题目内容
We've all heard the old saying,“Sticks and stones can break my bones,but words can never hurt me.” Don't you believe it?Words are powerful,and they can hurt—a lot. In fact,if you're not careful,you can even hurt yourself,by using the wrong word in your writing.
Recently a friend sent me a copy of an e-mail she received from the customer service department of her credit card company,after she contacted them with a question about her account. She was happy with their positive response. But as I read the e-mail,one line jumped out at me:“In lieu of good customer service...”
Did they really mean they were offering her a few extra reward points instead of good customer service?I doubt it. More likely,what the customer service department meant to say was,“Because good customer service is important to us...” followed by the details of what they were doing to make sure she remained a happy customer.
So why didn't the writer say that?I can only guess that perhaps the writer liked the phrase “in lieu of”,thought it sounded more interesting than saying “because”,and so used it—without bothering to check the true meaning.
Have you ever done that?Try to impress others with a big word,only to find out you've used the word incorrectly?It's just the opposite effect,isn't it?You may impress people all right,but it's not the impression you were going for.
When you write,remember to choose your words carefully. People may still disagree with what you say,but they won't be able to dismiss you because you made careless mistakes in how you said it.
1.What's the writer's purpose in giving the saying?
A.To amuse the reader. B.To persuade the reader.
C.To support a conclusion. D.To lead to the topic.
2.What does the phrase “in lieu of” most probably mean?
A.Because of B.In honour of C.Instead of D.In favour of
3.According to the writer,the customer service department ______.
A.didn't prefer to use familiar words to attract customers
B.didn't express what they really meant
C.didn't need to offer their customers extra reward points
D.succeeded in impressing their customers
1.D
2.C
3.B
【解析】略
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
We recently treated our new-adult son and his girlfriend to a seafood feast, near Cocoa Beach, Florida. Our server, a grandmotherly woman skilled in the art of___36_____, flew around the ___37_____juggling dishes and drinks while treating customers as individuals. She remembered their ____38_____tastes likes and dislikes –all of which she’d learned after only the briefest ____39_____.
At the end of the meal, she presented the bill, and then went to____40_____ the growing crowd of other dinners. My husband ___41____with a credit card, added her___42____, and we were off.
“Mr. Goldsmith!” our waitress ran out of the dining room waving a receipt at him, “Thank you.”
He looked at her as though he didn’t __43_____. We’ve all seen that universal___44___ of confusion—eyebrows drawn together and head cocked to one side
“What did you give her?” I asked in a stage whisper, ____45___if he had done something __46___ or made a calculation error.
“Wow, Dad,” our son said, ___47___like an awestruck 10 –year-old. “I’ve never seen a waitress ____48____anyone out of the restaurant to say ‘thank you’ for the tip.
“She gave us great service. I just thought she deserved a little bump __49_____ what I usually give.”
It wasn’t until later, when I accidentally heard our ___50____retelling the story of the ___51___waitress, that I realized she had given my family something___52___ a “thank you”. She showed our son the importance of ___53_____hard work and the rewarding sound of “thank you”. Her show of thanks helped a dad earn a bit more ___54___from a loving son. And it reminded me just why I ___55____this thoughtful, caring man.