We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. This article gives some suggestions on how to give an effective speech.
So, you have to give a speech —and you are terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank Goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”
Cheep up! It doesn’t have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of your time doing your research. Then spend plenty of your time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly. Never forget your audience. Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Just remember: Be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief. Say what you have to say and then stop. And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to-person contact with your audience.
If you follow these simple steps, you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to make more speeches! You’re not convinced yet? Give it a try and see what happens.
41.The main idea of this article is .
A.that you can improve your speaking ability B.that a poor speaker can never change
C.to always make a short speech D.that it is hard to make a speech
42.Paragraph 2 implies that .
A.many people are afraid of giving a speech B. many people are happy to give a speech
C.many people don’t prepare for a speech D. many people talk too long
43.The phrase “talk over their heads” means .
A.speak too loudly B. look at the ceiling
C.look down upon them D. use words and ideas that are too difficult
44.All of the following statements are TRUE except .
A.few people know how to make good speeches
B.a lecturer does not need to organize his speech
C.research is important in preparing a speech
D.there are simple steps you can take to improve your speaking ability
45.The title for this passage may be .
A.Do Not Make a Long Speech B.How to Give a Good Speech
C.How to Prepare for a Speech D.Try to Enjoy a Speech
There have been big changes in the attitudes of most parents over the last few years. Physical punishment is banned in schools in most countries, and in many countries, there are moves to ban all physical punishment of children even at home. However, many parents still believe that they have the right to use some physical punishments to deal with certain misbehavior at certain ages.
It’s easy to find reasons to allow some physical punishments. One issue is that many parents find it very difficult to abandon physical punishment completely. Parents argue that this was the way they were brought up and that it didn’t do any harm to them. They believe that for the child’s sake they have the right to discipline the child in any way they consider fit, including using some physical punishments. The other one is that physical punishment can be quick and effective. There is not much point reasoning with a screaming child in the supermarket.
However, there are several reasons why we should stop using physical punishment. One point is that most parents are not trained to deal with misbehaving children. They don’t have enough resources or choices to handle the situation. As a result, they immediately react by hitting the child even if there are other solutions to the problem. Another point is that unless people are challenged or forced to change their belief, they may keep following negative habits. An example is seat belt use —now most people wear seat belts without thinking, while years ago the idea of using seat belts was strange to most people. In the same way, banning physical punishment will force people to change their habits.
In conclusion, parents have to change some of their belief and ideas about how children should be raised. It is possible to avoid the use of physical force, and doing so will help us move closer to the dream of removing violence from our society.According to the first paragraph, many parents think that ____________.
A.they are free to use physical punishment on their children |
B.most of the children behave badly in their daily life |
C.they have changed their attitudes towards their children |
D.physical punishment is effective to educate their children |
Many parents won’t give up physical punishment because _____________.
A.they are disappointed with their children |
B.they were brought up just in the same way |
C.they don’t want to hurt their children badly |
D.they don’t know what to do with their children |
The author gives the example of using seat belts in order to show ____________.
A.most people are used to wearing seat belts |
B.it’s not difficult to change some negative habits |
C.seat belts are really very necessary and useful |
D.people won’t change their old habits unless forced |
The main purpose of the author in writing this passage is to ____________.
A.talk about a ban on using physical punishment |
B.tell us we should educate our children in other ways |
C.advise parents to give up using physical punishment |
D.suggest physical punishment should be used at home |
What does the word“youth” mean to you? Many define it as a precious time in their life when they are young, when fun, passion, and imagination seem limitless. But for most high school students, youth is a time of determination and willpower for achieving their goals.
This is vividly shown in Mark of Youth, a movie that opened on Feb 5. Mark of Youth tells the story of four Senior 3 students in a top high school in the days leading up to the national college entrance examination.
Each character represents a different type of student, ranging from the most mischievous(调皮的)to the most motivated. Like most teenagers, they enjoy carefree moments and like to talk about their schoolmates. But the tension of the approaching exam, probably their first life-changing event, is common—they must memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems, work through piles of practice test papers, and improve their scores despite the increasing pressure.
