What is small talk? It means that the conversation is about some little things, which are not important. You can make a small talk while waiting in line at the store, or waiting for the bus or the elevator. Though the topics in small talk are not important, small talk itself is very important. It makes people relaxed, it breaks the silence, it shows friendliness(友谊) and good manners(行为), and it makes the time quickly.
In small talk, it is important to remember to smile and keep the conversation relaxed. It’s also good to show a sense of humor(幽默). You can talk about the weather, an interesting story in the news or on TV, a sports event, a play or a movie, or you can ask those parents about their new babies.
What shouldn’t you talk about? Well, you shouldn’t talk about politics(政治) or religion(宗教). Also, you should not talk too long on a topic(话题) or ask questions that are too personal. Give other people a chance to speak and listen to what they say.
阅读短文内容，回答下列问题。
【小题1】What does small talk mean?
【小题2】Is small talk important? Give one example.
 
【小题3】What should you remember when you make a small talk with other people?
 
【小题4】Can you talk about the weather in small talk? Why?
 
【小题5】What shouldn’t you talk in a small talk?
 

News one: As the pace of life in big cities is getting faster, people are looking for more ways to relax. Let’s take a look at one way people are reducing stress in Beijing. The game is “Room Escape”. “Room Escape” was originally a computer game. In recent years, it has been adapted to a real life game. There are more than 10 places in Beijing where people can play this game.
According to the rules, the players are first taken to a house with several iron doors. They then need to find a way out of the house in one hour. Different houses have different ways of escaping, all of which require players’ bold(大胆的), careful thought, and teamwork.
News two: The Chinese government has published a list of 24 guidelines(指南) on how to take better care of parents. They are a modern update to 24 old stories about respectful children from the Yuan Dynasty.
The guidelines list 24 things to do with parents, including giving them a call every week, teaching them to use the internet, and supporting single parents’ remarriage. The guidelines stem from a Yuan Dynasty book, about 24 filial-hearted children who treated their parents very well. It is a value younger generations should never forget.
【小题1】Why do people play “Room Escape”?

News one: As the pace of life in big cities is getting faster, people are looking for more ways to relax. Let’s take a look at one way people are reducing stress in Beijing. The game is “Room Escape”. “Room Escape” was originally a computer game. In recent years, it has been adapted to a real life game. There are more than 10 places in Beijing where people can play this game.

According to the rules, the players are first taken to a house with several iron doors. They then need to find a way out of the house in one hour. Different houses have different ways of escaping, all of which require players’ bold(大胆的), careful thought, and teamwork.

News two: The Chinese government has published a list of 24 guidelines(指南) on how to take better care of parents. They are a modern update to 24 old stories about respectful children from the Yuan Dynasty.

The guidelines list 24 things to do with parents, including giving them a call every week, teaching them to use the internet, and supporting single parents’ remarriage. The guidelines stem from a Yuan Dynasty book, about 24 filial-hearted children who treated their parents very well. It is a value younger generations should never forget.

1.Why do people play “Room Escape”?

A．They play it for fun                      B．They want to know how clever they are.

C．They want to find out different ways of escaping.    D．To relax themselves.

2.They must escape from the house__________.

A．in an hour         B．in two hours       C．in several hours     D．in at least an hour

3.To escape from the house, they don’t need___________.

A．a strong body      B．to act fearfully      C．to think carefully    D．to work together

4.What should we not do to our parents?

A．Teach them to get online                  B．Often talk with them

C．Ask them to marry again                  D．Treat them carefully

5.What does News Two tell us?

A．It asks us to read books from Yuan Dynasty.

B．It asks us to give our parents money.

C．It asks us to respect our parents.

D．It asks us to give them a call.

 News Reports

What’s more important to students? Most Chinese students would say doing well in exams. Not British students! British students aged 13—19 think having a good time with their friends is more important. Many British boys would even leave school early for a good job! British girls worry more about their studies than boys.

Do you have to carry a heavy bag to school? Students at a high school in Kansas, America, have just had a meeting with their city’s mayor(市长) to complain about their heavy bags. They said their bags are giving their necks and backs hurt. The mayor said students may do more of their homework online in the future to give their backs a rest!

TV Is Good for You

Are your parents always telling you to stop watching Tv because it’s bad for you? Well, an American study says that television can teach students things they can’t learn in the classroom. It found that the students who wtched the US comedy show Friends learned important lessons about how to get on with their classmates.

根据材料内容，完成下面的表格。

(8)

John, Bob and Bill are friends. I don’t know what each of them does. I only know: one of them is a teacher; one is a doctor and one is a worker. I know too: John is older(比---大) than the teacher; the worker is younger (比---小)than Bob; and Bill is not as old as (不比---大) the worker. Please tell :          

4.John is a ___________;    5.Bob is a ____________;  6.Bill is a ___________.