How to politely refuse an invitation
Have you ever received an invitation that you couldn’t accept? Do you have difficulty in refusing it without hurting someone’s feelings?1.If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. In fact, this happens to most people at some time in their lives. Here are some tips on how to turn down an invitation in a polite way.
2.Putting the invitation aside to deal with it later isn’t good for you or the person who sent it. He needs to know whether or not you will be there. Ignoring the invitation shows that you don’t know proper etiquette(礼节), and you might be left off the guest list for his next party.
Be honest. You don’t ever have to come up with false excuses for why you’re unable to go to the event, but you also don’t have to go into details.3. That will be enough.
Ask for a different time. If the invitation is not proper for you, let the person know you’re unable to make it at the time he requested.4. In this way, both of you won’t feel uncomfortable about the event.
Don’t over-explain.5. Long and unclear explanations will make it sound like you’re just trying to come up with excuses.
A. Don’t ignore the invitation.
B. Don’t respond immediately.
C. Let him know that you already have plans.
D. Do you wonder what you should send to the inviters?
E. If you can’t make it, keep your explanation short and to the point.
F. Does it trouble you to turn someone down?
G. But tell him you’d love to get together with him at another time.
The first day my new teacher walked into our school in Spanish Harlem, I burst out laughing. Ron Clark was this young white guy from North Carolina who talked with a funny Southern accent（口音）. He said he used to be a singing waiter. I thought, Who is this guy? He's a complete joke.
It was 1999 and I was in the fifth grade at New York City's P.S. 83. I guessed I'd spend most of the year in the headmaster's office. I'd always been a troublemaker. I'd get shouted at, and then the teachers would give up on me. I thought that's what would happen with Ron Clark.
I was wrong. That first week, I kept laughing at him. He pulled me out to the hallway and said I'd better shape up（表现好）. "Tamara," he said, "you're a smart kid. You can do better."
He told me I was a natural leader and that I'd go far in life if I started studying hard. I was mad at first, but then something happened: I began to respect him. There were 29 students in our class, and it didn't take long for us to realize that Ron Clark was no ordinary teacher.
Like most teachers, he had lots of rules: Treat each other like family. Don't cut in line. But the real difference was how concerned he was. Mr. Clark ate with us in the lunchroom instead of going to the teachers' day-room. At first, my friends and I were thinking, What is he doing?
He asked us what was going on in our lives. Between classes, he came outside with us, and we taught him how to jump rope. When it snowed, Mr. Clark, who'd never seen snow before, threw us with snowballs, and we threw him back.
Before coming to P.S. 83, he taught at Snowden Elementary in his hometown, Belhaven, North Carolina. His parents were DJs( 流行音乐节目主持人)at dance clubs, so he grew up with music and energy. He wanted a life of adventure, he told me, but his mom encouraged him to ask for a position at Snowden when one of the teachers passed away. Mr. Clark ended up loving it. He came to Harlem because he'd seen a TV show about our troubled schools and the lack of qualified teachers. He wanted a challenge. Boy, did he get one.
1.The reason why I burst out laughing the first day my new teacher walked into our school was that .
A. he used to be a singing waiter.
B. he walked into our school by mistake.
C. he’s a joke.
D. Ron Clark came from North Carolina but talked with a funny Southern accent.
2.The reason for saying “I was wrong” was that .
A. she kept laughing at him that first week.
B. he was a teacher quite different from others.
C. she got shouted at.
D. she’d been a troublemaker.
3.Ron Clark went to teach at Snowden because .
A. a teacher there died.
B. the school there was troubled.
C. he could live a life of adventure there.
D. there were no qualified teachers there.
4.Which is FALSE about Mr. Clark?
A. He had not seen snow before.
B. He did not know how to jump rope.
C. He did not teach before coming to Harlem.
D. He thought he was a qualified teacher.
As early as 2005, there were a number of new stories about dog cloning(克隆) and cat cloning. Animal cloning had been old news for nearly a decade by then, with the revolutionary (革命的) cloning of Dolly the sheep in Scotland.
However, Snuppy was the first pet, a dog, to be cloned. Since the cloning of Snuppy, there has been some very successful cloning of pets and other animals. Lou Hawthorne started BioArts while cloning his beloved mixed-breed dog Missy. Hawthorne was very pleased with the results of the cloning, producing three successful clones that were very alike to the original in character and behavior. In January, 2009, a Florida couple, Ed and Nina Otto, announced that they had paid to have their dog cloned by BioArts.
All new technology is overpriced. For example, personal computers were not very affordable at first. Only after the producing process was improved was it possible for every family to have a computer. How much room there will be for organizations to reduce the price point on pet cloning without broad demand is of course questionable.
There are many great dogs and cats that can be found at the local dog pound ( 野狗收容所) or are given away for “free to good homes” in classified ads (分类广告). However, there is no limit to the value people place on a beloved pet. The Ottos are a good example of that. If people can buy a dog or cat with predictable behavior and characteristics, there is value in that. There is a predictable market here, though it may always be limited in size.
