I keep hammering this because I keep seeing people who don’t do it.
1. Look up English to Elvish.
2. Look up the Elvish word in the best Elvish dictionary you have, and, preferably, find out the context(上下文) in Tolkien’s language dictionary.
3. Change the word to suit rules of grammar: singular or plural, mutations, verb tenses, etc.
You cannot leave out any of these steps. If you do, you’re almost certain to have errors. Why you have to do step 2:
Languages never match up one- to-one. English and Elvish are closer than usual, but there are still problems. And English has strange idioms: why are there no baths or beds in public bathrooms or restrooms? You can’t translate literally(逐字地). You have to understand the meaning behind each word.
In Elvish this is even more true, since our dictionaries contain more or less questionable reconstructions, and words that Tolkien later threw away or replaced. Find the best one you can.
Consider the word “fair”. We tend to use it to mean “just”. Tolkien tends to use it to mean “beautiful”. In Elvish, these are two entirely different words. So when you look up “fair”, you’ll have to go to the Elvish dictionary to see that you’ve got the right one.
Consider the nightmare(噩夢)of He left the bar. Is “l(fā)eft” the opposite of “right” (which also has two meanings) ? Is “bar” extruded steel(型材鋼), or something to do with law? You have to know what words mean in both languages.
And you’d be amazed at how many people ignore step 3, forgetting that language is more than a string of words, and there are rules about how to fit those words together. You can’t simply look up the word “I” and use it everywhere. Sometimes you need “me” or “my”. There’s a reason it takes a while to learn a language: you have to learn the rules.
It drives me completely mad when people give a questionable translation they insist is right because “it’s in the dictionary”. A dictionary is a tool, a resource. but its entries(詞目)should not be mistaken for a finished product. They are raw materials.
小題1:The underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refers to         .
A.consulting the dictionaries when translating between languages
B.finding out the true meaning in context
C.ignoring the rules of grammar
D.leaving out some of the three steps the author mentions
小題2: According to the author, you have to do step 2 because         .
A.you have to understand the meaning behind each word
B.Elvish and English are quite different in forms
C.there are no baths or beds in public bathrooms
D.Elvish has some words which are hard to find
小題3:Grammar is also very important because it         .
A.helps fit the words together
B.takes a while to learn a language
C.is a rule to obey
D.is often forgotten in translating
小題4:In the last paragraph, the author shows         .
A.his impatience to those who insist their wrong translation is right
B.his puzzle to the questionable translation
C.the importance of the correct use of dictionaries
D.the mistaken entries in the dictionaries
小題5: The passage is mainly about how to         .
A.learn a foreign language with a dictionary
B.a(chǎn)void errors when looking up a dictionary
C.understand the meaning of a strange word
D.use a dictionary to translate between languages

小題1:D
小題1:A
小題1:A
小題1:C
小題1:D
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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Canadian experts have found that so – called self – help books may actually do more harm than good to people who really need help.Researchers say that individuals (個人) with low respect felt much worse after repeating positive statements about themselves.
In their study, psychologists Joanne Wood and John Lee sought to determine how positive thinking affected people with different levels of self – confidence.They questioned dozens of people both made and female, analyzed their self – worth and optimism by means of the standard psychological methods and then asked them to write down their thoughts and feelings.The scoring system ranged from 0 to 35.
During the experiment, the researchers asked a total of 68 participants to repeat the self-help book phrase, “I am a lovable person.” After that they measured the participants’ moods and their feelings about themselves.The results revealed that the participants in the low self – respect group who repeated the mantra (頌歌), were feeling much worse afterwards, when compared to other participants in low self – respect group who did not repeat the phrase.Those with low self – respect who repeated the phrase scored an average of 10 points.Their counterparts (對比者) with equally low self – respect who were not asked to repeat the statement, were able to score a little higher average of 17 points.
However, individuals with high self – respect reported feeling better after repeating the positive self – statement – but only slightly.They scored an average of 31 points, compared with an average of 25 for those with equally high self – respect who did not repeat the phrase.
Professor Wood urged those who promote self – help books, magazines and television shows to stop telling people that simply repeating a positive mantra could change one’s life.First, people start following this idea and feel like they are not alone.They are told that all they have to do is just to read that book and then to repeat these positive statements in a hope that things will be better, and when it does not work for them and they realize that nothing gets better, then it is really frustration to people.
Researchers concluded: “Repeating positive self – statements may benefit certain people such as individuals with high self – respect but discourage the very people who need confidence the most.”
小題1:The experts tried to find out, when repeating positive self – statements,         
A.the different influences on people with different levels of self - confidence
B.whether males or females will get more benefit from self – help books
C.which group of people self – help books will do the greatest harm to
D.who will get the least benefit from self – help book
小題2:How many points did the low self – respect participants get after repeating the self – help book phrase?
A.An average of 10 points.B.An average of 17 points.
C.An average of 31 points.D.An average of 25 points.
小題3:So – called self – help books do some good to          
A.people lacking confidence
B.people with high self - respect
C.people with problems to settle urgently
D.people repeating positive self – statements

