In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.
It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
【小题1】Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.

In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.

The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.

It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.

Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.

People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.

1.Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.

A．want to be as rich as their neighbours

B．want others to know or to think that they are rich

C．don’t want others to know they are rich

D．want to be happy

2.It can be inferred (推断) from the story that rich people like to ________.

A．live outside New York City                 B．live in New York City

C．live in apartments                       D．have many neighbours

3.Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ________.

A．an important name                      B．a popular name in the United States

C．his neighbour’s name                   D．not a good name

4.If a person who keeps up with the Joneses, he would _________.

A．do as the poor persons around him do

B．do everything he likes to do

C．do as his neighbours do

D．do as the rich people around him do

Mary never studies grammar．She says that it is ________．

1. A.
   interesting
2. B.
   important
3. C.
   exciting
4. D.
   boring

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Monday morning is an important time at our school. All of the students go to the playground. We listen to music, and we 21 the national flag go up.

　 Usually, one student gives a talk on Monday mornings. One Monday last year, a boy gave the talk. He was 　22 and excited! When I saw him, I wanted to have a try, too.

　 Can I really do it?

　 Last week, our teacher said our class should give the talk. My teacher 　23 me, “I know you want to have a try. Next Monday morning, I want you to give the talk. Go and write something down. 24 for it, I’m sure you’ll do well.”

　 “Thank you.” I answered. It was such a great 25 for me! When I got home, I was excited. I wrote two pages for the talk. I read them again and again. When I read, I asked my parents 26 . I wanted to make my teacher happy.

Finally Monday morning came. I began to feel 27 .

When did I last give a talk to 　28 many people? Never! This was my first time. Could I really 29 it? Maybe I couldn’t finish the talk.

　 When I got to school, we all went out to the playground. I 30 in front of everyone. I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t say anything.

　 “Take it easy,” I said to 31 . “Don’t be nervous. You can do it.”

　 Just then, I looked down at everyone. I saw about 1,000 eyes. They were all looking at me ! I couldn’t 32　 stand up.

　 I took a look at their eyes more carefully. Their eyes seemed to say, “You can do it! Come on! 　33 afraid, just talk!”

　 I took a big breath. Then I began to talk. It wasn’t hard. It was easy.

　 I don’t know 34 I finished my talk, but I tried my best to do it. I felt so good that day. I showed myself 35 everyone what I can do.

21. A. watch　　　　　　　　 B. see　　　　　　　　　 C. notice　　　　　　　 D. look at

22. A. surprised　　　　　　 B. proud　　　　　　　 C. bored 　　　　　 D. careful

23. A. spoke　　　　　　　　 B. asked for　　　　　 C. said to　　　 　 D. showed

24. A. Look out　　　　　　 B. Come on　　　　　 C. Take care　　　　 D. Get ready

25. A. chance　　　　 　　　 B. news　　　　 　 C. time　　　　　　　　 D. message

26. A. to do　　　　　 　 B. to listen　　　　　　 C. to see　　 　　 D. to play

27. A. excited　　　　 　　　 B. happy　　　　　　　 C. nervous　　　　　　 D. surprised

28. A. after　　 　　　 B. such　　　　 　 C. before　　　　　　　 D. so

29. A. do　　　 　 　　B. speak　　　　　　　 C. talk　　　　　 　 D. take

30. A. sat　　 　　 　　　 B. stood　　　　 　 C. jumped　 　　　 D. ran

31. A. me　　　　　　 　 　　 B. myself　　　　　　　 C. my class　　　　　 D. my parents

32. A. be able to　　　　　 B. hardly　　　 　 C. never　　　　 　 D. even

33. A. Not be　　　　 　 B. Don’t 　　　 　　　　C. Don’t be　 　D. Not

34. A. where　　　　　　　　 B. how　　　　　　　　 C. why　　　　　　　　 D. whether

35. A. with　　　　　　　　　 B. at 　　　　　　　　 C. to　　　　　　　　　　 　 D. for