Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they’ll probably start a conversation. “Hot today, isn’t it?” one might say. “You said it,” another replies.
Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don’t begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.
Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.
Small talk even helps people get a job. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.
So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.
Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment (赞美) the other person to make him or her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.
Third, keep eye contact. When you loop people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and build trust.
Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don’t know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small take does get easier.
Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!
| Title | Small Talk: A Big (76) _________ |
| Introduction | We are likely to make small talk when we (77) _______ meet people. |
| (78)___________ | Small talk can help people form (79) ________ friendships. |
| Small talk can also help people get (80) __________. | |
| Advice | Find some topics (81) ________ with the other person. |
| Keep the talk going by making compliments and (82) __________ questions. | |
| Keep eye contact in conversation to build (83) ________. | |
| (84) _________ more in order to make small talk easier. | |
| Conclusion | Small talk really (85) _________ a lot to us. |
76. Deal
77.first
78.Benefits/Advantages
79.new
80.hired/employed
81.shared
82.asking
83.trust
84.Practice/Practise
85.matters/means
Unique Traditions from UK
Boxing Day
This holiday, which is observed on Dec. 26, is a unique part of the Christmas season in Great Britain, as well as other Commonwealth nations. Boxing Day comes from a tradition that began in the Middle Ages more than 800 years ago. On this day, English churches would open their “alms box” and distribute its contents to needy members of the community. It was also a day for servants to celebrate the holidays with their families, having usually worked the day before. Today, Boxing Day is one of the twenty-two paid holidays received by most working Brits. Most people now spend Christmas Day with their family and reserve Boxing Day for exchanging gifts with friends. Although the government shuts down for the day, cinemas and theatres are open.
Queen’s Telegram
In the United States, if you make it to the ripe old age of 101 or 102, Willard Scott will wish you happy birthday on national television. In England, the queen herself will send her congratulations. This fairly new custom is known as “the Queen’s Telegram” and assures centenarians (people at least 100 years old) that they will receive a birthday telegram from the queen on their one-hundredth birthdays. The telegram is so longed for by some Brits that one 98-year-old woman was recently proved to have faked her age by two years just to receive the telegram.
High Tea
High tea was first enjoyed by the English working class during the 1700s. This tradition began as a practical attempt to hold off hunger pains between breakfast and supper, as eating just two daily meals was common at the time. It was called “high” tea because it was usually taken sitting on top of stools in a tea shop or standing at a counter or buffet table. Today, high tea has become a more elegant and popular tradition that is practiced in fine hotels and restaurants around the world.
Public Houses
Visiting a pub is one of Britain’s oldest forms of entertainment. The idea for the first public houses was brought to Britain thousands of years ago by the conquering Roman army. The first pubs served wine, but after the discovery of hops (啤酒花) in the 14th century, pubs began to serve mainly beer and ale (麦芽酒), as they do today.
British pubs operate between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they must close at 10:30 p.m.
The drinking age in Britain is eighteen, but fourteen-year-olds may enter a pub unaccompanied if they order a meal.
Unique Traditions from UK
| Traditions | Time | Main Activities |
| Boxing Day | Observed on Dec. 26 during the 71 season | In the past, churches would open their “alms box”, with its contents 72 to needy people. Today it is reserved to 73 gifts with friends. |
| Queen’s Telegram | 74 by the Queen when one has his or her 100th birthday | People over 100 years old will receive a birthday telegram from the Queen herself on their birthday, enjoying the Queen’s 75 on them. |
| High Tea | Enjoyed and practiced between breakfast and supper | It 76 to be taken sitting in a tea shop, or standing at a counter. Today it’s becoming a tradition 77 in the hotels and restaurants worldwide. |
| Public Houses | Visited between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day 78 Sunday | At the 79 only wine was served, but today they mainly serve beer and ale, but people 80 than eighteen are not allowed to drink. |
[1] Mistakes and errors are the disciplined true which we advance in life. Mistakes are great teachers. Success comes to those who are willing to risk making mistakes in the pursuit of their goals and aspirations, and who are able to learn from those mistakes. And in order to learn from mistakes you must be willing to pay for them.
[2] Mistakes can be enormously valuable, but when you try to get others to pay for your mistakes, then you deprive yourself of the opportunity to learn from them. When something goes wrong, it's usually very easy to find someone else to blame, but what does that really accomplish?
[3] Much of the value of mistakes comes from the fact that they demand a cost that must be paid. The person who learns the most from a mistake is the person who pays the price for that mistake.
[4] When you make a mistake, the only thing you want to do is ________it. You need to face it because you can learn a lot from it. The mistake has been made, so make the most of it. Pay the price, learn the lesson, and grow that much stronger.
[5] When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Remember the reason for it, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The present is still in your power. Take full advantage of your mistakes to achieve your goals and aspirations.
76. What is the main idea of passage? (Please answer within 8 words)
___________________________________________________________________
77. Pls fill in the blank in the 4th paragraph with proper words to complete the sentence. (no more than 4 words.)
___________________________________________________________________
78. Complete the following statement with proper words. (no more than 4 words.)
Those who pursue are more likely to succeed, because they are willing to risk making mistakes.
79. What does the word “them” (line 2, paragraph 2) refer to? ( no more than 2 words.)
___________________________________________________________________
80. What should you do when you make mistakes? (Please answer within 20 words.)
请认真阅读下列短文，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：每空格1个单词。
Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
| Main comparisons | Contexts |
| 71 are changing | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first 72 . |
| Nowadays, people seem to be more 73 about themselves. | |
| 74 are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的). |
| People may strive to achieve their own 75 at the price of their coworkers. | |
| The author’s understanding | |
| 76 for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce 77 and great 78 on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
| The author’s 79 towards topic | A relationship which can 80 two sides should be established. |