Unit 2 English around the world.阅读理解A(2018长郡中学高三实验班选拔)On Wednesday, nearly 300 kids will take part in the National Spelling Bee. Fewer will make it to the following days semifinals, where one mistake means elimination(淘汰). Id bet that many of them will be silently prayingnot on the first word. I knew _it_ because I was there 17 years ago. I was a 14yearold girl then. My mother and I had flown from Kentucky to Washington, but the capital was no strange to her. My older sister had already competed at the national level.When my sister was 14 and I was 12, we trained together. We began with the Suggested List given out at schoolhundreds of words printed on a poster that could be folded up like a map. When the words along the creases(褶痕) began to disappear, we bought additional spelling lists.Sometimes my mother tested us, reading words most English teachers wouldnt know how to pronounce, let alone my Indianborn mother. When she pointed out the misspelled words, I blamed her accent for my errors! When it was my turn, I approached the microphone and waited for my first word. The announcer was somewhere to my left, a man who pronounced clearly. “Barbican，” he said. It seemed that my competitors were secretly complaining about the relative ease of my word. Would they laugh at me if I couldnt spell it? Would my mother be disappointed in me? That last syllable could go two ways: CAN or CON. Which one was right? Finally I decided on CON. Of course, I was eliminated and guided to the Comfort Room, where parents couldnt enter. Inside, recent losers were sitting around a table abundant with junk food.We casually mentioned the words that defeated us, like a special ceremony to welcome each new arrival. Then we changed the subjects if wed already moved on from missed words and lost opportunities.Eventually, I went out and saw my mother.“Well，” she said, “_I_guess_you_wont_be_doing_this_again._” Yes, next year I would be 15 and not allowed to take part in the competition. 语篇导读本文为记叙文，讲述了“我”14岁时参加全国英文拼字大赛的经历。1What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 1 refer to? AThe difficulty of the first word. BThe fierce competition. CThe nervousness of the kids. DThe strict rules. 解析 C代词指代题。根据第一段最后两句可知，参加比赛的孩子都很紧张，所以默默祈祷，千万别在第一个单词就被淘汰；而“我”知道孩子们紧张是因为“我”在17年前有过这样的经历。据此可知，it指代孩子们的紧张，故选C项。2The author failed probably because _.Ashe was unable to relax Bthe announcer had an accent Cher competitors disturbed her Dshe didnt practise hard enough解析 A推理判断题。根据第七段前三句可以判断，“我”无法放松，心里想得很多，所以影响发挥而被淘汰，故选A项。3What did the author do in the Comfort Room? AShe met her mother.BShe comforted new arrivals. CShe talked with other losers. DShe watched the competition.解析 C细节理解题。根据第九段可知，在the Comfort Room里，“我”在和其他淘汰者聊天，故选C项。4Why did the authors mother say the underlined sentence in the last paragraph? AShe was disappointed in the author. BThe author would be beyond the age limit. CShe didnt want the author to suffer again. DThe author had no interest in the competition. 解析 B细节理解题。根据最后一段最后一句可以判断，“我”由于超过年龄限制，不能再参赛，故选B项。B(2018湖北重点中学新高三起点)How to avoid a boring conversationWhat excuses should you use to avoid talking to people you dont want to talk to? Here are tips and inoffensive ways to get out of unwanted conversations.Go for a refill(续杯)It is natural for anyone at a party to be excused to get a refill.5_ And once you excuse yourself, make a move fast before the person requests you to get a refill for him as well.Pretend bad mood.Cut off the conversation before it starts by saying something along the lines of “Im not in a good mood. Can I talk to you later if you dont mind？”6_ Say it firmly so that people get the message loud and clear.Ask your friend to save you.7_ Simply text your friend and ask him or her to come for apparently something important. You will be able to skip a boring chat with a seemingly reasonable excuse.8._You are advised to look away from that person and dont make eye contact, so that you can give powerful hints(暗示) that you find the conversation extremely boring.9_ Be sure to tune in to the conversation every now and then so you dont come across as rude.ABehave in an obviously careless way.BJust be sure that the person you are talking to does not offer to accompany you to do so.CDont act too polite in an attempt to draw sympathy.DUse body language to indicate boredom.EYour friend is bound to perform brilliantly in coping with the dull one.FLook elsewhere and pretend that something else has caught your attention.GStuck in an unwanted conversation, how do you get out of it?语篇导读本文为说明文，介绍了怎样避免无聊的谈话。5解析 B顺承关系。B项中的so就是指空前的get a refill这一行为；同时空后的make a move fastas well与B项的内容相呼应，故选B项。6解析 C重申关系。空后的代词it指代空处前一句中的Im not in a good mood. Can I talk to you later if you don