Cats are the most popular pets among Americans. So it is not surprising that there are a lot of expressions about cats. Some cats like to catch small birds, like canaries (金丝雀). If someone looks very proud and satisfied with himself, we say “he looks like the cat that ate the canary.”
Sometimes, a cat likes to play with a small animal it catches. So if you “play cat and mouse” with someone, it means that you change between different kinds of behavior when dealing with another person. For example, a girl might offer something sweet to her little brother and then take it away when he reaches for it.
Americans might say that something is “the cat’s miaow” or “the cat’s pajamas(睡衣)” to describe something that is the best or finest. “A copycat” is someone who acts just like someone else or copies another person’s work. “A fat cat” is a person with a lot of money.
If you tell about something that is supposed to be a secret, we say you “let the cat out of the bag”. If you are not able to speak or answer a question, someone might ask you if “the cat has got your tongue(舌头)”
Have you ever watched children in a classroom when their teacher leaves for a few minutes? “When the cat’s away, the mice will play” means people sometimes act badly when there is no supervision (监管).
You may have heard the expression “curiosity killed the cat”. This means caring too much about things that are not your business might cause problems.
If you have ever had cats as pets, you know it is difficult to train them or to get them to do something. Cats are not like Sheep or cows that can be moved in a group. So we say a difficult or impossible job is like “herding (放牧) cats “
【小题1】What can we learn from the passage?

A．The expression “a fat cat” is used to describe someone who is very fat.

B．The expression “play cat and mouse” usually means “play tricks on others”.

C．It is more difficult to keep sheep or cows than cats.

D．There are more expressions about cats than those about dogs.

【小题2】 In which of the following situations do we most probably use the expression “curiosity killed the cat”?

A．Someone always asked a lady her age or weight and it made her angry.

B．Someone promised to keep a secret but he failed to do so.

C．Someone won the first prize in an English singing competition and he felt very excited.

D．Someone tried to swim across the Yangtze River with his newly broken legs.

【小题3】Where can you most probably find the passage?

A．In a scientific research paper about cats.

B．On a website telling people how to keep cats.

C．In a magazine telling various jokes and funny stories.

D．In a language book that teaches students how to use American slang.

A woodcutter(伐木工) was working in the forest one day when he found a box full of gold coins. Unfortunately, his wife was the kind of woman who could not keep a secret. Somehow, he knew, he had to prevent(阻止) her from talking about the gold.

He thought about this for a long time, then had an idea.

“ I found something in the forest”, he told his wife, “come with me and I’ll show you.”.His wife followed him into the forest and soon they came to a tree.“ Look at that!” the woodcutter said to his wife, and pointed to the tree. “There’s a fish growing on that branch!” His wife was surprised ,especially when he climbed up the tree and brought down the fish for her to see.They walked on and soon came to the river. “I’ll just pull in my net and see what I’ve caught”, the woodcutter said.

He pulled in his net and inside there were several hares(野兔). “How interesting!” he said “there are now hares in the river.” After that, they came to where the woodcutter had found the box of gold. “Look, wife”, he said “this is what I have found. A box of gold coins.”

The next day, his wife could not stop herself from telling her friends about all the wonderful things she had seen.Of course, nobody believe her!

1.Where did the woodcutter find the box of gold?______

A．When he was working

B．In his garden

C．In the forest where he was working

D．On his farm fields, where he was farming

2.Where do you usually see hares?______

A．In the street.       B．In the forest.       C．In the river.        D．In the sea.

3.Why did his wife tell her friends what happened? Because ______

A．she was very surprised.

B．she wondered why the hares were in the river and fish was in the tree

C．she could not stop herself from talking about anything

D．she was very happy

 

A woodcutter(伐木工) was working in the forest one day when he found a box full of gold coins. Unfortunately, his wife was the kind of woman who could not keep a secret. Somehow, he knew, he had to prevent(阻止) her from talking about the gold.
He thought about this for a long time, then had an idea.
“ I found something in the forest”, he told his wife, “come with me and I’ll show you.”.His wife followed him into the forest and soon they came to a tree.“ Look at that!” the woodcutter said to his wife, and pointed to the tree. “There’s a fish growing on that branch!” His wife was surprised ,especially when he climbed up the tree and brought down the fish for her to see.They walked on and soon came to the river. “I’ll just pull in my net and see what I’ve caught”, the woodcutter said.
He pulled in his net and inside there were several hares(野兔). “How interesting!” he said “there are now hares in the river.” After that, they came to where the woodcutter had found the box of gold. “Look, wife”, he said “this is what I have found. A box of gold coins.”
The next day, his wife could not stop herself from telling her friends about all the wonderful things she had seen.Of course, nobody believe her!
【小题1】Where did the woodcutter find the box of gold?______

A．When he was working

B．In his garden

C．In the forest where he was working

D．On his farm fields, where he was farming

【小题2】Where do you usually see hares?______

A．In the street.

B．In the forest.

C．In the river.

D．In the sea.

【小题3】Why did his wife tell her friends what happened? Because ______

A．she was very surprised.

B．she wondered why the hares were in the river and fish was in the tree

C．she could not stop herself from talking about anything

D．she was very happy

用所给短语的适当形式填空。(10分)

take care of;   take…out of;  hide oneself;  at least;  frighten  be willing to;   keep a secret;  vote for;   be afraid of;   say a bad word

1. Amy is a true friend. I can tell her anything because she can _____________.
2. I _________Max .he can to be our monitor. Because he is very excellent (优秀)
3. There are _______ seven hundred students in our school.
4. Who _________ the little boy just now? He’s crying all the time.
5. You are not strong, so you should learn_________ yourself well.
6. Don’t _______ the fish __________ the water. They can’t live without water.
7. The robber tried _________________in the house but was caught soon after.
8. Most children ___________ snakes.
9. .Betty is generous. she ___________share things with her friends.
10.She is kind and never ____________ about anyone.

用所给短语的适当形式填空。(10分)

take care of;   take…out of;  hide oneself;  at least;  frighten  be willing to;   keep a secret;  vote for;   be afraid of;   say a bad word

【小题1】Amy is a true friend. I can tell her anything because she can _____________.
【小题2】I _________Max .he can to be our monitor. Because he is very excellent (优秀)
【小题3】There are _______ seven hundred students in our school.
【小题4】Who _________ the little boy just now? He’s crying all the time.
【小题5】You are not strong, so you should learn_________ yourself well.
【小题6】Don’t _______ the fish __________ the water. They can’t live without water.
【小题7】The robber tried _________________in the house but was caught soon after.
【小题8】Most children ___________ snakes.
【小题9】Betty is generous. she ___________share things with her friends.
【小题10】She is kind and never ____________ about anyone.