In our daily life, it is necessary to make small talk in certain situations. It helps to fill time between people when it is completely quiet. You may not feel like talking with someone else or you are very shy at the beginning, but it is sometimes thought to be rude to say nothing.

People use small talk almost every day. It usually takes place when you meet someone you don’t know at all or someone you’re not familiar with. For example, waitresses and hairdressers often make small talk with their customers. If you happen to be outside when the mailman comes to your door, you might make small talk with him, too.

Most often, small talk happens in places where people are waiting for something. For example, you might talk with another person who is waiting for the bus to arrive. People also make small talk in a doctor’s waiting room, or when they are waiting in a line to buy something. At the office, people make small talk in elevators or lunchrooms, especially if there is a line-up. Mingling(交際) is often required among people who don’t know each other very well at a party. In other words, they are expected to walk around and talk with others.

The most common time for small talk to happen is the first time you see or meet someone on a given day. For example, if you see a co-worker in the lounge (休息室) you might say hello and discuss the sports or weather. However, the next time you see each other you might just smile and say nothing. If there is very little noise, it might be the right time to start a pleasant conversation. If someone is reading a book at the bus stop, it is probably not a good idea to start a conversation. Another good time to make small talk is during a break in a meeting when there is nothing important going on. However, it is important to recognize the signal when the other person wants the conversation to stop.

1.Small talk happens most probably except when _____.

A. you’re having your hair cut

B. you’re having a meeting

C. you’re waiting for a bus

D. you’re waiting in a line to buy something

2.It is the right time to make small talk when

A. there is nothing important going on during a break in a meeting

B. the other person doesn’t want to start a conversation

C. On the same day, you see a co-worker in the lounge again

D. someone is reading a book at the bus stop

3.The author develops the last paragraph mainly by _____.

A. giving explanations B. discussing questions

C. telling stories D. providing examples

4.We can learn from the text that small talk _____.

A. won’t happen among strangers

B. can help to break the silence

C. is often thought to be unnecessary

D. always makes people uncomfortable

練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語 來源:2016屆江蘇溧水高級中學(xué)高三下學(xué)期第三次模擬考試英語(解析版) 題型:單項填空

Protesters calling for a higher minimum wage gather on Tuesday in Miami, Florida, as part of __________ organizers called a “ day of action” nationwide to improve the salaries of fast food workers in the United states ______ are badly paid.

A. which; who B. what; that

C. what; how D. how; which

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2016屆山東濰坊市高三下期高考模擬訓(xùn)練(五)英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

Matthew Henson—Arctic Explorer

In 1880,fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea.The travel,the adventure,the danger,and the steady pay were all attracting young Henson.One day,he found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds.For the next five years,Henson sailed around the world.With the help of the ship’s captain and other members of the crew,Henson learned mathematics,navigation,history,geography,and many other subjects.By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885,Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.

Unable to find work anywhere else,Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington,D.C.One day in 1887,a man came in to buy a hat.The man,Robert Peary,asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea.Peary would soon travel to South America for the U.S.government.He needed experienced men to accompany him.The shop owner knew about his young employee’s skills and experience on ocean journeys,so he introduced Peary to Henson.

Using his map-reading and sailing skills,Henson proved himself to be a worthy and smart seaman.Peary soon made Henson his assistant,and they became close friends.One day Peary told Henson about his real dream:to be the first man to stand on“the top of the world”at the North Pole.He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true.Over the next five years,the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic.However,they were not able to reach the pole either time.The cold,wind,and ice were worse than either of them had ever imagined.

In 1908,Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole.Both men were over forty years old.The years of hardship in the arctic cold had made them suffer a lot.This would be their last chance.With four Inuit guides,they made a mad rush straight across the ice toward the pole.Peary’s feet were injured and he had to be pulled on a dogsled.In April 1909,Henson’s instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole.Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow.

In later years,Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievements.Today,the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes’graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery.

1.What happened to Henson according to Paragraph 1?

A.He became a skilled seaman.

B.He became a highly educated captain.

C.He was employed in a restaurant.

D.He was interested in helping others.

2.What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?

A.How Matthew Henson met Robert Peary.

B.Why Matthew Henson went to the hat shop.

C.Why Matthew Henson stopped working on the Katie Hinds.

D.How Robert Peary knew that Matthew Henson had sea experience.

3.What could Henson and Peary best be compared to,on their trip to the North Pole?

A.Hunters running after wolves.

B.Generals seeking power over another country.

C.Soldiers going to war to fight for their freedom.

D.Fighters performing a task in an unknown land.

4.How is the information presented in this passage mainly organized?

A.By cause and effect.

B.By comparing and contrasting.

C.In the order that the events happened.

