickgold says it has been more than one hundred years since Sigmund Freud published his important book about dreaming. Yet there is still no agreement on exactly how the brain works when we are dreaming or why we dream.
【小题1】Dreams  ________. 

Cats are the most popular pets among Americans. So it is not surprising that there are a lot of expressions about cats. Some cats like to catch small birds, like canaries (金丝雀). If someone looks very proud and satisfied with himself, we say “he looks like the cat that ate the canary.”
Sometimes, a cat likes to play with a small animal it catches. So if you “play cat and mouse” with someone, it means that you change between different kinds of behavior when dealing with another person. For example, a girl might offer something sweet to her little brother and then take it away when he reaches for it.
Americans might say that something is “the cat’s miaow” or “the cat’s pajamas(睡衣)” to describe something that is the best or finest. “A copycat” is someone who acts just like someone else or copies another person’s work. “A fat cat” is a person with a lot of money.
If you tell about something that is supposed to be a secret, we say you “let the cat out of the bag”. If you are not able to speak or answer a question, someone might ask you if “the cat has got your tongue(舌头)”
Have you ever watched children in a classroom when their teacher leaves for a few minutes? “When the cat’s away, the mice will play” means people sometimes act badly when there is no supervision (监管).
You may have heard the expression “curiosity killed the cat”. This means caring too much about things that are not your business might cause problems.
If you have ever had cats as pets, you know it is difficult to train them or to get them to do something. Cats are not like Sheep or cows that can be moved in a group. So we say a difficult or impossible job is like “herding (放牧) cats “
【小题1】 What can we learn from the passage?