A woman from Japan was telling a friend about her trip to the United States.The
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A woman from Japan was telling a friend about her trip to the United States.The woman had visited major businesses and investment companies in New York City and Chicago.
“I studied English before I left home，”she said.“But I still was not sure that people were speaking English.”
Her problem is easy to understand.Americans in business are like people who are in business anywhere.They have a language of their own.Some of the words and expressions deal with the special areas of their work.Other expressions are borrowed from different kinds of work such as the theater and movie industry.
One such saying is “get your act together”．
When things go wrong in a business，an employer may get angry.He may shout，“Stop making mistakes.Get your act together.”
Or，if the employer is calmer，he may say，“Let us get our act together.”
Either way，the meaning is the same.Getting your act together is getting organized.In business，it usually means to develop a calm and orderly plan of action.
It is difficult to tell exactly where the saying began.But，it is probable that it was in the theater or movie industry.Perhaps one of the actors was nervous and made a lot of mistakes.The director may have said，“Calm down，now.Get your act together.”
Word expert James Rogers says the expression was common by the late 1970s.Mister Rogers says the Manchester Guardian newspaper used it in 1978.The newspaper said a reform policy required that the British government get its act together.
Now，this expression is heard often when officials of a company meet.One company even called its yearly report，“Getting Our Act Together.”
The Japanese visitor was confused by another expression used by American business people.It is cut to the chase.
She heard that expression when she attended an important meeting of one company.One official was giving a very long report.It was not very interesting.In fact，some people at the meeting were falling asleep.
Finally，the president of the company said，“Cut to the chase.”
Cut to the chase means to stop spending so much time on details or unimportant material.Hurry and get to the good part.
Naturally，this saying was started by people who make movies.Hollywood movie producers believe that most Americans want to see action movies.Many of their movies show scenes in which the actors chase each other in cars，or in airplanes or on foot.
Cut is the director’s word for stop.The director means to stop filming，leave out some material，and get to the chase scene now.
So，if your employer tells you to cut to the chase，be sure to get to the main point of your story quickly.
小题1:After the woman visited the United States she might feel that ________.| A．her English was poor | | B．it’s easy to master English | | C．it’s difficult to make money | | D．people there weren’t very friendly |
小题2:In which situation could the words “get your act together” be used?| A．A task is completed successfully. | | B．Players perform badly in a match. | | C．Audience is satisfied with the actor’s performance in a movie. | | D．Visitors make a tiresome and unpleasant trip to someplace. |
小题3:According to the text，the expression “get one’s act together” ________.| A．was first used by a Japanese businesswoman | | B．was forbidden to be used in the government policy | | C．originally came from a yearly report of a company | | D．was commonly read by readers in a newspaper in 1978 |
小题4:What do the sayings “get your act together” and “cut to the chase” have in common?| A．Their use. | B．Their meaning. | | C．Their origin. | D．Their popularity. |
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答案
小题1:A
小题2:B
小题3:D
小题4:C |
解析
小题1:A
解析 推理判断题。由第二段内容可知，通过去美国的经历，她感觉尽管之前自己学过英语，但由于英语语言的复杂性，她还是感觉自己英语水平有限，不能自由交流。
小题2: B
解析 推理判断题。根据第七段可知，“get your act together”意为：好好组织，让行动等变得更加有理有序。因此，“get your act together”一般用于出现了混乱局面或者犯了错误的情况下。
小题3: D
解析 细节理解题。根据文章倒数第九段可知，语言学家认为这一表达法在1978年时被广泛应用，人们在报纸上可以看到它。
小题4: C
解析 细节理解题。根据第八段和倒数第三段可知，这两个短语都起源于电影业。 |
举一反三
In Asia，there are special competitions where kites have complex designs and are fitted with instruments that make musical sounds as the wind blows through them.Although all kites have a similar structure(结构)，they are widely different in size and shape.Kitefighting competitions are also held，in which competitors use their kites to attack and bring down their opponents’(对手) kites or cut their strings(线)．
For more than 15 years，the Big Wind Kite Factory has been giving kitemaking and kiteflying classes for the children on an island in Hawaii.In its kitemaking lessons，students can make kites in as little as 20 minutes！Children as young as four years old can learn how to fly a kite.Jonathan Socher and his wife Daphne started the kite factory in 1980.Their kites are made of nylon(尼龙)．Their designs are Hawaiian themes created by Daphne.The designs are cut out of the nylon with a hot knife that seals the edges and then fastened directly onto the kite.
The kite that is used to give lessons is a regular diamond kite with a rainbow pattern.The difference between this kite and the ones they make during the lessons is that it is a twostring controllable kite.Big Wind employees fly the kite and for a few minutes show students how pulling on one line and then on the other controls the direction the kite goes in.Then the controls are given to the students.