But life exists beyond campus. That the college entrance examination is coming up doesn’t mean they can escape family changes, such as when one character’s parents get divorced or another’s father is arrested. Can these four young people handle their problems and eventually make it to their ideal universities despite their on –and –off campus stress?
The story is set in Hubei Huanggang Middle School, known for its students’ outstanding performances on the big exam. The four students are played by the actors who played in the reality shows Happy Boys and Happy Girls. HongKong actor Alex Fong plays their teacher.
Students may look more fashionable in Mark of Youth than in real life, but it is the story about the final year of high school that many viewers relate to.
“The film is very inspiring,” said Senior 2 student Yao Lingqian, 16, from Leshan Foreign Language School in Sichuan province. “A total commitment(投入)to hard work, though it can be lonely and no fun at all, will leave precious marks on my youth.”
And for Senior 3 student Gao Jing, the film has given her optimism. “The characters taught me that what you score is not the only important thing. The way you approach the exam matters the most,” said the 17-year-old from Zhenping County No 1 High School in Nanyang, Henan province.
“The film really reflects senior 3students’life.” Zhang Ping, a teacher from a senior high school in Qingdao, commented.What is the function of the first paragraph in the passage?
A.To tell us what the word “youth” means. |
B.To introduce what will be mainly talked about. |
C.To tell youth is a time of determination and willpower. |
D.To introduce some famous actors. |
Why must the four Senior 3 students memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems?
A.They want to enjoy carefree moments. |
B.They want to gossip about their schoolmates. |
C.They want to work through piles of practice test papers. |
D.They want to improve their scores. |
Which of the following is true about the film?
A.Mark of Youth tells a story that happened on Feb 5. |
B.The characters in the film have to face the pressure from both study and their families. |
C.The film tells a story that really happened in Hubei Huanggang Middle School. |
D.Most characters in the film are played by actors from HongKong. |
What kind of belief does the film convey?
A.Youth is a wonderful thing. |
B.We youth should face challenge with smile. |
C.Entrance examination is very important in our life. |
D.The entrance examination isn’t so terrible. |
Which of the person can we see in the film?
A.Alex Fong | B.Yao Lingqian | C.Gao Jing | D.Zhang ping |
Forget hard work and perseverance. Getting ahead is as simple as tidying your desk.
According to a leading expert, having a cluttered environment reflects a cluttered mind, but the act of tidying up can help you be more successful. The advice comes from Jayne Morris, the resident "life coach" for NHS Online, who said it is no good just moving the mess around. In order to clear the mind, unwanted items must be thrown away to free your "inner world", she said.
Ms Morris, who claims to have coached celebrities(名流) to major business figures, said: “Clearing clutter from your desk has the power to transform your business. Why? Because clutter in your outer environment is the physical sign of all the clutter going on inside of you." Clearing clutter has a chain effect across your entire life, including your work. Having an untidy desk covered in clutter could be stopping you achieving the business success you want." She is sure cleaning up will be helpful even though some of history's biggest achievers lived and worked in messy conditions.
Churchill was considered untidy from a boy throughout his life, from his office to his artist's studio, and the lab where Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin was famously untidy.
Among the recommendations is that simply tidying a desk at work and an overflowing filing cabinet (陈列柜) will instantly have a positive impact on "your inner world. " Anything that is no longer used should not be put into storage but thrown away completely.
Keeping something in the loft, garage or other part of the house, does not help because it is still connected to the person "by tiny energetic lines", Ms Morris claims.
She said, "The things in your life that are useful to you, that add value to your life, that serve a current purpose are charged with positive energy that refreshes you and enriches your life. But the things that you don't ever use and don't need anymore have the opposite effect on your energy. Things that no longer fit or serve you use up your energy. "The underlined word "cluttered" (in Para.2) is closest in meaning to _____________.
A.messy | B.brief | C.complex | D.aggressive |
Which of the following statements does Ms Morris agree to?
