听力原文:W: I am sharing a room with three students this semester. Because we come from different countries, we are so different that we aren't getting along very well with each other.
M: We provide a homestay program too. You could choose an American family and live with them next semester.
W: What benefits can a homestay program provide?
M: There are lots of benefits. First, with an American family, the living environment will be relaxing and quiet. Second, you will learn a lot about American culture. Third, it's a perfect way to improve your English. Fourth, you may make good friends with your homestay family. Finally, they will also give you plenty of advice about living in the U. S.
W: Is it expensive to live with an American family?
M: The cost usually runs from $500 to $700 per month, and the contract period may be for a semester or for a year.
W: How should we get along with the host family?
M: Always ask your host family questions when you don't completely understand something, or if you aren't sure that you have understood. Interact frequently with all members of the house- hold and keep good relations with them. Try something new whenever you can, e. g. , food, customs, activities, holiday celebrations, etc.
W: If someone in my host family says something, either out of misunderstanding of or prejudice against my country, what should I do?
M: Don't be angry. Instead, be patient and tactfully educate them about the things they have misunderstood. And remember, always respect others' privacy.
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A.She shares a room with three students and the rent is too high.
B.She isn't getting along well with her roommates.
C.The cost of living with an American family is too high.
D.She feels offended when someone in her host family is prejudiced against her.
There are two sorts of people in the world, who with equal degrees of health, and wealth, and the other comforts of life, become, the one happy, and tile other miserable. This arises very much from the different views in which they consider things, persons, and events.
In whatever situation men can be placed, they may find conveniences and inconveniencies; in whatever company, they may find persons and conversation more or less pleasing; at whatever table, they may meet with meats or drinks of better and worse taste, dishes better or worse dressed; in whatever climate they will find good and bad weather; under whatever government, they may find good and bad laws, and good and bad administration of those laws; in every poem or work of genius they may see faults and beauties; in almost every face and every person, they may discover fine features and effects, good and bad qualities.
Under these circumstances, the two kinds of people above mentioned fix their attention, those who are to be happy, on the conveniences of things, the pleasant parts of conversation, the well-dressed dishes, the goodness of the wines, the fine weather, and enjoy all with cheerfulness. Those who are to be unhappy, think and speak only of the contraries. Hence they are continually discontented themselves, and by their remarks sour the pleasures of society, offend personally many people, and make themselves everywhere disagreeable. If this turn of mind were founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The tendency to criticize and to be disgusted is perhaps taken up originally by imitation, and is unawares grown into a habit, which at present strong may nevertheless be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their felicity.
I hope this little admonition may be of service to them, and put them on changing a habit, which in the exercise is chiefly an act of imagination yet has serious consequences in life, as it brings on real grieves and misfortunes. For many are offended, nobody loves this sort of people, no one shows them more than the most common civility and respect, and scarcely that; and this frequently puts them out of humor, and draws them into disputes and contentions. If they aim at obtaining some advantage in rank or fortune, nobody wishes them success, or will stir a step, or speak a word, to favor their pretensions. If they incur public censure or disgrace, no one will defend or excuse, and many join to aggravate their misconduct, and render them completely odious. If these people will not change this bad habit, and condescend to be pleased with what is pleasing, without fretting themselves and others about the contraries, it is good for others to avoid an acquaintance with them, which is always disagreeable, and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one finds one's self entangled in their quarrels.
An old philosophical friend of mine grown from experience, was very cautious in this particular, and carefully avoided any intimacy with such people. He had, like other philosophers, a thermometer to show him the heat of the weather, and a barometer to mark when it was likely to prove good or bad; but, there being no instrument invented to discover, at first sight, this unpleasing disposition in a person. He for that purpose made use of his legs, one of which was remarkably handsome, the other, by some accident, crooked and deformed. If a stranger, at the first interview, regarded his ugly leg more than his handsome one, he doubted him. If he spoke of it, took no notice of the handsome leg, that was sufficient to determine my philosopher to have no further acquaintance with him. Every body has not this two-legged instrument, but every one with a little attention, may observe signs of that carping, faultfinding disposition, and take the same resolution of avoiding the acquaintance of those infected with it. I therefore advise those critical, querulous, dis
A.their comforts of life
B.their minds
C.their feelings
D.their health and wealth
We know that many animals de not stay in one place. Birds, fish and other animals move from one place to another at a certain time. They move for different reasons: most of them move to find food more easily, but others move to get away from places that are too crowded.
When cold weather comes, many birds move to warmer places to find food. Some fishes give birth in warm water and move to cold water to feed. The most famous migration (迁移) is probably the migration of fish, which is called "salmon". This fish is born in fresh water but it travels many miles to salt water. There it spends its life. When it is old, it returns to its birthplace in fresh water. Then it gives birth and dies there. In northern Europe, there is a kind of mouse. They leave their mountain homes when they become too crowded. They move down to the low land. Sometimes they move all the way to the seaside, and many of them are killed when they fall into the sea.
Recently, scientists have studied the migration of a kind of lobster (龙虾). Every year, when the season of bad weather arrives, the lobsters get into a long line and start to walk across, the floor of the ocean. Nobody knows why they do this, and nobody knows where they go.
So, sometimes we know why humans and animals move from one place to another, but at other times we don't. Maybe living things just like to travel.
Most animals move from one place to another at a certain time to ______.
A.give birth
B.enjoy warmer weather
C.find food more easily
D.find beautiful places
Most people don't enjoy facing the difficult situations that sometimes occur with coworkers in the workplace. Such situations may arise from honest disagreements over design or engineering issues, personnel or benefits matters, management decisions or actions, or from any other situation where human impressions and objectives differ.
There could be double trouble for engineers who are more likely to feel at home with electrons and bytes(信息组), and behave in highly predictable ways, than with coworkers, who often appear arbitrary and unpredictable. For those of us who have internalized the strict and measurable rules of the physical world, dealing with other people can be both disappointing and frustrating.
Yet how you manage situations of conflict with your coworkers could have a significant impact on your career, often even more than your engineering prowess or your design skills. Those who deal successfully with potential conflicts are far more likely to receive added responsibilities and promotions, in addition to the pay increases and respect that come with them. On the other hand, not dealing successfully with conflict can potentially relegate you to a career backwater, with technical challenges and high pay passing you by.
Why is dealing with conflict an important skill today? It's primarily because there's more of it now than in the past. Workers of all types are more likely to speak up for their own ideas or actions, rather than follow the dictating corporate chain of command. Conflict also sometimes arises as a result of unclear company goals, or when those goals aren't shared equally by all. Rather than working for a single common good, employees and managers seek individual goals, such as promotion, job security, experience, money, and even the proverbial free lunch.
Not only is actual conflict greater today, but even the potential for interpersonal conflicts in the workplace is far greater than at any time in the past. One reason for this is increased time-to-market pressures. The need to rapidly make decisions, establish an engineering direction, and meet project milestones adds elements of tension and stress to an already difficult endeavor.
This makes the workplace a potential minefield for interpersonal conflict. It's especially apparent to an engineer in a position of responsibility, like a project leader or an engineering manager. For an engineer who must work with others to complete a project, the need to manage conflict can spell the difference between success and failure.
Which of the following statements is true' according to the passage?
A.Minefields are becoming common in the workplace.
B.Workplace conflict can arise from honest disagreements.
C.Workers today are less equipped to deal with workplace conflict.
D.Companies are finding new ways to deal with workplace conflict.