Small talk is stressful for even the most easy-going people. 1. Below, small-talk experts share their best advice on developing good chatting skills.
Ask questions.
The key to good small talk is asking the other person a lot of questions. But avoid rapid-fire questions. 2. Be sure to express your own feelings in response to what they share.
Avoid conversation starters like “How have you been?”
You could not ask a more awkward question. A better way to produce meaningful conversation is to add “What is new in your life since the last time I saw you?
Avoid one-word answers.
3. When someone asks you a question, give them something to talk about with you, not a word or two. Fine said, if someone asks you, “How was your summer?”, you can answer, for instance. My summer was great. I’m excited about my vegetable garden. That will give the person something else to ask you about.
4.
Your facial expression and body language should let the other person know you’re truly listening to them. A recent study showed that people who used hand or head gestures received responses to their questions faster than those who didn’t.
Small talk may help you connect with someone new with whom you want to have a more serious talk. 5.
A.You don’t have to be a reporter.
B.Don’t worry about it too much, though.
C.You could not ask a more inconvenient question.
D.It’s the first step to any meaningful relationship.
E.Use your hands to keep the conversation flowing.
F.Don’t be a disappointing person in a conversation.
G.You should make a conversation with people you like.
高二英语七选五中等难度题
People with many different relationships use small talk. The most common types of people to use small talk are those who do not know each other at all. It is also common for people who are only acquaintances (熟人), often called a “friend of a friend”, to use small talk.
There are certain “safe” topics that people usually make small talk about. The weather is probably the number one thing. Sometimes even friends and family members discuss the weather when they meet or start a conversation. Another topic that is generally “safe” is current events, such as sports news and entertainment news. If there is something that you and the other speaker have in common, that may also be acceptable to talk about. Negative comments about another person not involved in the conversation are not acceptable because you cannot be sure who his friends are when you do not know a person well.
People make small talk just about anywhere. Most often, small talk happens in places where people are waiting for something. For example, you might chat with another person who is waiting for the bus to arrive. Some social events (such as a party) require small talk among guests who do not know each other very well.
The most common time for small talk to happen is the first time you see or meet someone. However, the next time you see each other, you might just smile and say nothing. Do not interrupt two people in order to discuss something unimportant, such as the weather. If someone is reading a book or writing a letter in a waiting room, it is not proper to initiate a conversation either.
1. The third paragraph mainly tells us .
A. how people make small talk
B. people like making small talk
C. why people make small talk
D. where people make small talk
2.What can we learn about small talk according to the text?
A. Small talk only happens between strangers.
B. When people feel lonely, they will start small talk.
C. Unpleasant comments about another person aren’t a “safe” topic.
D. Small talk only happens when people want to make friends.
3.The underlined word “initiate” in the last paragraph probably means “ ”.
A. end B. start C. control D. Avoid
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In most languages, a greeting is usually followed by “small talk”. Small talk means the little things we talk about at start of a conversation. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather: “Nice day, isn’t it?” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something which both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. People usually agree about the weather, so it is a safer topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion or politics so these are not suitable topics for small talk in English. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching: “Great game, isn’t it?” At bus stops, people may comment about the transport system: “The bus service is terrible, isn’t it?”
Greetings and small talk are important parts of conversation in any language. The way people greet each other and the things they talk about, however, may be different from one language to another. This shows that there is much more to learn when we learn a language than just the vocabulary and the grammar of the language. We also have to learn the social behavior of the people who speak it.
1.Small talk __________ .
A. is a kind of conversation with short words
B. is a greeting when people meet each other
C. is to let people disagree about something
D. is something we talk about to start with a conversation
2.Why do people need small talk?
A. To choose a topic for conversation.
B. To agree about the weather.
C. To let meeting people become easier and more comfortable.
D. To learn a language.
3.The passage suggests that when we learn a language ,__________．
A. we should grasp the importance of the language
B. we should know the culture of the language
C. we should only master the grammar and vocabulary
D. we should learn about the transport system of the country
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In most languages, a greeting is usually followed by “small talk”. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a conversation. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather. “Nice day, isn’t it?” “Terrible weather, isn’t it?” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something that both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. In the UK people usually agree about the weather, so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion or politics so these are not suitable topics for small talk. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching. “Great game, isn’t it?” At bus-stops, people may comment on the transport system. “The bus service is terrible, isn’t it?”
