Saying “thank you” is probably the first thing most of us learn to do in a foreign language. After all, we’re brought up to be polite, and it is important to make a good impression upon other people — especially across national divides.
So, what exactly are you supposed to say when “thank you” is only the 20th most popular way to express gratitude? According to a recent survey, 19 other ways of expressing appreciation finished ahead of “thank you” in a poll of 3,000 people.
Pollsters(民测调查员) found almost half of those asked preferred the more informal “cheers”, while others liked to use such expressions as “ta”, “great” and “nice one”.
So, just what is the appropriate form of words to express your thanks?
Fortunately, the clue is in the language itself. “Cheers”, despite its popularity, is considered an informal way to say thank you — and this is a definite clue as to when you can best use it.
For instance, when going for a drink with friends, a smile and a “cheers” by way of thanks is not only appropriate to the situation, it is also culturally accurate.
“Ta”, originated from the Danish word “tak”, was the second-most popular expression of thanks, and is also commonly used in informal situations, along with phrases such as “nice one”, and “brilliant”. Interestingly, one word that didn’t make it into the top 20 was “thanks”, Thank you is shorter, more informal cousin.
“Thanks” can be useful, as it is able to bridge the divide between the formality of “thank you” and the downright relaxed “cheers”.
Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight. Again, the words themselves offer the clue as to when best to use them.
For example, words like “awesome”, “brilliant” and “you star” featured highly in the new poll and they can hint at both your pleasure at someone’s action, as well as serving to express your thanks. If you are on the receiving end of a “new” thank you, you can respond with a simple “no problem”, or “sure”.
Of course, in certain circumstances, a simple wave, nod or smile may be appropriate. For instance, if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road, simply raising your hand in acknowledgement is enough to show that you appreciate the driver’s consideration.
Sometimes, formality is necessary, and “thank you” is still the best choice in such situations. But students should not worry about when exactly to use certain expressions.
Many people in Western countries are worried that good manners are in decline. People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without comment. So don’t think your “thank you” is clumsy or awkwardly formal. The chances are, if you said “thank you”, you made someone’s day. You star.We can tell from the results of the poll that __________.
| A．people are unconcerned about politeness nowadays. |
| B．“thank you” remains the best expression of gratitude. |
| C．there is a variety of expressions of appreciation. |
| D．there are more formal expressions than informal ones. |
According to the passage, which is an appropriate response to “awesome” or “brilliant”?
| A．Thanks. | B．Sure. | C．Nice one. | D．Cheers. . |
In the last paragraph the author encourages people to .
| A．show their gratitude to others. |
| B．behave themselves well. |
| C．continue their acts of kindness. |
| D．stop worrying about bad manners. |
Which of the following can serve as the best title of this passage?
| A．How to Appear More Polite. |
| B．Ways to Show Gratitude. |
| C．Never hesitate to Say “Thank You”. |
| D．Good Manners in Decline! |
You either have it, or you don’t— a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?
Scientists say we’re all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don’t use it, we’ll lose it.
“Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around,” says Jim Martland, Research director of the project. “However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.”
Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions:
If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.
If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree-- something easy to recognize. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
Simplify the way for finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.
Now you will never get lost again!
68. Scientists believe that _________.
A. some babies are born with a sense of direction
B. people learn a sense of direction as they grow older
C. people never lose their sense of direction
D. everybody has a sense of direction from birth
69. What is true of 7-year-old children according to the passage?
A. They never have a sense of direction without maps.
B. They should never be allowed out alone if they lack (缺乏) a sense of direction.
C. They have a sense of direction and can find their way around.
D. They can develop a good sense of direction if they are driven around in a car.
70. If you leave your bike in a strange place, you should ________.
A. tie it to a tree so as to prevent it from being stolen
B. draw a map of the route to help remember where it is
C. avoid taking the same route when you come back to it
D. remember something easily recognizable on the route
71. According to the passage, the best way to find your way around is to _________.
A. ask policemen for directions
B. use walls, streams, and streets to guide yourself
C. remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs
D. count the number of landmarks that you see
Active New Zealand
Adventure tours in New Zealand and South America
website: www.activenewzealand.com
phone: 1-800-661-9073
Destinations: South Pacific, New Zealand, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica
Activities: Bicycling, Mountain, Road, Cross-Country/Touring, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Family, Scuba & Snorkeling, Rainforest, Wildlife, Walking
Adventure Life
Exceptional travel in Latin America and Antarctica
website: www.adventure-life.com
phone: 1-800-344-6118
Destinations: Antarctica, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Central America, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama
Activities: Kayaking, Rafting, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Multisport, Cultural, Archaeological, Historical, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Rainforest, Wildlife, Eco-focused, Culture-focused, Expedition Cruising
Adventure Spirit / Travel Network
Adventure tour operator + Travel agency
website: www.worldadventures.travel
phone: 800-492-0257
Destinations: Asia, Europe, South Pacific, Antarctica, Africa, South America, North America
Activities: Bicycling, Paddlesport, Snowsport, Hiking & Trekking, Caving, Family, Multisport, Cultural, Beach & Watersport, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Photography, Safari, Geotourism, Fishing & Fishing Lodges, Sailing & Cruise, Other, Expedition Cruising, Space, Educational, Walking, Horseback/Dude Ranch, Self-Drive, Around the World Tours
65. Which of the following are NOT country names?
A. Argentina & Costa Rica B. Bolivia & Chile
C. Peru & New Zealand D. Safari & Scuba
66. Which of the following statements is true according to the three advertisements?
A. If your are interested in history, you can click www.adventure-life.com for more information.
B. Both Travel Network and Adventure Life can take you to Africa.
C. If your want to enjoy Beach & Watersport, you can call 1-800-661-9073.
D. Active New Zealand can provide you adventure tours in New Zealand and Antarctica
67. If Jackson wants to travel around the world, he can call ___________.
A. 1-800-661-9073 B. 1-800-344-6118 C. 800-492-0257 D. none of the above
Most sharks are dangerous. The largest kind of sharks—the whale shark—has small teeth and is quite harmless to people. However, blue sharks, tiger sharks, white sharks and hammerheads are enemies of man.
Man-eaters are always a danger to swimmers in shark waters. Sometimes, though, men have used strange methods when they’re suddenly faced with a shark.
During world War Ⅱ, soldiers and sailors whose boats or planes were destroyed drifted(漂流) helplessly on the ocean in small rafts(筏子). While waiting to be saved, the men had to struggle to stay alive and were often attacked by sharks. In some cases, they had few weapons to protect themselves with. They found that just splashing(溅水) water seemed to help keep the sharks away.
One sailor was swimming for his life in the Atlantic Ocean after his boat had been blown up. He saw a shark swimming towards him. He hit the shark with his bare fist, and that drove it off.
Once, in Australia, a fisherman was fishing after sunset. He hooked a big fish and drew it towards the shore. His line broke when the fish was only a few yards from the shore. The fisherman waded(涉水) into the water to try to catch it with his hands. In the dim light, it looked like the kind of fish that could be dealt with without danger.
He put his arms around the fish and wrestled with it. Dragging it to the beach turned out to be harder than he had expected, but at last he pulled it in. When he turned a light on it, he was amazed. He had caught a shark. It was small for a shark, but it was the man-eating type and was about as long as a tall man.In a word, the best way to deal with sharks is to keep far away from them.
60. The shark that is least dangerous to man is the ________.
A. white shark B. whale shark C. tiger shark D. hammerhead shark
61. This story tells you that sharks are usually ________.
A. friendly B. small C. afraid of people D. dangerous
62. After the Australian fisherman found he had caught a shark, he was _________.
A. surprised B. frightened C. unhappy D. angry
63. This story tells you that the best way to handle sharks is to ________.
A. hit them with your fist B. keep far away from them
C. splash water D. wrestle with them
64. The passage mainly tells us something ________.
A. about fishing sharks B. about sharks
C. how to eat sharks D. that sharks are man’s enemies
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的 (A、B、C和D) 四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents’ home in Missouri for Christmas．I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend．While I was standing in line at the cash register（收款台）, I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas．
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car．I stopped and wondered what I should do．A car pulled up behind me．It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station．They said they would take me to my friend’s．We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card．
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me．Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them．Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful．
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning．In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day, and the battery was dead．Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership-a shop selling cars-was right next door．I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom．
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?” I asked and explained my trouble．They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it．They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks．I received a letter back from one of the salesmen．No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said．
“Thank you”-two powerful words．They’re easy to say and mean so much．
56．The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City．
A．to visit a friend B．to see his parents
C．to pay or the cash register D．to have more gas for his car
57．What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
A．He had it pulled back to the gas station．
B．The couple sent him a business card．
C．The couple offered to help him．
D．He called his friend for help．
58．The battery of the author’s car was dead because．
A．something went wrong with the lights B．the meeting lasted a whole day
C．he forgot to turn off the lights D．he drove too long a distance
59．By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show．
A．how to write a thank-you letter B．how to deal with car problems
C．the kindness of older people D．the importance of expressing thanks
It seems that politicians around the world are thinking about the health of their countries. While in China, Chen Zhu has announced his plans for a universal health service and reform across health services. Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, has also announced he is planning to make some changes in our health service.
The crux（问题的中心） of Mr. Brown's proposals are related to giving the NHS (National Health Service) a greater focus on prevention, rather than just curing patients.
He is planning to introduce increased screening for common diseases such as heart disease, strokes, and cancer, for example, breast cancer. In Britain there are 200,000 deaths a year from heart attacks and strokes, many of which might have been avoided if the condition had been known about.
Initially, the diagnostic (诊断的) tests will be available for those who are vulnerable, or most likely to have the disease. One example is a plan to offer all men over 65 an ultrasound（超声波） test to check for problems with the main artery (动脉), a condition which kills 3,000 men a year.
The opposition have criticized Mr. Brown's proposals, saying that they are just a trick, and claiming that there is no proper timetable for the changes. They also say that Mr. Brown is reducing the money available for the treatment of certain conditions while putti
ng more money towards testing for them.
The NHS was founded in 1948, and is paid for by taxation. The idea is that the rich pay more towards the health service than the poor. However in recent years there has been a great increase in the use of private healthcare, because it’s much quicker. NHS waiting lists for operations can be very long, so many people who can afford it choose to pay for medical care themselves.
87. The underlined word vulnerable in the fourth paragraph probably means ________.
A. sick B. weak C. wounded D. old
88. Which of the following is the reason for the increasing private healthcare?
A. People are paying more attention to their own hea
lth.
B. People are well off enough to pay their healthcare.
C. The NHS was not available for most of the people.
D
. It’s not so convenient for people to go to the NHS for th
eir healthcare.
89. According to the passage, the purpose of the health reform plan in the UK is to _______
A. encourage more private healthcare.
B. focus on the prevention rather than on curing the patient.
C. deal with the main artery problems.
D. fight against the opposition in the UK.
90. The author of this passage intends to tell us _________.
A. the NHS should be reformed right away.
B. more and more people are dying from diseases.
C. the plan to reform the NHS in the UK.
D. the criticism of Mr. Brown's proposals.