大学英语《英语B级》预测试卷一

How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thought and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to present those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, we call words. The power of words, then, lies in their associations - the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something increases. Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and vulgar.

When someone asks me what business I am in. My face feels hot. I envy （嫉妒） people who can say that they are writers, bookkeepers and doctors. I really do make a living by__（1）__ I can laugh like a king or like a schoolboy. It is a skill that I have learned, like the skill of mending shoes. Whenever and however laughter is needed - I am asked to do__（2）__. I laugh like a bus driver or a shopkeeper. I laugh sadly, kindly and happily. I __（3）__ point out that a job of this kind is tiring. I spend most evenings in nightclubs. My job is to laugh during the weaker part of the show. My loud, hearty laugher must be timed carefully. It must not come too soon,__（4）__ neither must it be too late. I go through life quietly. I can copy the laughter of others. I can laugh in many different ways. But I'm not sure that I have ever heard the sound of__（5）__ own laugh.

When you take a walk in many of the cities in the West, you often see a lot of people walking dogs. It is still true that a dog is the most useful and faithful animal in the world. But the reasons why people keep a dog have changed. In the old days, people used to train dogs to protect themselves against attacks by other beasts. And later, they came to realize that the dog was not only useful for protection but willing to obey his master. For example, when people used dogs for hunting, the dogs would not eat what was caught without permission. But now, people in the city need not protect themselves against attacks of an animal. Why do they keep dogs, then? Some people keep dogs to protect themselves from robbery, but the most important reason is for companionship. For a child, a dog is his best friend when he has no friends to play with. For young couples, a dog is their child when they have no children. For old couples, a dog is also their child when their real children have grown up. So the main reason why people keep dogs has changed from protection to friendship.