Small talk is meaningless conversation in ter...

Small talk is meaningless conversation in terms of content，but is often seen as socially important in certain situations，or context．In many English-speaking countries，it can be viewed as rude or unfriendly not to make small talk.

Discussing the weather with people who you don’t really know is an example of small talk that many of us are very familiar with on a daily basis．We may chat about the weather with the cashier at the supermarket or with the attendant at the gas station．Small talk may also be related to the situation such as waiting in line．People in the line may comment to others about how slow it is in the post office or bank that day，for instance．We also engage in small talk with people we may see every day but don’t really know such as those we share the elevator with in our office building．

Small talk is common at parties when guests may know the host but not each other．It is considered rude not to mingle and speak with other guests at social functions，so small talk can break the ice and get guests chatting．Compliments(赞美)may be a type of small talk such as one woman at party complimenting another on her dress．

Some people like small talk because they find silence uncomfortable and／or they enjoy communicating verbally．Others enjoy meeting new people and use small talk to start conversations. When making small talk，especially with strangers or those you don’t know very well，it’s important to observe certain socially acceptable conventions．First，small talk should be general and not personal or about controversial topics. Second，while compliments are acceptable，they shouldn't refer to the person’s body or sound like a pick-up line．

1.What do people usually talk about in small talk?

2.Who do we usually have small talk with?

3.At parties，it’s considered rude to ________．

4.We can infer from the last paragraph that________．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Small talk, also called chitchat, is short conversations people have with others, while they wait in line at the store, at family events or work. Many people find these small conversations about random topics difficult. Some people say they hate it. Others say small talk is a waste of time. They may even call it idle chitchat or idle chatter, meaning it doesn’t do anything, so they think little of it.1..

These exchanges can open doors that may lead to larger, more meaningful conversations. When you first meet someone or talk to someone you don’t know well, it would be awkward to begin a conversation about a really deep topic.2.Let’s say you make small talk with someone at a party. But they only want to talk about their cats. Then you can talk about animals together first, which may lead the conversation to the way you want.

3.Chatting with a colleague about his child may help you to understand more of his life outside the office. This could help build healthy work relationships.

Small talk could even help your larger communities----your relationships with neighbors and colleagues. Exchanging a recipe with a neighbor may make her noises upstairs easier to live with.

4.Most people said they do not talk to strangers while travelling on a subway. Researchers at the University of Chicago then asked some participants in a study to talk to people while communicating to work on a train. They found that those who made small talk with strangers were happier than those who sat alone.5.Maybe your life will become more cheerful just because of it.

A. Small talk may make you happier.

B. So why not try talking to someone?

C. Small talk can give you the chance to start.

D. However, some people are not good at small talk.

E. However, small talk is of great importance to everyone.

F. Small talk can also increase your feeling of understanding.

G. It’s easy to start a conversation by sharing the same experience.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

Small talk is the short conversations we have at parties, while we wait in line at the store, at family events or work. Sometimes we make small talk with people we already know but not well. Often we have to make small talk with complete strangers. 1. Here are some tips to improve your small-talking ability.

1. 2.

If you have seen a really good movie or have read a really good book, you can talk about that.

When you are sharing the same experience with someone, it’s easy to start a conversation. You simply notice and comment on what’s going on around you. For example, if you are at a party and a song comes on that you like or that reminds you of something, you can talk about that.

2. Ask open-ended questions

These types of questions require more thought and more than a simple one-word answer. 3., the conversation will go on longer.

3. Become a student

Nobody knows everything. So, as someone is answering one of your open-ended questions, they bring up something about which you know nothing. So, tell them! This lets the other person become the teacher. 4.. It’s a win-win situation.

Like anything, getting good at making small talk takes practice. 5., you might become happier. If you are making small talk using English, you will most definitely improve your speaking and listening skills.

A. Have some conversation starters ready

B. If you make small talk in your native language

C. However, some people are not good at small talk

D. If you ask questions that need more details to answer

E. You can talk about something that you recently learned

F. Many people find these small conversations about random topics easy

G. They feel good about sharing their knowledge and you get to learn something

高三英语七选五简单题查看答案及解析

In one study, college students who had important and reality-based conversations were more content than their peers who changed mere amusing remarks. But don’t deny small talks just yet.

Psychologists have long said that connecting with others is important to well-being, but just how much conversation we require is under investigation. In one study, researchers overheard(偷听) undergraduates for four days, and then cataloged each overheard conversation as either “small talks” (“What do you have done? Popcorn? Yummy!”) or “substantive”(实质性的交流)(“So did they get divorced soon after?”). They found that the second type correlated（相关） with happiness —the happiest students had roughly twice as many substantive talks as the unhappiest ones. Small talks, meanwhile, made up only 10 percent of their conversation, versus almost 30 percent of their conversation among the least content students.

