阅读理解

　　It is sometimes said that the English are polite people. This can make life difficult for foreigners. Suppose a foreign boy asks an English girl to go out with him and she says, “I finish my work, I'll meet you in the cafe at 7 o'clock.” Is she saying “yes” or “no” to his invitation?

　　In grammatical terms, she is using the conditional structure(表示条件的句子). By using the conditional, speakers of English can avoid giving a “yes” or “no” answer to a question. It enables people to be diplomatic(婉转的). If the girl doesn't want to go out with the boy, she won't turn up at the cafe. She will let him understand she is still working, if she wants to go out with him, but doesn't want to appear too easy to catch, she has achieved that with her reply. But in this case, as she uses the first conditional which shows probability, she is quite likely to turn up at the cafe. Being polite can make life very difficult!

　　The conditional is often used by people in the news－politicians, for example－who wish to avoid speaking out their ideas. This is very important if they are on their way to discuss an agreement. No one wants to give away his or her points before he or she starts. A government spokesman might say to a group of workers, “If we could pay you more, we would.” The use of the conditional here makes room for argument although the speaker is using the second conditional form, which shows improbability. So it is unlikely the workers will get their rise.

　　“If” is a small word, which appears often in the English language. It can show politeness, reported speech and conditionals such as the First－probability－if I can come to your party, I will; the Second－improbability－if I saw you tomorrow, I'd give you the book; and the Third－impossibility (meaning it is too late to change something that has happened)－if you have told me, I would have helped you.

1．The using of the conditional can make a speech ________.

[　　]

2．Which of the following is true according to the passage?

[　　]

A．Language used in the news should make room to argue.

B．Usually English girls are not easy to catch.

C．English people never speak out their ideas in public.

D．The word “if” can show different meanings.

3．In the passage, “If we could pay you more, we would.” probably means “________.”

[　　]

A．the workers will make more money

B．the spokesman doesn't give any promise

C．the spokesman keeps his word

D．the workers' problems aren't difficult

4．This passage is mainly talking about ________.

[　　]

A．the conditional in communication

B．how to invite a girl in Britain

C．British people and their life

D．some language points in daily English

　　It is sometimes said that the English are polite people. This can make life difficult for foreigners. Suppose a foreign boy asks an English girl to go out with him and she says, “If I finish my work, I'll meet you in the cafe at 7 o'clock.” Is she saying “yes” or “no” to his invitation?

　　In grammatical terms, she is using the conditional structure. By using the conditional, speakers of English can avoid giving a “yes” or “no” answer to a question. It enables people to be diplomatic. If the girl doesn't want to go out with the boy, she won't turn up at the cafe. She will let him understand she is still working. If she wants to go out with him, but doesn't want to appear too easy to catch, she has achieved that with her reply. But in this case, as she uses the first conditional which shows probability, she is quite likely to turn up at the cafe. Being polite can make life very difficult!

　　The conditional is often used by people in the news－politicians, for example－who wish to avoid speaking out their ideas. This is very important if they are on their way to discuss an agreement. No one wants to give away his or her points before he or she starts. A government spokesman might say to a group of workers, “If we could pay you more, we would.” The use of the conditional here makes room for argument although the speaker is using the second conditional form, which shows improbability. So it is unlikely the workers will get their rise.

　　“If” is a small word, which appears often in the English language. It can show politeness, reported speech and conditionals such as the First－probability－if I can come to your party, I will; the Second－improbability－if I saw you tomorrow, I'd give you the book; and the Third－impossibility (meaning it is too late to change something that has happened)－if you have told me, I would have helped you.

　　注：conditional structure表示条件的句式，avoid避免，diplomatic婉转的，achieve达到，politician政客

1．The using of the conditional can make a speech ________.

[　　]

2．Which of the following is TURE according to the passage?

[　　]

A．Language used in the news should make room to argue.

B．Usually English girls are not easy to catch.

C．English people never speak out their ideas in public.

