A euphemism (from the Greek words eu--well and pheme--speak) is a word or expression that is used when people want to find a polite or less direct way of talking about difficult or embarrassing topics like death or the bodily functions. Most people, for example, would find it very difficult to say in plain language that they have arranged for their sick old dog to be killed. They would soften the pain by saying：We had Ruby put down or We had Ruby put to sleep. Many people prefer to call someone plain than ugly, or cuddly rather than fat.

Euphemisms are an important part of every language, but it seems that English has an ever-growing number of them. The non-native speaker not only has to make sense of the euphemisms he hears, he also has to learn which euphemisms are appropriate in any particular situation. He might be aware that his American friend needs to use the toilet when she asks where the bathroom (or restroom, or comfort station) is, but he is less likely to guess that his English friend has the same need when he says he has to see a man about a dog. He might have learned, for example, that in the family way is a euphemism for pregnant. If, however, he says to his boss," Congratulations! I hear your wife is in the family way," he would be using an expression that is too familiar for the circumstances.

Schools are full of euphemisms. At Frankfurt International School, for example, the special lessons given to students who are having difficulties in their school subjects are called Study Center (in the middle school) and Academic Workshop (in the high school). Teachers rightly do not want to upset students or parents by being too frank or straight-forward, and usually choose a softer word or expression to convey the same message.

1.According to the passage, people use euphemisms in order to .

A. make themselves understood

B. attract attention

C. to sound straightforward

D. avoid embarrassment

2.A person who is described as plain and cuddly is in fact .

A. tall and handsome B. ugly and fat

C. ugly but tall D. pretty and slim

3.When an English lady says she has to see a man about a dog, she might want to .

A. go to the toilet

B. see an ugly friend

C. have her old dog killed

D. see a pregnant woman

4.The main purpose of Paragraph 2 is to .

A. stress that euphemisms are an important part of every language

B. inform readers that English has an ever-growing number of euphemisms

C. warn English learners to be careful about the meaning and use of euphemisms

D. suggest non-native speakers use euphemisms as often as possible

5.At Frankfurt International School, the students who receive lessons in Study Center .

A. work hard at their lessons

B. do well in school

C. have poor grades in the subjects

D. prefer to learn more

In this age of Internet chat, video games and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition which she won last year.

As a writer, I know about winning contests – and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection letter from the publisher. I also know the pressure of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and destroyed hopes can resurface in our children.

A revelation (启示) came last week when I asked her, “Don’t you want to win again?” “No,” she replied, “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”

I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously (自发地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.

Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept that I was co-opting my daughter’s experience.

While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.

1.What do we learn from the first paragraph?

A. Now many amusements compete for children’s time.

B. Children have lots of fun doing mindless activities.

C. Rebecca is much too busy to enjoy her leisure time.

D. Rebecca often go online for her writing materials.

2.What did the author say about her own writing experience?

A. She was constantly under pressure of writing more.

B. Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers.

C. She didn’t quite live up to her reputation as a writer.

D. Her road to success was full of pain and frustrations.

3.The underlined word “resurface” in Paragraph 2 probably means “______”.

A. recycle B. reappear C. reconsider D. reunite

4.Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?

A. She was confident about her talent in writing.

B. She was sure of winning with her mother’s help.

C. She wanted to share her stories with readers.

D. She had won a prize in the previous contest.

5.The author took great pains to improve her daughter’s stories because _______.

A. she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dreams of becoming a writer

B. she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing

C. she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so much

D. she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance

6.What’s the author’s advice for parents?

A. Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions.

B. Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in.

C. Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience.

D. A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue.

阅读下面短文，并根据短文后的要求答题，然后将答案填入相应的位置上。(请注意答题后的词数要求)。

[1] Are you on Facebook almost every hour of the day? Do you think about being on Facebook even when you are not? If so, you’re suffering from Facebook addiction. Just like any other type of addiction, it can be harmful to a person’s overall life. However, following the few tips can help yourself overcome it.

[2] Admit your addiction to Facebook. Admission is the first step with any addiction. If not, then you can’t be helped. Ask yourself these questions：Are you on Facebook at least every hour? Do you wake up in the middle of the night with the desire to check your Facebook page? Does Facebook interfere with your job performance, family life or daily routine? If you said “yes” to most of these questions, then you could be addicted to Facebook.

[3]List the consequences for using Facebook. Many people don’t realize what negative impact Facebook has on their lives until they make a list. Think about what Facebook addiction is doing to your job, family environment and your overall life and list them all, which helps bring about awareness on what it is really doing to their lives.

[4] ________ . Go under the help section on Facebook and email customer service letting them get your account canceled. For some people this is enough to help them overcome their addiction, but some others may end up turning to some other social networking websites, say, MySpace. In that case, you need to cancel Internet access together.

[5] Seek a professional therapist. Recovering from any addiction can be difficult. Find a therapist specializing in addiction, even better yet someone who is familiar with Facebook addition. The therapist will help you understand where your Facebook addiction stems from and what you can further do to recover from it.

[6] Don’t allow your addiction to Facebook to continue taking over your life and take

action today.

1.How does the author introduce the topic of the passage? (no more than 5 words)

____________________________________________________________________

2.List three aspects Facebook addiction will have a bad effect on. (on more than 8 words)

① ② ③

3.Fill in the blank in Paragraph 4 with proper words. (no more than 6 words)

____________________________________________________________________

4.Why does the author suggest seeking a therapist? (no more than 10 words)

____________________________________________________________________

5.What’s the main idea of the passage?(no more than 8 words)

____________________________________________________________________

请根据以下提示，并结合具体事例，用英语写一篇短文。

Share with others, and sadness will be greatly lessened/reduced while happiness will be doubled.

注意：

①无须写标题；

②除诗歌外，文体不限；

③内容必须结合你生活中的具体事例；

④文中不得透露个人姓名和学校名称；

⑤词数不少于120，如引用提示语则不计入总词数。

— _____ Chinese pianist Lang Lang becomes the first Chinese to be named International Artist of the Year.

—Yes. This is _____historic moment for him.

A. /; theB. A; the

C. The; aD. A; a

Scientists have found _____for oil as fuel. Coal, natural gas, solar power, nuclear power and even water can replace it as sources of energy.

A. consequencesB. substitutes

C. requirementsD. contrasts

It was not until I visited Venice _____it really worthy of the reputation of “the water world”.

A. that I foundB. have I found

C. when I did findD. did I find

How much you are paid _____ how important you are to the company, and you’d better wait for the right occasion to ask for an increase.

A. attachesB. reflects

C. accumulatesD. conducts

Thanks to a South Korean drama currently on air, Man From the Stars, this new mix-match junk food has become popular among young audiences, _____its un­healthy nature.

A. in favor of B. in terms of

C. in need ofD. in spite of

The little girl is walking along the beach, happy and joyful, _____bending down to pick up a beautiful seashell.

A. approximately B. regularly

C. apparentlyD. occasionally