Years ago I worked at a factory in a small country. Every day I got up very early and often did much extra work at night. I was so tired and exhausted. My whole life was hopeless. Then one day I read the following article from a magazine:

“A woman went to live with her husband in camp on the Mojave Desert (沙漠) during the war. She simply hated the place: the heat was almost unbearable, 125 degrees in the shade, the wind blew incessantly(不停地), and there was sand --- sand everywhere. Finally, in desperation (不顾一切地) she wrote to her parents in Ohio that she couldn’t stand it another minute and was coming home.”

Quickly came the reply by airmail from her father --- just two lines:

Two men looked out from prison bars. One saw the mud; the other saw stars.

The daughter did some real thinking, not only with the intellect (思维) but also with her heart. She decided to stick to her post.

She made friends with the natives, learned to love the country, and finally wrote a book about it.

The desert hadn’t changed, but her attitude had. Because she listened with her heart to the words her father sent, a whole new world opened up to her.

A change of attitude could change everything.

After reading the article, I was deep in thought.

1.The underlined word “unbearable” means _______ in Chinese.

A. 难以想象的 B. 难以克服的 C. 难以忍受的 D. 难以置信的

2.After she received her father’s reply, the woman _______.

A. went back home B. was coming home

C. decided to stay there D. decided to go back home with her husband

3.From her father’s reply, we can infer (推断) that _______.

A. two men looked out from prison bars

B. one man was in prison and the other was out of prison

C. two men were out of prison

D. Her parents wanted her to stay there with her husband

4.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A. A woman went to live with her husband in a big city.

B. The woman finally made friends with the natives.

C. She wrote to her parents that she was coming home.

D. The woman received her father’s reply by airmail.

5.The main idea of this passage is that ______.

A. a woman went to live with her husband in camp

B. the desert hadn’t changed, but her attitude had

C. the daughter’s parents wanted her to stay with her husband

D. a change of attitude could change everything

What is language for? Some people seem to think it’s for practising grammar rules and learning long lists of words. That’s wrong! Language is for the exchange of ideas and information. It’s meaningless knowing all about a language if you can’t use it freely.

Many students I have met know hundreds of grammar rules, but they can’t speak correctly or fluently. They are afraid of making mistakes. One shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes when speaking a foreign language. Native speakers make mistakes and break rules, too. Bernard Shaw once wrote, “Foreigners often speak English too correctly.” But the mistakes that native speakers make are different from those that Chinese students make. They’re English mistakes in the English language. And if enough native speakers break a rule, it’s no longer a rule. What used to be wrong becomes right.

People not only make history, but also they make languages. But they can only make their own language. They can’t create another language. So Chinese students should pay attention to the grammar, but they shouldn't overdo it. They should put communication first.

1.What is language for?

A. For practising grammar rules. B. For learning lists of words.

C. For the exchange of ideas and information. D. All above.

2.Generally, when an American or an Englishman speaks English, he ________.

A. never makes mistakes B. hardly makes mistakes

C. can’t avoid making mistakes D. always makes mistakes

3.“Foreigners often speak English too correctly.” This sentence means that ________.

A. foreigners speak correct English

B. foreigners speak incorrect English

C. foreigners speak English just following the grammar rules

D. foreigners never make mistakes when they speak English

4.If too many native speakers break a rule, _______.

A. what they use will become right B. they are against the law

C. they should say sorry to others D. they will become heroes

5.What is best title for the passage?

A. Making languages B. Grammar and Vocabulary

C. Communication first D. Native speakers’ mistakes

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