Dear Carol,

I wear braces （牙箍） and I know I look just terrible in them. Is there anything I can do to improve my appearance until they come off?

Connie N.

Philadelphia, PA

Dear Connie,

Start by thinking about how good you are going to look when your braces come off. If you are negative about your appearance, people will pick that up right away about you. In the meantime there are several things that you can do to lift your spirits:

Change your hairstyle. Be sure to get a good cut so that the shape of your hair will be flattering to your face and also good for your type of hair （fine, thick, straight, curly, etc.） Choose a hairstyle that draws attention away from your face. Hair pulled back into a pony-tail or into a ball on top or slightly off-center can be attractive and practical for this purpose.

Keep skin clean. If you choose to wear makeup（化妆品）, it should look natural. Blusher（腮红） and lip gloss（润唇膏） in light tones of peach or pink are best.

Be well-groomed（打扮）. Neatness really counts. People see a total look about you before they ever become aware of your braces. And first impressions are lasting ones!

68. Why did Connie write to Carol?

A. Because she really cared about her clothes.

B. Because she cared much about her appearance.

C. Because her teeth were not good.

D. Because she didn’t know how to make up.

69. Carol’s idea about one’s appearance is that ___________.

A. change your hairstyle and you will look beautiful

B. wear your make-up and you will look good

C. neatness is not important

D. if you yourself don’t think you look smart, neither will people

70. Carol tries to let Connie know that ___________.

A. the deepest impressions one leaves on others is the first ones

B. spirits are important when we talk about one’s appearance

C. there are some practical ways to draw people’s attention away from where you don’t feel good 

D. all of the above

71. The underlined word “count” means “___________” in the last paragraph.

A. say numbers in order        B. be of importance           C. not include        D. be accepted

Remembering names is an important social skill. Here are some ways to master it.

●Recite and repeat in conversation.

When you hear a person’s name, repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips. You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.

●Ask the other person to recite and repeat.

You can let other people help you remember their names. After you’ve been introduced to someone, ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you. Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.

●Admit you don’t know.

Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed. Most of them will feel sympathy if you say. “I’m working to remember names better. Yours is right on the tip of my tongue. What is it again?”

●Use associations.

Link each person you meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you could make a mental note: “Vicki Cheng－tall, black hair.” To reinforce your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.

●Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.

When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning first names. Last names can come later.

●Go early.

Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometime just a few people show up on time. There’re fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to other an automatic review for you.

1.How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?

2.If you can’t remember someone’s name, you may ________.

3.When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember ________.

4.What does the text mainly tell us?

5.What does the underlined word “reinforce” mean?

Today, roller skating is easy and fun．But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn’t exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.

One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball（化装舞会）. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.

　　Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.

　　On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin’s grand entrance for a long time!

60．The text is mainly about ________.

         A．a strange man              B．an unusual party

         C．how roller skating began     D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century

61．People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he _________.

　　A．often gave others surprises　　　　　 B．was a gifted musician

         C．invented the roller skates　　　　　　D．was full of imagination

62．Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________ .

A．impress the party guests　　　　　　B．arrive at the party sooner

C．test his invention　　　　　　　　　D．show his skill in walking on wheels

63．What is the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?

         A．The roller skates needed further improvement.  B．The party guests took Merlin for a fool.

         C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.        D．Merlin got himself into trouble.

Americans love to talk and generally it is OK to talk even to strangers about nearly any subject at any time as long as you are polite．However there are some subjects，like racism，American foreign policy，gun ownership，and religion that are best discussed among friends．

    In America，it is OK to approach a stranger and start up a conversation with him as long as the subject is not too abstract．In America，it is not considered inappropriate to talk to people you don’t know．Talking to a stranger about the weather or the quality of nearby restaurants，or the prices in a grocery store is all perfectly fine．Even complimenting someone on the car they drive or asking them where they bought their clothes are all appropriate topics of conversation with complete strangers．

    Generally，Americans prefer that people say what they think and they respect frankness．Usually when it comes to personal matters，it’s best to accentuate(强调)the positive：don’t tell someone that their children are ugly or that their cooking is terrible．However；it’s OK to tell someone that they are wrong as long as you do so politely and with respect．Americans generally believe that you show someone respect by telling them the truth．Don’t be afraid to be honest with Americans，but be appropriate．

    Most Americans will start a conversation with a person they just met by asking them what they do for a living．This question is not only considered appropriate by  Americans，but it’s also considered an important way to learn about someone．

1.The passage mainly tells us       ．

    A．how to make friends with Americans

    B．how to make proper conversations with Americans

    C．what Americans like to talk about in their dailv life

    D．what to avoid in talking with Americans

2.When you talk to an American for the first time，you can ask him the following questions EXCEPT “   　 ”.

    A．How does America treat other countries

    B．Where did you buy your wonderful car

    C．What do you do

    D．How is the dessert the nearby restaurant offers

3.When you find that an American has made a mistake, you’d better       ．

A．point it out directly and politely

    B．pretend not to see it

    C．tell his friends about this

D．cover it up for him