①Small talk refers to an informal (非正式的), polite conversation that often focuses on unimportant topics. Small talk topics are good conversation starters between people who don’t know each other well. You should know what things to talk about and what to avoid.
②If you are looking for some good conversation starters, here are a few topics to consider.
③The weather is a good topic that everyone can discuss. Practice making small talk about the weather the next time you find yourself in the middle of a silence. It may open up other topics.
④People like to talk about their hobbies and are likely to be interested in yours. If you don’t have any hobbies, consider trying something new. Not only will you have something to talk about, but having a hobby will give you a chance to meet others with similar interests.
⑤People like to hear about vacations. If you travel, be ready to answer questions and give your opinions about the places you have visited. Ask others about their favorite spots and what they recommend. Many people like to help others and will be happy to share their experiences.
⑥Once you know a few good conversation starters, it’s also helpful to recognize what type of small talk topics you’re better off avoiding.
⑦The problem with talking about politics is that you never know who in the crowd may have strong opinions. Stay away from this topic if you don’t want to risk ending up in the middle of a heated conversation.
⑧Death is a heavy topic that should be avoided during small talk. When you are in the company of strangers, do not bring up emotional (情感的) topics.
⑨In addition, avoid questions related to appearance. Do not ask anyone if they have lost weight. You never know the reason for weight gain or loss and, as a result, you could be left in an uncomfortable situation.
1. How is small talk probably like?| A．Serious. | B．Formal. | C．Important. | D．Polite. |
| A．What music do you prefer? |
| B．Lovely day, don’t you think? |
| C．Have you put on weight lately? |
| D．Where will you go for a holiday? |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．What Matters on Small Talk |
| B．Why to Have Small Talk |
| C．How to Start Small Talk |
| D．Who Has Small Talk |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Everybody wants to be healthy. You know food is very important. There are many healthy food. You can have more bananas, apples, oranges, tomatoes. Because (因为) fruit and vegetables are good for you. But don’t eat too much chocolate. It’s not healthy food. Healthy food can make you grow and make you strong (强壮的). Remember there is a saying (谚语), “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” It means eat more fruit can make you healthy. Sports can also keep you healthy. Get up early and do some sports every day. Don’t be lazy (懒惰的). You will be healthy and happy.
1. What is healthy food?| A．Fruit and vegetables. | B．Bananas, apples and chocolate. |
| C．Apples, candy and chocolate. | D．Oranges, tomatoes and chocolate. |
| A．Because it can make us happy. | B．Because it can make us grow strong. |
| C．Because it can make us healthy. | D．Because it’s bad for our health. |
| A．If you eat fruit every day, you can be healthy. |
| B．The doctor runs away when you give him an apple. |
| C．The doctor goes away when he sees an apple. |
| D．You must eat an apple every day. |
| A．Eat junk food. | B．Be lazy. |
| C．Sleep late and get up late. | D．Do sports every day. |
| A．Everyone is healthy in the world. | B．Healthy food can help us grow better. |
| C．Food is not important for everyone. | D．Eat fruit can’t make you healthy. |
【推荐2】Many people love travelling to different countries, but if you plan to go abroad, you should know how to behave in different situations around the world.
①________
Most travellers enjoy meeting new people, but sometimes you can be rude without saying anything. In Russia, you should never shake hands in a doorway, and if your are traveling in Thailand, never touch people’s heads or point your feet at people. When the Japanese meet new people, they like giving business cards, but you should read the card carefully, not just put it in your pocket.
②________
In most countries in Europe, people expect a lot of eye contact when you talk to them, but in many Asian countries a lot of eye contact seems unfriendly. And in South America people usually stand quite close to each other when they talk, but in countries like the USA you need to give people more personal space. Also, it’s rude to interrupt Japanese people while they are talking to you. You must wait until they finish before you start speaking.
③________
In restaurants in China, you can leave a bit of food on your plate. It’s OK to start smoking before other people finish eating, which you mustn’t do in the UK. When in India, remember to eat with your right hand. Also avoid leaving empty bottles on the dinner table in Russia—that’s too bad luck.
