“When an American asks me this question, it’s like a wall of ice crashing down between us.” my Moscow-born friend Galina said. The question is “How are you?”.
The answer Americans give, of course is, “Fine.” But when Russians hear this they think one of two things: you are experiencing a rare moment of fineness or you are lying.
Ask a Russian, “How are you?” and you will hear, for better or worse, the truth. I have experienced many painful minutes of silence after my grandmother made her stock response: “Terrible,” to which she might add, “Why? Because being old is terrible and I am very old.”
“‘Fine’ makes Russians think that Americans have no soul,” I explained recently to an American-born friend. “That they just want to go home, eat a frozen dinner in front of the TV, and wait out the hours before going to work to make money again.” He laughed, “You know, there’s something to that.”
The thing most Russians don’t realize is that, in English, “How are you?” isn’t a question at all, but a form of “hi”, like the Russian “privyet!”
Psychologists at the University of Michigan have shown that, while Russians are, indeed, easier to be depressed than Americans, their open acceptance of bad experiences might be healthier.
Recently, when I looked through a few American guides on traveling to Russia, I was disappointed to find that they all suggested that tourists adopt the American approach to “How are you”.
1.When you ask a Russian “how are you” the Russian will ________.
A. answer “fine” B. tell you the truth
C. make no answer D. get angry and walk away
2.If an American answers “fine” to the question “how are you”, the Russian will think ______.
A. he is not honest B. he will go home
C. he likes watching TV D. he is living a bad life
3.We can infer Russians’ answer to “how are you” can make Americans feel ________.
A. happy B. angry
C. puzzled D. touched
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
“When an American asks me this question, it’s like a wall of ice crashing down between us.” my Moscow-born friend Galina said. The question is “How are you?”.
The answer Americans give, of course is, “Fine.” But when Russians hear this they think one of two things: you are experiencing a rare moment of fineness or you are lying.
Ask a Russian, “How are you?” and you will hear, for better or worse, the truth. I have experienced many painful minutes of silence after my grandmother made her stock response: “Terrible,” to which she might add, “Why? Because being old is terrible and I am very old.”
“‘Fine’ makes Russians think that Americans have no soul,” I explained recently to an American-born friend. “That they just want to go home, eat a frozen dinner in front of the TV, and wait out the hours before going to work to make money again.” He laughed, “You know, there’s something to that.”
The thing most Russians don’t realize is that, in English, “How are you?” isn’t a question at all, but a form of “hi”, like the Russian “privyet!”
Psychologists at the University of Michigan have shown that, while Russians are, indeed, easier to be depressed than Americans, their open acceptance of bad experiences might be healthier.
Recently, when I looked through a few American guides on traveling to Russia, I was disappointed to find that they all suggested that tourists adopt the American approach to “How are you”.
1.When you ask a Russian “how are you” the Russian will ________.
A. answer “fine” B. tell you the truth
C. make no answer D. get angry and walk away
2.If an American answers “fine” to the question “how are you”, the Russian will think ______.
A. he is not honest B. he will go home
C. he likes watching TV D. he is living a bad life
3.We can infer Russians’ answer to “how are you” can make Americans feel ________.
A. happy B. angry
C. puzzled D. touched
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When _______ this question, she keeps silent.
| A．asked | B．asking | C．to ask | D．being asked |
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
_____ took me almost 20 years to have the courage to ask my father this personal question.
A. This B. It C. That D. One
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
A very close friend phoned me this weekend and asked a specific question about earning a few extra dollars each month online. For the benefit of keeping her name and details secret, I will call her Annie in this article. You see Annie suffers from a severe form of inaction syndrome(综合症); she is full of great ideas that never materialize into cash and she is having a problem finding the link that will achieve this.
Somebody once said that knowledge is power, yet we constantly find from readers of our website that they have knowledge to burn and still do not have power. Just look at the academics in universities all around the world; they have so much knowledge that they should control the wealth of the world. In truth they work for peanuts and very few of them ever achieve the power of independence. So knowledge certainly isn’t power. Therefore, we should change that “wise” statement to: “Power is the ability to use knowledge to your own benefit.”
That paragraph was inserted because Annie is a typical academic—strong on talk and plans but a little weaker on actions. In the period of a twenty-minute conversation, she expounded（阐述）a whole list of plans and ideas to make the extra few hundred dollars each month she was seeking. Any one of her many ideas was a potential money maker, but she had taken action on none of them. At one time she said, “I’m lost as to what to do next.”
That was my cue（提示）to get involved. “Take action,” I advised.
All that is wrong is that Annie was inactive without knowing it. In five minutes we drew up a plan of action and agreed to talk again in a month to review progress. When we finished the conversation, she sounded much happier and more motivated than when we started. Annie just needs a little nudge into beneficial action.
1.What’s the problem with Annie?
A. She has too many great ideas.
B. She never puts her ideas into practice.
C. She suffers from a strange illness.
D. She knows little about making money online.
2.What is the most important according to the author?
A. The ability to use one’s knowledge.
B. The ability to acquire knowledge.
C. A great deal of knowledge.
D. A good understanding of oneself.
3.What can we know from the last paragraph?
A. Annie will succeed in later life.
B. Annie is going towards success.
C. Annie doesn’t realize her problems.
D. Annie talks too much in daily life.
4.The underlined word “nudge” in the last paragraph probably means________.
