CANYOUIMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKETHIS? The ancient Greeks wrote this way. The lack of punctuation marks(标点符号) probably didn’t bother good readers, though. As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time, sentences switched directions. A sentence read from left to right. The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc.
The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They·put·a·point·between·each·word·in·a·sentence. The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a prick(刺).
When the 5th century arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points. The space separated words and while the points showed pauses in reading. Then in the 13th century, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation. He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence. He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause. Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma.
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family. The exclamation mark comes form the Latin word xt. It was originally formed by putting an upper-case(大写字母) I on the lower-case xt. The Latin word xt means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word question, meaning question. Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question. Over time, it became a symbol formed by putting a lower-case q on an o.
Punctuation is still changing today. New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways. Take for example, the “interrobang.” This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both. For example, “She did what?” or “How much did you pay for that dress?” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized – yet. But its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.
【小题1】Which of the following is a comma?

A., B.:C. ;D.!
【小题2】What’s the first paragraph mainly about?
A.The history of punctuation.
B.The introduction of punctuation.
C.The very beginning of punctuation.
D.The ancient Greek way of writing without punctuation.
【小题3】Please put the following events in the order they happened.
a. The exclamation mark and question mark came into the punctuation family.
b. Comma came into existence.
c. Romans put a dot between words to separate words.
d. A period was used to end a sentence.
e. The “interrobang” was invented.
A.cbdaeB.dcbaeC.dbceaD.cdbae
【小题4】What is the most possible situation for “She did what?”?
A.You are told she gave her baby boy a good beat.
B.You are wondering what she did to save the poor boy.
C.You want to know what she did for a living after fleeing to a foreign country.
D.You demand someone else tell you what in the world happened to her.
【小题5】 According to the article, we learn ________.
A.punctuation didn’t come into being until the 5th century.
B.no one can really tell what new marks we may have in the future.
C.the invention of “interrobang” is a failure since it is not widely used.
D.both the exclamation mark and the question mark come from Greek words.

根据短文内容,从下框的A~F选项中选出能概括每一段主题的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。选项中有一项为多余项。

A. Be well- organised.                 
B. Close with a Q & A.
C. Don’t be contradictory.              
D. Bring it to a specific end
E. Speak slowly and pause.             
F. Drop unnecessary words
 
Speaking to a group can be difficult, but listening to a bad speech is truly a tiresome task—especially when the speaker is confusing. Don’t want to confuse your audience? Follow these suggestions:
【小题1】When it comes to understanding new information, the human brain needs a little time. First, we hear the words; then, we compare the new information to what we already know. If the two are different, we need to pause and think. But a breathless speaker never stops to let us think about what he or she is saying and risks confusing us. Slow it down. And breathe.
【小题2】Sometimes we all start a sentence one way and then switch directions, which is very difficult to follow. When you confuse your listeners with opposing information, you leave the audience wondering what part of the information is right and what part they should remember. Instead of relying and keeping correcting yourself, work to get the facts clear and straight.
【小题3】Jumping from point to point as it comes to your mind puts the onus (责任)on your listeners to make up for your lack of organisation. And it’s confusing for them to listen, reorganise, and figure out what you’re saying all at once. But going smoothly from one point to the next helps them understand information more easily. You can arrange things from beginning to end, small to large, top to bottom or by some other order. Just be sure to organise.
【小题4】Repeated use of um, ah, like, you know and some other useless noises can drive an audience crazy. It makes the speaker sound uncertain and unprepared, and it can leave listeners so annoyed that they can’t pay attention. Recently I attended a speech that was marked by so many ums that audience members were rolling their eyes. Was anybody grasping the intended message? Um, probably not.
【小题5】Many speakers finish up their speeches with question-and-answer (Q & A) sessions, but some let the Q & A go on without a clear end. The audience is often left confused about whether the meeting is over and when they can get up and leave. Do your listeners a favour by setting a time limit on questions, and close your speech with a specific signal—even if it’s something simple like, “If you have any more questions, you know where to reach me.”Or even more to the point, conclude your speech with “Thanks for your time. ”

ASK LASKAS

YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS

Q: My problem is computer gaming. I do it day and night, averaging four hours of sleep. I can't control of this, and I don't know where to go for help. Do you?                                 —Player

A: Dear Player,

You have an addiction. For some people playing video games releases dopamine, a powerful brain chemical that makes you feel good. You'd toss your cigarettes if you were ready to quit, right? To kick the habit, get help from a health professional. And don't look for help on line; that would be like an alcoholic going to the bar for advice.

Q: My brother's wife just had triplets(三胞胎). This is such a joy! Yet every time I share the news with co-workers, they ask me if she was on fertility pills. I think this is rude—or has society just become so talk-show numbed (麻木的)that you can ask anyone anything?                    —No Show Host

A: Dear Host,

Yes. Our society has become increasingly disrespectful of privacy. But don't blame it all on the talk-shows. Continue to celebrate and greet impolite questions with stony silence. Their fertility history is nobody's business but their own.

Q: I work at an amusement park, and my manager steals supplies. She has a catering business on the side, and we've seen her load up her van at the back gates. The big bosses think she is the best thing since buttered bread, and we're all afraid that if we say anything, we'll lose our jobs. What can we do?        —Righteous

A: Dear Righteous,

Be sure you're right. You must have evidence about what and why things are going out the back gates. Once you know for certain, it's time to go to the bosses and report what you have seen.