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:完形填空

I was in the kitchen making lunch when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. I could only see his back. He  56  to be walking with a great effort, trying to be as  57  as possible.
A few minutes after he disappeared into the   58 , he came running toward the house again. I went back to making sandwiches,   59  that whatever task he had been doing was completed. Moments later,  60 , he was once again walking slowly toward the woods.
 61 curiosity, I walked out and followed him on his journey. He was  62  both hands in front of him as he walked, being  63  not to spill the water he held in them. I secretly walked   64  behind him as he went into the woods and I saw the most amazing  65  .
Several large deer loomed in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. I almost  66   at him to get away. A huge male deer with elaborate(精美的)antlers was   67  close. But they didn’t even move as Billy   68  . And I saw a small deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from   69 and extreme heat, lift its head  70  to drink the water cupped in my beautiful boy’s hands.
It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of  71 . You know, we hadn’t had any rain for three months and our crops were   72 . As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly   73  by other drops. I looked up at the sky. It was  74  God was moved to weep. The rain came that day and saved our farm, just like the  75  of one little boy who saved another.
小題1:
A.happenedB.seemedC.managedD.intended
小題2:
A.quicklyB.secretC.smoothlyD.still
小題3:
A.distanceB.yardC.woodsD.park
小題4:
A.wonderingB.thinkingC.studyingD.doubting
小題5:
A.eventuallyB.a(chǎn)ctuallyC.howeverD.therefore
小題6:
A.WithinB.Out ofC.BeyondD.In spite of
小題7:
A.holdingB.wavingC.surrounding D.cupping
小題8:
A.carefulB.worriedC.eagerD.prepared
小題9:
A.a(chǎn)wayB.closeC.outD.off
小題10:
A.sceneB.storyC.viewD.game
小題11:
A.foughtB.signedC.screamedD.waited
小題12:
A.hardlyB.dangerouslyC.easilyD.nearly
小題13:
A.ran awayB.turned outC.knelt downD.settled down
小題14:
A.hungerB.diseaseC.thirstD.injury
小題15:
A.in turnB.in silenceC.with appreciationD.with difficulty
小題16:
A.sufferingB.supportingC.sharingD.depending
小題17:
A.dyingB.reducingC.harvestingD.growing
小題18:
A.hiddenB.coveredC.joinedD.caught
小題19:
A.whenB.a(chǎn)s ifC.becauseD.that
小題20:
A.wishB.dreamC.a(chǎn)ctionD.expectation

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:完形填空

I have spent years of my life traveling all over the world. When I arrive in a new country or city, usually I am very  36  and go to bed early. For this  37  my first day or night in any new place is always quiet and very  38  happens.  39  my first night in Algeciras was very different. This night was very  40   and unusual.
At that time   41  in Southern Spain was a dirty and  42  looked-after city. I arrived late in the evening by  43 . As soon as I got off the boat, I went to look for a   44  . I found a small hotel not far from the boat.
This hotel looked  45  and untidy from the outside. But I was very tired and did not know my  46  around the city of Algeciras. And so I decided to stay in this  47 hotel on the quay(碼頭). I also decided to stay in this hotel for another   48 . The moon was full and it was a clear,   49 night. From the hotel I could  50 the sea. I could see the huge rock of Gibraltar in the bright moonlight.
The hotel had a narrow  51 and no name. When I went through this doorway, I had to climb up narrow and dark stairs to the first floor. I  52 a small cupboard with a desk in front of it. This was the hotel office.
An untidy and tired woman was sitting beside the  53 . When I said I wanted a room for the night, she took me  54  some more stairs to a room on the second floor. Inside this room the landlord was sitting playing cards with some friends. He was  55 his game of cards and I was simply a nuisance(討厭的人). He looked at me when the woman told him that I wanted a room. Then he said, Room Five, and turned back to his game of cards.
小題1:
A.frightenedB.excitedC.tiredD.satisfied
小題2:
A.choiceB.reasonC.a(chǎn)imD.journey
小題3:
A.muchB.littleC.fewD.many
小題4:
A.SoB.BecauseC.AndD.But
小題5:
A.ordinaryB.commonC.forgetfulD.strange
小題6:
A.GibraltarB.AlgecirasC.MadridD.New Delhi
小題7:
A.badlyB.wellC.wronglyD.good
小題8:
A.busB.boatC.planeD.train
小題9:
A.guideB.driverC.hotelD.dinner
小題10:
A.cleanB.dirtyC.beautifulD.interesting
小題11:
A.friendB.a(chǎn)ddressC.chargeD.way
小題12:
A.smallB.largeC.expensiveD.funny-looking
小題13:
A.reasonB.personC.memoryD.sight-seeing
小題14:
A.darkB.cloudyC.brightD.sunny
小題15:
A.look down atB.praiseC.studyD.forget
小題16:
A.bedroomB.doorwayC.stairsD.bulletin-board
小題17:
A.came toB.picked upC.paintedD.escaped from
小題18:
A.cupboardB.officeC.deskD.doorway
小題19:
A.overB.downC.upD.under
小題20:
A.tired ofB.enjoyingC.throwingD.buying

