My own experiment with culture shock came to a fruitless end when I returned with homesick from a year’s study in Italy. I had never heard of culture shock. All I knew was that I was unhappy and wanted to go home.
That was twenty years ago, and since then culture shock has become a real field of study. It is now understood that any normal person, finding him or herself for an extended time in a new culture, is in for trouble.
The process of “culture shock” is now recognized as so predictable that its four stages have been noticeable. The first is the honeymoon stage, familiar to those of us who love to travel, but never stay in one place long enough to find out what follows. In this stage, the new country and its people seem delightful. Everything is better than home. Everything is so different and charming.
Then the bloom comes off the rose. Now the people start to look shallow, selfish and stupid. The different ways of doing things don’t seem interesting any more. You start to feel tired all the time. Culture shock has set in. You feel at sea.
The emotional response to culture shock in stage two can be extreme. Confusion, depression and anxiety, and resentment can all enter to varying degrees. You may become physically ill. Little things seem terribly annoying.
The happier resolution is to move on to stage three. Adjusting. Rather than itemizing（列举） what’s “wrong” with Americans, you remind yourself that “right” and “wrong” are not meaningful terms in cultural matters.
Instead, you try to understand what motivates Americans, perhaps realizing that many of the things you don’t like are related to the things you do like.
As time goes on, you should be moving into stage four. Acceptance. At this point, you simply don’t think any more about the specialties of Americans. You accept them as individuals. You have started to feel at home; you know how to do things. You have not rejected your old culture; but the American ways have settled upon you. You feel optimistic about your future here. You have truly arrived. Why do people not suffer from culture shock when they first arrive in a foreign country?
| A．They love to travel. |
| B．They don’t stay in one place long enough. |
| C．The new country and its people are delightful. |
| D．Everything is so different and charming. |
What do you understand by the underlined sentence “Then the bloom comes off the rose”?.
| A．The rose comes up. | B．The rose blooms. |
| C．Something good comes about. | D．Something good goes away. |
Which one is the possible psychological effect of culture shock on the second stage?
| A．Anxiety. | B．Excitement. | C．Shock. | D．Delight. |
Which of the following statements will the writer agree with?
| A．Any normal person facing a new culture will be in trouble. |
| B．Culture shock is now recognized as unpredictable. |
| C．There is no “right” and “wrong” in terms of cultural matters. |
| D．When you reject your old culture, you can accept the new one. |
The passage is mainly about __________.
| A．the study of culture shock |
| B．how to get rid of culture shock |
| C．the writer’s own experiment with culture shock |
| D．the four stages of culture shock and their features |
A primary school teacher who left a class of 25 pupils in tears after she told them Santa Claus did not exist has been fired. When excited youngsters became rowdy as they talked about Santa, the supply teacher said out suddenly, "It's your parents who leave out presents on Christmas Day."
The class of seven-year-olds at Blackshaw Lane Primary School, Royton, Greater Manchester burst into tears and told their parents when they arrived home. Mothers and fathers then complained about the incident and were sent a letter by the school saying the teacher, who only worked at the school for one day last week, has been punished.
The school has now said it will not hire her again.
One father said, "My son came home and said that his teacher had told the class that Santa doesn't exist and it’s their mum and dad that put out presents for them. Obviously, they were all talking about Christmas and being a bit rowdy. She just came straight out with it. "
"My son was in tears and so was everyone else in the class — especially as it was so close to Christmas. I thought it was wrong. He was crazy about it. He’s only seven-year-old and it's part of the magic of Christmas to him. "
"We told him that she did not believe in Father Christmas because of her religion and he's fine now."
"The father described the incident as ' shocking' and believed it was done with malicious intent (恶意地). A lot of parents were angry and complained to the school. The teacher, who was supplied by Rochdale and Oldham Supply Agency, is still listed and will work with other schools," the agency said.
However, the head teacher in Angela McCormick refused to comment on the incident. Who felt the angriest about the incident?
| A．The teacher who was fired. | B．The parents whose children cried. |
| C．The pupils who were in tears. | D．Santa Claus the teacher talked about. |
We can infer from the passage that .
| A．the teacher was fired and couldn't continue her career in teaching |
| B．the parents complained about the discipline of the school |
| C．the little pupils felt disappointed after hearing the words said by the teacher |
| D．in reality, Santa Claus exists and gives out presents once a year |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word "rowdy"?
| A．surprised. | B．noisy. | C．discouraged. | D．annoyed. |
There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do .
In the ancient world , as is today ,most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another .In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls are being prepared, even in play , to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world .
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same . The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship ,mechanics, and technology . It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing .In Egypt ,America ,China ,Japan and among the Arctic (北极的)people, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and way of life because toys imitate their surrounding. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use .The progress from the wheel to the cart to the automobile is a direct line of ways up. The progress from a rattle (拔浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000BCto one used by an infant today , however , is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials.The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that .
| A．their social roles are rigidly determined |
| B．they like challenging activities |
| C．most boys would like to follow their fathers’ professions |
| D．boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers. |
One aspect of “the universality of toys ”lies in the fact that .
| A．the basic characteristics of toys are the same all over the world |
| B．technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toys |
| C．the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toys |
| D．the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of universities |
Which of the following is the author’s view on the historical development of toys?
| A．Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child’s character. |
| B．The toy industry has witnessed great leaps in technology in recent years. |
| C．The craftsmanship in toy-making has remained essentially unchanged. |
| D．Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries. |
Regarded as a kind of art form, toys.
| A．reflect the pace of social progress |
| B．are not characterized by technological progress |
| C．follow a direct line of ascent |
| D．also appeal greatly to adults |
A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life ,asked me the question,“Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?” Her question was a good one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster :life isn’t fair. It’s a disappointment, but it’s absolutely true .One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others ,thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be .It’s not and it won’t be .