While pet cloning has not taken off as some hoped, it’s clear that it will become a bigger market in the future and it will be increasingly possible for people to try this out. With the inevitable (不可避免的) success that cloned pet owners will have, the practice will become more widely accepted and it seems inevitable that there is a future for cloned dogs and cats.
1.What is the main idea of this passage?
A. The brief introduction of pet cloning. B. The behavior of cloned animals.
C. The cases of pet cloning. D. The history of pet cloning.
2.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Pet cloning will be accepted by everyone.
B. New technology of pet cloning will be invented.
C. Human cloning may one day become a reality.
D. The price of pet cloning may not be cheap.
3.Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word in the third paragraph?
A. cheap B. wonderful
C. expensive D. various
4.What does the author think of the market of pet cloning?
A. Negative B. Not clear
C. Indifferent D. Optimistic
If you are invited to a wedding, baby shower or other celebrations, you will be expected to bring a gift. Unless you know the host very well, the gift should be modest in value, about $25 or so.
For a wedding ， the bride will have "registered ( 登 记 )" at one or two local department stores，indicating the items she prefers．You can buy the couple a gift that isn’t listed , but most people buy something listed on the registry (记录簿). If you buy an item listed on the registry, be sure to tell the store that you are doing this, so that the couple doesn’t receive duplicate (重复的) gifts．For a baby shower，bring a gift appropriate for a new born baby．
If you wish to give a gift when you leave to return to your country, the best gift is something unique to your country. It does not need to be especially valuable or rare. Possibilities include a book about your country, an inexpensive piece of handicraft( 手工艺品)or art, or something else that reflects your culture. If the children collect coins and stamps, they would be very pleased with a set of your country’s coins or a selection of stamps from your country.
If you owe a debt of deep gratitude to an American host family, a common way of repaying it is to take the family to a form of entertainment, such as a baseball, basketball, or a good restaurant.
Gift giving is not as important in America as it is in other countries, so there is nothing wrong with not giving a gift. If you need help, talk to a salesperson at a department store. Tell them about the person who will be receiving the gift and the reason for the gift, and they will help you find something appropriate.
1.Why is collecting coins mentioned in the third paragraph?
A. To show the important role of coins as gifts.
B. To stress the popularity of coin collecting in America.
C. To give an example of selecting a unique gift.
D. To explain the relation between coins and culture.
2.What does the author intend to do in Para. 4?
A. Introduce a way to show gratitude.
B. Add some background information.
C. Summarize(总结) the previous paragraphs.
D. Recommend some family-friendly activities.
3.The writer develops the passage mainly by .
A. using numbers. B. giving examples.
C. giving reasons. D. telling stories.
4.Which can serve as a title for the text?
A. How to select a gift B. Gift giving in America
C. Where to buy a gift D. Celebrations in America
What do you plan to do this summer vacation? Do you want to travel over the sea, experience the ocean wave and enjoy the wonderful sea scenery? If that is what you want, come and sail on a Crystal Cruise ship (游轮). We have three ships: The Crystal Queen, The Crystal Princess, The Crystal Palace.
Come and sail in luxury (奢侈) on cruises around the Caribbean Sea for 7 or 14 days.
Our seven-day cruise costs $2,000 and our two-week cruise is $3,500. A typical one week cruise:
Day One— set off from Miami
Day Two— free day in Nassau, in The Bahamas Day Three— near Haiti
Day Four— visit Puerto Rico and Antigua Day Five— free day in Barbados
Day Six— free day in Port of Spain, Trinidad Day Seven— travel to Caracas, Venezuela Day Eight— fly home.
All food and drink is included in the price of your cruise (except for wines). Our cruise ships all have a cinema, a five-star restaurant, a theatre, a library and a gym. However, you have to pay extra money to enjoy the films and plays.
If you prefer to go on a cruise in another part of the world, we also organize cruises in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean.
Our ships carry over 2,000 passengers and we have nearly 600 crew members in all. So come on board today for the holiday of a lifetime!
Call immediately: 020-4455832
I'm sure you will enjoy your luxury cruise ship journey very much!
1.Which of the following ships is not mentioned in the passage?
A. The Crystal Palace B. The Crystal Prince
C. The Crystal Queen D. The Crystal Princess
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Travelers need to pay for $2,000 if want to sail in luxury on cruises for 14 days.
B. Travelers can wander around Barbados on the third day.
C. The ships can carry about 600 passengers.
D. Travelers can wander around the Caribbean Sea.
3.What can people do on the cruise ships for free?
A. See films in the cinema. B. Have some wines.
C. Do sports in the gym. D. Enjoy plays in the theater.
假设你是李华，你的美国朋友John对福建茶文化感兴趣，请你为他做简要介绍。
内容:
1. 福建是中国茶文化的发源地之一，有着悠久的历史；
2. 不同种类的茶造就了福建丰富的茶文化；
3. 喝茶已成为福建人增近亲情友情风俗习惯。
注意:
1. 词数100词左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾语已给出，不计入总词数.
Dear John，
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes.
Yours ,
Li Hua
