I left my hometown in London last year and now I have enjoyed working in this small city in China. Learning a foreign language opens you up to the culture and history of a country. So in order to know more about China, I started to learn Chinese.

But at times, I found myself in funny situations. When I greeted strangers in China, they began to talk a lot and very fast. They asked me questions about everything. But all I could do was to look at them with a blank face. I had no idea what they were talking about. Were they just being kind, funny or impolite? Many people want to make friends with me. But I am a bit upset when I find out the reason why they need a foreign friend. They say they want to practice their English. I don’t need friends like this. I like friends to share my feelings and ideas with.

However, the more Chinese I learn, the more similarities I find it has with English. In English, thick-skinned is to describe a person who doesn’t care for criticism (批评). I was surprised to find that houlianpi in Chinese means the same. And both languages share some common idioms (习语). For example, “look on with folded arms” means xiushoupangguan, and “burn the boats” is similar to pofuchenzhou.

I’m still on my journey to learn Chinese. I believe that sometimes you have the most fun on a journey.

(   )1. The writer comes from     .

       A. the UK          B. the USA       

       C. Australia      D. Canada

(   )2. The underlined word “similarities” means “    ” in Chinese.

     A. 相似点             B. 不同点

       C. 规律性             D. 重要性 

(   )3. A thick-skinned person may     .

     A. be very strong and seldom fall ill

       B. like to criticize others for their mistakes

       C. talk a lot and speak fast

       D. feel OK when he’s criticized


    Many scientists find that colours can change people’s feelings. It’s very interesting. Some colours can make people feel relaxed,and some colours can make people feel nervous. Now,this kind of knowledge is being used in many places. For example,school walls are always painted green because green makes students feel relaxed. It is also good for the students’ eyes. Some books are also green or light blue for the same reason. Restaurant owners not only have to know how to make food,but also have to know how to make money. Here are some things they’ve learned from scientific studies. The colour red makes people hungry. Many fast food restaurants have red furniture or walls. Soft colours like pink and light blue make people feel relaxed,so they spend more time eating. Loud music may be nice at first,but it soon makes people want to leave. Hard seats also make customers want to eat quickly and leave. Many restaurants,especially fast food restaurants,use this knowledge to make customers eat faster.5

1.How does the colour green make the students feel?

   A.Hungry.                                                                       B.Nervous.5

C.Angry.                                                                         D.Relaxed.

2.How does the colour red make most people feel?

   A.Hungry.                                                                       B.Comfortable.5

C.Excited.                                                                       D.Worried.

3.Which colour isn’t mentioned in this passage?

   A.Green.                                                                         B.White.5

C.Light blue.                                                                    D.Red.

4.What do many fast food restaurants do?

①Play loud music.                               ②Play soft music.

③Have hard seats.                               ④Paint their walls red.

   A.①②③                                                                        B.①③④5

C.①②④                                                                        D.②③④

5.What’s the best title for this passage?

   A.Colour and restaurant.

   B.Use colour to make money.

   C.Colour and science.

   D.Use colour to change feelings.

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