A.Changing the position of staff frequently will help to build up a clear mind. |
B.A tidy office will lead to a success in your business affairs in no time. |
C.To have a free mind, we need to throw away unneeded items at times. |
D.You can pack up your things in garage or loft to cheer you up. |
According to Ms Morris, an untidy desk probably means that .
A.you are quite a failure |
B.you are in a messy mind |
C.you are very tired to deal with it |
D.you have achieved the business success |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Less untidy, more successful. |
B.How to improve your inner world. |
C.Cleaning up makes you less intelligent. |
D.Being bigger achiever needs more effort. |
Dave Bruno works as an online marketing manager. Several years ago, one weekend Bruno and his family did a major house cleanup and then donated several bags of unneeded items to the local Goodwill store. “After all were done, I looked around and realized that I still had too much stuff”, says Bruno, “It occurred to me that maybe I wanted to lead a simple life but in reality I behaved differently.” That realization prompted the 39-year-old father of three to try an experiment, “The 100Thing Challenge”.
With the goal of breaking free of what he calls a “bad habit of consumerism(消费主义), Bruno was determined to live for one year with just 100 personal items. He cut down his possessions to 94 items, including a Bible, laptop, guitar, wedding ring, car and clothes. He created some guidelines for the experiment since his wife and daughters did not participate, familyshared and household items did not count as personal items. He also grouped together some basic things such as underwear and socks. Bruno began blogging about his new lifestyle and eventually wrote a book, The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul.
Since completing the experiment, Bruno has continued to live by the motto: reduce, refuse, and rearrange and maintains just 110 personal things. “ Nearly three years of living with a minimal amount of personal possessions, I’m no longer in the habit of consuming for the sake of consumption (消费),” he wrote in his blog last week, “That has freed me up for all sorts of better endeavors (活动) than shopping—like spending time with family and writing a book and planning for business opportunities.”
Bruno’s project has also inspired others to live minimally, many of whom post their own 100 Thing Challenge updates on YouTube. “The reality is that the 100 Thing Challenge is surprisinglyeasy”, says Bruno, “I’m not saying there were no challenges or disappointments. I miss some things, but not that much. Frankly, it’s far easier to live with less stuff than with excessive trash.”What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 1?
A.Bruno regretted to have an easy life. |
B.Bruno had a special behavior in reality, |
C.Bruno and his family led a happy life. |
D.Bruno would have liked a life with fewer items. |
The things were included in Bruno’s 94 items EXCEPT____________.
A.socks | B.a Bible | C.cookers | D.a wedding ring |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.Live with 100 Things |
B.Defeat 100 Challenges in Life |
C.Survive by Your Motto |
D.Consume for Consumption’s Sake |
Love and Friendship
They are both so much related to each other. And both are so dissimilar! What are the differences between friendship and love? Is platonic(柏拉图式的) friendship possible between persons of the opposite sex? _______
What is friendship? Why do we call a person our friend? When do we call someone a very good friend? If we care for a person, if we are always ready to help that person and if we share most of our thoughts with a person, they are our good friends. We can always count upon our good friends in an emergency. We are always sure that our friends will understand why we acted in a certain way. ___ ___ The friendship is so deep and the relationship is so intimate, that most of the things are automatically understood by our friends.
______ In a relationship of deep love, all the sharing that we discussed above is taken for granted. But love transcends(超出) all this. During love, we are attached with a particular person, while in friendship, one may have many friends. A loving relationship makes one so much attached to the other that one gets pained if his/her beloved is hurt! Love also involves a physical element. ____
____ This is a vital difference. Nature gives us love so that the species can go forward. Nature does not give us friendship.
Your heart beats will never increase in anticipation of meeting your friend. ________ You will not feel totally lost, if you don’t meet your friend for a few days. You will not have dreams in your eyes thinking about your friend. But in love, you will do all this and much more. Indeed, there is no comparison between love and friendship.
A.What about love? |
B.My answer is “Yes”. |
C.Let us try and understand. |
D.Friendship does not have that. |
E.We need not explain anything to our very good friends.
F.You will not lie awake at night thinking about your friend.
G.The physical element may include hand in hand while walking.