“Sendingthank-younotesisbecomingalostart”mournsMayMitchellasyndicatedcolumnistknownas“MsDemeanor”andauthorofsixetiquette(礼节)books.Inhervieweachgenerationcomparedwiththeonebeforeislosingasenseofconsiderationforotherpeople.“Withoutrespect”shesays“youhaveconflict.”

Ms.Demeanorwouldbeproudofme:Ihavefiguredoutawaytoensurethatmychildrenalwayssendthank-younotes.AndsuchagestureisimportantsaysMs.Demeanorbecause“agratefulattitudeisatremendouslifeskillanefficientandinexpensivewaytosetourselvesapartintheworkforceandinouradultlives.Teachyourchildrenthatthehabitofmannerscomesfrominside---it’sanattitudebasedonrespectingotherpeople.”

Afewyearsagoasmychildrendescendedlikepiranhas(一种南美淡水鱼，喜吞食或攻击)ontheirpresentsundertheChristmastreetheonlyattitudeIcouldseewasgreed.Wherewastheappreciationoftimeandeffort?

Athank-younoteshouldcontainthreethings:anacknowledgementofthegift(Lovethetiewiththepictureofahoseonit);arecognitionofthetimeandeffortspenttoselectit(Youmusthaveshoppedalloverthestatefindsuchauniqueitem!);apredictionofhowyouwilluseyourgiftorthewayithasenhancedyourlife(I’llbesuretowearittothenextMr.Edconvention!).

SofiveyearsagoinoneofmyrareflashesofparentalinsightIdecidedthatthemostappropriatetimetoteachthisbasiccourtesyiswhilethetinsel(装饰用光亮金属)ishot.TothehorrorofmychildrenIannouncedthathencefortheverygiftreceivedwillbeanoccasionforathank-younotewrittenimmediatelyonthespot.

Ihavereluctantlygivenmykidsthegreenlighttosende-mailthank-younotes;thoughhand-letteredones(atleasttome)stillseemfriendlier.Butprettymuchanythank-youmakesthegiftgiverfeelspecial—justaswehopetherecipientfeels.It’sagesturethatperfectlycapturesthespiritoftheholidays.

41.【小题1】inMs.Demeanor’spointofviewchildrenborninthe______isprobablytheleastrespectfulgeneration.

A．1960sB．1970sC．1980sD．1990s42.【小题2】Thephrase“setoneselfapart”(Para.2)means_______.A．toreservetoaparticularuse