Jonathan insists that it is not necessary to make a huge impressive kite to have fun making and flying kites.Even the simplest structure can work，and can give hours of fun.Go on，give it a try！
(2012·安徽，D)
小题1:Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?| A．A hot knife is used to iron the nylon. | | B．Children never fly kites on their own in flying lessons. | | C．Kite strings must not be cut in kitefighting competitions. | | D．Daphne designs kites for the Big Wind Kite Factory. |
小题2:What is different about the kite used for flying lessons?| A．It has two strings. | | B．It is simple in design. | | C．It has a rainbow pattern. | | D．It is shaped like a diamond. |
小题3:According to Jonathan，what do you need to have fun with kites?| A．A large kite. | | B．Any type of kite. | | C．A complex structure. | | D．A kite that impresses others. |
小题4:What is mainly described in the text?| A．A kite factory. | | B．Kiteflying lessons. | | C．Special competitions. | | D．The kitemaking process. |
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While small may be beautiful，tall is just plain uncomfortable it seems，particularly when it comes to staying in hotels and eating in restaurants.
The Tall Persons Club Great Britain (TPCGB)，which was formed six months ago to campaign for the needs of the tall，has turned its attention to hotels and restaurants.Beds that are too small，shower heads that are too low，and restaurant tables with hardly any legroom all make life difficult for those of above average height，it says.
But it is not just the extratall whose needs are not being met.The average height of the population has been increasing yet the standard size of beds，doorways，and chairs has remained unchanged.
“The bedding industry says a bed should be six inches larger than the person using it，so even a kingsize bed at 6′6″ (6 feet and 6 inches) is falling short for 25% of men，while the standard 6′3″ bed caters for less than half of the male population，” said TPCGB president Phil Heinricy，“Sevenfoot beds would work fine.”
Similarly，restaurant tables can cause no end of problems.Small tables，which mean the longlegged have to sit a foot or so away from them，are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.
Some have already taken note，however.At Queens Moat Houses’ Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh，6′6″ beds are now put in as standard after requests for longer beds from taller visitors，particularly Americans. (2011·新课标全国，B)
小题1:What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign?| A．To provide better services. | | B．To rebuild hotels and restaurants. | | C．To draw public attention to the needs of the tall. | | D．To attract more people to become its members. |
小题2:Which of the following might be a bed of proper length according to Phil Heinricy?| A．7′2″. | B．7′. | C．6′6″. | D．6′3″. |
小题3:What may happen to restaurants with small tables?| A．They may lose some customers. | | B．They may start businesses elsewhere. | | C．They have to find easy chairs to match the tables. | | D．They have to provide enough space for the longlegged. |
小题4:What change has already been made in a hotel in Edinburgh?| A．Tall people pay more for larger beds. | | B．6′6″ beds have taken the place of 6′3″ beds. | | C．Special rooms are kept for Americans. | | D．Guest rooms are standardized. |
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A professor I have worked pretty closely with has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.It has been devastating for his family and heartbreaking for his students.
What made him extraordinary was not only that he was a rising star.He had only recently collected the highest honors for young researchers at the White House.We truly admired him—as someone put it, “He always has a smile and a kind word for everyone.” It is very hard to find someone who is extremely intelligent should be so nice a human being.
I decided that we needed him to know our_attitude and also how we are all praying for his recovery.I bought him a simple card which read, “Healing thoughts and wishes coming your way.” I met all the students he worked closely with and got them to sign on it.Each student in his laboratory signed and also added a message.“We love you so much”， “We miss you！We need you back here—get well soon”， “Please come back”， “Thank you for being such an inspiring teacher”， “I hope you recover soon”．..These were some of the messages that were written.Most of the students were really glad we were doing this and said it was a very good idea to give it to him.
He is still undergoing(经历) intense treatment，and along with his family is trying his best to stay optimistic and hopeful.I didn’t see a trace of selfpity or sadness when I met him last week.Instead，he paid attention to every word of my presentation and asked me several questions related to my work.I was amazed at how much he gave his 100% on that day in spite of being in pain because of chemotherapy(化疗)．He did not know if he even had another month to live.“I am trying to focus on staying positive，hoping to be back this summer，”he said.
Needless to say，I saw an expression of joy and hope on his face as he opened the card.He said he was truly touched to see the messages from the students he worked closely with.
There is one thing I learnt from last week：It is so important to tell people how much they mean to us and what an inspiration they are before it becomes too late.My professor，in spite of being too sick to teach classes，has managed to continue being a great teacher，introducing his last valuable message to us.
小题1:The professor was admired because ________.| A．he was very intelligent | | B．he had won many honors | | C．he had noble personalities | | D．he was very determined |
小题2:What do the underlined words “our attitude” in Paragraph 3 refer to?| A．Our worry about his health. | | B．Our pray for his health. | | C．Our admiration for him. | | D．Our pity for him. |
小题3:When the writer visited the professor at hospital，what surprised him was that the professor ________.| A．was suffering from great pain | | B．was still very confident | | C．didn’t know he would die soon | | D．still cared for others |
小题4:Of the following statements，the writer may agree that ________.| A．the professor loves his job very much | | B．few students supported the writer’s decision at first | | C．the professor will go back to teach this summer | | D．the professor often feels sorry for himself |
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Maybe you love them and want to pet every one you see.Or maybe you’re afraid of them and want to move to a dogfree neighborhood.Either way，dogs are a part of life.Millions of people have dogs as pets.You’ll see them all over town，in the city，country，and even when you’re on vacation.
