Today we tell about the expression “down to earth”．Down to earth means being open and honest．It is easy to deal with someone who is down to earth．Such people could be important members of society, but they do not consider themselves to be better than others who are less important．They do not let their importance “go to their heads.” Someone who lets something go to his head feels he is better than others．He has a “big head.”
A person who is filled with his own importance and pride is said to have “his nose in the air．”Often the person who has a big head and his nose in the air has no reason to feel better than others．
Americans use another expression that is similar in some ways to down to earth---“both feet on the ground.” Someone with both feet on the ground is a person with a good understanding of reality．She has what is called “common sense.” She does not allow her dreams to block her understanding of what is real．
The opposite kind of person is one who has his “head in the clouds.” Someone with his head in the clouds is a person whose mind is not on what is happening in real life．Such a person may be called a “daydreamen.”
The person who is down to earth usually has both feet on the ground．But the opposite is not always true．Someone with both feet on the ground may not be as open and easy to deal with as someone who is down to earth．
When we have both our feet firmly on the ground，and when we are down to earth，we do not have our noses in the air．We act honestly and openly to others．And our lives are like the ground below up—solid and strong．

1.
He who considers himself to be better and more important than others is likely to______.
1. A.
  have his head in the clouds
2. B.
  be easy to deal with
3. C.
  have a “common sense”
4. D.
  have “a big head”
2.
Which of the following expressions is similar to “down to earth”?
1. A.
  “his nose in the air”
2. B.
  “go to his head”
3. C.
  “both feet on the ground”
4. D.
  “daydreamer”
3.
The passage is mainly about______.
1. A.
  some popular American expressions
2. B.
  how to be down to earth
3. C.
  why to be honest and open
4. D.
  how to deal with someone who is down to earth

It all starts with a tree．In fact, it starts with several trees．Since the first modern guitars were made in northern Spain over 150 years ago, crafts persons have known the wood to be used is important in making a guitar.
Every guitar is made of several different kinds of wood．Each piece is carefully chosen and then cut to fit the part of the guitar for which it is designed．The most important part of a guitar is the soundboard--the piece of wood with a large hole that lies under the strings(弦,线)．Guitar makers are careful to make the soundboard just the right shape and thickness．Then they fix stripes（长条）of wood across the inside in a special pattern, which helps strengthen the soundboard and improves the tone of the guitar.
Wood for the curvy (弯曲的) sides of the guitar must be soaked (浸湿) in water and bent over a hot iron pipe．When all the pieces of the guitar are ready, they are carefully stuck together with glue．Special woodworking tools are used to shape and smooth the neck of the guitar．The craftsperson must make sure that the neck is perfectly centered over the soundboard.
Then it is time to use varnish(亮光漆)．This brings out the beauty of the wood．Varnish also improves the sound of the guitar but too much varnish makes the guitar sound flat and dull.
Finally guitar strings are attached and tightened to make just the right musical tones．Then it’s time to play a song．(273 words)

1.
The best title for this passage may be______.
1. A.
  How to Make a Guitar
2. B.
  What a Guitar Is Made of
3. C.
  How to Play the Guitar
4. D.
  Where to Find the Best Guitar
2.
In order to make the soundboard strong,______.
1. A.
  people tie strings to the top of it
2. B.
  stripes are stuck across the inside of wood
3. C.
  a large hole is made in it
4. D.
  several pieces of wood are glued together
3.
Which of the following doesn’t affect the sound of a guitar?
1. A.
  Soundboard
2. B.
  strings
3. C.
  neck
4. D.
  color
4.
What will happen to the guitar if too much varnish is used to the wood?
1. A.
  The beauty of the wood can’t be seen clearly
2. B.
  The sound of the guitar will be flat and dull
3. C.
  The tone of the guitar will be improved
4. D.
  A guitar will become thin

