1 . Almost everyone who has studied English has been warned about the way Brits love their manners. It is part of our national identity, as much as fish and chips or complaining about the weather. Recently I have been wondering where this comes from and I read online that we say sorry up to eight times a day. Probably the same amount of times that any other person says “hello” or “how are you”. It is almost like greetings to us! It was only when I was explaining how there are five steps of saying thank you when you buy something from a shop to a Mexican friend of mine that I realised how mad it sounded.
After some research online I have not been able to find any specific reasons why we are the way we are. I suppose for centuries manners and how we eat at the table and talk to other people have been the barriers between the lower and upper classes and represent your social status. Britain has traditionally been a quite conservative country. There are many articles suggesting that this seemingly polite attitude of always saying please and thank you is quite false because it is impossible to always feel that you want to thank someone or say please.
Maybe it is for this reason that people are going one of two ways: they are incredibly polite and hold back on their feelings or not polite at all, and express their true feelings. Some Brits are fed up of pretending that they are always content and having to please people. Sometimes because we feel we have to be polite, we are prevented from saying what we truly think. Do you think it is better to not hurt people’s feelings and be polite or to let people know the truth? In your country what is the custom? I know in some countries if someone is considered to be doing their job, the clients think that they do not need to be thanked.
1. What does the author think of the British way of saying “Thank you”?A.Normal. | B.Surprising. | C.Exciting. | D.Pleasing. |
A.Why the British like to complain about the weather. |
B.Why the British love their way of showing manners. |
C.Why the British are fond of fish and chips so much. |
D.Why the British have five steps of saying thank you. |
A.Wealth and health. | B.Social status. | C.Politeness. | D.Attitudes. |
A.They want to express their true feelings. |
B.They want to let people know the truth. |
C.They are kept from saying what they think. |
D.They want to represent their social status. |
2 . As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Therefore, when you intend to run your business in France, you may as well get to know French culture, make marketing plans, and do business by local laws.
Use first names only after being invited to.
Dress well. The French draw information about people based on their appearance. Your business clothing is a reflection of your success and social status.
The French are passionate about food, so lunches are common in doing business in France, which usually consist of an appetizer, a main meal with wine, cheese, dessert and coffee, and normally take up to two hours.
Do not begin eating until the host says “bon appetite”. Pass dishes to the left, keep wrists above the table and try to eat everything on the plate.
A.Always try to be tasteful and stylish. |
B.Remember to be as polite as possible. |
C.This is a time for relationship building. |
D.Use Monsieur or Madame before the surname. |
E.Be careful with adding salt, pepper or sauces to your food. |
F.Make an appointment with your business partner in advance. |
G.Language should be the focus of anyone planning to do business in France |
3 . Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for family, health, and life in general. However, Black Friday has turned it into a business.
Traditionally, the true value of Thanksgiving lies at home not the shopping centers. However, Black Friday has nowadays allowed society to ignore this as individuals(个人) long for something that they do not need or even truly want. Shopping on Black Friday becomes a sign of a shift into a culture that values material wealth(财富) over spending time with loved ones. People are willing to force their way through the crowds in their desperate search for marked-down sweaters and necklaces.
In recent years, Thanksgiving has become a pre-Black Friday holiday for many families. They are devoted to mapping out shopping routes and making organized schedules for which stores to hit first. By drawing individuals out to shopping centers with "matchless savings", businesses encourage this behavior of ignoring Thanksgiving. Many families take their home-cooked meals while camping out at the door of shopping centers. With each new year, Thanksgiving is becoming victim to over-commercialized(过度商业化)society—changing from a meaningful time for family to a day devoted to products and shopping.
Black Friday has shown that with current common standards(标准), people cannot even set aside a single day to appreciate what they already have without immediately buying more. Families have lost sight of what is truly important in life, and have found reasons in debating between a low cost HD television and an appreciation for what they already have. Remember, Thanksgiving should be a day in which people are grateful for all that they have.
1. What does the underlined word "this" in paragraph 2 probably refers to?A.The sign of a shift. | B.The true value of Thanksgiving. |
C.The shopping crowd. | D.The material wealth. |
A.They’ll visit some newly-opened shopping centers in advance. |
B.They’ll choose a big store for their first visit. |
C.They’ll make full preparations for the Black Friday shopping. |
D.They’ll go camping at the gate of shopping center for a good deal. |
A.appreciate what we've possessed with our families |
B.stay with our families as long as we can |
C.try to spend less to get low cost products |
D.set aside a single day to buy more |
A.puzzled | B.unconcerned |
C.happy | D.worried |