How to Say No Respectfully
Like most people, your natural instinct (本能) is probably to help others when you can. 1. Whether you’re declining an invitation to a party or turning down a new project at work, you can say no while still being respectful. Whatever the situation is, be clear, polite and firm when saying no.
Express your thanks. 2. If you have to turn someone down, express your thanks that they thought of you in the first place. You could say something like, “Thanks for considering me responsible enough to watch your kids. I’m sorry that I’m busy that evening.”
Think before you speak. If you say no immediately, it might seem like you didn’t even consider the request. In order to be respectful, take a moment to think about your answer—even if you already know what it is going to be. 3.
Give a clear answer. Saying no respectfully shows that you’re honest and direct. 4. If you can’t help, say so. If someone is asking you on a date and you don’t want to go, make that clear.
5. You can say no without completely turning down the request. By setting boundaries, you can make it clear exactly what you can do and what you are willing to do. For example, you could say, “I’m not free for dinner, but I would be coming for a quick drink after work.”
A.Find a way to compromise (妥协).
B.Take a pause, and then kindly say no.
C.But sometimes, you just need to say no.
D.It’s strange to feel guilty for turning someone down.
E.Make it clear that you sincerely appreciate being asked.
F.If you feel it necessary, you can also provide a reason for your answer.
G.Do not give people false hope that you will be able to satisfy their request.
There is a huge need for shark fins (鳍) in Asian countries. As a result, many sharks are caught and killed. According to reports, sharks are being killed at an shocking rate (速度) of up to 273 million worldwide every year.
Some experts predict that if the killing continues at the current rate, many shark species will be lost forever. It can be very dangerous. Sharks are very important and they should be protected.
In a study of the east coast of the United States, 11 species of sharks were eliminated from their range. Of the 14 species of ocean life that those sharks used to eat, the populations of 12 exploded and caused great damage to the ecosystem. For example, the cownose ray (鳐) population was no longer kept under control by sharks and so grew out of control. As a result, the rays destroyed the population of bay scallops (扇贝), their favorite food. The scallop fishery, which had been in good condition for over 100 years, was destroyed completely. Also, the removal of the scallops most likely had an effect on water quality as they were no longer there to perform their function (功能) of cleaning the water.
Sharks tend to eat very efficiently (高效地), going after the old, sick, or slower fish in a population, keeping that population healthy. Sharks help keep many populations of ocean life to the right size so that those prey (猎物) species don’ t do harm to the ecosystem by becoming too populated. The ocean ecosystem is made up of very complex (复杂地) food webs. For the most part, sharks are at the top of these webs and are considered by scientists to be “keystone” species, meaning that removing them may cause the whole structure to fall apart. Therefore, we should protect sharks because doing so is to protect the whole ecosystem.
1.According to the passage, in Asian, people kill sharks mainly because ________.
A.sharks are dangerous for people B.there are too many sharks
C.shark fins are in great need D.sharks often attack swimmers
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “eliminated” in Paragraph 4?
A.Fed. B.Removed. C.Charged. D.Protected.
3.After the number of cownose rays greatly increased, ________.
A.water quality improved as well B.bay scallops grew out of control
C.there are more food for shark D.the local scallop fishery was harmed
4.What can we know about sharks from Paragraph 4?
A.They can’t find enough food to feed on.
B.They never eat the old, sick or slower fish.
C.Their large populations can harm the ecosystem.
D.They play a key role in keeping the ecosystem healthy.
As any homemaker who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis and his co-workers carried out their study by videotaping (录像) the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings (兄弟姐妹). Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is a non-event.”
1.The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A.show the relationship between parents and children
B.teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table
C.report on the findings of a study
D.give information about family problems
2.Parents with large families ask fewer questions at dinner because _________.
A.they are busy serving food to their children
B.they are busy keeping order at the dinner table
C.they have to pay more attention to younger children
D.they are tired out having prepared food for the whole family
3.By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.
A.have to help their parents to serve dinner
B.get the least attention from the family
C.are often kept away from the dinner table
D.find it hard to keep up with other children
4.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A.It is important to have the right food for children.
B.It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner.
C.Parents should talk to each of their children frequently.
D.Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner.
The word “music” is easier to use in practice than to explain. Music is a reminder (提醒物) of how things once were, a symbol of how things are and a view of where society is headed. Music can bring us back to memories we wish to never forget, or bring us hope when we feel that all is lost. According to Nietzsche, “Nothing is worth living for without music.” And Albert Einstein once said, “Without the music education in my childhood, I would succeed in nothing.”
Most of us enjoy different kinds of music just to entertain (娱乐). Are there other reasons for us to listen to music? Some types of music can make us feel relaxed. After a long workday, classical music or certain types of jazz can physically relax our bodies and take our attention away from the cares of the day—at least for a while. On the other hand, loud, fast music with a strong beat can excite us. In fact, sometimes we may prefer one kind of music, but at other times, that’s the last thing we want to listen to.
Music also affects our feelings. Movie music can most clearly show this. If you close your eyes in an action movie or a disaster movie, you can pretty much tell what’s happening on the screen by the music alone. The same is true for a love story. Film composers (作曲家) such as John Williams get paid big money for their ability to change your feelings from moment to moment. So what’s going on between you and music? Clearly, music and feelings are closely connected in some non-physical way.
1.Why are Nietzsche and Albert Einstein mentioned in Paragraph 1?
A.To show music helps people succeed. B.To show the development of music.
C.To show the importance of music. D.To show music is everywhere.
2.Which of the following statements would the author agree with?
A.Classical music is more popular than jazz.
B.Entertainment is the whole story of music.
C.An artist’s character decides his music style.
D.People need different music at different times.
3.According to the last paragraph, what is film composers’ ability?
A.They can introduce different music to people.
B.They can produce an effect on people’s feelings.
C.They can connect with people non-physically.
D.They can help people become confident.
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A.The Power of Music B.Different Kinds of music
C.The True Meaning of Music D.The Entertainment Value of music
UMass Lowell’s OAP Trips
UMass Lowell’s Outdoor Adventure (冒险) Program offers all kinds of outdoor trips to people. Below is the information about our trips.
HIKING
Some of the most beautiful mountains are only a few hours away from UMass Lowell. No matter the season, we explore these great places. We hike up mountains to watch the bright fall colors or fresh green of spring. We experience the wonderland of winter on our winter day hikes. Whether it is your first time or 50th, these hiking trips are packed full of fun and adventure.
BIKING
Our biking trips include day road biking trips and overnight biking trips. On day trips, we enjoy local greenways like the Nashua Rail Trail or the Minuteman Trail On overnight trips, we may travel to places like Cape Cod or Portland Maine. We also take breaks to enjoy the beaches, lighthouses, parks and small towns that we pass along the way.
SURFING
Our surfing trips travel to Hampton Beach, NH in the fall and Narragansett, RI in the spring. Beginners spend the first 1-1.5 hours with a surfing instructor starting on land and then getting into the water. The rest of the time is available to catch waves.
SNOWBOARDING (单板滑雪)
New England winters are known for the snowfall. Our snowboarding trips take advantage of winter conditions to get members out on the white. We spend one weekend at a popular place like Killington, VT, which offers different paths. We spend an evening at Crotched Mountain, which offers campfires and live music to enjoy.
1.What do we know about HIKING?
A.It usually lasts a few days. B.It may include big dangers.
C.It’s available all the year round. D.It’s especially fit for beginners.
2.What can you do during BIKING?
A.Climb some famous mountains. B.Visit some places as a tourist.
C.Enjoy some sea food. D.Live in small towns.
3.Which trip should you choose if you want to enjoy music around campfires?
A.HIKING. B.BIKING.
C.SURFING. D.SNOWBOARDING.
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
There was a rich couple who was throwing a big New Year party at their house. So they went shopping at the market where everything was of high cost and fixed price. They wanted to maintain their level of standard so they didn’t mind paying for it. After purchasing all they needed, they called a porter to carry everything and drop it at their home. The porter who came was of an old age, and looked very unhealthy, and his clothes were torn, and he looked as if he wasn’t even able to meet his daily needs.
They asked the porter about the charges for delivering their goods to their home. The old porter quoted just $20, well below the market price. Yet, the couple argued and bargained with the porter and finally settled for $15. The porter was struggling to make even one time’s meal so he needed anything he could earn.
The couple was very happy thinking how well they bargained with the poor porter and paid him $15 in advance and left after giving the porter their address for delivery. They reached their home and one hour passed, and two hours passed, but the porter still didn’t deliver their stuff.
The wife started to get angry at her husband, “I always tell you not to trust such person, but you never listen to me. I am sure instead of delivering the goods to our home, he must have disappeared with everything. We must immediately go back to the market to inquire and then to the police station to file the complaint against him.”
They both left towards the market. On their way near the market, they saw another porter. They stopped him to inquire about the old porter and noticed that he was carrying their goods in his cart! The angry wife asked him, “Where is that old thief? This is our goods and he was supposed to deliver them. It seems you poor thieves are stealing our goods and going to sell them.”
Paragraph 1:
When the porter heard the angry wife asking.
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Paragraph 2:
Upon hearing this, the husband had tears in his eyes,
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