English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.

However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects (反映) the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible (能看见的); but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

1.Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are

______.

A. clever B. crazy C. azy D. dull

2.According to the passage ______.

A. pineapples are the apples on the pine tree

B. there should be egg in an eggplant

C. sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different

D. boxing rings should be round

3.Which of the following is the correct plural?

A. Beeth. B. Geese. C. Meese. D. Tooth.

4.Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?

A. A wise man and a wise guy.

B. Overlook and oversee.

C. Quite a lot and quite a few.

D. Hot as hell and cold as hell.

Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present. One day, when Paul came out of his office, a boy was walking around the shining car. “Is this your car?” he asked.

Paul answered, “Yes, my brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it cost you nothing? Paul, I wish ...” he hesitated (犹豫).

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul.

The boy said, “I wish that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in surprise. Then he asked, “Would you like to take a ride in my car?”

“Yes, I’d love to.”

After a short ride, the boy said, “Paul, would you mind stopping the car in front of my house?”

Paul smiled. He thought he knew what the boy wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again.

The boy ran into his home. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back. He was carrying his little crippled (残疾的) brother. He seated him down and pointed to the car.

“There it is, Buddy. His brother gave it to him and it cost him nothing. Some day I’m going to give you one just like it.”

Paul lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The older brother sat beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable ride.

1.How did the boy feel when Paul told him about the car?

A. He was excited. B. He was surprised.

C. He was sad. D. He was worried.

2.From the story, what was the boy’s wish?

A. He wished to give his brother a car.

B. He wanted Paul’s brother to give him a car.

C. He wished he could have a brother like Paul’s.

D. He wished Paul could be a brother like that.

3.Why did the boy ask Paul to stop his car in front of his house?

A. He wanted to show his neighbors the big car.

B. He wanted to show he had a rich friend.

C. He wanted to let his brother ride in the car.

D. He wanted to tell his brother about his wish.

4.What can we infer (推断) from the story?

A. Paul couldn’t understand the boy. B. The boy had a deep love for his brother.

C. The boy wished to have a rich brother. D. The boy’s wish came true in the end.

5.What’s the best name of the story?

A. A Christmas Present B. A Crippled Boy

C. A Brother Like That D. An Unforgettable Ride

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