【判断题】Today, we use the phrase "Achilles heel" to describe the strongest point in one's character or nature, where it is hard for other people to attack or criticize them.

Why does the author mention "planktonburgers" in paragraph 3?

A．To describe the appearance of one type of plankton.

B．To illustrate how much plankton a whale consumes.

C．To suggest plankton as a possible food source.

D．To compare food values of beef and plankton.

Today, we have the longest peacetime expansion in our history. After years and years of deficits, we now have budget surpluses for years ahead. More people have a chance to realize the American Dream than ever before. More children have a chance to realize their full potential than ever before. We've laid a foundation to preserve our prosperity for future generations.

Now, as the budget deadline rapidly approaches this year, we face many of the same tough choices again. And once again, I think the answer is clear: To build a strong nation in the new century, we must continue to invest in our future. That means we must strengthen social security, secure and modernize medicare, and pay off the national debt in fifteen years, making America debt-free for the first time since 1835. And once again, it means we must invest in education, not sacrifice it.

Months ago, I sent Congress a responsible budget to maintain our fiscal discipline and honor our commitment to our Children's education. So far the Republicans in Congress haven't put forth a budget of their own. In fact, they're so busy trying to figure Out how to pay for their irresponsible tax plan that they're in serious danger of not meeting their obligation to finish the budget by the end of the budget year. Even worse, they're preparing to pay for their own pet projects at the expense of our children's education.

We know now that the Republicans' risky tax cut would force us to slash vital funding for education by as much as 50 percent over the next ten years. But what many people don't know is that next year alone, the Republican plan would cut the bill that funds education by nearly 20 percent.

Now, ff carried out, this plan would lead to some of the worst cuts in education in our history. More than 5,000 teachers could be laid off. Fifty thousand students could be turned away from after-school and summer-school programs. More than 2 million of our poorest students in our poorest communities would have a smaller chance of success in school and in the workplaces of the future. These aren't just numbers on a balance sheet; they're vital investments in our children and our future.

In a time when education is our top priority, Republicans in Congress are making it their lowest priority. So let me be clear: ff the Republicans send me a bill that doesn't live up to our national commitment to education, I won't hesitate to veto it. If it undermines our efforts to hire high-quality teachers to reduce class size in our public schools, I will veto it. If it fails to strengthen after-school, and summer-school programs, I'll veto it. If it underfunds college scholarship programs, I will veto it. If it sends me a bill that turns its back on our children and their future, I'll send them back to the drawing board. I won't let Congress push through a budget that's paid for at the expense of our children and our future prosperity.

We can infer that the audience for the speaker in the passage is ______.

A．Congress

B．composed of common voters

C．a group of public-school administrators

D．a group of contributors to the Democratic Party

Shakespeare

When talking about the world's greatest poet and greatest dramatist, only one name can possible suggest itself; that of William Shakespeare. Nearly every Englishman has some knowledge, however slight, of the work of this greatest writer. We use words, phrases and quotations form. Shakespeare's writings that have become part of the common property of English-speaking people. Most of the time we are probably unaware of the source of the words we use. For example, and old lady, after seeing a performance of Hamlet complained, "It was full of well-known proverbs and quotations!"

Shakespeare made full use of the great resources of the English language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand! There is probably no better way for a foreigner (or an Englishman) to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare used it. Such a study is well worth the effort, even thought some aspects of English and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare's day.

It is a pity that we know so little about the life of the greatest English author. We only know that he was born in 1564 in Stratford on-Avon, and that then died there in 1616. He almost certainly attended the Grammar School in the town, but of this we cannot be sure. We know he was married there in 1582 and had three children. We know that he spent much of his life in London, writing his masterpieces. But this is almost all that we do know.

However, what is important about Shakespeare's life is not its incidental details but its products, the plays and the poems. For many years scholars have been trying to add a few facts about Shakespeare's life to the small number we already posses and for an equally long time critics have been theorizing about the plays. Sometimes indeed, it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear beneath the great mass of comment that has been written upon it.

Fortunately this is not likely to happen. Shakespeare's poetry and Shakespeare's characters (Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet and all the others) have long delighted not just the English but lovers of literature everywhere, and will continue to do so after the scholars and commentators and all their works have been forgotten.

How can we best describe the popularity of Shakespeare's works among the English speaking people?

A．Most of the people have taken courses in Shakespeare's works.

B．The English-speaking people like to mention the names of Shakespeare's works.

C．Most of the people know clearly how to use the words and phrases from Shakespeare's works.

D．Many of the words and phrases used by the English-speaking people are taken from Shakespeare's works.

第一篇 Shakespeare

When talking about the world's greatest poet and greatest dramatist, only one name can possible suggest itself;that of William Shakespeare. Nearly every Englishman has some knowledge, however slight, of the work of this greatest writer. We use words, phrases and quotations form. Shakespeare's writings that have become part of the common property of English-speaking people. Most of the time we are probably unaware of the source of the words we use. For example, and old lady, after seeing a performance of Hamlet complained, “It was full of well-known proverbs and quotations!”

Shakespeare made full use of the great resources of the English language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English;Shakespeare in his works used about twenty-five thousand! There is probably no better way for a foreigner (or an Englishman) to appreciate the richness and variety of the english language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare used it. Such a study is well worth the effort, even thought some aspects of English and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare’s day. It is a pity that we know so little about the life of the greatest English author. We only know that he was born in 1564 in Stratford on-Avon, and that then died there in 1616. He almost certainly attended the Grammar School in the town, but of this we cannot be sure. We know he was married there in 1582 and had three children. We know that he spent much of his life in London, writing his masterpieces. But this is almost all that we do know. 

However, what is important about Shakespeare's life is not its incidental details but its products, the plays and the poems. For many years scholars have been trying to add a few facts about Shakespeare's life to the small number we already posses and for an equally long time critics have been theorizing about the plays. Sometimes indeed, it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear beneath the great mass of comment that has been written upon it. 

Fortunately this is not likely to happen. Shakespeare's poetry and Shakespeare's characters(Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet and all the others) have long delighted not just the English but lovers of literature everywhere, and will continue to do so after the scholars and commentators and all their works have been forgotten. 

31 How can we best describe the popularity of Shakespeare's works among the English speaking people?

A Most of the people have taken courses in Shakespeare's works. 

B The English-speaking people like to mention the names of Shakespeare's works. 

C Most of the people know clearly how to use the words and phrases from Shakespeare's works.

D Many of the words and phrases used by the English-speaking people are taken from Shakespeare's works.