Millions of British people have ditched the traditional “thank you” and took the place of it with the less formal “cheers”, according to a survey.
Although the common person will say “thank you” nearly 5,000 times a year, one in three are more likely to add a “cheers” or “ta” where it’s needed to show they are fashionable.
One in twenty now say “nice one” instead, while the younger are more likely to offer a “cool” than a “thank you”.
“Merci”, “fab” and even “gracias” were also listed as common phrases to use, as “much appreciated(感激)”.
One in twenty who took part in the survey of 2,000 people by the Food Network UK for Thank You Day, which is marked on November 24, 2011, said a formal “thank you” was now not often needed in everyday conversation. More than one in ten adults said they regularly won’t say thank you if they are in a bad mood. Most people stated that saying thank you was something that their parents trained them. A huge 70 percent of those questioned will say thank you to a person’s face without even meaning it, while one fifth avoid(避免)saying it when they know they should.
It seems our friends and family get the stress of our bad manners. Half of them admit (承认) they’re not good at thanking those closest to them. Many of them explain that they don’t say thank you because their family “already know I’m grateful”.
When spoken words won’t do, it falls to a nice text to do the job for most people.
One third will still send a handwritten thank-you note---but 45 percent admit it’s been more than six months since they tried to send one.
A quarter of British people say “thank you” with food, with 23 percent cooking a meal to show their appreciation to someone. Another 15 percent bake a cake.
It follows that 85 percent of people will be angry because of not getting the gratitude (感激)
they feel they should receive.Most of the people who took part in the survey say that they say “thank you” _______.
A.when they are in good mood | B.completely out of habit |
C.when they feel truly grateful | D.purely out of politeness |
The underlined word “ditched” in Paragraph 1 means “________”.
A.gave up | B.used | C.shared | D.knew |
It can be learned from the passage that _______.
A.different ways of expressing gratitude are all fashionable |
B.people should avoid saying “thank you” nowadays |
C.a thank-you note is still appreciated by most people |
D.people in a bad mood never say “thank you” |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Most people express their gratitude to others by buying food for them. |
B.About fifty percent of people try not to say thank you when they should. |
C.Most people may feel natural when they fail to receive others’ gratitude. |
D.Many people think it unnecessary to say thanks to their family members. |
Is it a tree? Is it a bear? If you’re looking at a tree in the shape of a bear, it’s a topiary(林木雕塑). A topiary is a tree or a bush(灌木) that is trained into a shape. Growing a topiary garden takes both time and skills.
A topiary gardener should make a drawing first. The drawing shows the final shape that the gardener likes. The gardener then chooses a bush for the topiary. It may be one that just planted or one that is already in place.
In June of the plant’s first year, the gardener looks for new leaves. When the leaves grow, it’s time to shape(给……造型) the bottom of the bush. It needs about five years. The top is not trimmed during this time. In the fifth year, the bush grows tall enough for shaping. Then the gardener begins to shape the whole bush.
Once a topiary has been started, it needs care all year. In the summer it must be cut many times to keep its shape. This cutting also helps the bush grow. In the winter the bushes don’t grow. The gardeners have to brush snow of the plants, or snow may hurt some parts of them.
Topiary gardening is very old art. The Romans did it in the first Century. In the sixteenth century, people in Europe like topiaries too. By the late 1600s, topiaries were also grown in America. Today it’s popular in many parts of the world. Put the following in the right order according to the passage.
a. The gardener chooses a bush for the topiary.
b. The whole bush grows tall enough for shaping.
c. The gardener begins to shape the bottom of the bush.
d. The gardener draws the shape of a topiary.
A.d→a→b→c | B.b→c→a→d | C.a→d→c→b | D.d→a→c→b |
In which part of the world did the topiary gardening begin first?
A.In Rome. | B.In Europe. | C.In America. | D.In Africa. |
Many students ask for advice about improving their English. There are three basic questions.
The first question is about real English. Li Hao from Hubei wrote, “I enjoy watching English films and listening to real English songs. But it takes a long time. What do you think?”
This is a great way to learn English! Talk about the film or song with your friends, and guess the meaning of the new words. Just enjoy yourself!
The second question is about speaking. Sam, from Suzhou wrote, “Our school has a foreign teacher. But I’m shy and can’t speak to her. What should I do?”
When I visit China, lots of people in the street say, “Hello! How are you? Where are you from? Do you like China?” These are good questions to start a conversation. Many people are shy when they speak English, so before you begin, take a deep breath and smile! Smiling always helps.
The third question is about vocabulary. Olive, from Anhui wrote, “I want to remember all the new words. I wrote them down, but I forget them quickly. What should I do?”
Try to remember eight or nine words a day. Write them on pieces of paper and place them in your bedroom. Say the words when you see them, and change them every day. And when you’re shopping, how about counting the English words, or saying the English names for everything you see?How many basic questions do the students often ask?
A.Two. | B.Three. | C.Four. | D.Five. |
What should you do if you are shy to speak English?
A.Watch English films. |
B.Write down the words first. |
C.Listen to real English songs. |
D.Take a deep breath and smile before you begin? |
What is Oliver’s problem?
A.He’s too shy to talk with others. |
B.He’s not able to count English words. |
C.He can’t remember new words. |
D.He doesn’t know what real English is. |
What’s the best title of this passage?
A.How to learn English |
B.Talking about English films |
C.Advice about English writing |
D.The way of beginning an English conversation |
(Megan and Kyle are talking before class begins.)
