There is a boy called Bill in my gym class who has unbearably yellow teeth that almost make everyone feel unpleasant. Recently another boy told Bill that he should “go Ajax” his teeth. Bill was crushed. If the other boy had been thinking, he would have realized that there is a better way to handle such a situation. He could have dealt with it with tact. He could have showed this hurtful truth in a more careful, sensitive way—that’s “tact”.
If a person isn’t sensitive to another’s feelings, there is no way he or she can be tactful. Yesterday, my 5-year-old brother proudly announced that he had cleaned the screen on our television set. Unfortunately, he used furniture polish, which produced an oily film on the television screen. My mother smiled arid thanked him for his efforts—and then showed how to clean the screen properly. Her sensitivity enables my brother to keep his self-respect. Yet, sensitivity alone does not make tact.
“Tactfulness” also requires “truthfulness”. Doctors, for example must be truthful. If a patient has just been disabled in an accident, a tactful doctor will tell the truth—but express it with sensitivity. The doctor may try to give the patient hope by telling them curing techniques under study or about advanced equipment now available. Doctors must use tact with patients’ relatives as well. Instead of bluntly saying, “Your husband is disabled,” a doctor might say, “I’m sorry, but your husband has lost feeling in his legs and. . .”
Tact should not be confused with trickery. Trickery occurs when a nurse is about to give a patient an injection（注射） and says, “This won’t hurt a bit. ” Instead of trickery, the nurse might guarantee the patient that the discomfort of the injection is a small thing compared to the benefits of it. It would also be thoughtful for the nurse to tell the patients about some of these benefits.
Tact is a wonderful skill to have, and tactful people are usually admired and respected. Without tact our society would become an intolerable place to live in.
1..
The underlined word “crushed” in the first paragraph probably means .
A. surprised B. cheated C. regretful D. painful
2..
According to the author, his mother’s praise for the brother is . A. sensitive and tactful B. sensitive but not tactful enough
C. truthful but not tactful enough D. sensitive but trickish
3..
Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
 |
A． B． C． D．
（The numbers stand for the paragraphs）
Many Americans take their summer vacations in August. President Obama and his family are among them. This August the first family visited the Florida Gulf Coast. The president wants to promote tourism in the area after the BP oil spill (漏油). The first family took a ten-day vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts.
Martha’s Vineyard is known for the sailing, sunsets and its tall cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The island is about 13 kilometers off the coast and is less than 260 square kilometers. Homes designed like those of earlier times line the streets of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. These are the major towns on Martha’s Vineyard.
For most of the year, the population of Martha’s Vineyard is about 15 000. In summer, more than 100 000 people crowd the island. In addition to the Obamas, you might see some Hollywood stars and other rich and famous people. Many visitors return year after year.
During warm weather the Vineyard is a good place for many different activities. People can play golf or catch fish. They can ride in sailboats or motor boats. They can waterski and swim. They can take quiet walks along sandy beaches and among the thick green trees.
One of the popular places for families with children is the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs. It is the oldest continually operated merry-go-round ride in the United States. The colorful wood horses that turn in a circle were created in 1876. One of the best places for children to swim is the Joseph A. Sylvia state beach. The water there is warmer and calmer. Families also enjoy the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary where they can observe much of the island wildlife.
Visitors watch the sunsets sitting on the beach and on rocks in the fishing village of Menemsha. As the sun goes down in the sky it paints yellow, red, and other colors on the clouds. Fishing boats rise and fall with the waves. Bells sound to help guide the boats to land as darkness covers the water.
Historians say British mapmaker Bartholomew Gosnold first made a map of the island for the rulers of England in 1602. Gosnold named the island to honor his baby daughter, Martha. The Vineyard part of the name came from the many wild grape vines Gosnold found on the island. Later, King Charles of England gave the island to businessman Thomas Mayhew of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, whose son established the first European settlement on the island in 1642. By the middle of the nineteenth century, ships from the American mainland began bringing visitors to the island. Big hotels were built near the edge of the water. Martha’s Vineyard was on its way to becoming the visitors center that it is today.
1..
We can infer that ______.
A. the BP oil spill has a negative effect on the tourism along the Florida Gulf Coast
B. the BP oil spill has contributed to the tourism along the Florida Gulf Coast
C. President Obama went to the Florida Gulf Coast to deal with the BP oil spill
D. this was the first time that President Obama and his family had taken the vacation on Martha’s Vineyard
2..
Which month is the peak time for tourism in Martha’s Vineyard?
A. January. B. August. C. December. D. March,
3..
If children want to see wild animals, the family should go to ______.
A. the Flying Horses Carousel B. the Sylvia state beach
C. the fishing village of Menemsha D. the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
4..
Bartholomew Gosnold named the island Martha in honor of _______.
A. his mother B. the king of England
C. his daughter D. his father
One morning I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather. Several times, it 31 several obstacles in its path. And after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour (绕道). 32 one point, the ant had to cross a crack about 10mm wide. After some 33
thoughts, the ant laid the feather over the crack, walked 34 it and picked the feather up on the other side, then continued on its way. I was 35 by the cleverness of this ant. It was only a small insect, lacking in 36 yet equipped with a brain to reason, explore, discover and overcome. 37 this ant, like the other two-legged creatures 38 on the earth, also shares human failings.
After some time the ant 39 reached its destination—a flower bed and a small hole that was the entrance to its 40 home. It was there that the ant met its 41 .How could that large feather possibly 42 such a small hole? Of course, it couldn’t. So the ant, after all this 43 and using great brightness, overcoming problems all along the way, just gave up the 44 and went home. The ant had not thought the problem through 45 it began its journey and in the end the feather was 46 more than a burden. Isn’t our 47 like that?
We worry about our families; we worry about the 48 of money; and we worry about all kinds of things. These are all burdens—the things we pick up along life’s path, and drag them around the obstacles and over the cracks that life will bring, only to 49 that at the destination they are
50 and we can’t take them with us.
1.. A. brought about B. got over C. came across D. dealt with
2. A. At B. For C. To D. With
3. A. brave B. tiring C. magic D. short
4. A. across B. through C. beside D. behind
5. A. frightened B. attracted C. annoyed D. satisfied
6. A. size B. height C. depth D. length
7. A. Therefore B. But C. Moreover D. Otherwise
8. A. working B. sleeping C. living D. walking
9. A. probably B. suddenly C. easily D. finally
10. A. underground B. lonely C. comfortable D. big
11. A. partner B. match C. parent D. friend
12. A. fit B. fix C. suit D. fill
13. A. decision B. pleasure C. trouble D. matter
14.A. insect B. problem C. hole D. feather
15. A. after B. until C. before D. once
16.A. nothing B. anything C. something D. everything
17.A. study B. aim C. dream D. life
18. A. waste B. lack C. worth D. danger
19. A. think B. find C. wonder D. warn
20. A. bad B. practical C. useless D. meaningful
Women’s earnings are well below men’s educational differences that are decreasing between the two sexes.
A. in spite of B. in favor of C. in case of D. in terms of
—What attracted you to our university?
—You have a great basketball team and I can for it.
A. work out B. look out C. carry out D. try out
The essay you wrote is excellent, which a rapid improvement on your recent work.
A. illustrates B. explains C. represents D. communicates
