Should parents ever hit their children?

Research suggests many of us are likely to respond “no”, and public support for spanking(打屁股) has been falling over the years. But surverys also show that 75 percent to nearly 90 percent of parents admit to spanking their child at least once.

I was raised in a zero-tolerance home for disrespect, and my parents often turned to physical punishment. And, no, I don’t feel I was damaged by it.

Nothing is more annoying than watching ill-mannered behavior from children.

But there is data to suggest that a return to old-school spanking isn’t the answer.

Two years ago, Newsweek reported that it had found data suggesting that teens whose parents used physical punishment were more likely to become aggressive.

Murray Straus, professor at the University of New Hampshire in America, has studied the topic of children and spanking for decades. He said that children who were physically punished have lower IQs than their peers(同等的人). It may be that children with lower IQqs were more likely to get spanked, but the punishment may have been counterpoductive(反作用的) to their mental development, as well.

Some researchers make the argument that occasional open-handed smacks(用巴掌打) on the bottom are not only harmless but can have some benefit.

Last year, Marjorie Gunnoe, a psychologist at Calvin College, studied teens who have never spanked. There are a greater number of children growing up without ever having been physi punished. Gunnoe’s research suggests they don’t turn out any better than those who were sometimes spank.

There are some parents who simply cannot control their tempers(脾气). But I still believe that the best parents are the ones who are able to offer fair and firm discipline without ever turning to physical puishment.

According to the first three paragraphs, the author was probably hit by her parents when       .

A．they were dissatisfied with her grade    

B．she showed no respect for the elder

C．they cannot control their temper   

D．their discipline turns out to be not strict enough

According to Murray Straus, children who are physically punished      .

A．are less aggreesive toward others when they get older

B．have slower physical development

C．benefit from occasional spanking

D．may develop lower IQs than their peer

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

A．40 percent of children grow up without ever being spanked

B．Children who suffer less physical punishment are better students

C．Occasional open-handed spanking on the bottom are mentally harmful

D．Researchers disagree over whether smacking is mentally harmful to children

The author seems to agree that       .

A．parents should determine whether a child needs to be smacked or not

B．children who have been spanked tend to behave better than those who haven’t

C．good parents discipline their children in a fair and reasonable way

D．physical punishment should be the last resort of any parent

Dear Editor,
I have just returned home after studying for a year in Germany. But it seems that my parents don’t understand me now. They expect me to be the same person I was before I went abroad, but I’m not! Why can’t they let me be myself?
Jimmy
Hi, Jimmy,
As far as I know, people who have lived abroad often find that the adjustment （调整） to returning home is more difficult than their adjustment to living in a foreign culture. Why? We expect to have some problems when we go to a new place, speak a different language and learn the rules of a different culture ... But home? ... we know that place!
Your parents expect that the same person who boarded the airplane one year ago will be returning. Especially if they have never been abroad themselves, your parents probably won’t understand the changes that living abroad can cause in a person. On the other hand, you may have maintained (保持) an ideal mental image of your loved ones while abroad, an image that is broken into pieces when you return.
Remember you have been living a different lifestyle in your host country, and you have probably become very independent while staying there alone. Now that you’re home, you will be expected to conform （顺应） again to the lifestyle of your family. As a result, you may be upset about your parents’ involvement in your life.
Communication is the key to overcoming this problem. Tell your parents how you are feeling. Share with them information about cultural re-entry（重归）, and ask them to be patient. This does not mean that you have to forget your experience and give up everything you’ve learned! Learn to find a balance between the old and new, just as you did when first adjusting to your host country’s culture.
【小题1】What is Jimmy’s main purpose in writing the letter?

Workplaces all over the UK are preparing for Christmas and all the traditions and customs that come with it. But will this Christmas be a cause of happiness and celebration, or of disappointment and embarrassment?
At this time of year, colleges show their appreciation of each other by doing a “Secret Santa”. Secret Santa involves people who work together buying gifts for each other without saying who they are from.
Co-workers all write their names on pieces of paper, then organize a lottery in which each worker picks a colleague’s name at random. He then has to buy a present for that colleague, usually on a small budget of five or ten pounds.
Since the givers are unknown, the quality of presents can vary greatly. In an Internet survey of Secret Santa presents, the gifts that people received range from tickets to the opera to an air freshener for a car.
Another common workplace tradition is the office Christmas party, at which workmates put on their best clothes and enjoy lots of free wine.
Most parties go without a hitch, but sometimes the alcohol cause party-goers to behave in a way that they later regret.
The BBC invited people to share their most embarrassing Christmas office party stories, and received hundreds of funny ones. For example, a man split his trousers while dancing; a drunken lady spent the whole night with the edge of her dress folded into her pants, and later looked at photos that proved it at work.
But the funniest story must be that of Stuart Vanies, who got so drunk that he put his boss’s head into the toilet. Unsurprisingly, he was fired the very next day.
【小题1】 How many Christmas traditions are mentioned?

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!

    Ball Management

Players should always keep a tennis ball in their hand or pocket during a match. Even the most patient tennis players despise waiting for their opponent to find a ball to serve(发球).

Behavior & Attitude

Even if you’re playing badly, you should not shout or look depressed in a friendly match. Undoubtedly, your attitude affects how you play, so try to have fun and stay positive.

Pace

Do not deliberately slow the game down. Play at the pace of the server and look ready. Servers also should not rush to start each point. You should re-do the point if you serve the ball before the receiver is ready. The receiver is out of luck, however, if he claims he was not ready after making an attempt at returning the serve.

For Spetators(观众)

Cheering

While it is seen as proper etiquette(礼仪）to remain silent during the live play, loud and spirited cheers are welcome after a hard-earned point. The players appreciate the recognition for their efforts and are encouraged to continue playing at a high level when the crowd is actively involved.

Leaving and returning to your seat

During live play it’s expected that all spectators will remain seated until the next break between games. Movements in the stands(看台) can serve as a distraction(分心的事物) to the players and can also block the view of other audience.

Photography

The issue of camera shutter(快门) noise has earned a lot of attention in golf, but luckily for tennis fans it’s much less of a concern on the court. While the noise produced by the camera is not seen as a major issue, flash photography should be avoided during live play.

1.During warm-ups, tennis player ______________.

A. ought to hit a full pace

B. can place their shots anywhere

C. should not practice competitively

D. had better run around the whole court

2.According to the text, during tennis matches, _____________________.

A. players can slow the game down when tired

B. players don’t have to keep a ball in their hand

C. the receiver shouldn’t return the serve if not ready

D. loud cheers are not allowed even after hard-earned points

3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ____________________.

A. flash photography is acceptable on the golf court

B. tennis fans can use flash photography during matches

C. the noise from cameras is not permitted in tennis matches

D. tennis matches require a less degree of quiet than golf ones

4.What’s the text mainly about?

A. Some tips for tennis players to win a match.

B. What to do while watching tennis matches.

C. How to behave properly in tennis matches.

D. Rules tennis players must obey in matches.