When early colonial settlers went to America, they took many forms of dance to their new home. Square dancing, one of the oldest forms of American folk dancing, developed from several different Old World group dances, mainly English country dances, and the French quadrille(四对方舞).
In the American version of square dancing, four couples form a square and dance to music. An American addition to square dancing is the caller. What do you think a caller does?
The callers---someone who calls out the dance steps in time to the music--- was a completely American invention. At first dancers memorized all the steps for a particular dance, but eventually the dances became so complicated that it was necessary to have someone call out cues (提示) so that dancers didn’t have to remember so many steps. The caller didn’t just call out “do-se-do your partner”; a good caller also came up with colourful sayings or witty lines that he said in between the cues such as “Don’t be shy and don’t be afraid. Swing on the corner in a waltz promenade (步伐).” A caller might also come up with new dance steps and routines.
Although popular for years, square dancing seemed to be going out of style and fading away until the early 1930s, when Henry Ford helped revive interest in it. Ford, the automobile manufacturer, used to vacation at the Wayside Inn in Massachusetts, where he enjoyed the dance programme run by a man named Benjamin Lovett. Ford asked Lovett to come to Detroit and teach dances, but Lovett said he couldn’t because he had a contract with the inn. Ford solved that problem by buying the inn and Lovett’s contract. He took Lovett back to Detroit, where together they established a programme for teaching squares and rounds. Square dancing was updated and groups began forming all over the country.
53. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Different Steps of Square Dancing
B. The Origin and Development of Square Dancing
C. Who Was the Inventor of Square Dancing?
D. Why Did Square Dancing Go Out of Style?
54. What does the underlined part “their new home” refer to?
A. The United Kingdom. B. France.
C. Africa. D. America.
55. Why did the caller call out the steps for the dancers?
A. Because the dance was invented by the caller.
B. Because the dancers didn’t know the names of the steps.
C. Because the steps were very particular.
D. Because it was hard for the dancers to remember all the steps.
56. Why did the author mention Henry Ford in the last paragraph?
A. Because he was the man who made the first car.
B. Because he was vey fond of dancing.
C. Because he helped make square dancing popular again.
D. Because he taught people how to dance.
Here is some must-know information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.
In Brazil
Brazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible, with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. But to be safe, be on time. Meals can stretch for hours—there’s no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social, preferring face-to-face communication over mails or phone calls.
In Singapore
Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small, polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal, so meetings and dealings often are fast-paced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions, even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines both people interact in meetings. For example, people avoid disagreeing outright with someone with a higher rank.
In the United Arab Emirates
In the UAE, status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So, do not pull away the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes, but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are one-to-one, if your host offers you coffee, you should refuse. It might seem odd, but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is always set out or presented.
In Switzerland
The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality (守时) is vital, something that comes from a deep respect for others’ time. Arrive at any meeting or even a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higher-ups make the final decisions, even if others might disagree. Neat, clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.The passage is mainly about ________.
| A．customs and social manners |
| B．living conditions and standards |
| C．communication types |
| D．the workplace atmosphere |
Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?
| A．They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible. |
| B．They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank. |
| C．They put efficiency in the first place. |
| D．They dislike face-to-face communication. |
In the UAE, when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?
| A．When attending a presentation. |
| B．When dining with business partners. |
| C．When greeting seniors. |
| D．When meeting the host alone. |
In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?
| A．In the United Arab Emirate. |
| B．In Switzerland. |
| C．In Brazil. |
| D．In Singapore. |
I like watching butterflies. Sometimes I think I’m the only girl who notices these quiet but beautiful things. But if it hadn’t been for a crowded restaurant, I wouldn’t have ever noticed Valeri.
Valeri was a new student. She walked to class with her books against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. After a month at our school, she hadn’t made any friend.
One day at lunch, most tables being full, I had nowhere to sit. Valeri sat alone, book in hand. I walked over to her, “Is that a good book?” Valeri gave a small nod and went back to reading. “What’s it about?” I asked. After seconds of silence, she looked at me, her eyes shining, “Well, it’s about a dragon! This boy, Eragon, finds this dragon egg when he goes playing one day. He thinks it’s a rock! The egg hatches（孵化）and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big .”
