I was born and raised in Minnesota, the USA,but as an adult I have mostly lived in Europe and Africa. I teach cross-cultural management at the International Business School near Paris. For the last 15 years, I’ve studied how people in different parts of the world build trust,communicate, and make decisions especially in the workplace.
While traveling in Tokyo recently with Japanese colleague，I gave a short talk to a group of 20 managers. At the end, I asked whether there were any questions or comments.No hands went up,so I went to sit down.My colleague whispered to me,“I think there actually were some comments, Erin.Do you mind if I try?” I agreed, but I guessed it a waste of breath. He asked the group again, “Any comments or questions?”
Still, no one raised a hand, but this time he looked very carefully at each person in the silent audience. Gesturing to one of them, he said, “Do you have something to add?” To my amazement,she responded “Yes, thank you.” and asked me a very interesting question. My colleague repeated this several times,looking directly at the audience and asking for more questions or comments.
After the session, I asked my colleague, “how do you know that those people had questions?” He hesitated, not sure how to explain it, and then said, “It has to do with how bright their eyes are.”
He continued, “In Japan, we don’t make as much direct eye contact as you do in the West. So when you asked if there were any comments, most people were not looking directly at you. But a few people in the group were looking right at you, and their eyes were bright. That indicates that they would be happy to have you call on them.”
I thought to myself I would never have learned from my upbringing in Minnesota. Since then, I try to focus on understanding behavior in other cultures I encounter, and keep finding the bright eyes in the room.What can we conclude from the first paragraph?
| A．Life in Minnesota has made the author worn out. |
| B．The author enjoys traveling around the world. |
| C．Different cultures are kind of familiar to the author. |
| D．The author may start his own business in the future. |
Hearing the colleague whispering, the author ________.
| A．went back to his seat and got seated. |
| B．knew his colleague had some questions. |
| C．owed a big debt of gratitude to his colleague. |
| D．thought his colleague would get nowhere. |
Where does the author’s colleague probably come from?
| A．Japan. | B．America. | C．Africa. | D．France |
Which is the proper title for the passage?
| A．Focusing on Behavior in Cultures. |
| B．Looking at Another Culture in the Eye. |
| C．Sharing Different Cultures in Tokyo |
| D．Admiring the Beauty in the Eye. |
Throughout the ages, man has tried to create beauty through painting, music, sculpture(雕刻) and other kinds of artistic expression. It seems to be a basic need for humans to surround themselves with art. Some people, however, feel that the government is wasting money by spending it on art, particularly when there are so many other more important things that the money can be used for.
It can be wrong for governments to spend large sums of money on art. Too often, governments spend the money unwisely. Cities end up with huge statues or expensive, empty buildings that are only used by a few people. Many times, the art is also chosen to represent social or political rather than artisticideas, and even if it represents artistic ideas, tastes in art can change very rapidly. Without thinking carefully about how to spend the money, the people may end up with an expensive collection of worthless paintings of tasteless productions.
At the same time it would be wrong to say that governments should not spend any money at all on art. Painters, musicians, and composers cannot survive without monetary support. Many times, the art is inaccessible (很难到的) to ordinary people because only rich people and large companies can afford it. Governments have a duty to make this art available to everyone. Art helps people enjoy life,
Although people do need to be provided with the necessities of life, governments also have a duty to provide their citizens with something more. I firmly believe that spending money on art is vital (必不可少的) part of a government’s responsibility, and I am confident that my country is able to contribute a great deal to the rich collection of art from around passage?
60. What does the author mainly tell us in the passage?
A. Why tastes in art change so rapidly. B. The importance of art to human beings.
C. Humans’ need to be surrounded by art.
D. Whether or not the government should spend money on art.
61. The following are reasons why governments spend too much money on arts EXCEPT that _____.
A. art is changing with time rapidly B. they choose art to serve political purpose
C. they don’t think carefully enough about what to buy
D. art is necessary for the life of poor people
62. The underlined word “monetary” in the third paragraph probably means“_____”.
A. political B. financial C. temporary(临时的) D. continuous
63. According to the author, what is the function of art?
A. Art can be very valuable when it is traded. B. Art makes people’s lives worthwhile.
C. Art can unite governments. D. Art can make governments fashionable.
When I was a stay-at-home mom, there were times I wished I could buy some beautiful flowers, but the money that they would cost was needed in the home. When I walked into town with the family, my youngest daughter, Lily, would always carry a flower stem(花梗). That’s how she got the nickname “Stick Girl”.
One day when we passed the flower lady with Lily, the flower lady smiled at her and said, “Come here. I have something for you.” She handed her a beautiful flower. Lily dropped the stem and held on to that flower until we came back home. We placed it in water and enjoyed the beauty of that flower along with the feelings of warmth and kindness from the flower lady.
