The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups.Silences may be thoughtful, or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness, uneasiness, or worry. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap(间隙) with conversation. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a person's needs.
Many Native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people, just as some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore, when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and suddenly stops, what may be implied(暗示) is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing.In these cultures, silence is a call for reflection.
Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion. However, Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her. In still another use, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority.
Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing. Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient’s silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing(治愈) value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.
1.What does the author say about silence in conversations?
A. It implies anger.
B. It promotes friendship.
C. It is culture-specific.
D. It is content-based.
2.Which of the following people might regard silence as a call for careful thought?
A. The Chinese.
B. The French.
C. The Mexicans.
D. The Russians.
3.What does the author advise nurses to do about silence?
A. Let it continue as the patient pleases.
B. Break it while treating patients.
C. Evaluate its harm to patients.
D. Make use of its healing effects.
4.What may be the best title for the text?
A. Sound and Silence
B. What It Means to Be Silent
C. Silence to Native Americans
D. Speech Is Silver; Silence Is Gold
Suppose you’re in a rush, feeling tired, not paying attention to your screen, and you send an email that could get you in trouble.
Realisation will probably set in seconds after you’ve clicked “send”. You freeze in horror and burn with shame.
What to do? Here are four common email accidents, and how to handle.
Clicking “send” too soon
Don’t waste your time trying to find out if the receivers has read it yet. Write another email as swiftly as you can and send it with a brief explaining that this is the correct version and the previous version should be ignored.
Writing the wrong time
The sooner you notice, the better. Respond quickly and briefly, apologizing for your mistake. Keep the tone measured: don’t handle it too lightly, as people can be offered, especially if your error suggests a misunderstanding of their culture(I.e. incorrect ordering of Chinese names).
Clicking “reply all” unintentionally
You accidentally reveal(透露)to entire company what menu choices you would prefer at the staff Christmas dinner, or what holiday you’d like to take. In this instance, the best solution is to send a quick, light-hearted apology to explain your awkwardness. But it can quickly rise to something worse, when everyone starts hitting “reply all” to join in a long and unpleasant conversation. In this instance, step away from your keyboard to allow everyone to calm down.
Sending an offensive message to it’s subject
The most awkward email mistake is usually committed in anger. You write an unkind message about someone, intending to send it to a friend, but accidentally send it to the person you’re discussing. In that case, ask to speak in person as soon as possible and say sorry. Explain your frustrations calmly and sensibly—see it as an opportunity tic hear up any difficulties you may have with this person.
1.After realizing an email accident, you are likely to feel _______.
A. curious B. tired
C. awful D. funny
2.If you have written the wrong name in an email, it is best to ________.
A. apologise in a serious manner B. tell the receiver to ignore the error
C. learn to write the name correctly D. send a short notice to everyone
3.What should you do when an unpleasant conversation is started by your “reply all” email?
A. Try offering other choices. B. Avoid further involvement(参与).
C. Meet other staff members. D. Make a light-hearted apology.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Defining email errors. B. Reducing email mistakes.
C. Handling email accidents. D. Improving email writing.
I work with Volunteers for Wildlife, a rescue and education organization at Bailey Arboretum in Locust Valley. Trying to help injured, displaced or sick creatures can be heartbreaking; survival is never certain. However, when it works, it is simply beautiful.
I got a rescue call from a woman in Muttontown. She had found a young owl(猫头鹰) on the ground. When I arrived, I saw a 2-to 3-week-old owl. It had already been placed in a carrier for safety.
I examined the chick(雏鸟) and it seemed fine. If I could locate the nest, I might have been able to put it back, but no luck. My next work was to construct a nest and anchor it in a tree.
The homeowner was very helpful. A wire basket was found. I put some pine branches into the basket to make this nest safe and comfortable. I placed the chick in the nest, and it quickly calmed down.
Now all that was needed were the parents, but they were absent. I gave the homeowner a recording of the hunger screams of owl chicks. These advertise the presence of chicks to adults; they might also encourage our chick to start calling as well. I gave the owner as much information as possible and headed home to see what news the night might bring.
A nervous night to be sure, but sometimes the spirits of nature smile on us all! The homeowner called to say that the parents had responded to the recordings. I drove over and saw the chick in the nest looking healthy and active. And it was accompanied in the nest by the greatest sight of all — LUNCH! The parents had done their duty and would probably continue to do so.
1.What is unavoidable in the author’s rescue work according to paragraph 1?
A. Efforts made in vain.
B. Getting injured in his work.
C. Feeling uncertain about his future.
D. Creatures forced out of their homes.
2.Why was the author called to Muttontown?
A. To rescue a woman.
B. To take care of a woman.
C. To look at a baby owl.
D. To cure a young owl.
3.What made the chick calm down?
A. A new nest.
B. Some food.
C. A recording.
D. Its parents.
4.How would the author feel about the outcome of the event?
A. It’s unexpected.
B. It’s beautiful.
C. It’s humorous.
D. It’s discouraging.
Lost and Found at Wal-Mart | |
What items were found? | A camera bag and 1.. |
Where were the items found? | Toy Department and ladies’ 2.of the Clothing Department. |
The phone number of the office | 0755-3., |
Where is the office? | On the 4.. |
What to be written down? | Name,telephone number,5.and zip code. |
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.The conversation probably took place between two ________.
A. foreign friends B. Chinese teachers C. local workers
2.What do we learn from the conversation?
A. There is no need to translate the Chinese signs into English.
B. The pollution in Beijing is even worse than before.
C. It’s difficult for the foreigners to understand the English signs.
3.What suggestions does the woman give about the signs?
A. Invite more foreigners to come to China.
B. Hire some native speakers to get the signs right.
C. Make foreigners comfortable at hotel.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What’s people’s attitude towards telephone when it first appeared?
A. People welcomed it. B. People feared it. C. People hated it.
2.Who did the telephone companies employ as operators in the US at first?
A. Young boys. B. Young girls. C. Housewives.
3.What is the main reason for using women operators in France from the beginning?
A. All boys and young men were asked to join the army.
B. Men liked to use bad language while working as an operator.
C. Female voice sounded much clearer over early telephone lines.
