It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather. Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr. Johnson’s famous comment that “When two English meet, their first talk is of weather.” Though Johnson’s observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago, most commentators fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weather-speak.

Bill Bryson, for example, concludes that, as the English weather is not at all exciting, the obsession with it can hardly be understood. He argues that “To an outsider, the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it.” Simply, the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles.

Jeremy Paxman, however, disagrees with Bryson, arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive. Bryson is wrong, he says, because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena. “The interest is less in the phenomena themselves, but in uncertainty.” According to him, the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider.

Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weather-speak among the English. Both commentators, somehow, are missing the point. The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all. English weather-speak is a system of signs, which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other. Everyone knows conversations starting with weather-speak are not requests for weather data. Rather, they are routine greetings, conversation starters or the blank “fillers”. In other words, English weather-speak is a means of social bonding.

1.The author mentions Dr. Johnson’s comment to show that______.

A．most commentators agree with Dr. Johnson

B．Dr. Johnson is famous for his weather observation

C．the comment was accurate two hundred years ago

D．English conversations usually start with the weather

2.What does the underlined word “obsession” most probably refer to?

A．A social trend.

B．An emotional state.

C．A historical concept.

D．An unknown phenomenon.

3.According to the passage, Jeremy Paxman believes that______.

A．Bill Bryson has little knowledge of the weather

B．there is nothing special about the English weather

C．the English weather attracts people to the British Isles

D．English people talk about the weather for its uncertainty

4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To explain what English weather-speak is about.

B．To analyse misconceptions about the English weather.

C．To find fault with both Bill Bryson and Jeremy Paxman.

D．To convince people that the English weather is changeable.

 If you are _____ about Australian cities, just read the book written by Dr Johnson.

A．interested         B．anxious           C．upset             D．curious

B

Nothing was going right for Dr.Turner at the hospital. He made a mistake while operating on a patient. He felt sure he was no longer trusted and decided to change his job . One day he learned from the paper that a doctor was looking for a partner (合作者). The doc-tor, whose name was Johnson , lived in Thorby, a small town in the north of England.

A few days later Dr. Turner went to Thorby, and arrived at Dr.Johnson's home early in the afternoon. Though old and a little deaf, Dr.Johnson still had a good brain. He kept talking to the visitor about the town and its people. When they turned to the question of partnership,it was already seven in the evening. Dr. Johnson invited Dr . Turner to have dinner with him in a restaurant before catching the train back to London. Dr . Turner noticed that Dr. Johnson was fond of good food and expensive wines . They had an excellent meal. When the bill was brought, Dr. Johnson felt in his pocket." Oh, dear," he said. "I've forgotten my money." "That's all right,"Dr. Turner said."I'll pay the bill."As he did so,he began to wonder whether Dr. Johnson was worthy of trust.

1. Dr. Turner decided to leave his present job because        .

A. he had never been trusted      

B. it demanded too great skills

C. he believed it offered little hope for his future

D. he thought the hospital would like him to leave

2.The two doctors spent most of the afternoon talking about         .

A. things of no interest to Dr. Johnson 

B. things of no importance to Dr. Turner

C. health matters                  

D. food and drink

3.The story suggests that                .

A. Dr. Johnson did not  like Dr. Turner

B. the two doctors would become friends

C. the two doctors would not work together

D. Dr. Turner decided to stay at his present job

4.The words did so  in the last sentence mean                .

A. caught the train back to London   B. felt in his pocket

C. paid the bill                  D. said those words

If you are _____ about Australian cities, just read the book written by Dr Johnson.