But don’t deny small talks just yet. Scientists believe that small talks could promote bonding. Researchers found that a small talk maintains closeness with loved ones after studying ring-tailed lemurs’(环尾弧猴) call-and-response conversations, similar to human small talks. Still, joking with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, those bus-takers told to chat with others are reported a more pleasant journey than those told to “enjoy your solitude” or to do whatever they normally would. Small talks can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at, made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks baristas (咖啡师) reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the transaction.

Of course, some of us are better than others at turning small talks into something bigger. All the differences come to what researchers call “a curious mindset”.

So go ahead to talk and inquire. Small talks needn’t be idle. And being curious about others’ business isn’t all bad.

1. According to the second paragraph, we can know that 　　　　 .

A. we can deny small talks because substantive talks are more important.

B. People who make more small talks are much happier than those making substantive talks.

C. the well-being is built largely due to the percentage of our substantive talks.

D. the least content students have twice the amount of small talks than those content students.

2.The benefits of small talks are the following EXCEPT　　　　 .

A. It can make the bonding between people much closer

B. It can shorten the distance between strangers and make the journey pleasant

C. It makes us feel connected with the surroundings

D. You can get more free cups of coffee from Starbucks baristas

3.What’s the author’s attitude to small talks?

A. Negative. B. Supportive.　 C. Neutral. D. Critical.

4. The text mainly tells us that　 　　　　 .

A. small talks are important in communication

B. substantive talks make people happier than small talks

C. small talks and substantive talks are equally important in life

D. substantive talks are important in communication

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

　　it is normal for parrots to talk, Einstein, a small bird, is unusual in that whenever she hears a new word or sound, she repeats it over and over until she masters it.

A. As　　    B. When　　    C. While　　    D. Since

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

In Japan, “what’s your type?” is much more than small talk; it can be a more important question in everything from matchmaking to getting a job. By type, the Japanese mean blood type, and no amount of scientific debunking (揭穿) can kill a widely held belief that blood tells all.

In the year that just ended, four of Japan’s top 10 best-sellers were about how blood type determines personality, according to Japan’s largest book distributor, Tohan Co. Taku Kabeya, chief editor at Bungeisha, thinks the appeal comes from having one’s self-image confirmed; readers discover the definition of their blood type and “It’s like ‘Yes, that’s me!’“

As defined by the books, type As are sensitive perfectionists but overanxious; type Bs am cheerful but weird and selfish; Os are curious, generous but stubborn; and Abs are arty but mysterious and unpredictable. All that may sound like a horoscope(占星), but the public doesn’t seem to care. Nowadays matchmaking agencies provide blood-type compatibility (兼容性) tests, and some companies make decisions about assignments based on employees’ blood types. Children at some kindergartens are divided up by blood type, and the women’s softball team that won gold at the Beijing Olympics used the theory to customize each player’s training.

Blood types, determined by the proteins in the blood, have nothing to do with personality, said Satoru Kikuchi, associate professor of psychology at Shinshu University. “It’s simply false science, “he said, “The idea encourages people to judge others by the blood types, without trying to understand them as human beings. It’s like racism.” This use of blood-typing has disreputable (名声不好的) roots. The theory was imported from Nazi race ideologues (空谈家) and adopted by Japan’s militarist government in the 1930s to breed better soldiers. The idea was abandoned years later and the craze faded. It resurfaced in the 1970s, however, as Masahiko Nomi, a supporter with no medical background, gave the theory mass appeal. His son, Toshitaka now promotes it through a private group, the Human Science ABO Center, saying it’s not intended to rank or judge people but to smooth relationships and help make the best of one’s talents.

1. That many Japan’s best-sellers were about blood type implies ____________.

A. this topic is used by many people in small talks

B. Japanese attach great importance to blood type

C. people don’t want to have confirmed self-image

D. the definition of blood type leads to arguments

2. According to the passage, ________ may face more pressure while performing a task.

A. type As   B. type Bs    C. type Os    D. type ABs

3. Kikuchi compared blood type determinism to racism because ______________.

A. both blood type and race are determined by the proteins in the blood

B. neither blood type nor race is related to our character and personality

C. both of them judge people without considering their individualities

D. blood type determinism believes human abilities are decided by race

4. Who introduced the blood type theory to Japan?

A. Nazis from Germany.                                  B. Japan’s militarist government.

C. A supporter called Masahiko Nomi.         D. Human Science ABO Center.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.When does this conversation take place?

A. At the beginning of term.

B. At the end of the school year.

C. In the middle of summer vacation.

2.Where do Bob and Ellen want to go?

A. To a movie at the student center.

B. To an opera at a concert hall.

C. To a popular music concert.

3.What are they going to do first?

A. To buy two tickets.　　 B. To have supper.　　 C. To the concert.

高三英语长对话中等难度题查看答案及解析

Tone of voice is very important in human conversation. A person might use words that communicate one message and a tone that shows something very different. This possibility for confusion is one reason that businessmen encourage discussing things in person, rather than through email, as tone cannot be determined in the written form.

