English is spoken as a first language by most people in the USA，Britain，Australia，New Zealand，Ireland and Canada. However，English is spoken all over the world. It is the main language in over 60 countries，including India，Singapore and many of the Caribbean and Pacific islands. In these places English is often a second language.

English is also an international language in many other countries，like China and Japan. People in these countries use it for business，and travelers to these countries use English when they get there to communicate. Other people may learn English because they enjoy reading books in English，listening to British or American music or watching American films.

English has changed a lot over the years and still goes on changing. It is no longer right to talk about British English or American English if the speakers come or don’t come from those countries. People in Japan and Korea，for example，may use the American spelling but may not sound like Americans.

English will probably be the most widely used language in the world by the end of the 21st century. This language no longer belongs to British，American or Australian speakers. It belongs to anyone in the world. So，as a middle school student of English today, think about how you can use this language. After you leave school, you will almost certainly need it.

1.In how many countries is English spoken as a first language in the passage?

A. Five.                       B. Four.                                C. Three.                    D. Six.

2.In which other countries is English spoken as a main language?

A. Britain, the USA and Australia.

B. India, Singapore and many of the Caribbean and Pacific islands.

C. China and Japan.

D. New Zealand and Canada.

3. People from other countries learn English for ________.

A. passing exams                                            

B. business and traveling

C. reading English books, enjoying English music or films

D. both B and C

4.Even if people in Japan and Korea use American spelling they ________.

A. will speak the same as Americans                   

B. may not sound like Americans

C. will speak British English                                    

D. will speak English much better

5. Which is the best title for the passage?

A. A First Language in the World                           B. A Second Language in the World

C. English around the World                                  D. A Useful Language

More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment. Maybe that’s why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost!
Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit (受益) from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don’t even have to ride all the way.
Folding (折叠) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.
Health Benefits of Bicycling:
l It helps to prevent heart diseases.
l Bicycling helps to control your weight.
A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.
l Bicycling can improve your mood (心情).
Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.
l Bicycling is healthier than driving.
【小题1】From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming very __________.

What’s language for？Some people seem to think it’s for practicing grammar rules（规则） and learning lists of words --the longer the lists, the better. That’s wrong. Language is for the exchange of ideas and information. It’s meaningless if you can’t use it freely. Many students I have met know hundreds of grammar rules, but they can’t speak correctly or fluently(流利地). They are afraid of making mistakes. One shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes when speaking a foreign language. Native（本土的） speakers make mistakes and break rules, too. Bernard Saw once wrote, “Foreigners often speak English too correctly.” But the mistakes that native speakers make are different from those that Chinese students make. They’re English mistakes in the English language. And if enough native speakers break a rule, it is no longer a rule. What used to be wrong becomes right. So Chinese students should pay attention to grammar, but they shouldn’t overdo(做过头)it. They should put communication(交际)first.

1. Language is used to __________ .

A．express oneself

B．practise grammar rules.

C．talk with foreigners only

D．learn lists of words

2. If too many native speakers break a rule,________ .

A．what they use will become right.

B．they are against the law

C．they should say sorry to others.

D．they will become heroes

3. When we speak a foreign language, we should________ .

A．speak in Chinese way

B．speak by the rules

C．speak to native speakers

D．not be afraid of making mistakes

4.What should Chinese students put first?

A．Language         B．Communication     C．Rules             D．Grammar

Parking has been a problem for drivers for a long time in Taizhou. The Transportation Department(部门) is mapping out a new plan for the city’s parking system. There are about 100 thousand cars on the road inTaizhou but only enough parking space to provide room for 15 percent of these vehicles. It is no wonder that local drivers get so worried trying to find a place to park.
The number of the private(私人的) car owners is becoming lager and larger. In March, the city sent out 1,000 private car licenses, the highest number of licenses ever sent out in a month. And prices rose to over 200 yuan, 500 more than in February. Industry experts(专家) say this suggests that local people have a strong, active interest in buying cars.
By the year 2020, the number of cars in Taizhou will probably reach 200 thousand. If one parking lot is for each car, then a lot of parking space should be built for these vehicles. The center of Taizhou is most short of parking space. However, experts point out that simply building more parking lots in these areas is not practical and doesn’t solve the problem. The idea of “ Park & Ride” system has been suggested. This means that underground train and city train should be developed quickly. Drivers can leave their vehicles in car parks nearby subway(地铁) and bus stations and then they can ride public transport to go to the city center. Based on this idea, the city will cut down the number of parking lots in the city center and need higher parking fees(费用). But it will build more parking areas near main subway and bus stops.
【小题1】The underlined phrase “ mapping out ” in the first paragraph means _____.

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