You are a new manager at the American branch of your German firm in Chicago. With a few minutes to spare between meetings, you go to get a quick cup of coffee.

“Hey, David, how are you?” one of the senior partners at the firm asks you.

“Good, thank you, Dr. Greer,” you reply. You’ve really been wanting to make a connection with the senior leadership at the firm, and this seems like a great opportunity. But as you start to think of something to say, your American colleague breaks in to steal your spotlight.

“So Arnold”, your colleague says to your boss, in such a casual manner that it makes your German soul cringe(畏縮), “So what’s your Super bowl prediction? I mean, you’re a Niners fan, right?”

The conversation moves on, and you walk silently back to your desk with your coffee. You know how important small talk is in the U.S., and you feel jealous of people who can do it well.

There’s nothing small about the role that small talk plays in American professional culture. People from other countries are often surprised at how important small talk is in the U.S. and how naturally and comfortably people seem to do it ------ with peers, men, women, and even with superiors. You can be the most technically skilled worker in the world, but your ability to progress in your job in the United States is highly dependent on your ability to build and maintain positive relationships with people at work. And guess what skill is critical for building and maintaining these relationships? Small talk.

What can you do if you are from another culture and want to learn to use small talk in the U.S. to build relationships and establish trust? Work hard to hone(磨練) your own version of American-style small talk. Watch how others do it. You don’t have to mimic what they do; in fact, that would likely backfire because people would see you as inauthentic. But if you can develop your own personal version, that can go a long way toward making you feel comfortable and competence．

1.The author introduces the topic of the passage by______.

A. describing an interesting scene

B. offering a plot

C. making comparisons

D. telling a small jokes

2.What do we know about German people?

A．They usually make small talk in work breaks．

B．They hate making small talk．

C．They don’t make so much small talk．

D．They are good at making small talk too．

3.What makes people from other countries surprised in American professional culture?

A．American workers’ ability to make progress．

B．American workers’ attitude towards superiors．

C．The special meaning of small talk．

D．The role small talk plays in work settings．

4.What does “backfire” underlined in the last paragraph mean?

A．have a warm atmosphere

B．have the opposite effect

C．have a good result

D．have a hard time

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科目：高中英語 來源：2015-2016學(xué)年山西右玉一中高一上第一次月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：完形填空

There was a woman in Detroit, who has two sons. She was worried them, especially the younger one, Ben, he was not doing well in school, Boys in his class fun of him because he seemed so .

The mother that she would, herself, have to get her sons to do better in school. She them to go to the Detroit Public Library to read a a week and do a report about it for her．

One day，in Ben’s , the teacher held up a rock and asked if anyone knew it. Ben up his hand and the teacher let him . “Why did Ben raise his hand？” they wondered. He said anything; what could he possibly want to say？

Well, Ben not only the rock; he said a lot about it. He named other rocks in its group and even knew the teacher had found it. The teacher and the students were . Ben had learned all this from doing one of his book ．

Ben later went on to the of his class.When he finished high school, he went to Yale University at last became one of the best doctors in the United States．

After Ben had grown up，he something about his mother that he did not know as a She，herself，had never learned how to ．

1.A．a(chǎn)bout B. on C. with D. over

2.A．because B. so C. but D. though

3.A．played B. got C. took D. made

4.A．clever B. hard C. slow D. quick

5.A．a(chǎn)sked B. decided C. forgot D. heard

6.A．made B. let C. told D. considered

7.A．notice B. message C. book D. question

8.A．class B. room C. office D. lab

9.A．looked B. gave C. took D. put

10.A．think B. leave C. stand D. speak

11.A．a(chǎn)lways B. even C. quickly D. never

12.A．found B. played C. knew D. threw

13.A．whether B. when C. where D. why

14.A．a(chǎn)fraid B. surprised C. worried D. unhappy

15.A．pictures B. exercises C. shops D. reports

16.A．top B. end C. back D. side

17.A．so B. and C. or D. however

18.A．learnt B. remembered C. understood D. guessed

19.A．doctor B. child C. student D. teacher

20.A．read B. work C. teach D. show

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科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學(xué)年福建福州第八中學(xué)高二下期末英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項(xiàng)填空

—The plane is due to take off at 7:50 from the airport. ______ we fail to arrive there in time?

