Learning English grammar and English vocabulary can be hard enough, but trying to understand English sayings can be more difficult. Some are just hard to figure out and others don’t make any sense at all. Here are four funny English sayings that you can use every day.

I’m happy as a clam(蛤).

Think of a clam. It doesn’t have to do anything. It just sits on a beach or on the bottom of the ocean all day doing nothing. It never has to work. That sounds like happiness, doesn’t it? If someone asks, “How are you today?” you can answer “I am happy as a clam” to let him or her know what a great mood you are in.

I wouldn’t touch that (or him/her) with a ten-foot pole.

Maybe there is a person who you don’t want to be friends with or even talk to. Well, this saying means that you dislike him or her so much that you don’t want to touch or go near him or her, even within ten feet!

You don’t have a leg to stand on.

?? This saying doesn’t mean that the person you’re talking to has no legs. It means that his or her argument is incorrect. He or she doesn’t have a leg to stand on because he or she has no facts to support what he or she is saying. This saying is a good way to tell people that you think they’re wrong.

??? Break a leg!

??? This saying actually means the opposite of what it sounds like. If you tell this to a person, you’re wishing him or her good luck！The saying comes from a superstition(迷信) that whatever you say aloud, the opposite will come true.

1.The first paragraph mainly tells us____________________.

A.learning English grammar is hard

B.learning English vocabulary is hard

C.we should use English sayings every day

D.it can be harder to understand English sayings

2.Which of the following is TRUE about a clam?

A.It can be used to show happiness.????? B.It needs to do many things.

C.It needs to eat a lot.???????????????? D.It can only live on the beach.

3.The saying “I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole” means___________.

A.I hate him.????????????????????? B.I want him to be my friend.

C.I like him.?????????????????????? D.I want to argue with him.

4.We can learn from the passage that______________________.

A.the saying “You don’t have a leg to stand on” means someone loses his legs

B.the saying “Break a leg” means someone hurts his or her leg

C.if we say “Break a leg” to someone, we give him or her a good wish

D.if we say “I am ill” aloud, we will become healthy

Dear Bill,
How are you? It’s very nice   36   you to write to me. Let me   37   something about my life in China. I think you   38  to know it. I live in Li Lei’s home. He is my   39. His father and mother are both teachers. Their house isn’t big.   40  of them are very friendly   41  me.  They teach me Chinese   42   I teach them English. Now I   43  with them in Chinese. But I can’t   44  very well. Chinese is very   45  to learn, I think. Mrs Li often teaches me how to   46  Chinese food. Hmm! How much I like Chinese food!
My school is not far. I go to school by bike. I   47  six classes every day.   48  I play games with my classmates. I have a good   49   here. Don’t you want to come? Please write  50  soon.
Love from Jim.

Dear Bill,

How are you? It’s very nice   36   you to write to me. Let me   37   something about my life in China. I think you   38  to know it. I live in Li Lei’s home. He is my   39. His father and mother are both teachers. Their house isn’t big.   40  of them are very friendly   41  me.  They teach me Chinese   42   I teach them English. Now I   43  with them in Chinese. But I can’t   44  very well. Chinese is very   45  to learn, I think. Mrs Li often teaches me how to   46  Chinese food. Hmm! How much I like Chinese food!

My school is not far. I go to school by bike. I   47  six classes every day.   48  I play games with my classmates. I have a good   49   here. Don’t you want to come? Please write  50  soon.

Love from Jim.

1. A. to                B. for              C. of                   D. about

2. A. speak         B. talk         C. say you              D. tell you

3.A. want           B. have         C. forget           D. like

4.A. student        B. teacher          C. classmate        D. boy

5.A. some           B. all              C. both                 D. any

6.A. for            B. with         C. to               D. at

7. A. but           B. so               C. or                   D. and

8.A. am speaking        B. am talking       C. am saying        D. can talk

9. A. say           B. speak        C. talk             D. tell

10.A. easy              B. nice         C. hard             D. good

11.A. make          B. do               C. cook             D. study

12.A. do            B. have         C. study            D. make

13.A. In class          B. After school C. In the room          D. School over

14. A. day              B. book         C. time                 D. week

15.A. back              B. to back          C. for me           D. letter