阅读理解：

　　The word "hello" is probably used more often than any other one in the English language． Everybody in the United States and elsewhere uses the word, again and again, every day of the week．

　　The first thing you hear when you pick up the phone is "hello" unless the caller is an Englishman, who might say, "Are you there?"

　　Where did the word come from? There are all sorts of beliefs． Some say it came from the French, "ho" and "la" "Ho, there!" This greeting may have arrived in England during the Norman Conquest in the year 1066．

　　"Ho, there" slowly became something that sounded like "hallow", often heard in the 1300's, during the days of the English poet ,Geoffrey Chaucer．

　　Two hundred years later, in Shakespeare's time, "hallow" had become "halloo"． And later, sounds like "halloa", and "halloo" were often used by sailors and huntsmen． "Halloo" is still used today by foxhunters．

　　As time passed, "halloo" and "halloa" changed into "hullo"． And during the 1800's this was how people greeted each other in America．

　　The American inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, is believed to be the first person to use "hello" in the late 1800's, soon after the invention of the telephone．

　　At first, people had greeted each other on the telephone with "Are you there?" They were not sure the new instrument could really carry voices．

　　Tom Edison, however, was a man of few words． He wasted no time． The first time he picked up the phone he did not ask if anyone was there． He was sure someone was, and simply said, "Hello．"

　　From that time on only about 100 years ago, the "hullo" became "hello", as it is heard today．

　　Strangely enough, when the first telephone system was put in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1878, people did not say "hello" or "hullo" or even "halloo"． They answered the phone the way sailors hail a ship, "Ahoy, anoy there!" Thank God, that telephone greeting did not last long．

　　Of course, there are other ways Americans greet one another． Not long ago, people often said, "How are you ?" when they first met someone． This later became "hiyah"． Then, someone thought that two syllables were too much and "hiyah" became "hi"． Laziness is a strong force in changing language．

　　Answering a telephone call in America still presents problems, however． Telephone companies think that Thomas Edison's short "hello" is too long． Why waste time? The phone companies say． Simply pick up the phone, give your name, and start talking．

1．The word "hello" came from ______．

[　　]

A．an unknown origin　　 　B．old English

C．the German　　　　　　　D．the French

2．The writer thinks that, if used on the telephone, "Ahoy" is a word that ______．

  [ ]

A．sounds sincere

B．is pleasant to the ear

C．sounds sincere

D．sounds awkward and unsuitable

3．Expressions like "hello" and "hi" have entered the English language because short words ______．

[　　]

A．sound better

B．save the speakers time and energy

C．add varieties to the language

D．express the meaning more clearly

4．According to telephone companies, the best way to answer a telephone call is ______．

[　　]

A．to say "hello" to the caller

B．to say "hi" to the caller

C．to start talking immediately

D．to listen without saying anything

5．The topic sentence in the last but one paragraph is " ______ ．"

[　　]

A．Of course, there are other ways Americans greet one another

B．Laziness is a strong force in changing language

C．Not long age, people often said, "How are you?" when they first met someone

D．Then, someone thought that two syllables were too much and "hiyah" became "hi"

Animals can move from place to place, but plants cannot. When an animal is under attack, it can run away or fight back.. Plants certainly cannot run away, and they lack teeth and claws. But plants can defend themselves by using both physical and chemical means.

      Some plants have their own ways to keep animals away. For example, the leaves of the holly plant have sharp spines (刺) that discourage grass-eating animals. Holly leaves on lower branches have more spines than leaves on upper branches. This is because the lower leaves are easier for most animals to reach.

      Some plants, such as the oak tree, have thick and hard leaves that are difficult for animals to eat. Some grasses may contain a sandy material; eating such grasses wears down the animal's teeth.

      Many plants also have chemical defenses. Some plants produce chemicals that taste bitter or cause an unpleasant reaction. Some plants may fight against an attack by increasing the production of these chemicals. When a caterpillar (毛虫) bites a tobacco leaf, the leaf produces a chemical messenger. This messenger sends to the roots the information to produce more nicotine. The higher levels of nicotine discourage the caterpillar.

      Many plants depend on both physical and chemical defenses. A certain plant in China, for

instance, has prickly (多刺的) leaves, and each prickle contains poisonous venom (毒液) A single experience with this kind of plant will teach an animal to stay away from it in the future.

The holly plant has more spines on the lower leaves because most animals________.

A. are not tall enough                    B. like the lower leaves only

C. are not clever enough                 D. can get the lower leaves easily

To defend themselves, oak trees use________.

 A. chemical means                     B. physical means

C. bitter chemicals                    D. sandy materials

How does tobacco protect itself against an attack from a caterpillar?

A. Its leaves fight against the attack by physical means.

B. Its roots send a messenger to discourage the caterpillar.

C. Its roots increase the production of nicotine when it is attacked.

D. Its leaves produce poisonous sand to drive the caterpillar away.

What would be the best title for this passage?

A. Plants and Animals                   B. How Plants Defend Themselves

C. Attacks and Defenses                 D. How Animals Eat Plant Leaves

——When did it begin to snow?

       ——It started ____ the night.

A、during   B、by   C、from D、at

I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”

Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标) in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”

In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”

People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.

It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can easily get lost in Yucatan! (268 words)

When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually ______.

   A. describe the place carefully B. show him a map of the place

   C. tell him the names of the streets  D. refer to recognizable buildings and places

What is the place where people measure distance in time?

   A. New York.   B. Los Angeles.      C. Kansas.             D. Iowa.

People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ______.

   A. in order to save time   B. to show the right way

   C. so as to be polite         D. for fun

What can we infer from the text?

   A. It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences.

   B. It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly.

   C. People have similar understandings of politeness.

   D. New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors.