Two men were sitting together in a plane. They were on a long journey.

　　One of the men was a businessman. The other was a farmer.

　　They sat without talking for a while, then the farmer said.“Let's do something to pass the time.”

　　“What do you want to do?”the businessman asked.

　　“We can ask each other riddles,”the farmer said.“You start.”

　　“Let's make the rules(规则) first,”the businessman said.“And let's make the game more interesting. Let's play it for money. If we don't know the answer to a riddle, we have to pay a dollar.”

　　The farmer thought about this for a while, then he said,“That's not fair(公平). You are a businessman with much knowledge. You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer.”

　　“That's true,”the businessman said.“What do you think we should do?”“If you don't know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. If I don't know the answer to a riddle, I'll pay you $50,”the farmer said.

　　The businessman thought about this, then he said,“OK. That's fair. Who'll go first?”

　　“I will,”the farmer said.“Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?”

　　The businessman repeated(重复) the riddle,“What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that's a good one. I'm afraid I don't know the answer.”

　　He gave the farmer $100, then said,“Tell me the answer. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?”“I don't know,”the farmer said, and gave him $50.

1．The story happened ________.

[　　]

A．on a farm

B．in a shop

C．before a long plane journey

D．between two passengers

2．Why did the businessman agree to give more money if he lost?

[　　]

A．He made much more money than the farmer.

B．He thought he knew more than the farmer.

C．He was interested in making riddles.

D．He was better at playing riddle games.

3．The farmer ________.

[　　]

A．enjoyed himself on his long journey

B．didn't want to pay even one dollar

C．spent all his money on the plane ticket

D．won fifty dollars by playing the riddle game

4．Which of the following is NOT true?

[　　]

A．The two men made rules for their riddle game.

B．The farmer was more clever than the businessman.

C．The two men made their riddle game more interesting by playing it for money.

D．The businessman knew the answer to this riddle.

5．What does the word“riddle”mean in the story?

[　　]

A．Something to win money.

B．Something to help to make rules.

C．A difficult question to find the answer to.

D．A kind of game in doing business.

阅读理解

　　Everybody talks about weather. “Isn't it a nice day?” “Do you think it will rain?” “I think it's going to snow.” These are common ways of starting a conversation in England.

　　Many people think that they can tell what the weather is going to be like. But they hardly ever agree with each other. One man may say, “Do you see it is cloudy in the east? It's going to rain tomorrow.” Another man will say, “Yes, it's cloudy in the east. We're going to have fine weather tomorrow.”

　　People often look for the weather they want. When a farmer needs water, he looks for something to tell himself that it's going to rain. When people play in a park on a rainy day, they are sure that the weather is going to be fine soon. They even sit eating their lunch while it rains.

　　Most people listen to what the weatherman says on the radio. But he doesn't always tell them what they want to hear. Sometimes he makes a mistake, but he is still right more often than anyone else.

1．English people ________ to start a conversation.

[　　]

A．They usually ask each other's name

B．They usually talk about their children

C．They usually talk about the weather

2．think they can tell what the weather is going to be like.

[　　]

A．Many people

B．A few people

C．Some people

3．People often look for the weather ________.

[　　]

A．they talk about

B．they don't want

C．they want

4．When a farmer needs water, he looks for something to tell him that it is going to ________.

[　　]

A．be sunny　　　　B．be rainy　　　　C．be windy

5．________ is right more often about the weather?

[　　]

A．The farmer

B．The weatherman

C．A Englishman

　When people in North America meet __1__ the first time, they do not talk about things that are __2__. Some subjects are private（私人的）and it is not polite to ask people about them. People talk about their families, __3__ they do not talk about why they aren't married or why they don't have children.

　　The way you begin a conversation can be polite or __4__ too. Try not to interrupt a person who is reading or working. If something is very important and you must interrupt, you can say“__5__”.

　　When two people meet in public, one doesn't ask questions __6__ why the other person is there or what the other person is doing. These questions are not __7__ as friendly. They are probably seen as nosey（爱管闲事的）.

　　People ask each other about __8__ health, but it isn't polite to go into details. People often talk about their jobs, but they don't talk about their salaries. __9__ topics include the weather, sports, and holidays. Topics to avoid（避免）are politics, __10__ and religion.

1. A. with   B. for   C. cross   D. into

2. A. bad   B. good   C. interesting   D. personal

3. A. and   B. then   C. but   D. later

4. A. kind   B. impolite   C. silly   D. boring

5. A. Sorry   B. Excuse me   C. Pardon  D. Hello

6. A. about   B. on   C. for   D. of

7. A. look   B. believe   C. seen   D. see

8. A. his   B. their   C. him   D. them

9. A. Safe   B. Unsafe   C. Terrible   D. Interesting

10. A. marriage   B. salaries   C. age   D. personal details

 

阅读理解

　　Everybody talks about weather. “Isn't it a nice day?” “Do you think it will rain?” “I think it's going to snow.” These are common ways of starting a conversation in England.

　　Many people think that they can tell what the weather is going to be like. But they hardly ever agree with each other. One man may say, “Do you see it is cloudy in the east? It's going to rain tomorrow.” Another man will say, “Yes, it's cloudy in the east. We're going to have fine weather tomorrow.”

　　People often look for the weather they want. When a farmer needs water, he looks for something to tell himself that it's going to rain. When people play in a park on a rainy day, they are sure that the weather is going to be fine soon. They even sit eating their lunch while it rains.

　　Most people listen to what the weatherman says on the radio. But he doesn't always tell them what they want to hear. Sometimes he makes a mistake, but he is still right more often than anyone else.

(1) English people ________ to start a conversation.

[　　]

A．They usually ask each other's name

B．They usually talk about their children

C．They usually talk about the weather

(2) think they can tell what the weather is going to be like.

[　　]

A．Many people

B．A few people

C．Some people

(3) People often look for the weather ________.

[　　]

A．they talk about

B．they don't want

C．they want

(4) When a farmer needs water, he looks for something to tell him that it is going to ________.

[　　]

A．be sunny　　　　B．be rainy　　　　C．be windy

(5) ________ is right more often about the weather?

[　　]

A．The farmer

B．The weatherman

C．A Englishman