I go out of my way to say “thank you” to my partner frequently, and he’s the same way.We were both raised by parents who valued politeness, and more than that, I want to do all those little things that psychologists say help couples stay together. Expressing gratitude (感谢) is one of those things, so a quick “thanks” seems like an easy one.

But according to a recent study, we’re not at all typical. The study looked at over l,000 recordings of casual conversations among families and close friends.In only about one out of 20 times were expressions of thanks observed. Phrases that meant “thanks” but weren’t a direct translation of the word were counted, including physical gestures of thanks.

The researchers looked at a wide variety of people from different places, representing eight languages: Polish, Russian, Italy, English, Murrinh-patha (an Aboriginal language), Cha’palaa, Lao and Siwu.

The Brits thanked people close to them the most, about 14.5 percent of the time, and close behind them were the Italians at 13.5 percent. The Murrinh-patha came next at 4.5 percent and following them were the Russians, the Polish, the Laotians and the Siwu speakers.The lowest? Well, the Cha’palaa speakers of Ecuador don’t have a word for “thank you” at all.

As the linguists explained, “Expressing thanks, in some cultures, is more of a linguistic tradition than a true expression of feelings.In cultures where thanks are less often said, it’s because social cooperation is taken for granted, and ‘thank you’ isn’t really needed or necessary.”

The idea that you don’t need to thank others because it’s assumed that you’re appreciative is beautiful. But it is a bit hard for me to accept. So I’ll keep saying “thanks” as frequently as I do. But as a frequent traveler, I’ll keep in mind to watch the local custom and follow suit.

【小题1】What might be psychologists’ opinion about expressing thank?

A．It can show a person’s values.

B．It is passed down from parents.

C．It is a little and unnecessary thing.

D．It can contribute to close relationship.

【小题2】What is typical among family members according to the study?

A．They say thanks at any time.

B．They seldom express thanks.

C．They often show thanks using gestures.

D．They often use indirect translation of thanks.

【小题3】Who never say “thank you”?

A．The Cha’palaa.	B．The Polish.
C．The Italians.	D．The Russians.

【小题4】What is mainly talked about in the text?

A．People thank close friends and family less.

B．Family members don’t need to thank each other.

C．Close friends have different ways to express thanks.

D．Different cultures have different ways to express thanks.