Although Americans are well known for getting down to business, Indians working in overseas teams, MNCs, and BPOs should know the importance of small talk. While Indians have a true interest in talking to Americans and getting to know them, they also hesitate to do so for some reasons. Americans engage in less personal small talk than Indians. And the topics and questions used in English vary widely based on language differences and cultural differences. Here are three things to keep in mind while you are trying to make small talk with your American clients and colleagues.
Amencans love to ask about, and then complain about the weather. They may talk about how the weather prevented them from having fun or how the weather supported their outdoor events. You can talk about the weather with them to begin a conversation. While talking, they always try to follow up on their answer by asking another open-ended question or make a statement, such as "Wow, that sounds like fun ! " or "You went to St. Louis. In which state is that?" Be creative in your questions. Feel free to ask one or two, but not very personal ones about relations. Stick to the facts or events that were already referred to.
Sometimes, some words used in India will totally confuse an American. For example, Americans use the word "weekend" instead of "holiday" for Saturdays and Sundays ( non-working days) , and use the word " vacation" or " days off" instead of " out-of-station" .
Always be interested, optimistic and happy. Talk with a smile! Vary the sound of your voice. Do not sound like a computer. If you are unsure how you sound, a good tip is to record yourself and listen to it later. Doing this helps you know how your voice sounds, and if you don't sound as you want to be heard, it may be time to work on enhancing your voice.
1.For Indians, having small talk with American colleagues is .
A. boring B. useless C. important D. interesting
2.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A. What Americans like talking about in their daily life.
B. How Americans usually start a conversation with others.
C. Why talking about the weather is good to begin a conversation.
D. What people can say when having small talk with Amencans.
3.What does the underlined word "enhancing" in the last paragraph mean?
A. Lowering. B. Replacing. C. Improving. D. Examining.
4.What’s the writer's purpose in writing the passage?
A. To prove that having small talk is not very hard.
B. To explain why Indians hesitate to talk with Americans.
C. To show the differences between Americans and Indians.
D. To tell how to make small talk with American clients and colleagues.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Consider yourself warned. Sunday is April Fools' Day, a day when you are encouraged to play tricks on loved ones and even the people you meet at the bus stop. It's a strange tradition, but how did it get started?
Nobody is completely sure about the origin of this, the silliest of holidays. However, the urban legend experts at Snopes. com say that most experts owe it to Pope Gregory XⅢ, who, in the 1500s, gave the world the Gregorian calendar.
In 1562, the Gregorian calendar moved the first day of the year from April l to January l. Word did eventually get around, but some people were a bit slow to hear the news. These folks continued celebrating the new year on April l , unaware that they were now three months behind the times. These "April fools" were tricked by those who knew it. The tradition eventually made its way to the US.
And it's still going strong. Over the past week, Web searches on " April Fools' Day jokes" and " April Fools' Day tricks" have more than doubled, and related lookups for "easy April Fools' Day tricks" and "April Fools' Day jokes for work" have also increased greatly. Bottom line: Keep your guard up, especially if somebody offers you a word search puzzle. Lookups for "impossible April Fools' Day word searches" are up by 200%.
But really, there is no way to be certain you'll escape trickery because even companies are out to trick you on April l. In 1957, the BBC reported Swiss farmers were harvesting spaghetti(意大利面) from trees. And in 1996, Taco Bell took out ads in major newspapers announcing that the company had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the Taco Liberty Bell.
1.What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
A. To teach us how to avoid being tricked.
B. To point out the best way to trick others.
C. To introduce the history of April Fools' Day.
D. To stress the importance of April Fools' Day.
2.What can we know from Paragraph 3?
A. April lst was once the first day of the year.
B. April Fools' Day was set by Pope Gregory XⅢ.
C. April Fools' Day has been celebrated for thousands of years.
D. Started in the US, April Fools' Day is popular around the world.
3.From the 4th paragraph, we can learn that .
A. people enjoy being April Fools
B. April Fools' Day is still very popular
C. those tricks used on April 1 are much the same
D. people like to celebrate April Fools' Day online
4.The examples listed in the last paragraph are used to show .
A. a modern farming technology
B. what newspapers without ads are like
C. how the Taco Liberty Bell got its name
D. how some companies trick the public
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Twelve years ago, Rachel Miller was lost when it came to her son John. The 7-year-old was seriously disabled because of his autism(自闭症). Unable to speak, he withdrew from people at school and, worse, from his family.
In March 2003, Miller was introduced to Jeff Hancock, a one-on-one therapist(治疗师) for people with autism. Hancock was hired to be John's companion. The two would go people-watching at the mall on the weekend. Hancock chatted throughout their trips, even though John couldn't talk back.
