1 . It was around 3 pm. A woman about 40 came to our clinic,
The exchange was short hut I learned a lot about her life
I was wondering how I could help her.
She smiled with tears, saying “Thank you very much” and then she
| A．applying | B．catering | C．asking | D．waiting |
| A．pleased | B．available | C．interested | D．brilliant |
| A．expecting | B．promising | C．finding | D．indicating |
| A．advised | B．invited | C．forced | D．banned |
| A．com fusion | B．annoyance | C．disappointment | D．nervousness |
| A．goal | B．skill | C．story | D．routine |
| A．still | B．also | C．seldom | D．often |
| A．sigh | B．regret | C．rest | D．laugh |
| A．guilty | B．happy | C．sorry | D．lucky |
| A．Instead | B．Suddenly | C．Therefore | D．Gradually |
| A．holding | B．reading | C．posting | D．writing |
| A．inform | B．present | C．offer | D．teach |
| A．box | B．envelope | C．hag | D．bottle |
| A．last | B．worst | C．best | D．slightest |
| A．started | B．stopped | C．refold | D．pretended |
| A．scared | B．tired | C．impressed | D．stressed |
| A．dream | B．burden | C．hope | D．loss |
| A．prove | B．believe | C．repeat | D．explain |
| A．sentence | B．patience | C．courage | D．theory |
| A．negotiation | B．moment | C．debate | D．journey |
2 . We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.
Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t
even exist if it weren’t for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. ＂Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,＂ he explains. ＂The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.＂
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. ＂It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,＂ says Dunn. ＂But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also.＂
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. ＂Small talk is the basis of good manners,＂ he says.
1. What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?| A．Addiction to smartphones. |
| B．Inappropriate behaviours in public places. |
| C．Absence of communication between strangers. |
| D．Impatience with slow service. |
| A．Showing good manners. | B．Relating to other people. |
| C．Focusing on a topic. | D．Making business deals. |
| A．It improves family relationships. | B．It raises people’s confidence. |
| C．It matters as much as a formal talk. | D．It makes people feel good. |
| A．Conversation Counts | B．Ways of Making Small Talk |
| C．Benefits of Small Talk | D．Uncomfortable Silence |
3 . 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.
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.
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.
| 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. |
4 . Cakan is a successful businessman from Montenegro, who has earned himself nicknames(昵称)like “the best boss” and “Brother” by being surprisingly generous to his employees.
Cakan, who owns "Cakan Sports", the largest sporting goods store chain in Montenegro, has been making news headlines for years, but not for his professional success. He is best known for the generosity he shows to his faithful and hard-working employees. The businessman firmly believes that his company can boom only if he keeps his employees happy, and to that end, he has offered the best of them some pretty unbelievable presents.
Cakan first surprised his workers back in 2012, when he offered four of them brand new cars — 2 VW Golf 6 and 2 VW polo — complete with paid insurance. They were some of the oldest and most hard-working employees of Cakan Sports, and since the company had recently moved its operations outside the city, Cakan thought his best people shouldn't have to struggle to get to work. "When we saw them, we were speechless," Danijela, one of the receivers, remembers. "While the boss was saying ‘his is a gift for you’, all I could think of was ‘this is not real, this can't be happening to us’.” But this was just one of the generous ways Cakan has rewarded his employees over the years. In 2014, after hearing that one of his workers had been saving up his paychecks so he could buy a ticket to the world Cup soccer final, in Brazil, he took him there himself, at his own expense.
Asked why he doesn't use cheaper means of motivating his employees, like a small raise or a cash bonus, Cakan had this to say, "Money comes and goes, but memories are forever." Asked why many of his employees call him "Brother", Cakan told a reporter that it was because "brothers always help each other".
1. What is Cakan best noted for?| A．His frequent headline news for years. |
| B．His great success in his business. |
| C．His extreme generosity to his employees. |
| D．His largest sporting goods store chain. |
| A．To make them travel to work easily. |
| B．To reward their creative ideas in work. |
| C．To encourage them to get to work earlier. |
| D．To help them reduce traffic expenses. |
| A．A Smart Businessman. |
| B．A Considerate Employer. |
| C．Hardworking Employees. |
| D．Unbelievable Presents. |
5 . In today’s society , language plays a key role in defining gender (性别) by vocabulary, and also their non-verbal (非语言的) vocabulary. Each one of these different types of ways of communicating is obviously different between men and women.