My neighbors would run to her to get a bouquet of flowers whenever they wanted to, and I used to give directions(为人指路) using the flower lady. I would say, “Walk for three blocks. You’ll see the flower lady. Turn right at that street.”
My mom visits me each year. On her first summer visit this year, she looked at me and asked, “Where’s the flower lady?”
I had no idea. The flower lady had been an icon(偶像) for me for 16 years, but now she wasn’t there any more.
I went on a search and soon found her in another spot, at the Harbor Loop. I was glad to see her and I had to tell her that she was missed!
I have a garden which I admire very much now. Every time I see those bright colors when I come home after a day of work, I remember the generosity of a dear old lady whom I only know as the flower lady.
56. When the flower lady gave Lily a flower, Lily _____.
A. accepted it happily
B. paid for it and walked home quickly
C. accepted it and forgot that other people were laughing at her
D. felt sorry for not being able to pay for it
57. Why did the author give directions using the flower lady?
A. Because the flower lady used to give her daughter many flowers.
B. Because she felt grateful for the flower lady’s generosity and warmth.
C. Because her neighbors usually bought flowers from the flower lady.
D. Because the flower lady ran the flower shop with her and her mother.
58. From the passage, we know that _____.
A. it was the flower lady who taught the author how to grow flowers
B. the author didn’t know the flower lady’s address or name
C. the flower lady used to sell flowers in one place all the time
D. the flower lady might keep on offering the author flowers
59. What’s the best title for the passage?
A. The Stick Girl B. Beautiful Flowers C. The Flower Lady D. Buying Flowers
The small number of newborn babies, which has been caused by high prices and the changing social situation of women, is one of the most serious problems in Asia. When people talk about it, you can hear a word invented in Japan. which means Double Income Kids(小孩).
In many major Asian cities like Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, the cost of a ****** is extremely high. A young couple who want to buy their own house may have to pay about $3000,000 (though prices have fallen). For a flat with one bedrooms, one dining-room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, the couple will pay about $900 a month. What’s more, if they want to have a child, the child’s education is very expensive. For example, most kindergarten charges are at least $5.000 a year. In such a situation, it’s difficult to afford children.
The number of married women who want to continue working because they enjoy their jobs. However, if they want to have children, they immediately have serious problems. Though most companies allow women to leave their jobs for a short time to have a baby, they expect women with babies to give up their jobs. In short, if they want to bring up children properly, both parents have to work, but it is hard for mothers to work. Indeed, women who want to contimue working have to choose between having children or keeping their jobs.
In a word, Asian governments must take steps to improve the present situation as soon as possible.What is the main problem being discussed in the passage?
| A．The small number of newborn babies. |
| B．The changing social situation of women. |
| C．The high prices of houses and education. |
| D．The necessary steps of Asian government. |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．It is easy for a couple to afford a child in Asia. |
| B．The prices of in Asia are quite low now. |
| C．Fewer and fewer married women wan to have a job. |
| D．The word “DINKS” appeared in an Asian country. |
To buy a flat and send a child to kindergarten, how much will a couple pay each year?
| A．85,000 | B．85,900 | C．$10.800 | D．$15.800 |
The seems to believe that Asian governments should ________.
| A．let women stay at home and have a baby |
| B．allow one of the parents to go out to work |
| C．care for the growing needs of women for job. |
| D．the companies that permit women to leave. |
Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?
Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbooks (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.
Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全书), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books., science textbook, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge |
| B．cinemas are the best choice in getting information |
| C．reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun |
| D．newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself |
What does the sentences “Television has not killed reading, however ” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?
| A．People only need reading, though. | B．Reading is still necessary today. |
| C．Reading is more fun than television. | D．Watching television doesn’t help reading. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Fewer and fewer people will buy books. |
| B．A good dictionary should be kept in every home. |
| C．Books with hard covers sell better than paperbooks. |
| D．More people like TV programs about famous men. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Fewer and fewer people will buy books. |
| B．A good dictionary should be kept in every home. |
| C．Books with hard covers sell better than paperbooks. |
| D．More people like TV programs about famous men. |
People believes that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms(体育馆). Here, people are learning on climbing. The climbing wall goes straight up and small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb, you need special shoes and (保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes(绳索)tied to your. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult is an your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, the and the ropes hold you, and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb, both your mind and your body can become stronger.What can we infer from the passage?
| A．People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays. |
| B．It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing. |
| C．People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors. |
| D．It is always easy to see holding places in climbing. |
The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is _______.
| A．to tie ropes to your | B．to control your fear |
| C．to move away from the wall | D．to climb straight up |
The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means _________.
| A．settlement | B．exercise | C．excitement | D．tiredness |
Why does the author write this passage?
| A．To tell people where to find gyms. | B．To prove the basic need for climbing |
| C．To encourage people to climb mountains. | D．introduce the sport of wall climbing |