We've all heard the old saying，“Sticks and stones can break my bones，but words can never hurt me.” Don't you believe it？Words are powerful，and they can hurt—a lot. In fact，if you're not careful，you can even hurt yourself，by using the wrong word in your writing.
Recently a friend sent me a copy of an email she received from the customer service department of her credit card company，after she contacted them with a question about her account. She was happy with their positive response. But as I read the email，one line jumped out at me：“In lieu of good customer service...”
Did they really mean they were offering her a few extra reward points instead of good customer service？I doubt it. More likely，what the customer service department meant to say was，“Because good customer service is important to us...” followed by the details of what they were doing to make sure she remained a happy customer.
So why didn't the writer say that？I can only guess that perhaps the writer liked the phrase “in lieu of”，thought it sounded more interesting than saying “because”，and so used it—without bothering to check the true meaning.
Have you ever done that？Try to impress others with a big word，only to find out you've used the word incorrectly？It's just the opposite effect，isn't it？You may impress people all right，but it's not the impression you were going for.
When you write，remember to choose your words carefully. People may still disagree with what you say，but they won't be able to dismiss you because you made careless mistakes in how you said it.What's the writer's purpose in giving the saying?
| A．To amuse the reader. |
| B．To persuade the reader. |
| C．To support a conclusion. |
| D．To lead to the topic. |
It can be inferred that the writer's friend ______.
| A．was the manager of the customer service department |
| B．was the customer of the credit card company |
| C．emailed a company to complain |
| D．used a phrase incorrectly |
What does the phrase “in lieu of” most probably mean?
| A．Because of. | B．In honour of. |
| C．Instead of. | D．In favour of. |
According to the writer，the customer service department ______.
| A．didn't express what they really meant |
| B．didn't prefer to use familiar words to attract customers |
| C．didn't need to offer their customers extra reward points |
| D．succeeded in impressing their customers |
Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble (发牢骚) afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, “For instance, I’m much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you’re dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed.”
In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons.
● Not making introductions
Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because “talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache”. Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves.
● “Quite” good
Using “quite” to mean “very” happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as “quite good” if you want to express high praise. To Britons’ ears, “quite” detracts from the “good”: the meal was OK but could have been better.
● Money Talk
Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, “Talking about how much we make is unthinkable — even 1ess so than discussing our feelings.”
● Over-politeness
“It’s not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: ‘How are you today?’” says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as “honey” or “sweetie”. But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating.Margolis’ dining experience in Paragraph 1 shows that_______.
| A．Britons are particular about foods |
| B．Britons are not good at complaining |
| C．Americans usually complain directly |
| D．Americans complain more than Britons |
Which of the following might Margolis agree with?
| A．Britons enjoy talking about their feelings. |
| B．Americans introduce themselves at parties. |
| C．Americans dislike talking to strangers at parties. |
| D．Britons feel happy if treated like close friends. |
The underlined phrase “detracts from” in the text probably means ____.
| A．differs greatly from | B．increases the quality of |
| C．reduces the strength of | D．draws attention away from |
What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．How to get on well with westerners. |
| B．How to start conversations with Britons. |
| C．Ruth Margolis’ tips on public behavior. |
| D．Some American habits that annoy Britons. |
China is a land of bicycles．At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country．Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle．Millions of them，all black．Cars were rare．Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true．There are millions of cars．However, people still use their bicycles to get around．For many, it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel today．Bicycles also come in different colors—silver, green, red, blue，yellow, whatever you want．
It’s fun people biking．They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic，and ride even on sidewalks．Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide．
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture，I decided to buy a bicycle．Great weather accompanied my great buy．I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home．
My first ride home was orderly．To be safe, I stayed with a“pack”of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times．I didn't want to get hit．So I took the ride carefully．
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States．The streets here were wide，so crossing took time，skill and a little bit of luck．
I finally made it home．The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful．I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people．Biking made me feel alive．According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?
| A．Because they are traditional and safe． |
| B．Because they are convenient and inexpensive． |
| C．Because they are colorful and available． |
| D．Because they are fast and environment friendly． |
How did the author feel about his street crossing?
| A．It was boring． | B．It was difficult． |
| C．It was lively． | D．It was wonderful． |
Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?
| A．The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills． |
| B．The author was annoyed by the air while riding． |
| C．The author was praised by the other bikers． |
| D．The author took great pleasure in biking． |
Boys’schools are the perfect place to teach young men to express their emotions and involve them in activities such as art, dance and music．
Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity(男子气概)，the absence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to be consistent to a stereotype(传统观念),a US study says．
Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their abilities to express their emotions,rather than feeling they had to obey the “boy code” of hiding their emotions to be a “real man”.
The findings of the study are against the received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls．
Tony Little，headmaster of Eton，warned that boys were being ignored by the British education system because it had become too focused on girls．He criticized teachers for failing to recognize that boys are actually more emotional than girls．
The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills．
But in single-sex schools teachers can adjust lessons to boys’ learning style，letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study’s author, Abigail James of the University of Virginia．
Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing with “boy-focused” approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them．Because boys generally have sharper vision，learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given “hands-on” lessons where they are allowed to walk around.” Boys in mixed schools view classical music as feminine(女性的)and prefer the modern type in which violence and sexism are major themes.” James wrote.
Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to give in to a stereotype that men should be “masterful and in charge” in relationships.“In mixed schools boys feel pressed to act like men before they understand themselves well enough to know what that means.” the study reported.The author believes that a single-sex school would ．
| A．force boys to hide their emotions to be “real men” |
| B．help to form masculine aggressiveness in boys |
| C．encourage boys to express their emotions more freely |
| D．naturally place emphasis on the traditional image of a man to boys |
It is commonly believed that in a mixed school boys ．
| A．perform relatively better |
| B．grow up more healthily |
| C．behave more responsibly |
| D．receive a better education |
What does Tony Little say about the British education system?
| A．It fails more boys than girls academically． |
| B．It focuses more on mixed school education． |
| C．It fails to give boys the attention they need． |
| D．It places more pressure on boys than on girls． |
According to Abigail James，one of the advantages of single-sex schools is ．
| A．teaching can be designed to promote boys’ team spirit |
| B．boys can focus on their lessons without being absent-minded |
| C．boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested in |
| D．teaching can be adapted to suit the characteristics of boys |
Our body clock, or natural body rhythm, influences our energy and alertness. Paying attention to it can help us choose the suitable time of the day when we best perform specific tasks.
The reality, however, is that most of us organize the time around work demands, school deadlines, commuting or social events. Doing whatever the body feels like doing is a luxury in today’s fast-paced modern society.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. Obeying our body clock has significant health benefits. Disrupting our natural body rhythm, on the other hand, has been linked to problems such as depression, obesity, or headache, says Steve Key, a biology professor.
When the body clock can synchronize (使…同步) the rhythms of its natural processes, it “gives us an advantage in daily life”, says Key.
According to him, when it comes to cognitive (认知的) work, most adults perform best in the late morning. As our body temperature starts to rise just before awakening in the morning and continues to increase until midday, our memory, alertness and concentration gradually improve.
However, he adds, our ability to concentrate typically starts to decrease soon thereafter. Most of us are more easily distracted (分心) between noon and 4 pm.
Alertness also tends to fall after eating a meal and sleepiness tends to peak around 2 pm, making that a good time for a nap.
Surprisingly, tiredness may increase our creative powers. For most adults, problems that require open-ended thinking are often best dealt with in the evening when they are tired, according to a study in the journal Thinking & Reasoning.
When choosing a time of the day to exercise, paying attention to your body clock can improve results. Physical performance is usually best from about 3 to 6 pm, says Michael Smolensky, a professor of biomedical engineering.
Of course, not everyone’s body clock is the same, making it even harder to synchronize natural rhythms with daily plans.If we know our natural body rhythm well, we can ______.
| A．find out the suitable time to do specific tasks |
| B．organize our time around work demands |
| C．do whatever our body feels like doing |
| D．be sure to be healthy |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Our alertness is influenced by our natural body rhythm. |
| B．Doing whatever your body feels like is very difficult in our modern society. |
| C．Obeying our body clock is good for our health. |
| D．Disrupting our natural body rhythm can lead to obesity. |
Inspiration to solve a difficult problem will most probably come to us______.
| A．when we get up in the morning |
| B．when we are tired in the evening |
| C．when we are full of energy in the late morning |
| D．when we are asleep at night |
Which of the following can be the suitable title for the passage?
| A．What is natural body rhythm? |
| B．Natural body rhythm is good for us. |
| C．natural body rhythm and health |
| D．The latest research about natural body rhythm. |
FOREIGN TEACHERS ARE NEEDED ALL OVER CHINA
Ad No．90374
Posted July 12, 2015 by Amanda
Expire Date August 12, 2015
Tag：Beijing Language Teaching Part Time
We are looking for Teachers, whose Native Language is English, willing to teach in China. Mostly schools are in South of China.
The Benefit package for ESL Teachers includes：
One-year Contract：1st September 2015 to 1st August 2016
Salary 4,000 RMB to 5,000 RMB/Month
Teaching load & schedule：20 teaching hours per week
A rent-free, fully furnished apartment with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom
Kitchen facilities provided, other electric appliances will be supplied, water, heater, microwave etc.
If you are interested, please read the information above and kindly send your application to attach the following documents (in doc or JPEG format)．The subject to be mentioned, as “teach in China”
1).CV/Resume（简历）
2).A copy of academic degree/diploma/certificate/or college transcript
3).A photocopy of the data page of valid passport
4).A recent color photo
5).A letter of recommendation or release letter from your previous Chinese school （Only if you worked in China previously）
6).Any other relevant information that you think might help your applicationThis advertisement is about_______.
| A．introducing a school |
| B．seeking a teaching position |
| C．taking on English teachers |
| D．attracting foreign students |
If you are employed, you will_______.
| A．work full time |
| B．not have to pay the apartment rent |
| C．prepare furniture yourself |
| D．work four months for two years |
Where can you mostly probably read the advertisement?
| A．In a telephone book． | B．In a paper． |
| C．In a travel guide． | D．In a textbook |