Asking for information or help is a very common and necessary activity, especially when we visit a foreign country. So knowing how to ask for information politely is important. In English, "Where are the restrooms?" and "Could you please tell me where the restrooms are?" are similar requests—both are correct English, but the first could sound rude. It's important to use correct language, but sometimes this alone is not enough—we need to learn how to be polite when we make requests.
In English, just like in Chinese, we change the way we speak when talking with different people. The expressions you use might depend on whom you are speaking to or how well you know them. If you say to your teacher, "Where is my book?" this will sound rude. But if you say, "Excuse me, Mr West. Do you know where my book is?" your question will sound much more polite. On the other hand, it might be alright to say "Where is my book?" in some situations, perhaps with people you know well.
And you would not usually say, "Peter, lend me your pen. " A very direct order like this can sound rude in English. Usually in English polite questions are longer and include extra language, such as "Could you please...?" or "Can I ask...?" It sounds more polite to say, "Peter, could you please lend me your pen?" Sometimes we might even need to spend some time leading in to a question or request. For example, if you stop a stranger in the street, we might first say, "Excuse me. I wonder if you can help me. " or "I'm sorry to trouble you but," before asking them for help.
It might seem that speaking politely is more difficult than being direct, and in a way this may be true. However, in order not to offend people, learning about the language etiquette is just as important as learning grammar or vocabulary. And doing this will also help you become better at English, or any other language you wish to speak.
1. It's important to know how to_ _in English when we visit a foreign country.
2. When you talk with different people, you need to__ _.
3. Extra words are used to help__ ___.
4.._ _is as important as learning language structure.
5. How do you say " Don't smoke here. " politely? "_ __*
A new study suggests that the more teenagers watch television, the more likely they are to develop depression (抑郁症) as young adults.
The researchers used a national long-term survey of healthy young teenagers of about 13—16 to find out the relationship between media(媒体) use and depression. They based their findings on more than 4000 young teenagers who were not depressed when the survey began in 1995.
As part of the survey, the young people were asked how many hours of television or videos they watched daily. They were also asked how often they played computer games and listened to the radio. Here was the result. The young people spent five and a half hours a day using media and more than 2 hours of that was spent watching TV.
Seven years later, in 2001, more than 7% of the young people had signs of depression. The average age at that time was 21. Brian Primack at the University of Pittsburgh medical school was the lead author of the new study. He says every extra hour of television meant an 8% increase in the chances of developing signs of depression.
The researchers say they did not find any such relationship with the use of other media such as movies, video games or radio. But the study did find that young men were more likely than young women to develop depression given the same amount of media use.
Doctor Primack says the study did not find out if watching TV causes depression directly. But one possibility, he says, is that it may take time away from activities that could help prevent depression, like sports and social activities. It might also prevent a person from sleeping well, he says, and that could have an influence.
The study was just published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
In December, the journal Social Indicators Research published a study of activities that help lead to happy lives. Researchers from the University of Maryland found that people who describe themselves as happy spend less time watching television than unhappy people. The study found that happy people are more likely to be socially active, to read, attend social services and to vote.
