1 . Small talk has a reputation for being uninteresting, and for good reason. Pointing out the fact that it’s raining seems as ridiculous as pointing out the fact that you have a head—you’re fully aware of both things, and don’t require an outsider to confirm them. But despite being evident and often painfully dull, small talk has an important role to fulfil, enabling us to leap over a number of social obstacles towards improved, meaningful interaction.

Humans can be sensitive souls. We each have our boundaries and lists of potential upsets, which when broken, cause us to either gently back away to an alternative position in the room, or become cross at the person. Small talk is first a way to test the waters with an unfamiliar person, so that you may better understand their personality. When finding yourself positioned closely to a person who you know little about, it’s much safer to point out the rainy sky than to share your political views on a sensitive topic. Until you know the person better, heavier topics should probably be kept under wraps, so you won’t find yourself on the receiving end of a cold stare.

Though insignificant, small talk still has great power. When talking with fellow humans, much of our soul is exposed through non-verbal communication. A response to “how was your weekend” can unveil much about the person’s character. The length of their response might indicate their level of self-confidence; the tone of speaking might show how agreeable a person is; their slightly lowered head, as if protecting themselves from attack, a possible sign of a regrettable history of bullying.

As more of a person’s character is revealed, we have the insight needed to determine whether to broach more significant topics—the things that we actually want to talk about. Conversation is a great educator, and deep conversation establish lasting bonds with our fellow humans, forming precious friendships that paint our lives with vibrant colors. Such friendships begin with small talk.

1. What is described in the first paragraph?

A．The first stage of human interaction.

B．Ridiculous human behavior in communication.

C．Absence of communication between strangers.

D．The difficulty of having deep conversations.

2. Why do people find themselves “on the receiving end of a cold stare”?

A．Because they are fond of heavy subjects.

B．Because they are enthusiastic about politics.

C．Because they are too sensitive about topics.

D．Because they fail to manage interpersonal distance.

3. What might be a sign of friendliness according to paragraph 3?

A．The length of the answer.	B．The quality of the voice.
C．The position of the head.	D．The distance between speakers.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Reputation of Small Talk	B．Ways of Understanding Personality
C．Significance of Small Talk	D．Challenges of Deep Conversation

2 . When we are young we are taught that it’s wrong to lie and we should always tell the truth. Unfortunately, most children lie even if they’re told not to. Research carried out at the Institute of Child Study at Toronto Univercity has shown that this might not be such a bad thing. Apparently (显然地), children who tell lies when they’re two years old have a good chance of becoming successful adults (成年人).

According to the research, at the age of two, 20 per cent of children lie. At the age of three, 50 per cent lie, and at four almost 90 per cent lie. By the age of 12 almost every child tells lies.

Lying needs much brain work, and the better the lie is, the more work the brain has to do. By training the brain early, researchers believe children will be able to think more clearly when they are adults.

Recent research, carried out by the Science Museum in London, has shown some interesting facts about the way we lie as adults. According to the research, the average British man tells three lies every day; that’s over 1,000 lies a year. However, the average woman apparently only lies twice a day.

Most people think women are better liars (说谎者) than men although in fact they tell fewer lies. Popular women’s lies include ‘Nothing’s wrong, I’m fine’, ‘I don’t know where it is, I haven’t touched it’, and ‘It wasn’t that expensive’.

Some people say you can lie as long as it’s a white lie. A white lie is a lie told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. One of the most common lies for both men and women is ‘It’s just what I’ve always wanted’, said after opening a present from their partner.

1. What will happen to young children who lie?

A．They will possibly do wrong later.

B．They’re likely to succeed in the future.

C．They will keep lying when they grow up.

D．They may have a good chance of losing others’ trust.

2. What do the numbers in Para. 2 show about children?

A．Older children tell bigger lies than younger ones.

B．As they grow, they often lie about their age.

C．The older they are, the more likely they lie.

D．It’s quite natural for them to tell lies.

3. What did the research by the Science Museum find out?

A．Men lie more than women.	B．Women are better liars than men.
C．Women’s lies are usually not serious.	D．Men sometimes have to lie to women.

4. What’s the true feeling behind the underlined part in the last paragraph?

A．You know me so well.	B．I don’t like the present.
C．You are good at picking presents.	D．I haven’t received a present I really like.

3 . One day, a man saw an old lady sitting inside her car at the side of the road. Though it was dark, he could see she needed help. So he stopped his car and walked towards her. The old lady was worried, even though she noticed the smile on his face. Was he going to hurt her?“I’11 help you start your car, madam. By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson,”he said.

