A letter to the editor(编辑)

13 October

Dear Editor,

    I am writing to ask what has happened to the young. They are not as polite, hardworking or clever as my generation(一代人). I'll give you an example.

    Last Friday, I got on the underground at 9:15 a.m. it was very busy so there were no free seats. There were some teenagers(青少年) sitting on the seats near me. I don't know why they were not at school. They were talking loudly and laughing. It was difficult to read my newspaper with all the noise. A heavily pregnant(怀孕的) woman and her daughter got on at the next stop, with lots of shopping bags. I expected the teenagers to let them sit down. They slowly did so but gave me an impolite look. I took off at the next stop and was glad that the teenagers didn't follow me.

    I worried about the future of our country. How could these young people become responsible (有责任心的)workers and parents? They sit around McDonald's after School instead of going to the library like I did at their age. Maybe they have too much money. Perhaps another reader can give us an idea about what to do with this "lost generation ".

                                                               Franz Johnson

A reply to Mr. Johnson's letter

                                                                  20 October

                                                                                       

Dear Editor,

I read Mr. Johnson’s letter about the problem of today’s young people with much interest.

He described teenagers on a train not giving seat to a pregnant woman and her daughter. I was the woman. We must have seen things differently. I found the teenagers helpful and kind. Did Mr.

Johnson see the teenagers help me off the train? Did he see them carry me shopping bags to a taxi for me? Did he see them friendly to my daughter? Obviously(明显地) not.

"Older" people often say today's youth isn't as good as their generation. Their parents said that about them. Mr Johnson must accept(接受.) that the world is changing and young people are changing with it. I find today's young people are changing with it. I found today's young people mostly kind and more fun than my generation.

Perhaps Mr. Johnson should really try to get to know some young people before he calls them the "lost generation".

                                                               Linda  Black                                                                                                     1. Mr. Johnson wrote the letter to          .                              

   A. ask for help from the newspaper          B. find the way to solve the problem

   C. show his worry towards the young        D. teach the young people a lesson

2. When Mr. Johnson was young, he usually          after school.

    A. went to the library                        B. read newspaper

    C. went to McDonald' s                      D. helped people in trouble   

3. In the second letter, Mrs. Black         .

     A. discussed the problem with the old

     B. told another story about the young people 

     C. wanted to show her thanks to the young people

     D. wanted the "older" to understand the young

4. Which of the following is the correct order of what happened?

    ①Mrs. Black wrote to the newspaper.

 ②Mrs. Black took a taxi With her daughter.

③Mrs. Black got on the train with her daughter.

    ④Mr. Johnson asked the young to give her seat.

    ⑤Mr. Johnson thought the young might follow him.           

    A. ②③④⑤①    B. ③②④⑤①       C. ③④⑤②①    D. ⑤③①④②

5. From the two letters we can learn that             .

      A. Mrs. Black didn't like the old like Johnson 

      B. people have different ideas about the young 

      C. older people are more helpful than the youth  

      D. people should talk more about the same story

In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的). No one had told them about the British custom (习惯)of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus .
Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty. In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means ‘no’. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
In Europe it’s quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid (避免)touching the head of an adult ——it's just not done in Thailand .
【小题1】 The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen _________.

A．were foreigners	B．didn't have tickets
C．made a loud noise	D．didn't line up for the bus

【小题2】Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A．If you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you only need to learn the language of the country.

B．In India it is considered polite to touch an adult’s head.

C．To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is a common habit.

D．In Bulgaria, if you don’t want to drink, you should cover the cup with your hand.

【小题3】 The best title for this article is ________.

A．People's Everyday Life	B．Mind Your Manners
C．Habit is quite important	D．Language and customs

In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited . About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way . Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的 . No one had told them about the British custom (习惯)of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus .
　　Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .
　　In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means 'no' . At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up . If you think that you have had enough , you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
　　In Europe it quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble . Also, you should try to avoid (避免)touching the head of an adult (成人) ——it's just not done in Thailand .
【小题1】The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen______

A．were foreigners	B．didn't have tickets
C．made a loud noise	D．didn't line up for the bus

【小题2】 According to the article, if you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you should ____ 

A．learn the language of the country

B．understand the manners and customs of the country

C．have enough time and money

D．make friends with the people there

【小题3】In India it is considered impolite ___________.

A．to use the right hand for passing food at table.

B．to pass food with the left hand.

C．to eat food with your hands.

D．to help yourself at table.

【小题4】To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is _______.

A．a common (平常的) habit	B．an important manner
C．a serious (严重的) trouble	D．a bad manner

 In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited . About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way . Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的 . No one had told them about the British custom (习惯)of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus .

　　Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .

　　In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means 'no' . At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up . If you think that you have had enough , you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.

　　In Europe it quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble . Also, you should try to avoid (避免)touching the head of an adult (成人) ——it's just not done in Thailand .

1.The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen______

A．were foreigners                        B．didn't have tickets

C．made a loud noise                       D．didn't line up for the bus

2. According to the article, if you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you should ____ 

A．learn the language of the country

B．understand the manners and customs of the country

C．have enough time and money

D．make friends with the people there

3.In India it is considered impolite ___________.

A．to use the right hand for passing food at table.

B．to pass food with the left hand.

C．to eat food with your hands.

D．to help yourself at table.

4.To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is _______.

A．a common (平常的) habit                 B．an important manner

C．a serious (严重的) trouble                 D．a bad manner