People have their own ways of saying things with their own special expressions. Some of these expressions are easy to understand. “As Easy as Falling off a Log (圆木)” is one such expression. It describes a job that does not take much effort. If you ever tried to walk on a falling tree log, you may understand what the expression means. It is easier to fall off the log than to stay on it.

There are several other expressions that mean the same thing. And their meaning is as easy to understand as falling off a log. One is “Easy as Pie.” Nothing is easier than eating a piece of sweet juicy pie, unless it is a piece of cake. “A Piece of Cake” is another expression that means something is extremely easy to do.

Another expression is “As Easy as Shooting Fish in a Barrel (桶)”. Clearly, fish in a barrel will be much easier to shoot than fish in a river. In fact, it would be as easy as falling off a log.

Sometimes, things that come to us easily also leave us just as easily. In fact, there is an expression “Easy Come Easy Go”. Another easy expression is “To Go Easy on a Person”. It means to treat a person kindly or gently, especially in a situation where you might be expected to be angry with him. A wife might ask her husband to go easy on their son, because the boy did not mean to destroy the toy. If you want to borrow some money to fix the car, you should look for a friend who is an “Easy Touch”. An easy touch or a soft touch is someone who is kind and helpful.

And there is one more expression that means do not worry or work too hard. Try to keep away from difficult situations. “Take it easy”, until we meet again.

1.Which of the following expressions has the same meaning with “As easy as falling off a log?”

A. Shooting fish in a barrel                         B. Walking on a falling tree log.

C. Staying on a log                                    D. Shooting fish in a river

2.A friend might tell you that his new job was___________.

A. easy come easy go                                   B. as easy as shooting fish in a barrel             

C. to take it easy                                             D. to go easy on a person

3.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. That he goes easy on me means that he is angry with me.

B. He is always helping others, so he is an easy touch.      

C. When he asks me to repair his broken bike, I say, “A piece of cake. I can help repair it.”

D. When a girl loses her way, I say, “Take it easy, I will send you home.”

For Sparky, school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He didn’t do much better in sports. Although he played for the school’s golf team, he lost the only important match of the season.
Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates…everyone knew it. Sparky never asked a classmate to go out in high school. He was too afraid of being refused.
However, one thing was important to Sparky – drawing. He was proud of his artwork. Of course, no one else appreciated it. In his senior year of high school, he sent some cartoons to the editors of the Yearbook. Although the cartoons were turned down, Sparky was so confident about his ability that he decided to become an artist.
After completing high school, he wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios. He was told to send some samples of his artwork, and the subject for a cartoon was suggested. Sparky spent a great deal of time on it. Finally, the reply came from Disney Studios. He had been rejected（拒绝）once again. Another loss for the loser.
So Sparky decided to write his own autobiography（自传）in cartoons. He described his childhood – a little boy loser and underachiever. The cartoon character would soon become famous worldwide. For Sparky, the boy who had little success in school and whose work was rejected again and again was Charles Schulz. He created the Peanuts comic strip（连环漫画）and little cartoon character – Charlie Brown.
【小题1】We can know that Sparky was ________ from the first paragraph.

One day after school Mr. Tillman found Philo Farnsworth making drawings on the blackboard in the school-room.

“What are you doing?” Mr. Tillman asked with interest. “ What are these drawings?”

“I want to invent things,” Philo answered, “and these are drawings of my first inventions.”

Mr. Tillman smiled to himself, “What is your invention?”

“I have an idea for a way of sending pictures through the air,” The boy answered. “Please just let me tell you about it. You are the only person who can understand what I have done.”

In 1922, even radio was new. The United States had fewer than 30 radio stations. But in 1922, a boy of 16 showed his teacher drawings for television!

In 1926, Philo worked as an office boy in Salt Lake City. Many important businessmen came into the office where he worked. One of these, George Everson , was from San Francisco. Like Mr. Tillman, Everson soon became interested in Philo. The shy, hard-working boy was like other office boys who Everson had known.

One evening Everson asked Philo to have dinner with him. After the meal, Philo began talking about his idea for Television. At first, Everson was not much interested in the invention. He listened only to be polite.

Many years later, Everson wrote a book telling about that evening with Philo. “As Farnsworth talked, he seemed to change,” Everson wrote, “His eyes lighted up , and he was no longer shy.” Talking freely about his invention, Philo Farnsworth was no longer an office boy--he was a scientist.

At the end of the evening, Everson was more interested than ever in Philo. And he was also interested in Philo’s idea for television.

After talking with Philo , Everson returned to San Francisco. There he brought together a number of important businessmen . Philo told them about his invention. The men became so interested in the young inventor that they gave $25,000 to help him work on his idea. Philo was only 20 years old, but here was his chance.

1.What kind of drawings was Philo making on the blackboard one day?

       A. Drawings of his school-room.        B. Drawings of his invention.

       C. Drawings of his interest.            D. Drawings for Mr. Tillman.

2.Philo’s new idea was to _______________.

A.tell his teacher all about his invention 

B.show Mr. Tillman about his idea by drawings

C.send pictures through air  

D.make other people see things by pictures

3.George Everson first became interested in Philo because he ________________.

       A. did his work well as an office boy     

B. was quite different from other office boys

C. was shy and did not work hard        

D. was also interested in Philo’s drawings

4.When talking about his invention, Philo ____________.

       A. listened to Mr. Everson politely    

B. became more interested in the businessman

       C. seemed to change his idea        

D. looked like a scientist

5.Which of the following is true?

A.Philo made his television only four years later.

B.Mr. Everson helped Philo to invent the television with his own money.

C.Mr. Everson himself was an important businessman.

D.The businessmen in Salt Lake City gave Philo the money for his invention.