Question

A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished, gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, saying , “You don’t say!” I was puzzled, I thought, perhaps this is not a proper topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic” So I said to him, “Well shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent.” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide, “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world, We are very proud of it.” Soon I was interrupted again by his order “You don’t say!”I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about is?” “Well, I didn’t request you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised .I said , “Didn’t you say you don’t say?” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed into tears .He began to explain, “You don’t say actually means really? It is an expression of surprise .Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.”

Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions

1.A year ago, the writer paid no attention to English idioms because ______________.

A. English idioms were too difficult to master

B. He cared little about the teacher’s emphasis

C. His teacher didn’t emphasize the importance

D. He had no interest in English learning

2.The write happened to meet an Englishman____________.

A. some day B. everyday

C. every day D. yesterday

3.When the writer first heard “You don’t say!” he thought _____________.

A. the Englishman was not interested in his English studies

B. The Englishman was only interested in the Great Wall

C. He has talked too much

D. He had to stop talking at once

4.The underlined word “amusing” means _________.

A. interesting B. important C. terrible D. lucky

Answer 1