—Are you a student?

—No, but I________.

A. used to　 　B. used　　　 C. used to be　 D. used to was

When I first began to work with international students, I asked someone at a lunch, “What brings you here today?” Looking at me like I was a bit crazy, he answered, “ The bus.” That was my first realization that no matter how good a speaker is, there are phrases that will always tend to cause confusion to non-native speakers. These idiomatic phrases(惯用语) add color and interest to any language and are worth learning if you want to talk fluently with native speakers.

“By no stretch”----The speaker is referring to something that’s very hard to achieve or realize, even with great effort, as in “It was not a good meal, by any stretch of the imagination.” Which means that ______________.

“Half dead”----An expression of extreme tiredness, having nothing to do with actual health. Commonly used at the end of a long and tiring day.

“By the book”----This means that an action should follow the rules exactly. It also describes the nature of someone who won’t deviate(背离) from a set of rules no matter what the situation is.

“More power to you”----This isn’t a wish for you to have better electricity from the power company----it’s a statement, usually slightly ironic(讽刺的), that the speaker thinks that you are unlikely to do a task, but you should try if you think you can complete it. It generally means the speaker has no intention of helping you achieve your goal neither will they discourage you from attempting to reach it. For example, “I don’t think you can meet that deadline, but more power to you.”

“As easy as pie”----A reference that something is as simple or easy as eating a delicious dessert, or that it requires little effort to successfully achieve. In chatting, this phrase does not refer to the process of cooking or eating.

1.The example given by the author in the first paragraph is used to show__________.

2.According to the passage, which of the following would be proper to fill in the blank in Paragraph 2?

3.If someone says he is half dead, he means____________.

4.If a person daren’t do things in a creative way, you may describe him by using “__________”.

Growing up on a tobacco farm, Emma Avery was used to hard times. When she was seven, her family’s farmhouse burned to the ground. Her father made a temporary (临时的) shelter, where eight people had to sleep in two beds. As soon as Emma and her four brothers and two sisters were big enough, they were out in the fields.

     Emma would find her comfort in school, even as a C student, thanks to one teacher. When she moved on to middle school, Emma was alarmingly far behind her classmates. She kept her head down, trying not to be noticed, struggling to catch up, and feeling like an outsider.

     Then one day, when Emma was 16, a teacher named Mr. Potts changed everything. Looking his students in the eye, Mr. Potts said, "Being a C student does not mean you do not have a valuable contribution to make. Some of you have to work in the fields in the evening and do not have time to study. But if you do your best, you have a gift to give."

     The teacher’s words made Emma believe she could do well, and she worked harder. In the end she won a scholarship to St. Paul’s College, graduated with a degree in elementary education in 1967, and got a job in the public-school system. Then, at George Washington University, she received a master’s in education in 1970, and afterwards in the same year she married Ron Smothers.

     Over the next six years, Emma taught in public schools in Miami. In 1976, after saving $10,000, she opened her first restaurant in Los Angeles. Eventually Emma stopped teaching, and her business expanded (扩展) to six restaurants.

     In gratitude (感激) for what she has been able to achieve, Emma donates a lot. She has no idea how much money she’s given away. She says, "Those I want to help are the C students who just need help, direction and confidence."

1.The first paragraph serves to show that Emma ______.

A．was poor and had no time to study          B．was born on a tobacco farm C．was sad to lose her house D．was kind enough to help support the family

2.From the text we learn that Emma ______.  

A．won a scholarship to George Washington University                 B．was unsuccessful as a businesswoman C．was thankful to Mr. Potts             D．disliked teaching, and gave up the job

3.From the second paragraph we can infer that Emma was ______.

A．unintelligent       B．unconfident        C．hard-working       D．Considerate

4.The text mainly wants to tell us ______.

A．confidence is the first step to success        B．memory of the past is the teacher of the future C．something attempted, something done       D．nothing is impossible to a willing heart