Everybody hates it, but everybody does it. A recent report said that 40％of Americans hate tipping. In America alone, tipping is a $16 billion-a-year industry. Consumers acting politely ought not to pay more than they have to for a given service. Tips should not exist. So why do they? The common opinion in the past was that tips both rewarded the efforts of good service and reduced uncomfortable feelings of inequality. And also, tipping makes for closer relations. It went without saying that the better the service, the bigger the tip.

    But according to new research from Cornell University, tips no longer serve any useful function. The paper analyzes numbers they got from 2,547 groups dining at 20 different restaurants. The connection between larger tips and better service was very weak. Only a tiny part of the size of the tip had anything to do with the quality of service.

    Tipping is better explained, by culture than by the money people spend. In America, the custom came into being a long time ago. It is regarded as part of the accepted cost of a service. In New York restaurants, failing to tip at least l5％ could well mean dissatisfaction from the customers. Hairdressers can expect to get l5％-20％, and the man who delivers your fast food $2. In Europe, tipping is less common. In many restaurants the amount of tip is decided by a standard service charge. In many Asian countries, tipping has never really caught on at all. Only a few have really taken to tipping.

    According to Michael Lynn，the Cornell papers’ author, countries in which people are more social or outgoing tend to tip more. Tipping may reduce anxiety about being served by strangers. And Mr. Lynn says, “In America, where people are expressive and eager to mix up with others, tipping is about social approval. If you tip badly, people think less of you. Tipping well is a chance to show off.”

1.This passage is mainly about________.

    A. different kinds of tipping in different countries

    B. the relationship between tipping and custom

    C. the origin and present meaning of tipping

    D. most American people hate tipping

2. Which of the following best explains the underlined phrase “caught on” ?

    A. Been hated．                     B. Become popular．

    C. Been stopped．                   D. Been permitted

3. Among the following situations, in your opinion, who is likely to tip most?

    A. A Frenchman just quarreled with the barber who did his hair badly in New York.

    B. A Chinese student enjoyed his meal in a famous fast food restaurant in New York.

    C. A Japanese businessman asked for a pizza delivery from a Pizza Hut in New York.

    D. An American just had a wonderful dinner in a well known restaurant in New York.

4.We can infer from this passage that________.

A. tipping is no longer a good way to satisfy some customers themselves

B. tipping has something to do with people’s character

C. tipping in America can make service better now

D. tipping is especially popular in New York

I really hadn't meant to yell（吼叫）at them．But that grey afternoon saw it just as my son and daughter were making a terrible mess on the floor in the kitchen．

With a tiresome report to write，I felt bothered at my desk．Suddenly, it occurred to me that my kids were at fault．A voice inside me insisted that I do something quickly．

“OK，you two here．but what an awful thing you are attempting!” shouting angrily, I made for them, while it became evident that the boy wanted no part of me．“Get away from us!” he shouted back，there being expression of support from his sister．

All of a sudden，I found the fault in myself．Quickly I shaped my hands into pincers（螃蟹螯）and crawled towards them，“Crabby（似螃蟹的）Daddy is here Ha，Ha，Ha，he likes to yell at children，and then eat them!” My son continued to keep me away，but now he was laughing and crying at the same time．My mission to repair the damage caused by my yelling seemed to work well．Still，I regretted not having controlled myself first in a right way that my children could do after．

Need I let them know how badly they were acting by blaming? This is a lesson that serves myself．It only shows just how to get rid of something（ill-feelings，responsibility）by blaming others．It's not my “best self”．

We have to search for our “best self” when with our children．They don't need perfect parents，but they do need parents who are always trying to get better．Here，I'm reminded of the words of a great thinker，“When a man lives with God，his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook…” Then，in our lifetime，couldn't we always speak to our kids in such a sweet voice since，most of us consider them as the most precious in the world? And before we reach this level，what should we do when we come across various difficult cases with our children?  

The author couldn't help yelling at his kids this time probably because______．

       A．the weather was so unpleasant    B．a Daddy has his right to do so

       C．the kids didn't ask him to join them      D．he was tired of his boring work

Which of the following made the author aware of his fault?

       A．No obvious reason．   B．The children’s reaction．

       C．His self-control．           D．The mess made by the children．

According to the passage the author will    in another similar situation．

       A．play a crab again like this time      B．apologize to kids in a sincere way

       C．avoid blaming kids in a hurry       D．beat them up about such things

What will the writer go on to write about in the next paragraph（s）?