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty. In fact, they say by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States. The Gallup(民意調(diào)查) Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five.
The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age.
The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.
小題1: What can be the best title of the text?
A.Happiness Varies with Ages
B.Experience More, Worry Less
C.The Older, the Wiser
D.Being Young, Being Happy
小題2:We can learn from the research that _________.
A.only when people get older will they feel happier
B.stress levels among the youngest are the highest
C.older people tend to be grateful
D.older people usually have no worries
小題3:According to the research, when people get older, _________.
A.they miss the old days
B.they are physically weak
C.they have better self-control
D.they are more emotional
小題4:What would the author probably talk about next?
A.What influences happiness.
B.How to live better.
C.How to keep happier.
D.Why women are less happier.
小題5:The author is intended to _________.
A.a(chǎn)dvise how to reduce stress
B.introduce a scientific finding
C.describe how to do research
D.talk about human emotions

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Do you ever run out of great books to read? So what should I read next? Is fast-paced crime fiction your thing? Try the new Patricia Cornwell book, Scarpetta (Putnam). She is such an able writer and handles complex forensic(法庭的) intelligence with ease. You need to be prepared, though, for the world you're entering—this isn't for the faint of heart, let's say.
If peace is more your thing, try Mary Pipher's wonderful new book, Seeking Peace:Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World (Riverhead). Mary is a lovely, comfortable writer who takes the reader through her personal awakening after reputation and fortune came her way. Even if you've never experienced life as a bestselling writer (as she has done, in her book years back, Reviving Ophelia), you'll totally understand and sympathize with her renewed need for privacy, distance and quiet.
What if you want a straightforward, totally thrilling read with vivid characters, set about World War II? You cannot go wrong with Jim Lehrer's new novel, Oh, Johnny (Random House), about a young Marine whose life is changed forever when he meets a woman on his way to war. His relationship with her lasts him through danger and hardship, and there's an impressive ending. See our interview with the productive novelist/newsman in the current issue of Reader's Digest (March, on stands now), by the way, for insight into the very talented Mr. Lehrer and what interests him.
Well, what about something wickedly funny and totally offbeat? Does the name Carrie Fisher do anything for you? Try her vivid and new life in Hollywood and elsewhere, Wishful Drinking (Simon & Schuster). Be prepared for humor as sharp as knives.
小題1: In which column will you probably find the above passage?
A.Advice.B.News story.
C.Advertisement.D.Comments.
小題2: What does the writer intend to tell us by the underlined sentence?
 
A.The world is complex and hard.B.Scarpetta is a thriller.
C.The fiction is hard to understand.D.Society is hard to fit into.
小題3: Which of the following is true of Mary Pipher?
A.She is an adventurous writer.
B.She doesn’t care about fortune.
C.Her books normally sell well.
D.She can help you achieve writing skills.
小題4:To get further information about Jim Lehrer, you may________.
A.go to Reader’s Digest issued in March
B.go to Random House
C.a(chǎn)nalyze the characters in Oh, Johnny
D.read the novel Oh, Johnny
小題5:Which book isn’t directly based on the writer’s own life?
A.Seeking Peace.B. Reviving Ophelia.
C.Wishful Drinking. D.Oh, Johnny.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