Their relationship developed when Hancock introduced John to the Special Olympics. Whenever John was running or being active, he was smiling.
When John turned 12, Hancock introduced him to track at the Special Olympics. For the first three years, the pair just observed the sport by watching practices and events. Hancock worked daily with John, showing him everything, including where to sit, stand and walk, so he would understand the flow of the events.
Eventually, the lessons clicked, and John was off doing 50-meter sprints. But as John got older, he got stronger and faster. At 16, he was jumping hurdles and doing 800-meter races. Miller started seeing her son as a serious athlete.
In May 2014, John's training brought him to the Special Olympics State Summer Games in Orlando. The 18-year-old was competing in the 800 meters and the 110-meter hurdles.
As the 800 was setting up, Miller remembered, she pressed her face against the fence, anxiously waiting for John to compete. But as soon as the race started, all Miller saw was an athlete, her athlete.
"I just wanted to see the best performance. It seemed much more significant than whether he would ever speak or respond to me," she said.
John ended up winning the gold medal for the 800. Sports completely changed John, and Miller said that is because of Hancock."A person with a disability can feel hopeless and isolated, and I think that can happen to parents, too. "
1. The first paragraph mainly tells us
A. how Rachel Miller felt 12 years ago
B. how serious John's autism was
C. John wasn't good at communication
D. when John became seriously disabled
2. Miller considered John to be a serious athlete .
A. in 2011 B. in 2012 C. in 2013 D. in 2014
3.When Miller saw John's performance in the 800, she felt .
A. curious B. amazed C. delighted D. upset
4.The passage is mainly carried out.
A. by giving examples
B. in a sad tone
C. in space order
D. in time order
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
OSLO ( Reuters) -Six of the world's eight bear species are under threat of extinction after the addition yesterday of the sun bear, the world's smallest type of bear, to a "Red List" which says China's panda is most at risk. The sun bear is threatened partly by poachers(偷猎者) who sell its bile(胆汁)as medicine, said the World Conservation Union which runs the list of the threatened wildlife.
"Things are getting worse for all the bear species except the American black bear which is unquestionably increasing," said Simon Smart, senior species adviser for the Union.
The addition of the sun bear to the authoritative "Red List" after a major review means the American black bear and the brown bear, found from Europe to Alaska, are the only two of eight species still considered robust(强的) . The sun bear, found in Asia from Bangladesh to Borneo and weighing up to about 70kg, was rated "vulnerable(脆弱的) " by experts at the Union,which consists of more than 80 governments, conservation groups and scientists. The union said there were several thousand sun bears in the wild. "We estimate that sun bears have declined by at least 30 percent over the past 30 years, and continue to decline at this speed," said Ron Steinmetz, head of the Swiss- based Union's sun bear expert team.
Scientists did not change the level of threat to any bear species (except sun bears). Deforestation, loss of habitat to roads and cities and poaching are among risks. The Asian black bear, the sloth bear and the Andean bear were all proved again as vulnerable after reassessment of land-living bears. The polar, the only species not reassessed, is separately rated as vulnerable. Pandas were regarded again as endangered, one step closer to extinction than vulnerable, in spite of China's protection efforts for the bamboo-eaters.
1.How many kinds of threats are particularly mentioned to bear species?
A.2. B.3. C.4. D.5.
2.According to the text, pandas.
A. are in the greatest danger of extinction on the "Red List"
B. are in less danger of extinction now with the China's protection efforts
C. are one step closer to extinction than ever before
D. are not among the 8 bears mentioned in the text
3.We can infer from the text that .
A. the World Conservation Union is not in charge of protecting wildlife in the world
B. pandas are rated as endangered after the reassessment
C. there are several kinds of land-living bears in the world
D. sun bears remain " vulnerable ", compared with 30 years ago
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项，将正确的答案填写在答题卷对应的题号上。
The English language is a result of the invasions of the island of Britain over many hundreds of years. The invaders lived along the northern coast of Europe.
1. The Angles were a German tribe who crossed the English Channel. Later two more groups crossed to Britain. They were the Saxons and the Jutes. Through many years, the Saxons, Angles and Jutes mixed their different languages. The result is what is called Anglo-Saxon or old English.
The next great invasion of Britain came from the far north beginning about l,100 years ago. People called Vikings came to the coastal areas of Britain. 2. Words like "sky" , "leg" , "skull" , "egg" , "lift" and "take" are from the old languages of the far northern countries.
The next invasion of Britain took place more than 900 years ago, in 1066. 3.William the Conqueror led it.
The Normans were a French-speaking people from Normandy in the north of France. They became the new rulers of Britain. These new rulers spoke only French for several hundred years. It was the most important language in the world at that time. 4. But the common people of Britain still spoke old English.