Q: My stepson's wife sometimes leaves their eight-year-old home alone for "a short run to the store." That may be an hour or so. I believe by law we should report it. What do you think?

—The In-laws

A: Dear Laws,

I don't know what the child-protection laws in your state are, but I do know that children need care and attention. This child may be able and unafraid, but kids aren't always careful. It also sounds like there is stress in your family relationship. One thing you can do to help this situation is offer to baby-sit when Mom needs to step out.

1.Which of the following statements is true?

A. Dopamine is a powerful brain chemical good to our health.

B. Looking for help on line is like getting help from a health professional.

C. Player is a video game addict who smokes and sleeps few hours.

D. Player is advised to stay clear of the screen.

2.According to the Q&A,        .

A. Host's colleagues are insensitive

B. The talk-show is to blame

C. Somebody's business is everybody's

D. Host's sister-in-law was on fertility pills

3.What we can infer from the Q&A is       .

A. The Mom is not to blame because she needs a short run to the store

B. Children need care and attention, though not for all of them

C. Laws, the old lady, wants to report what she sees to the child's father

D. Laskas doesn't seem to approve of Laws' trying to report what she sees

4.Which Q&A mentioned transport?

A. The first             B. The second.         C. The third.       D. None.

 

Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

A. Be well-organized.

B. Close with a Q & A.

C. Don’t be contradictory .

D. Bring it to a specific end.

E. Speak slowly and pause.

F. Drop unnecessary words.

Speaking to a group can be difficult, but listening to a bad speech is truly a tiresome task—especially when the speaker is confusing. Don’t want to confuse your audience? Follow these suggestions:

1.When it comes to understanding new information, the human brain needs a little time. First, we hear the words; then, we compare the new information to what we already know. If the two are different, we need to pause and think. But a breathless speaker never stops to let us think about what he or she is saying and risks confusing us. Slow it.

2.Sometimes we all start a sentence one way and then switch directions, which is very difficult to follow. When you confuse your listeners with opposing information, you leave the audience wondering what part of the information is right and what part they should remember. Instead of relying and keeping correcting yourself, work to get the facts clear and straight.

3.Jumping from point to point as it comes to your mind puts the onus (责任)on your listeners to make up for your lack of organization. And it’s confusing for them to listen, reorganize, and figure out what you’re saying all at once. But going smoothly from one point to the next helps them understand information more easily. You can arrange things from beginning to end, small to large, top to bottom or by some other order. Just be sure to organize.

4.Repeated use of um, ah, like, you know and some other useless noises can drive an audience crazy. It makes the speaker sound uncertain and unprepared, and it can leave listeners so annoyed that they can’t pay attention. Recently I attended a speech that was marked by so many ums that audience members were rolling their eyes. Was anybody grasping the intended message? Um, probably not.

5.Many speakers finish up their speeches with question-and-answer (Q & A) sessions, but some let the Q & A go on without a clear end. The audience is often left confused about whether the meeting is over and when they can get up and leave. Do your listeners a favour by setting a time limit on questions, and close your speech with a specific signal—even if it’s something simple like, “If you have any more questions, you know where to reach me.”

Or even more to the point, conclude your speech with “Thanks for your time. ”

 

根据短文内容,从下框的A~F选项中选出能概括每一段主题的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。选项中有一项为多余项。

A. Be well- organised.                 

B. Close with a Q & A.

C. Don’t be contradictory.              

D. Bring it to a specific end

E. Speak slowly and pause.             

F. Drop unnecessary words

Speaking to a group can be difficult, but listening to a bad speech is truly a tiresome task—especially when the speaker is confusing. Don’t want to confuse your audience? Follow these suggestions:

51.            

When it comes to understanding new information, the human brain needs a little time. First, we hear the words; then, we compare the new information to what we already know. If the two are different, we need to pause and think. But a breathless speaker never stops to let us think about what he or she is saying and risks confusing us. Slow it down. And breathe.

52. .                

Sometimes we all start a sentence one way and then switch directions, which is very difficult to follow. When you confuse your listeners with opposing information, you leave the audience wondering what part of the information is right and what part they should remember. Instead of relying and keeping correcting yourself, work to get the facts clear and straight.

53. .                 

Jumping from point to point as it comes to your mind puts the onus (责任)on your listeners to make up for your lack of organisation. And it’s confusing for them to listen, reorganise, and figure out what you’re saying all at once. But going smoothly from one point to the next helps them understand information more easily. You can arrange things from beginning to end, small to large, top to bottom or by some other order. Just be sure to organise. 

54.  .               

Repeated use of um, ah, like, you know and some other useless noises can drive an audience crazy. It makes the speaker sound uncertain and unprepared, and it can leave listeners so annoyed that they can’t pay attention. Recently I attended a speech that was marked by so many ums that audience members were rolling their eyes. Was anybody grasping the intended message? Um, probably not.

55. .               

Many speakers finish up their speeches with question-and-answer (Q & A) sessions, but some let the Q & A go on without a clear end. The audience is often left confused about whether the meeting is over and when they can get up and leave. Do your listeners a favour by setting a time limit on questions, and close your speech with a specific signal—even if it’s something simple like, “If you have any more questions, you know where to reach me.”Or even more to the point, conclude your speech with “Thanks for your time. ”

 

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