Kiss crisis, hug horrors and the UK's handshake headaches

Greeting someone, saying goodbye – these situations fill me with unease. You have a second to make a dangerous decision. One peck (轻吻)? Two pecks? Three? No kisses at all? Why, I think, as I crash into the other person’s face, why can’t it be as simple as a handshake?

A survey by the soap company Radox in May showed one in five Brits now feels a handshake is “too formal”, according to the Daily Mail. Some 42 percent said they never shook hands when greeting friends. For one third of people the alternative was a hug, for 16 percent a kiss on the cheek.

British people are known to be reserved (保守的) – unfriendly, some would say. Handshakes used to work for us because we didn’t have to get too close. But the super-British handshake is no longer fashionable. We want to be more like our easygoing Mediterranean neighbors who greet each other with kisses and hugs.

The trouble is, we still find it a bit awkward. What does a married man do when greeting a married female friend, for example? How should someone younger greet someone older?

Guys don’t tend to kiss one another; my male friends in Britain go for the “manly hug”, taking each other stiffly (不自然地) in one arm and giving a few thumps on the back with words like “Take it easy, yeah?”.

The biggest questions, if you do decide to kiss, are how many times and which cheek first. Unlike the French, who comfortably deliver three, our cheek-pecks usually end in embarrassed giggling (咯咯笑): “Oh, gosh, sorry, I didn’t mean to kiss you on the lips, I never know where to aim for first!”

But then it’s never been easy for us poor, uncomfortable Brits. Even the handshake had its problems: don’t shake too hard, but don’t hold the other person’s hand too limply (无力地) either, and definitely don’t go in with sweaty hands.

Maybe it’s better to leave it at a smile and a nod.  

45. What is the article mainly about?

A. Origin of the traditional British way of greeting someone.

B. New trends and problems that Brits have with the way they greet people.

C. Why the author feels uneasy when greeting someone or saying goodbye.

D. Differences in greetings between Britain and other Western countries.

46. What did the survey by the soap company Radox show?

A. It is now considered unfriendly to greet friends with a handshake in Britain.

B. A kiss on the cheek is becoming the most popular form of greeting in Britain.

C. Most Brits no longer offer to shake hands with those they meet.

D. More and more Brits prefer to be greeted with a hug or kiss.

47. The underlined word “awkward” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. not helpful           B. too informal            C. quite embarrassed D. very interesting

48. Which does the author think might be the safest form of greeting for a British person?

A. A hug.                B. A smile and a nod.  C. A handshake.               D. A kiss on the cheek.

49. Who wrote the article?

  A. A British writer.    B. An American writer.       C. A French writer.             D. A Chinese writer.

“Hey, Dad, are you going to come to my award ceremony tonight? ”I   36   asked my father. “I have to work late tonight. I doubt whether I’ll be able to   37   it on time. I am just too busy right now, ”he replied.

My mind could not   38   the idea that he would be too busy working late. He was also too busy to   39   my horse show, football games and the 15th birthday party. He always used the same   40  . Why had I even bothered to ask?   41  , there was always a slight hope that

As my mother and I arrived at school, two friends   43   me. “Jill, meet my da   D．Dad, this is my friend Jill. ”I shook the hand of a tall man. Camera flashes lit up the room, and claps filled the   44   as students accepted their awards. My name was finally called,   45   three others. I followed my classmates to the   46  . When I reached out my hand to shake the   47  , a big smile lit up her face. The blinding flash from my mother’s camera   48   my eyes and I knew my dad wasn’t there. I walked back to my seat   49  .

Back at home, seeing my dad’s car in the garage, I told myself he would not be   50  this time . But as usual the strong smell of alcohol hit me as soon as I  51  inside, and I could feel my tears   52  . I followed the sound of his drunken words and saw him   53   on the couch.

  54   did father lie to me? I threw my award on the floor, walked to my bedroom, and shut the door. Tears rolled down my face. I wondered if I would ever be more   55   than his whiskey bottle.

A．confidently      B．eagerly         C．proudly        D．fearfully

A．reach             B．keep           C．take           D．make

A．create             B．support         C．appreciate     D．accept

A．watch            B．avoid         C．attend           D．speed

A．excuse           B．reply         C．promise        D．trick

A．Besides          B．Thus           C．Otherwise     D．However

A．active            B．formal          C．different       D．serious

A．recognized        B．greeted         C．encouraged      D．showed

A．air              B．audience       C．school          D．playground

A．apart from       B．other than       C．except for       D．along with

A．stage            B．position        C．office          D．exit

A．Jill’s            B．teacher’s       C．mother’s     D．father’s

A．fixed            B．touched         C．hurt         D．spotted

A．successfully     B．disappointedly C．delightedly     D．hopefully

A．drunk            B．woken       C．forgiven       D．hidden

A．stepped           B．noticed         C．examined     D．glanced

A．getting off       B．falling down   C．building up   D．turning around

A．leaning         B．lying         C．putting         D．carrying

A．How          B．Where           C．Why          D．Whether

A．perfect        B．comfortable      C．fortunate       D．important

“Hey, Dad, are you going to come to my award ceremony tonight?” I   36   asked my father.

“I have to work late tonight. I doubt I’ll be able to   37   it on time. I am just too busy right now,” he replied.

    My mind could not   38   the idea that he would be too busy working late. He was also too busy to   39   my horse show and the 15th birthday party. He always used the same   40  . Why had I even bothered to ask?   41  , there was always a slight hope that tonight would be   42  .

    As my mother and I arrived at school, two friends   43   me. “Jill, meet my dad. Dad, this is my friend Jill.” I shook the hand of a tall man. Camera flashes lit up the room, and claps filled the   44   as students accepted their awards. My name was finally called,   45   three others. I followed my classmates to the   46  . When I reached out my hand to shake the   47  , a big smile lit up her face. The blinding flash from my mother’s camera   48   my eyes and I knew my dad wasn’t there. I walked back to my seat   49  .

    Back at home, seeing my dad’s car in the garage, I told myself he would not be   50  . But the strong smell of alcohol hit me as soon as I  51   inside, and I could feel my tears   52  . I followed the sound of his drunken words and saw him   53   on the couch.

      54   did father lie to me? I threw my award on the floor, walked to my bedroom, and shut the door. Tears rolled down my face. I wondered if I would ever be more   55   than his whiskey bottle.

A. confidently            B. eagerly              C. proudly             D. casually

A. reach                     B. keep                 C. take                  D. make

A. create                   B. support             C. appreciate          D. accept

A. watch                    B. avoid                C. attend               D. speed

A. excuse                   B. problem            C. promise             D. trick

A. Besides                  B. Thus                 C. Otherwise          D. However

A. active                    B. formal                     C. different            D. serious

A. recognized             B. greeted              C. encouraged        D. showed

A. air                        B. audience            C. school               D. playground

A. up to                     B. other than          C. out of               D. along with

A. stage                     B. position             C. office                D. exit

A. Jill’s                            B. teacher’s           C. mother’s           D. father’s

A. fixed                     B. touched             C. hurt                  D. inserted

A. successfully           B. disappointedly   C. delightedly        D. hopefully

A. drunk                    B. woken               C. forgiven            D. hidden

A. stepped                  B. noticed              C. examined          D. glanced

A. getting off             B. taking down      C. building up        D. turning around

A. leaning                  B. lying                 C. moving             D. crying

A. How                            B. Where               C. Why                 D. Whether

A. perfect                  B. comfortable              C. fortunate           D. important