One of the nice things about surrendering (屈从)to the fact that life isn’t fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have . We know it’s not “life’s job ”to make everything perfect :it’s our own challenge .Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand ; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn’t fair doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary , it suggests that we should .When we don’t recognize or admit that life isn’t fair ,we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves .Pity ,of course ,is a self –defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone ,except to make everyone feel worse than they already do .When we do recognize that life isn’t fair, however ,we feel compassion (热情)for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches .The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact .You may be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action.The writer thought of his friend’s question as a good one because .
| A．he also wanted to know who held such an opinion |
| B．it made him recall something during his childhood |
| C．like his friend , he also thought life was unfair |
| D．he learned something from the question as a youngster |
The second paragraph of the passage mainly tells us that .
| A．it’s nice to accept the injustice of life | B．it’s nice to surrender to life |
| C．we should not feel sorry for everything | D．we should not surrender to life |
From the passage, we can learn that the author’s attitude to life is.
| A．negative | B．positive | C．self-pity | D．indifferent |
Which of the following could be the best title of the text ?
| A．A Helpful Action: Try to Feel Compassion | B．A Good Question: Why Life Isn’t Fair |
| C．Do Our Best to Improve Ourselves | D．Surrender to the Fact That Life Isn’t Fair |
Each year , millions of people go abroad to work ,study ,or travel .It’s a great way to find out what life is like in another part of the world !You’re probably hoping to make new friends and learn about the culture in your host country everything from attitudes and beliefs to social customs and popular foods. But constantly having to deal with new situations can be frustrating (挫折), even stressful.
Homesickness, stress, fear , and confusion are all symptoms of “culture shock”. At first ,you may feel like getting on the plane and heading home .It’s OK to have those feelings, but the following are some tips to help you handle the challenges that you will face .
Don’t expect to be perfect , You may feel frustrated that you have culture shock ,especially since you probably spent so much time preparing for your trip .No matter how much information you read ,or how well you speak the host language ,it is natural to feel overwhelmed sometimes. If you give yourself some time, things will gradually get easier.
Have an open mind .While it’s certainly OK to feel frustration or confusion in your new surroundings ,try not to form an opinion about the new culture too soon .Don’t think of the host as better or worse , just different –you’ll be more willing to try new things .
Participate .This is obvious ,but everybody needs to be reminded. Just watching life go on around you isn’t good enough .You really need to try things for yourself . Don’t worry about making a mistake; people in your host country will generally be very understanding and willing to help if you have question .Your study abroad experience is a unique and special time in your life, one that you’ll never forget. If you follow our suggestions ,you’ll be able to handle it well ,and have a wonderful time. Good luck!What is culture shock ?
| A．Something you feel surprised at . |
| B．The problems you have when you go to another country |
| C．The frightening feelings you have |
| D．Something different from your own culture |
What should you do when you feel depressed ?
| A．Go back to your own homeland |
| B．Talk to someone about your problem |
| C．Give yourself some time to get used to it |
| D．Stop thinking of it |
Which of the following statements is WRONG ?
| A．It is natural to feel overwhelmed sometimes |
| B．Not everything is perfect |
| C．Try to form the opinion about the new culture as soon as possible |
| D．Tell others about your problems |
What is the main idea of this article ?
| A．How to overcome culture shock | B．Why do people have culture shock |
| C．Who might have culture shock | D．When will you have culture shock |
Hong Kong’s government has urged the Walt Disney Company to cut the maximum number of people allowed into its new park after visitors complained about long queues at a trial opening over the weekend .
The park admitted about 30.000guests on Sunday for a rehearsal, but visitors found themselves waiting in line for up to three hours for some popular rides .Many waited for up to half an hour at fast food outlets .
The park ,which was built to take maximum capacity of 30.000 visitors, officially opens next Monday .But Hong Kong Financial Secretary Henry Tang urged the company to consider lowering the upper limit .
“If it takes in 30.000 people, the queues will 
be very long and buying lunch would take a very long time. ”Tang told reporters late on Monday, “Disney has told us that queues at its other parks are also very long during peak periods, but people may not be used to lining up for so long. So we are discussing with Disney on whether it could manage this more flexibly.”
Asked if the full capacity should be lower than 30.000, he said, “We are now examining this ,we should handle it flexibly ”.
Disney was not immediately available for comment .
Hong Kong’s government holds a 57 percent stake in the park and Disney owns the rest. The project was launched during a time when Hong Kong was in recession (衰退)and was widely regarded as a best cure to the city’s economic trouble .
The park is expected to draw massive crowds, particularly from Chinese mainland .But not all news associated with the park has been encouraging .When visitors were lining up for tickets for a long time, they were
| A．excited | B．upset | C．nervous | D．dissatisfied |
What’s the best title for the passage？
| A．HK Disney opens up |
| B．HK urges Disney to cut visitors capacity at the new park. |
| C．HK encourages natives to visit Disney |
| D．Disney attracts visitors from Hong Kong and Chinese mainland |
By mentioning what Tang said ,the author wants to show
| A．visitors showed great interest in Disney |
| B．Disney will take some measures to limit visitors |
| C．why HK governments suggests lowering the number of visitors |
| D．the HK government tried to co-operate with Disney |
When HK Disney was launched,
| A．people thought little of its future development |
| B．people thought it a way to revive (复苏、恢复)HK’s economy |
| C．Disney hold belief that it could bring more money |
| D．Disney was in recession across the global |