2017年武漢大學考博英語真題5

Reading Comprehension 5

Of all the people on my holiday shopping list,there was one little boy for whom buying a gift had become increasingly difficult.He's a wonderful child,adorable and loving,and he's not f irritable or spoiled.Though he lives across the country from me,I receive regular updates and photos,and he likes all the things that the boys his age want to play with.Shopping for him should be easy,but I find it hard to summon up any enthusiasm,because in all the years I've giv presents,he never once sent me a thank-you note.

"Sending thank-you notes is becoming a lost art,"mourns Mary Mitchell,a syndicated columnist known as"Ms.Demeanor"and author of six etiquette books.In her view,each generation,compared with the one before,is losing a sense of consideration for other people."Without respect,"she says,"you have conflict."

Ms.Demeanor would be proud of me:I have figured out a way to ensure that my children always send thank-you notes.And such a gesture is important,says Ms.Demeanor,because"a grateful attitude is a tremendous life skill,an efficient and inexpensive way to set ourselves apart in the work force and in our adult lives.Teach your children that the habit of manners comes from inside―it's an attitude based on respecting other people."

A few years ago,as my children descended like piranhas on their presents under the Christmas tree,the only attitude I could see was greed.Where was the appreciation of time and effort?

A thank-you note should contain three things:an acknowledgement of the gift(Love the tie with the picture of a hose on it);a recognition of the time and effort spent to select it(You must have shopped all over the state to find such a unique item!);a prediction of how you will use your gift or the way it has enhanced your life(I'll be sure to wear it to the next Mr.Ed convention!).

So,five years ago,in one of my rare flashes of parental insight,I decided that the most appropriate time to teach this basic courtesy is while the tinsel is hot.To the horror of my children,I announced that henceforth every gift received will be an occasion for a thank-you note written immediately,on the spot.I have explained to my kids how I have reacted to not hearing from the little boy―how it made me fell unappreciated and unmotivated to repeat the process next year.

I have reluctantly given my kids the green light to send e-mail thank-you notes;though hand-lettered ones(at least to me)still seem friendlier.But pretty much any thank-you makes the gift giver feel special―just as,we hope,the recipient feels.It's a gesture that perfectly c the spirit of the holidays.

17．The author felt unmotivated when buying a gift for the little boy because he ________.

A．purposely intended not to show gratitude for her kindness and consideration

B．had never expressed appreciation of the gifts he received in previous years.

C．had no idea how thoughtful she was in choosing a gift for him

D．didn't like any of the gift she had given him

18．According to Ms.Demeanor,showing appreciation has the benefit of ________.

A．forming the habit of good manners

B．regaining the lost art of expressing thanks

C．motivating the gift giver to buy more gifts

D．distinguishing oneself from others in work and life

19．In a thank-you note,"The book will be my good companion when I am alone"serves as ________.

A．a recognition of the time and effort spent to select it

B．an announcement of how it has enhanced your life

C．a prediction of how you will use your gift

D．an acknowledgement of the gift

20．What does the author mean by"while the tinsel is hot(Line 2,Para.6)?

A．The moment her kids receive a gift.

B．The moment she starts choosing gifts for each kid.

C．When the art of sending thank-you notes isn't lost yet.

D．When her kids still remember who bought the gifts for them.

【參考翻譯】

在我假日購物清單上的所有人當中，有一個小男孩買禮物變得越來越困難。他是一個很好的孩子，可愛又可愛，他不暴躁也不嬌生慣養(yǎng)。雖然他住在離我很遠的地方，但我定期收到他的最新消息和照片，他喜歡和他同齡的男孩玩的所有東西。為他買東西應該很容易，但我發(fā)現(xiàn)很難鼓起任何熱情，因為在我送禮物的這些年里，他從來沒有給過我一封感謝信。

“發(fā)送感謝信正在成為一種失傳的藝術，”被稱為“Ms”的專欄作家瑪麗·米切爾（Mary Mitchell）表示。他著有六本禮儀書籍。在她看來，與以前相比，每一代人都在失去為他人著想的意識?！皼]有尊重，”她說，“你會有沖突?！?/p>

特拉姆女士會為我感到自豪的：我已經(jīng)找到了一種方法，確保我的孩子們總是給我發(fā)感謝信。特拉姆女士說，這樣的姿態(tài)很重要，因為“感恩的態(tài)度是一種巨大的生活技能，是一種高效、廉價的方式，可以讓我們在工作和成年生活中脫穎而出?！苯逃愕暮⒆?，禮貌的習慣來自內心——這是一種基于尊重他人的態(tài)度。

幾年前，當我的孩子們像披著禮物的水虎魚一樣在圣誕樹下降落時，我能看到的態(tài)度就是貪婪。時間和努力的價值在哪里?

一封感謝信應該包含三個方面：確認的禮物（愛的領帶的照片一個軟管）；承認所花費的時間和精力來選擇它（你必須有購物的找到這樣一個獨特的項目?。?，預測你將如何使用你的禮物或者是它提高了你的生活方式（我一定會穿它到下一個先生約定?。?。

因此，五年前，在我少有的一次親歷親為中，我決定最合適的時間來教授這種基本的禮貌，是在金箔很燙的時候。令我的孩子們驚恐的是，我宣布從今以后，我收到的每一份禮物都將成為一個當場寫感謝信的機會。我向我的孩子們解釋了我對沒有收到這個小男孩的消息的反應——這讓我感到不被欣賞，也沒有動力在明年重復這個過程。

我不情愿地給我的孩子們發(fā)電子郵件感謝信；盡管手寫的感謝信（至少對我來說）看起來更友好。但幾乎所有的感謝——你讓送禮物的人感到特別——就像我們希望的那樣，接收者也會有特別的感覺。這是一種完美的姿態(tài)——節(jié)日的精神。

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2017年武漢大學考博英語真題匯總