D.With main ideas and supporting examples.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2016屆遼寧遼南協(xié)作體高三下期第二次模擬考試英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

Perhaps drawing inspiration from Spiderman, beachgoers in China' s eastern city of Qingdao have come up with a new way of protecting their skin from the sun. They call it the "face-kini". It was first sported by middle-aged women as a practical addition to their swimsuits, but now the face-kini has gone global.

New York-based style magazine CR Fashion Book, founded by former Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfeld, recently published a photo shoot of models with pouting(撅起的) red lips, wearing face-kinis, chic swimsuits and fancy jewellery .

The transformation of what' s considered the symbol of "old woman style" in China to high fashion has amused Internet users. In two days, the subject was widely spread on the Chinese Twitter, Weibo.

"Chinese old women are at the centre of the global fashion world," said one comment. "It looks like bank robbers attacking the beach," others joked.

When it comes to avoiding the sun, it seems Chinese creativity is unlimited. Apart from the face-kini, the Chinese use special UV-blocking sun umbrellas which can be attached to bike handles.

There are also sun- blocking removable sleeves and Batman- style capes. The list goes on. On Chinese television, commercials for magic whitening creams are everywhere. White is seen as beautiful here, or as the old Chinese saying goes: "One touch of white covers 100 kinds of ugliness."

It' s a curious contrast to the fact that people in many western countries pay for tanning(曬黑).

Tanning salons are just now starting to take off in big Chinese cities, where western influences are deeper.

Liu Yupu, or "China tanning boss" as he goes by on Weibo, took the sudden popularity of face- kinis with a pinch of salt. He said: "These days, if you had just been to a tanning salon in China. Your parents and close friends may call you an idiot, but you'll also get plenty of praise." But can a beautifully-tanned woman turn as many heads as the face-kini on the Qingdao beach?

1. The "face-kini" has been worn in Qingdao - '

A. for quite a long time

B. first by beachgoers

C. to prevent swimmers drowning

D. in honor of the movie Spiderman

2.According to the passage, the new invention "face-kini" is now considered as____.

A. whitening cream B. an old woman style

C. a beautiful swimsuit D. high fashion

3.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph imply?

A. Tanning is more popular in Western countries.

B. White is seen as more beautiful in China

C. The face-kini books less cool than a beautifully-tanned woman

D. Tanning will not get. popular in China

4.Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A. Keeping your skin. Fair

B. The changing fashion in Qingdao

C. Protecting fair skin with "face-kini"

D. New attitudes towards beauty

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學(xué)年河南許昌第一高中高一下第一次月考英語卷(解析版) 題型:完形填空

完形填空

閱讀下面短文,從短文后各題所給的四個選項(A、B、C和D)中,選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。

Lang Lang is a world-class young pianist who grew up in Shenyang. He went to a piano school in Beijing when he was just eight. “You need .” his father said.“But if you don’t work hard, no fortune will come.” What made him sad was his piano teacher in Beijing didn’t like him. “You have no talent. You will never be a pianist.” a nine-year-old boy, Lang Lang was badly He decided that he didn’t want to be a any more. For the next two weeks, he didn’t touch the piano. , his father didn’t push, but waited.

Luckily, the day came when his teacher asked him to some holiday songs. He didn’t want to, but as he placed his fingers on the piano keys, he that he could show others that he had talent .That day he told his father he had been waiting to hear---that he wanted to study with a new teacher. that point on, everything turned around! He started competitions. In the 1994 International Young Pianists Competition, when it was that Lang Lang had won, he was too to hold back his tears. Soon was clear that he couldn’t stay in China forever---he had to play on the world big . In 1997 Lang Lang again, this time to Philadelphia, U.S. There he spent two years practicing, and by 1999 he had worked hard enough for fortune to take over. After his performance at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, gigs(特邀演出) in Lincoln’s Center and Carnegie Hall started ,Lang Lang finally worked to reach the place where fortune spots him, and lets him .

1.A.exercise B.fortune C.knowledge D.wealth

2.A.whether B.why C.when D.that

3.A.Like B.With C.To D.As

4.A.hurt B.weakened C.ruined D.frightened

5.A.singer B.pianist C.conductor D.player

6.A.Hopefully B.Patiently C.Wisely D.Painfully

7.A.play B.sing C.write D.study

8.A.seemed B.a(chǎn)dmitted C.noticed D.realized

9.A.in all B.a(chǎn)bove all C.a(chǎn)fter all D.a(chǎn)t all

10.A.that B.what C.which D.when

11.A.From B.As C.Since D.After

12.A.receiving B.a(chǎn)ccepting C.winning D.beating

13.A.told B.mentioned C.a(chǎn)nnounced D.recognized

14.A.excited B.encouraged C.shocked D.satisfied

15.A.this B.it C.that D.what

16.A.concerts B.tours C.competitions D.stages

17.A.started B.left C.moved D.performed

18.A.successful B.cheerful C.respectful D.meaningful

19.A.pulling B.breaking C.falling D.pouring

20.A.brighten B.shine C.a(chǎn)dmire D.Develop

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2016年北京東城區(qū)高三一模英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

Music for Humans and Humpback Whales As researchers conclude in Science, the love of music is not only a universal feature of the human species, but is also deeply fixed in complex structures of the human brain, and is far more ancient than previously suspected.