—Try to take another flight then.

A. As if B. Even if C. Only if D. What if

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科目：高中英語 來源：2016屆海南文昌中學(xué)高三上學(xué)期期末英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

The United States Capitol Dome(圓頂) in Washington, DC, is recognized around the world as a symbol of the U.S. Government. Since last November, the dome has been surrounded by metal poles and heavy cloth as part of a repair project.

The last major repair work on the U.S. Capitol took place in 1960. Since then, the dome has become weathered and worn. The Architect of the Capitol group reports that the dome has more than 1,000 narrow breaks on its surface and other damage.

The dome was completed around 1863. U. S. Senate Historian Don Ritchie says the dome’s cast(石膏) iron frame is at special risk of weathering. “The capitol dome, being cast iron, has been hit by lightning countless times. And so the current construction is to repair the leaks, to fill the cracks, to take off extra layers of paint.”

Some recent visitors to the Capitol were unhappy about its current appearance. They had hoped to get a picture of the usually shining dome. Joyce said, “It was impressive, and very fantastic, and all white, but when I come here today, it is under construction so my family cannot see it clearly, it is kind of a disappointment.”

Others were more understanding of the repairs. Rick Jones, another visitor, said, “It’s a little inconvenient for us not to see the dome but you have to think about the future and the people will be coming to this place for centuries...and you know ,there just needs to be preventive maintenance(維護(hù)). I am not upset with that at all.”

The project is expected to take more than two years to complete. The dome should be ready for a new president in January 2017.

1.We can learn from the passage that the United States Capitol Dome is _______.

A. widely recognized as a symbol of the U.K. government.

B. surrounded by many repair projects

C. worn by being exposed to the weather

D. well maintained and in excellent condition

2. Which of the following is NOT included in the current construction?

A. To replace the cast iron frame.

B. To stop the leaks(滲漏).

C. To remove the old paint.

D. To fill up the narrow breaks.

3.What do we learn about the recent visitors to the Capitol ?

A. They could get a clear look at the dome.

B. They were all disappointed at the sight of the Capitol’s building.

C. They were impressed by the white dome’s fantastic beauty.

D. They held different views on the Capitol’s current appearance.

4.The text is most probably taken from ___________.

A. a book review B. a news report

C. a guide book D. a science report

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科目：高中英語 來源：2015-2016學(xué)年四川雙流中學(xué)高二上學(xué)期入學(xué)考英語試卷（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(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出可填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。

Samuel was back at the bookshop. He had only one goal in mind---to find a book that he had not _________ the previous day. The book was one of the seven that he had __________ to buy. But at the last moment, he changed his ________. He put all seven back on the shelf.

Samuel had a personal _________ at home with over 1,000 books--- almost all unread. He had more reading material in his small ___________ than he could finish in two lifetimes, yet his __________ for more remained burning. He finally __________put his foot down. “Not one more book”, he told himself, “____________it was really special.” In fact, yesterday's book fit the bill. It was a biography of one of his favorite authors----Stephen King, one of America's most ________ fiction authors. But it wasn’t ____________ for King himself---early in his ____________, he got hundreds of rejection(退稿) notices. Samuel wanted to be a great __________ and King was his role model.

Samuel immediately___________ one of the books he had piled up yesterday, and in minutes, he found all except one--- the Stephen King book. “What a ____________!” he thought, “The one that I want to find is the one that I can't find”

Samuel took a walk __________the shop, knowing that people often pick up something in one place and then leave it in another. The book was a thick paperback with a red cover. But it was _________ to be found.

So for Samuel, the big ____________ was on. Every bookshop he went to would involve a search for the King book. This new search added the ___________ to his bookshop life.

Samuel had held something special in his hands. But only when he ____________ did he realize its value. When he found it again, it would _________ be his favorite book that he never got around to reading.

