The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups. Silences may be thoughtful, or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness, or worry. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap(间隙)with conversation. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a
person's needs.
Many Native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people, just as some
traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore, when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and
suddenly stops, what maybe implied(暗示) is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing. In these cultures, silence is a call for reflection.
Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion. However, Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her. In still another use, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority.
Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing. Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient's silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing(治愈) value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.
What does the author say about silence in conversations?
| A． |
It implies anger. |
| B． |
It promotes friendship. |
| C． |
It is culture-specific. |
| D． |
It is content-based. |
Which of the following people might regard silence as a call for careful thought?
| A． |
The Chinese. |
| B． |
The French. |
| C． |
The Mexicans. |
| D． |
The Russians. |
What does the author advise nurses to do about silence?
| A． |
Let it continue as the patient pleases. |
| B． |
Break it while treating patients. |
| C． |
Evaluate its harm to patients. |
| D． |
Make use of its healing effects. |
What may be the best title for the text?
| A． |
Sound and Silence |
| B． |
What It Means to Be Silent |
| C． |
Silence to Native Americans |
| D． |
Speech Is Silver; Silence Is Gold |
Columbus College , 241 Queen Elizabeth Drive ,Kowloon City
To: All Staff
From: Jakie Mok , Secretary; Sports Development Committee
Date: May 20, 2010
A week ago , “Sports for Life” programme was sent to the parents, requiring them to select a sport they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for more information about it. Here is a memo (备忘录) for your reference when you answer the phones.
Sports 1: Basketball.
We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. Therefore, students should be advised to sign up as soon as possible. Students will take a private bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park .To cover the cost of hiring a bus ,each student will have to pay ＄10 each time. There will be four basketball courts available for our use with one teacher watching over each game.
Sports 2: Gym
We will be using St.Peter’s Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing their park. First, it is not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has lot of trees with plenty of shade. Students must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping , jogging , outdoor aerobics (有氧运动),all of which are free of charge, will be arranged. And there will be a teacher on duty for each of the activities.
Sports 3: Hiking
Hiking(远足)will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later. Three teachers will accompany the students, and a hiking instructor will accompany each group of 15 hikers. Each instructor will cost ＄75/hr.
Sports 4: Swimming
The Kowloon City Aqueatic Centre is a 10-minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the pool and conduct the goings-on from the poolside. We will only be able to reserve the pool for one hour (i.e. 2:45pm to 3:45pm).Only students skilful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have two lifeguards present. Girls must wear a swimming suit. The cost is ＄10 per visit.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Students selecting basketball had better register(注册) early. |
| B．Students participating in gym should arrive at 6:00 pm. |
| C．Hiking usually begins at 2:30 pm and lasts 2 hours. |
| D．Students having swimming suits can take up swimming. |
It can be inferred from the passage that
| A．students taking part in basketball will walk to the courts. |
| B．every student can gain admission to one of the four sports |
| C．hiking students can have a regular rest in the shade of trees |
| D．students taking up the four sports should bring bottles of water |
It can be concluded that
| A．each sport will take only on hour |
| B．students will be charged for the four sports |
| C．all the sports will take place at Kowloon Peak |
| D．teachers will accompany students on each sport |
The purpose of the memo is to
| A．attract students’interest in the programme |
| B．require the parents to select a sport for their child |
| C．help the staff explain the programme to the parents |
| D．remind teachers and lifeguards to be present on time |
If you are having trouble falling asleep, you are in good company. About 65% of Americans said they have sleeping problems a few nights each week, according to a recent study by the National Sleep Foundation. Sleeping too little can lead to a higher risk of becoming fat and getting depressed(沮丧的). But before you go to a doctor for advice, it is worth examining your sleeping habits one more time. Some of your favorite evening habits may have something to do with the sleeping problems.
Setting a Bright Alarm Clock
The light of your bright alarm clock can prevent you from falling asleep. You can make your room as dark as possible. Cover the bright numbers with a book or consider buying a small travel clock. Your cellphone alarm may also do the trick.
Counting Sheep
When you just can’t fall asleep, it’s useless to stay in bed to count sheep. If you’ve been trying to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes, the National Sleep Foundation suggests you get up to do some reading or watch TV for a while. Such activities will make you sleepy. Before you know it, you’ll be going back to bed really tired.
3. Exercising Late at Night?
Daytime workouts(锻炼) will keep you full of energy for hours. That’s why you don’t want to exercise within three hours of hitting the sack. Fierce(剧烈的) physical activity raise your body temperature and pumps your energy level—both are bad for a good night’s sleep.What can we learn from the first sentence of the passage?
| A．It’s not good to fail to fall asleep at night. |
| B．People in a good company often have sleeping problems. |
| C．There are many people who have sleeping problems. |
| D．You should find someone to talk to if you can’t fall asleep. |
The underlined part “hitting the sack” in the last paragraph means “______”.
A. going back home B. going to bed
C. going to the gym C. falling asleepWhich of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．The bad results of getting too little sleep. |
| B．Why the bright alarm clock keeps you awake. |
| C．What to do if you can’t fall asleep after 30 minutes. |
| D．Why watching TV and reading books make people sleepy. |
By writing the passage, the writer mainly wants to tell us _______.
| A．why so many people can’t sleep well at night |
| B．how to enjoy a good night’s sleep |
| C．that sleeping problems are troubling more and more people |
| D．that people may solve their sleeping problems by some habits |
The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before a huge pile of troublesome stuff they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. "When can I go to bed?" I asked myself. I didn’t answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck 12."Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy."
