单选题
Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected,
means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for
patching up differences, apologizing, saying "no", criticizing, getting the
other fellow to do what you want without losing his face. For some jobs, it is
the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive
that serious dialogue may start a riot. For example, many believe that comedians
on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than are
people in any other forum. Humor is often the best way to keep
a small misunderstanding from escalating into a big deal. Recently a neighbor of
mine had a squabble with his wife as she drove him to the airport. Airborne, he
felt miserable, and he knew she did, too. Two hours after she returned home, she
received a long-distance phone call. "Person-to-person for Mrs. I.A. Pologize,"
intoned the operator. "That's spelled 'P' as in...". In a twinkling, the whole
day changed from grim to lovely at both ends of the wire. An
English hostess with a quick wit was giving a formal dinner for eight
distinguished guests whom she hoped to enlist in a major charity drive.
Austerity was a fashion in England at the time, and she had asked her children
to serve the meal. She knew that anything could happen—and it did, just as her
son, with the studied concentration of a tightrope walker, brought in a large
roast turkey: he successfully elbowed the swinging dining-room door, but the
back swing bespattered the bird onto the dining-room floor. The
boy stood rooted, guests stared at their plates. Moving only her head the
hostess smiled at her son, "No harm, Daniel," she said, "just pick him up and
take him back to the kitchen"—she enunciated clearly so he would think about
what she was saying—"and bring in the other one". A wink and a
one-liner instantly changed the dinner from a red-faced embarrassment to a
conspiracy of fun.
单选题
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Humor is the key to success in our work and our lives.
B. Humor enables us to cope with difficult situation effectively.
C. Humor is the only best way to criticize someone without losing his
face.
D. Humor makes fun of any difficult situations.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】文章中第一句“Humor is a most effective…means of handling the difficult situations…”可知选项B正确。
单选题
Which of the following is NOT stated in the passage?
A. Comedians on TV are believed to have done a lot in making people more
tolerant of racial and religious differences.
B. To make up differences, humor is a most acceptable as well as a most
effective means.
C. People often turn to humorous ways when meeting with difficult situation
because of its effectiveness.
D. Only by adopting the means of humor can one succeed in some
jobs.