Whether it’s joining a school club, going to a friend’s birthday party, or travelling by train, we can meet new people anywhere and anytime in our lives. However, many of us feel awkward when meeting people for the first time, especially when we aren’t quite sure what to say. The situation feels cold, even icy.
“Breaking the ice” is a term widely used in the English-speaking countries to describe a small talk technique that can help rescue a conversation from certain failure.
So where do you even begin? Well, a good start is to accept that it is perfectly normal to feel a little nervous when talking to someone for the first time. They might look grumpy or scary, but they could turn out to be the nicest person you’ve ever met.
You might think that breaking the ice is difficult. But sometimes just a simple “hello”, followed by a three-second smile, can make all the difference.
Complimenting someone on their garment or accessories(饰品) is also a great, easy way to break the ice. You might say: “I love your jacket. Where did you buy it from？”
Being in an uncomfortable or unpleasant situation with someone new might feel terrible, but it can actually be one of the best icebreakers. By focusing on the situation, you come together to fight the common enemy: the long bathroom queue, for example, or the overcrowded bus.
You can make observations too. “What kind of drink is that?” “That’s a lovely name. What does it mean?” “Do you study here too?” There are opportunities all around you to ask questions that don’t seem weird, as long as you have some follow-up questions in mind.
If you’re feeling extra bold, make a joke. Jokes can be difficult to master but if you get them right, they show the likeable, witty side of your character. “What’s your name?” “Well, people usually call me Mike, but you can call me tonight.”
1.Which is the best title for the passage?
A. How to develop friendship with a stranger
B. Advice on breaking the ice when we communicate with a stranger
C. How to become a successful public speaker
D. How to start a conversation with a person
2.The underlined word “grumpy” can be replaced by______.
A. easily annoyed B. gentle
C. low-spirited D. cheerful
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. “Breaking the ice” is a small talk technique widely used in our daily communication all over the world.
B. As long as you can smile at others, you will make some friends.
C. Realizing that it’s normal to feel nervous in front of a stranger is a good start to break the ice.
D. Being in an uncomfortable situation with some strangers can be the best icebreakers.
4.According to the passage, making a joke________.
A. can be done with ease.
B. leads to many new friends.
C. can show your wisdom and lovely character.
D. makes you enjoy your life happily.
Many of us are used to hearing stories of people being pickpocketed in busy places. But most of us are aware of the dangers, so we are safe – at least, we think we are.
According to a BBC report, a growing number of thieves are trying to “hack (侵入) our mind’s weaknesses” to get their hands on our possessions.
“In fact, the key requirement for a successful pickpocket isn’t having quick fingers,” said the report. By using psychology, some pickpockets are taking advantage of the loopholes(漏洞) in our brains.
Our lack of ability to multitask is one of the most important loopholes used by pickpockets, the report explains. While this can often be a good trait(特点), allowing us to focus on the most important details in our surroundings, “a good trickster can use it against you, ” said neuroscientist Auzana Martinez-Conde.
“It’s all about directing people’s attention toward something else,” said James Brown, who studies the tricks of pickpocketing. Confidence, the power of suggestion, and certain hand movements such as moving your hands in an arc (弧形) are all said to be things that fool us.
Groups of pickpockets use a common trick designed to create a scene and confuse victims.
The first gang member, a “blocker”, walks in front of the victim and suddenly bumps into them. A second member of the gang then bumps into both of them from behind and stages an argument with the “blocker”. In the confusion, both men steal what they can and pass it to a third thief who quickly runs off with the stolen goods.
Some thieves go even further to exploit our psychology by hanging out near signs reading “beware of pickpockets”. Since this is one of the last places people expect to be robbed, many check where their valuables are, giving away their location to thieves.
But according to Brown, as long as we don’t daydream in public, we shouldn’t be worried.
“A street thief will avoid like the plague(瘟疫)” people who are demonstrating（展现）a very open awareness of their environment,” he said.
1.According to the BBC report, the main strategy of a successful pickpocket is________.
A. to distract victims
B. to give themselves multiple tasks to do
C. to focus on the most important details
D. to use swift hand movements
2.When groups of pickpockets use their common trick, ________.
A. it is the third thief’s task to steal what they can from the victim
B. the victim usually doesn’t dare to argue with them
C. the victim usually gets confused and lets down his or her guard
D. two members bump into the victim from different directions at the same time
3.Why do some thieves hang out near signs saying things like “beware of pickpocketers”?
A. They think it is more thrilling to steal in those areas.
B. Normally there are no police officers around.
C. They don’t know common people’s psychology.
D. They have a better chance of locating people’s valuables there.
4.According to James Brown, which of the following types of person is more likely to be pickpocketed?
A. People who look weak.
B. People who are walking slowly.
C. People who are absent-minded.
D. People who are alert to their surroundings.
Americans use many expressions with the word dog. People in the United States love their dogs and treat them well. They take their dogs for walks, let them play outside and give them good food and medical care. However, dogs without owners to care for them lead a different kind of life. The expression, to lead a dog’s life, describes a person who has an unhappy life.
Some people say we live in a dog-eat-dog world. That means many people are competing for the same things, like good jobs. They say that to be successful, a person has to work like a dog. This means they have to work very, very hard. Such hard work can make people dog-tired. And, the situation would be even worse if they became sick as a dog.