④________
When you are traveling in Asia, if someone invites you to his or her home, don’t forget to take off your shoes when you arrive. And if you visit an Arab family’s home, don’t admire anything valuable because your host will feel he should give it to you as a present.
With so much to think about, it’s not surprising that many people prefer going on holiday in their own countries, or you might just decide to stay at home! But anyway, wherever you go, please remember, you should respect the local customs there and try to involve yourself in the native’s life.
1. What is the theme of the passage?| A．Friends | B．Customs | C．Sports | D．Feelings |
| A．We can admire anything valuable in an Arab family’s home. |
| B．In China, people can’t smoke before other people finish eating. |
| C．In the USA, people usually stand quite close to each other when they talk. |
| D．In Russia, it’s impolite to shake hands with people in a doorway. |
a. Eye contact b. Visiting a family c. Meeting new friends
d. While talking e. Shake hands f. Table manners
| A．①→e, ②→a, ③→f, ④→b | B．①→c, ②→a, ③→f, ④→b |
| C．①→c, ②→d, ③→f, ④→b | D．①→e, ②→d, ③→f, ④→c |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way. | D．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
If you live in Shanghai, you might have taken a “lesson” in sorting garbage. As China’s first city to carry out strict regulations on garbage sorting and recycling, Shanghai requires its residents to sort garbage into four categories, namely recyclable, harmful, dry and wet waste. If people fail to sort their garbage properly, they can be fined (罚款) up to 200 yuan.
Since the regulation took effect, the amount of total daily waste in Shanghai has been reduced by an average of 15,500 tons, dropping 26 percent from the end of 2018, while the average daily weight of recyclables hits 4,500 tons, five times higher than the end of 2018, according to the Shanghai Landscaping and City Appearance Administrative Bureau. “Proper waste sorting protects the environment and saves natural resources.” said Deng Jianping, director of the bureau. “Led by the central government, Shanghai is making efforts to develop long-term solutions to garbage management.”
However, there have also been some problems. Some people complained that it is difficult to deal with wet garbage, as they are asked to remove wet garbage from its bag when dumping (倾倒). According to the sorting rules, the wet garbage must go in the wet waste bin and the bag must go in the dry waste bin. This separation is necessary, as it ensures that the wet garbage will decompose properly and become useful organic (有机的) waste, the bureau said. Plastic bags can affect this process. Some people in Shanghai are instead using paper bags that can biodegrade (生物降解) or plastic containers that can be washed and reused, according to Xinhua.
More cities are introducing similar garbage sorting regulations. By the end of 2020, garbage-sorting systems will be established (建立) in 46 cities in our country, including Beijing and Shenzhen, People’s Daily reported.
1. People in Shanghai are asked to sort their garbage into _______.| A．recyclable, dry, harmful and kitchen waste |
| B．unrecyclable, dry, harmful and wet waste |
| C．recyclable, dry, harmful and wet waste |
| A．increases the amount of total daily waste after the regulation |
| B．will help other cities make garbage-sorting regulations |
| C．is still looking for long-term solutions to deal with garbage |
| A．Some people think it is hard to deal with wet garbage. |
| B．The rules about garbage sorting are not strict enough. |
| C．People don’t know how to sort the garbage. |
| A．分解 | B．焚烧 | C．掩埋 |
| A．people won’t be fined if they don’t sort the garbage properly |
| B．some people in Shanghai are using paper bags instead of plastic bags |
| C．the whole country will establish garbage-sorting systems by 2020 |
【推荐1】A man walks into a doctor’s office. He has a cucumber(黄瓜) up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. “What’s the matter with me?” he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, “You’re not eating properly.”
This is a popular joke among British school children. It shows Britain’s famous dry and satirical (讽刺的) way of seeing the funny side of life. People say this sense of humour is one of Britain’s national characteristics.
The British sense of humour is different from other countries because it is often more negative (负面的). When it comes to making the British laugh, there is nothing that works better than a socially inappropriate(不恰当的) joke. It reflects the culture where mocking(嘲笑) is part of everyday life.
