When I was ten years old, I went to the US to visit some family friends. We travelled all the way from California to Las Vegas. I noticed something funny about the way everyone spoke English. I was thinking, “This is the way they speak in films!”
At the beginning of the holiday, one of my friends asked me if I wanted to order “French fries.” I couldn’t imagine what French fries were. What was fried and French?! Snails? Cheese? She was amazed that I had never tried them and she ordered a portion for us to share. When the waiter brought us some chips, I asked her where the French fries were. She pointed to the plate of chips! Later that week she said she was going to buy some “chips” from the supermarket. She came out with a packet of crisps!
During that holiday we were also offered “biscuits and gravy” with our lunch. This was a very strange idea to me, because in England biscuits are sweet. Gravy is a salty, meat-based sauce. I later realized that “biscuits” in America are savoury snacks. What we call “biscuits,” they call “cookies.”
One day, I saw an “eggplant” pizza on the menu in a restaurant! Eggs do not grow on plants, I thought. What on earth could an “eggplant” be? Something eggy and leafy? My dad ordered this pizza and it was covered in aubergines. I asked him where the “eggplant” was. He laughed and pointed to the aubergines. He told me, “They call this ‘eggplant’ in America!”
Although the same “language” may be spoken in different countries, there are likely to be many differences, not just in vocabulary but also in spelling, grammar and pronunciation! I think part of the excitement of learning a language is discovering the differences in how it is spoken in different places.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 2?| A．Holiday is a good time to relax. | B．French fries are popular worldwide. |
| C．The waiter provided poor service. | D．Chips and crisps are the same food. |
| A．America. | B．France. | C．England. | D．Italy. |
| A．Excited. | B．Regretful. | C．Anxious. | D．Confused. |
| A．Advantages of travelling. | B．High-end restaurants. |
| C．Food and tradition. | D．Cross-cultural misunderstanding. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】In New York City public schools, 176 different languages are spoken among the more than 1 million students. For 160,000 children, English is not their first language. New York's Department of Education makes learning better for these students by providing dual-language(双语) programmes.
Students are taught in two languages, English and another one, like Russian or Chinese. Maths, social studies, science and all other regular courses are taught in both languages so that they could learn about the culture of the other countries.
Milady Baez is Deputy Chancellor of English Language Learners and Student Support. She says, "The jobs of the future require that our students know more than one language. They are going to be travelling abroad; they are going to be communicating with people from all over the world. This will open doors for them."
Middle-schoolers might not have jobs on their minds yet. For Kequing Jaing, she likes keeping up her first language, Mandarin. "It makes me feel that I am home because I can speak in Chinese and learn in Chinese, while learning in English. So it makes me feel better and makes me understand more about the task I'm learning."
Anastasia Hudikova came to the United States when she was two years old. She says the Russian-English programme keeps her connected to her heritage(文化遗产) and her parents.
The New York schools also offer dual-language programmes in seven other languages: Arabi, French, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Korean, Polish and Spanish. There are plans to add even more languages in the future. While these dual-language programmes are popular, educators in the US say that teaching English comes first. Anyway English is the official language of the United States. Studies show that children who learn English early will be more successful later.
1. Why are many courses of public schools in New York City taught in both languages？| A．To get the students to know about the cultures of other countries. |
| B．To encourage more students to go abroad to study further. |
| C．To attract more students to study in the public schools. |
| D．To show the advantages of studying in the public schools. |
| A．By making comparisons |
| B．By listing people's attitudes. |
| C．By making the situation clear. |
| D．By giving some numbers. |
| A．More languages have been added to the New York City schools. |
| B．It's unnecessary to learn more languages in New York City. |
| C．English should be a must though different languages are taught. |
| D．English is spoken by the largest number of people in the world. |
| A．English, Out of Date？ |
| B．The Newest Fashion in New York City |
| C．The Education in New York City |
| D．Dual-language, to Be or Not？ |
【推荐2】It’s never easy to explain exactly when a specific language began, but in the case of English we can at least say that there is little sense in speaking of the English as a separate language before the Anglo--Saxons came to Britain. Little is known of this period with any certainty, but we do know that Germanic invaders came and settled in Britain from the north--western coastline of continental Europe in the fifth and sixth centuries. The invaders all spoke a language that was Germanic(related to Dutch, Frisian, German and the Scandinavian languages, and to Gothic), but we’ll probably never know how different their speech was from that of their continental neighbours.
