There are three levels of English pronunciation：

　  Level 1：People often don’t understand what you want to say，because you use the wrong sounds．

Level 2：People understand what you want to say，but it is unpleasant to listen to.

Level 3：People understand you，and your English is pleasant to listen to.

Level 3 is called good pronunciation．Notice that good pronunciation is not “perfect American or British accent(口音)．”You don’t have to sound like the Queen of England or the President of the United States of America．

    Why? Because there are many different kinds of English pronunciation .In England，people from Newcastle speak English differently from people in London. In America，people from New York City，California，and Texas each have their own pronunciation. So it is no problem if you have your own accent. But your accent must be close to the standard(标准)（American or British English)．What does that mean? Turn on your TV and watch channels like CNN International，NBC，Euro News or BBC．You will hear many different people (news anchors，reporters，etc．)from Germany，France，and other non-English-speaking countries．They all have good accent ­—easy to understand and pleasant to listen to．

    The rule is：If you are close to the standard，you can always communicate，and your English will sound good．If you are far from the standard，sometimes you won’t be able to communicate successfully．

   1．What is good pronunciation according to the passage?

      A．People can understand you．

      B．You use the right sounds．

      C．You are pleasant to listen to and can communicate successfully．

      D．It means you must have a perfect American or British accent．

2．What can we learn from the third paragraph?

      A．Everybody in Britain speaks English in the same way．

      B．Watching TV is the best way to learn English．

      C．In England，people have different accents．

      D．The Queen of England speaks the best English．

3．Why don’t we have to sound like the Queen of England or the President of the USA?

      A．There are many different kinds of English pronunciation．

      B．The Queen doesn’t speak standard English．

      C．Accent is necessary for good pronunciation．

      D．We should learn English by ourselves．

4．What does the passage mainly talk about?

      A．The three level of English pronunciation．

      B．The different kinds of English．

      C．How to communicate with foreigners．

      D．What good English pronunciation is．

5．What does the author advise?

      A．Have your own accent，but try to be close to the standard．

      B．Try to speak like the President of the United States．

      C．Try to set up your own standard of English．

      D．Learn English from people in different countries．

根据句义及首字母提示完成单词。

1. These are d           animals. Don’t be close to them.

2. Tom b           my dictionary and didn’t return it.

3. His mother is cooking in the k           .

4. We are all here e           John, because he’s ill in bed at home.

5. Please speak l           . I can’t hear you clearly.

6. A UFO l           on Center Street last Sunday.

7. Don’t be n           . There’s nothing wrong with you.

8. Tom , you should put on your clothes by yourself. You aren’t a child a           .

　　Except for a few times, Americans are not big present-givers. There's no exchange of presents among business people, and if one American tries to give another a present, it may look like that he wants to bribe (贿赂) him. Americans have learned that in some other countries people like to give presents to others, but among ourselves we don't see the need for presents.

　　Even friends may never exchange presents. When I go to foreign countries, I try to bring back little things for close friends, but nobody would feel unhappy if I didn't. I don't often remember a friend's birthday, and few people outside of my family remember mine. If someone gave me presents too often, I'd get unpleasant. But a present from a foreigner - that kind from his or her homeland — won't go wrong, except to government employees (政府职员) who can't be given presents.

　　You usually open a present at once and in front of the person who gives it except Christmas and birthday presents. You should only say, "It's so nice. Thanks…" when you get Christmas or birthday presents.

　　You may want to bring a bottle of wine (葡萄酒) or flowers to a dinner party, but you're never asked to. Nobody will mind if you bring wine, but your friend may not use it that evening.

　　At Christmas we often give presents to our family and sometimes our friends. We also give presents to people who have been helpful during the year- doormen, babysitters, housecleaners, newspaper senders— anyone who has often helped us.

(　 )11. What does "close friends" mean in the passage?

　　A. The friends who are very kind.

　　B. The friends who live close to each other.

　　C. The friends who were once classmates.

　　D.　The friends who you like most.

(　 )12. What kind of presents don't Americans usually open in front of the givers?

　　A. The small presents.　　　　　 　 B. Christmas or birthday presents.

　　C.　The expensive presents.　　　　 D.　The presents for dinner party.

(　 )13. Why do Americans also give presents to housecleaners at Christmas?

　　A.　To pay them.　　　　　　　　 B.　To help them.

　　C.　To thank them.　　　　　　 　　 D.　To make them work harder.

(　 )14. Which of the following do you think is right?

　　A. American business people don't want presents because they are rich enough.

　　B. The writer of this passage must be an American.

　　C. Everyone must give presents to one's family and friends at Christmas.

　　D. Government employees can get little presents from a foreigner.

(　 )15. What is the main idea of the passage?

　　A. Present-giving in the United States.

　　B. Customs (习俗) in the United States.

　　C. American people and present-giving.

　　D. When and how to give presents.

Classes resumed (恢复) Thursday for the students of a school in Newtown, Conn, where a gunman last month killed 20 children and 6 adults in the second-largest school shooting in U.S. history.

With their school still being treated as a crime scene, more than 400 students of Sandy Hook Primary School attended classes in neighbouring Monroe.

Returning students, teachers and administrators were met by a large police presence outside their new school. Several officers guarded the entrance and checked IDs of parents dropping off children.

Law-enforcement officers guarding the new school called it “the safest school in America.”

Students found the same chairs and desks, when possible. Their classroom walls were painted the same colours and hung with the same pictures. Other details, such as the location of bookshelves and cubby holes, were replicated (复制) as much as possible.

The school district said parents who wanted to be close to their children were welcome to visit and stay in classrooms or an auditorium.

Newtown superintendent Janet Robinson said officials would do their best to make the students feel at ease.

“We will be doing a normal day.” She said.

1.The students of Sandy Hook Elementary School resumed classes in a new school in Monroe because       .

A．their school fell down because of a natural disaster

B．the government needs to use the land of their school

C．their school is too small to hold more than 400 students

D．a shooting crime happened in their school and it was still treated as a crime scene

2.Why do the law-enforcement officers call the new school “the safest school in America?

A. There are few policemen outside the new school.

B. The school has the newest classrooms and buildings.

C. Any adult who is near the new school needn’t be checked his ID.

D. There are some officers who guarded the entrance of the new school.

3.A lot of things in the new school were replicated as much as possible except       .

A．chairs and desks

B．classroom walls

C．the location of the fans and air conditioners

D．the location of bookshelves and cubby holes

4.“… to make the students feel at ease.” The phrase “feel at ease” most likely means       .

A．feel at home                           B．feel fresh and curious

C．feel happy and lucky                     D．feel safe and relaxed

5.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The students have resumed classes in a new school.

B．A shooting crime happened in an American primary school.

C．The officials will do their best to make the students feel at ease.

D．The school children’s parents are not allowed to stay with their children in school.