自考专业英语（英语阅读一）模拟试卷七

(63)Also, because an American is perhaps more likely to admit and laugh at his own mistakes than one who stands more on his dignity a foreigner sometimes does not know how to handle the American's apparent modesty.The American is quite ready to admit certain weaknesses, such as "I never was good at mathematics. “I'm rotten tennis player.” or “I'm the world's' worst bridge player." However, the stranger must not be too quick to agree with him. (64)Americans think it all right, even sporting, to admit a defect in themselves, but they feel that it is almost an insult to have someone else agree.(65)A part of American idea of good sportsmanship is the point of being generous to a loser.(66)This attitude is carried over into matters that have nothing to do with competition.If a man talks about his weak points, the listener says something in the way of encouragement, or points to other qualities in which the speaker excels. An American student reports that when he was in a foreign country he was completely stunned when he said to a native, "I don't speak your language very well. and the native replied, "I should say you don't. "In a similar situation an American would have commented "Well, you have only been here two months. "or "But you're making progress.(67)Although Americans are quite informal, it is best for a foreigner, in case of doubt, to be too formal rather than not formal enough.Consideration for others is the basis of all courtesy.(From American Social Relations)

Passage 4

Pronouncing a language is a skill. Every normal person is expert in the skill of pronouncing his own language; but few people are even moderately proficient at pronouncing foreign languages. Now there are many reasons for this, some obvious, some perhaps not so obvious. But I suggest that the fundamental reason why people in general do not speak foreign languages very much better than they do their own languages is that they fail to grasp the true nature of the problems of learning to pronounce, and consequently never set about tackling it in the right way. Far too many people fail to realize that language is a skill-one that needs careful training of a special kind, and one be acquired by just leaving it to take care of itself

  I think even teachers of language, while recognizing the importance of a good accent, tend to study concerned with speaking in their practical teaching. So, the first point I want to make here is that the teacher should be prepared to devote some of the lesson time to the English pronunciation. There should be occasions when other aspects of English, such as grammar and spelling, are allowed for the moment to take the second place.

 Apart from this question of the time given to pronunciation there are two other requirements for the teacher: the first, knowledge; the second, technique.

 It is important that the teacher should be in possession of the necessary information. This can generally be obtained from books. It is possible to get from books some idea of the mechanics of speech, and of what we call general phonetic theory. But the first and most important part of a language teacher's technique is his own performance, his ability to demonstrate the spoken language, in every detail of articulation(发音) as well as in fluent speaking, so that the student's' talent capacity for imitation is given the fullest scope and encouragement.

According to the author, why do people generally not speak foreign languages very much better than their own languages?

What are the three basic requirements for the foreign language teacher in teaching pronunciation?

(rest) Pastel colours are( ) to the eye.

Immense keep out of  share  with  for  in time 

so long as against account on interfere  by

 In the late nineteenth century Britain(51)( )_foreign politics as much as possible. Europe was divided into two camps: France and Russia in one, Germany, Austria and Italy in the other. Britain favoured the second group(52)( ) France threatened her interests in Africa and the Russians threatened her Indian border. But Germany was growing too strong. The various German states had been united under the King of Prussia after his conquest of France in?1870.He was now Emperor of all Germany. He was Queen Victoria's son-in-law, but his ambitions took no (53)( )of such a tie. Britain watched him with growing mistrust.

 The Germans already had the best army in' Europe. (54)( )1901. when Victoria died, they had begun to build a very large navy, which was not needed to protect their trade. It could only have one purpose, to fight its British rival. Edward VII had never(55)( )_his mother's faith in the Emperor's goodwill and Britain now openly made friends with France. She would not make a defence treaty, but she showed that her sympathy would be(56)( )the French if the Germans attacked them. Plans were made for an army of 150,000 men which would be ready to cross the Channel at a moment's notice When war came in 1914, this force managed to arrive just(57)( )_to save Paris.

 Britain had no quarrel with Germany, and public opinion was divided on the question of supporting France. If the Germans had made a direct attack, they might have taken Paris before anyone (58)( ). But they attacked through Belgium. Their Emperor did not believe that Britain would go to war for" bit of paper", which was his scornful description of Palmerston's treaty. However, when he attacked Belgium, all Britain united(59)( ) _him, and half the nations of the world were soon fighting in the muddy ditches of France. Every part of the Empire immediately joined the British side, and three years later the United States followed their example. When the war was won, both sides had suffered(60)( )losses. The Empire's forces had lost a million men, and Britain had spent all her wealth.

(ingratiating) She tried to( )herself with the director, in the hope of getting promotion.

(mystery) No one knows where he comes from. There is something( ) about his family backgrounD。

(profit) The deal was( ) to all of us.

(strength) This latest development has further( ) my determination to leave.

(danger) Believe it or not, there can be no doubt that smoking( ) your health.