Two weeks later, I was sitting in the auditorium（礼堂）enjoying the talent show. Then a shy girl walked on stage. I recognized her immediately. Valeri held a violin in one hand and a bow in the other. She started to play. The notes formed a soft, sweet tune(曲调). The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished. I smiled to myself. Valeri wasn’t just “a quiet girl”. She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing I’d ever heard. Like a butterfly, she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely.The author went to sit beside Valeri because _______.
| A．Valeri invited her to sit ther |
| B．Valeri’s book drew her attention |
| C．no more empty seats were left |
| D．she wanted to make friends with Valeri |
In the book Valeri was reading, _______raised the dragon.
| A．Eragon’ father | B．Eragon |
| C．Eragon’s cousin | D．Eragon’s uncle |
Butterflies are mentioned in the text to show _______.
| A．the beauty of butterflies | B．the author’s interest |
| C．the character of Valeri | D．the qualities of friends |
Which of the following words can best describe Valeri?
| A．Quiet and talented. | B．Friendly and active. |
| C．Careful and talkative. | D．Kind and enthusiastic. |
Not many things in life can be more irritating (令人气愤的): you are having a conversation with friends, but they check their phones and begin replying to texts or checking their emails. The Guardian (卫报) described the scene of a friend’s face buried in a screen as “a distinct 21st-century problem”. A new word has been created to describe this --- phubbing. It is the act of looking at your mobile phone instead of paying attention to others during a social interaction. Like pointing at one’s nose, phubbing is widely considered rude behavior. People everywhere are beginning to lose patience with the phenomenon.
A “Stop Phubbing” campaign group has been started in Australia and at least five others have appeared as anger about the lack of manners grows. The campaign’s creator, Alex Haigh, 23, from Melbourne, said, “A group of friends and I were chatting when someone said how annoying being ignored by people on mobiles was.” He has created a website where companies can download posters to discourage phubbing.
Phubbing is just one symptom of our increasing dependence on mobile phones and the Internet, which is replacing normal social interaction. A survey found that one out of three Britons would answer the phone in a restaurant and 19% said they would while being served in a shop. The survey came after a supermarket assistant in south London refused to serve a woman until she stopped using her phone. A survey, for a Sunday paper, also found that 54 per cent of people checked Facebook, Twitter or other social media every day, with 16 per cent checking more than ten times a day. An unsurprising 63 per cent of people carry their phone with them “almost all, or all of the time”, it found.
Phil Reed, a professor of psychology at Swansea University who has studied the Internet addiction disorder, said many phubbers show symptoms of addiction to their mobile phones.
Time magazine once pointed out, “Phubbing has a much greater potential harm to real-life connections by making people around us feel like we care more about posts than their presence.”
In the UK, Glamour magazine even imagined how novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) would have written about people with bad mobile phone manners: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man or woman in possession of a good mobile phone must be in want of manners.”Phubbing has occurred because _______.
| A．distrust has already been everywhere among people |
| B．the friendship between people is becoming weak |
| C．people are getting dependent on attraction online |
| D．there has been a lack of means of communication |
Which of the statements is TRUE about the “Stop Phubbing” campaign?
| A．It was first started in America and then it spread to Melbourne. |
| B．Companies can update posters against phubbing on the website. |
| C．Alex Haigh, 23, was the first one to find phubbing annoying. |
| D．Up till now, at least six groups have claimed to support it. |
The supermarket assistant refused to serve the woman mainly because _______.
| A．the woman buried her face in the mobile phone screen for a very long time |
| B．the woman ignored respect and manners by focusing only on her phone |
| C．the assistant lost his patience with the woman who was using her phone |
| D．it is rare for customers to answer the phone while being served in shops |
In the last paragraph, the writer wants to tell readers that ______.
| A．one with a mobile phone should mind his/her manners |
| B．Jane Austen must have worked for Glamour magazine |
| C．phubbing is going to be forbidden immediately in the UK |
| D．people with good manners must have good mobile phones |
Justin Bieber may have millions of fans worldwide, but Russia’s bears don’t appear to admire the pop singer’s music --- which proved fortunate for one lucky fisherman.