1.A. found B. bought C. missed D. ordered

2.A. got B. asked C. refused D. intended

3.A. habit B. attitude C. mind D. emotion

4.A. relationship B. computer C. library D. choice

5.A. office B. apartment C. bed D. desk

6.A. house B. plan C. stove D. thirst

7.A. decided B. offered C. hoped D. agreed

8.A. because B. unless C. when D. if

9.A. popular B. qualified C. traditional D. unsuccessful

10.A. important B. terrible C. tiring D. easy

11.A. childhood B. calendar C. career D. creation

12.A. writer B. collector C. thinker D. reader

13.A. took B. spotted C. selected D. ignored

14.A. deal B. book C. joke D. pity

15.A. into B. outside C. towards D. throughout

16.A. nowhere B. somewhere C. anywhere D. everywhere

17.A. inspiration B. shopping C. hunt D. walk

18.A. goal B. curiosity C. pressure D. money

19.A. think it overB. got it through C. finished it off D. let it go

20.A. formally B. certainly C. possibly D. generally

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科目：高中英語 來源：2015-2016學(xué)年湖北沙中學(xué)高二下第一次半月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：七選五

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

Although problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn’t mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or the other, you’ll have to stand up and say – problem, I don’t want you in my life.

1. Problems with friends, parents, girlfriends, husbands, and children – the list goes on. Apart from these, the inner conflicts within ourselves work, too. These keep adding to our problems. Problems come in different shapes and colors and feelings.

But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.

Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help. 2. Talking helps you move on and let go.

Write your problems. 3. When you write down your problems, you are setting free all the tension from your system. You can try throwing away the paper on which you wrote your problems. By doing this, imagine yourself throwing away the problems from your life.

Don’t lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don’t lose faith and hope. Even if you lose all your money, family… you should still have faith. 4.

Your problems aren’t the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there’re another one million people whose problems are huger than yours. 5. Your problems might just seem big and worse, but in reality they can be removed. Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.

A．But the truth is that when you talk about it, you’re setting free the negative energies that have been gathering within you.

B．When we have a problem, a pressing, critical, urgent, life-threatening problem, how do we try and solve it?

C．We can often overcome the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct attack.

D．Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don’t want a real person to talk with.

E．With faith and hope, you can rebuild everything that you lose.

F．Of course, we’ve been fighting troubles ever since we were born.

G．Tell yourself: when they can deal with them, why can’t I?

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科目：高中英語 來源：2015-2016學(xué)年湖北沙中學(xué)高一下第一次半月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

Foxes and farmers have never got on well. These small dog-like animals have long been accused (控告)of killing farm animals. They are officially considered as harmful and farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them.

Farmers can do call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population . Hunting consists of hunting a fox across the countryside, with a group of specially trained dogs, followed by men and women riding horses. When the dogs eventually catch the fox , they kill it or a hunter shoots it.

People who take part in hunting think of it as a sport ; they wear a special uniform of red coats and white trousers , and follow strict codes of behavior. But owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy.

It is estimated (估計(jì)) that up to 100,000 people watch or take part in fox hunting . But over the last couple of decades the number of people against fox hunting , because they think it is cruel, has risen sharply. Nowadays it is rare for a hunt to succeed without some kind of confrontation between hunters and hunt saboteurs（阻攔者）. Sometimes these incidents lead to violence, but mostly saboteurs fight with the hunt by misleading riders and disturbing the search of the fox’s smell, which the dogs follow.

Noisy confrontations between hunters and saboteurs have become so common that they are almost as much a part of hunting as the hunting of foxes itself. But this year supporters of fox hunting face a much bigger threat to their sport. A Labour Party Member of the Parliament, Mike Foster, is trying to get Parliament to pass a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal. If the law is passed, wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in Britain.

1.What is special about fox hunting in Britain?

A. It involves the use of a deadly poison.

B. It is a costly event which rarely happens.

C. The hunters have set rules to follow.

D. The hunters have to go through strict training.

2.A new law may be passed by the British Parliament to ________

A. keep farmers from hunting foxes.

B. forbid hunting foxes with dogs.

C. stop hunting wild animals in the countryside

D. prevent fox hunting in large numbers

3.Which can replace the underlined word in paragraph 4?

