2017年武汉大学考博英语真题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.

【参考翻译】

在我假日购物清单上的所有人当中，有一个小男孩买礼物变得越来越困难。他是一个很好的孩子，可爱又可爱，他不暴躁也不娇生惯养。虽然他住在离我很远的地方，但我定期收到他的最新消息和照片，他喜欢和他同龄的男孩玩的所有东西。为他买东西应该很容易，但我发现很难鼓起任何热情，因为在我送礼物的这些年里，他从来没有给过我一封感谢信。

“发送感谢信正在成为一种失传的艺术，”被称为“Ms”的专栏作家玛丽·米切尔（Mary Mitchell）表示。他著有六本礼仪书籍。在她看来，与以前相比，每一代人都在失去为他人着想的意识。“没有尊重，”她说，“你会有冲突。”

特拉姆女士会为我感到自豪的：我已经找到了一种方法，确保我的孩子们总是给我发感谢信。特拉姆女士说，这样的姿态很重要，因为“感恩的态度是一种巨大的生活技能，是一种高效、廉价的方式，可以让我们在工作和成年生活中脱颖而出。”教育你的孩子，礼貌的习惯来自内心——这是一种基于尊重他人的态度。

几年前，当我的孩子们像披着礼物的水虎鱼一样在圣诞树下降落时，我能看到的态度就是贪婪。时间和努力的价值在哪里?

一封感谢信应该包含三个方面：确认的礼物（爱的领带的照片一个软管）；承认所花费的时间和精力来选择它（你必须有购物的找到这样一个独特的项目！），预测你将如何使用你的礼物或者是它提高了你的生活方式（我一定会穿它到下一个先生约定！）。

因此，五年前，在我少有的一次亲历亲为中，我决定最合适的时间来教授这种基本的礼貌，是在金箔很烫的时候。令我的孩子们惊恐的是，我宣布从今以后，我收到的每一份礼物都将成为一个当场写感谢信的机会。我向我的孩子们解释了我对没有收到这个小男孩的消息的反应——这让我感到不被欣赏，也没有动力在明年重复这个过程。

我不情愿地给我的孩子们发电子邮件感谢信；尽管手写的感谢信（至少对我来说）看起来更友好。但几乎所有的感谢——你让送礼物的人感到特别——就像我们希望的那样，接收者也会有特别的感觉。这是一种完美的姿态——节日的精神。

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2017年武汉大学考博英语真题汇总