Question

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 kind and polite.

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

Pollsters found almost half those asked preferred the more informal (非正式的) “cheers”, while others liked to use such expressions as “ta”, “great” and “nice one”.

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

Luckily, the answer is in the language itself. “Cheers” is considered an informal way to say thank you. For example, when going for a drink with friends, a smile and a “cheers” by way of thanks is not only acceptable to the situation, it is also culturally accurate.

“Ta” was the second-most popular expression of thanks, and is also commonly used in informal situations, along with phrases such as “nice one”, and “wonderful”.

Interestingly, one word that didn’t make it into the top 20 was “thanks”. But “thanks” can be useful, as it is able to bridge the divide between “thank you” and the downright relaxed “cheers”.

Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight. For example, words like “awesome”, “brilliant” and “you star” can tell 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 reply with a simple “no problem”, or “sure”.

Of course, a simple wave, nod or smile may be all right. For example, if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road, simply raising your hand is enough to show that you are thankful for 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 (衰退). People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without any feedback. So don’t think that your “thank you” was useless or too formal. The chances are, if you said “thank you”, you made someone’s day.

1.We can tell from the result of the poll that ______.

A. people are worrying about politeness nowadays

B. there are many kinds of expressions of gratitude

C. “thank you” is the most popular expression of gratitude

D. there are more formal expressions of gratitude than informal ones

2. What does the underlined word “accurate” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A. Clear and exact.

B. Simple but strange.

C. Short and informal.

D. Informal but popular.

3.Which of the following can express gratitude as well as pleasure?

A. Sure.B. No problem. C. Ta. D. You star.

4.In the last paragraph the writer encourages people to ______.

A. help others behave well

B. show their gratitude to others

C. continue their language learning

D. stop worrying about social activities

Answer 1