Igor Vorozhbitsyn had his life saved by a Justin Bieber ringtone, when his mobile phone went off during a dangerous attack by a brown bear.
The 42-year-old was attacked as he was walking to a favourite fishing spot in northern Russia’s Yakutia Republic and firmly believed that he was going to be killed.
Wildlife experts believe the ringtone must have frightened the bear into stopping its attack.
‘Sometimes a sharp shock can stop an angry bear in its attack and that ringtone would be a very unexpected sound for a bear,’ explained one.
Mr Vorozhbitsyn suffered from cuts and severe wounds and was rescued when he was found by other fishermen after using the phone to call for help.
Mr Vorozhbitsyn ---now recovering from his wounds---explained: ‘I had parked my car and was walking towards the spot I’d marked out when there was a tremendous impact on my back and the bear was on top of me.’
‘I couldn’t believe my luck when the phone went off and it run away.’
‘I know that sort of ringtone isn’t to everyone’s taste but my granddaughter loaded it onto my phone for a joke,’ he added.
Adult brown bears can weigh as much as 600kg and have been known to kill wolves and even Siberian tigers.
Finally, this is a proof that Justin Bieber is unbearable.Igor Vorozhbitsyn was attacked when____.
| A．he was fishing at his favourite fishing spot. |
| B．he was walking towards his favourite fishing spot. |
| C．he was phoning his granddaughter. |
| D．he was driving to his favourite fishing spot. |
The bear stopped attacking because___.
| A．Justin Bieber came to rescue Igor Vorozhbitsyn. |
| B．Justin Bieber sang to it. |
| C．Justin Bieber’s ringtone was a sudden fright to it. |
| D．Igor Vorozhbitsyn’s mobile phone was a sudden fright to it. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards Justin Bieber?
| A．positive | B．negative |
| C．neutral (中立的) | D．not mentioned |
What do you know from the last paragraph?
| A．Justin Bieber’s music is popular all over the world. |
| B．Justin Bieber’s music is life-saving. |
| C．Justin Bieber’s music is threatening. |
| D．Justin Bieber’s music sometimes isn’t highly thought of. |
The trouble with school is that you can’t choose the people you get to see every day. If you’re unlucky enough to be stuck with classmates who don’t really “get” you, you’ve just got to try to make the best of it.
But that doesn’t mean you need to “fit in”, or at least in the way that people think. If you try to transform yourself into a clone of everyone else, it won’t help you make friends. It’ll just make you feel like a fake.
You also shouldn’t shut down or refuse to be friends with everyone who doesn’t like you. If you do that, you’ll just make yourself miserable. Instead, you’ve got to work on being comfortable and confident with whom you are while ignoring all the haters. Keep on speaking up, asking questions and getting to know people better. If you send out positive energy, then people will generally send some back to you. A couple of them will stay the same, and you’re allowed to forget about them.
If you feel like you’re doing all that but still not getting anywhere, then don’t give up. Just expand your circle. Get a part-time job at a cool-looking place, join an after-school art class or youth group—do whatever it takes to find a couple of like-minded people to connect with. Even if you don’t find anyone right away, you’ll still be getting some more social experiences under your belt, and that’s always a good thing.
A fun book called Uncool, by Erin Elisabeth Conley, has some tips for people like you who want to stay positive at school while being true to your personality:
·Throw caution to the wind.
·Don’t bear others’ mistakes.
·Have patience with people who are different from you.
·Don’t change just because someone else thinks you should.
·Know that even though you may be a misfit, there’s always some place where you will be welcomed in the world.According to the author, what should you do if you meet people who don’t appreciate you?
| A．Just give up. |
| B．Ask someone else for help. |
| C．Show positive attitude toward them. |
| D．Try your best to fit in with them. |
The author agrees that you should take part in more activities in order to __________.
| A．get more chances of making friends |
| B．lay a better foundation for your future jobs |
| C．transform yourself into a clone. |
| D．make you feel like a fake. |
In the book Uncool, Erin Elisabeth Conley thinks you should _________.
| A．always be kind to your friends |
| B．keep your own personality |
| C．bear others’ mistakes |
| D．help improve characters of others |