外语系英语专业英语语言技能测试题(复述部分)

外语系英语专业英语语言技能测试题（复述部分）1．Directions:You are required to read the following passages and then retell the main idea of the passaages, using correct words, phrases and expressions, paying attention to use correct pronunciation and intonation, express your idea fluently and freely, make sure the sententences you use understandable. 教师检测的重点是：1）语音、语调：正确使用、区分各种语音语调（0-20分）2）流利程度：语速恰当，语言流畅，伴有少量错误和停顿（0-20分）3）准确性：正确选用单词、词组和表达语，切题，能说出正确复杂的句子（0-20分）4）表达能力：自由流利地表达自己的观点，表达比较流畅和灵活。（0-20分）5）总体可理解性：所表达思想的可理解程度（0-20分）

1．

Once there was an old woman who liked to bake cookies. She didn't have anyone to share them with, so she just gave them away to the children in the neighborhood. This went on for several years and the cookies became quite famous, especially at Christmas time. The parents began to like the cookies as much as the children did, and the old woman's kitchen became very busy, so the children came to help.

Then one Christmas the old woman became ill. There were no cookies, and there was no money to pay the doctor. The children were very sad. Later they had a bright idea, that is, to bake cookies from the old woman's recipe. So the children started a cookie store. Soon they had a very good cookie business, with money to pay the doctor as well as to put in the bank.

After the woman got well, she was asked to become the manager of the store, selling special cookies for all the holidays of the year. After the old woman died, the children, now grown up, kept the cookie business alive in her name. Maybe life is like a Christmas cookie. The more you share it with your friends, the more you're likely to enjoy it.

2．

Sonora got the idea for Father's Day more than eighty years ago. She was listening to a speech about Mother's Day and decided that fathers should be recognized, too. She especially wanted to honor her own father, who had raised six children alone. Sonora asked the clergy in Spokane to prepare speeches to honor fathers on the first Sunday in June, her own father's birthday. But they did not give the speeches until two weeks later.

Fifteen years later, President Calvin Coolidge said Americans should honor their fathers on the third Sunday in June. In 1972, Father's Day became a national holiday in the United States. American families celebrate

Father's Day by gathering for dinner or a picnic. They may do special things for Father on his special day: prepare his favorite foods or join him in

a favorite activity. And everyone gives him cards and gifts.

Each year, a private group called the National Father's Day Committee chooses an American man to receive its Father of the Year Award. The first award was given fifty years ago to General Douglas M., World War II Commander.

General Norman S., former commander of Allied Forces in the Persian Gulf, was among the winners. He said that being a father puts things in balance. After giving orders all day to thousands of people and having them obey, he said, there is something very healthy about coming home at night and not being able to get your children to clean their teeth!

3．

On the fourth Thursday in November, in houses around the United States, families get together for a feast, or a large meal. Almost all families eat turkey and cranberry sauce for this meal, and have pumpkin pie for dessert. This feast is part of a very special day, the holiday of Thanksgiving.

In 1620 the Pilgrims made a difficult trip across the ocean from England. They landed in what is now Massachusetts. In England the Pilgrims had not been allowed to freely practice their religion. So they went to the New World

in search of religious freedom.

The Pilgrims' first winter was very hard. Almost half the group died of cold, hunger and disease. But the Indians of Massachusetts taught the Pilgrims to plant corn, to hunt and to fish. When the next fall came, the Pilgrims had plenty of food. They were thankful to "God" and the Indians and had a feast to give thanks. They invited the Indians to join them. This was the first Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving became a national holiday many years later because of the effort of a woman named Sarah Hale. For forty years Sarah Hale wrote to each president and asked for a holiday of Thanksgiving. At last she was successful. In 1863 President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday.

4．

Bob went over to his friend Joe's house and was amazed at how well Joe treated his wife. He often told her how attractive she was, spoke highly of her cooking and showered her with hugs and kisses.

"Gee." Bob remarked later, "You really love your wife a lot. It seems as though you two were still on your honeymoon."