We all know what it is like to be unable to turn your head because of a cold in the muscles (肌肉) of your neck, or because an unexpected twist（扭曲）has made your neck ache. The slightest move makes you jump with pain. Nothing could be worse than a pain in the neck.
That is why we use the phrase to describe some people who give you the same feeling. We have all met such people.
One is the man who always seems to be clapping his hands—often at the wrong time—during a performance in the theater. He keeps you from hearing the actors.
Even worse are those who can never arrive before the curtain goes up and the play begins. They come hurrying down to your row of seats. You are comfortably settled down, with your hat and heavy coat in your lap. You must stand up to let them pass. You are proud of yourself-control after they have settled into their seats…Well, what now…God, one of them is up again. He forgot to go to the men’s room, and once more you have to stand up, hanging on to your hat and coat to let him pass. Now, that is “
a pain in the neck”.
Another, well—known to us all, is the person sitting behind you in the movies. His mouth is full of popcorn (爆米花); he is chewing（嚼）loudly, or talking between bites to friends next to him. None of them remain still. Up and down, back and forth, they go—for another bag of popcorn, or something to drink.
Then, there is the man sitting next to you at lunch, smoking. He wants you to enjoy it too, and blows smoke across your food into your mouth.
We must not forget the man who comes into a bus or subway and sits down next to you, just as close as you will let him. You are reading the newspaper and he gets closer so that he can read the paper with you. He may even turn the paper to the next page before you are ready for it.
We also call such a person a “
rubber neck”, always getting close to where it does not belong, like neighbors who watch all your visitors. They enjoy learning about your personal business. People have a strong dislike for “rubber necks”. They hate being watched secretly.
小題1:Where can you find this passage?
| A．In a medicine dictionary. | B．in a kids’ story book. |
| C．In a social science book. | D．In a science textbook. |
小題2:According to the passage, how do you feel when late comers walk back and forth in front of you in a cinema?
| A．disturbed. | B．bored. | C．ignored. | D．relaxed. |
小題3:A “
rubber neck” often __________________ .
| A．says bad words behind people. | B．quarrels face to face with neighbors. |
| C．bargains with salespeople over the price | D．a(chǎn)sks about other people’s business |
小題4:Which of the following persons CANNOT be described as a “
pain in the neck”?
| A．Someone who often claps at the wrong time during a performance. |
| B．Someone who feels ache in his neck due to a cold in the muscles. |
| C．Someone who sits next to you smoking, which you never enjoy. |
| D．Someone who keeps eating or talking all through the movies. |
小題5:What is the main purpose of the author?
| A．To tell people what might be bad manners in public. |
| B．To criticize (批評) the people who might be a “pain in the neck” |
| C．To show anger to those who are described as a “pain in the neck”. |
| D．To tell people how to stop the pain in the neck. |
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