The human nose has given to the languages of the world many interesting expressions. Of course, this is not surprising. Without the nose, we could not breathe or smell. It is the part of the face that gives a person special character. Cyrano de Bergerac said that a large nose showed a great man-courageous, courteous(谦恭的),manly, and intellectual.(有智力的).

A famous woman poet wished that she had two noses to smell a rose! Blaise Pascal, a French philosopher(哲学家), made an interesting comment about Cleopatra's nose. If it had been shorter, he said, it would have changed the whole face of the world!

Historically, man's nose had had a main role in his imagination. Man has referred to the nose in many ways to express his emotions. Expressions concerning the nose refer to human weakness: anger, pride, jealousy(嫉妒)and revenge(报复).

In English there are a number of phrases about the nose. For example, "to hold up one's nose" expresses a basic human feeling-pride. People can hold their noses up at people, things, and places. The phrase "to be led around by the nose" shows a man's weakness. A person who is led around by the nose lets other people control him. On the other hand, a person who "follows his nose" lets his instinct(本能)guide him. For the human emotion of rejection, the phrase "to have one's nose put out of joint" is very descriptive. The expression applies to the persons who have been turned aside because of a competitor. Their pride is hurt and they feel rejected. This expression is not new. It was used by Erasmus in 1542.

This is only a sample of expressions in English dealing with "nose". There are a number of others. However, it should be "as plain as the nose on your face" that the nose is more than an organ(器官)for breathing and smelling!

The underlined expression "as plain as the nose on your face" means " ________ ".

A. easy to understand

B. too proud to expect others

C. weak to be controlled by others

D. jealousy enough to hate others

What is the passage mainly about?

A. The function(功能)of the nose.

B. A famous woman poet's wish.

C. A number of phrases about "nose". 

When someone says, "well, 1 guess I will have to face the music. It does not mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less pleasant like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Terrible music indeed, but it has to be faced. At some time or another, every one of us had to "face the music", especially as children. We can all remember father's angry voice, "I want to talk to you!" and only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was!

The phrase "to face the music" is familiar to every American, young or old. It is at least 100 years old. Where did the expression come from?

The first explanation comes from the American novelist James Penimore Cooper. He said in 1851 that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on stage . When they got their signal to go on, they often said, "Well, it's time to go to face the music." And that is exactly what they did face the orchestra  which was just below the stage.

46. The passage mainly tells us______.

A. how the phrase “to face the music” developed in its own way  

B. what the phrase “ to face the music ” means  

C. when the phrase "to face the music" came into being

D. all the above

47. A person has to face the music especially as he is______.

A. a child      B. a young man      C. a grown-up       D. a player

48.______used the phrase "to face the music" for the first time.

A. Actors      B. The boss         C. The director       D. Cooper     

49. Which of the following statements is wrong?

A. The actor stayed on the stage to enjoy the music.

B. To face the music is usually an unpleasant thing.

C. The original meaning of the phrase “to face the music ” is to face the orchestra.

D. The phrase “to face the music” has been used for more than one century.

50. According to the passage the connotation of the phrase “to face the music” is____

A. to listen to the music               B. to go through something unpleasant    

C. to stand in front of the stage         D. to go to the concert 

A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found that most of them are ignorant when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a series of reports from NatWest that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, are particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts than any before.

University tuition fees are currently capped at £3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.

In the research, the teenagers were presented with the terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average £31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just £17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than £10.000. Average debts for graduates are £12,363.

Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they are to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."

Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweather, aged 15, from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money.

1. Which of the following can be found from the five-year research project?

A. Students understand personal finances differently. 

B. University tuition fees in England have been rising.

C. Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings.

D. The students' payback ability has become a major issue.

2. The phrase "to raise the ceiling" in paragraph 2 probably means "______".

A. to raise the student loans                B. to improve the school facilities

C. to increase the upper limit of the tuition  D. to lift the school building roofs

3. According to Stephen Moir, students _______.

A. are too young to be exposed to financial issues

B. should learn to manage their finances well

C. should maintain a positive attitude when facing loans

D. benefit a lot from lessons on personal finance

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A. Many British teenagers do not know money matters well

B. Teenagers in Britain are heavily burdened with debts.

C. Financial planning is a required course at college.

D. Young people should become responsible adults.

A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found thai most of them are ignorani when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a scries of reports from NatWesl that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, arc particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts man any before.

University tuition fees (学费) are currently capped at ??3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.

In the research, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average ?? 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just ?? 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than ?? 10.000. Average debts for graduates are ?? 12，363.

Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they arc to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."

Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweathcr. aged 15. from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted thai she still had a lot to learn about money.

Which of the following can be found from the five-year research project?

A. Students understand personal finances differently. 

B. University tuition fees in England have been rising.

C. Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings.

D. The students' payback ability has become a major issue.

 The phrase "to raise the ceiling" in paragraph 2 probably means "______".

A. to raise the student loans                             

B. to improve the school facilities

C. to increase the upper limit of the tuition     

D. to lift the school building roofs

According to Stephen Moir, students_______.

A. are too young 10 be exposed 10 financial issues

B. should learn 10 manage their finances well

C- should maintain a positive attitude when facing loans

D. benefit a lot from lessons on personal finance

What can we learn from the passage?

A. Many British teenagers do not know money matters well

B. Teenagers in Britain are heavily burdened with debts.

C. Financial planning is a required course at college.

D. Young people should become responsible adults.

A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found that most of them are ignorant when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a series of reports from NatWesl that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, are particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts than any before.

University tuition fees (学费) are currently capped at ??3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.

In the research, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average ?? 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just ?? 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than ?? 10.000. Average debts for graduates are ?? 12，363.

Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they are to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."

Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweather aged 15 from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money.

Which of the following can be found from the five-year research project?

A. Students understand personal finances differently. 

B. University tuition fees in England have been rising.

C. Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings.

D. The students' payback ability has become a major issue.

The phrase "to raise the ceiling" in paragraph 2 probably means "______".

A. to raise the student loans                       B. to improve the school facilities

C. to increase the upper limit of the tuition     D. to lift the school building roofs

According to Stephen Moir, students_______.

A. are too young to be exposed to financial issues

B. should learn to manage their finances well

C. should maintain a positive attitude when facing loans

D. benefit a lot from lessons on personal finance

What can we learn from the passage?

A. Many British teenagers do not know money matters well

B. Teenagers in Britain are heavily burdened with debts.

C. Financial planning is a required course at college.

D. Young people should become responsible adults.