A friend and I were standing in line at the grocery store the other day, and I was telling her how lazy my children were．I had come in from work that morning, and like most times, my house was wrecked.
“I believe children nowadays are just out for what they can get．They can never help keep our house clean.” I said, feeling unhappy.
“Do you know how happy you are?” a woman behind us asked．“I would love to go home and find my house a mess．I wouldn’t mind my floor being dirty．Nor would I mind the dirty clothes being piled high．I wouldn’t even mind anyone talking about my dirty home．I would love it．I would love to kick my way through the house just to get to my kids and be able to hug them, kiss them and tell them how much I love them．You see, my two children were killed in an accident． My house stays clean; my clothes stay put up; the dishes are done.”
“There are no fingerprints on my walls．There are no sounds of arguing, either．So you see, you are very lucky．I would give anything to be going through what you are now! How I’d love to be able to hold my kids, wipe away their tears and share their dreams! I wouldn’t care how my house looked．I would be happy just to have them.”
Now if you come into my house and see a big mess, you can think bad thoughts if you want, but I feel greatly blessed.(268 words)

1.
The writer was complaining about her children to her friend because they ____
1. A.
  would go out without permission
2. B.
  couldn’t keep the house clean
3. C.
  made her look dirty and bad
4. D.
  were too lazy to hug or kiss her
2.
My house was wrecked in the first paragraph means my house _____
1. A.
  was very dirty
2. B.
  was broken into
3. C.
  needed to be painted
4. D.
  looked beautiful
3.
What is the main idea of the passage?
1. A.
  Children shouldn’t be left home alone
2. B.
  A mother lost her children in an accident
3. C.
  People should be thankful for what life gives
4. D.
  A mother complained about the mess at her house

San Francisco, a leader in urban recycling, is preparing to turn dog waste into energy.
Norcal Waste System Inc., the city’s largest garbage company, plans to test collection carts(回收车)and collection bags in a city-center park which is popular with dog walkers.
A city study found that almost 4 percent of all the garbage picked up at San Francisco homes was from animal waste, Norcal Waste spokesman Robert Reid said. San Francisco has about 120,000 dogs.
“The city asked us to start a program to recycle dog waste in order to cut back adding more waste in landfills(废渣埋填池) “,Reid said.
Dog waste will be poured into a methane digester(沼气池),and the methane it gives off will be collected and burned to make electricity or to heat homes.
“Dogs and cats in the United States produce about 10 million tons of waste a year,” Will Brinton, an environmental scientist said.
“As much as we love them, our pets leave a lot of fertilizer behind them in yards and on the street but that can be a major source of contamination of groundwater,” Brinton said.
European cities such as Zurich, Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna are starting biology programs to turn waste into gas ,he said.
San Francisco runs a great program to recycle bottles, cars, paper and other rubbish and now two-thirds of its garbage needn’t be carried to landfills .The city’s goal is a 75 percent drop by 2010 and zero new waste in landfills by 2020.

1.
San Francisco will plan to use dog waste for making __________.
1. A.
  fertilizer
2. B.
  gas
3. C.
  electricity
4. D.
  methane
2.
What does the underlined word “ contamination” mean?
1. A.
  Increase
2. B.
  Reduction
3. C.
  Flow
4. D.
  Pollution
3.
What can we infer from the passage?
1. A.
  San Francisco is short of electricity
2. B.
  San Francisco has done a lot of in rubbish recycling.
3. C.
  Fewer people will keep dogs as pets in San Francisco
4. D.
  There will be no rubbish by 2010 in San Francisco
4.
The passage is mainly about_______.
1. A.
  San Francisco ‘s new policy for pet keepers
2. B.
  San Francisco ‘s new plan for recycling
3. C.
  how to keep a city clean
4. D.
  how to deal with rubbish

There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
This was an age before telephones.Someone was delivering a message.When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration.His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his
door.His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(碎片,片段).
This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone.
The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them.But marc damaging may be the cell phone’s disruption of our thoughts.
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development." I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.
The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication.Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the
globe.We came to take it for granted.
But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves.Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished.Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented.
But we don't and won't, and there really is no need.All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it.
In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones.Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later.
A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us.Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie.But most likely it is not, and I'm better
off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I’ll eat for lunch.

