A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones，but words will never hurt me. ”However，that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves--the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact，we really shouldn’t be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self—talk” helps us motivate ourselves，remember things, solve problems，and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77％of self—talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back . The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said．And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self—esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.The main idea of the first paragraph is that ．
| A．not sticks and stones but words will hurt us |
| B．inspiring words give us confidence |
| C．negative words may let us down |
| D．words have a lasting effect on us |
There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because ．
| A．almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves |
| B．we can benefit from talking to ourselves |
| C．talking to ourselves always gives us courage |
| D．it does no harm to have“self—talk”when we are alone |
The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely ．
| A．praise ourselves | B．remind ourselves |
| C．make ourselves relaxed | D．give ourselves amusement |
The author would probably hold the view that ．
| A．encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers |
| B．negative words may stimulate us to make more progress |
| C．people tend to remember friendly words |
| D．it is better to think twice before talking to others |
Everybody hates it, but everybody does it. A recent report said that 40％of Americans hate tipping. In America alone, tipping is a $16 billion-a-year industry. Consumers acting politely ought not to pay more than they have to for a given service. Tips should not exist. So why do they? The common opinion in the past was that tips both rewarded the efforts of good service and reduced uncomfortable feelings of inequality. And also, tipping makes for closer relations. It went without saying that the better the service, the bigger the tip.
But according to a new research from Cornell University, tips no longer serve any useful function. The paper analyzes numbers they got from 2,547 groups dining at 20 different restaurants. The connection between larger tips and better service was very weak. Only a tiny part of the size of the tip had anything to do with the quality of service.
Tipping is better explained, by culture than by the money people spend. In America, the custom came into being a long time ago. It is regarded as part of the accepted cost of a service. In New York restaurants, failing to tip at least l5% could well mean dissatisfaction from the customers. Hairdressers can expect to get l5%-20%, and the man who delivers your fast food $2. In Europe, tipping is less common. In many restaurants the amount of tip is decided by a standard service charge. In many Asian countries, tipping has never really caught on at all. Only a few have really taken to tipping.
According to Michael Lynn, the Cornell papers’ author, countries in which people are more social or outgoing tend to tip more. Tipping may reduce anxiety about being served by strangers. And Mr. Lynn says, “In America, where people are expressive and eager to mix up with others, tipping is about social approval. If you tip badly, people think less of you. Tipping well is a chance to show off.” This passage is mainly about ________.
| A．different kinds of tipping in different countries |
| B．the relationship between tipping and custom |
| C．the origin and present meaning of tipping |
| D．most American people hate tipping |
Which of the following best explains the underlined phrase “caught on” ?
| A．become popular. | B．been hated. |
| C．been stopped. | D．been permitted |
Among the following situations, in your opinion, who is likely to tip most?
| A．A Frenchman just quarreled with the barber who did his hair badly in New York. |
| B．An American just had a wonderful dinner in a well known restaurant in New York. |
| C．A Japanese businessman asked for a pizza delivery from a Pizza Hut in New York. |
| D．A Chinese student enjoyed his meal in a famous fast food restaurant in New York. |
We can infer from this passage that ________.
| A．tipping is no longer a good way to satisfy some customers themselves |
| B．tipping is especially popular in New York |
| C．tipping in America can make service better now |
| D．tipping has something to do with people’s character |
In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who’d lived those years with us.In fact, we don’t have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones close to us—the ones so easily overlooked. If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now！While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it. Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world’s happiness.
Saying thanks not only brightens someone else’s world, but it also brightens yours. If you’re feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others. It may be just the medicine you need.
Of course, there are times when you can’t express gratitude immediately. In that case don’t let embarrassment sink you into silence—speak up the first time you have the chance.
Once a young minister, Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia. He had been told that the Indians did not have a word for thank you. But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional generosity. Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness. They do their thanks.
I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive and more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain of reaction that transforms people all around us—including ourselves, for no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart. In the first paragraph the writer mainly encourages us .
| A．to express our sincere thanks timely to those around us |
| B．never to overlook our close friends in daily life |
| C．to wait for a proper occasion to show our gratitude |
| D．to increase the world’s happiness by saying thanks |
When we say something for what others do for us, it ______.
| A．is good for both us and people who help us |
| B．benefits the people who do something for us |
| C．wastes our and our friends’ time at the same time |
| D．does harm to both us and people who help us |
According to the writer, could be the best way to prevent ourselves from being left out.
| A．seeing a doctor to find the right medicine we need |
| B．expressing our gratitude in an easy way |
| C．speaking up the moment we have the chance |
| D．showing others actively we are willing to help them |
Mark Brain’s story is mentioned in the passage in order to show the fact that .
| A．the Indians didn’t have any words for appreciation |
| B．the Indians were particularly generous to others |
| C．some people may express their gratitude through different approaches |
| D．Mark Brain set the Indians an example to show saying thanks is very important |
237 West Palmdale Boulevard
Fresno, California 93706
AmToy Corporation
Suite 15
TransAm Building
San Francisco, California 94115
November 20,2010
Dear Sirs,
As a concerned parent, I am writing to protest your recent advertisement for Electro-Robo seen in local media in California. Specifically, I am referring to newspaper and magazine ads (attached to this letter) published the week of November 15.
