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　　What is a language for? Some people seem to think it's for practising grammar rules and learning words. That's wrong. A language is for the exchange of ideas. It's no good knowing all about a language if you can't use it.

　　Many students I have been taught to know hundreds of grammar rules, but they can't speak correctly or freely. They are afraid of making mistakes. One shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes. We native speakers make mistakes, too. And we break rules. Bernard Shaw once said, “Foreigners often speak English too correctly. “But the mistakes that native speakers make are different from those that Chinese students make. They are English mistakes in the English language. And if enough native speakers break a rule, it is no longer a rule. What use to be wrong becomes right. The people not only make history, they also make a language. They can make their own language. They can't make another people's language.

　　So Chinese students of English should pay attention to the grammar, but they shouldn't over do it. They should put communication(交际) first.

1．We learn a foreign language when ________.

[　　]

A．we want to practise grammar rules

B．we want to speak it correctly

C．we want to know something about another country and its people

D．we want to learn words

2．While learning a foreign language ________.

[　　]

A．don't be afraid of making mistakes

B．don't be afraid of speaking too correctly

C．try to make mistakes like native speakers

D．try to speak it incorrectly

3．The passage says that while speaking English, Chinese students make mistakes ________.

[　　]

A．and some foreigners also make mistakes

B．but foreigners never make mistakes

C．and some Englishmen also make mistakes

D．but native speakers never make mistakes

4．The passage doesn't say, but it leads you to believe that ________.

[　　]

A．history is never changed

B．history is always changing

C．language is never changed

D．language is always changing

5．The writer of this passage is probably a ________.

[　　]

What is a language for? Some people seem to think it's r practicing grammar rules and learning words．That's wrong．A language is for exchanging ideas．It's no good knowing all about language if you can't use it．

Many students I have been teaching know hundreds of grammar rules，but they can't speak correctly or freely．They are afraid of making mistakes．One shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes．We native speakers make mistakes，too．And we break rules．Bernard Shaw once said，“Foreigners often speak English too correctly．”But the mistakes that native speakers make are different from those that Chinese students make．They are English mistakes in the English language．And if enough native speakers break a rule，it is no longer a rule。What used to be wrong becomes right．The people not only make history，they also make a language．They can make their own language．They can't make another people's language．

So Chinese students who ale learning English should pay attention to the grammar，but they shouldn't overdo it，They should put communication（交际）first．

1、While learning a foreign language，        ．

A、don't be afraid of making mistakes               B、don't be afraid of speaking too correctly

C、try to make mistakes like native speakers      D、try to speak it correctly

2、The passage says that while speaking English,         ．

A、English students never make mistakes                C  foreigners never make mistakes

C、some Englishmen also make mistakes           D、native speakers never make mistakes

3、The passage didn't say，but it leads you to believe that         ．

A、history is never changed                           B、history is always changing

C、language is never changed                           D、language is always changing

In the US, the most popular way to welcome the new year is with a big party. Some parties are at private homes. But in recent years, it has become more and more common for Americans to go to a hotel or eating-place on the night of December 31st. There, they can eat a big dinner, drink champagne, and dance to orchestra music.
Most New Year’s parties are usually noisy. People shout and sing. And often, guests blow on small noisemakers when the new year arrives at midnight. This tradition of noise making is believed to start centuries ago. People thought that loud sounds would drive away the bad spirits of the old year.
The biggest, noisiest New Year’s party in the US takes place in Times Square in New York. Thousands of people gather(聚集) there. Some of them ring bells and set fireworks. Others blow whistles of car horns(喇叭). And at twelve o’clock, they begin to cheer as an electric sign in the shape of a red apple lights up on top of a tall building.
The Times Square celebration includes another well-known American tradition. Since 1929, the band of musician Guy Lombardo has given a concert on New Year’s Eve. Guy Lombardo died in 1977. But, Bill Lombardo, has kept the tradition alive with a band concert at a New York city hotel. When the crowds in Times Square start cheering the arrival of the new year, television cameras show the band playing the song Auld Lang Syne.
【小题1】 The most usual way to welcome the new year in the US is ________.

A．to go shopping

B．to meet friends

C．to travel abroad

D．to hold a big party

【小题2】 The biggest New Year’s party in the US is __________.