1.
What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?
1. A.
  To direct readers' attention to the main topic.
2. B.
  To show how important inspiration is to a poet.
3. C.
  To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cell phone.
4. D.
  To encourage readers to read the works of this poet.
2.
What does the writer thinks about people telling "white lies" about their cell phones?
1. A.
  It is a way of signaling that you don-t like the caller.
2. B.
  It is natural to tell lies about small things.
3. C.
  It is basically a good way to protect one's privacy.
4. D.
  We should feel guilty when we can't tell the truth.
3.
According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?
1. A.
  People get so bothered by the cell phone rings that they fail to notice anything else.
2. B.
  People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cell phones.
3. C.
  Cell phones interrupt people’s private time.
4. D.
  With cell phones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.
4.
What does the underlined word “contempt” probably mean?
1. A.
  Habit.
2. B.
  Disrespect.
3. C.
  Like.
4. D.
  Value.
5.
What does last paragraph suggest?
1. A.
  A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.
2. B.
  Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.
3. C.
  You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cell phone.
4. D.
  Never let cell phones interfere too much with your life.

Sea turtles come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. The shell of each sea turtle species is different in length, color, shape and the arrangement of the scales（鳞片）.
Sea turtles do not have teeth but use their jaws （下巴）to eat. Their sense of smell is excellent. Their eyesight underwater is good, but they have near-sighted eyes out of water. Their special bodies make them adapt to life at sea. However, sea turtles maintain（保持） close ties to land.
Female sea turtles have to go to the seaside to lay their eggs in the sand; therefore, all baby sea turtles begin their lives on land. Most research on sea turtles has been focused on female turtles nesting and the baby sea turtles in the nest, largely because they can be found most easily. After decades of studying sea turtles, much has been learned about. However, many mysteries（谜） still remain.
Researchers do not yet know how long baby turtles spend in the open sea, or exactly where they go. People believe they spend their earliest years floating in the sea, where they do little more than eat and grow. Once turtles reach dinner-plate size, they appear at feeding grounds in waters near the shore. They grow slowly and take between 15 and 50 years to grow old enough to bear baby sea turtles, depending on the species. There is no way to know the age of a sea turtle from its physical appearance. It is believed that some species can live for over 100 years.

1.
Which of the following statements is NOT true about sea turtles?
1. A.
  They don’t use teeth to eat.
2. B.
  They have a good sense of smell.
3. C.
  Sea turtles are more adaptable to life at sea.
4. D.
  Different species have different shells.
2.
The underlined phrase “near-sighted eyes” in the second paragraph means_____.
1. A.
  good eyesight
2. B.
  bad eyes
3. C.
  excellent eyes
4. D.
  poor eyesight
3.
Which of the following questions is answered in the text?
1. A.
  Why do female turtles lay eggs on land?
2. B.
  Why can’t people tell how old a sea turtle is from its appearance?
3. C.
  Where do the baby turtles usually go?
4. D.
  Do sea turtles grow very fast?
4.
What would be the best title for the text?
1. A.
  Mysteries About Sea Turtles
2. B.
  Baby and Female Sea Turtles
3. C.
  The Growth of Different Sea Turtles
4. D.
  The Characteristics（特点） of Sea Turtles

I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call.My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA Company.Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets.It had rained in the night and water was dropping from the bare trees that lined the street.I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat.
There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask.I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead.The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant.
Then suddenly I found what I was looking for.There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street.Next to it was the town’s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint.I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside.He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat.I could not see his face and he didn’t raise his head at the sound of my footsteps.
Carefully, I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait for my turn.It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the box call door.

