It's over three years since I began to learn English. I am glad that I am getting on well with it.

I find English very interesting, but quite difficult. When I first started, I thought I had only to remember the new words and learn some grammar. I know little about English idioms(习语). I thought each English word had a word with the same meaning in Chinese. When I learned to say "I see a book on the desk", I thought the English word "see" was just like the Chinese word "kan". So one day when my teacher asked me, "What are you doing?" I answered, "I'm seeing a book." "That's wrong," the teacher said. "You don't see a book. You read a book. You can't use an English word like a Chinese one. Be sure not to make the same mistake again."

After that I began to pay more attention to the differences between Chinese and English. For example, in English we say a "high mountain", but a "tall man". In Chinese we use the same word "gao" for both. Again in English we say "take part in the sports meeting", "attend a meeting" and "join the army", while in Chinese we can use "can jia" for all the three. It's interesting, isn't it? So to study English doesn't only mean hard work, it can be great fun, too! We not only have to pay attention to pronunciation, grammar, spelling and handwriting, we also have to understand English idioms. We can learn English well only in that way!

But all this is only a beginning and I still have a long way to go. I'll try my best and work even harder than before. I must speak and listen to English more both in and out of class. I must read and write more, too. I must learn English well so that I can work well when I grow up.

1.When I first started learning English, I thought________.

A. I know some English idioms

B. I didn’t have to remember the new words and learn some grammar

C. I had only to remember the new words and learn some grammar

D. each English word couldn't find a Chinese word with the same meaning

2."I'm seeing a book" --- The writer wanted to say_________.

A. I'm looking a book        B. I'm reading a book

C. I'm looking for a book     D. I'm watching a book

3.Which is not true?

A. To study English only means hard work.

B. To pay attention to pronunciation and grammar.

C. To read and write more.

D. To have to understand English idioms.

4.We should speak and listen to English ________.

A. after class   B. after class and in class

C. in class     D. before class

5.Which is the best topic of the passage?

A. How to study English well     B. The importance of English

C. English idioms               D. Do more reading

Tom and Jerry were ______. Last year they travelled in Spain(西班牙). One day they came into a restaurant for lunch. They didn’t know Spanish(西班牙语), and the waiter didn’t know English,_____. They want to have some milk and bread.  At first, Tom said the word “milk”_______times. Then, Jerry _______ it down on the table. _______the waiter could not understand them at all. At last Tom took out _______and began to draw a cow. The waiter looked at it and ran out of (跑出)the restaurant.

    “You are so ________”said Jerry happily, “He understands us at last!” After _______, the waiter came back. He brought no ________ with him, but he ________ two tickets for a bullfight(斗牛赛) in his hand.

1.A.America     B. American        C.Americans        D.Americen

2.A.too          B.either           C.also              D.again

3.A.some        B.much           C.any              D.many

4.A.wrote        B.took            C.made             D.set

5.A.And         B.Then            C.But              D.So

6.A.a paper       B.a piece paper     C.piece of paper      D.a piece of paper

7.A.happy        B. clever          C.nice              D.kind

8.A.sometimes    B.some time        C.sometime         D.some times

9.A.milk         B.cake            C.food              D. money

10.A.hold        B.took            C.carried           D.brought

A year ago，I paid no attention to English idioms (习语), though my teacher told us the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be surprised. Gently shaking his head，shrugging his shoulders, he said，“You don’t say!” “You don’t say!” I was puzzled. I thought , perhaps this is not a right topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic.” So I said to him. “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was wonderful.” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was interrupted (打断) again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn’t ask you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’？” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “ ‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘really!’ It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” I realized I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the English teachers said is always right to us students.

1.A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms because       .

A．I had no interest in them

B．English idioms were very difficult

C．I did not realize the importance of them

D．my teacher didn’t tell us the importance of them

2.At first, on hearing “You don’t say,” I thought the foreigner meant       .

A．I had talked too much

B．I had to stop talking

C．he was not interested in the topic

D．he was only interested in the Great Wall

3.“… was shown in an amusing experience.” The word “amusing” probably means       .

A．interesting        B．important         C．terrible           D．unlucky

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide.

B．The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall.

C．The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it.

D．The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth visiting.

5.After the Englishman explained the idiom, ___________.

A．I felt very silly

B．the Englishman became a real fool

C．I became more carefully in everything

D．I thought the Englishman had made me a fool