Question

“Can’t hold a candle to” is a popular expression．When there wasn’t electricity, someone would have a servant light his way by holding a candle．The expression meant that the person who cannot hold a candle to you is not fit even to be your servant．Now，it means such a person cannot compare or compete．

Another expression is“hold your tongue．”It means to be still and not talk．“Hold your tongue”is not something you would tell a friend．But a parent or teacher might use the expression to quiet a noisy child．

“Hold out”is an expression one hears often in sports reports and labor news．It means to refuse to play or work．Professional football and baseball players“hold out” if their team refuses to pay them what they think they are worth．

The expression“hold up” has several different meanings．One is a robbery．A man with a gun may say,“This is a hold up．Give me your money．”Another meaning is to delay．A driver who was held up by heavy traffic might be late for work．Another meaning is for a story to be considered true after an investigation．A story can hold up if it is proved true．

“Hold on”is another expression，which means wait or stop．As you leave for school，your brother may say,“Hold on，you forgot your book．” It is used to ask a telephone caller to wait and not hang up his telephone．

Our final expression is“hold the line．”That means to keep a problem or situation from getting worse—to hold steady．For example，the president may say he will“hold the line on taxes．”He means there will be no increase in taxes．

1.The author introduces the expressions mainly by _____________．

A．giving examples B．making comparisons

C．raising questions D．quoting famous remarks

2.The expression“can’t hold a candle to”call be used when ____________．

A．some footballers refuse to play a game

B．someone else is wanted on the phone

C．someone is not qualified for a position

D．someone was delayed by heavy traffic

3.The tune ofthe phrase“hold your tongue”is probably a little ___________．

A．a(chǎn)musing B．polite C．unfriendly D．offensive

4.If some teachers“hold out”，they probably __________．

A．change their artitude B．refuse to work

C．make a compromise D．show their devotion

5.Which of the following sentences can convey positive meanings?

A．I was late as I was held up by a hold up．

B．Hold on!You have to pay the bill，sir．

C．You can’t even hold a candle to Michael．

D．I promise to hold the line on house prices．

 

Answer 1

1.A

2.C

3.C

4.B

5.D

【解析】本文介紹了英語中幾個常用的短語，介紹了每個短語的內(nèi)在含義和具體使用語境并舉例進行了說明。

1.A

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第三段Professional football and baseball players“hold out” if their team refuses to pay them what they think they are worth．先是提出hold out這個短語，然后再舉例說明這個短語的用法。所以本文是通過舉例說明的方法來組織全文的。故A正確。

2.2】C

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)第一段后2行The expression meant that the person who cannot hold a candle to you is not fit even to be your servant．Now，it means such a person cannot compare or compete．這個短語是指那些不會給你拿蠟燭的人是不適合做你的仆人的，也就是說這樣的人是不合格的。故該短語是指C項含義。

3.3】C

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段Another expression is“hold your tongue．”It means to be still and not talk．“Hold your tongue”is not something you would tell a friend．課hold your tongue表示讓對方不要說話，保持安靜。這是一個不太禮貌的用語。不是我們經(jīng)常和朋友講的用語。故C正確。

4.4】B

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第三段第二句．It means to refuse to play or work．可知hold out表示罷工或者拒絕工作。如果老師hold out說明老師拒絕上課了。故B項正確。

5.5】D

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章最后一段That means to keep a problem or situation from getting worse—to hold steady可知hold the line表示不讓事情失敗，讓事情保持穩(wěn)定。這個短語表示的是褒義。故D正確。

【長難句解析】

“Hold out”is an expression one hears often in sports reports and labor news．

【翻譯】“Hold out”是一個人們經(jīng)常在體育報道和勞動法律里經(jīng)常聽見的短語。

【分析】本句中含有一個定語從句one hears often in sports reports and labor news這個定語從句用來修飾先行詞an expression,在先行詞后面省略了that/which指代先行詞在句中做hear的賓語，可以省略。