The average person learns most of the 30 000～40 000 words whose meanings he or she recognizes by hearing them or getting familiar with them in the context or simply absorbing them without conscious(意识到的) effort. The best way to build a good vocabulary, therefore, is to read a great deal and to participate in a lot of good talks. There are relatively few words that we learn permanently(永久的)by purposefully referring to dictionaries or keeping word lists. However, even those extra few are of value, and no one will make a mistake by working on developing a larger vocabulary. Here are some suggestions of how to do it.

Read plenty of good books. When you come across a new word, or a new meaning of an old word, stop and see if you can understand it from its context. If you can't, and if you can manage without interrupting the thought of the book too much, look it up in a dictionary or ask somebody and then repeat its meaning to yourself a couple of times. If you are really conscientious(认真的), write the word and its meaning in a personal vocabulary list — preferably using it in a sentence, or you can keep a special vocabulary notebook. Go over the list from time to time. Further, try to use a new word in writing or conversation a few times over the next several days.

Listen to good talks and be alert to new words you hear or to new meanings of words you already know. Then treat them just as you treat the new words you read.

Learn and be alert to the parts of words: prefixes, suffixes and roots. Knowing them enables you to make intelligent guesses about the meaning of words.

If you are studying a foreign language, be alert to words in that language which relate to words in English. English has inherited(继承) or borrowed much of its vocabulary of 500 000～600 000 words from Latin, Greek, French, Spanish and German.

1. When you meet a new word in reading, what should you do?

A. Guess its meaning.                       B. Ask somebody.

C. Look it up in a dictionary.                     D. All of the above.

2. According to this passage, the best way to build a good vocabulary is _______.

A. to remember a lot                          B. to read a great deal

C. to take part in a lot of good talks            D. both B and C

3. The phrase “be alert to” in the third paragraph may best be replaced by “_______”.

A. look at                                        B. pay attention to 

C. write down                                  D. learn by heart

4. In the fourth paragraph, the word “them” refers to _______.

A. the parts of words                          B. prefixes

C. suffixes                                         D. roots

One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently, they are there to file a divorce. Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story.

This couple had been quarreling all their 40 years of marriage nothing ever seems to go right.

It was lunchtime and I walked into a small branch office on the West Side. I had come to   36  a checking account. The only officer on   37  was a fortyish black man, standing   38  a small counter from a young white boy who was wearing a V-necked sweater. I think I was especially   39  of the boy because he looked more like a kid from a prep school than a   40  in a West Side bank.
The boy continued to   41  my attention because of what happened next. He was holding an open savings-account book and   42  an expression of disappointment. “But I don’t understand. I opened the account myself, so why can’t I   43  any money?” the boy said, his voice breaking.
“I know it is, but those are the rules. I’ve already explained to you that a fourteen-year-old is not   44  to withdraw money without a letter from his parents,” the officer explained patiently.
Suddenly I noticed the account had a series of small deposits and withdraws. Then I questioned the officer, “How do you   45  that? Why did you let him withdraw money before, but not now?” He looked   46 . “Because the tellers were not aware of his age before and now they are. It’s really very   47 .” I turned to the boy with a shrug. “You’re really getting   48 ,” I said. “You ought to get your parents to come in here and   49 .” The boy looked destroyed.   50 , he put his savings book in a rear-pocket and walked out of the bank.
The officer turned to me. “You know,” he said, “you really shouldn’t have got   51 .” I couldn’t believe what this idiot was saying. “We were   52  this morning that some neighborhood bully has been shaking down (敲诈) this boy for more than a month. The other guy was   53  him to take money out every week and hand it over. The poor kid was   54  too scared to tell anyone. Anyway, the police are on the case and they’ll probably make a(n)  55  today."
“You mean there is no rule about being too young to withdraw money from a savings account?”
“Not that I ever heard of. Now, sir, what can we do for you?”

All my students in my class knew I was getting married in June and moving out of the state. I was sorry to see the month of June ____【小题1】____; all my students wanted to learn more, They were obviously agitated (不安的) whenever I mentioned it. I was glad they had become ____【小题2】____ of me, but what was wrong? Were they angry about me ____【小题3】____ the school?
On my ____【小题4】____ day of class, the headmaster greeted me as I entered the building. "Will you come with me, please?" he said ____【小题5】____. "There’s a problem ____【小题6】____ your classroom." He looked straight ahead as he ____【小题7】____ me down the hall. "I'm going to leave the school tomorrow, but what now?” I wondered.
It was ____【小题8】____! There were bouquets (束) of flowers in each corner, on the students' desks, and on my desk. "How could they have done this?" I____【小题9】____. Most of them were so poor that they ____【小题10】____ the school assistance program for some ____【小题11】____ and enough meals.
I started to cry, and all my students ____【小题12】____ me.
Later I learned how they had succeeded doing it. Mark, who worked in the ____【小题13】____ shop on weekends, had seen ____【小题14】____ from several of my other classes. He mentioned them to his classmates. Too proud to ever again wear an insulting（侮辱的) label like " ____【小题15】_____ ", Mark ____【小题16】____ his boss for all the "tired" flowers in the shop. Then he called funeral parlors(殡仪馆) and ____【小题17】____ that his class needed flowers for a teacher who was leaving. They ____【小题18】____ to give him bouquets saved ____【小题19】____ each funeral.
That was not the only present they gave me, ____【小题20】____. Two years later, all fourteen students graduated, and six earned college scholarships.

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.

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

A. Japanese               B. Americans                      C. our classmates             D. French people

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

A. it is polite to stop a foreigner to talk with him in the street

B. it is polite to interrupt foreigners in a conversation

C. it is impolite to interrupt a foreigner when he or she is on business

D. it is impolite to help a foreigner find his way

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

A. Where are you going?                                      B. Have you ten your dinner?

C. Can you help me with my English?               D. Nice to meet you.

69. The writer suggests to us that we should ______.

A. follow the foreigners when we meet them in the street

B. talk with a foreigner in an accepted way

C. have a meal with foreigners in a restaurant

D. move to a place where a foreigner lives

70. This passage comes from a newspaper in column ________.

A. Sports                    B. Health                    C. Language                       D. Business