Saying “thank you” is probably the first thing most of us learn to do in a foreign language. After all, we’re brought up to be polite, and it is important to make a good impression upon other people — especially across national divides.
So, what exactly are you supposed to say when “thank you” is only the 20th most popular way to express gratitude? According to a recent survey, 19 other ways of expressing appreciation finished ahead of “thank you” in a poll of 3,000 people.
Pollsters(民测调查员) found almost half of those asked preferred the more informal “cheers”, while others liked to use such expressions as “ta”, “great” and “nice one”.
So, just what is the appropriate form of words to express your thanks?
Fortunately, the clue is in the language itself. “Cheers”, despite its popularity, is considered an informal way to say thank you — and this is a definite clue as to when you can best use it.
For instance, when going for a drink with friends, a smile and a “cheers” by way of thanks is not only appropriate to the situation, it is also culturally accurate.
“Ta”, originated from the Danish word “tak”, was the second-most popular expression of thanks, and is also commonly used in informal situations, along with phrases such as “nice one”, and “brilliant”. Interestingly, one word that didn’t make it into the top 20 was “thanks”, Thank you is shorter, more informal cousin.
“Thanks” can be useful, as it is able to bridge the divide between the formality of “thank you” and the downright relaxed “cheers”.
Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight. Again, the words themselves offer the clue as to when best to use them.
For example, words like “awesome”, “brilliant” and “you star” featured highly in the new poll and they can hint at both your pleasure at someone’s action, as well as serving to express your thanks. If you are on the receiving end of a “new” thank you, you can respond with a simple “no problem”, or “sure”.
Of course, in certain circumstances, a simple wave, nod or smile may be appropriate. For instance, if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road, simply raising your hand in acknowledgement is enough to show that you appreciate the driver’s consideration.
Sometimes, formality is necessary, and “thank you” is still the best choice in such situations. But students should not worry about when exactly to use certain expressions.
Many people in Western countries are worried that good manners are in decline. People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without comment. So don’t think your “thank you” is clumsy or awkwardly formal. The chances are, if you said “thank you”, you made someone’s day. You star.
【小题1】We can tell from the results of the poll that __________.

A.people are unconcerned about politeness nowadays.
B.“thank you” remains the best expression of gratitude.
C.there is a variety of expressions of appreciation.
D.there are more formal expressions than informal ones.
【小题2】According to the passage, which is an appropriate response to “awesome” or “brilliant”?
A.Thanks.B.Sure. C.Nice one.D.Cheers. .
【小题3】In the last paragraph the author encourages people to          .
A.show their gratitude to others.B.behave themselves well.
C.continue their acts of kindness.D.stop worrying about bad manners.
【小题4】Which of the following can serve as the best title of this passage?
A.How to Appear More Polite .B.Ways to Show Gratitude.
C.Never hesitate to Say “Thank You”.D.Good Manners in Decline!

How could I turn down an opportunity for a weeklong cruise on a luxury motorsailer in the Andaman Sea? Without a second thought, I packed my bags and jumped on a plane to Singapore, and the following day I found myself looking out the airplane window at the beautiful waters surrounding the island of Langkawi off the coast of Malaysia.
The last time I was in Langkawi was in 2001, when it was relatively quiet. Langkawi has come a long way since then; there are 4, 5, and even 6-star hotels, as well as spas, golfing, horseback riding and even a cable car taking visitors to the highest point on the island.
At the Langkawi International Airport I met my shipmates and we were driven to Pantai Tengah with a quick pit stop for sunblock and duty-free goodies. Many other shopping opportunities abound since Langkawi was designated as a duty-free zone in 1987 to entice tourists to the island.
A luxurious yacht tender picked us up. Phillipe, the first mate, maneuvered the tender between sailboats and as we went around a small island there she was, S/V Blue Gold. This majestic 10-passenger sailboat—all 165 feet of her—had been built in Italy and recently underwent a full retrofit. Once aboard, the crew welcomed us with refreshments and big smiles. Before we got too comfortable and settled into the plush comforts of the boat, Alain, the captain, took us on a tour of Blue Gold’s impressive accommodations. The master suite had a king-size bed, with a lounge area and “his & hers” wardrobes. The VIP cabin had a queen-size bed, also with a lounge area. Both had ensuite bathrooms.
The first evening aboard was the perfect start to our voyage—a small cocktail party followed by a light meal of seared tuna salad. It was exactly what our jet-lagged bodies craved, and we all slept very well aboard what would become our new home for the next 7 days.
In the morning after breakfast, we sailed to Pulau Ta Ngah (also spelled “Pulau Tengah”; pulau means island in Malay). In the 1970s the site had been a Vietnamese refugee transit camp. Not long after the end of the war, the camp was shut down and the island was gazetted as a marine park by the Malaysian government. Officially “uninhabited,” it does boast a golf course, but we were unable to determine if it was still in operation. The most intriguing event on the island occurs in July when the giant leatherback turtles lay their eggs on a beach on Ta Ngah.
【小题1】Where is Langkawi?