The clock struck one. I was quite hopeless now. I forgot all I had learnt. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were heavy, so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were_____ .
| A．asleep | B．working in bed |
| C．outside | D．quietly laughing at him |
Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ________. .
| A．it was too late at night |
| B．he was very tired |
| C．his eyes lids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open |
| D．he hadn’t studied hard before the examination |
What do you suppose happened to the author？
| A．He went to a church to pray again |
| B．He passed the exam by luck |
| C．He failed in the exam |
| D．He was punished by his teacher |
The best title for the passage would be __________ .
| A．The Night Before the Examination | B．Working Far into the Night |
| C．A Slow Student | D．Going Over My Lessons |
Winter’s short days are more than cold. For many people, winter depression, the most common type of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is as much a part of the season as hats and scarves.
Winter serious SAD sufferers may need medical treatment. Those feeling a little depressed can help themselves by sticking to a healthy lifestyle. Here are some tips:
Pace yourself. Don’t expect to do everything you normally can. Set a realistic schedule. Don’t listen to negative thinking, like blaming yourself or expecting to fail.
Get involved in activities that make you feel good or feel like you’ve achieved something. For example, play table tennis or badminton.
If you are feeling depressed, you may feel like staying away from friends. Yet this is a time when friends’ support can be helpful. Call them regularly. Remember, the more we put off calling or visiting a friend, the harder it is to rebuild a friendship.
Think clearly about what’s wrong or right. Instead of giving in to vague(含糊的) feelings of sadness, look at your problems objectively. Break down problems into specific issues that you can work on.
Regular exercise helps to prevent and ease depression.
Eat well. Studies show that a healthy diet can help to maintain a healthy body and mind. The vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients found in a balanced diet may help our bodies to produce feel-good hormones. Foods containing chemicals to help produce feel-good hormones include bananas, turkey, nuts and seeds. Eat at least five pieces of fruit and vegetables every day.
P.S. Symptoms of SAD:
No interests or pleasure in things you used to enjoy
Increased need for sleep
A change in eating habits, especially an appetite for sweet or starchy (含淀粉的) foods
Weight gain
A heavy feeling in the arms or legs
A drop in energy level
Difficulty in concentrating
Overly emotional
Avoidance of friends and social situations
Frequent feelings of guilt
Long-term feelings of hopelessness, and physical problems, such as headaches The writer of the passage agrees that.
| A．the cold in winter makes us suffer from SAD |
| B．hats and scarves are as important as SAD |
| C．everyone of us meets SAD in winter |
| D．we are depressed mainly because of short days in winter |
When we pace ourselves, we.
| A．don’t do anything we can | B．expect to succeed in nothing |
| C．make a practical plan | D．think something of guilt |
The passage includes the following EXCEPT.
| A．the earlier we meet friends, the easier it is to rebuild a friendship |
| B．playing table tennis helps us achieve whatever we want |
| C．if we give in to unclear feelings of sadness, we’ll be caught in the SAD |
| D．feel-good hormones from a balanced diet can help keep a healthy body |
The HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT will deliver unbreakable soccer balls to kids who, all too often, see things horrible, broken and not survive the simplest of circumstances. The project started taking form well before anyone knew where it would lead –which is to test the power of like-minded people working together to turn inspiration into action.
Four years ago Bobby was in Rwanda offering help to the people there and taking photos of a child soldier named Moise with his “soccer ball”，which was a pile of rubbish tied together with a string. This “ball” was the only thing Moise could call his own --- no family, no home, no place to go. Forced to fight in the Congo and having killed three people at the unbearably young age of seven, the boy’s spirit was broken. And Bobby knew, as he took one photo after the next, that he’d never forget him. In fact, he returned the following year to tell Moise he had stayed deep within his heart ---but he was gone.
I recently helped Bobby launch his new book The Power of the Invisible Sun which features a photo of Moise, his ball, and kids from war-torn areas around the world. All of his earnings go towards the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT for the kids he visited over the past decade. They caught the emotional landscape from heartbreak to joy, but share the undeniable longing for recovery and hope.
Bobby and I share the unchangeable belief that delivering hope is really a game-changer, especially to a child. We believe that each indestructible ball will com
e to represent a lasting symbol of hope. A light no matter how small---The Power of the Invisible Sun.
This holiday season, I ask you to think about whether you are doing enough to help someone else in the world. Or as Bobby likes to put it, consider “taking a concrete baby step”, which added together, can create transformational change. It’s my great hope that the HOPE IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT will change the lives of children the world over --- one book, one ball at a time.In the first sentence of the passage, the writer implies that .
| A．kids live an unsafe life in parts of the world |
| B．the balls sent to kids should be of good quality |
| C．young kids can not overcome the difficulties |
| D．kids intend to break their toys into pieces |
The purpose of The HOPE
IS A GAME-CHANGER PROJECT is to .
| A．send ball gifts to kids in poor countries |
| B．collect money to help kids in need |
| C．offer kids help to change their lives |
| D．comfort kids in war-torn areas |
Which of the following about Bobby’s new book is TRUE?
| A．It earned a lot of money to help kids like Mosie. |
| B．The photos inside reflected the kids’ hopeless life. |
| C．It changed the life of the kids recorded in the book. |
| D．Its title shows the author’s belief to change the world. |
The underlined part in the last paragraph probably means .
| A．starting the first step as a baby does |
| B．taking an active action from now on |
| C．making great changes step by step |
| D．doing some small but good deeds |