网址：http://m.1010jiajiao.com/timu3_id_2966170[举报]
And in this spirit of observing traditional rule, I shall quote Dr Johnson's famous comment that "When two
English meet, their first talk is of the weather", and point out that this observation is as accurate now as it
was over two hundred years ago.
This, however, is the point at which most people either stop, or try, and fail, to come up with a convincing
explanation for the English "addiction" to the weather. They fail because their premise (前提) is mistaken: they
assume that our conversations about the weather are conversations about the weather. In other words, they
assume that we talk about the weather because we have a keen interest in the subject. Most of them then try to
figure out what it is about the English weather that is so fascinating.
Bill Bryson, for example, concludes that the English weather is not at all fascinating, and that our "addiction"
to it is therefore very difficult to explain "To an outsider, the most striking thing about the English weather is
that there is not very much of it. All those phenomena that elsewhere give nature an edge of excitement,
unpredictability and danger-tornados, monsoons, hailstorms-are almost wholly unknown in the British Isles."
Jeremy Paxman takes offence at Bryson's comments and argues that the English weather is truly fascinating:
Bryson misses the point, The interest is less in the phenomena themselves, but in uncertainty.., one of the
few things you can say about England with absolute certainty is that it has a lot of weather. It may not include
tropical cyclones but life at the edge of an ocean and the edge of a continent means you can never be entirely
sure what you're going to get.
My research has convinced me that both Bryson and Paxrnan are missing the point, which is that our
conversations about the weather are not really about the weather at all: English weather-speak is a form of code,
developed to help us overcome our natural reserve (含蓄) and actually talk to each other. Everyone knows, for
example, that "Nice day, isn't it?", "Oh, isn't it cold?"; and other variations on the theme are not requests for
weather data: they are greetings or conversation-starters. In other words, English weather-speak is a form of
"cleaning talk"- the human equivalent of what is known as"social cleaning" among our primate (灵长类的)
cousins, where they spend hours cleaning each other's fur, even when they are perfectly clean, as a means of
social connection.
B. incorrect
C. fascinating
D. accurate
B. whether the English enjoy their weather
C. why the English are so interested in the topic of weather
D. whether the English really talk about weather when they do so
B. convincing
C. respectable
D. unreasonable
B. the English don't talk about weather as often as the outsiders think
C. the English weather can be as exciting as anywhere else's
D. the English weather talk is merely a form of small talk
both _____.
B. means of social connection
C. fascinating topics between people
D. phenomena difficult to understand to outsiders
In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience (经历) four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.
In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.
When you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella (伞)or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.
If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret (后悔) later in the day.
56. Why do people in England often talk about the weather?
A. Because they may have four seasons in one day
B. Because they often have very good weather
C. Because the weather is warm just like in spring
D. Because the sky is sunny all day
57. From the story we know that when _________come, there is a heavy rain.
A. sunshine and snow B. black clouds
C. summer and winter D. spring and autumn
58. "People can also have summer in winter." Means "it is sometimes too ______in winter."
A. warm B. cool C. cold D. rainy
59. In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because ________.
A. their friends ask them to do so B. it often rains in England
C. they are going to sell them D. they are their favourite things
60. The best title (标题)for this passage is ________.
A. Bad Seasons B. Summer or Winter
C. The Weather in England D. Strange English People
查看习题详情和答案>>In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience (经历) four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.
In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.
When you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella (伞)or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.
If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret (后悔) later in the day.
1.Why do people in England often talk about the weather?
A．Because they may have four seasons in one day
B．Because they often have very good weather
C．Because the weather is warm just like in spring
D．Because the sky is sunny all day
2.From the story we know that when _________come, there is a heavy rain.
A．sunshine and snow B．black clouds
C．summer and winter D．spring and autumn
3."People can also have summer in winter." Means "it is sometimes too ______in winter."
A．warm B．cool C．cold D．rainy
4.In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because ________.
A．their friends ask them to do so B．it often rains in England
C．they are going to sell them D．they are their favourite things
5.The best title (标题)for this passage is ________.
A．Bad Seasons B．Summer or Winter
C．The Weather in England D．Strange English People
查看习题详情和答案>>
In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience (经历) four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.
In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.
When you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella (伞)or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.
If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret (后悔) later in the day.
【小题1】Why do people in England often talk about the weather?
| A．Because they may have four seasons in one day |
| B．Because they often have very good weather |
| C．Because the weather is warm just like in spring |
| D．Because the sky is sunny all day |
| A．sunshine and snow | B．black clouds |
| C．summer and winter | D．spring and autumn |
| A．warm | B．cool | C．cold | D．rainy |
| A．their friends ask them to do so | B．it often rains in England |
| C．they are going to sell them | D．they are their favourite things |
| A．Bad Seasons | B．Summer or Winter |
| C．The Weather in England | D．Strange English People |
Part I Listening Comprehension(30 marks)
Directions：In this section, you will hear six conversations between two speakers．For each conversation, there are several questions and each question is followed by three choices marked A, B and C．Listen carefully and then choose the best answer for each question．You will hear each conversation TWICE．
Conversation 1
1．What is the boy doing?
A．Reviewing his lessons in school．
B．Studying at home．
C．Taking the final exam．
2．What will the woman do when she gets home?
A．Help the boy do his homework．
B．Give the boy a present．
C．Check the boy's homework．
Conversation 2
3．What is the woman's reason for not going out with the man?
A．She needs to wash her hair．
B．She isn't feeling well．
C．She needs to have her hair cut．
4．What do we know about the man?
A．He'll see a movie with the woman tomorrow night．
B．He washes his hair every night．
C．He hasn't won the woman's heart yet．
Conversation3
5．How long does the man ask the woman to wait?
A．At least one week
B．At most one week
C．At least one month
6．What will the woman do next?
A．Go to another shop．
B．Wait for the man's call．
C．Try on another pair of boots．
Conversation4
7．Why doesn't Michael have good fiends in his class?
A．They have different interests．
B．His classmates don't have much spare time．
C．It's difficult to get along with his classmates．
8．What does Michael like?
A．Music．
B．Sports．
C．Reading．
9．How did he get to know the boys from the other classes?
A．His neighbors are in those classes．
B．They attend the same club．
C．He has the same teachers with them．
Conversation 5
10．Where is the gas station?
A．To the left．
B．Next to the bank．
C．Across from the post－office．
11．How will the man pay for the gas?
A．By credit card．
B．By cash．
C．By check．
12．What does the woman suggest the man buy?
A．Some postcards．
B．Some souvenirs．
C．A map．
Conversation 6
13．What are the speakers going to do tonight?
A．See a movie．
B．Have a meeting．
C．Attend a party．
14．What kind of food does the woman prefer?
A．Chinese food．
B．Mexican food．
C．American food．
15．What do we know about Tina?
A．She lives in the city．
B．She is a humorous and nice girl．
C．She and the woman went to the same school．
Section B(7.5 marks)
In this section, you will hear a short passage．Listen carefully and then fill in the numbered blanks with the information you have heard．Fill in each blank with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS．
You will hear the short passage TWICE．
Weather in England
Ⅰ．A forever topic
●People often talk about the weather because they can experience 16 in the same day．
Ⅱ．Summer or winter
●You may see the British go 17 in winter and wear 18 in summer．
Ⅲ．Just in case
●They always take an umbrella or 19 with them even when it is 20 ．