It is commonly believed among many Chinese that Westerners who take “Yes’，and “No” by their facial expressions are more straightforward than Chinese. Normally Westerners don * t have to adopt Chinese ways like sweeping the floor or constantly checking the clock to indicate to a guest that it’ s time to leave. They don’ t have to hesitate in saying “No” when they are not able to, or don’ t want to, offer help to a friend in need. There is no embarrass
ment attached to this behavior. But it is too simple to conclude that Westerners are more direct speakers than the Chinese.
There are many occasions when the way Westerners express themselves makes Chinese look more straightforward and honest. When I was a fresh international student，the director of our program once asked students in an e-mail what we thought about a young professor. I simply said ’ “She seems to know a lot but doesn* t know how to teach. ” And the director replied with “Thank you for being honest. ”
Only years later when I better understood the new culture，I realized why I had gone too far. If that question were asked now，the reply would have three paragraphs devoted to the qualities of the professor before the last line came out — ” There are some gaps in her teaching method. ” Still tough, but at least it wouldn't be considered rude.
Indeed, the reserved social norms and the deeply - rooted “face issue" make honest speaking risky in China ； Americans have their own ways of being polite. This results partly from political correctness. It also results from several generations of people who have been told they have done well even when they have failed. It may not be unfair to suggest that many Americans are oversensitive and obsessed with a perfect self image.
So，the next time you hear about indirect Chinese，it would be worth challenging the source and pointing out that the cultural comparisons are much more complex. But maybe you should do it in a roundabout way，to be polite.The passage mainly aims to •
| A． tell us something about culture distinctions |
| B． remind us of the conflicts between cultures |
| C． ask us to take positive attitudes to Chinese cultures |
| D． keep us informed of the various communications |
According to the passage, the young professor lacked .
| A． confidence in her job | |
| B． teaching experience | |
| C． interaction with her students m |
D．responsibility for her students |
The underlined words “obsessed with" (para.4) probably means .
| A．satisfied with | B．proud of | C．addicted to | D．stuck in |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A． the writer has a good knowledge of American culture |
| B． Americans are much more straightforward than Chinese |
| C． the new professor was very angry with the writer' s comments |
| D． different culture backgrounds make cultures comparison complicated |
The vitamins necessary for a healthy body are normally supplied by a good mixed diet, including a variety of fruits and green vegetables. It is only when people try to live on a very restricted diet, say that when trying to lose weight, that it is necessary to make special provisions to supply the missing vitamins.
An example of the dangers of a restricted diet may be seen in the disease known as “beri-beri”, which used to make large numbers of Eastern people who lived mainly on rice suffer. In the early years of last century, a Dutch scientist named Eijkman was trying to discover the cause of beri-beri. At first he thought it was transmitted（传播）by a germ（病菌）. He was working in a Japanese hospital, where the patients were fed on polished rice which had had the outer coverings removed from the grain. It was thought this would be easier for weak and sick people to digest.
Eijkman thought his germ theory was proved when he noticed the chickens in the hospital yard, which were fed on remains from the patients’ plates, were also showing signs of the disease. He then tried to separate the germ, which he thought was causing the disease, but his experiments were interrupted by a hospital official, who ordered that the rice without coverings, even though left over by the patients, was too good for chickens. It should be recooked for the patients, and the chickens should be fed on cheap, rough rice with the outer coverings still on the grain.
Eijkman noticed that the chickens began to recover on the new diet. He began to consider the possibility that eating unmilled rice（糙米）somehow prevented or cured beri-beri — even that a lack of some ingredient（成分）in the coverings may be the cause of the disease. Indeed this was the case. The element needed to prevent beri-beri was shortly afterwards separated from rice coverings and is now known as vitamin B. The milled rice, though more expensive, was in fact causing the disease the hospital was trying to cure. Nowadays, this terrible disease is much less common thanks to our knowledge of vitamins.According to the passage, a good mixed diet ________.
| A．is suitable for losing weight | B．should be only fruits and vegetables |
| C．normally contains enough vitamins | D．is often difficult to arrange |
What do we know about the disease beri-beri?
| A．It killed large numbers of people. | B．It resulted from lack of vitamins. |
| C．It was transmitted by milled rice. | D．It was caused by diseased chickens. |
What can be the best title of the passage?
| A．A Good Mixed Diet | B．New Discovery |
| C．The Dangers of Beri-beri | D．The Importance of Vitamins |
When we found him, he was a sorry sight. His clothes were torn, his hands bleeding. Before we reached him, we saw him fall. He lay a moment. Then he pulled himself to his feet, walked unsteadily a few yards through the woods and fell again.