In the articles that discuss the field of bio-musicology, the study of the biological basis for the creation and appreciation of music, researchers present various evidence to show that music-making is at once an original human "business", and an art form with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.

The new reports stress that humans hold no copyright on sound wisdom, and that a number of nonhuman animals produce what can rightly be called music, rather than random sound.Recent in-depth analyses of the songs sung by humpback whales show that, even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise, the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty, and accept the same laws of song composition as those preferred by human musicians, and human ears, everywhere.

For example, male humpback whales, who spend six months of each year doing little else but singing, use rhythms (節(jié)奏) similar to those found in human music and musical phrases of similar length—a few seconds.Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音階), yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals, rather than moving forwards madly.They mix the sounds like drums and pure tones in a ratio (比例) which agrees with that heard in much western music.They also use a favorite technique of human singers, the so-called A-B-A form, in which a theme is stated, then developed, and then returned to in slightly revised form.

Perhaps most impressive, humpback songs contain tunes that rhyme."This suggests that whales use rhyme in the same way we do: as a technique in poem to help them remember complex material," the researchers write.

1.The underlined words "converge on" in Paragraph 3 probably means__________.

A.tend towards

B.refer to

C.turn into

D.put forward

2.Which of the following shows the advanced musical ability in humpback whales?

A.They can remember complex material.

B.They can create pleasing patterns of music.

C.They can make sounds like drums continuously.

D.They can sing along with rhythms of western music.

3.What is the main idea of the article?

A.Animals are able to compose and enjoy music like humans.

B.Human beings borrow ideas in music from humpback whales.

C.Humpback whales are skillful performers in the animal kingdom.

D.Music-making is an ancient activity of both humans and animals.

4.The main purpose of the passage is to __________.

A.a(chǎn)rgue and discuss

B.inform and explain

C.compare and advertise

D.examine and assess

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2016年北京東城區(qū)高三一模英語試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空

We strongly advise you ______ eating your meal so late.It’s not healthy.

A.on B.a(chǎn)gainst

C.from D.over

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2016屆山東青島五十八中高三上期12月考英語試卷(解析版) 題型:七選五

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容,從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項,選項中有兩項為多余選項。

(請注意涂卡方式:選E涂A和B, 選F涂A和C, 選 G涂A和D)

Today it is common to see people who walk about with colored wires hanging from their ears wherever they go. They move about in their personal bubbles, sometimes unaware of what’s happening around them. 1. . Outside life is shut out. So are you one of “them”?

For me, walking around in my own personal bubble is perfect. 2. What’s even better, wearing earphones seems to give a signal to people which says: “I’m not available for chatting at the moment!”

Suppose you’re at work and about to make an incredible breakthrough, but a colleague suddenly turns up. At this precise moment, the slightest disturbance would break your concentration. 3. Once again, those wires hanging from your ears would be sure to give that “Go away!” signal.

4. It’s probably part of the growing up stage when they just want to ignore their whole family. While their mothers give them lectures about why they should do their homework, they can just turn up the volume(聲音) on their MP3 player, smile, and say “Yes, Mum.” Problem solved.

Pretty soon, not only will we have pretty colored wires hanging from our ears—but also our brains will be directly plugged into some new high-tech instrument. We’ll be in a virtual(虛擬) world, communicating with everyone else, or choosing not to, as we like. In this world, we will all be permanently plugged in. 5. And they are changing our social habits along the way.

In the end, there is a thin line between using technology as a tool for making life better and being a slave to it! It’s so strange—suddenly, I don’t feel like wearing my earphones any more!

A. Listening to music through earphones is the perfect way to ignore such interruptions.

B. I also have wires hanging from my ears.

C. They walk around in their own spaces, with their personal “digital noise reduction systems.”

D. I don’t have to deal with the noise from the environment.

E. After all, I am listening to my favorite music and would rather not be disturbed.

F. Our instruments are changing quickly.

G. In the home situation, teenagers love these wires.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2014-2015學(xué)年安徽省六校教育研究會高三第一次聯(lián)考英語試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空

It’s a pity you were late,otherwise you ______the film star Rain from Korea.

A. would have seen B. must have seen

C. may have seen D. can have seen

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案