Still, people say every dog has its day. This means that every person enjoys a successful period during his or her life. To be successful, people often have to learn new skills. Yet, some people say that you can never teach an old dog new tricks. They believe that older people do not like to learn new things and will not change the way they do things.
Some people are compared to dogs in bad ways. People who are unkind or uncaring can be described as meaner than a junkyard dog. Junkyard dogs live in places where people throw away things they do not want. But mean dogs are often used to guard this property. They bark or attack people who try to enter the property. However, sometimes a person who appears to be mean and threatening is really not so bad. We say his bark is worse than his bite.
Dog expressions also are used to describe the weather. The dog days of summer are the hottest days of the year. A rainstorm may cool the weather. But we do not want it to rain too hard. We do not want it to rain cats and dogs.
1.What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Dogs in our daily lives
B. Expressions with dogs
C. The role dogs take in America
D. Attitude of the American citizens to dogs
2.What does “dog-tired” describe in the passage?
A. Describe a very successful person.
B. Describe the dogs are very tired after a long walk.
C. Describe a rainy and cloudy weather.
D. Describe the heavy degree of exhaustion of people after long time work.
3.How are people compared to dogs in bad ways?
A. By mean dogs and junkyard dogs.
B. By lazy dogs and bad dogs.
C. By sick dogs and tired dogs.
D. None of them is right.
4.What can we learn from the text?
A．Everyone can be successful if he learns from the old.
B．It might be difficult for the young to learn new skills.
C．Junkyard dogs are careful in money arrangement.
D．Fierce persons aren’t so awful as their appearance sometimes.
完形填空
阅读下面短文， 掌握其大意，然后从1～20各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
We live in a fast-paced and anxiety-filled world that often times seems to shift beneath our feet. Thus we are sometimes affected by fears or anxiety impacting our life. For as long as I could remember I had struggled with anxiety. After I left university, I made friends with a Moroccan woman at work. One day she invited me to ________ her and her family back home. I wanted to, but I would have to travel there ________ and I knew we would be in a very rural area. How would I cope with my ________ ?
Then one day it ________to me that I had a life to live. I could choose to let anxiety________me or I could go to Morocco and ________ something different. I was 23 years old and had never been out of the UK alone. The journey to Morocco________ something inside me. I managed to cope with my anxiety. The sense of ________ was overwhelming and still to this day when I get afraid of going somewhere alone, I remember how ________it felt when I arrived in Morocco.
Upon arrival I was so ________ for the generous welcome I received. My friend’s family had arranged a welcome party. The people were so loving toward me. As a moment of ________ felt in a faraway village, this reminded me that I was “good enough”, which helped to ________ my anxiety.
Waking up the next day, in the morning light, I saw the area where we were. I was________by how rural it was – and the realization that these people had very few ________.
In the days afterwards, I traveled around Morocco. We went to Marrakesh and ________ the Atlas mountains. We had the most amazing food – lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
At the end of my ________ something inside me had changed. I realized I had not felt anxious for nearly two weeks.
Experiencing a different culture far away from home helped me to realize what is important in life, what really________ , and with that my anxiety ________ . When I returned home I was much more active in ________ my anxiety. Working with people, helping them________ their anxiety, is how I can share the love I found in Morocco.
1.A. send B. consult C. call D. visit
2.A. alone B. soon C. free D. safe
3.A. work B. curiosity C. homesickness D. worries
4.A. appeared B. hit C. struck D. occurred
5.A. impress B. control C. reach D. persuade
6.A. enjoy B. experience C. take D. experiment
7.A. changed B. moved C. supported D. impressed
8.A. achievement B. fear C. disappointment D. embarrassment
9.A. good B. ashamed C. afraid D. proud
10.A. sorry B. confused C. confident D. thankful
11.A. doubt B. luck C. love D. surprise
12.A. improve B. hold C. protect D. reduce
13.A. inspired B. moved C. pleased D. shocked
14.A. lands B. difficulties C. resources D. friends
15.A. discovered B. explored C. examined D. recognized
16.A. opportunity B. rush C. stay D. life
17.A. rules B. exists C. matters D. hurts
18.A. disappeared B. expanded C. remained D. removed
19.A. expressing B. challenging C. forgetting D. remembering
20.A. drop B. notice C. pass D. overcome
翻译句子
1.任何人考试作弊都逃避不了惩罚。
2.他们就如何保护文化遗迹展开了激烈的辩论，对此老师给予了高度评价。
3.我们的老板生病了，所以我代替他主管公司的日常工作。
4.他们为班级做了这么多事情，应该受到表扬。(deserve)
5.博物馆里由黄金和珠宝装饰的稀世珍宝很受参观者的喜爱。
短文改错
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
My dream school starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. They are three lessons in the morning and two in the afternoon .We didn’t need to do so many homework .Therefore , we have more time with after-school activities .For example , we can do reading for one and a half hour and play sports for one hour every day .
My dream school look like a big garden .There are all kinds of the flowers and trees around the classroom buildings .We can lie on the grass for a rest , or sat by the lake listening music .The teachers here are kind and helpfully .They are not only our teachers but also our friends .