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Process of the study |
Details |
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The purpose of the research |
To find out 1. between media use and depression |
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At the beginning of the research |
2. was made among over 4000 young people who were not depressed. |
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The result of the survey |
These young people spent five and a half hours a day in using media and they spent over 2 hours or that 3. |
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Seven years later |
Researchers found 7% of the young people had a sign of depression. Every extra hour of watching TV meant an 8% increase in the chances of developing signs of depression. |
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Results of the study |
1. Watching TV might have 4. and it may take time away from activities and sports. 2. Young men get more chance than young women to develop depression. 3. The reason some people get depression is that 5. |
根据语境或句意，从所给词的适当形式填空，并将答案填写在答题卡指定的位置
1."I'd like to help ______ with their schoolwork. " "You could volunteer in an after-school study program. " (kid)
2.Teresa likes crispy cookies. They are hard, dry and _ _ broken, (easy)
3. Martin was_ in Chinese history after he came to China and he read a lot about it. (interest)
4. Spending time with our family and friends _very important to us Chinese, (be)
5. Our teachers encourage us to join the volunteer project to help _ _. (other)
根据语境或句意，从各题括号中选择一个词填空，使句子意思正确，并将答案填写在答题卡指定的位置。
1. "What would you do if you cut_ by accident?" " I should cover the cut and press it hard." (yourself, yourselves)
2. Block September is a very_ thriller, but I think it's boring, (success, successful)
3. "Shall I get some flowers for my mom?" "No, that's not special _ _. " (enough, too)
4. Jenny's mother asked her out on school nights. It was not safe outside, (to go, not to go)
5. To Kevin's _________ he found so many people playing beach volleyball in very hot weather. (surprised, surprise)
A couple of years ago, I went to Australia for a meeting with my friend, Chris. We decided to drive across country to Brisbane after the meeting ended. The drive was going to take four days and most of it was across the desert, 81
The first day was a lot of fun as we were excited and laughing at each other's stupid jokes. By the third day of driving in the seemingly endless desert, we began to get bored. We had been quiet for a few hours when in the distance Chris found some kangaroos. We were both excited and decided to get a closer look. 82 We got closer and closer, and Chris was doing 110 kilometers per hour. We were very close to the kangaroos—too close—when we heard a loud BANG!
Chris stopped the car and we got out. Behind the car was a larger kangaroo lying completely still on the ground. 83 He took off his sunglasses and put them on the kangaroo and did the same with his jacket. Then, he put his arm around the kangaroo and told me to take a photo of them together. 84 While I was focusing the camera, I saw the kangaroo move. It suddenly woke up, looked at Chris, and jumped away into the distance before we could do anything.
I started laughing but Chris looked very serious. 85 I started laughing even harder. I stopped laughing, however, when he said that our car keys were also in the jacket!
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A. Chris speeded up to catch up with the kangaroos. B. He said his wallet and passport were in the jacket. C. In order to get there in three days, we drove very fast. D. so we had to take food, water, and extra gas with us. E. Chris went over to the kangaroo and put his baseball cap on its head. F. I was still surprised, but I took out my camera. |
When I was a teenager growing up in Russia, I wanted to leave school and have my own life. The only way I could do this was to work in the local brick factory in my town, or get married. I was nervous when I told my father I wanted to leave school. I thought he would say, " No! You are going to college. " He took me by surprise when he said, "OK. We'll go to the brick factory. "
Two days later, he took me to the factory. I had a very romantic idea of working in a factory. ' I had imagined everyone to be friends working together and having fun. I even imagined there would be music and singing. I guess I had watched too many movies as a teenager.
When we arrived at the factory gates, my father spoke to the guard and one minute later we were inside. My father said, "Take your time. Look around." I walked around the factory looking at the building, the workers, and listening to the noise. It was horrible. I ran back to my. father and said, "I want to go home. "
He asked me, "What do you think of the factory?"
"It's terrible," I replied.
"And marriage is even worse!" he said.
I went back to school the next day thinking about studying hard so I could get into a good college. I enjoyed studying English so I decided to major in languages at college. Thanks to my father and our trip to the brick factory, I now work at the United Nations and my father is very proud of me. I married a very good man and my life is much better than it would have been working in the factory!
1. The writer lived in_________ when she was a teenager.
A. Russia B. Japan C. China
2.At first she thought life in the factory would be _ _ than in school.
A. more careful B. more colorful C. more beautiful
3.When she told her father that she wanted to leave school, he expressed his disagreement________.
A. by doing nothing B. in a special way C. by saying nothing
4. After they visited the factory, the girl________.
A. decided to work there B. decided to get married C. changed her mind
5.The underlined word "horrible" means "_ _" in Chinese.
A. 糟糕的 B. 紧张的 C. 浪漫的
