Which of the following does not contain the sound [ae]?

grade

glad

bad

land

考查语音。句意：下面哪个不包含这个发音[ae]? grade的发音是[greId]; glad的发音是[glaed]; bad的发音是[baed]; land的发音是[laend]。故选A项。

If you want to catch the first bus you'd better         for the bus station immediately.

set up

set about

set down

set off

考查动词短语辨析。句意：如果你想赶上第一班公交车，你最好马上动身去车站。A. set up建立；B. set about开始做.....;C. set down 记下；D. set off 出发，动身。结合上文If you want to catch the first bus you'd better可知此处指“动身，出发”，应用set off。故选D项。

According to Professor Johnson, we don't have to read the book if we don't want to, as it is              .

worthwhile

necessary

optional

serious

考查形容词词义辨析。句意：根据约翰逊教授的说法，如果我们不想读这本书，就不必读，因为它是可选择的。A. worthwhile值得的； B. necessary 必要的；C. optional 可选择的；D. serious 严肃的，认真的。根据“  we don't have to read the book if we don't want to”可知，这本书读不读都可以，由此可知它是“可选择的”。故选C项。

With a lot of difficult problems           ,he feels like a cat on  hot bricks.

to settle

being settled

settling

settled

考查非谓语动词。句意： 因为有一大堆难题要解决，他感觉像像热锅上的蚂蚁。本句with +名词+to do sth,动词不定式表示的动作尚未发生或当时看来尚未发生。本句表示“因为有一大堆难题要解决”。故选A项。

Don’t mention that at the beginning of the story, or it may             the  shocking end.

give out

give away

give up

give off

考查动词短语辨析。句意：不要在故事的开头提到它，否则会泄露令人震惊的结局。A. give out分发；B. give away泄露；C.give up 放弃；D. give off发出（光），根据“the shocking end”可知，此处表示“泄露”。故选B项。