1.Small talk is ________.
A. a kind of conversation with short words
B. a greeting used when people meet each other
C. to let people disagree about something
D. something we talk about to start a conversation
2.The favorite topic of small talk for English people is _________.
A. the weather B. politics
C. games D. languages
3.The passage suggests that when we learn a language _________.
A. we should learn about the transport system of the country
B. we should only master the grammar and the vocabulary
C. we should learn the culture of the country
D. we should understand the importance of the language
4.When we say “Great game, isn’t it?”, we are in fact __________.
A. asking a question B. having a conversation
C. make a comment D. making small talk
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In most languages, a greeting is usually followed by “small talk”. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a conversation. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather: “Nice day isn’t it?” “Terrible weather, isn’t it?” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something that both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. People usually agree about the weather, so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion or politics so these are not suitable topics for small talk in English. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching, “Great game, isn’t it?” At bus-stops, people may comment about the transport system, “The bus service is terrible, isn’t it?”
Greetings and small talk are an important part of conversation in any language. The way people greet each other and the things they talk about, however, may be different from one language to another. This shows that there is much more to learn when we learn a language than just the vocabulary and the grammar of the language. We also have to learn the social behavior of the people who speak it.
1.Small talk is ________.
A. a kind of conversation with short words
B. a greeting when people meet each other
C. to let people disagree about something
D. something we talk about to start with a conversation
2.The passage suggests that when we learn a language, we should ________.
A. learn about the transport system of the country
B. only master the grammar and vocabulary
C. know the culture about the country
D. grasp the importance of the language
3.When we say “Great game isn’t it?” we are actually ________.
A. asking a question B. having a conversation
C. greeting each other D. beginning a small talk
4.What we learn from the passage is that ________.
A. different language has different grammar
B. small talk is an important part in a language
C. small talk depends on the purpose of the conversation
D. in English speaking countries we should talk about the weather
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In most languages, a greeting is usually followed by “small talk”. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a conversation. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather. “Nice day, isn’t it?” “Terrible weather, isn’t it?” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something that both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. In the UK people usually agree about the weather, so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion or politics so these are not suitable topics for small talk. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching. “Great game, isn’t it?” At bus-stops, people may comment on the transport system. “The bus service is terrible, isn’t it?”
1.Small talk is ________.
A. a kind of conversation with short words
B. a greeting used when people meet each other
C. to let people disagree about something
D. something we talk about to start a conversation
2. The favorite topic of small talk for English people is _________.
A. the weather B. politics
C. games D. languages
3.The passage suggests that when we learn a language _________.
A. we should learn about the transport system of the country
B. we should only master the grammar and the vocabulary
C. we should learn the culture of the country
D. we should understand the importance of the language
4.When we say “Great game, isn’t it?”, we are in fact __________.
A. asking a question B. having a conversation
C. make a comment D. making small talk
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Is that the small town you often talked about?
—Right, just the one____ you know I used to work for years.
A. that B. which C. where D. what
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
In most languages, a greeting is usually followed by “small talk”. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a conversation. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather. “Nice day, isn’t it?” “Terrible weather, isn’t it?” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something which both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. People usually agree about the weather, so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion(宗教) or politics(政治) so these are not suitable topics for small talk. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching. “Great game, isn’t it?” At bus-stops, people may comment on the transport system. “The bus service is terrible, isn’t it?”
1.Small talk is ________.
A. a kind of conversation with short words
B. a greeting used when people meet each other
C. to let people disagree about something
D. something we talk about to start a conversation
2.The favorite topic of small talk for English people is _________.
A. the weather B. politics
C. games D. languages
3.The passage suggests that when we learn a language _________.
A. we should learn about the transport system of the country
B. we should only master the grammar and the vocabulary
C. we should learn the culture of the country
D. we should understand the importance of the language
4.When we say “Great game, isn’t it?”, we are in fact __________.
