【改编】What is funny? The short answer is: Who knows? The joke that causes a burst of laughter from one listener might be met with a puzzled look from another.
In general, you should avoid jokes at any business or social gathering where there are more than two people in your conversational group. If there are only two people — and they consist of you and your best friend — go ahead and tell it.
Admittedly, a few people possess a perfect sense of timing, appropriateness, and joke delivery. You are probably not one of them. You might be quite funny and have many great jokes. But there’s a place for jokes — over dinner with family, hiking with friends, but business or social affairs with colleagues and acquaintances (熟人) are not it. It takes a whole other level of joke-telling ability to put a joke into the more formal conversations.
The best jokes come into the conversation so that by the time listeners realize a joke is in progress, the punchline that produces humour is being delivered — to their surprise and delight.
Jokes don’t translate well when you’re in a group with mixed backgrounds: those whose first language is not English, those who might not understand a special term or an “in” expression, young people who wouldn’t catch a reference to some bit of culture familiar to older people — and vice versa (反之亦然).
Never joke about another person in the group — about their name, habits, hometown, profession, appearance, or past. It’s not a question of whether the joke is cheery or appropriate. No one enjoys being singled out this way. When you are the subject of the joke, the laughter doesn’t feel good no matter how hard you try to tell yourself they’re not laughing at you. Because that’s what it feels like.
What do you say if you realize your joke upset someone? Apologize as briefly and as sincerely as you can, and hope that someone changes the subject. Try saying: “I’m sorry. I should have known better” or “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
What do you do if people don’t get your joke or don’t appear to find it as funny as you do? First, do not retell it, only louder this time, hoping the point of the joke will be seen. Second, don’t try to push people to get it. People do not like people whose jokes they don’t understand. They feel stupid and need to blame someone. If you want to leave with the goodwill of your listeners, say something to make them feel less foolish. You could say: “I don’t know why I tell jokes when I’m so poor at it.”
The world needs laughter, and good humour is a success wherever it goes, so this caveat (告诫) about joke-telling is not meant to dampen high spirits or to advocate dull conversation. If you’re a gifted story-teller and you know people love your jokes, go for it. We need your kind. The rest of us will save our jokes for family and close friends.From the first paragraph we can know______.
| A．Not all jokes are funny. |
| B．Not all people like jokes. |
| C．No one knows what jokes are. |
| D．People may have different reactions to the same joke. |
Which occasion is appropriate for you to tell jokes?
| A．At a business meeting. |
| B．At a social gathering. |
| C．Over dinner with your boss and colleagues. |
| D．At home with family.. |
Which of the following statement is true?
| A．Jokes are welcome in whatever situation. |
| B．People should repeat the joke when it isn’t understood well. |
| C．Not all jokes work well as expected. |
| D．Jokes have no borders. |
When you are the subject of a joke, you may feel _____.
| A．uncomfortable | B．worried |
| C．happy | D．satisfied |
In the passage, the writer suggests that _____.
| A．jokes are useful in any situation. |
| B．joke-telling is a very complex thing. |
| C．joke-telling can help people get along well. |
| D．jokes are forbidden in some areas. |
The homeless dog, known as Xiao Sa, has been following a team of cyclists for 24 days along 1,833 kilometers of highway from Kangding, Sichuan province, to Lhasa in Tibet.
Nobody knows where the white dog came from or how long she has been straying on highway G318. Netizens call her the "dog with determination" and the micro blog "Go Go Xiao Sa" recording her life has attracted more than 37,000 followers in two weeks.
A picture of Xiao Sa in the arms of a young man in front of the Potala Palace on Thursday night drew more than 4,000 comments congratulating the small dog and expressing dreams of going to Lhasa.
The young man in the picture is Zhang Heng, 22, a student in Wuhan, Hubei province. As his graduation trip, he decided to face the challenge of riding to Lhasa alone. On the way he met a lonely dog. "She was lying, tired, on the street around Yajiang, Sichuan province," he said. "So we fed her, and then she followed our team.”
"We felt she might want to come along with us, so we decided to bring her along to the end." A week later, Zhang and his buddies opened a micro blog account for her. "We thought the dog was encouraging us, and wanted others to know its story," he said. They created the name Xiao Sa by combining xiao meaning "little" with the last syllable of Lhasa.