On my first trip in the United States , I went to San Antonion . I was on foot . So I went to only three places there : the Alamo , the River Walk , and the Art Gallery . I especially enjoyed visiting the Alamo , a well- known building in America .
When I arrived at the Alamo , I was deeply impressed because it was well kept and in good shape . The Alamo was erected in about 1722, was later used as a fort(保壘) , and has been kept as a state monument(紀念館) to the Texan War of Independence against Mexico . During the battle , all of the Texan defenders were killed . I was surprised at the exhibition of rifles , guns , cannons and swords .
I was especially attracted by the paintings of a war . The paintings expressed the feelings of a painter very well . Even thought about 160 years have passed since the Battle of the Alamo , the exhibit is well kept . When I came out after seeing the exhibition , I felt as if I had a victory . The outer wall of the Alamo was destroyed here and there . When I touched the wall , I could feel the damage . After the war , little remained of the Alamo . All of the windows and doors were destroyed . The top part of the gate way disappeared without a trace(遺跡) . I will remember the Alamo forever . It is one of the best places to visit in San Antonio .
小題1:It can be inferred according to the passage that the author may be a____ .
A.writerB.Chinese
C.EuropeanD.foreigner to Americans
小題2:The underlined word “erected” (in Paragraph2) means ______ .
A.foundB.inventedC.repairedD.built
小題3:People come to visit the Alamo now for ______ .
A.its height and shape
B.its history and the story about it
C.the exhibits in it
D.its shape
小題4:Which of the following may be the best title for this passage ?
A.A Famous Building in America
B.My First Visit to America .
C.The Texan War of Independence against Mexico .
D.My Impressions of the Alamo in San Antonio , Texas .

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Have you ever had the strange feeling that you were being watched? You turned around and, sure enough, someone was looking right at you!
Parapsychologists (靈學家) say that humans have a natural ability to sense when someone is looking at them. To research whether such a “sixth sense” really exists, Robert Baker, a psychologist at the University of Kentucky, performed two experiments.
In the first one, Baker sat behind unknowing people in public places and stared at the backs of their heads for 5 to 15 minutes. The subjects were eating, drinking, reading, studying, watching TV, or working at a computer. Baker made sure that the people could not tell that he was sitting behind them during those periods. Later, when he questioned the subjects, almost all of them said they had no sense that someone was staring at them.
For the second experiment, Baker told the subjects that they would be stared at from time to time from behind a two way mirror in a laboratory setting. The people had to write down when they felt they were being stared at and when they weren’t. Baker found that the subjects were no better at telling when they were stared at and when they weren’t. and they were no better at telling when they were stared at than if they had just guessed.
Baker concludes that people do not have the ability to sense when they’re being stared at. If people doubt the outcome of his two experiments, said baker, “I suggest they repeat the experiments and see for themselves.”
小題1:The purpose of the two experiments is to                                 .
A.explain when people can have a sixth sense
B.show how people act while being watched in the lab
C.study whether humans can sense when they are stared at
D.prove why humans have a sixth sense
小題2:In the first experiment, the subjects                             .
A.were not told that they would be stared at
B.lost their sense when they were stared at
C.were not sure when the would be stared at
D.were uncomfortable when they were stared at
小題3:What can be learned from the passage?
A.People are born with a sixth sense.
B.The experiments support parapsychologists’ idea.
C.The subjects do not have a sixth sense in the experiments.
D.People have a sixth sense in public places.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Pressure too much?
In our daily life we are used to hearing these words, “I can't wait for my holiday,” “I wish I could stay home today” And “I'm very tired.” These words come from pressure at work. Now the “iron rice bowl”(鐵飯碗) is being broken into pieces. Workers may be fired if they don’t perform their duties well. They have to do their jobs better.
People feel pressure not only because they might find themselves out of work but also because they get no real pleasure from their work. For most of the workers, work is just a way of earning money. It appears to be meaningless and worthless.
But pressure is a natural part of work. There is no way to keep away from it. We should face up to it.
Work should be a cause of happiness and pride rather than a punishment or a burden .In fact, a certain amount of pressure can provide challenge and chance for learning. To a modern man who is worried and low in spirit, developing a hobby and finding a new interest is of first importance. I like listening to pop music, which makes me calm and gives me pleasure.
If pressure becomes difficult to deal with, we should turn to our friends or families. We can have a drink with our friends and talk about the problem. We should always discuss our problems with our families. Good advice, warmth and happiness that families bring to us can reduce our pressure and encourage us to smooth away all difficulties.
小題1:Peopel feel pressure at work mainly because ______.
A.they will lose their jobs
B.most of them find less interest in their work
C.they can make more money after work.
D.they want to stay at home.
小題2:Which of the following is WRONG in the writer’s opinion?
A.Where there is work there is pressure.
B.Work shouldn’t be regarded as punishment or burden.
C.All modern men are worried and low in spirit.
D.A certain amount of pressure is necessary.
小題3:From the text we can know that when pressure is too big, ________.
A.we should drink coffee with our friends
B.we can get help and comfort from our friends or families.
C.we can go home because it is warm
D.to talk out the problem to our friends and families is the best way.

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