D．The word “if” can show different meanings.

3．In the passage, “If we could pay you more, we would.” probably means ________.

[　　]

A．the workers will make more money

B．the spokesman doesn't give any promise

C．the spokesman keeps his word

D．the workers' problems aren't difficult

4．This passage is mainly talking about ________.

[　　]

A．the conditional in communication

B．how to invite a girl in Britain

C．British people and their life

D．some language points in daily English

阅读下面对话和短文，根据其内容，选择最佳答案。

    Salesman： $73.07，please.

    Peter： What? Show me the receipt.

    Salesman： Here it is.

    Peter： Look. The price on this shirt is $17. But the receipt says $27.

    Salesman： You are right. The receipt is wrong.

    Peter： And what is the $5.57 for?

    Salesman： That’s for tax（税）.

   1   The $5.57 is for the ___________.

A. tax            B. bags       C. jacket         D. shirt

   2   When did Peter do shopping?

A. On June 17.    B. At noon.    C. On June 25.    D. At night.

    China has three economic areas(经济区): eastern China，central China，and western China.

Shanxi，Gansu，Qinghai，Xinjiang，Ningxia，Sichuan，Chongqing，Yunnan，Guizhou and Tibet

are in western China. It covers 5，385，700 square kilometres，making up 56.4% of Chinese

territory(国土) and is home to 230 million people. It is 23% of China's population.

    The western area is rich in mineral(矿产) and energy resources(能源) (water，coal，sun

energy，and wind power). It also has large grassland，ice and snow resources waiting to be

developed. It is home to many wild animals and plants，and it gives us with important medicinal

resource.

    The Chinese leaders have decided to develop the western area. Jiang Zemin said，“Without

development of the western area，how can we modernize the whole country，and how can China

become an economic power?”

    Since 1949，when the People's Republic of China was founded，it is not the first time for

China to develop its western part. China will make its western area a long-term base for economic

development and use its rich resources to develop economic power.

   3  The territory of western China is _______.

A. as large as that of eastern China

      B. as large as that of central China

C. as large as that of eastern China and central China

D. the largest one of the three areas

4  Do you know why we develop western China?

      A. Because the people of western China are rich

B. Because it has 230 million people

C. Because it makes up 56.4% of Chinese territory

D. Because we will modernize the whole country

5 An economic power means _____.

A. a rich and strong country

B. a large country

C. a country with much more population

D. a large country without economic development

6 What is the best advantage(优势) of West China?   

A. Its rich resources  B. Animals   C. Plants  D. Its economic power

7 What is the best title for the passage?

A. China-a large country           B. Developing Western China

C. Home to wild animals and plants  D. Rich Western China

    One day James came up to Dick and said，“Look，what I’ve found in Mr. Trotter’s rubbish

bin!” It was a piece of paper. On it were test questions for history. “That’s our history paper. I’m

sure of it，” said James，“ It’s in Mr. Trotter’s handwriting.” “Yes，I think so.” said Dick. “ I’ll sell the

paper for $1 to our classmates.” said James. So in the three days he went round the class and sold

the “test paper” to his classmates. James felt happy because he got $40. All the students were

sure that these questions would be in the test paper. The questions were quite difficult so they

had to work hard at preparing them.

    The day for the exam came. Mr. Trotter walked into the classroom. “History test，”he said

and then gave out the test paper. Oh dear! It was different from the paper that James had found.

None of the questions were the same. None of the students did well. James had to give all their

money back to his classmates. Ever since he has never looked in teachers’rubbish bins again.

8  Who wrote the test questions on the paper?

A. Mr. Trotter. B. James. C. Dick. D. The headmaster.

9  In the end，James got _________ from his classmates.

    A. $40      B. $1    C. no money    D. some money

10 Which of the following was true?

A. The question in the paper were quite easy.

B. James never sold the test paper to his classmates.

C. The test paper Mr. Trotter gave out was different from the one James had found.

D. Some students did very well in the history exam.