Fluency(流利) in another language is one of the most important aims of a newcomer to another country. In addition, understanding the culture and learning to communicate comfortably with people of that culture are as important as learning the rules of the language. Language learning and culture learning go together and may take a long time.
Sometimes people feel that they understand a culture after a few weeks or months. People do learn a lot when they first begin living in another culture, but this is only the first stage of learning. It usually involves(含包) things like learning everyday activities and some basic customs.
To really understand another culture, people have to go beyond the first stage, this is challenge(挑战) because it is often difficult to know what to learn. Much of what we call “culture” is hard to see.
Culture is like an iceberg(冰川). Picture in your mind a huge iceberg in the ocean. The only part of the iceberg that you see is the tip. You don’t see the rest of the iceberg because it is hidden from sight in the water. It is easy to forget that it is there. Most of the iceberg is deep within the ocean, just as much of a culture is deep within its people.
When you meet someone from another culture, certain culture differences are obvious: You hear another language or you hear your own language spoken with an accent. You see different foods, clothes and sometimes physical characteristics of people. You observe new customs or habits, such as the use of chopsticks, and, bowing or kissing on both cheeks as a greeting. These differences are interesting and important, but they are usually not too difficult to understand. They are visible so they are seen easily and quickly.
The part of culture that is like the underwater part of the iceberg consists of assumptions(设想), communication styles, values, and beliefs about what is right and wrong. The hidden part of culture affects much of a person’s way of thinking and communicating. It is the meaning behind his or her verbal (言语的) and nonverbal language. Learning to communicate well with people from another culture involves becoming aware of the hidden part of culture.What’s the subject of this passage?
A.Learning about culture. | B.Language learning. |
C.The hidden part of the iceberg. | D.Fluency in another language. |
What is learning about culture?
A.Learning the hidden part of the iceberg, which is underwater. |
B.Learning everyday activities and some basic customs. |
C.Learning the culture of an iceberg. |
D.Learning the visible as well as the hidden differences of culture. |
The underlined phrase “consists of” can be replaced by “______”.
A.lies in | B.is made up of | C.agrees with | D.is different from |
What conclusion can we draw after reading this passage?
A.Values and beliefs are like the tip of the iceberg. |
B.People often become aware of the hidden part of culture. |
C.The tip of the iceberg is larger than the hidden part. |
D.The hidden part of culture has a great effect on people’s communication styles. |
The year 2009 is the Year of Ox. The ox is a representative of the farming culture of China. In the farming economy (经济), oxen are the major animals pulling plows (犁).Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing. In fact, they are seen as "boats on land" for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.
In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities. For example, some people who1ive in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar (农历), and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.
Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people are very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.
The words "boats an land" underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to _ .
A.animals for taking goods | B.creatures for pulling plows |
C.treasures of the folk culture | D.tools in the farming economy |
From the third paragraph, we know that __.
A.oxen are no more important today than in the past![]() ![]() |
B.ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup![]() ![]() |
C.oxen are treated as human in some areas of China![]() ![]() |
D.people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month |
Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?
A.The special role of oxen in farming.![]() ![]() |
B.People's respect and love for oxen.![]() ![]() |
C.The practical value of an ox's body.![]() ![]() |
D.The contribution of oxen to the economy. |
Why does the author write the text?
A.To stress the importance of oxen in farming.![]() ![]() |
B.To introduce the Chinese folk culture.![]() ![]() |
C.To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.![]() ![]() |
D.To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen. |
Brian arrived at the San Francisco airport two hours before the flight to Paris. He was wearing three shirts, a jacket, two pairs of socks, a pair of shorts, and two pairs of jeans. He was carrying one small backpack, which was very full, but he didn’t have any other luggage. Brian needed to meet a man named Tony before he checked in for his flight. He found Tony near the Air France counter. Tony gave him a round-trip ticket and a small package.“Give this package to Jean-Paul at the airport in Paris. He will have a sign with your name on it. I think you can find him easily, “Tony said.” You don’t have any luggage, right?”
“Only this backpack,” Brian answered. “You said I could bring one carry-on bag.”
“That’s right, one carry-on bag is fine. Have a good trip.”
“Thanks.”
Is Brian a criminal(犯罪)? Not at all. He is an air courier. And he paid only $110 for the round-trip ticket to Paris. Air couriers get cheap airline tickets because they take important packages and papers to foreign countries. Businesses sometimes need to get packages and papers to people in foreign countries by the next day. Often, the only way they can do this is to use an air-courier company. It is not cheap for a business to send a package with an air courier, but it is quick.
Every year about 80, 000 people worldwide travel as air couriers. The number of tickets for courier travel is growing by about 10 percent a year. However, air-courier travel isn’t for everyone. But if you have very little money, can be flexible(灵活的)about your travel plans, and don’t mind wearing the same clothes for a week, it can be a great way to take a vacation!
Why was Brian wearing so many clothes for his travel?
A.Because they were the uniform for air couriers.![]() |
B.Because that made him easier to be recognized.![]() |
C.Because his backpack had no room for his clothes.![]() |
D.because he did not have any luggage with him. |
An air courier is a person who .
