Question

 English idioms(习语)are widely used,especially in the spoken language. Here are some examples for you. Do you know what they mean? By the skin of your teeth

  If you just succeed in doing something and come very close to failing，people might say you do it "by the skin of your teeth". For example, you pass a test by just a few points or win a match by a little bit.

  Ask for the moon

  If someone tells you not to ask for the moon,they mean you can't ask for something that you cannot get or have，or try for something impossible. On cloud nine

This expression is used to describe how you feel when something good happens to you,such as when you win first prize in a competition，when you get an A in an exam，or when you receive a nice present from your parents which you want to get so much.

  Sick as a dog

  If you are feeling very ill,you may have used this expression. Dogs eat everything they find,which means they may easily get sick. So when people say that you are "sick as a dog"， don't feel strange or even angry because they don't mean to offend(冒犯)you.

  Have your heart in your mouth

  This expression means that you're really scared or nervous about something. The ancient Greek poet Homer used the expression when he wrote the famous poem The Iliad，and people have been using it ever since.

(   ) 1. Which of the following is NOT an example of doing something " by the skin of your teeth"?

A.     You won the first prize in the five-kilometer race,only one second faster than the one right after you.

B.     You were made monitor of your class by 31 votes(选票)to 30.

C.     You passed the English exam very easily since it was not difficult at all.

D.     You caught the train just before it was about to leave.

(   ) 2. When somebody gets a light fever, we say he is      

A. sick as a dog    B. sick as a parrot

C. not well    D. not sick

(   ) 3. When we say a person is "on cloud nine"，he or she will probably be very      

A. sad    B. happy

C. kind    D. smart

(   ) 4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A.     To test how much readers know about the English language.

B.     To encourage readers using English idioms.

C.     To tell readers the meanings of some English idioms.

D.     To tell readers how the above English idioms started being used.

Answer 1

1-4 CCBC    

A篇介绍了五个英语习语。

1. C by the skin of your teeth表"勉强"，"差点就没……"，"好不容易才……"等意思。

2. C sick as a dog的意思是"病得很重"，而gets a light fever表"有点发烧"，所以A项不可取;B项表"很不愉快"之意;D项表"没病"。C项表"不舒服"，符合题意。

3. B因为on cloud nine是在一个人有喜事时用的习语，所以，当用该习语描述某人时，此人一定有喜事，有喜事,此人一定"高兴"。

4. C全文没有特定的语境，而仅仅介绍了五个习语的意思或使用场合,所以只能是介绍它们的意思或用法。而D项started—词的表述在文中找不到依据。