单选题 How men first learned to invent words is unknown; (21) , the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain (22) to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, (23) they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed (24) certain signs, called letters, which could be (25) to represent those sounds, and which could be (26) Those sounds, whether spoken (27) written in letters, we call words.
The power of words, then, lies in their (28) —the things they bring up before our minds. Words become (29) with meaning for us by experience; (30) the longer we live, the more certain words (31) to us the happy and sad events of our past: and the more we (32) , the more the number of words that mean something to us (33)
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal (34) to our minds and emotions. This (35) and telling use of words is what we call (36) style. Above all, the real poet is a master of (37) He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which (38) their position and association can (39) men to tears. We should, therefore, learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will (40) our speech or writing silly and vulgar.

单选题 A. in addition B. in other words C. in a word D. in summary
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] (in other words换句话说)。句意为：人类最初是如何发明文字的，这一点尚不清楚。换句话说，语言的起源是一个重大之谜。A(in addition)意为“此外”；C(in a word)意为“总而言之”；D(in summery)意为“总的来说”。
单选题 A. sounds B. gestures C. signs D. movements
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] (sounds声音)。人类先有声音，后有文字，所以应选A。B(gestures)意为“姿势”；C(signs)意为“符号”；没D(movements)意为“运动”。
单选题 A. such that B. at that C. so that D. in that
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] (so that以便)。so that引导一个目的从句，A(such that)意为“如此……以至于”，引导一个结果状语从句；B(as that)意为“就那样”；D(in that)意为“原因在于”。
单选题 A. in B. with C. of D. upon
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] (upon)。agree upon或agree on意为“就……达成一致”；agree一般不与in或of搭配，故应排除A和C；agree with意为“同意某人”，与句意不符，故应排除B。
单选题 A. spelt B. combined C. written D. copied
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] (combined结合)。字母结合在一起代表那些声音，合乎句意。
单选题 A. written down B. handed down C. remembered D. observed
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] (written写)。written可以引申为“记录下来”。
单选题 A. and B. yet C. also D. or
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] (or或者)。whether…or系固定搭配，意为“无论……还是”。
单选题 A. functions B. associations C. roles D. links
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] (associations联想意义)。A(functions)意为“功能”；C(roles)意为“角色”；D(1inks)意为“联系”。
单选题 A. filled B. full C. live D. active
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] (filled充满)。filled后跟with，full后跟of，意为“充满”。
单选题 A. but B. yet C. or D. and
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] (and)。and用于连接下文，无实义。后面的那个and有暗示作用。
单选题 A. reappear B. recall C. remember D. recollect
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] (recall使人想起)。recall something to somebody意为“使某人想起某事”；recollect也有“回忆”的意思，但一般不说recollect something to somebody。
单选题 A. read and think B. adapt to C. adapt D. adapt with
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] (read and learn阅读和学习)。句意为：我们阅读和学习的东西越多，对我们有意义的词语就会越多。
单选题 A. raises B. increases C. improves D. emerges
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] (increases增加)。
单选题 A. intensively B. extensively C. broadly D. powerfully
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] (powerfully强有力地)。句意为：伟大的作家不仅有伟大的思想，而且用对思维和情感有很大吸引力的文字表达思想。
单选题 A. charming B. academic C. conventional D. common
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] (charming迷人的)。句意为：词语迷人和生动的用法就是我们所说的文学风格。
单选题 A. written B. spoken C. literary D. dramatic
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] (literary文学的)。
单选题 A. signs B. words C. style D. sound
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] (words词语)。句意为：首先，真正的诗人是运用词语的大师。words是本文的关键词，在文中多次出现。
单选题 A. in B. on C. over D. by
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] (by通过)。by表示方式，意为“通过”。
单选题 A. move B. engage C. make D. force
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] (move感动)。move men to tears意为“感动得让人流泪”。
单选题 A. transform B. change C. make D. convert
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] (make使)。句意为：因此，我们应该仔细挑选词语，准确地运用词语，否则，它们就会使我们的演讲荒唐而又庸俗。