The reason that we know so little about the language in this period is that we do not have much in the way of written records from any of the Germanic languages of north--western Europe until several centuries later. When Old English writings began to appear in the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries there was a good deal of regional variation(变化), but not more than that found in later periods. This was the language that Alfred the Great referred to as “English” in the ninth century.
The Celts were already resident(定居)in Britain when the Anglo--Saxons arrived, but there are few obvious traces of their language in English today. Some scholars have suggested that the Celtic tongue might have had an underlying influence on the grammatical development of English, particularly in some parts of the country, but this is highly speculative(猜测). The number of borrowed words known for certain to have entered Old English from this source is very small. Those that survive in modern English include “brock”(badger), and “comb”(a type of valley), alongside many place names.
1. When did the English language begin?| A．At a time that no one will know for certain. |
| B．Before the Germanic invaders settled in Britain. |
| C．After the Anglo--Saxons came to Britain. |
| D．At the same time as Germanic languages began. |
| A．Great Britain. | B．Africa. | C．Ireland. | D．Europe. |
| A．There are no written records from the Germanic languages. |
| B．Old English didn’t have any written systems. |
| C．Much of the written records have been lost. |
| D．There was a good deal of variation in the records. |
| A．It greatly enriched modern English vocabulary. |
| B．It borrowed a few words from Old English. |
| C．It had little influence on modern English. |
| D．It influenced the grammatical development of English. |
【推荐3】British visitor Joel Bennett expressed his appreciation to a restaurant owner, a lady in her 60s, for a good meal during his first trip in South Korea. Bennett, at age 23, said “gomawo” to the owner, which means “thanks” in English.
In South Korean culture, as a person several decades younger than the owner, Bennett was expected to have used the honorific forms of the language. Korean is said to have one of the most complicated linguistic systems in the world.
To fully understand this, you need to learn the lasting impact of the ancient culture of South Korea. Its ancient social order is centered on harmony, which is often achieved by treating the elderly with respect and looking after the young with kindness.
While age plays a big part in determining speech style, it’s not a hard and fast rule.
| A．He then thought he was polite to say so. |
| B．Nowadays, the Korean wave has swept many countries. |
| C．And this tradition has guided the country for over 500 years. |
| D．It is no surprise to be asked to reveal your age in South Korea. |
| E．A funny fact is that it’s difficult not only for guests but also hosts. |
| F．To find the right speech style, the first step is always to be patient. |
| G．It requires assessing people’s age, social status and level of closeness. |
【推荐1】Recently，as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his high school team，I was starting to feel sorry for myself and for him．His team was facing adversity（逆境）on the court and he was playing in a hostile environment-it was the opponent's home gym filled with their supporters，and Nathan's team was trailing（落后）for three quarters of the game．As for me，I had been dismissed from my job earlier in the day．
During my drive home，I kept telling myself that I will find work again in a short time-I am confident in my experience and abilities．This is the same belief that I tried to instill in my son．
The basketball game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan's team still trailing．I saw the determination on his，as well as his teammates'faces as they fought back to not only tie the game（平局），but then go ahead by three points．Then，a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again．With a tie game and seconds on the clock，Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence，he proceeded to make the basket with a defender hanging all over him．The other player was called for a foul（犯规）．
As Nathan stood at the foul line preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points，I saw the focus and determination on his face，there was no room for self doubt．Nathan was able to tune out all the distractions and nail the free throw with such skill，it was as if he had done it a thousand times．
As I sat there，my heart bursting with pride，it dawned on me．I had taught him perseverance in the face of adversity，and he had just taught me the same lesson．That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court．He will play in the finals，but it doesn't matter if he wins or loses，at this moment，we both won．
1. What did the author estimate his son's team would be like at first？ ______| A．The team would lose at home court． |
| B．The team would finally win． |
| C．The team would win the championship． |
| D．The team would lose at visiting court． |
| A．Self-doubting and pessimistic． |
| B．Self-confident and optimistic． |
| C．Hardworking and intelligent． |
| D．Easy-going and warmhearted． |
| A．Avoid | B．Focus． |
| C．Create | D．Receive． |
| A．Life Goes Just Like Playing Basketball． |
| B．It Matters Whether to Win or Lose． |
| C．A Lesson in Life and Basketball． |
| D．Father And Son in Life． |
【推荐2】I wanted to be a journalist when I was 12 years old. I used to sit in front of the TV in my family’s living room, imitating what the presenters said on the morning shows. I knew one day I would move to New York City to work in television.