While Anderson was fitting a spare tire(备胎)to her car, the lady began to talk to him. She thanked him much for coming to help.

Anderson just smiled as he put his tools away. The lady asked how much she should pay him. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give them the help they needed. He waited until she started her car and drove off.

A few miles down the road, the lady saw a small restaurant. She went in and a waitress came over with a sweet smile. The old lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant(怀孕的), but she never let the pains and aches change her smile when she served her

The lady finished her meal and paid with a hundred-dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change, but the old lady was gone when the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she found there was a note on the napkin(餐巾), “You don’t need to give me anything back. Somebody once helped me out the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do—do not let this chain(链子)of love end with you.”

Under the napkin were four more$ 100 bills．

1. Why did Anderson tell his name to the old lady?

A．Because he wanted to check if the lady knew him．

B．Because he hoped that may help relax the lady．

C．Because he thought he could be paid back one day．

D．Because he wanted to leave his name for doing good things．

2. What does the underlined word they refer to(指的是)?

A．The old lady and Anderson．	B．The people who need help．
C．The old lady and the waitress．	D．The people who help others．

3. Which is the right order of the old lady’s feelings?
①Thankful②Happy③Worried④Helpless⑤Willing and ready to help

A．④③①⑤②	B．④①③②⑤
C．③②①⑤④	D．③①④⑤②

4. What can be inferred(推断)from the passage?

A．The meal cost the old lady 400 dollars．

B．Anderson must be helped by someone before．

C．The old lady was able to fit a spare tire herself．

D．The waitress will probably help someone later．

5. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．The Help of Strangers	B．The Power of Smile
C．The Chain of Love	D．The Bill of Kindness

4 . How to Be a Great Best Friend

Everyone wants to be a great best friend but doesn’t know how or where to start that perfect friendship. The following will help you.

Be your own best friend first.     1     If you can’t respect yourself, then you can’t respect others. Understand what values are important to you and stick to them. Seek out others who honor those values because you’ll only end up hurting yourself and possibly others if those people don’t have the same values as you.

Trust each other.     2     All you have to do really is make sure you can both trust each other. Don’t try to trick or use your friend to your advantage; you need to make them know they can trust you.

Learn to listen. Nobody likes a best friend who just talks and talks, but never listens. If you’re a chatterbox, try to develop good listening skills. Whenever your best friend says something, listen carefully and say something.     3     If they ask for advice, listen carefully and give them the best advice you can.

Care for your best friend. If your best friend is upset, ask them what’s wrong, They might not tell you straight away, but they should in the end.     4     Understand that certain things are private, and trust that they’d be just as patient with you if you were in their shoes.

Let your friend have other friends, too. If your best friend picks another friend over you, try to be friends with their friend too.     5     Everyone is always looking for new friends. But never leave the old one; your loyalty(忠诚) is what the other person expects and counts on every day.

A．Learn how to respect yourself.

B．Maybe you guys can be a group of friends!

C．Don’t interrupt while they’re talking to you.

D．Best friends are the most valuable friends you have.

E．If they don’t tell you, don’t get angry at them.

F．To be a great best friend really doesn’t take much.

G．Take time out of your day to appreciate the funny things in life.

5 . A man, who sometimes takes my bus, is in rags. His life seems different from that of the others. He looks exhausted and carries nothing. He appears along a downtown street, seemingly out of nowhere. We sometimes want to know where he sleeps at night.
A few weeks ago he boarded the bus. A few stops later, a young woman boarded. She swiped (刷) her bus-card, only to find the machine would not accept it. The driver told her to pay the $2.25 fare. “I just bought this card,” she said. “I paid the money...”
The driver said she could take the card back to the sales office and explain the problem. In the meantime she would have to pay the fare for that day. The woman became confused and distressed. The rest of us just watched, wondering how the problem would be solved. Suddenly the man rose from his seat, dropped a few coins into the fare box.
“You’re lucky,” the bus driver said quietly. “He paid for you.” Silence fell over the bus. The rest of us had watched the woman’s discomfort, but he felt it. We lawyers, journalists and business people headed downtown to help fix the world. He fixed her world.
I haven’t seen him since that day. Some people believe angels occasionally drop down and move among us. All I know is that I have a new respect for the simple act of kindness. It speeds us along on our way.
1. According to the first paragraph, the author _______.

A．thinks highly of the man

B．often gives the man some help

C．knows the man very well

D．considers the man strange

2. What does the underlined word “distressed” probably mean?

A．exited

B．generous

C．bored

D．anxious

3. What did the writer learn from the man?

A．to show concern for other people.

B．to lead a happy life like the man.

C．to share what he has with us.

D．to believe that people are born kind.