The same rule is true with children. Children as young as a few months respond to a change in voice. It has been recorded that babies prefer to hear a story read by their own mother rather than another woman whom they do not know.

Have you ever talked to someone who had little or no changes in their voice no matter what you were discussing? Think of the teacher or professor you had in the past that spoke in a monotone manner for the entirelecture. It is very boring and difficult to become interested in the topic.

Parents should make an active effort to communicate with your child. If your child figures out how to open a box he or she has been struggling with and says “YES!” with pride in his or her voice, your response should be happy and excited (something encouraging, like “You did it!”). If you plainly said the same thing, you would not be matching the tone of your child.

This applies to feelings that the child may express in everyday situations as well. If a child argues with a friend, your response should not be said in a high voice or with a smile. Seriously and sincerely you should say “You look sad” or “That must have been hard for you”.

The tone of your voice expresses understanding, acknowledgement, connection and several other healthy things to your child. Although your words are very important, equally important is the tone with which you say those words.

1.What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?

A. To tell us that our tone of voice is as important as the words we say.

B. To tell us that businessmen prefer to talk in person.

C. To lead to the topic of the passage.

D. To advise us to use different tones of voice correctly.

2.The underlined word “monotone” in the 3rd paragraph probably means a(n) ________ tone.

A. slow            B. unchanging            C. cold            D. high

3.When communicating with their children, what are parents advised to do?

A. To hide their feelings with different tones of voice.

B. To use a tone of voice that can match their children’s feelings.

C. Not to speak to their children in a low voice.

D. To train their children to express their feelings by tone of voice.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The average person tells three lies in ten minutes of a conversation. How can you tell if someone is lying? Have a look through the facial expressions to see what they indicate.

A. B.

C. D.

E.F.

Read the following description and find a match with the facial expressions above.

1.  ①eyebrows raised;② eyes widened; mouth open.

2. ①Drooping upper eyelids; ②losing focus in eyes; ③slight pulling down of lip corners.

3. ①Crow's feet wrinkles; ②pushed up cheeks; ㈢movement from muscle that orbits the eye.

4. ① Eyebrows raised and pulled together;② raised upper eyelids; ③tensed lower eyelids; ㈣lips slightly stretched horizontally back to ears.

5. ①Nose wrinkling; ②upper lip raised.

高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析

In terms of tourism .Ohio is a place full of natural beauty and many vacation spots worth Visiting .

Coney island-Fun Unlimited !

Coney Island is an amusement park situated in the city of Cincinnati. It has the world's largest recirculating pool . several diving hoards .and an "in pool"　 slide. For basketball and vol- leyhall lovers . there are special courts available. Apart from this . the park is equipped with 22 classic family and kiddie rides .boating facilities . a golf course . etc　 Other amusement parks in Ohio include Erieview Park .The Beach Waterpark . Memphis Kiddie Park .etc.

Columbus-The Headquarters!

Anyhow, your journey would start from Columbus . the capital city of the state ! So spend some quality time roaming around in this beautiful city. Nightclubs . high quality restaurants .and　　 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-For Music Lovers !

　　　　 If you are a die-hard music lover. then certainly this place wouldn't disappoint you ! Rock　　 and Roll Hall of Fame was opened somewhere around in 1995 .with an intention of celebrating　 the spirit of rock and roll music .and also studying it. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame offers exhibitions .music events . and also training programs on the subject. This is a perfect stop for every-thing on rock and roll music !

Cleveland-High Class Experience !

　　　 One of the oldest cities. Cleveland ranks among the top 20 metros of the United States .With Lake Erie serving as the most popular tourist attraction .Cleveland is also famous for land　 marks such as Cavaliers　　 Gund Arena , Playhouse Square and Indians' Jacobs Field. Moreover.　 vibrant nightlife , clubs , restaurants ;large hotels and shopping festivals add co the touristic significance of this place.

Lake Erie-The Perfect Holiday !

　　　 With nearly 900 miles of shoreline .Lake Erie is one place you have to visit. You can enjooy　 numerous activities like fishing. swimming. boating . etc. It is also perfect for having a family picnic outing. One can even take a ferry to Kelleys Island where things like cycling and miniature golf can be enjoyed. Besides .it is the perfect place for those who are looking for some quiet　 and relaxing time.

1.According to the passage a basketball lover is most likely to go to _______.

A. Coney Island　　 B. Columbus　　　　　 C. Cleveland　　　　 D. Kelleys Island

2.What can we learn about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

A. It was open to the public in 1990.　　　　 B. It is an attraction for music lovers.

C. It offers some shopping festivals.　　　　 D. It provides a golf course for visitors

3.Which of the following is true about Jake Erie?

A. It lies in the city of Cincinnati.

B. It has over 900 miles of shoreline.

C. It is the most popular scenic spot in Cleveland.

D. Tourists can play miniature golf on its banks for free.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析