Special Talent

Tom sat at his desk, looking out of the window for a long time. His class project had to be done tomorrow, which was that everyone in his class had to write about their own special talent.

His friends had already _______ theirs, but Tom still had a problem with what to write about.

Earlier in the week, Tom had been helping his friends with their _______. Betty came over for help and to enjoy Tom's amazing milkshakes. Tom suggested that she should write about drawing because Betty drew wonderful pictures. Betty was pretty pleased and went home _______. Tom washed the milkshake glasses.

Tom sighed (叹气). He thought about the time he had with Scott at the library a couple of days ago. Scott was worried about his project. Tom _______ him to write about swimming because he was a very good swimmer. Scott hurried home to work on his project.

Tom still couldn't _______ out what his special talent was. He thought about his friend.

Ellie, who he walked to school with last week. Ellie tap-danced (跳踢踏舞) along beside him. Suddenly, Ellie stopped because she was upset about her project. Tom told her to write about dancing. Ellie was so happy that she leaped(跳) into the air and danced the rest of the _______ .

However, Tom still couldn't decide on his special talent. Finally, he had an idea.

The next day, everyone _______ their projects, and so did Tom.

"It took me so long to decide that I started to think I didn't have one. "

"But. . . I do have a special talent. "

'I'm good at helping my friends," he said. "All of the things I do are much more fun because I do them with my friends."

The whole class clapped (鼓掌). His friends clapped louder than everyone else.

"You forgot something _______, Tom," said Betty. "You make the best milkshakes."

Scott and Ellie nodded.

"Thank you," said Tom.

1.A.finished B.produced C.caught D.forgotten

2.A.experiments B.projects C.practice D.business

3.A.angrily B.quietly C.sadly D.happily

4.A.allowed B.invited C.advised D.required

5.A.point B.find C.carry D.take

6.A.term B.class C.talk D.way

7.A.recorded B.discussed C.presented D.repeated

8.A.important B.terrible C.serious D.useful

An idiom is a phrase that we can’t understand from the meaning of each word. For example, if an American boy asks his mom what’s for dinner tomorrow, she may say “I’ll play it by ear”, that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later.

“Play it by ear” used to mean playing music without using the sheet music(乐谱), but now people often use it when they’re not talking about music!

There are many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be much more vivid(生动的)and colourful.

Have you ever heard the idiom “He bought the farm”? It means he died. Do you know how it became popular? It was first used during World War I. When a soldier died, the government gave his family enough money to buy a farm.

In the early 1930s, people in the U.S. often did not know when or where their next meal was coming from. So as soon as they got something in their hand that could be eaten, it would go into their mouth. That was how people began to use the idiom “living hand to mouth” to mean “living a poor life”.

And don’t be angry if your English friend says this to you, “Break a leg in your game!" In fact, he is wishing you good luck! Hundreds of years ago, people believed in sprites. Sprites enjoyed causing trouble. If the sprites heard you ask for something, they would make the opposite take place. Tell someone to “break a leg” and the sprites would make something good take place.

Aren’t English idioms interesting? And break a leg in your next football match!

1.The idiom “play it by ear” means“________”

A.have no plans for dinner today. B.have no plans for dinner tomorrow.

C.play music with sheet music. D.have no plans and will decide what to do later.

2.If someone is very poor, we can say he_________.

A.buys the farm. B.lives hand to mouth.

C.breaks a leg. D.plays it by ear

3.We can infer(推断)that in the early 1930s common American people________

A.loved buying farms. B.lived a hard life.

C.had meals at different places and times. D.liked eating from their hands.

4.British people used to believe the sprites liked to________

A.make something good take place. B.break a leg.

C.make trouble. D.make bad things take place

5.If your friend is having a basketball match, you can say all of the following excpt “_______”.

A.Bad luck B.Good luck C.Have fun D.Enjoy the game

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