After we got him out, we went back to find the gun that he had thrown down. His tracks showed that for two days he had circled in the forest, within 200 yards of the road. His senses were so dulled by fear and tiredness that he did not hear the cars going by or see the lights at night.
We found him just in time.
This man, like others before him, had simply been frightened when he knew he was lost. What had been a near disaster might have turned out as only a pleasant walk, if he had made a few preparations before he stepped from the highway or off a known path.
Whatever sense of direction that a man may have, it’s still largely a question of observation. A skilled woodsman always keeps an eye on his surroundings. He notes the shape of a mountain, the direction water flows through a swamp, and the way a tree leans across a path. With these in mind, he is still likely to turn around many times, but he is seldom lost.
There are exceptions, of course, and once in a while a man does come across some strange problem that puts him into the “lost” situation. A rainstorm or sudden blizzard may catch him without a compass in his pocket. Darkness may find him in a rough area, where travel is dangerous without a light.
When this happens, the normal first reaction is the fear of being laughed at as a result of his poor knowledge in the woods. He may also be concerned about the inconvenience that he will cause his friends when he doesn’t show up. This false pride may lead him to keep on the move in a false effort to find his way against all difficulties.
The person who thinks ahead is seldom in great danger. He’ll be safe if he observes carefully, thinks ahead, and remains calm.The writer suggested that if the man had not been found, he would have ______.
| A．been shot by a gun | B．become confused |
| C．been attacked by wild animals | D．been in great danger |
According to the text, if a person gets lost in the forest, at the very beginning, he would _____.
| A．worry about being laughed at | B．push himself to find his way out |
| C．feel it is convenient to ask for help from his friends | D．feel sorry that he didn’t study hard enough |
When a person tries to find his way in the woods, ________ is the most important.
| A．intelligence | B．observation | C．direction | D．chance |
The writer tells the story of the lost man as an example of people who_______.
| A．go into the woods by themselves | B．don’t know how to signal for help properly |
| C．are frightened when they think they are lost | D．keep their head when they are in trouble |
Five years ago, I was sent to a better middle school. For me, everything there was new and strange. After I had been there for two months, there was an important test in the middle of the term. It covered all my courses. In that test, I didn’t get a good grade, but most of my classmates got an A or A’.
It made me upset for a long time. I felt everything in the world was changing. I thought my classmates were all better than me. During those days I was very unhappy.
One day, my aunt, after talking with my teachers, talked to me. She told me to think about what I had done in the past and what I should do in the future. I was shocked by her words. I thought about what I had done during the past months, and I found I had done nothing to improve my grades. I thought I should work harder.
After that, I paid more attention to the teachers’ talking in the classes, and I asked my teachers or my classmates when I didn’t understand something. I stud
ied very late at night when I met with difficult problems. Most of all, I came to understand the importance of taking notes in class. As a result, I did better in some tests.
About three months later, the most important test came at the end of the term. This time, I stood out not only in my class but also in the grade. From then on, I have tried to do my best when I do something because I know if I want something, I should work hard for it. Why did the writer fall behind in the new middle school?
| A．Because the teachers didn’t treat him well enough. |
| B．Because the subjects were becoming more difficult. |
| C．Because he hated the life in the new school. |
| D．Because he didn’t put his heart into study. |
What did the writer’s aunt do to help him out?
| A．She punished him for not working hard. |
| B．She helped him find out the reasons for his poor performance. |
| C．She forced him to work harder. |
| D．She asked his teachers to talk with him about his problems. |
Which of the following studying methods helped the writer most?
| A．Asking teachers for help when in difficulty. | B．Working deep into the night every day. |
| C．Making notes in class. | D．Listening to every word his teachers said. |
What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
| A．The writer failed again in the exam. | B．The writer did very well in the exam. |
| C．The writer became the cleverest in the class. | D．The writer was very proud of his progress. |
One of the most difficult things for children to deal with when moving to a new town is leaving their friends and making new ones.