Many different studies show that men tend to talk much more than women. It has also been proven that women tend to speak faster than men; this is due to the fact that women tend to be interrupted more often than men are, and also have the ability to speak more clearly, precisely, and more quickly than men. In one study it was found that women spoke for an average of three minutes describing a painting, as opposed to the thirteen-minute average it took men to describe it.
Men and women also tend to have a very different non-verbal way of communicating, which can also make it very hard for one another to understand what the opposite sex is trying to say. Men’s body language is much more reserved when talking to women. Men tend not to make as much eye contact and they generally stay farther away from women when talking to them. Men avoid other people’s body space while talking, and they also tend to sit back when talking. All of these have given off the impression of disinterest or boredom. Women are by far better listeners and much more enjoyable to talk with and they tend to raise more topics for conversation.
Women also make it clearer whether or not the conversation is going somewhere or just stuck in neutral. After learning about our styles of communicating with each other, I have decided that although men have not quite mastered communicating, what fun would it be if we all spoke the same “language”? The little games men and women play with each other while conversing would be lost. The question everyone asks himself or herself after talking with someone of the opposite sex, “I wonder if there’s something there?” would no longer exist.
1. What does the underlined word “this”in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．The differences between men’s and women’s languages. |
| B．The different speed of men’s and women’s speech. |
| C．The ability of men’s and women’s spoken language. |
| D．The non-verbal vocabulary of men and women. |
| A．Speed of understanding. |
| B．Understanding of speech roles. |
| C．Politeness of communication. |
| D．Application of body language. |
| A．Cautious. |
| B．Favorable. |
| C．Ambiguous. |
| D．Skeptical. |
| A．Women , born excellent talkers |
| B．Men’s and women’s social roles |
| C．Vocabulary and communication |
| D．Opposite gender, different language |
Take Responsibility
Group leaders might share tasks around a group as necessary, but eventually a group leader needs to be able to accept that responsibility lies on her shoulders.That means that if things go wrong in a group project, she's the one who must accept the consequences and work out what mistakes were made.The group leader won't always have the power to control everything group member do, but she should be ready to admit any mistake the group has made as a result of her leadership.
Concern for Members
The group leader has a commitment to the task or project at hand, but perhaps more importantly,he has a real concern for each and every person who is part of his group. This means getting to know the strengths, weaknesses and goals of team member, as well as making time to build the group through collective（集体的） activities.The group leader should make sure that everyone is include, even if an individual is new to a group.
Good listener
The group leader needs to be able to listen to the suggestions, complains（抱怨）and ideas of group member. Not only will this allow complaints to be spoken up and potentially suitable ideas to be put into practice, but a leader who listens will also encourage group members to share their concerns and thoughts, creating an atmosphere of free speech and productivity.