Like many kinds of pets—no matter how small or cute they are—dogs need to be respected as animals that，under certain conditions，could hurt you.Nearly 5 million dog bites happen every year in the United States.No one wants a dog bite，but how do you prevent one?
One dog expert has come up with an easy way for kids to remember some tips to prevent dog bites.It spells “DOG SAFE”．
Don’t tease，please：Teasing a dog can make it angry enough to bite.For instance，if a dog has food or a toy，never try to take it away.You wouldn’t like it if someone took your snack(点心) while you were eating it!
Only pet with permission：Never pet a dog without asking the owner if it’s OK.Some dogs don’t like to be touched by strangers.
Give space：Little kids especially might run right up to a lovely dog and try to pet it or give it a hug.But dogs need space.Crowding a dog can frighten or anger the dog.
Slow down：Some dogs like to chase(追逐) and bite.Of course，you don’t want to be chased or bitten！The way to avoid it is to go slow around dogs.Never run toward them or away from them.If a dog you don’t know runs toward you，freeze.If you need to get away，back up slowly.
Always get help：You may want to bring home a dog that seems lost or injured.But animals who are lost or injured may be very frightened or in pain.Find a grownup instead who can decide how to care for the animal.
Fingers together：When feeding a dog a treat，put the treat in the palm of your hand and keep your fingers and thumb close together.Why？The dog is less likely to get confused about which is the treat—the doggie snack or your finger!
Even good dogs can bite：Some people are very surprised when their dog bites someone，but all dogs can bite.Avoid doing things that make dogs scared or angry，such as backing them into a corner or bothering them when they are sleeping.
小题1:The purpose of the text is to ________.| A．help kids avoid being bitten by dogs | | B．show methods of feeding dogs | | C．warn dog owners of danger | | D．warn kids to keep away from dogs |
小题2:You won’t make a dog angry if ________.| A．you let it alone while it is eating | | B．you pretend to take its food away | | C．you exchange toys with it | | D．you play together with it |
小题3:Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?| A．The owner will be angry if you pet his or her dog. | | B．Dogs don’t like to play with people they are familiar with. | | C．A dog may rush up to a kid happily when a kid runs straight to it. | | D．You can’t pet a dog unless its owner allows you to. |
小题4:Seeing a dog running after you，you’d better ______.| A．escape quickly | | B．hide in a safe place | | C．slow down or just stop | | D．turn to the owner |
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The inventor of the world wide web，Tim BernersLee，has won an important award which comes with a prize bag of one million euros (￡671,000)．The “Father of the Web” was named as the first winner of the Millennium Technology Prize by the Finnish Technology Award Foundation.He said he had just been “in the right place at the right time” and did not want his photo taken.
In 1991，he came up with a system to organize，link and browse(浏览) Net pages which revolutionized the Internet.The British scientist was knighted(封爵) for his pioneering work in 2003.
Sir Tim created his program while he was at the particle physics institute，Cern，in Geneva.The computer code he came up with let scientists easily share research findings across a computer network.In the early 1990s，it was called the “world wide web，” and is still the basis of the web as we know it.
The famous man never went on to commercialize his work.Instead he worked on expanding the use of the Net as a channel for free expression and cooperation.
“The web is encouraging new types of social networks and opening up new ways for information management and business development.The web has significantly improved many people’s ability to obtain information central to their lives，”said Pekka Tarjanne，chairman of the Millennium Technology Prize award committee.
Just under 80 people from 22 countries were nominated(提名) for the prize for their work in the areas of health，communication，new materials and the environment.
The Millennium Technology Prize was set up by the Finnish Technology Award Foundation，an independent body backed by the public and private money which aims to recognize outstanding creations.
Sir Tim currently heads up the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston，where he is now based as an academic.
小题1:It can be learned from the first two paragraphs that ________.| A．it is Tim BernersLee that invented the Internet | | B．no one was able to surf the Net before the world wide web was invented | | C．the Internet can’t be used so widely without Tim BernersLee’s invention | | D．the Millennium Technology Prize was set up for Tim BernersLee |
小题2:After inventing the world wide web，Tim BernersLee ________.| A．became the first person to receive the Millennium Technology Prize | | B．became the first person to be knighted by the Queen of England | | C．began to cooperate with many scientists in other areas | | D．was given over one million pounds for his great contribution |
小题3:Which of the following best describes Tim BernersLee?| A．Optimistic. | B．Modest. | | C．Ambitious. | D．Careful. |
小题4:What would be the best title for the text?| A．The Millennium Technology Prize | | B．Tim BernersLee | | C．The World Wide Web | | D．New Honor for the Web’s Inventor |
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