Differences in time zones complicate international phone calls. But even more important are different concepts of time and approaches to time in different cultures.
People from the USA as well as other North Americans believe “Time is money”. This value of time is rooted in their ancestors. Early in the 17th century, their ancestors arrived on the Atlantic coast, a new, undeveloped land. To survive in the tough environment, they had to struggle day and night. Time meant so much to them that they had not even one second to waste. After decades of struggle, they developed the value of efficient use of time and passed it down. Thus far, the Americans are still eager to finish things quickly and are impatient with too reflective(深思熟虑的) people.
In some countries, the American work style of speeding everything up will have no significance. In the Arab East, the more important you are, the faster service you get. Close relatives take absolute priority; non-relatives are kept waiting. In the Middle East, a deadline, which is often established to show the degree of urgency or importance of work, will do nothing but stop the Middle Easterners from working, because they consider it rude and overly demanding.
Another aspect reflecting different concepts of time is the classification of monochronic-time and polychronic-time by Edward T Hall. People from monchronic(共时性的) cultures, such as the Germans, the Austrians, the Swiss and the Americans, do only one important thing at a time. In polychromic(多元时间模式的) cultures, people such as Arab, Asians and Latin Americans take an entirely opposite approach. They do several things at once. Time commitments, e.g. deadlines, schedules, are taken rather casually and changed often and easily. Miscommuication will arise when people from two cultures contact. Charlies Hawkins, a U.S. teacher, told me that many a time his appointments with Indians were interrupted constantly, not only by private phone calls, but also by long conversations with other people and even the neighbor’s children, which displeased and even annoyed him.
1. Why did the ancestors of the North Americans believe “Time is money”?| A．They had to work efficiently to survive. | B．They got the idea from their past generations. |
| C．They didn’t like to deal with reflective people. | D．They formed the habit of finishing work ahead of time. |
| A．Deadlines will make American people angry. |
| B．In the Arab East, you’d better speed everything up. |
| C．Middle Easterners can’t deal with demanding work. |
| D．People from the Arab East attach importance to relationship. |
| A．They tend to interrupt others constantly. |
| B．They can’t tolerate lateness or interruptions. |
| C．They are more likely to change their schedules. |
| D．They like to schedule several activities at the same time. |
| A．The importance of the diversity of culture |
| B．The relationship between efficiency and culture |
| C．Different time values in different cultures |
| D．Monochronic culture and polychronic culture |
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【推荐1】For some, the New Year is running in on when the calendar turns from December 31 to January 1.
How long is it?
Who celebrates it?
It is celebrated throughout many Asian cultures. Among those are Chinese, South Korean, Vietnamese, Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian culture.
What symbolic meaning does it have?
Similar to western New Year, it represents (象征) letting go of the past year to bring in the new one. Another key aspect to Lunar New Year is reunion.
What does the Year of the Rabbit represent?
In the Chinese Zodiac, there are 12 animals, each with its own characteristics. For the rabbit, people born in its year are seen as caring, attentive and likely to follow rules.
| A．They clean rooms to get rid of bad luck. |
| B．But many others celebrate it on a different day. |
| C．Additionally, each has its own name for New Year. |
| D．Unlike western New Year, it lasts longer than one day. |
| E．Younger people will receive red envelopes with money. |
| F．Family members will gather together and practice cultural customs. |
| G．They are also said to be successful in their careers and good at making friends. |
【推荐2】For most kids, a typical school day includes lessons in math, science, and English language arts. But for Callista Grant, 11, a typical day might also include instruction in American Indian drumming and dancing. She studies the Ojibwe and Lakota languages, too, and enjoys school powwows（帕瓦仪式）.
Callista goes to the American Indian Magnet School（AIMS）, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is open to kids from pre-K to grade 8.
Although other U. S. schools teach American Indian culture, the teachers at AlMS say their school is unique. They connect lessons to American Indian culture . When students learn about plant life cycles in science, they also learn about how native people used herbs for ceremonies and healing. A language arts class may include a reading about the meaning of the jingle dress. Callista says the focus on American Indian culture helps everyone know that "the culture is still alive".
Callista is Cherokee and Ojibwe. Of the 680 students at AlMS, about one-quarter are American Indians. It is a public school that is open to all kids in the community. All students gain from the school's focus. "It's important for everyone to know about the people who were here first and that they still live here today, "says teacher Tamara Goggleye. Lessons give all students a chance to explore their heritage.
Callista represents the school at powwows and other events. She is proud to teach others about their history. "We might lose our culture if we don't show it to our kids," Callista says. "Kids need to help pass down our culture, or it could go away. " AIMS and Callista are working to make sure that won't happen.
1. Why is the American Indian Magnet School different from others？| A．Students in this school learn about plant life cycles. |
| B．Only this school teaches American Indian culture. |
| C．Students here can learn how foreign people use herbs. |
| D．This school link lessons to American Indian culture. |
| A．About 170. | B．About 250. |
| C．About 340. | D．About 680. |
| A．Tradition. | B．Possession. |
| C．Language. | D．Future. |
【推荐3】Most British parents give their teenagers pocket money. Teenagers get between ￡7 and￡20 a week. They spend it on fast food, designed clothes, the cinema, concerts, magazines and mobile phones.
1) Lazy parents?
37％ of parents pay teenagers to clean the living room, 66％of parents pay teenagers to take the rubbish out.
2) Lazy teens?
51％ of teenagers don't make their beds before they leave home. Only 1 3％ of teenagers wash the car for money.
Some parents even pay their teenagers to do their homework.
3) Equality? Not Yet!
Boys get more money than girls for most odd jobs.
For washing the dishes, boys get about ￡4 and girls get about ￡1.
4) And if you need some more money?
Teens get an extra ￡250 a year out of their parents on top of pocket money! About 50％ of teens get gifts or money from their grandparents.
Go to Mum if you need extra money! She gives more than Dad.
5) Where you live makes a difference!
Parents in Scotland and the North of England give more pocket money.
6) Spending
51％ of teenagers spend their money on clothes.
39％ of teenagers buy cosmetics(化妆品), jewellery and toiletries(洗漱用品).
Less than 30％ of teenagers save any money.
7) Earnings
Here are some children who tell us about their pocket money:
Emma: I get￡30 a month. I have to take the rubbish out and tidy my room.
James: I get￡10 a week. But I have to clean the car, hoover(用真空吸尘器清洗)the house and load and unload the dishwasher. I usually save the money.
Lain: I get ￡7.50 a week. I have to be “good” but I don’t have to do any jobs for the money.
Richard; I get￡5 a week. But our neighbors go away a lot and they give me ￡25 a week for looking after their cats.
1. This passage is mainly about ______.| A．teenagers everywhere get pocket money |
| B．how to spend pocket money |
| C．some information about pocket money in Britain |
| D．how to get pocket money |
| A．Parents are lazy so they let children do housework. |
| B．Teens are too lazy to do housework unless they are given pocket money. |
| C．The pocket money boys and girls get is not equal. |
| D．It is not right for children to ask for pocket money. |
| A．Emma | B．James |
| C．Lain | D．Richard |