1.
At what time was the story set?
1. A.
  An early winter morning.
2. B.
  A cold winter afternoon.
3. C.
  An early summer morning.
4. D.
  A windy summer afternoon.
2.
Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?
1. A.
  Cold and frightening.
2. B.
  Dirty and crowded.
3. C.
  Empty and dead.
4. D.
  Unusual and unpleasant.
3.
The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph means _____..
1. A.
  rushing out suddenly
2. B.
  shining brightly
3. C.
  flowing slowly in drops
4. D.
  appearing slowly
4.
Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?
1. A.
  He was annoyed at being seen by the writer.
2. B.
  He was angry at being disturbed by the writer.
3. C.
  He was probably fast asleep.
4. D.
  He was probably murdered.

Don’t you think it interesting that there were strange coincidences(巧合) in the deaths of President Kennedy and President Lincoln? For example, John Kennedy was elected president in 1960 while Abraham Lincoln in 1860, between which was a hundred years. Both men were killed from behind, on black Friday , and with their wives on the spot. The two men were born exactly one hundred years away, as were their murderers, Lee Oawald and John Booth. Perhaps the strangest coincidence is that President Kennedy’s secretary , whose name was Lincoln, advised the president not to go to Dallas, where the president was shot. President Lincoln’s secretary, named Kennedy, advised the president not to go to the Ford Theatre, where the president met his death.

1.
When President Lincoln and President Kennedy were killed, their wives were_______.
1. A.
  at the cinema
2. B.
  at home
3. C.
  behind them
4. D.
  with them
2.
“Black Friday” means that ________.
1. A.
  the American used to be in black on the two Fridays.
2. B.
  the two Fridays saw sad happenings
3. C.
  it was dark when the two men were killed
4. D.
  it was cloudy when the two men were killed
3.
Which of the following statements is true?
1. A.
  Lincoln’s death had something to do with Kennedy’s
2. B.
  There were one hundred years between the two presidents’ deaths
3. C.
  There were one hundred years from Lincoln’s taking office to Kennedy’s
4. D.
  The two secretaries were born on the same day

Students often want to practice their English outside class. One of the best ways to practice your English is to speak to a foreigner. You may ask, “Is it okay to try to talk to foreigners I see in the street?”
The answer is yes and no, but probably no! If you see a foreigner who looks lost, it is polite to ask him, “May I help you?” But, otherwise, you should probably let them get on with their business. Situations, however, do exist where it is quite all right to talk to foreigners. If a foreigner enters your school, classroom, office, shop or restaurant, for instance, feel free to ask him (for example):
— What is your name?
— Where do you come from?
— What do you think of Beijing?
— How long will you stay in Beijing?
There are also situations where it's okay to talk to foreigners in public places. If you see a foreigner alone in a restaurant, bar or coffee shop, it may be appropriate to ask him or her:
— Is this seat free?
— Do you mind if I talk to you in English?
You can probably help them if they are new in China and if they are alone, you may be able to make them feel more welcome.
After a few such questions, you should know whether this person wants to talk to you or not. If they ask you similar questions, or if they give long, informative answers, you're in luck. If not, then give them their privacy. Talking to strangers is fun if you choose the right time and place.

1.
It is the best way to practice your spoken English with ______.
1. A.
  Japanese
2. B.
  Americans
3. C.
  our classmates
4. D.
  French people
2.
From the second paragraph we can get to know that ______.
1. A.
  it is polite to stop a foreigner to talk with him in the street
2. B.
  it is polite to interrupt foreigners in a conversation
3. C.
  it is impolite to interrupt a foreigner when he or she is on business
4. D.
  it is impolite to help a foreigner find his way
3.
When you first meet a foreigner, you should say “_______”
1. A.
  Where are you going?
2. B.
  Have you ten your dinner?
3. C.
  Can you help me with my English?
4. D.
  Nice to meet you.
4.
The writer suggests to us that we should ______.
1. A.
  follow the foreigners when we meet them in the street
2. B.
  talk with a foreigner in an accepted way
3. C.
  have a meal with foreigners in a restaurant
4. D.
  move to a place where a foreigner lives
5.
This passage comes from a newspaper in column ________.
1. A.
  Sports
2. B.
  Health
3. C.
  Language
4. D.
  Business

