In most languages, a greeting is usually followed by “small talk”. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a conversation.
In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather: “Nice day, isn’t it?” “Terrible weather, isn’t it?” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something which both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. People usually agree about the weather, so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion or politics so these are not suitable topics for small talk in English. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching: “Great game, isn’t it?” At bus stops, people may comment about the transport system: “The bus service is terrible, isn’t it?”
Greetings and small talk are an important part of conversation in any language. The way people great each and the things they talk about, however, may be different from one language to another. This shows that there is much more to learn when we learn a language than just the vocabulary and the grammar of the language. We also have to learn the social behavior of the people who speak it.
【小题1】Small talk ___.

He has got a chair to sit _____ , but nobody to talk _____.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and he quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills greatly during a year abroad before college, learning from a cook in Italy and studying local specialties in Germany, Spain and France. At Yale, he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handedly frying and baking while mixing drinks for dozens of friends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named Campus Cuisine about his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmates how to do things like making drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around, with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network.

Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the network television. He says Lieberman’s charisma is key. “Food TV isn’t about food any more,” says Flay. “It’s about your personality and finding a way to keep people’s eyeballs on your show.”

But Lieberman isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful, inexpensive and easy-to-make menu to serve on its flights, and Lieberman got the job.

1.We can learn from the text that Lieberman’s family _______.

A．have relatives in Europe                  B．love cooking at home

C．often hold parties                       D．own a restaurant

2.The Food Network got to know Lieberman ________.

A．at one of his parties                     B．from his teachers

C．on a television program                   D．through his taped show

3.What does the word “charisma” underlined in the text refer to?

A．A way to show one’s achievement.         B．Lieberman’s after-class interest.

C．Lieberman’s fine cooking skill.            D．A natural ability to attract others.

4.Why did the airline company give Lieberman the job?

A．He could prepare meals in a small kitchen.

B．He could cook cheap, delicious and simple meals.

C．He was famous for his shows on Food TV.

D．He was good at using eggs to make sandwiches.

5.What can we learn about Lieberman from the text?

A．He is friendly and active.                  B．He is clever but lonely.

C．He enjoys traveling around.                D．He often changes his menus.

Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. "The door to his room is always shut." Joanna noted.

Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. "She used to sit in my arms on the sofa and talk with me," said Mark. "Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring out which time is which."

Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what's on their minds. "In fact, parents are first on the list." said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. "This completely changes during the teen years." Riera explained. "They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last."

Parents who know what's going on in their teenagers' lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.

1."The door to his room is always shut" suggests that the son_______.

A．is always busy with his studies

B．doesn't want to be disturbed

C．keeps himself away from his parents

D．begins to dislike his parents

2.What troubles Tina and Mark most is that _______.

A．their daughter isn't as lovely as before

B．they can't read their daughter's mind exactly

C．they don't know what to say to their daughter

D．their daughter talks with them only when she needs help

3.which of the following best explains "the wall of silence" in the last paragraph?

A．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends.

B．Teenagers do not want to understand their parents.

C．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents.

D．Teenagers talk little about their own lives.

4.What can be learned from the passage?

A．Parents are unhappy with their growing children.

B．Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers.

C．Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers.

D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers.