题目内容

阅读理解

  Like every language, American English is full of special expressions, phrases that come from the day-to-day life to 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, any why you didn't do this or that.Sour music indeed, but it has to be faced.At some time or another, every one of us has 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 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 Cooper.He said, in 1851, that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on the stage.When they got their cue to go on, they often said,“Well, it's time to face the music.”And that is exactly what they did-facing the orchestra which was just below them.And an actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of the 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 inspection by their leader, the soldiers would be worried about hw well they looked.Was their equipment clean, whinny enough to pass 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 related to the idea of facing the results and accepting the responsibility for something that should not have been done.As, 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.

(1)

According to the passage, how many ways does the phrase“to face the music”come from?

[  ]

A.

One.

B.

Two.

C.

Three.

D.

Four.

(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.

(3)

The underlined word“hostile”in Paragraph 3 means“________”.

[  ]

A.

unfriendly

B.

dislike

C.

unimportant

D.

unnecessary

答案:1.C;2.A;3.A;
解析:

(1)

细节理解题。由文章第三、四、五段可知本题答案选C。

(2)

细节理解题。根据文章第二段的第三句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.可知本题答案选A。

(3)

  词义猜测题。根据语境可知hostile与friendly的意思相反,从而可推知本题答案为A。

  文章大意:本文对美国习语to face the music的由来进行了说明。


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阅读理解

  Below is a page adapted from an English dictionary.

  Important words to learn:●Essential●improver ● Advanced

  pump/pamp/

  noun[C]DEVICE●1A a piece of equipment which is used to cause liquid, air or gas to move from one place to an-other:a water/bicycle/fuel pump○a UK petrol/US gas pump SHOE●2[USUALLY PLURAL]US(UK court shoe)a type of plain shoe with a raised HEEL and no way of fastening it to the foot which is worn by women 3[USUALLY PLURAL]a type of flat shoe, like a BALLET dancer's shoe when is worn by women 4[USUALLY PLURAL]UK a flat·shoe made of heavy clothy, which is worn by children for doing sports.

  ueerb LIQUID/GAS●1[T USUALLY·ADV/PREP]to force liquid or gas to move somewhere:our latest machine can pump a hundred gallors a minute,○The new wine is pumped into stirage tanks.○The heart pumos blood through the arteries/round the body.INFORMATION2[T]INFORMAL to keep asking someone for information, especially in a way that is not direce:She was pumping me for details of the new projece.

  Idioms pump sb's hand to SHAKE someone's hand(hold their hand and move it up and down, espacially In order to greet them)·pump lron INFORMAL to lift beavy weights for exercise; These days both men and wmen pump irom for fithess.

  Pharsal verbs pump sth into sth to spend a lot of money trying to make something operate succesfully:They had been pumpinh money into the business for some Years without seeing any results.

  Pump sth out(M)REMOVE1 to remove water or other liquid from something using a pump:We took turns pumping out the boat.PRODUCE2INFORMAL DISAPPROVING to produce words or loud music in a way that is repeated, forceful and continuous:The government keeps pumping out the same old propaganda.○The car radio was pumping out music with a heacy beat.

  Pump out sth someone's stomach is pumped out, a Poisonous substance is removed from it by being-sucked Through a tube.She had to go to hospital to have her Stomach pumped out.

  Pump sth up[M]INFORMAL to make someone feel more contident or excited:He was offering them advince and trying to pump them up.○[R]The players were pumping themselves up by singing the national anthem, before the game.

  Pump sth up[M]1 to fill something with air using a pump:Have you pumped up the balloons yet?○ I must pump the tyres up on my bike.2 INFORMAL to increase something by a large amount:The US was able to pump up exports.○Let's pump up the tolume a bit!

  Pump-action/pamp ek/n/ad ectiv[BEFORE NOUN]descnbes a device which operates by forcing songthing, especially air, in or out of a closed space or container; a pump-action shotgun○a pump-action toilet pump prlming noun[U]SPECIALIZED the activity of help-ing a business, programme, economy, etc.to develop by giving it money; The government is awarding small, pump prining grants to single mothers who are starting their oum businesses.

  Pun/pan

  Noun[C]a humorous use of a word or phrase which has several meanings or which sound like another word:she made a couple of dreadful puns.○This is a well-known joke based on a pun “What's black and white and red(=read)all over? A nepaper.

  Verb[I](-nn-)to make a pun

  Punch/pants/

  Nou HIT●1●(c)a forceful hit with a fist(=closed hand)she gave him a punch lik on us in the nose.EFFECT●2 U the power to be interesting and have a strong effect on people, I felt the performance speech presntation lacked punch DRnk●3[C OR U]a cold or hot drink made by mixing fruit juices pieces of frut and often wine or other alcoholic drinks tool●4[C]a piece of equipment which cuts boles in a maena by pushing a piece of met through it a ticket punch have you seen the hole puneh anghere?

  Verb(T)hit●1●to hit someone or something with your FIST(=closed hand); He punched him in the stomach.2 MALY US to hit with your fingers the bugins on a telephone or the kdys on a keys on a keyboard USE TOCL●3 to make a hole in something with a spscial place of equipment; I was just punching in some hets of paper.○This belt's too big.I'll have to punch an extra hole in it.

  Idioms punch sb's lights out informal to hit someone repeatedly very hard punch the clock us to put a card into a special machine to record the times you amive at and leave work:After 17 years of punching the clock, he just disappeared one morning and was mever heard from again.

(1)

What does the word“pump”mean in “He ran in every five minutes to pump me about the case”?

[  ]

A.

Talk with

B.

ask for information.

C.

Listen to

D.

Provide with evidence

(2)

When Sally says“The TV propram kept pumping out commercials”, she may be ________.

[  ]

A.

excited

B.

interested

C.

annoyed

D.

annoyed

(3)

What will the government most probably provide if it is engaged in a pump-priming program?

[  ]

A.

Sums of money

B.

Raw materials

C.

Human resources.

D.

Media support.

(4)

When Sylvia says“His speech was OK but it had no real punch”, she thinks it was not ________.

[  ]

A.

fluent and impressive

B.

logical and moving

C.

informative and significant

D.

interestitng and powerful

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