A press report stating that Microsoft has restarted talks to buy Yahoo's search business for 20 billion U. S. dollars. "It has no basis in fact," the San Francisco Chronicle said on Monday.
The Times of London reported on Sunday that the deal under discussion would put former AOL CEO Jonathan Miller and Ross Levinsohn, a former president of Fox Interactive Media, in charge of Yahoo. The report also said executives (管理人员) at both companies had agreed to the broad terms of a deal.
In fact, there are no current talks between the two companies. The Chronicle quoted an executive at one of the firms who requested his name to be kept secret as saying. Furthermore, the 20-billion-dollar price mentioned in the Times of London article for Yahoo's search business appears questionable given that the market capitalization (资本总额) for all of Yahoo is 16 billion dollars, said The Chronicle.
Yahoo and Microsoft had had on-again, off-again talks over several months earlier this year about a 47. 5-billion-dollar takeover, and later a proposal focused only on Yahoo's search business. Discussions regarding both plans collapsed without an agreement.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said repeatedly that he is no longer interested in buying all of Yahoo, but that he is open to some sort of partnership involving their respective search businesses.
Brad Williams, a Yahoo spokesman, said Sunday "We don't comment on rumors." Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesman, declined to comment.
Yahoo's shares have plummeted since Microsoft withdrew its 33-dollar-a-share acquisition offer earlier this year, leaving people to think that discussions would eventually be restarted. Yahoo's shares closed Friday at 11. 51 dollars, nearly one-third of the original offer.

1.
1. From this passage, we can know that ______.
1. A.
  Microsoft has given up buying all of Yahoo but its search business
2. B.
  Microsoft has already taken over the whole company of Yahoo
3. C.
  the market capitalization for all of Yahoo is over $ 20 billion
4. D.
  the market capitalization for all of Microsoft is only $ 6 billion
2.
2. What is the author trying to convince readers of in the third paragraph?
1. A.
  Yahoo and Microsoft are talking about takeover.
2. B.
  Microsoft is buying Yahoo’s search businesses for $ 20 billion.
3. C.
  Yahoo would like to sell its search businesses to another company.
4. D.
  There are no current talks between Yahoo and Microsoft.
3.
3. What does the underlined word “plummet” in the passage most probably mean?
1. A.
  develop rapidly
2. B.
  increase quickly
3. C.
  fall quickly
4. D.
  keep balanced
4.
4. You can find this passage most probably in ______ .
1. A.
  an entertainment website
2. B.
  an economical newspaper
3. C.
  a sports magazine
4. D.
  a biological dictionary

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He who considers himself to be better and more important than others is likely to______.

Which of the following expressions is similar to “down to earth”?

The passage is mainly about______.

The best title for this passage may be______.

In order to make the soundboard strong,______.

Which of the following doesn’t affect the sound of a guitar?

What will happen to the guitar if too much varnish is used to the wood?

The writer was complaining about her children to her friend because they ____

My house was wrecked in the first paragraph means my house _____

What is the main idea of the passage?

San Francisco will plan to use dog waste for making __________.

What does the underlined word “ contamination” mean?

What can we infer from the passage?

The passage is mainly about_______.

What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?

What does the writer thinks about people telling "white lies" about their cell phones?

According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?

What does the underlined word “contempt” probably mean?

What does last paragraph suggest?

Which of the following statements is NOT true about sea turtles?

The underlined phrase “near-sighted eyes” in the second paragraph means_____.

Which of the following questions is answered in the text?

What would be the best title for the text?

At what time was the story set?

Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?

The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph means _____..

Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?

When President Lincoln and President Kennedy were killed, their wives were_______.

“Black Friday” means that ________.

Which of the following statements is true?

It is the best way to practice your spoken English with ______.

From the second paragraph we can get to know that ______.

When you first meet a foreigner, you should say “_______”

The writer suggests to us that we should ______.

This passage comes from a newspaper in column ________.

1. From this passage, we can know that ______.

2. What is the author trying to convince readers of in the third paragraph?

3. What does the underlined word “plummet” in the passage most probably mean?

4. You can find this passage most probably in ______ .

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