During their journey, Xiao Sa, Zhang and his team covered more than 1,700 kilometers and climbed 10 mountains higher than 4,000 meters. Xiao Sa just ran up the mountains or along dirt roads.
"Many people stopped cycling in some sections, then took the bus, but the dog made it," he said. Zhang put the dog on the back of the bike when the team was riding downhill. "The speed can reach 70 kilometers per hour, impossible for the dog to catch us."
Zhang Heng, who accompanied Xiao Sa for 20 days, called her "a buddy and a friend". "I would like to take the dog home and take care of her. She has been a stray on the road for a long time. She needs a home." How did the netizens feel when they read the micro blog related to the dog?
| A．inspired | B．sympathetic | C．pitiful | D．unbelievable |
Zhang Heng and his team opened a micro blog account for the dog just because __________.
| A．the dog is very cute and friendly |
| B．the dog encouraged them and they wanted more people to know its story |
| C．it is the first dog to travel to Lhasa |
| D．They had nothing else to do on their journey |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The dog had been straying on highway G318 before it met the team of cyclists . |
| B．During their journey, Zhang and his team climbed 10 mountains higher than 4,000 meters . |
| C．The micro blog “Go Go Xiao Sa ”has attracted more than 37,000 followers in two weeks . |
| D．The dog ran alone behind them when the team was riding downhill. |
Which might be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Dog with Determination | B．A Micro Blog and a Dog |
| C．Travel to Lhasa with a Dog | D．A Dog Follows a Team |
Humans aren't the only species on the planet with a penchant for electronic gadgets(小配件）.Zookeepers across the US and Canada are discovering that apes also get excited about Apps.
As part of a program called"Apps for Apes",12 zoos across the two countries have been introducing iPads into the entertainment time for orangutans,the giant furry red primates native to Indonesia and Malaysia.
"We are finding that,similar to people,they like touching the tablet,watching short videos of David Attenborough for instance,and looking at other animals and orangutans," said Richard Zimmerman,founding director of Orangutan Outreach,the non-profit that runs the program.
Twice weekly,orangutans are provided with access to the tablets.The animals spend from 15 minutes to half an hour using different Apps depending on their attention span.Apps designed for children that stimulate activities such as painting,music and memory games are among the most popular Apps with the apes.
"It is a lot like when we're showing children pop-up books,"said Zimmerman,adding that the orangutans are among the most intelligent primates,with the intelligence level of a young child.
The program,which relies on donated iPads, will soon be expanding to zoos across Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe.The word"penchant" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to________________.
| A．awareness | B．addiction | C．impression | D．devotion |
Which of the following statements is true according to the article?
| A．12 zoos are involved in the program in the US. |
| B．Orangutans were originally found in Indonesia and Malaysia. |
| C．Orangutan Outreach is a successful company which earns much money. |
| D．All the animals in the zoo spend from 15 minutes to half an hour using different Apps. |
It can be concluded from the passage that______________________________________.
| A．the program has been successful in Europe |
| B．orangutans are nearly as smart as children of young ages |
| C．orangutans are the animals with thick shell |
| D．Apps are designed for orangutans to stimulate activities such as painting, and memory games |
Which can be the best title for the text?
| A．Using Apps for Apes | B．Let’s Help Zoos |
| C．Wonderful Zoos Welcome You | D．A Traditional Program Will Expand |
At the onset of a northern winter, many dream of warmer climates.In 1934 the Canadian-born composer Colin Mcphee did more than dream. He set out for the island of Bali.
In his book A House in Bali,Colin Mcphee described how he first gained insight into the essence of Balinese music.For about a month he had been working on transcribing a complete score to a Balinese play he had seen. It seemed impossible that so much beauty could be achieved with a scale(音阶)of only five tones.
But the distinctive embellishments(修饰音)of the music eluded him.Fortunately a young household helper and his friend decided to assist. One morning they set two objects next to Mcphee’s piano.They were gangas--metal keyed instruments.The two boys played them in what struck Mcphee as”a fast duet(二重奏） in Morse code”.
At last the composer had found the key to Balinese music.“Wait!” Mcphee would call out from the piano as the boys flew along,“Stop!Please!That bit once more!”