Old English took many words from the Norman French. Some of these include "damage", "prison" and "marriage". The French language used by the Norman rulers greatly changed the way English was spoken by 800 years ago. 5. Middle English sounds like modern English. But it is very difficult to understand now. The history of the English language continues as Middle English becomes Modern English, which is spoken today.
A. History experts call this invasion the Norman Conquest.
B. It was the language of educated people.
C. English became what language experts call Middle English.
D. Therefore most common people speak the language.
E. Few people spoke Middle English at that time.
F. Many English words used today come from these ancient Vikings.
G. The first invasions were by a people called Angles about l,500 years ago.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
It was early when Mom Racer awoke. Quietly she out of bed and moved through the silent house.
In the hallway she stopped at the bedroom of her younger son, Mike. She entered and saw him peacefully in his bed; it had been a long time he had done so, since nightmares had been44for him because of the accident.
Not wanting to his sleep, Mom continued down the hallway. at the next door that was closed, she quietly entered the room. It was painfully the same, and Mom's breath caught in her throat at the of empty, still-made bed before her.
For some reason, unknown even to her, Mom had her older son to be in it. Brushing away a tear from her cheek, she went to the bed and the pillow. Holding it , she was able to catch the of her lost child.
to be in her son's room any longer, Mom put down the pillow and left the room.
As she passed the glass door to the backyard something outside her eye and made her stop in her tracks.
It was a single white rose bud(蓿蕾) lying on a sheet of paper. She went outside and picked up, and a had been written on it. The handwriting was very , and Mom had tears in her eyes as she read it. " Dear Mom, I love you. "
Mom wasn't sure how, but reading those words, she saw that Rex had given her a message that he was with them.
Yes, it's who you will always think of and no matter you are happy or depressed, rich or poor, mother's love will always stay with you.
1.A. jumped B. slipped C. brought D. pulled
2.A. laying B. singing C. sleeping D. playing
3.A. when B. while C. before D. since
4.A. common B. ordinary C. normal D. regular
5.A. interruptB. disturb C. wake D. infect
6.A. Staying B. Listening C. Stopping D. Bowing
7.A. still B. hardly C. never D. often
8.A. sight B. scene C. view D. gesture
9.A. complained B, doubted C. waited D. expected
10.A. tore at B. threw away C. picked up D. glanced at
11.A. close B. hard C. slowly D. heavily
12.A. clothes B. smell C. foot D. eyes
13.A. Unknown B. Unable C. Unhappy D. Unsatisfied
14.A. excitedlyB. suddenly C. hurriedly D. quietly
15.A. escaped B. caused C. caught D. drove.
16.A. word B. note C. sign D. picture
17.A. strange B. familiar C. messy D. bad
18.A. upon B. over C. beyond D. in
19.A. somehow B. anyhow C. anyway D. somewhat
20.A. brother B mother C. child D. son
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填人适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。
On a 1. （freeze）cold day, Mrs Smith’s dog was hungry, but there was not any meat 2.(leave) in the house.
3. (consider) there was no better way, Mrs Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the 4. (follow) words:“Give my dog half a pound of meat.” Then she asked her dog to take it to the butcher’s. When the butcher recognized that it was really the lady’s handwriting, he did as he 5. (ask) to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up immediately.
The next day, the dog came again exactly at midday. And as 6. (usually), it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time the butcher did not take a look at the paper, and just gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog7. one of his customers.
One day later, to the butcher’s more surprise, it came at six o’clock and brought 8. third piece of paper. Though 9. (surprise), the butcher gave him 10. he wanted. But what he didn’t know was that there were not any words on the paper!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Jim,
I am so exciting that you will come to China. I will free from December 18 and will have a plenty of time to be together with you. I'll meet you at the airport and then you will take No. 8 Bus for my home.You worry about the weather here in your email. In fact, the weather here is quite different from it in your city. It isn't very cold, but you needn't bring many clothes with you. During your stay here, I'll take you to some places of interests and you can taste some local snacks. I am sure we will have greatly fun together.
I'm looking forward to meeting you soon.
Yours ,
John
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华。在一个英文网络论坛上, 你看到一个名叫Grown-up的中学生发帖（post）寻求帮助：
Grown-up Post at 11-11-2016 23:11
Hi, everyone , I’m 17 years old but my parents continue to treat me as a seven-year-old. What should I do ?
请根据以上提示回信告诉对方你的看法，提出至少两点建议并寄语对方。
要求：
1. 短文词数120字左右（不含已写好的部分）。
2. 内容充实, 结构完整, 语意连贯。
3. 书写必须清晰、易于识别、卷面整洁。
Hi, Grown-up,
How's everything going? I read about your trouble on the Internet. Now I'm writing about it.
Sincerely yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析