There are some stories behind English words. You've spent a lot of time studying how to use English in a proper way. But have you ever wondered why English speakers say some of the things they say? For example, why do they say "an easy task" is "a piece of cake"? Why do the two letters "OK" means "all right"? Many English words and phrases have stories behind them. Sometimes these stories can help us look back into old western history. Let's take a look at a few of the original * common English words and phrases: OK "OK" was an American who lived in the 19th century. His name was "Old Kinderhook". In one year he was trying to take the place of the leader of his town. His supporters went around the town shouting " OK \ OK " The supporters thought their future leader was " all right". The expression caught on, and now if something is "all right" , people like to say "OK|" Boss* Is your boss nice to you? If not, just be glad you weren't living in the old times. Back to that time, bosses could do anything bad to their men and could even beat* them! That explains why the word "boss" comes from an old German word meaning "to beat". A piece of cake A famous American writer named Ogden Nash lived in the 1930s. Many readers enjoyed his poems and wrote them down in their notebooks. In one of his poems, Nash wrote, " Her picture's in the papers now, and life's a piece of cake. " His readers found these words interesting and quickly wrote them down. They thought that if one picture in a newspaper could make you famous, wouldn't life be easy? For nearly 70 years, "a piece of cake" has meant any task or activity that is easy. Some of English words can tell us stories about _ . A) how people learned English B) how English speakers create the words C) how people spoke English D) how people taught others to speak English
B
My name is Linda. I'm a girl. I live in Canada .I have two big eyes. My eyes are green. I have long, red hair. I am 1.6 meters tall. I have long arms and long legs. I like black .Black is my favourite colour. I have a friend in China. Her name is Lin Na. She has two big eyes ,too. But her eyes are black. Lin Na is short. She is only 1.5 meters tall. She has long hair, too. But her hair is black. She likes yellow. She has many yellow clothes. Yellow is her favourite colour. Lin Na an d I look different, but we are good friends . Linda's friend likes _ A) blue B) yellow C) black D) green.
B
Q: I went to technology _ where people were showing their ideas for better learning. At the show I got a chance to try out lots of new, interesting equipment that might be introduced to schools. I thought some of it were great and would make learning more fun. Cyber Coach Mat The first thing I tried was the Cyber Coach Mat. This allows children to learn things like yoga and tai chi with virtual instructors . Also you can play football or have dance battles on it. Sony PSP The second piece of equipment I tried was the Play Station Portable. or PSP. It lets you access lots of education materials and helps learning in many ways. It's really fun and even has a built-in camera and video so you can have fun with friends. Lego NXT The final thing I tried was the Lego NXT. This involves building a robot and programming it to follow instructions . The robot can pick up sound waves which can then be sent to the computer or a phone. I would really like to do this kind of thing in my lesson! Overall the fair was great and I learn how to use a lot of things that I think could really help children to learn and have fun at the same time. My favourite was the Cyber Coach Mat because it allows you to learn new skills and it"s a great way to do a PE lesson if it's cold and raining outside! The robot can be controlled by _ . A) letters B) sounds C) pictures D) telephones
A: B
Question: Science fiction is a popular kind of writing, and many people think of Jules Verne as the father of science fiction. He was born in France in 1828. His father wanted him to become a lawyer , but when he was about twenty years old, Verne decided to become a writer. At first he wrote plays for the theater. Then, in 1863, he wrote a story called Five Weeks in a Balloon. The success of this book encouraged him to write more stories such as A Journey to the Center of the Earth(1864) and From the Earth to the Moon(1865). In the 19th century, many people were interested in science and inventions. Jules Verne wrote about scientific subjects in his stories and, as a result, they were very popular. Verne's writing included many predictions for the 20th century and many of them came true. He described space flight, movies, and air conditioning, a long time before they appeared. These books were very successful and they made Verne rich. Jules Verne's books have been the subjects for many movies. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a successful movie for Walt Disney. It was the first Disney movie to use real actors instead of cartoon drawings. Around the World in Eighty Days is another famous movie based on one of Verne's books. The main character is an Englishman called Phileas Fogg. For him, the most important thing is to be always on time! Why were Jules Verne's books very popular in the19th century? A) Because his books made him rich and famous. B) Because his books have been the subjects for many movies. C) Because many people were interested in science and inventions. D) Because people loved him.
Answer: C
Smartphones, poor sight Look around and you'll see people busy on their smartphones. Smartphones do make our lives easier . But have you ever thought about what they mean to your eyes? According to a study, half of British people own smartphones and they spend an average of two hours a day using them. There has been a 35% increase in the number of people in the UK who suffer from shortsightedness since smartphones were introduced there in 1997. Staring at smartphones for long time gives you dry eyes. When looking at something in the distance, your eyes automatically blink a certain number of times. However, when you look at things closer to your face, the blinking slows down. This reduces the amount of tears and causes discomfort in your eyes. Another bad habit is using smartphones in dark rooms before going to sleep. If you look at a bright screen while your pupils become larger, too much light enters your eyes. This can do harm to the eyes and cause a disease called glaucoma . While you're probably not going to stop using to your _ , there are a few things you can do to protect your eyes. Hold your phone at least 30 centimeters away from your eyes when using it. Take a break every hour and try the following: look at something at least five meters from you and then focus on the tip of your nose. Repeat this several times. It should reduce the discomfort in your eyes. This article is written to advise people _ . A) not to buy smart phones B) to stop using smartphones C) to make full use of smartphones D) to use smart phones properly
D