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From birth to death, the word kick has been given an important part in expressing human experience. The proud and happy mother feels the first signs of life kicking inside her body. And that same life------many years later------ comes to its end in a widely-used expression, to kick the bucket( 吊桶) .  The expression to kick the bucket is almost 200 years old.  One belief is that it started when an English stableman(馬夫) killed himself by hanging  while standing on a bucket. He put a rope around his neck and tied it to a beam(梁柱) in the ceiling, and then kicked the bucket away from under him.
Another old expression that comes from England is to kick over the traces. Traces were the chains（鏈子） that held at horse or mule to a wagon(貨運(yùn)馬車(chē))or plow. Sometimes, an animal refused to obey and kicked over the traces.
Kick around is an expression that is heard often in American English. A person who is kicked around is someone who is treated badly. Usually he is not really being kicked by somebody's foot. He is just not being treated with the respect that all of us want. A person who has kicked around for most of his life is someone who has spent his life moving from place to place. In this case, kicking around means moving often from one place to another. Kick around has another meaning when you use it with the word idea. When you kick around an idea, you are giving that idea some thought.
There is no physical action when you kick a person upstairs, although the pain can be as strong .You kick a person upstairs by removing him from an important job and giving him a job that sounds more important, but really is not.
Still another meaning of the word kick is to free oneself of a bad habit, such as smoking cigarettes. Health campaigns urge smokers to kick the habit.
小題1:It is clear that the author wants to help readers _____________.

A．know English has a long history

B．understand the development of English

C．enjoy the interest of English idioms（習(xí)語(yǔ)）

D．learn English expressions with Kick

小題2:What does the idiom "kick over the traces" in "All kids seem to want to kick over the traces and do what they like to" means ____________.     

A．disobey the commands	B．obey the traditions
C． ride a horse or mule	D．punish animals strictly

小題3:Mr. Smith always kicked his sons around with no excuse, in other words, his sons___________

A．expressed their ideas freely	B．were looked after well
C．moved their family often	D．were treated badly

小題4:How many different kinds of meanings are talked about on;'kick around' in the text?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

小題5:Though Tom got raised to a better position by his boss, he had no power, we can say __________

A．the boss kicked Tom upstairs	B．Tom kicked the bucket
C．Tom kicked the bad habit	D．Tom kicked around an idea

They say that Mexico is a country no one ever leaves. Every year, millions of tourists pass through. And Mexicans happily warn that a part of them will remain behind forever. Most visitors are vacationing North Americans who go up on the brilliant beaches of Cancun, Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. The beaches, of course, are among the world’s best ----but those who venture (冒險(xiǎn)) inland are rewarded with the true soul of Mexico.
And it is a big soul. The Republic of Mexico is vast, consisting of nearly two million square miles of coastline, desert, rain forest, mountains, and rich plains. From the American borderlands of the wide, agriculturally rich north, the country narrows gently as it sweeps south and east. The two main mountain ranges(山脊), the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental, hug the west and east, finally merging（融入） into the volcanically active central highlands and the capital, Mexico City - the most populous city in the world. Further south, the country narrows to only 100 miles, then broadens again before reaching the Guatemalan border. There are two major peninsulas (半島) in Mexico: the Baja Peninsula to the west and the Yucatan peninsular to the east.
The population is about 106 million. and the generosity (慷慨大方) of the Mexican people is unsurpassed. Knowing a few simple sentences in Spanish will win hearts.
Mexico has been blessed with an unusually temperate (適度的) climate year-round. The most important thing to remember is that the Mexican summer is also the rainy season, although the rain rarely lasts more than a few hours, and typically arrives in the late afternoon. Extremes(極端)are present only in the North and in Baja, both of which have deserts where the temperature leaps above 100F. Mexico City has a year-round temperature in the high 80s. while the coasts usually stay in the mid-90s. Night time temperatures fall somewhat, but rarely break down below a comfortable 60F.
小題1:All of the following are names of beaches EXCEPT ___________ .

A．Puerto Vallarta

B．Cancun

C．Guatemalan

D．Mazatlan

小題2:The Republic of Mexico _________.

A．has two peninsulas altogether

B．has a population of about 106 million

C．has more than 2 million square miles of coastline

D．has two main mountain ranges going from west to east

小題3:The underlined word "unsurpassed" in the 3rd paragraph probably means”         ".
A perfect          B. false               C. ancient            D. out of date
小題4:You may suffer extreme temperatures if you go to ___________.        .

A．the east

B．the west

C．the south

D．the north

小題5:Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Geography.

B．History.

C．Language.

D．Climate.

Like every language, American English is full of special expressions, phrases that come from the day-to-day life of the people and develop in their own way.
Our expression today is “to face the music”. When someone says, “Well, I guess I’ll have to face the music,” it does not mean he’s planning to go to the 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 didn’t do this or that. Awful music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has 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 and old. It is at least 100 years old. And where did this expression come from? The first explanation comes from the American novelist, James Fenimore Looper. He said, in 1851, that the expression was first used by actors while waiting to go on the stage. When they got their cue(提示) to go on, they often said, “Well, it’s time to face the music.” And that was exactly what they did—facing the orchestra(管弦樂(lè)隊(duì)) which was just below them. And an actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of an audience that might be friendly or perhaps hostile, especially if he forgot his lines. But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression “to face the music” came to mean “having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice.”
Other explanations about the expression go back to the army. When the men faced an inspection(視察) by their leader, the soldiers would be worried about how well they looked. Was their equipment clean, shiny enough to pass the inspection? Still the men had to go out and face the music of the band as well as the inspection. What else could they do?
Another army explanation is more closely linked to the idea of facing the results and accepting the responsibility for something that should not have been done. For example, when a man is forced out of the army because he did something terrible, he is dishonored. The band does not play. Only the drums tap a sad, slow beat. The soldier is forced to leave, facing such music as it is and facing the back of his horse. 
小題1:How many ways does the phrase “to face the music” comes from?     

A．1.

B．2.

C．3.

D．4.

小題2:What’s the meaning of “to face the music”?

A．To face something far less pleasant.	B．To face the stage.
C．To face the back of one’s horse.	D．To face one’s leader.

小題3:The underlined word “hostile” means ________.

A．unfriendly

B．dislike

C．unkind

D．unnecessary

This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers from all over the world will spend about ten months in US homes through an exchange program. They will attend US schools ,meet US teenagers, and form impressions of the real American teenagers . American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world.
Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George's family . In turn, George's son, Mike, spent a year in Fred's home in America.
Fred, knew little German when he arrived, but after two month's study, the language began to come to him . School was completely different from what he had expected -much harder. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States.
"Back home ,you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time ,In Germany ,you walk ,but you soon learn to like it."
At the same time ,in America ,Mike ,a friendly German boy ,was also forming his idea ."I suppose I should criticize American schools ,"he says ."It is far too easy by our level .But I have to say that I like it very much .In Germany we do nothing but study . Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens .There ought to be some middle ground between the two."
小題1:The whole exchange program is mainly to ­_________

A．help teenagers in other countries know the real America

B．send students in America to travel in Germany

C．let students learn something about other countries

D．have teenagers learn new languages

小題2:What did Fred and Mike agree on?

A．America has better traffic.

B．German schools were harder than American schools.

C．Americans and Germans were both friendly

D．There were more cars on the streets in America.

小題3:What is particular in American schools ?

A．There is some middle ground between the two teaching buildings.

B．There are a lot of after-school activities.

C．Students usually take 14 subjects in all.

D．Students go outside to enjoy themselves in a car

小題4:What did Mike think after experiencing the American school life?

A．A better education should include something good from both America and Germany.

B．German schools trained students to be better citizens

C．American schools were not as good as German schools.

D．The easy life in the American school was more helpful to students.

小題5:The underlined word “criticize” in the last paragraph can be replaced by"_________"

A．praise

B．regret

C．ignore

D．a(chǎn)ccuse

Americans often plan social gatherings（社交聚會(huì)）on short notice, so don’t be surprised if you get invited to someone’s home or to see a movie or baseball game without much warning. If the time is convenient (方便) for you, surely accept their invitation. But if you’re busy, don’t be afraid to decline the invitation, perhaps suggesting a time that would be better. Your host won’t be shamed.
Invitations are usually sent in person or over the telephone. The main exception(例外) is for some formal occasions, in which case a written invitation will be mailed. You would normally receive a written invitation to a wedding(婚禮).
For a casual(不正式的)dinner invitation, don’t arrive more than 5 minutes early, because your host may still be preparing for your visit. Arriving more than 10 minutes late is considered rude if very few people were invited. If many people were invited, it’s OK to arrive a little late, even as much as half an hour late. For example, it’s OK to arrive late for a party, for a potluck (家常便飯) dinner or for a social gathering inviting a large group of people.
If you’re invited for dinner, it’s proper to bring the host a bottle of wine, a gift basket of fruit, a box of candy (糖果), or a bouquet(束)of flowers. Don’t bring roses, as men often give roses to women on a date (約會(huì)).
If you wish to thank the host for his or her hospitality (好客), it’s right to call or send a brief (簡(jiǎn)單的) written thank-you note the next day.
小題1:The passage is to tell us ________.

A．how to accept Americans’ invitations.

B．something about American social visits.

C．something about American business visits.

D．how to make a living in America.

小題2:The underlined word “decline” in the first paragraph most probably means _____.

A．a(chǎn)ccept

B．receive

C．refuse

D．follow

小題3:If an American only invites you to his home for an informal supper at 7:30p.m., you’d better get to his house at ________.

A．7:15p.m.

B．7:35p.m.

C．7:45p.m.

D．7:55p.m.

小題4:In America, invitations to a wedding are often sent ________.

A．by mail

B．by fax

C．by e-mail

D．over the telephone

小題5:According to the passage, in American ________.

A．if you’re invited to a family as a guest, you can stay as long as you please.

B．if you’re invited for a party, you must always be on time.

C．if you’re invited for dinner, you’d better bring some presents.

D．you must make a call to show your thanks after you get home from the dinner.

The United States of America is the most culturally diverse(多樣化) country in the world in terms of culture religion, ethnicity(種族) and sexual orientation. As a combination of various races and cultures, America is home to all. The culture here is so unique that citizens can be just as proud of their original cultural heritage(遺產(chǎn)) as they are to be American.
What is now the US was initially inhabited(居住) by native people until the land was settled by various European groups and African slaves. Since the 20th century, the country has become a heaven for people from all over the globe(全球).
The arrival of immigrants(移民) has shifted populations from rural(農(nóng)村的) areas into cities because immigrants tend to settle in urban areas. At present, 81 percent of the inhabitants in the US live in cities.
Cultural and ethnic diversity adds a unique flavor to cities that is expressed through distinct(獨(dú)特的) neighborhoods, restaurants, places of worship, museums, nightlife and multicultural learning environments.
Unique musical forms, such as jazz, rock and roll, Chicano music, and the blues, grow in the US by mixing a variety of culturally distinct musical traditions to create a new form.
At the executive (行政的) level, the country is headed by a mixed­race president; two posts(職位) on the Supreme Court are held by members of the country's two largest minorities.There is also diversity in state and local governments.
Without its rich mixture of races and cultures, America would not be the nation that it is today. Founded upon the basis of equality and freedom, America acts as a stage where different cultures not only co­exist peacefully, but develop well.
小題1:According to the passage, America is a country________.

A．that welcomes people from all over the world

B．where citizens take more pride in their original culture

C．that is mostly settled by Europeans and Africans

D．where 81% of the population are immigrants

小題2:Where did most people live before many immigrants came to America?

A．In the urban areas.	B．In the rural areas.
C．In the southern part of America.	D．In the northern part of America.

小題3:We can learn from the sixth paragraph that________.

A．diversity(多樣化) has existed in America in almost every aspect(方面)

B．most posts in American state governments are held by mixed­race people

C．equality and freedom make America a fair country

D．diversity has greatly affected the American political field

小題4:What's the best title for this passage?

A．The effects of culture and diversity on America.

B．The influence of globalization on America.

C．The political development of America.

D．The bright future of America.

小題5:We would most probably read this passage in a book about________.

A．science

B．history

C．culture

D．a(chǎn)musement

BEIJING , March 9 --- The central government will require an additional three years of use for official vehicles for ministers and governors to reduce the costs of purchasing new cars, media have reported.
The new rule has been applied among all Party and government departments nationwide, the Beijing News reported on Tuesday. The new rule has not yet been made public, said Li, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee.
Under the old rules, the cars used by minister-level officials could be replaced as often as every five years, Li said. These officials will also keep the same cars when they assume new posts, he added.
The new rule also reiterated(重申) that officials ranking below minister-or-governor-levels should not be allocated cars. The cars possessed by their departments should be used on demand.
“It violates the rules for lower-ranking --- even county-level-officials to be allocated cars,” Li said.
Purchases of vehicles for official use have been heavily investigated, as they account for a large expenditure (花費(fèi)) of public funds every year.
A survey on the Web news www.ifeng.com found 64 percent of respondents believed the new rule will be difficult to carry out because it is related to officials’ interests.
“Local government departments had halted(中斷) approvals for requests for such vehicles and had started to work on new quotas(指標(biāo)) under the new rules,” Li said. “The future reform of official vehicle use will introduce market mechanisms and monetization.”
Premier Wen Jiabao said in the annual government work report on Saturday that expenditures on such vehicles will not increase in 2011 compared with a year ago.
Beijing’s standing deputy mayor Ji Lin last week said the municipal (市政的) government will release the number of vehicles for official use in the capital as early as at the end of this month.
Earlier this month, the Minister of Finance had published a rule regulating the budgets for such vehicles.
小題1:What is the purpose of the new rule allocating vehicles among officials?

A．To promote a low-carbon lifestyle.

B．To cut down the present huge expenditures of purchasing cars.

C．To make good use of budgets for official cars.

D．To solve the problem of severe traffic jam.

小題2:How often could the cars used by minister-level officials be replaced according to the new rule?

A．Every 3 years.

B．Every 5 years.

C．Every 8 years.

D．Every 10 years.

小題3:What about the officials ranking below minister-or-governor levels in terms of official vehicles?

A．They can still possess special cars.

B．They can use their own private cars.

C．They can use cars whenever officially necessary.

D．They can be allocated second-hand cars.

小題4:What is the public’s attitude toward the new rule’s fulfillment?

A．Uncertain.

B．Optimistic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Passive

小題5:From the passage, we can infer that_________.

A．the government is determined to carry out the new rule

B．the new rule has not yet been made public

C．the new rule will benefit official’s interest

D．the new rule is applied to minister-level officials

In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience (經(jīng)歷) four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.
In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.
When you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella (傘)or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.
If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret (后悔) later in the day.
小題1:Why do people in England often talk about the weather?

A．Because they may have four seasons in one day

B．Because they often have very good weather

C．Because the weather is warm just like in spring

D．Because the sky is sunny all day

小題2:From the story we know that when _________come, there is a heavy rain.

A．sunshine and snow	B．black clouds
C．summer and winter	D．spring and autumn

小題3:"People can also have summer in winter." Means "it is sometimes too ______in winter."

A．warm

B．cool

C．cold

D．rainy

小題4:In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because ________.

A．their friends ask them to do so	B．it often rains in England
C．they are going to sell them	D．they are their favourite things

小題5:The best title (標(biāo)題)for this passage is ________.

A．Bad Seasons	B．Summer or Winter
C．The Weather in England	D．Strange English People

If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles（蠟燭）. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past twenty years, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes(孔子學(xué)院) in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲學(xué)). Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing(比賽)to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the west, even if his birthday is.
小題1:The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______.

A．provide some key facts about Confucius

B．a(chǎn)ttract the readers’ interest in the topic

C．show great respect for the ancient thinker

D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations

小題2:We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students______.

A．have a great interest in studying Chinese

B．take an active part in Chinese competitions

C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams

D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese

小題3:What is the best title for the passage?

A．Forgotten Wisdom in America

B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language

C． Old Thinker with a Big Future

D．Chinese Culture for Westerners

小題4:The passage is likely to appear in a _______.

A．leaflet	B．history paper
C．newspaper	D．philosophy textbook

So you thought the hamburger was the world’s most popular fast food? After all, McDonald’s Golden Arches span（跨越）the globe（全球）. But no, there is another truly universal fast food, the ultimate（極好的）fast food. It’s easy to make, easy to serve, much more varied than the hamburger, can be eaten with the hands and it’s delivered to your front door or served in fancy restaurants. It’s been one of America’s favourite foods for over 50 years. It is, of course, the pizza.
It’s kind of silly to talk about the moment when pizza was “invented”. It changed over the years, but one thing’s for certain—it’s been around for a very long time. The idea of using pieces of flat, round bread as plates came from the Greeks. They called them “plakuntos” and ate them with various simple toppings（配料）such as oil, garlic（大蒜）, onions and herbs. The Romans enjoyed eating something similar and called it “picea”. By about 1000 AD in the city of Naples, “picea” had become “pizza” and people were experimenting with more toppings: cheese, ham, anchovies and finally the tomato, brought to Italy from Mexico and Peru in the sixteenth century. Naples became the pizza capital of the world. In 1889, King UmbertoⅠand Queen Margherita heard about pizza and asked to try it. They invited pizza maker, Raffele Esposito, to make it for them. He decided to make the pizza like the Italian flag, so he used red tomatoes, white mozzarella cheese and green basil leaves. The Queen loved it and the new pizza was named “Pizza Margherita” in her honour.
Pizza went to America with the Italians at the end of the nineteenth century. The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in 1905 at 53 Spring Street, New York City, by Gennaro Lombardi. But the popularity of pizza really exploded when American soldiers returned from Italy after World WarⅡ and raved about(夸贊) “that great Italian dish”. Americans are now the greatest producers and consumers of pizza in the world.
小題1:Which is the correct order of the changes of pizza?

A．Plakuntos→pizza→picea	B．Pizza→plakuntos→picea
C．Picea→plakuntos→pizza	D．Plakuntos→picea→pizza

小題2:Why are Mexico and Peru important in the development of pizza?

A．Because pizza first became popular in these countries.

B．Because pizza was invented in these countries.

C．Because one topping was brought to Italy from these countries.

D．Because people there are the greatest consumers of pizza.

小題3:What do the Italian flag and a Pizza Margherita have in common?

A．There is a picture of a Pizza Margherita.	B．They have the same colours.
C．Both of them represent Italy.	D．They are both popular in Italy.

小題4:When did pizza become really popular in the United States?
A. After 1945.      B. In 1889.     C. In 1905.         D. By 1000AD.
小題5:What’s the best title of the passage?

A．McDonald’s and Pizza	B．Global Pizza
C．Pizza in the United States	D．How to Make Pizza