       A．How to behave ourselves properly when kids are at fault．

       B．How to blame our children in a more interesting way．

       C．How to deal with the terrible mess made by our kids．

       D．How to persuade children to do what they are told to．

How would you like to learn more without having to study more？Here’s how：

1．Get to bed and go to sleep.Your performance，attention，and the ability to concentrate are damaged by lack of sleep.Teenagers need nine to ten hours of sleep a night for best performance.

2．Feed your head.The brain runs badly if it doesn’t get enough fuel.That means protein(蛋白质)and complex carbs (复合碳水化合物)－eggs and wheat bread for breakfast，say，rather than sugary cereal(含糖的麦片粥)and orange juice.The biggest mistake teens make is not to have breakfast or to go for sugar，which raises blood sugar levels.

3．Body exercise is brain exercise.Body exercise really improves brain performance，perhaps because it increases blood flow，or perhaps because it reduces stress and anxiety(焦虑).Twenty minutes of activity a day that raises your heart rate will do great good.

4．Learn now what you want to remember for the rest of your life.Teenage brains are much better at remembering things than the brains  of young children or adults.Scientists aren’t sure why.Whatever the reason，the teenage years are the time to learn new languages and master other lifelong skills.

5．Learn the power of risk taking.Adults are always worried about the downside of teenage risk?taking，and it’s true that teenagers are more likely than adults to get themselves in trouble by drinking and driving.But the fact that the parts of the brain that drive people to try new，risky，and exciting things appear to be more developed in teenagers can be a huge advantage.Pick certain challenges－difficult sports，a hard job，mastering a performance art，traveling overseas－and the teenage brain is able to deal with them.They have this power they’re given to go out and do it without fear.

6．Learn what you love.Because emotional(情感的)systems develop fast in teenager brains，teenagers learn things they’re interested in quickly and well.Their brains give them tools like attention on the project.

1.According to the passage，teenagers should have　　　　for breakfast.

A．wheat bread and eggs                    B．sugar and orange juice

C．sugar and bread                        D．wheat bread and orange juice

2.Body exercise plays a part in all the following EXCEPT　　　　.

A．making people less anxious                B．raising heart rate

C．reducing blood pressure                  D．reducing stress

3.The underlined word “downside” in the passage probably means　　　　.

A．excitement                            B．disadvantage

C．benefit                               D．power

4.It can be learned from the passage that　　　　.

A．teenagers learn quickly when they are fond of something

B．teenagers should be forbidden to drive

C．scientists know why teenagers have a good memory

D．teenagers need less sleep than adults

A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C．Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended．In a natural reflex （反应）, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her．I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar．But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money．I just need help finding the post office.”

     In an instant, I realized what I had done．I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be．I hated what I saw in myself．This incident re-awakened my belief in humility(谦恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment．

     The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S．at the age of 15．I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer.

     In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏见)．I remember a time, at age 17 ----- I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me．I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better．

     But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going．That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness．She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open．By the way, I helped that lady to the post office．And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson．

We can learn from the first two paragraphs that __________ ．

       A．the author regretted his act of prejudice

       B．the blind woman needed the money badly

       C．the author was as poor as the blind woman

       D．the author was a native American

According to Paragraph 4, hearing the father’s words, the author was probably _____ ．

       A．rather hurt     B．very excited      C．deeply moved      D．greatly inspired

According to the passage, the author probably agrees that one should ________ ．

       A．be nice to the elderly and the disabled

       B．try to experience different kinds of life

       C．treat others equally with love and respect

       D．think about one’s past as often as possible

Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

       A．Learn from your past

       B．How my dream comes true

       C．A belief that will never change

       D．A priceless lesson in the street

A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C．Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended．In a natural reflex （反应）, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her．I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar．But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money．I just need help finding the post office.”

     In an instant, I realized what I had done．I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be．I hated what I saw in myself．This incident re-awakened my belief in humility(谦恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment．

     The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S．at the age of 15．I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer.

     In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏见)．I remember a time, at age 17 ----- I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me．I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better．

     But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going．That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness．She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open．By the way, I helped that lady to the post office．And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson．

 We can learn from the first two paragraphs that __________ ．

         A．the author regretted his act of prejudice

         B．the blind woman needed the money badly

         C．the author was as poor as the blind woman

         D．the author was a native American

【小题２】According to Paragraph 4, hearing the father’s words, the author was probably _____ ．

         A．rather hurt     B．very excited      C．deeply moved      D．greatly inspired

【小题３】According to the passage, the author probably agrees that one should ________ ．

         A．be nice to the elderly and the disabled

         B．try to experience different kinds of life

         C．treat others equally with love and respect

         D．think about one’s past as often as possible

【小题４】Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

         A．Learn from your past

         B．How my dream comes true

         C．A belief that will never change

         D．A priceless lesson in the street