I keep hammering this because I keep seeing people who don’t do it.

1. Look up English to Elvish.

2. Look up the Elvish word in the best Elvish dictionary you have, and, preferably, find out the context（上下文） in Tolkien’s language dictionary.

3. Change the word to suit rules of grammar: singular or plural, mutations, verb tenses, etc.

You cannot leave out any of these steps. If you do, you’re almost certain to have errors. Why you have to do step 2:

Languages never match up one- to-one. English and Elvish are closer than usual, but there are still problems. And English has strange idioms: why are there no baths or beds in public bathrooms or restrooms? You can’t translate literally（逐字地）. You have to understand the meaning behind each word.

In Elvish this is even more true, since our dictionaries contain more or less questionable reconstructions, and words that Tolkien later threw away or replaced. Find the best one you can.

Consider the word “fair”. We tend to use it to mean “just”. Tolkien tends to use it to mean “beautiful”. In Elvish, these are two entirely different words. So when you look up “fair”, you’ll have to go to the Elvish dictionary to see that you’ve got the right one.

Consider the nightmare（噩梦） of He left the bar. Is “left” the opposite of “right” （which also has two meanings） ? Is “bar” extruded steel（型材钢）, or something to do with law? You have to know what words mean in both languages.

And you’d be amazed at how many people ignore step 3, forgetting that language is more than a string of words, and there are rules about how to fit those words together. You can’t simply look up the word “I” and use it everywhere. Sometimes you need “me” or “my”. There’s a reason it takes a while to learn a language: you have to learn the rules.

It drives me completely mad when people give a questionable translation they insist is right because “it’s in the dictionary”. A dictionary is a tool, a resource. but its entries（词目）should not be mistaken for a finished product. They are raw materials.

The underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refers to         .

A. consulting the dictionaries when translating between languages

B. finding out the true meaning in context

C. ignoring the rules of grammar

D. leaving out some of the three steps the author mentions

According to the author, you have to do step 2 because         .

A. you have to understand the meaning behind each word

B. Elvish and English are quite different in forms

C. there are no baths or beds in public bathrooms

D. Elvish has some words which are hard to find

Grammar is also very important because it         .

A. helps fit the words together

B. takes a while to learn a language

C. is a rule to obey

D. is often forgotten in translating

In the last paragraph, the author shows         .

A. his impatience to those who insist their wrong translation is right

B. his puzzle to the questionable translation

C. the importance of the correct use of dictionaries

D. the mistaken entries in the dictionaries

The passage is mainly about how to         .

A. learn a foreign language with a dictionary

B. avoid errors when looking up a dictionary

C. understand the meaning of a strange word

D. use a dictionary to translate between languages

 –Why, Jack, you look so tired!

--Well, I ___the house and I must finish the work tomorrow.

 ----Hi, Tracy, you look tired.

     ----I’m tired. I __________the living room all day.

A. painted       B. had been painting      C. have been painting     D. have painted

Dear daughter,

You are a wonderful person and your mother and I think the world of you. It will not be long before you leave home to make your way in the world. Can I please give you some friendly advice? Here are some things that you should never do.

1. Never Look Down Upon Yourself.

You are great and able to achieve great things so believe in yourself. When things go badly, never stop believing. Some girls get upset, blame themselves and lose self-esteem. All kinds of problems can follow.

2. Never Get Obsessed With Your Appearance.

We think you look great (though some of the clothes you wear worry us!). Please be happy with the person ,you are and the body you have. Eat reasonably, take exercise and be healthy. Some girls show too much concern about losing weight or getting the perfect shape. You look fine.

3. Never Compromise Your Personal Safety.

Never put yourself at serious risk. This means that you cannot trust people until you really know them and that sometimes you have to avoid things that look like they might be fun. Never get drunk or take drugs. Unluckily there are some bad people out there and it is best not to take risks.

4. Never Give Less Than Your Best.

We are very proud of what you have achieved so far. You should be proud too. Keep doing well. Keep trying your hardest at everything you do. No one can ask for more than that.

5. Never Forget That Your Parents Love You.

Whatever happens in life, your family will still be your family. Whatever difficulties you meet with, you can always talk to us and we will try to help. We are here for you.

Why has the father written the letter to his daughter?

  A. To express his love for her.          B. To give her some advice.

C. To tell her what she should do.       D. To help solve her problems.

What does the father think of his daughter’s appearance?

A. He thinks she looks fine although she’s unhealthy. 

B. He is satisfied with the clothes his daughter wears.

C. He thinks his daughter should be happy with her appearance. 

D. He thinks his daughter should lose weight to get the perfect shape.

The father advises his daughter not to __________.

A. ask her parents for help             B. be proud of what she has achieved

C. believe in herself when things go badly     

D. stop trying her hardest at everything she does

What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A. Never do anything funny.         B. Never trust anybody.

C. Never put yourself in danger.      D. Never care about your safety.

--- Why do you look sad?

---There are so many problems ______.