1. The passage is mainly about ________.
| A．choosing a good leader for a group |
| B．assessing the performance of a leader |
| C．qualities of a good group leader |
| D．team members' appreciation of a leader |
| A．tell when things go wrong in a group project |
| B．control everything group members do |
| C．make group members admit their mistakes |
| D．recognize any mistakes as his own |
| A．Fair. | B．Reliable. | C．Determined. | D．Generous. |
As we were leaving, we found that an elderly woman had fallen over at the
At the front of the supermarket, a charity group had set up a
The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower,
| A．entrance | B．front | C．middle | D．end |
| A．son | B．husband | C．daughter | D．friend |
| A．in time | B．in case | C．in shock | D．in short |
| A．towards | B．through | C．over | D．by |
| A．which | B．that | C．who | D．what |
| A．building | B．study | C．notice | D．stand |
| A．get | B．make | C．raise | D．rise |
| A．suggested | B．asked | C．told | D．admitted |
| A．less | B．more | C．worse | D．better |
| A．angry | B．happy | C．amazed | D．sad |
| A．catch up with | B．come up with | C．get away with | D．put up with |
| A．because | B．though | C．if | D．when |
| A．asked | B．replied | C．repeated | D．received |
| A．As | B．Since | C．For | D．With |
| A．energetic | B．scared | C．satisfied | D．excited |
| A．Instead | B．However | C．Also | D．So |
| A．For | B．At | C．About | D．Of |
| A．talking | B．begging | C．ordering | D．telling |
| A．When | B．Because | C．Why | D．Though |
| A．away | B．off | C．up | D．down |
One way we employ teamwork in everyday lives is by becoming a parent. It is a parent's job to teach their children and the basic skills and give them the knowledge they need to be successful in life. For example, the mother teaches her children manners and good health skills, while the father teaches them how to catch a ball or drive a car. However, in today's society, we find that more and more parents are experiencing that the teamwork is a one-sided thing. According to a report, there are 13.7 million single parents raising their children in the US and this could be due to the fact that parents don't take responsibility for their children, so they leave one parent to do it alone. This is a sad fact, but it reflects that effective teamwork is losing ground in the parenting aspect of our everyday lives.
Another place where teamwork affects us greatly is in our jobs. It doesn't matter if you are a small or large company; if you have at least one employee and yourself, then teamwork will be present. I have noticed that with the current economic recession（衰退期）, people are racing to grab jobs but the quality of people's work has gone down greatly. It just appears to me that people do not take pride in their work any more. They want to get to work as fast as they can, just to receive the paycheck, but their quality standards fly right out the window. So I think teamwork is losing its ground in the workforce. There are too many people who want to work independently and forget they are a part of a team.
As you can see, we run into the aspects of teamwork in just about everything we do. Do you believe teamwork is really losing ground in today's society? I think it is.
1. Why does teamwork disappear in the parenting aspect of our daily life?
| A．Parents have no time to spare with their children. |
| B．Parents have no chances to teach their children about it. |
| C．Many children are often brought up by a single parent. |
| D．Many children are independent to deal with their matters. |
| A．workers don't like to work together with others |
| B．workers' sense is affected by economic recession |
| C．workers want to prove they are more capable |
| D．fewer workers are employed to save money |
| A．listing some data |
| B．giving some examples |
| C．asking some questions |
| D．analyzing some cases |
| A．disappear | B．improve |
| C．increase | D．matter |
Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they'll probably start a conversation. “Hot today, isn’t it?” one might say. “You said it.” another replies.
Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don’t begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.
Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.
Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.
So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.
Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment(赞美) the other person to make himor her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.
Third, keep eye contact(接触). When you look people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.
Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don’t know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small talk does get easier.
Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!
| Title | Small Talk: A Big |
| Introduction | We are likely to make small talk when we |
| ❖ Small talk can help people form | |
| ❖Small talk can also help people get a | |
| Advice | ❖Find some topics |
| ❖Keep the talk going by making compliments and | |
| ❖ | |
| Conclusion | Small talk really |
First of all, one should consider how important image is in selling products and services. Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection. But if the product or service doesn’t live up to it, customers will be very dissatisfied. The recent scandal (丑闻) about the Arthur Andersen accounting firm showed that behind that image, it had unfair business practices under the table. Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions. Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to its downfall.
Similarly, personal consultants(顾问) can build up a very positive public image for politicians and movie stars in the view of the general commons. But once again, history is filled with examples of both that fell from grace (体面) like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune. With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind it, failure is close.
To conclude, it’s clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the “selling” of a person. But image is only half of the equation(等式). What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself — the person or product must live up to that image or there’s little chance for long-term success.
1. The downfall of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm is due to ______.
| A．its dishonesty in business |
| B．its bad management |
| C．its previous images |
| D．its poor service |
| A．their images were not well built up |
| B．they failed to live up to their images |
| C．they felt much pressure from the public |
| D．they paid little attention to fame and fortune |
(A: Argument P: Point C: Conclusion)
| A．A | B．B | C．C | D．D |
| A．image is the basis of everything |
| B．truth and image are equally important |
| C．truth goes hand in hand with image |
| D．image holds the key to success |