A. push B. advice C. training D. Power
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
– Can I ask you a few straightforward questions about yourself?
-- No problem. I like ______ when people are open and direct.
| A．that | B．this | C．it | D．one |
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
One night, when I was eight, my mother gently asked me a question I would never forget. “Sweetie, my company wants to me but needs me to work in Brazil. This is like your teacher telling that you’ve done and allowing you to skip a grade, but you’ll have to your friends. Would you say yes to your teacher?” She gave me a hug and asked me to think about it. I was puzzled. The question kept me for the rest of the night. I had said “yes” but for the first time, I realized the decisions adults had to make.
For almost four years, my mother would call us from Brazil every day. Every evening I’d wait for the phone to ring and then tell her every detail of my day. A phone call, however, could never replace her and it was difficult not to feel lonely at times.
During my fourth-grade Christmas break, we flew to Rio to visit her. Looking at her large apartment, I became how lonely my mother must have been in Brazil herself. It was then I started to appreciate the tough choices she had to make on family and work. difficult decisions, she used to tell me, you wouldn’t know whether you made the right choice, but you could always make the best out of the situation, with passion and a attitude.
Back home , I myself that what my mother could do, I could, too. If she to live in Rio all by herself, I, too, could learn to be . I learn how to take care of myself and set high but achievable .
My mother is now back with us. But I will never forget what the has really taught me. Sacrifices in the end. The separation between us has proved to be for me.
1.A. attract B. surprise C. promote D. praise
2.A. well B. much C. little D. wrong
3.A. leave B. refuse C. contact D. forgive
4.A. explaining B. wandering C. regretting D. wondering
5.A. poor B. timely C. final D. tough
6.A. politely B. eagerly C. nervously D. curiously
7.A. presence B. patience C. intelligence D. Influence
8.A. Comfortable B. Empty C. Expensive D. Modern
9.A. satisfied with B. Interested in C. doubtful D. aware of
10.A. when B. that C. which D. where
11.A. abandoning B. comparing C. balancing D. mixing
12.A. Depending on B. Faced with C. supplied with D. Insisting on
13.A. different B. friendly C. positive D. general
14.A. reminded B. informed C. warned D. criticized
15.A. expected B. offered C. attempted D. managed
16.A. grateful B. energetic C. independent D. practical
17.A. examples B. limits C. rules D. goals
18.A. question B. experience C. history D. occasion
19.A. pay off B. come back C. run out D. turn up
20.A. failure B. gathering C. blessing D. pleasure
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
When Miss Smith asked me a few questions in class yesterday, my mind happened to be wandering. As a result, I had to give her awful ____________ responses.
A. offbeat B. off-line C. offhand D. off-key
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
— Can I ask you a few straightforward questions?
— No problem. I like ________ when people are open and direct.
A. this B. it C. / D. that
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know whether you think you are a 36 person or a coward (懦夫). But you will never really know the answer to this question 37 you are tested in real life. Some people 38 they are brave but when they come face to face with real 39 , they act like cowards. Others think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like 40 .
Lenny had always thought of himself as a 41 person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy. 42 , on January 15th, 2002, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny went to the river to see what was happening. He saw a woman in the 43 water. Lenny did not feel afraid. He kept very 44 and did a very dangerous thing. He jumped into the Potomac, 45 to the woman, and kept her head 46 the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thanks to Lenny, it was not 47 .
When you are in a very dangerous situation and feel afraid, the body automatically produces a chemical in the blood. The chemical is called adrenalin. With adrenalin in the blood system, you actually feel stronger and stronger and are 48 to fight or run away. However, when you are absolutely terrified, the body can produce too much adrenalin. When this happens , the muscles become very hard and you find you can’t at all. You are then paralyzed (使无能为力) with fear. This is 49 when we are very frightened, we sometimes say we’re “petrified”. This word comes from the Greek word “petros”, which means “stone”. We are 50 frightened that we become stonelike.
1.. A. brave B. real C. hard D. certain
2.. A. when B. until C. after D. once
3.. A. realize B. find C. think D. agree
4.. A. life B. question C. mouse D. danger
5.. A. soldiers B. mice C. heroes D. cowards
6.. A. useful B. brave C. nervous D. terrible
7.. A. So B. Therefore C. Then D. Actually
8.. A. fresh B. poisonous C. warm D. ice-cold
9.. A. nervous B. calm C. frightened D. excited
10.. A. went B. helped C. spoke D. swam
11.. A. in B. under C. above D. from
12.. A. an accident B. a mistake C. seventy-eight D. seventy-nine
13.. A. afraid B. unable C. ready D. anxious
14.. A. where B. how C. because D. why
15.. A. really B. very C. such D. so
高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析
Are you a man or a mouse? When 1. (ask) this question, people want to know 2. you think you are a brave person or a coward. But you will never really know the answer to this question until you 3. (test) in real life. Some people think they are brave but when they come face to face with real danger, they act like cowards. 4. think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like 5. (hero).
When you are in a very dangerous situation and feel afraid, the body automatically produces a chemical 6. (call) adrenalin (肾上腺素) in the blood. With adrenalin in the blood system, you feel 7. (strong) than ever before. 8., when you are absolutely 9. (terrify), the body can produce too much adrenalin, 10. makes you find you can’t do anything at all.
高二英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析