A.In Pulau Ta NgahB.In MalaysiaC.In the Atlantic OceanD.In The Arctic
【小题2】We know from the passage Langkawi________.
A.has become prosperous in the past decade
B.was a noisy industrial city twenty years ago
C.has no three-star hotels nowadays
D.is best known for its horse riding races
【小题3】S/V Blue Gold is __________.
A.a small island with most beautiful sceneries we have ever seen
B.a luxurious 6-star hotel with best food and service
C.a VIP cabin with 9 queen-size beds and ensuite bathrooms
D.a splendid boat with comfortable accommodations
【小题4】It is implied that _________.
A.many people go golfing on Pulau Ta Ngah every year
B.the Vietnamese War broke out in 1970
C.the author liked the party and meal provided in the voyage
D.people living on Pulau Ta Ngah must have earned a lot of money
【小题5】The article is probably part of __________.
A.a news reportB.a travel storyC.an advertisement D.an operating manual

A tall figure appeared from the dark door of the tent. It was a smoking young man about twenty three or four. He had an almost black face, though smooth. His moustache was black with curled points. There was an unusual force in his face, and in his daring rolling eyes. cef

  Rebecca still stood hesitating like a swimmer about to make his dive, hardly knowing whether to return or move forward.

         "Hi, my beauty, what can I do for you?" said he, approaching. Realizing that she was quite at a loss, the man spoke in a gentle voice, "Never mind. I am Mr. Thackeray. Have you come to see me or my mother?"

  This scene differed greatly from what Rebecca had expected. She had dreamed of an aged and dignified(威严的) face. She told herself to be calm and answered "I came to see your mother, sir."

  "I am afraid you cannot see her-she is ill in bed," replied the representative of the house; for this was Mr. Alee Thackeray, the only son of the noble family. "What is the business you wish to see her about?"

  "It isn't business-it is-I can hardly say what!"

  "Pleasure?"

  "Oh no. Why, sir, if I tell you, it will seem..."

  Rebecca's sense of a certain ridicule(奚落,讥笑) was now so obvious and strong that, despite her general discomfort at being here, her rosy lips curved(弯曲) towards a smile, much to the attraction of the young man.

  "It is so foolish", she murmured. "I fear I can't tell you!"

  "Never mind; I like foolish things. Try again, my dear," said he kindly.

  "Mother told me to come," Rebecca continued; "and, indeed, I was in the mind to do so myself. But I did not expect it would turn out like this. I came…sir, I came to tell you that we are of the same family as you."

  "Ho Ho! Poor relations?"

  "Yes."

  "Rossetti?"

  "No. Thackeray."

  "Ay, ay; I mean Thackeray."

  "Our names are worn away to Durbeyfield; but we have several proofs that we are Thackeray. The local scholars hold the view that we are, and...and we have an old seal and a silver spoon marked with the same castle as yours. So mother said we ought to make ourselves known to you, as we've lost our horse by a bad accident. We can hardly make a living."

    "It’s very kind of your mother, I'm sure." Alec looked at Rebecca as he spoke, in a way that made her uneasy. "And so, my pretty girl, you've come on a friendly visit to us, as relations?"

  "I suppose I have," looking less confident and uncomfortable again.

"Well, there's no harm in it. I mean it doesn’t hurt to come and make yourself known to me. Where do you live? What are you?" …

1.While meeting with Alec, Rebecca feels _______during the whole course.

A. nervous and uneasy

B. excited and hopeful

C. amazed and comfortable

D. pleased but embarrassed.

2.Which of the following is suitable to describe Rebecca’s impression of Alec?

A. unfriendly and ta lkative

B. forceful and daring

C. gentle and reliable

D. older than expected

3.What is Rebecca’s real purpose of making this visit?

A. To see Alec himself.

B. To see Alec's mother.

C. To confirm that they are of the same family.

D. To make known their relationship and seek help.

4.From the passage, we can conclude that Alec appears quite friendly to Rebecca largely because __________.

A. Rebecca is his distant relation

B. Rebecca looks polite to him

C. Rebecca is a pretty girl

D. Rebecca looks ridiculous

 

Saying “thank you” is probably the first thing most of us learn to do in a foreign language. After all, we’re brought up to be polite, and it is important to make a good impression upon other people — especially across national divides.

So, what exactly are you supposed to say when “thank you” is only the 20th most popular way to express gratitude? According to a recent survey, 19 other ways of expressing appreciation finished ahead of “thank you” in a poll of 3,000 people.

