I received a hard blow to my self?confidence in the first interview of my college years. I applied to be a host in our Student Acting Group and felt confident that I would be accepted. But one of the members told me, “You seem unfit because you are a little vertically?challenged.” My life had never been the same since. I used higher heels to complement (補(bǔ)足) my height and psychological tricks to hide my lack of confidence. But no matter how hard I tried to do that, there was still something missing.

As president of English Club, I organized the rehearsal (排練) of Snow White for an English party. Unfortunately, we could not find an actor to be the last dwarf (矮人). It had to be someone who was humorous by nature and fluent in English. Suddenly, all eyes turned to me, and I knew I would have to be the dwarf. To my great surprise and delight, once on stage, I was totally absorbed in the performance and my humorous nature was put to full use. As the dwarf, I was a big hit.

Yes, each of us is only one among millions of others, but each of us is an individual and each of us is unique. Developing our individuality will change our lives, making of them a kaleidoscope (萬(wàn)花筒) of new colors.

A world lack of diversity (差異) would be a boring place. The real tragedy (悲劇) is not being short, shy or ugly, but having your identity lost in a world in which everyone is a clone of a model cool boy or a perfect charming girl.

Given a choice, I would rather be ugly than live in such a world. I'd rather be a real dwarf accompanying a Snow White than be a Snow White among nothing but Snow Whites. I would rather be myself. I would contribute my individual and unique color to create a more diverse universe. Please, be yourself.

The young couple are trying to save as much as possible ________ they can afford a flat by the end of next year．

A．so that B．even though C．in case　　 　 D．a(chǎn)s if

Why does night fall but never break and day break but never fall?

Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?

In what other language do people drive in a parkway and park in a driveway?

In what other language do they call the third hand on the clock the second hand?

　　 Let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.

　　 We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探討它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

　　 And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

　　 How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

　　 English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

1. According to the passage ______.

A. sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things

B. there should be egg in an eggplant

C. pineapples are the apples on the pine tree

D. boxing rings should be round

2. Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?

A. A wise man and a wise guy.　

B. Overlook and oversee.　

C. Quite a lot and quite a few.　

D. Hot as hell and cold as hell.

3. The underlined words “wind up” in the last paragraph probably mean “______”.

A. blow　　 B. roll up　　 C. get hurt　　 D. finish

4. Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are ______.

A. clever　　 B. crazy　　　 C. lazy　　　 D. dull

The visiting minister expressed his satisfaction with the talks, ______ that he had enjoyed his stay here.

     A. having added　　　 B. to add

     C. adding　　　　　　　　 D. added

Can you ___ me a few minutes? I’d like to have ___ with you.

　　A. save ; words B. save; word C. spare; words D. spare; a word

由于他的天賦，他變得世界聞名。

The other day, my brother drove his car down the street at _____ I thought was a dangerous speed.　　 A. as　　 B. which　　 C. what　　 D. that

Although this　　　 sound like a simple task，great care is needed.?

A.must　　　 B.may　　　　 C.shall　　　　　　　　 D.should

Professor Williams keeps telling his students that the future ____ to the well-educated.

A. belongs B. is belonged　 　 C. is belonging 　　 D. will be belonged