A．in Central Park

B．in Hollywood

C．in Times Square

D．in Disneyland

【小题3】 In the past, some American people made big noise when the new year arrived ________

A．to express their friendship	B．to drive away the bad spirits
C．to make others more excited	D．to give best wishes to each other

【小题4】In 1929 a concert on New Year’s Eve was given by _________.

A．the band of Guy Lombardo	B．the band of Bill Lombardo
C．the band of Johann Strauss	D．the band of Elvis Aaron Presley

Most people around the world are right-handed. This also seems to be true in history. In 1799, scientists studied works(作品) of art made at different times from 1, 500 B. C. to the 1950s. Most of the people shown in these works are right-handed, so the scientists guessed that right-handedness has always been common through history. Today, only about 10% to 15% of the world's population is left-handed.
Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones? Scientists now know that a person's two hands each have their own jobs. For most people, the left hand is used to find things or hold things. The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain (大脑). The right side of the brain, which makes a person's hands and eyes work together, controls(控制) the left hand. The left-side of the brain, which controls the right hand, is the centre for thinking and doing problems. These findings show that more artists should be left-handed, and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists than among people in other jobs.
No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed. Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged(损害) when they are born. However, this doesn't happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason (原因) why people become left-handed. One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents. If a person does not receive the gene (基因) for right-handedness, he/she may become either right-or left-handed according to the chance (偶然性) and the people they work or live with.
Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness, people no longer think left-handed people are strange or unusual. A long time ago, left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children, but today they don't have to.
【小题1】 After studying works of art made at different times in history, the scientists found      .
A. the art began from 1, 500 B. C.
B. the works of art ended in the 1950s
C. most people shown in the works of art are right-handed
D. most people shown in the works of art are left-handed
【小题2】 How many people in the world are left-handed now?

A．Less than one sixth.

B．More than a half.

C．About 40%.

D．The passage doesn't tell us.

【小题3】 What is the left hand for most people used to do?

A．It's used to find or hold things.

B．It's used to work with things.

C．It's used to make a person's eyes work together.

D．It's the centre for thinking and doing problems.

【小题4】  According to (根据) the  passage, which of  the following is NOT true?

A．No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed.

B．Left-handedness is cleverer than right-handedness.

C．Today children are not made to use their right hands only.

D．Scientists think there must be some reason why people become left-handed.

【小题5】The best title(标题) for this passage is      .

A．Scientists' New Inventions

B．Left-handed People

C．Which Hand

D．Different Brains, Different Hands.

Some people believe that classes, teachers and school buildings will no longer be necessary in the near future because of the Internet and other new technology. Perhaps this will be true one day, but if the world has no schools, I can't imagine how our society will be. In fact, we should learn how to use new technology to make schools better. We should invent a new kind of school connected to libraries, museums, science centers, labs and even companies. Technological companies should create learning programs for schools. Scientists could give talks through the Internet. TV networks and local stations could develop programs about things students are studying in school. Labs could set up websites to show new technology, so students could see it on the Internet.

Is this a dream? No. There have been many cities where this is beginning to happen. Here the whole city is connected to the Internet, and learning can take place at home, at school, and in the office. Businesses provide programs for the schools and the society. The schools provide computer labs for people without their own computers at home. Because everyone can go on the Internet, older people use it as much as younger ones, and everyone can visit faraway libraries and museums as easily as nearby ones. How will this new thing of school change the usual way of learning? It is a little early to be sure, but it is very exciting to think about it. Technology will change the way we learn; schools will change as well; and we will learn something from the Internet.

1.Who thinks that students won’t have to go to school?

A．Everyone.         B．The writer.         C．Some people.      D．The teachers.

2.What does “a new kind of school” mean in the passage?

A．A school with many new computers.         B．A school with many new students.

C．A school with many new teachers.           D．A school connected to the Internet.

3.What the writer thinks is that____________.

A．schools are still necessary                 B．more schools should be built

C．there should be fewer schools             D．more computers are needed in schools

4.Why do people think learning can take place at home, at school, and in the office?

A．Because whole city is connected to the Internet.

B．Because everyone can go on the Internet.

C．Because getting online is very easy.

D．Because Scientists could give talks through the Internet.

5.What fact does the passage NOT provide?

A．Technology will change our way of learning.

B．If you are a student, you can set up websites to show new technology.

C．The schools provide computer labs for those who have no personal computers.

D．On the Internet, you can visit another city's libraries as easily as the people there.