Pollsters(民测调查员) found almost half of those asked preferred the more informal “cheers”, while others liked to use such expressions as “ta”, “great” and “nice one”.

So, just what is the appropriate form of words to express your thanks?

Fortunately, the clue is in the language itself. “Cheers”, despite its popularity, is considered an informal way to say thank you — and this is a definite clue as to when you can best use it.

For instance, when going for a drink with friends, a smile and a “cheers” by way of thanks is not only appropriate to the situation, it is also culturally accurate.

“Ta”, originated from the Danish word “tak”, was the second-most popular expression of thanks, and is also commonly used in informal situations, along with phrases such as “nice one”, and “brilliant”. Interestingly, one word that didn’t make it into the top 20 was “thanks”, Thank you is shorter, more informal cousin.

“Thanks” can be useful, as it is able to bridge the divide between the formality of “thank you” and the downright relaxed “cheers”.

Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight. Again, the words themselves offer the clue as to when best to use them.

For example, words like “awesome”, “brilliant” and “you star” featured highly in the new poll and they can hint at both your pleasure at someone’s action, as well as serving to express your thanks. If you are on the receiving end of a “new” thank you, you can respond with a simple “no problem”, or “sure”.

Of course, in certain circumstances, a simple wave, nod or smile may be appropriate. For instance, if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road, simply raising your hand in acknowledgement is enough to show that you appreciate the driver’s consideration.

Sometimes, formality is necessary, and “thank you” is still the best choice in such situations. But students should not worry about when exactly to use certain expressions.

Many people in Western countries are worried that good manners are in decline. People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without comment. So don’t think your “thank you” is clumsy or awkwardly formal. The chances are, if you said “thank you”, you made someone’s day. You star.

1.We can tell from the results of the poll that __________.

A.people are unconcerned about politeness nowadays.

B.“thank you” remains the best expression of gratitude.

C.there is a variety of expressions of appreciation.

D.there are more formal expressions than informal ones.

2.According to the passage, which is an appropriate response to “awesome” or “brilliant”?

A.Thanks.           B.Sure.             C.Nice one.          D.Cheers. .

3.In the last paragraph the author encourages people to          .

A.show their gratitude to others.             B.behave themselves well.

C.continue their acts of kindness.             D.stop worrying about bad manners.

4.Which of the following can serve as the best title of this passage?

A.How to Appear More Polite .               B.Ways to Show Gratitude.

C.Never hesitate to Say “Thank You”.        D.Good Manners in Decline!

 

请认真阅读下面短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。

 注意:每空一词。

Most people who travel from China to the US find that,despite having studied English for years,they have to “re—learn” it upon arriving.

    Words that we learned in English classes are not pronounced the same way here.To truly be part of the “melting pot”,fluency(流利)in English is not enough.You need an accent to stand out.

    When I first came to the US for graduate school,1 was a nervous foreigner.I felt so out of place that I wanted to hide everything about me that was “different”.To talk like an American became one of my goals.

    During my first term as a teaching assistant(TA),my students complained(抱怨) they could not understand me.I learned later from a study that this complaint was common among US students with an international TA.It is called the “Oh, no!” syndrome (情绪、举动):“Oh,no! Not another international TA,and not that accent again!’’

   So I imitated(模仿)the way native speakers talk and,over time,I made such good progress that American friends started to praise my English as having “almost no accent’’.I took this as a sign of my success.Ever since.people have often mistaken me for someone from many places:the Midwest,the West Coast,China,Japan,South Korea.Most frequently,people think I am from California.

    Suddenly,conformity (一致) was no longer a praise:If I talk like an American,am I still Chinese? If I lose my Chinese accent,do I also lose my cultural identity? Am I denying(否认)my past by being absorbed into(沉浸于)a new culture?

    Now I realize that a person’s accent is a permanent(永久的)record of their past cultural experience and it is a mark of one’s experience and exposure to different cultures.

As a fourth-year student in the US,I am no longer a nervous foreigner.My nervousness has been replaced by a desire to hold on to my cultural origins.Now I consciously(有意识地)add some Chinese “accent” when I speak.I do not wish to speak “perfect” English because I am proud of who I am.

 

 

My Feeling of Speaking English in America

Time

Supporting details

At the (71) ______

I have to relearn English (72) ______ arriving there, for my pronunciations of words are (73) ______ from native speakers.

My students complained that I couldn’t make myself (74)______.

During my stay

I made great (75) ______ in spoken English by imitating the (76) ______ native speakers talk.

People often (77) ______ me for someone from the Midwest,the West Coast,China, California and so on.  

Now

I think it necessary to keep my (78) ______ origins.

I often add some Chinese “accent” consciously when (79) ______ English because I am (80) ______ of being a Chinese.

 

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