题目内容
Imagine a stranger walking past you on a cold, rainy day. “Lovely weather, isn’t it?” the stranger says. Do you laugh, or even smile? If not, you may not have a dry sense of humor.
British people, and particularly the English, are well-known for our dry sense of humor. We often say the opposite of what we mean in order to be funny, and tell jokes in a tone of voice that makes it sound like we are being completely serious. As US writer Julian Tan put it on the HuffPost Students blog: “It is as if it is ‘Opposite Day’ every day in Britain.”
If the people of Britain are known for having a “stiff upper lip” and not showing emotion, then our dry sense of humor shows this through jokes. Often it will take a long time or several beers, to get a British person to tell you what they actually think about something and get behind the wall of humorous sarcasm (讽刺) that they have in front of them.
English comedian Ricky Gervais put it like this: “We play jokes on our friends. We use sarcasm as a shield (护盾) and a weapon. We avoid being serious until it’s absolutely necessary.”
It can be annoying and confusing if you haven’t been raised with these types of jokes: “Why did he just say such a ridiculous thing? Is he making fun of me?” But it is also true that understanding this type of humor is a good way to make friends with people in the UK, even if you don’t find it funny.
It’s important to remember that the person telling the joke may actually be making fun of himself or herself, not you. One of the characteristics of British humor is “its strong theme of self-deprecation” (making fun of oneself), according to Tan. So don’t worry – often, English people, and British people in general, just want to make fun of themselves!
1.According to the passage, we can know that someone with a dry sense of humor can ___________.
A. not use sarcasm as a shield and a weapon.
B. not make friends with people in the UK
C. pretend to play jokes on their friends
D. say funny things in a serious way
2.Which of the following words best describes British humor according to Julian Tan?
A. Opposite. B. Annoying.
C. Ridiculous. D. Funny.
3.The underlined phrase “stiff upper lip” in Paragraph 3 refers to a quality of ___________.
A. remaining calm
B. communicating feelings
C. taking a positive attitude
D. focusing attention
4.It can be inferred from the passage that _______________.
A. British people are famous for being emotional
B. British people’s humor is often misunderstood
C. it’s a tradition for British people to make fun of each other
D. it doesn’t take a long time to make friends with British people
5.The passage is mainly about ____________________.
A. why British people like laughing at themselves
B. some tips on how to make British people laugh
C. the importance of humor in British culture
D. what British humor is like
请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卷上相应题号的横线上。
You want to be confident and feel confident, but what if you're starting with little or no confidence? True self-confidence isn't an overnight acquisition. It takes dedication to realize you are a good human being that is worthy of respect and love.
Recognize your insecurities
What does that voice in the back of your mind say? Why do you feel uncomfortable or ashamed of yourself? This could be anything from regrets to friends at school or negative experience. Whatever is making you feel unworthy, or ashamed, identify it, give it a name, and write it down. You can also tear these written pieces to start feeling positive on those points.
Get rid of insecurities gradually
Each day you should weaken it. There's no quick fix. Get to the root of the problem; focus on it and understand that you need to resolve each issue before you can move on. Check if it is an old past emotion and if it is really still relevant or applicable in your life today. And that does not mean you have to get rid of whatever makes you feel bad (many times, you simply can't). You need to learn to accept yourself, your past, your circumstances as they are, without necessarily thinking of them as “bad”.
Identify your successes
Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you do extremely well, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to be proud of them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority (自卑) is a state of mind in which you've declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.
Be Positive
Avoid self-pity, or the pity and sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior—they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to dislike and look down upon yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak in a positive way about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to show your strengths and qualities to others. By doing so, you strengthen those ideas in your mind and encourage your growth in a positive direction.
Apply “facial feedback theory”
Studies surrounding what’s called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to express certain emotions. So look in the mirror and smile every day, and you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.
Help others
When you know you’re of help to the people around you, and are making a positive difference in other people’s lives (even if it's just being kinder to the person who serves you coffee in the morning), you'll know that you are a positive force in the world—which will boost yourself confidence.
Now, dear friends, will you let confidence keep you company? Be confident, and accomplishing your goals will be just around the corner.
Title: The ways to become confident
Specific ways | Supporting details |
Recognizing insecurities | Find out what1.you uncomfortable or ashamed, forget it and feel positive. |
2. insecurities gradually | Find out the3.of problems, resolve them and learn to accept 4.you are. |
Identifying successes | Find out your talents, take 5.in them and praise yourself for your successes. |
Being positive | Speak 6. about yourself. Don’t make yourself 7. by others. |
Applying “facial feedback theory” | Look in the mirror and smile to gain more8.. |
Helping others | Be9. to the people around you. |
Conclusion Confidence helps people accomplish goals and become worthy to be10.and loved. | |