A.manages a business company in foreign countries ![]() |
B.organizes international flights for tourists. ![]() |
C.travels around the world with cheap tickets. ![]() |
D.delivers papers and packages to foreign countries. |
Businesses choose the air-courier service because
A.it costs less | B.it is flexible | C.it saves time | D.it grows fast |
The author of the text mainly..
A.describes the activities of a law-breaker![]() |
B.suggests an ideal way to travel |
C.argues against the air-courier travel | D.tells us about a developing business |
Parties held by the wealthy seldom welcome poor guests.But last week China made it through the doors into a gathering of the world’s richest countries.
Jin Renqing ,Chian’s finance minister,and Zhou Xiaochuan,governor of the People’s Bank of China,joined a meeting of the Group of Seven(G7)on October1,2004.It is the fist time that China has had direct talks with the club.It was a good chance to share the world powers’thoughts about critical economic issues and promote understanding.
China’a participation is a natural part of its increasingly important role in the global economy.China is the world ‘s factory and the biggest market.
America and China made up almost half of global economic growth last year.“If Anerican consumers and Chinese producers were to reduce their activities at the same time,global growth would drop greatly,”said the Economist,a leading British economics magazine.
Up to now chinese economic stability(稳定)has been closely related to world development.“The increasingly connected global economy means that China should be a part of the meeting.”said Stephen Roach,a world famous economist.
During the meeting,China represented (代表)developing countries.It callde on the world’s developed nations to increase their spending on aid to poorer countries.Jin said that overall official help from developed countries is only 0.23 per cent of their Gross Domestic Product(国内生产值),much lower than the 0.7per cent UN targert.And this should be changed.According to the passage,China particpates in the meeting of G7 because______.
A.China has become one of the richest countries of the world |
B.China is playing a more important part in the world economy |
C.China has more factories than any other countries in the world |
D.developing countries want China to speak for them |
Which of the following is true?
A.China’s participation in the meeting of G7 is the first time that China has talks with the developed countries. | |
B.The stable economy of China has done a great deal to the development of the world. | C.The developed nations are trying their best to help the poorer countries at present |
D.America has as large a market as China has. |
From the passage we can infer that ________.
A.Chinese producers as well as American consumers contribute a lot to the growth of the world economy |
B.the author doesn’t think it necessary for China to participate in the meeting |
C.China produces a lot but consumes a little |
D.the economist thinks that American consumers and Chinese producers will reduce their activitres at the same time |
The underlined wrold “promote”in the second paragraph means_______.
A.to make better | B.to make worse | C.to share | D.to make clear |
Our sun is a star, and nine worlds move round it. Worlds like these are planets (行星).
But there are other stars, other suns. Not only thousands of them, but millions of them. Do different stars have planets? We can see the planets round our own sun. But we haven’t seen any more. The stars are too far away from us. Stars give out (发出)light, but the planets don’t have any light of their own. So we can’t see them. They’re too far, and too dark.
Still, we can tell that some stars have planets. While a big planet goes round, it pulls its star to one side. And sometimes we can see this, Then we know that the star has a planet.
For example, Barnard’s Star(巴纳德星)is a small red star. And it is the quickest star in the universe. But sometimes it moves slower, and then quicker again. We have know Barnard’s Star for many years, and now we are sure it has a planet.A star is a large body in the universe.it________.
A.moves round our sun | B.has light of its own |
C.can also be called a world | D.both B and C |
Which of the following is not true?
A.The earth is one of sun’s worlds | B.There are millions of suns in the universe. |
C.The worlds are very bright. | D.Some stars have planets |
Barnard’s Star moves more quickly than _______.
A.most stars | B.any other star |
C.its planet | D.the planets round the sun |
How can people know that there is a plante round Barnard’s Star?
A.Sometimes they see that the planet pulls the star to one side and makes it move slower . |
B.The planet is shining. |
C.The planet is next to our earth. | |
D.The planet is a red one. |
WHERE TO STAY IN BOSWELL
YOUR GUIDE TO OUR BEST HOTEL
Name/Address |
Number of Rooms |
Single |
Double |
Special Attractions |
Frist Hotel 222 Edward Road Tel. 414-6433 |
120 |
$25 |
$35 |
Air-conditioned rooms, Shops, French restaurant,Night club, Swimming pool, Coffee shop and bar, Telephone, radio and TV in each room. |
Fairview Hotel 129 North Road Tel. 591-5620 |
50 |
$12 |
$18 |
Close to the airport, Telephone in each room, Bar, Restaurant, Garage, Swimming pool |
Orchard Hotel 233 Edward Road Tel. 641-6646 |
120 |
$15 |
$20 |
Facing First Hotel, Shops, European restaurant, Night club, Coffee shop,Dry cleaner. |
Osaka Hotel 12 Venning Road Tel. 643-8200 |
180 |
$30 |
$50 |
Air conditioned rooms, Shops, Japanese and Chinese restaurants, Swimming pool, Large garden. |
The number of the rooms in the best hotels in Boswell is.
A.120 | B.470 | C.450 | D.240 |
If a Japanese traveler wants to eat in a French restaurant,is the right place for him to go to.
A.233 Edward Road | B.12 Venning Road |
C.222 Edward Road | D.129 North Road |
Which hotel faces the Orchard Hotel?
A.The First Hotel. | B.The Osaks Hotel. |
C.The Fairview Hotel. | D.We don’t know. |