So when I got a job at one of the three big networks in New York at the age of 24, I was elated. This was where I had always wanted to be. I spent the next 12 years in a variety of roles at the same company. I had the perfect arrangement that most people thought - a job for life. “You're so lucky” was what I heard over and over again. And I was.
But I also started to notice cracks (裂缝) in the media world I had come to love so much. A new kind of competition cropped up in the form of social media and new digital media. News was changing. I knew I couldn't stay where I was; I must accept the change and be part of creating it. When I told my colleagues that I was thinking about leaving the network and going to work at an online start-up, I got a lot of crazy looks. “Why would you make such a risky move?” “What if it fails?” “You can’t be seriously considering this.”
I didn't listen to their advice because I knew not every good experience is defined(定义) by success or failure. Sometimes it’s about running the risk pushing the limits and having faith in an idea. What would the world be like today if we only acted when we could see the outcome?
Our new online company, Huffpost Live, has been on the air for several months and is doing amazingly well. I didn't listen when people told me to take the safe route. I’m proud that I didn't take the advice of the so-called experts and chose to make the change.
1. What does the underlined word “elated” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Surprised. | B．Worried. |
| C．Excited. | D．Confident. |
| A．The boredom in the media industry. | B．The rapid development of new media. |
| C．The bad relationship with her colleagues. | D．The large amount of work in the company. |
| A．She had no experience of failure. | B．She didn't mind what others said. |
| C．She acted after knowing the outcome. | D．She had a better understanding of success. |
| A．She wasn't sure of that. | B．She had taken great risks. |
| C．She felt regret about that. | D．She made a right decision. |
【推荐3】About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studio（影棚）to take part in crowd-scene. Although our "act" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.
We all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was wheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in "snow". Two more fans were turned on, and a "strong wind" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.
The next scene was a complete contrast. The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen. An actor and actress stood in front of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water’s edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!
Since it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film ”Stars”!
1. Who is the author?| A．A cameraman. | B．A film actor. |
| C．A crowd-scene actor. | D．A workman for scene setting. |
| A．The heavy snowfall. | B．The man-made scene. |
| C．The low temperature. | D．The film being shown. |
| A．The next scene didn’t look real at all. |
| B．The next scene was like a hot summer day. |
| C．The actor and the actress for the next scene were not famous. |
| D．The way the next scene was filmed was unusual. |
| A．A new scene would be filmed. | B．More stars would act in the film. |
| C．The author would leave the studio. | D．The next scene would be prepared. |
【推荐1】When I first launched my business about 10 years ago and started working in Mexico, I noticed co-workers and friends greeting each other with a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek. So I started doing that too, as I believed it was the custom, until one day my business partner pulled me aside and said, “Can you stop hugging and kissing the receptionist every time you come into the office? I think it sends the wrong message.”
I didn’t understand the culture well enough to appreciate the unwritten rules. Yet, as CEO of a fast-growing multi-national company, that’s exactly what I needed to learn — and fast. I not only wanted to stop sending the wrong message, but I wanted to start sending the right messages. I wanted to understand how to tap into the diverse aspects of Latino culture while staying true to the culture of my own country and business. Expanding to other geographies only increases the importance of sending the right messages that support a more open and diverse workforce.
