课下能力提升(二).单句语法填空1The novel, set in the Gold Rush, is popular with many people.2So far we have done a lot to build a lowcarbon economy, but it is far from ideal. We have to work still harder.3David threatened to_report (report) his neighbour to the police if the damages were not paid.4Its widely agreed that the reform of our sports system, rather than foreign coaches, will be helpful to Chinese football.5He was almost asleep, worn out_ with all this hard work.6This kind of music has great appeal to the children.选词填空head for, be set in, far from, worn out, make an appeal to1Have you ever read a novel which is_set_in prewar London?2Computer, far_from destroying jobs, can create employment.3Its time that we headed/should_head_for the market.4The police made_an_appeal_to the public to remain calm, saying the situation would be improved soon.5Worn_out after a day of shopping, I fell asleep soon.完成句子1你企盼已久的信在这儿。Here_is_the_letter you have been looking forward to.2学生们应当抵制诱惑，集中精力备考。Students should resist_the_temptation to focus on exams alone.3这本书对学历史的学生将很有用。The book will_be_of_great_value/very_valuable_to students of history.4孩子们玩了一整天，都已经精疲力竭了。The children, all of whom had played the whole day long, were_worn_out. .阅读理解AA nations humor is linked to the historical development of the country. How funny somebody finds a certain thing depends on many things including ages, personal experiences, levels of education and locations. Therefore, humor is something which is not always transferable (可转移的) in another country.What about when both countries speak the same mother tongue? Does that mean that they will then share the same sense of humor, or can differences still occur? Lets take the example of Britain and America. Time and time again, people say that Brits and Americans dont “get” each others sense of humor. It is often argued that one of the most common differences between the British and American sense of humor is that Americans dont understand irony (反话). Simon Pegg explores this topic in depth in his article What Are You Laughing at? He concludes that this statement isnt true and I agree with him.In fact, Brits use irony on a daily basis while Americans dont. I think Americans understand British irony (most of the time anyway); what they dont understand is the need to use it so frequently. When Americans use irony, they tend to say that they are “only kidding”. They feel the need to make a joke more obvious than Brits do. Maybe this comes from a fear of offending (冒犯) people.The American sense of humor is generally more slapstick (闹剧的) than that in Britain. I think this arises from a cultural difference between the two. Their jokes are more obvious and forward, a bit like Americans themselves.British jokes, on the other hand, tend to be more subtle. This may stem from the fact that British culture is more reserved (矜持的) than American culture.语篇解读：本文为说明文。美国人的幽默和英国人的幽默有些不同，美国人的幽默更直接，而英国人的幽默更含蓄。1What does Paragraph 1 mainly show?AHumor is difficult to get.BHumor is influenced by culture.CNot all people have a sense of humor.DIt is important to have a sense of humor.解析：选B段落大意题。根据第一段的“A nations humor is linked to the historical development of the country”可知，幽默受文化的影响。2What is the authors point of view in Paragraph 2?AAmericans dont get Brits humor.BAmericans know how to use irony.CSimon Pegg is professional in using irony.DBritain and America share the same sense of humor.解析：选B推理判断题。根据第二段的“. Americans dont understand irony . He concludes that this statement isnt true and I agree with him”可知，作者认为美国人知道怎么用反话。3What can we learn about Brits and Americans from Paragraph 3?AAmericans jokes often offend people.BBrits irony is not easy to understand.CThey are different in how often to use irony.DThey are not sure about the need to use irony.解析：选C细节理解题。根据第三段的“In fact, Brits use irony on a daily basis while Americans dont”可知，美国人和英国人在使用反话的频率上不一样。4What does the underlined word “subtle” mean?AHidden.BFunny.CObvious. DSpecial.解析：选A词义猜测题。根据上文的“Their jokes are more obvious and forward .”以及下文的“. British culture is more reserved (矜持的) than American culture”可知，英国人的幽默更含蓄一些。BA new genre (体裁) of fiction has come out of rising sea levels. Climate fiction, or “clifi”， is a subgenre of science fiction. It imagines a future where man struggles against the extremes of a changing environment.Although it is still an unexplored field in the Chinese literary circle, climate change literature is now a regular course in universities in the US., the UK. and India, etc. A brief Amazon. com search of “climate fiction” returns more than 1,800 results, reflecting a growing demand for books that focus on environmental issues.According to The Atlantic, clifi stories seldom talk about “unreal technologies or faraway planets”， unlike traditional