"How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly way that people in the
U.S.A greet each other. But "How are you?" is also a very unusual question. It's a
question that often doesn't need an answer. The person who asks "How are you?"
hopes to hear the answer"Fine", even if the person's friend isn't fine.The reason
is that "How are you?" isn't really a question and "Fine"isn't really an answer.
They are simply other ways of saying"Hello"or "Hi".
　　Sometimes, people also don't say exactly what they mean. For example,
when someone Asks "Do you agree?", the other person might think, "No, I
disagree. I think you're Wrong..."But it isn't very polite to disagree so strongly,
so the other person might say"I'm not sure." It's a nicer way to say that you don't
agree with someone.
　　People also don't say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking
with other people.For example, many talks over the phone finish when one
person say "I've to go now."Often,the person who wants to hang up gives and
excuse:"Someone's at the door.""Something is burning on the stove."The excuses
might be real,or not. Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply doesn't
want to talk any more,but it isn't polite to say that. The excuse is more polite,and
it doesn't hurt the other person.
　　Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an idea, of finishing a
talk, people don't say exactly that they are thinking. It's an important way that
people try to be nice to each other, and it's part of the game of language.

1. When a person in America asks"How are you?", he or she wants to hear
"        "

A. How are you?
B. Hello
C. I don't know.
D. Fine

2. When a person disagree with someone, it is polite to say"        "

A. You are wrong.I disagree.
B. I'm not sure.
C. I'm sure I disagree.
D. No, I disagree.

3. A polite way to finish talk is to say"       "

A. You have to go now.
B. I want to hang up.
C. I have to go now.
D. I don't want to talk any more.

4. When a person says"I've to go now. Someone's at the door.", the person may
be         .

A. giving an excuse
B. hurting someone's feeling
C. ill
D. asking you a question

5. The rule of the game of language is probably       .

A. "Always say what you mean"  
B. "Don't disagree with people."
C. "Never say exactly what you're thinking."    
D. "Be polite."

Dear Jack, 　　
     How are you? I have been in the USA for six months. I like the life here. I have a few friends. I don't have
much homework. There are a lot of sports at my school, but I don't like sports at all. like the food very much.
I eat a lot of different kinds of food every day. I like coke (可乐) very much. I don't drink water. I drink coke
instead (代替). I'm enjoying my life here. The sad thing is that sometimes I get ill. I don't know why. My
parents say I must go on a diet (节食) and do more sports. Must I? 　　
                                                                                                                                               Yours,
                                                                                                                                               David

(     )1. David has been in America for six months.
(     )2. David has to do much homework.          
(     )3. There are many sports at David's school.
(     )4. David likes coke better than water.     
(     )5. David knows why he is often ill.        

30th September
Dear Jayne,  
　　How are you? I hope everything is getting on well with you.  
　　I returned to my home on the morning of September 28th, at 2 am. I am so
sorry for not calling you as soon as I came back home.  
　　I have been allowed to stay at home for two days (from September 29th to
September 30th) to have a rest. The Chinese National Day is on October 1st. We
have a seven-day off for National Day holiday.  I will stay at home to have a
good rest.  
　　Thank you for your help.  I miss you and your kindness.  I miss the climate
in England in summer, too.  It is neither too hot nor too cold.  Now it is still very
hot in most parts of China, especially in the south of China, for example, in
Guangzhou.  The sun seems to dry up everything. We have to use air conditioner
to make the air cool enough so that we can have a good sleep at night.  
　　I will continue my work on October 8th.  After I start my work, it will be
too busy for me to do anything that I want to do, but I will try my best to get in
touch with you.  
　　Best wishes.                                          
                            Yours sincerely,                                                                          
                                     Sunny

1. How many days will the writer stay at home to have a rest?

A. Two.            
B. Seven.          
C. Eight.            
D. Nine.

2. Which country is the writer in at the moment?

A. China          
B. the UK            
C. America      
D. Japan

3. What does the weather like in England in September?

A. Hot            
B. Cool            
C. Cold          
D. Rainy

4. Which country is Jayne from?

A. The UK      
B. The USA            
C. Canada        
D. China

5. From the passage,we know that ___________.

A. Jayne is helpful and kind                
B. Jayne is friendly
C. the writer can get on well with Jayne        
D. A,B,and C