Children respond to your type of advertising in an immature way; that is, they are unable to understand how expensive some toys are for middle class parents. Further, your product is violent in nature. Your advertisement gives children the impression that it’s fine to have “two guns and laser eyes.” You also suggest that children need your toy to protect them “when you go outside.” This is not a healthy attitude for children to have.
I hope you will stop advertising your product in such a way that may harm our children.
Sincerely yours,
(Mrs.) Alma Hernandez
President, Parents for Non violent Toys
Enclosed Advertisement:
| It’s Here! Ready for You, Now! It’s Electro Robo! Every boy dreams of being in control of a robot, and AmToy can make your dream come true! Electro-Robo is the world’s first fully automatic robot with radio control. Standing 80 centimeters tall, Electro-Robo is like a friend at home. He can walk, talk, and even shake your hand! He has two guns and laser eyes to help you defend yourself when you go outside with him. Every boy needs Electro-Robo! Ask your Mom and Dad to buy Electro-Robo for your birthday or for Christmas, which is coming up soon. Imagine that you are in control of your friend for life, Electro- Robo! Available at all toy stores and department stores NOW! |
What is the purpose of the letter?
| A．To complain about a broken toy. | B．To order a gift for Christmas. |
| C．To oppose the advertising. | D．To apply for a job in a toy company. |
Why does the writer of the letter feel that Electro-Robo is violent?
| A．It bears arms. | B．It is expensive to buy. |
| C．It is 80 centimeters tall. | D．It is controlled by radio waves. |
Electro-Robo can do all the following EXCEPT________.
| A．shaking hands | B．sitting down | C．talking | D．walking |
I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be canceled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn’t care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone,“ Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”
At that time I didn’t realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!” And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, “Now hear this! All objects in this room — if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!”
Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said calmly, “Honey, you just have to learn how to take control. ” With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly. Why did the author shout at the telephone?
| A．He was mad at the telephone. | B．He was angry with his agent. |
| C．He was anxious about his wife. | D．He was impatient with the secretary. |
What did the author’s wife do after she heard his shouting?
| A．She threw the phone away. | B．She shouted at him. |
| C．She called the agent. | D．She said nothing. |
What made the author laugh?
| A．His changeable feelings. | B．His wife’s suggestion. |
| C．His own behavior. | D．His wife’s sweet kiss. |
What does the underlined word “antics” refer to?
| A．Smart words. | B．Anxious feelings. |
| C．Surprising looks. | D．Unusual actions. |
After moving to the United States , immigrant groups trying to fit in tend to choose high calorie fatty foods in an attempt to appear more American , a new study finds . That’s one reason why immigrants approach US levels of obesity within 15 years of moving to America.
The researchers also did an experiment that measured whether or not the threat of appearing un-American influenced respondents’ food choices . After being questioned about their ability to speak English , 75 percent of Asian-Americans identified a typical American food as their favorite. Only 25 percent of Asian-Americans who had not been asked if they spoke English did the same.
When their American identiy was called into question during a follow-up study, Asian-American participants also tended to choose typical American dishes , such as hamburgers and cheese sand wiches In that experiment , 55 Asian-Americans were asked to choose a meal from a local Asian or American restaurant . Some participants were told that only Americans could participate in the study. Those who chose the more typical American fare ended up consuming an extra 182 calories , including 12grams of fat and 7 grams of saturated fat(饱和脂肪).
“People who feel like they need to prove they belong to a culture will change their habits in an attempt to fit in , ”said Sauna Cheryan ,an anthor of the study and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington.” If immigrants and their children choose unhealthy American foods over healthier traditional foods across their lives , this process of fitting in could lead to poorer health .Cheryan added.
Social pressures , the study concluded , are at the heart of the problem. “In American society today , being American is associated with being white . Americans , who don’t fit this image even if they were born here and speak English , feel that pressure to prove that they’re American,” said Cheryan.The author wants to show that.
| A．more and more Asians enjoy high-calorie snacks |
| B．immigrants tend to eat American junk food to fit in |
| C．most Americans are at the risk of heart disease |
| D．all the American people have a bad eating habit |
According to the survey,.
| A．Asian-Americans care less about their health |
| B．25 percent of Americans like junk food |
| C．choosing food is related to Asian-American’s situation |
| D．immigrants are forced to eat junk food |
The underlined word “fare” in Paragraph 4 most probably means “”.
| A．food offered as a meal | B．a person taking a taxi |
| C．money spent on food | D．an arranged thing to do |
According to Sauna Cheryan,.
| A．what immigrants have done is ridiculous |
| B．American traditional foods are healthier |
| C．immigrants risk their health in order to fit in |
| D．American culture affects immigrants deeply |
Which of the following should take the blame for the bad eating habit?
| A．The situation of employment. | B．The traditional culture. |
| C．The American government. | D．The pressures from society. |