History of Broadway

    When people think of Broadway, they may think of that part of the world-famous road in New York City that runs between 42^nd and 53^rd Streets.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It is a billion-dollar industry that includes theatrical shows in New York and live theater entertainment throughout the world.

    New York's Theatre District has only 39 official Broadway houses. A play house must have 500 or more seats to be considered a Broadway theater.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Not all Broadway theatres arc located on Broadway. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, buildings on Wall Street and places such as City Hall may have served as smaller theaters, and other locations in downtown New York City also did.

    development of larger theaters away from the downtown area. Some people may have doubted these theaters would be successful, but they turned out to be.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} With the rise of the new theater district, downtown changed forever as people happily traveled to the outskirts (郊区) of the city to see the best in live entertainment.

    When these theaters began, many actors came from European countries. In 1857 actor Edwin Booth helped transform the Broadway theatre by popularizing a type of acting realism. Unlike actors before him, Booth did not stand still on the stage and simply deliver his lines.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Booth's style had a notable effect on the theater, and many considered him to be the greatest actor of his time.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Specifically, comedies and dramas often centred on then-current events such as women's right to vote, the Labor Movement, and war. Broadway developed again in 1866, and the Broadway musical was created. From then on actors entertained their audiences by singing and dancing accompanied by an orchestra.

    Now, Broadway is famous for various theatre productions and moving performances.

A. In fact, the shows have brought it fame throughout the world.

B. However, Broadway is much more than a geographical location.

C. Theatres, holding 100 to 499 people, are called Off-Broadway theatres.

D. Instead, he liked moving around and showing great emotion while acting.

E. Plays followed a popular style that encouraged typical characters and plots.

F. As this new style grew in popularity, the content of the shows began to change.

G. Madison Square Theater, built by the Mallory family in 1880, was one of them.

                                              How to get along with your boss

    In your career, you may have to report to a manager, the person you call boss.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are some tips to help you develop an effective relationship with your boss.

    The first step is to develop a positive relationship with your boss. Relationships are based on trust.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Keep timetable commitments (承诺). Never blindside (偷袭) your manager with surprises that you could have predicted or prevented. Keep him/her informed about your projects and interactions with the rest of the organization.

    Tell the boss when you've made an error or one of your reporting staff has made a mistake.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Lies or efforts to mislead always result in further stress for you as you worry about getting “caught”. Communicate daily or weekly to build the relationship.

    Recognize that success at work is not all about you.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Identify your boss's areas of weakness or greatest challenges and ask what you can do to help. What are your boss's biggest worries? How can your contribution reduce these concerns? Understand your boss's goals and priorities. Place emphasis in your work to match her priorities. Think in terms of the overall success of your department and company，not just about your narrow world at work.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Does he/she like frequent communication, autonomous employees, requests in writing in advance of a meeting, or informal conversation as you pass in the halfway? Your boss's preferences are important. The better you understand them, the better you will work with him/her.

    If you sometimes disagree and occasionally experience an emotional reaction, don't hold hatred. Don't make threats about leaving. Disagreement is fine. You need to come to terms with the fact that your boss has more authority and power than you do.

A. Do what you say you'll do.

B. Value your boss's time.

C. Cover-ups (掩饰) don't contribute to an effective relationship.

D. Identify what he/she values in an employee.

E. Put your boss's needs at the center of your universe.

F. The relationship with your boss is important for your work success and career progress.

G. Learning how to read your boss's moods and reactions is also helpful.

    A white elephant gift exchange is a popular holiday party game in, the United States. Generally, the party needs at least six participants, and' the larger the group: is, the more entertaining the game will be{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But it can result in heated competitions between players trying to get the gifts.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Sometimes, the rule is that the item must be previously owned, which means that you can exchange an unwanted item or trinket(小装饰品) with your friends. But sometimes you can buy a new but inexpensive item just for the party.

    Every participant is expected to bring one wrapped(包装好的) gift. A white elephant gift is usually something useless or inconvenient{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Guests are asked to wrap them nicely and leave no identifying markings on the presents.

    To start the game, a participant must act as the first player to choose a gift; this can be decided randomly or by picking numbers out of a hat{#blank#}4{#/blank#}As for the next player? This person can either “steal” the first person's gift or choose an unwrapped item from the pile. Each gift can be stolen only three times before it is considered "dead".

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Any person that has to give up a gift can also pick a new gift or steal one from another person. Each turn is only allowed three swaps between the current player and the previous players. The game won't finish until all the presents are opened.

A. It all depends on how the game is organized.

B. This process is repeated until the game is over.

C. Don't forget that the game's purpose is to have fun.

D. The first player then opens the gift in front of everyone.

E. White elephant gift exchange can be run in different ways.

F. The goal of the party is usually entertainment rather than gain.

G. Trinkets, unidentifiable kitchen items and toys are typical “white elephants” .

— What are you going to do this afternoon?

—I'll take them to the shoemaker's after lunch. I must have my walking shoes repaired.

—{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Something more interesting than shopping, I hope.

—{#blank#}2{#/blank#} I enjoy going round the big shops. If I finish shopping early enough, I may go to the cinema. There is a good film at the Regal Cinema this week.

—What's the film about?

—{#blank#}3{#/blank#} One of Hollywood's best pictures, I'm told. And what do you think about martial films?

—You know I don't like films of any sort. How often do I go to the cinema? Twice a year, perhaps. Most films are very foolish. I don't understand why people want to go to the cinema every week.

—{#blank#}4{#/blank#} They want to look like film stars. They want to live in the way film stars live.

—Yes, as I said, most films are very foolish and most of the people who go to films are very foolish.

—{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

—No, of course not, my dear. I wasn't thinking of you.

A. And is that true of me?

B. Oh, but I like shopping.

C. Why do you think so?

D. They want to wear clothes like those worn by film stars.

E. And what else are you doing?

F. I know nothing about it.

G. Black Hawk Down. A really good martial film.

How to Rent Your House

    Before handing the keys to your house over to a complete stranger for care, there are decisions you need to make. In fact, the decisions you make now, before searching for a tenant (房客), will make the biggest impact on the success of your rental. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

What Condition Do You Want Your House in?

    There is no end to the amount of improving you can do to your house before renting it out. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When is good enough, good enough?

    A house should be clean, empty (unless you are offering it “furnished”, which is uncommon) and free from any major repairs at the time the tenant moves in.

    Remember, the home does not need to be as fancy as you would want it to be. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Tenants will generally never take as good care of your house as you do―so don't spend too much time or money making unnecessary upgrades that will only be ignored or broken.

    Should You Use a Property Manager?

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you have the time, abilities, and energy to manage yourself―you can save a good deal of money by doing so. However, if you try to manage without the ability―it could end up costing you much more than what a property manager might charge.

    How Much Can You Rent Your House for?

    Luckily, discovering what the monthly rent will bear for your house is not difficult. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} In business, market research means to get out there and find out what others in your industry are charging; learning how much to charge for rent is no different. Your house will generally rent for about the same amount as other properties that are of similar location, size and condition.

A. The problem becomes learning when to stop.

B. No one wants to be a landlord with those problems.

C. The following are some questions to answer before you rent out you house.

D. Have a professional carpet cleaner clean the carpets before showing the property.

E. Look around at other rentals in your area and try to see what the typical quality is.

F. The best way to determine how much your house will rent for is to simply do market research.

G. The decision about whether to manage yourself or hire a property manager cannot be made by anyone other than you.

    After a long day at work, coming home is a breath of fresh air. Home is a comfortable place to sit back and relax. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Below are a number of things we can do to create a healthy home environment that will help to ease the workday stress and promote our physical and mental health.

    Cleaning the house regularly is the first thing we should do. It may seem like a tiring thing to clean but there is a reason for doing so. We can remove dust by cleaning the house. Leaving layers of dust everywhere means that there is a build-up of dust. And where do these layers of dust go?{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Making sure the rooms are full of sunlight is also important. We may not realize it but sunlight is an important part of our growth. We all know that sunlight promotes better working conditions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Think about using a Parans system where sunlight does not reach. This technology gathers the sunlight by using solar panels. It can send out sunlight wherever we are.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Going green will help to remove toxins(毒素)in the air. They also give off oxygen, which can lower stress and improve our moods.

    Along the lines of being green, it can also be vital to think about what things we are bringing into the house. Try to avoid specific plastics that are harmful to health. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} They may contain poisonous chemicals that can be breathed in, or simple absorbed through the skin.

A. However, is it as healthy as it can be?

B. Is our home as comfortable as it used to be?

C. Into our lungs.

D. The same thing applies to certain carpets and paint.

E. Besides, it can reduce both stress and high blood pressure.

F. It is also a good idea to add more plants in our house.

G. It is acknowledges that a greener lifestyle is linked to better health.