Patiently the boys would stop and began again.But soon they were flying again,faster than ever, amazing Mcphee with their memory and precision. Sometimes the patterns repeated.Sometimes they opened up into something new. Then, suddenly the whole duet would fly apart and the boys would burst out laughing,breaking the spell.
Although Colin Mcphee left the island in 1939,he remained spellbound by Balinese music.And its rich,distinctive sound would colour many of the compositions he would write for the next quarter century.From the passage we can learn that_______________________.
| A．Colin Mcphee set foot on the island of Bali in late winter |
| B．The book A House in Bali detailed how Colin Mcphee understood the life of the island |
| C．Colin Mcphee actually acquired much beauty of Balinese music |
| D．For a month Colin Mcphee had been watching a Balinese play he had seen before |
The word “eluded” in the third paragraph can be replaced by________________.
| A．attracted | B．shocked | C．disappointed | D．puzzled |
Colin Mcphee was astonished because________________________.
| A．the two locals played part of Balinese music once more unwillingly |
| B．Colin Mcphee eventually found the key to Balinese music |
| C．The two boys played their instruments so precisely and skillfully |
| D．The Balinese music displayed something new for Colin Mcphee |
The passage is mainly about_______________________.
| A．a book introducing the island of Bali |
| B．two Balinese boys playing gangas |
| C．a composer named Colin Mcphee |
| D．Balinese music touching Colin Mcphee |
When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in the prison yard，I was one of the first to go out there and pet it．I hadn’t touched a cat or a dog in over 20 years．I spent at least 20 minutes，knelt down behind the kitchen as the cat rolled around，relaxed．What he was expressing outwardly, I was feeling inwardly．It was an amazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and note that I was reaching a life or another creature with something as simple as my care．
Over the next few days，there were other prisoners responding to the cat．Every yard period，a group of prisoners gathered there．They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat．These were guys you wouldn’t usually find talking to each other．Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners．Bowls of milk and water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dustbin to keep the birds from getting it．
The cat was obviously homeless and in pretty bad shape．People said that the cat came to the right place．He's getting treated like a king．This was true．but as 1 watched 1 was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us．There was a lot of talk about what's wrong with prisons in America．We need more programs．We need more psychologists or treatment of various kinds．Some may even talk about making prisons more kind．But I think what we really need is a chance to practise our own kindness．Not receive it，but give it．After more than two decades here，I know kindness is not a value that's encouraged．It's often seen as a weakness．
Instead，the culture encourages keeping your head down，minding your own business，and never letting yourself be weak．
The cat did my heart good to see the effect he had on me and the men here．By simply saying，”I need some help here”，he did something important for us．He needed us．And we needed to be needed．I believe we all do．From the passage，we can learn that the author was．
| A．an animal protector | B．the cat owner | C．a prison officer | D．a prisoner |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The cat was dirty because it was kept in prison． |
| B．The officer in the prison enjoyed petting the cat． |
| C．The prisoners prepared food for both the cat and birds． |
| D．The author realized the importance of practising kindness． |
We can infer from the third paragraph that．
| A．showing love to others can make prisoners strong |
| B．the American prison culture will be improved |
| C．the author is not content with the prison culture |
| D．caring for others is encouraged in American prisons |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Caring Makes Us Human． | B．Prison Culture is Important． |
| C．Animals Need Care． | D．Everyone Needs to be Cared for． |
In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.
As a writer I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.
A revelation（启示）came last week when I asked her, “Don’t you want to win again?” “No,” she replied, “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously（自发地）told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first trade was quickly “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her fist music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting（借用）my daughter’s experience.
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.What do we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．Many children find lots of fun in mindless activities. |
| B．Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy her leisure time. |
| C．Rebecca collects online materials for her writing. |
| D．Rebecca is different from any other child of her age. |
What was the author's writing experience?
| A．She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer. |
| B．Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations. |
| C．She was constantly under pressure of writing more. |
| D．Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers. |
Why did Rebecca want to enter this year's writing contest?
| A．She possessed real talent for writing. | B．She wanted to win. |
| C．She wanted to share her stories with readers. | D．She had won a prize already. |