“As a CEO, it’s important to learn some of the basic phrases in the native languages of your employees — it shows your respect for their culture.”
Every culture has its own set of primary cultural drivers. In the U.S., we tend to be driven by popularity, success and financial reward. Other regions’ drivers can include family pride or community contribution. By learning these drivers and how they impact your relationships, you can build trust truly within your company. For example, in Northern Ireland and Mexico, I learned that family units stay close together and often meet every week for a meal, and co-workers are occasionally invited to these family functions. While this is not a regular practice in the U.S., I found that joining these family meals was crucial for building trust with my colleagues.
Over the years, I’ve learned to talk openly about these awkward aspects of culture and diversity. They need to be dealt with head-on to come to a solution. By doing so, you can build trust and bridge large differences that lead to better productivity, higher levels of innovation，and a more enjoyable company culture that represents every culture that makes up your business. As leaders, it’s our job to put these issues on the table and hammer through them sincerely — no matter the cultural divide.
1. The author mentions hugging and kissing on the cheek to ________.| A．demonstrate he/ she is integrated in Mexico |
| B．provide an example of his misunderstanding |
| C．support he/she is fully aware of the custom |
| D．compare body language in different cultures |
| A．People in U.S bank on family functions. |
| B．People in Mexico focus more on success. |
| C．Cultural motivations vary with the country. |
| D．Building trust mainly relies on socializing. |
| A．Tackle. | B．Demand. | C．Illustrate. | D．Repeat. |
| A．What is cultural diversity? |
| B．What is proper body language? |
| C．How to send the right messages? |
| D．How to build trust in a diverse culture? |
【推荐2】What is culture? It is difficult to define.
As you can see, there are different definitions of culture as there are different societies. One useful starting point is the idea of two types of culture. They are culture with a capital C and culture with a small c. Culture with a capital C refers to music, literature and art. It also includes facts and statistics about a national group or society.
Culture with a small c refers to beliefs, values, traditions and the everyday life of a particular community.
| A．How many definitions of culture exist? |
| B．The USA and Britain are multicultural. |
| C．Everybody’s definition of culture is identical. |
| D．These contain many questions about the country’s culture. |
| E．Everyone knows what it is but explains it in different ways. |
| F．People think this kind of information is valuable and important. |
| G．One thing we can all agree on is that culture is about being different. |
Chinese people do not have the same concept of privacy as Americans do. They talk about topics such as ages, income or marital status, which Americans think is annoying and disturbing.
Family
In China, elders are traditionally treated with great respect while the young are cared for. In America, the goal of the family is to encourage independence, particularly that of the children. Unlike the Chinese, older Americans seldom live with their children.
Friends
Chinese people have different meanings to define friends. Just hanging out together time to time is not friendship. Friendship means lifelong friends who feel it deeply necessary to give each other whatever help might seem required. Americans always call people they meet friends, so the definition of friends is general and different. There are work friends, playing friends, school friends and drinking friends.
Money
As is well known,the Chinese like to save. They are always conservative when they are planning to spend money. It is different in the US, where far fewer families are saving money for emergencies and education than their Chinese counterparts（对应面）.
Education
Chinese people value education and career more than Americans, who in turn put more emphasis on good character and faith.
Team VS Individual
Basically China values the community and the US values the individual. If you achieve something in the US, it’s because you are great. While in China, if you achieve something it’s because the team, or family, or company is great. Everything you do
1. Which is the most appropriate word to show the first cultural difference?
| A．Privacy. | B．Income. | C．Age. | D．Marriage. |
| A．American parents seldom live with their children. |
| B．There is no friendship between American people drinking together. |
| C．Chinese people are usually generous with money to spend. |
| D．Americans value good character and faith in terms of education. |
| A．is attached to | B．brings in |
| C．is promoted to | D．results in |