A. asking a question B. having a conversation
C. make a comment D. making small talk
5.What we learn from the passage is that _________.
A. different languages have different grammar
B. small talk is an important part of a language
C. small talk depends on the purpose of the conversation
D. in English-speaking countries we should talk about the weather
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is natural for young people to blame their parents for most of the misunderstandings between them. They have always complained (抱怨), more or less justly, that their parents are out of touch with modern ways;that they always want to control them; that they do not trust them to deal with problems; and that they have no sense of humor, at least in parent-child relationships.
Young people often irritate their parents with their choices in clothes, hairstyles, and music. Actually this is not what they really intend to do.They feel cut off from the adult world into which they have not yet been accepted. So they create a culture and society of their own. Then, if it turns out that their music or clothes or hairstyles make their parent angry, this gives them additional enjoyment. They feel they are better,at least in a small way, and that they are leaders in style and taste.
Sometimes you do not obey orders,and are proud because you do not want your parents to say yes to what you do. If they do, it looks as if you are unfaithful to your own age group. But in that case, you will probably think that you are the underdog: you can’t win but at least you can keep your honor. This is a passive way of looking at things. It is natural enough after long years of childhood, when you were completely under your parent’s control. If you plan to control your life,co-operation can be part of that plan. You can persuade others, especially your parents, into doing things the way you want. Get them to feel your sense of responsibility (责任) and initiative (进取心) so that they will allow you to do what you want to do.
1. The first paragraph is mainly about ______.
A.children’s complaints about their parents
B.misunderstandings between children and their parents
C.the control of the parents over their children
D.children’s ability to deal with problems
2. The underlined word “irritate” in this passage is closest in meaning to “______”.
A. to make someone excited B. to make someone angry
C. to please someone D. to comfort someone
3. Children choose to have certain strange clothes and hairstyles because they ______.
A. want to show their existence by creating a culture of their own
B. have a strong desire to be leaders in style and taste
C. have no other way to enjoy themselves better
D. want to make their parents angry
4. Children do not want their parents to say yes to whatever they do because they ______.
A. have already been accepted into the adult world
B. feel that they are better in a small way than the adults
C. are not likely to win over the adults
D. have a desire to be independent
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
______ is often the case with elder people, my grandma talked about my new hairstyle for at least 50 minutes nonstop.
A. That B. Which C. As D. It
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles. Dr. Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue, the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk, the car and the elevator have been locked in a “secret war” for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally(水平地), and elevators pushing them toward life in close groups of towering vertical (垂直的) columns.
If we tend to ignore the significance of elevators, it might be because riding in them tends to be such a brief, boring, and even awkward experience one that can involve unexpectedly meeting people with whom we have nothing in common, and an unpleasant awareness of the fact that we’re hanging from a cable in a long passage.
In a new book, Lifted, German journalist and cultural studies professor Andreas Bernard directed all his attention to this experience, studying the origins of elevator and its relationship to humankind and finding that riding in an elevator has never been a totally comfortable experience. “After 150 years, we are still not used to it, ”Bernard said. “We still have not exactly learned to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure.” That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives.
Today, as the world’s urban population explodes, and cities become more crowded, taller, and more crowded, America’s total number of elevators—900,000 at last count, according to Elevator World magazine’s “2012 Vertical Transportation Industry”—are a force that’s becoming more important than ever. And for the people who really, really love them, it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are.
1.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1refer to?
A. The particular interests of experts.
B. The general view of elevators.
C. The desire for a remarkable machine.
D. The enthusiasm for transport vehicles.
2.The author’s purpose in mentioning cars is .
A. to emphasize the importance of elevators
B. to contrast their functions with elevators
C. to reveal their secret war against elevators
D. to explain people’s preference for elevators
3.According to Prof. Bernard, what has made the elevator ride different from other life experiences?
A. Vertical direction.
B. Little physical space.
C. Lack of excitement.
D. Uncomfortable conditions.
4.The author urges readers to consider
A. the exact number of elevator lovers
B. the serious future situation of elevators
C. the relationship between cars and elevators
D. the role of elevators in city development
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析