Megan: Hey, Kyle, are you ready for the big test today? I studied that list of words and the definitions(释义) for two hours last night.
Kyle: Oh, but I didn’t study at all. I just wrote all the answers on the palm(手掌) of my hand, see?
Megan: Kyle! You can’t do that! That’s cheating(作弊)!
Kyle: Hey, don’t worry. I won’t be caught. Mrs King will never know.
(Mrs King comes in and passes out the test papers.)
Mrs King: Okay, no more talking. You may begin.
(Kyle looks st his hand when the teacher isn’t looking.)
Joe: (raising his hand) Mrs King, may I have a drink? I have the hiccups(打嗝).
Mrs King: Yes, you may.
Kyle: (raising his hand) Mrs King, may I get a drink, too?
Mrs King: Kyle, what is that on your hand? I think you had better come to my desk.
Kyle: Oh no…
(After this, Kyle realizes his mistake and never cheats in exams again.)根据Megan and Kyle are talking before class begins(在上课开始前).及下文描述,可知这个故事可能发生在教室里。A
根据Kyle: Oh, but I didn’t study at all. I just wrote all the answers on the palm(手掌) of my hand, see?可知他把答案写在了手上,选项中没有正确答案。
Where did the story possibly take place?
A.In the classroom. |
B.In the library. |
C.On the playground. |
D.In the reading room. |
Where did Kyle write the answers?
A.On his hand. |
B.In his notebook. |
C.Megan told his classmates everything. |
D.Joe told Mrs King about Kyle’s cheating. |
Breaking Bad Eating -Habits
Have you heard the expression "You are what you eat"? Well, do you like who you are’’
If not, break some bad eating habits and feel better about yourself.
Bad habit 1: ______________
Many packaged ( =" in" small bags) foods, such as frozen (纤维) dumplings ,rice rolls
and instant noodles (方便面) have lots of fat and calories (热量).
The solution: Read the instructions to find the healthiest foods that are low
in salt and nigh in fiber Also check to make sure they have ingredients such as
vegetables and grains When possible, use packaged foods as part of a "home-cooked"
meal. For example frozen (纤维) dumplings with fresh vegetables are better than
dumplings alone.
Bad habit 2:_____________________________________________
People without breakfast don’t have enough energy they need to get through the
morning. Eating breakfast improves your concentration, memory (冰冻的) and
mood.
The solution: Always keep a kind of quick foods like yogurt. Or have a standing
order a! breakfast place.
Bad habit 3:_______________________________________________
It takes your body at least 20 minutes to "tell" your brain that you are full,
So last eaters usually eat more than people who eat slowly.
The solution: Try to slow down. Try eating at least some of your meals without I
V, hand phones or computers. Use a plate or bowl when you eat.
Bad habit 4:______________________ ______________
Healthy snacks between meals are fine. But when you snack instead of having real
meals, you will not eat your meals regularly. Plus, snack foods such as chips and
sweets aren’t very satisfying That makes it easy to overeat.
The solution: To get more energy, allow yourself two healthy snacks a day. Choose
snacks that will make you feel full. Try fruit, yogurt or nuts.
As we all know, bad habits can be broken. Take the first step toward a healthier
eating routine(常规)——star following these tips today!给文中的横线处选择合适的标题,并将其字母代号填写在下面的横线上.(2分)
a. You are a fast eater.
b. You often don’t eat breakfast.
c. All your meals come in packages.
d. You snack too much.
Bad habit 1:_____ Bad habit 2:_____ Bad habit 3:_____ Bad habit 4:_______
Bad habit 1:_c_ Bad habit 2:_b Bad habit 3:_a___Bad habit 4:d_______ 列举出文中提到的三种packaged foods: (1 分)
_______________ ____________________ ___________________根据上下文,将文中划线句子译成汉语
It takes your baby at least 20 minutes to “tell” your brain that you are full.根据文章内容完成句子。
No eating breakfast is bad influence on your_________________, __________________,______________________ and __________________________回答问题;How can you eat snacks healthily? (至少答出两种方式)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________从文中找出与所给句子意思相同或相近的句子。
Your heaith depends on the food you eat.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs, teachers find students' posture (姿势) and attention improve.
Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. "The students love them", she says. Pownall took a survey of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning.
The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. "Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico ('波多黎各) and Japan," says Witt. "Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter. You can slouch (低头垂肩地坐) on a ball," says Witt, "but it feels awful." Because the students are moving, their blood (血液) increases. That carries more oxygen (氧气 to the brain (大脑), so the kids have more energy and can focus longer.
"Furthermore, they're fun." says Pownali. What will happen if a student sits on a chair all day in school? The student will _________.
A.pay more attention to his lessons | B.be fun |
C.like to move around | D.sit up straighter |
How long has Dottie Pownall used the balls?
A.About three years. | B.Only one year. |
C.In 2008. | D.Since he was a fifth-grade teacher. |
In how many countries are the balls used as the students' chairs?
A.Four. | B.Three. | C.Two. | D.One. |
Teachers choose balls instead of chairs because sitting on balls helps the kids___________.
A.improve the students' posture and attention | B.slouch on the chairs |
C.have fun | D.Both A and C are correct answers. |
Which is better for kids to study in class, sitting on a chair or sitting on a ball?
A.Sitting on a chair. | B.Sitting on a ball. |
C.They are the same. | D.We don't know. |