People from different countries greet each other differently. Read this article to learn more about the greeting customs in different cultures, and make sure you greet people in the right way next time.
France
French people greet each other with a handshake, but close friends kiss each other on both cheeks(脸颊) when they meet. They do this when they first meet and before they leave each other.
South Korea
In South Korea, it is a sign of respect for people to bow when greeting each other. A bow is followed by a handshake. In shaking someone’s hand, it is polite to support the right forearm(前臂) with the left hand. However, South Korean women do not shake hands with western men; instead, they bow slightly(轻微地).
Brazil
Kissing on the cheek is a common way of greeting in Brazil. But in a formal situation, a handshake is often done to show respect. Men should shake hands before and after meeting, and once they have known each other well, a light hug is often given.
Ghana
In a social situation, it’s polite to greet everyone in the room in Ghana. A handshake is used in greeting, and the palm(手掌) must directly touch the palm of the other. It’s considered impolite to touch the back of the hand.
Greeting customs in different cultures | |
| People greet each other with a handshake or by kissing each other on | |
South Korea | To show respect, Koreans greet people by |
Brazil | The common way of greeting in Brazil is kissing on the cheek. In a formal situation, a handshake is often done to show Alight hug is often given once men have known each other well. |
Ghana | A handshake is used in greeting in Ghana, but do remember not to touch the back of the |
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At night, you fall asleep while listening to beautiful music. In the morning, you are woken up by the singing of birds outside. You can enjoy all of these things because of one important organ（器官）—the ears.
You may wonder: how do the ears work? The ear has three different parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear is the part you can see. It collects sound around you. The sound then travels down to the middle ear, the inner ear and then to your brain.
Your ears never stop working, even when you are asleep! Your ears continue hearing sounds, but your brain just ignores（忽略）them. That’s why you might sometimes wake up suddenly in the middle of the night —your brain heard something but you don’t know what it was since you were asleep.
But ears do more than hear. They help you keep your balance, too. In the inner ear, there are organs with liquid（液体）and small hairs. When you move your head, the liquid and hairs move, too. They send messages to your brain about the position of your head.
More surprisingly, ears even help with tasting food. Of course, you don’t actually taste food with your ears. But there are nerves（神经）running through the middle ear that connect the tongue to the brain. If something wrong happens to your ears, you might have a hard time telling different flavors（味道）apart according to People’s Daily.
The ears are truly important organs with many functions. Everyone should make sure to protect their ears as well as they can.
| How do our ears work? | |
| Parts of the ears | The outer ear: It The middle ear: Sound travels through it. The inner ear: Sound travels down it and then to your brain. |
| Hearing | You hear with your ears. Your ears work while you are sleeping, but your brain doesn’t |
| There are organs with liquid and small hairs. They tell your brain the position of your head. | |
| Tasting food | There are nerves running through the middle ear that If your ears don’t work well, you might not be able to tell different flavors apart. |
| The ears are | |
On a very hot day, it is hard to know what to do to feel good. If you run around, you may feel sick in your stomach. However, if you just sit quietly and do nothing, you may feel bored. What can you do to feel good and have fun when you’re hot?
Playing in water is a good idea to make you cool down. Taking a cool shower or just washing toys in cool water can make you feel good on a hot day. Besides, you can read stories or paint in front of a fan. You don’t need to move your body very much. These are some of the cool things to do on a hot day.
It’s important for you to drink water, too. On hot days, you can lose about 16 glasses of water in one day. If you feel thirsty, you are already short of water. So don’t wait for thirst before you start to drink. You should drink as much water as you lose every day.
The food you eat also makes a difference in how you feel in the heat. Cold foods such as ice cream and drinks with some ice can cool down your body. Fruits and vegetables are also helpful to stay cool in hot weather. So plan a healthy menu for a hot day—one that doesn’t need any cooking.
1. Is it hard to know what to do to feel good on a hot day?2. What is a good idea to make you cool down on a hot day?
3. How much water do we lose in one day on hot days?
4. What is the passage mainly about?
The Arctic is home to over 21,000 kinds of animals and plants. Two thirds of it is the Arctic Ocean. In winter, it is completely covered with sea ice. In summer; nearly 50 percent of the sea is ice.
goggles igloo reindeer
It’s also home to about 4 million people, a group of whom are Inuit. Jim is an Inuit boy. At 6:30 am, he wakes up and gets ready to go to school in his fur （毛皮）coat. It keeps him warm in the freezing weather. Half an hour later, he gets to school on a ski or snowmobile. Some of his friends go by car instead. At 11:30 am, it’s time for lunch. There’s fish and other meat in his lunchbox. He sometimes eats them uncooked. These foods give him enough energy. Besides local food, some people eat Western food. At 5:00 pm, the snow outside makes everything bright, so he wears snow goggles on his way back home, or his eyes may be hurt badly by the strong light. From December to March, the sun never rises. However, it always shines in the sky during the summer. At 10:00 pm, he goes to bed. Sometimes he stays in an ice house called igloo. It looks cold but it’s warm inside. Many local people live in houses made of wood.
The Inuit mainly make a living by hunting and fishing. Now, their life is greatly influenced by climate (气候) change. For example, many animals they hunt for food are disappearing. There is less food for the reindeer they keep, too. They face more terrible weather, such as snowstorms. Hunting becomes more dangerous. Hunters may accidentally fall into water if the ice becomes too thin. Actually, the temperature in the Arctic is 18℃ higher than it was 125 years ago. All Arctic ice may disappear during the summer in less than 100 years.
The Arctic
| The facts of the area | *50% of the Arctic Ocean is covered with ice. *The sun always shines. In winter: *100% of the Arctic Ocean is covered with ice. *The Arctic is |
| The daily life of a young Inuit | Clothing: *a fur coat to keep warm *snow goggles to Transportation: *a snowmobile *a ski Housing: * a wooden house * sometimes an ice house |
| The problems that the Inuit face | Some wild animals are disappearing. Animals, food is running out. The weather is more terrible. The hunters aren’t sure about their own safely because of |
About money
Americans like to spend more than they have, so many of them are always in debt(欠债). But Chinese usually spend less than they have, so many of them always have money left in the bank.
The American kids themselves make their own money. Most Chinese kids always ask their parents for money.
About education
Many American students have less homework to do while many Chinese students have much.
Many American girls take part in sports, dancing and singing groups while many Chinese girls take part in study groups.
Many American parents think it is unnecessary to send their children to an expensive school. It’s different in China. Many Chinese parents would try their best to send their children to expensive schools though their family isn’t rich enough.
About friends
Most American parents let their sons or daughters make friends by themselves. They never ask them about their friends while Chinese parents are usually interested in knowing more about their children’s friends, and usually stop them from staying out too late with friends.
| Chinese | Americans | |
| Money | Chinese usually have some money left in the bank | Many Americans usually borrow money from the banks because they |
| