As is known to all, colors appear in every language to express people’s feeling and thoughts．Then, what is the situation in American English?
Red is a hot color．Americans may say they are red hot about something unfair．They are red hot when they are very angry about something．The small hot-tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hot for their color and their fiery taste．Fast loud music is popular with many people．They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland Jazz．
Pink is a lighter kind of red．People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health．The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century．It comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health．
The color black is often used in expressions．People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day．People or things on a blacklist are connected with things illegal now．But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations．
The color green is natural for trees and grass．But it is an unnatural color for humans．A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green．A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green．
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has．That person may say he is green with envy．Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks．Dollars are called greenbacks because green is the color of the back side of the paper money．
小题1:Americans use “red hot” to describe the following EXCEPT _______．| A．something unfair | | B．small hot-tasting peppers | | C．the person who is very angry | | D．popular music like Dixieland Jazz |
小题2:People use “in the pink” to express they are in good health because _______．| A．the expression has a very long history | | B．the color pink makes people feel happy | | C．people think the color pink is gentler than red | | D．healthy babies are born with nice pink skin |
小题3:When we say someone feels a little green, it means he/she _______．| A．enjoys himself in boating | B．is hit by a high wave | | C．has a stomachache | D．likes trees and grass |
小题4:In the writer’s eyes, what is related to a black day?| A．Being sent a beautiful gift． | | B．Passing a very difficult test． | | C．Failing in an important interview． | | D．Being invited to an exciting party． |
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小题1:A
小题2:D
小题3:C
小题4:C |
试题分析：
小题1:细节考查。根据文章第二段提及到他们生气、胡椒粉及迪克西兰爵士乐，使用red hot来描绘。
小题2:细节考查。根据文章第三段的最后一句话It comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health．可知许多孩子出生的时候是漂亮的粉红色，故用粉红色来代指健康。
小题3:细节考查。根据文章倒数第二节A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green可知指一个人肚子痛。
小题4:细节考查。根据文章第四段People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day可知指不顺的事情。
点评：本文描述美国英语中用颜色来表达人们的心情和想法。学习语言的过程需要了解语言中独特的文化，本文虽然是一篇说明文，但其趣味性较强，设置的问题也较为简单，很容易选出答案。 |
核心考点
试题【As is known to all, colors appear in every language to express people’s feeling 】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
As I was leaving to meet Lynne，my roommate told me that I’d better take some money，but I didn’t listen to him. I thought that Lynne would pay because she had invited me.
I arrived at the restaurant exactly on time. I’d been told that Americans expect you to be on time. Lynne and I sat at a table in the corner of the restaurant and a waitress came and took our order. The dinner was a great success. I talked a lot about Saudi Arabia and Lynne told me all about herself. After two hours the waitress finally came and asked if we wanted one check or two. Lynne said two. We went to the cashier and Lynne paid her check. I was embarrassed (尴尬) when the cashier gave me my bill. I had no money to pay for my meal. Then I had an idea. I pretended to look for something in my pockets and said，“Oh！I forgot my money! Can I call my roommate，please？” The cashier showed me where the phone was and I quickly called my roommate.
In a few minutes he arrived with some money，but he couldn’t hide how he felt. He laughed all the way home.
Now，I think it’s funny too. But at the time I was terribly embarrassed. I thought that an invitation to have dinner meant the same thing in the United States as in my country. I guess you have to understand that your customs（习俗） are only your customs. When you visit a foreign country，you have to learn about their customs，too.
小题1:Customs can be ________in different countries according to this passage.| A．close to each other | B．entirely different | | C．quite the same | D．very similar |
小题2:The writer’s roommate advised the writer to take some money with him to________.| A．invite Lynne to dinner | B．pay for the table | | C．share the cost of the meal | D．pay for the restaurant |
小题3:The writer and Lynne________.| A．shared a successful dinner | | B．had a talk for three hours | | C．traveled to Saudi Arabia together | | D．enjoyed their meal without talking |
小题4:Why didn’t Lynne pay the check for the writer?| A．Because she thought it was natural for people to pay their own check. | | B．Because she didn’t have the meal. | | C．Because she wanted to embarrass the writer. | | D．Because she didn’t have enough money with her. |
小题5:The roommate laughed all the way home because the writer________.| A．was embarrassed when he couldn’t pay his breakfast | | B．would not listen to him when he left the house | | C．telephoned him to bring some books to him | | D．hadn’t told Lynne the truth |
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Chinese Spring Festival marks the first day of a new year, so the first meal is rather important. People from the North and the South have different 26 about the foods they eat on this 27 day. In Northern China, people 28 eat Jiaozi. The word Jiaozi in Chinese means the 29 and the beginning of time. According to historical 30 , in the past people from the North and the South both ate Jiaozi on Chinese New Year’s Day. Perhaps 31 the areas in Southern China 32 more rice than those in Northern China, southern people slowly 33 to eat many other kinds of food on New Year’s Day. 34 , the most common foods for the first 35 are noodles, New Year Cake and Tangyuan. The noodle 36 long life. The New Year Cake is called Niangao in Chinese, which 37 the hope of improvement in 38 year after year. Tangyuan is a symbol of 39 according to the Chinese.
To 40 a New Year visit to relatives and friends is an important activity during the Spring Festival. People also send cards to 41 a New Year’s greeting. What children love most is to set off firecrackers. 42 , as the pace of life is becoming faster and faster, people have 43 new ways to celebrate the Chinese traditional New Year. For example, many people no longer send out greeting cards. 44 , they use short messages or emails. Also to travel during the New Year holidays has come into 45 .
| 小题1: | | A．word | B．habits | C．meanings | D．stories |
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| 小题2: | | A．usual | B．unforgettable | C．common | D．special |
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| 小题3: | | A．seldom | B．usually | C．always | D．hardly |
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| 小题4: | | A．end | B．future | C．result | D．effect |
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| 小题5: | | A．reasons | B．records | C．notes | D．stories |
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| 小题6: | | A．as long as | B．though | C．when | D．because |
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| 小题7: | | A．caused | B．took | C．produced | D．brought |
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| 小题8: | | A．understood | B．knew | C．made | D．began |
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| 小题9: | | A．Besides | B．Therefore | C．Consequently | D．Usually |
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| 小题10: | | A．subject | B．title | C．program | D．meal |
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| 小题11: | | A．symbolizes | B．reveals | C．shows | D．indicates |
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| 小题12: | | A．transports | B．represents | C．fetches | D．takes |
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| 小题13: | | A．health | B．family | C．life | D．work |
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| 小题14: | | A．reunion | B．luck | C．happiness | D．harmony |
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| 小题16: | | A．express | B．describe | C．establish | D．define |
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| 小题17: | | A．Luckily | B．Unfortunately | C．However | D．Besides |
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| 小题18: | | A．given away | B．made out | C．got into | D．taken up |
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| 小题19: | | A．Instead | B．Fortunately | C．Moreover | D．Furthermore |
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| 小题20: | | A．fashion | B．effect | C．sight | D．power |
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The National Dark-Sky Week (NDSW) is a week during which people all over the United States turn off their lights to enjoy the beauty of the night sky without light pollution. This even was started by Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Virginia in 2003, and it is becoming more popular each year. It has been supported by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical League.
This even always occurs in April, during the week of the new moon so that the sky can be as dark as possible for the best viewing conditions.
“It is my wish that people could see the night sky without other light in the sky as our ancestors (祖先) saw it hundreds of years ago,” explains Barlow.
Since it only lasts a week and not everyone in the country will take part in it, how will the National Dark-Sky Week reduce light pollution? The main goal of NDSW is to increase awareness (意识) of the harmful effects of light pollution. It is not possible for all of the light pollution in this part of the world to disappear. However, it is possible to make a small difference in the quality of the night sky. Another goal of this even is to promote (促进) the use of better lighting systems that direct light toward the ground instead of up into the sky.
Jennifer Barlow states, “The night sky is a gift of such beauty that it should not be polluted by wasted light. In this way, our children will not lose touch with the wonder of our universe.”
小题1:This passage is mainly about ______________.| A．better lighting systems | B．the beauty of the night sky | | C．the harm of light pollution | D．the National Dark-Sky Week |
小题2:Which of the following statements about the National Dark-Sky Week is WRONG?| A．It is becoming more and more popular in America. | | B．The event was started in 2003 by Jennifer Barlow. | | C．The event takes place in the first week of every April. | | D．American people are supposed to turn off their lights during that week. |
小题3:What is Jennifer Barlow’s wish?| A．That light would be directed up into the sky. | | B．That the sky would always be as dark as possible. | | C．That people could see the night sky without light pollution as our ancestors did. | | D．That people could spend time enjoying the beauty of the sky every night. |
小题4:We can infer from the underlined（划线的）sentence in Paragraph 4 that ________.| A．many people in America hate this event | | B．it may be hard to reduce light pollution | | C．the event should last a month every year | | D．light will no longer pollute the sky soon |
小题5:What is the main goal of the National Dark-Sky Week?| A．To promote the use of better lighting systems. | | B．To help people realize the harm of light pollution. | | C．To cause all the light pollution in America to disappear. | | D．To help young children enjoy the wonder of our universe. |
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Australia is largely a nation of immigration（移民）, with one in four of Australia’s 21 million population born overseas. But immigrations hoping to become Australian citizens will soon have to take a test examining their knowledge of the country"s history and institutions.
While Australia prides itself on its multicultural background, the government wants newcomers to integrate （同化）more fully . Form later this year, new immigrants will have to show an understanding of the English language. They will also be required to answer 20 questions from a list of 200. Anyone who gives fewer than 12 correct responses will not be accepted.
Immigrants will also have to accept what the government considers to be 10 important Australia values, including “mateship” and “giving people a fair go”. Other important Australia values are said to include tolerance, compassion, gender equality and freedom of speech.
The new citizenship application procedures are detailed in a 40-pages booklet（小册子）. It describes Australia as “a nation at ease with the world and itself” but says that newcomers are expected to respect its values. The booklet sums up mateship as voluntary helping and receiving help from others, especially in difficult times. The immigration Minister said they aimed to achieve a balance between ethnic diversity and social stability（稳定）, “particularly as we now draw people from so many different countries and so many different cultures”.
Critics have attacked the English language requirement, pointing out many immigrants could not speak English when they arrived. But the minister said, “We are trying to encourage people to learn English, because we think that is the way they will achieve their dreams in Australia.”
小题1:What’s new in Australia’s immigration policy?| A．New immigrants will have to take a test | | B．New immigrants should speak perfect English | | C．New immigrants must bring enough money | | D．New immigrants must be healthy |
小题2:Those who want to move to Australia have to answer_____ questions right小题3:The word "mateship" is closest in meaning to _____.| A．equality | B．freedom | C．fairness | D．friendship |
小题4:Which is one of the reasons for the change of application?| A．To encourage new immigrants | B．To control the population | | C．To promote Australia " values | D．To teach the English language |
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The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched (草盖的) roof cottages around a church, a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white, the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings―these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside.
Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts（工艺）practised in the British Isles. Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too.
Thatching is a solitary（独自的）craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practised toady has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today, keeping and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world lives under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often unwilling to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to get the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defiance against the heat.
小题1:Which of the following remains a special feature of the English countryside?| A．Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses. | B．Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings. | | C．Cottages with thatched roofs. | D．Churches with cottages around them. |
小题2:What do we know about thatching as a craft?| A．It is a collective activity. | | B．It is practised on farms all over England. | | C．It is quite different from what it used to be. | | D．It is in most cases handed down among family members. |
小题3:Thatched houses are still preferred because of _________.| A．their style and comfort | B．their durability | | C．their easy maintenance | D．their cheap and ready-made materials |
小题4:People in developing countries also live under thatch because ________.| A．thatched cottages are a big tourist attraction | | B．thatched roof houses are the cheapest | | C．thatch is an effective defense against the heat | | D．they like thatched houses better than other buildings |
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