While most Britons don’t take these jokes too seriously, foreigners, often don’t understand them. A recent survey found that most foreigners who visited Britain think the British are “unfriendly and have almost no sense of humour”.
Are the British just not as funny as they think they are? Leo McKinstry, a British journalist, thinks the British are funny. “Accusing(控诉) the British of having no sense of humour is like telling Rolls-Royce (劳斯莱斯) that its cars are cheap and not good in quality,” he says.
1. What does the doctor actually mean by “You’re not eating properly”?| A．What you have had is the cause of these problems. |
| B．You are not having the right food. |
| C．You don’t eat the way people usually do. |
| D．You eat in the wrong place. |
| A．without water or liquid inside |
| B．special and popular among schoolchildren |
| C．dull and meaningless |
| D．funny and clever while seeming to be serious |
| A．Because the British always take things seriously. |
| B．Because the British have no sense of humour. |
| C．Because the British are cold and difficult to get along with. |
| D．Because the British have a different sense of humour. |
| A．Dry and satirical. | B．Negative and mocking. |
| C．Encouraging and gentle. | D．Clever and funny. |
| A．A Popular Joke in Britain | B．Britain’s National Characteristics |
| C．Unfriendly Britons | D．The British Sense of Humor |
Many of us may have experienced the pleasant surprise of seeing recommended (推荐的) songs after we listen to certain songs on a music app. When we open shopping websites, we are more likely to see things on the home page (主页) that we might want to buy.
This is based on data (数据). Data is no longer only about numbers, but information from almost every aspect (方面) of our lives: our location, shopping habits and interests. All of this is called “big data”.
In December 2018, President Xi Jinping called for China to speed up its big data strategy (战略) in order to better serve social and economic development and improve people’s lives, the Xinhua News Agency reported. He also asked for greater use of big data in areas like education, social security and transportation.
Big data has been used more often in China in the past few years. The role it plays in tourism is just one example. The data travelers share online is providing the tourism industry with a lot of information about the country’s scenic areas. After the data is analyzed (分析), different scenic areas can create their own online profiles (简况) for other travelers to see. The profiles not only show travelers’ opinions, but also tell the scenic areas which services need to be improved.
1. A music app can help to recommend songs you like.2. “Big data” simply means great numbers in people’s daily lives.
3. President Xi Jinping required China to speed up its big data strategy.
4. People have not found that big data is used in China.
5. People can learn a lot of information about the country’s scenic areas from the big data.
【推荐3】Wikipedia is an online free encyclopedia(百科全书). There are more than 38 million articles about society, history, culture，music, science,technology,geography and so on. On this website, people can find articles about almost everything in the world. Wikipedia has also developed 292 languages versions(版本) for people to read in their own languages.
Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger started this encyclopedia project on 9th March, 2000. It was called Nupedia at first, and all the articles were written and checked by experts, Wales thought that the website should be a place where its users could not only find information but also share what they knew. So they tried to use a wiki system (wiki is a Hawaiian word "wee kee wee kee" which firstly meant “quick”). On 10th January, 2001, they began a new project to improve Nupedia. On 15th January, 2001, the new online encyclopedia named Wikipedia was set up. Wikipedia achieved a great success.
According to the Alexa Traffic Rank report on 22nd May, 2016, Wikipedia is the seventh most popular website in the world. Every single user helps to make this free encyclopedia popular.
1. Wikipedia is ________.| A．a library | B．a website | C．a report | D．a book |
| A．On 9th March, 2000. | B．On 10th January, 2001. |
| C．On 15th January, 2001. | D．On 22nd May, 2016. |
| A．To read novels. | B．To search for information. |
| C．To listen to music. | D．To read Alexa Traffic Rank. |
| A．Wikipedia is the most popular in the world. |
| B．Users share what they know on Wikipedia. |
| C．Wiki is from a Hawaiian word. |
| D．Wikipedia is free to use. |
