Idioms are phrases and sentences that do not mean exactly what they say. Even if you know the meaning of each word you see or hear, you may not understand the idiom because you don't understand the culture behind it.
For example, if an American boy asks his mother what's for dinner tomorrow, she may say “I'll play it by ear”, that means she doesn't have plans for dinner and she will decide later. "Play by ear" used to mean playing music using the sheet music, but now people often use it when they're not talking about music.
There're many idioms in English. If you learn to use them, your English will be more vivid and colorful. English idioms are more common in spoken English. They can be difficult to remember sometimes. Next time when you hear somebody saying to you, "Give me a hand", you don't necessarily stretch out your hand to him/her, but you do need to be helpful. And when the situation is out of hand, you usually can do very little to manage all that. What about a green hand? It's not about the color of your hand! You're a green hand when you are very new at your work and don't have much experience. If you and your partner always work together hand in glove, you two definitely work together very well.
Can you guess the meanings of some common English idioms to do with parts of your body?
【小题1】What is an idiom ?
【小题2】What does “ Can you give me a hand “ mean ?
【小题3】Are English idioms more common in written English or spoken English ?

Thirty years ago, Lake Ponkapog in Hartwell, New Jersey, was full of life. Many birds and animals lived beside the water, which was full of fish. Now there are few birds, animals, and fish. The lake water is polluted. It is in a colour of dirty brown, and it is filled with strange plants.
How did this happen? First, we must think about how water gets into Lake Ponkapog. When it rains, water comes into the lake from all around. In the past, there were forests all round Lake Ponkapog, so the rainwater was clean.
Now there are many homes around the lake. People often use the chemicals (化学制品)in their gardens. They use other chemicals inside their houses for cleaning and killing insects. There are also many businesses. Businesses use chemicals in their machines of shops. Other chemicals fall onto the ground from cars or trucks. When it rains, the rainwater picks up all the chemicals from home and businesses and then carries them into the lake . They pollute the water and kill the animals.
Boats on the lake are also a problem. Lake Ponkapog is a popular place for motorboats（汽船）. But oil and gas from boats often get into the lake. So more bad chemicals go into the water this way.
People in Hartwell are worried . They love their lake and want to save it. Will it be possible? A clean lake must have clean rainwater going into it. Clean rainwater is possible only if people are more careful about chemicals at home and at other chemicals on the ground. And they mustn’t use motorboats any more on the lake. All these may change people’s lives. Only then can Lake Ponkapog be a beautiful, clean lake again.
【小题1】In the past, the water in Lake Ponkapog was made clean by ________.

A．forests

B．rain

C．birds

D．fish

【小题2】Chemicals from homes and businesses _________.

A．are always clean	B．can help the animals
C．are good for the lake	D．get into the rainwater

【小题3】Cleaner rainwater will mean _________ .

A．more boats on the lake	B．more dirty things in the lake
C．a cleaner lake	D．a dirty lake

【小题4】To save Lake Ponkapog, people need to ________.

A．be more careful about chemicals	B．use the water
C．grow fewer plants in the gardens	D．use more motorboats on the lake

【小题5】The passage is about ________.

A．boats on the Lake Pankapog	B．why the water is dirty in Lake Ponkapog
C．clean rainwater	D．dirty lakes

One thing that British and Chinese cultures share is a love for fine tea. Today, when we think of Western tea culture, we often think of the English and beautiful china tea cups.
Afternoon tea
People believe that an English lady, Anna, first introduced the idea of afternoon tea. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the English ate only two main meals each day: breakfast and a heavy supper that would last for several hours in the evening. As a result, people often got very hungry during the long wait between these two meals. To solve this problem, Anna came up with the clever idea of inviting some friends to join her for an afternoon meal between four and five o’clock. This meal included cakes and sandwiches. And tea was served(供应) to wash down the food. In order to make this afternoon meal important, fine china cups and plates and silver teapots, knives, forks and spoons were used. Soon, afternoon tea parties became popular social occasions. Today, afternoon tea parties continue to play an important part in the social life in modern Britain.
Will you come for coffee?
Coffee also has an important role in British culture. People often use the words “Will you come for coffee” to mean “Would you like to come to my home for a chat?” Normally, several different drinks such as tea, hot chocolate or a soft drink like orange juice will be served as well as coffee, and you will be asked what you would like. However, you will not normally be offered wine at a “coffee” party.
Coffeehouses and the London Stock Exchange
In the 17th century London, coffeehouses were busy and noisy places. Businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses to do their business, as well as to drink coffee. In fact, the London Stock Exchange(伦敦股票交易所) is believed to have started from these coffeehouses.
【小题1】Anna introduced the idea of drinking afternoon tea because she ______.

A．enjoyed chatting with her friends at home

B．loved fine tea and beautiful china tea cups

C．wanted to share nice food with her friends

D．found people felt hungry during the long wait between the two meals

【小题2】What does “social occasions” mean in Chinese?

A．集体婚礼

B．社交活动

C．社区表演

D．公共场合

【小题3】 If someone says to you “Will you come for coffee,” you ______.

A．will be offered coffee only

B．are asked what you would like to drink

C．will be asked to have a chat with him or her

D．you are invited to take part in an afternoon tea party

【小题4】 From the last paragraph we can see______

A．a new business was started in coffeehouses.

B．coffeehouses are still used by businessmen and bankers.

C．businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses just for coffee.

D．most people wouldn’t like to go to coffeehouses because of the noise.

【小题5】 Which is the best title of the article?

A．British and Chinese cultures.	B．The beginning of Tea and Coffee.
C．Coffeehouse and Business.	D．English tea and coffee culture.

One thing that British and Chinese cultures share is a love for fine tea. Today, when we think of Western tea culture, we often think of the English and beautiful china tea cups.

Afternoon tea

    People believe that an English lady, Anna, first introduced the idea of afternoon tea. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the English ate only two main meals each day: breakfast and a heavy supper that would last for several hours in the evening. As a result, people often got very hungry during the long wait between these two meals. To solve this problem, Anna came up with the clever idea of inviting some friends to join her for an afternoon meal between four and five o’clock. This meal included cakes and sandwiches. And tea was served(供应) to wash down the food. In order to make this afternoon meal important, fine china cups and plates and silver teapots, knives, forks and spoons were used. Soon, afternoon tea parties became popular social occasions. Today, afternoon tea parties continue to play an important part in the social life in modern Britain.

Will you come for coffee?

Coffee also has an important role in British culture. People often use the words “Will you come for coffee” to mean “Would you like to come to my home for a chat?” Normally, several different drinks such as tea, hot chocolate or a soft drink like orange juice will be served as well as coffee, and you will be asked what you would like. However, you will not normally be offered wine at a “coffee” party.

Coffeehouses and the London Stock Exchange

In the 17th century London, coffeehouses were busy and noisy places. Businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses to do their business, as well as to drink coffee. In fact, the London Stock Exchange(伦敦股票交易所) is believed to have started from these coffeehouses.

1.Anna introduced the idea of drinking afternoon tea because she ______.

   A. enjoyed chatting with her friends at home

   B. loved fine tea and beautiful china tea cups

   C. wanted to share nice food with her friends

   D. found people felt hungry during the long wait between the two meals

2.What does “social occasions” mean in Chinese?

   A. 集体婚礼       B. 社交活动       C. 社区表演      D. 公共场合

3. If someone says to you “Will you come for coffee,” you ______.

   A. will be offered coffee only       

 B. are asked what you would like to drink

   C. will be asked to have a chat with him or her

D. you are invited to take part in an afternoon tea party

4. From the last paragraph we can see______

   A. a new business was started in coffeehouses.

   B. coffeehouses are still used by businessmen and bankers.

   C. businessmen and bankers went to coffeehouses just for coffee.

   D. most people wouldn’t like to go to coffeehouses because of the noise.

5. Which is the best title of the article?

   A. British and Chinese cultures.        B. The beginning of Tea and Coffee.

   C. Coffeehouse and Business.          D. English tea and coffee culture.  

 

“Millions of young people will lose their hearing in five years if they listen to MP3 or MP4 players at a too high voice every day,” scientists say recently.
Do you often listen to MP3 players at a too high voice? Are you frightened to hear this?
The sizes of MP3 players are very small, but small MP3 players make it easy to take hundreds of songs with you. So many young people carry them and listen to music every day. MP3 players are very popular among students. 
The scientists say teenagers should be far from high volume (音量), including mobile phones’ noise. A study says, “High volume and long listening time can cause hearing problems.” They think if young people listen at more than 89 decibels (分贝) every day, they will lose their hearing in five years. A scientist said, “So many young people often use personal music players and mobile phones at a high voice. I am afraid that they may be losing their hearing.
So let’s turn our MP3 players down!
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A．Scientists tell young people to turn off their MP3 players.

B．Teenagers will lose their hearing if they listen to hundreds of songs in MP3 players.

C．A person will lose hearing in 5 years if he or she listens to an MP3 player every day.

D．The mobile phone can also cause hearing problems if we don’t use it correctly.

【小题2】The underlined word “they” (Paragraph 4) most probably refers to ______.

A．scientists

B．MP3 players

C．mobile phones

D．teenagers

【小题3】Which might be the best title for this passage?

A．Turn your MP3 players down!	B．Never use MP3!
C．How to protect your hearing.	D．Young people’s hearing.