We once moved and one of our new neighbors told us about a summer camp at the Recreation Center all the kids went to. My husband and I looked into it and we found it was unbelievably cheap. I had the kids sign up (报名) the next day so that they could know more kids there.
Another thing we did was to have them sign up for sports when school started. They were happy to be on teams with new friends they made. This also gave me a chance to meet new people and from them I sometimes got some useful ideas for my new books.
If you’re just moving to a new house in the same city you live in now, it won’t really be a problem unless your kids are changing schools. If they are, it is a great idea to have them take the address book to school. Thus, your children won’t feel “lost” without their old friends.
If you’re able to, over the summer vacation, try inviting the friend your child misses most to come and visit your new home for a week, or even a few weeks. I know this can be difficult if that child has to fly, but maybe you can work out a plan with the child’s parents. Think how happy the kids will be when they meet!
The author had her kids sign up for the summer camp mainly because _____.
| A．she could afford the cost | B．she was asked to do so by her kids |
C．it could give  her kids a chance to meet more kids |
|
| D．it could make the summer holiday not so boring |
What is probably the author?
| A．A housewife. | B．A business woman. | C．A teacher. | D．A writer. |
What we can’t learn from the passage is that ____.
| A．a summer camp at the Recreation Center was very cheap |
| B．having the kids take part in sports is good for both the author and her kids |
| C．parents should ask their children not to think of their old friends |
| D．parents should create more chances for children to make new friends |
The purpose of the passage is to teach parents how to ______ when they move to a new place.
| A．get used to the new life in a short time |
| B．help their children make new friends and keep the old ones |
| C．get along with their new neighbors |
| D．help their children get used to the new school life |
When people in the U.S. have company or when they're invited to (formal or informal)get-together, they usually make a point of trying to make others feel comfortable and relaxed.On the whole, they tend to be informal. Men shake hands, but usually only when they're introduced. Male friends and business associate who haven't seen each other in a while may shake hands when they say hello. Women usually don't shake hands when being introduced to each other. When a woman and man are introduced, shaking hands is up to the woman. Americans rarely shake hands to say goodbye, except on business occasions. American women are used to being independent. They are used to going to places by themselves, making their own money, and often living alone. Sometimes they will ask men for help, but they usually don't want to be protected. Since the women's movement started, it's not always clear whether women expect men to open doors or help them into their coats. American women may start conversations with men or even ask them to dance.
There are a lot of Americans who don't smoke or drink, and many who don't want people to do those things in their houses. It's always best to ask for permission before you,bring alcohol to a dinner or before you light up a cigarette, if you are with people you don't ,know very well. Non-smokers have become more militant (好战的) about smoking in public places. Many restaurants, for example, have set up special areas for smokers.
House guests may bring gifts when they come to visit, and they often offer to help in some way. As a guest, you may want to ask your host or hostess if there's anything you can do to help in the kitchen. In many cases, the gesture is more important than actually helping."…the gesture is more important than actually helping." Here "gesture" means_________.
| A．态度 | B．话题 | C．姿态 | D．言行 |
When American people are introduced to each other, ____________.
| A．men seldom shake hands | B．women often shake hands |
| C．a woman decides if she will shake hands with a man | |
| D．a man decides if he will shake hands with a woman |
___________is not mentioned in the passage.
A. How to visit an American family B. When American women's movement started
C. American women are independentD Non-smokers hate smoking in public places. Which one is NOT right? ________________.
A None of Americans want people to smoke or drink in their houses
B Many Americans don’t smoke or drink
C Many special areas for smokers have been set up in the US
D It’s best to ask before you smoke in America