A. reunion(聯(lián)合) B. conversation(對話)

C. conflict(沖突) D. relationship

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科目：高中英語 來源：2015-2016學(xué)年甘肅天水市高一上學(xué)期期末英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

The Enigma（謎）of Beauty

The search for beauty spans centuries and continents．Paintings of Egyptians dating back over 4,000 years show both men and women painting their nails and wearing makeup．In 18th-century France, wealthy noblemen wore large wigs (假發(fā)) of long, white hair to make themselves attractive．Today, people continue to devote a lot of time and money to their appearance．

There is at least one good reason for the desire to be attractive: beauty is power．Studies suggest that good-looking people make more money, get called on more often in class, and are regarded as friendlier．

But what exactly is beauty? It’s difficult to describe it clearly, and yet we know it when we see it．And our awareness of it may start at a very early age．In one set of studies, six-month-old babies were shown a series of photographs．The faces on the pictures had been rated for attractiveness by a group of college students．In the studies, the babies spent more time looking at the attractive faces than the unattractive ones．

The idea that even babies can judge appearance makes perfect sense to many researchers．In studies by psychologists, men consistently showed a preference for women with larger eyes, fuller lips, and a smaller nose and chin while women prefer men with large shoulders and a narrow waist．According to scientists, the mind unconsciously tells men and women that these traits—the full lips, clear skin, strong shoulders—equal health and genetic well-being．

Not everyone thinks the same way, however．“Our hardwiredness can be changed by all sorts of expectations—mostly cultural,” says C．Loring Brace, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan．What is considered attractive in one culture might not be in another．Look at most Western fashion magazines: the women on the pages are thin．But is this “perfect” body type for women worldwide? Scientists’ answer is no; what is considered beautiful is subjective and varies around the world．They found native peoples in southeast Peru preferred shapes regarded overweight in Western cultures．

For better or worse, beauty plays a role in our lives．But it is extremely difficult to describe exactly what makes one person attractive to another．Although there do seem to be certain physical traits considered universally appealing, it is also true that beauty does not always keep to a single, uniform standard．Beauty really is, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder．

1.People’s ideas about beauty _______．

A．have existed since ancient times

B．can be easily described

C．have little influence on a person’s success

D．a(chǎn)re based upon strict criteria

2.In Paragraph 3, the babies in the study _______．

A．were rated for their appearance

B．were entered in a beauty contest

C．were shown photos of a group of college students

D．were able to tell attractive faces from unattractive ones

3.The underlined word “traits” in Paragraph 4 probably means _______．

A．Qualities

B．measurements

C．Judgments

D．standards

4.We can learn from the passage that _______．

A．the ideas of beauty vary as people grow up

B．the search for beauty is rooted in lack of confidence

C．the standards for beauty are based on scientific researches

D．the understanding of beauty depends on cultural backgrounds

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科目：高中英語 來源：2016屆廣東省四校高三上學(xué)期期末聯(lián)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(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。

For college students, graduation signals an exciting new beginning. 1. Many students wonder: What do I do now? What career is best for me? Most expert advice on choosing careers boils down to the following points.

Knowing Yourself

What are your interests? Abilities? Skills? 2. The results may surprise you! These can be useful, but they’re not the last word.

Investigating

Investigating occupations is much more difficult. For most people, there isn’t just one ‘right’ job, but several that could be satisfying. 3. Talk to people who have occupations that interest you. Find out what they like and dislike about their job.

4.

Many people choose their careers because they believe strongly in a particular cause. Some might choose to work in areas like medicine, charity or environmental protection. Some have a strong interest in history or a love for the arts. 5. So in cases like these, the field is often chosen first, rather than the occupation itself. So if you’ve chosen a field, self-assessment will help you find your place in it. Invest some time and effort, and find the right career for you.

A. Try a self-assessment quiz.

B. Search through books and Web sites.

C. Finding your place.

D. But it can also bring a lot of uncertainty and confusion.

E. Serious research helps narrow the possibilities

F. Research your chosen field carefully. What work needs to be done? What training is needed?

G. Then they might think about education, museums or art production.

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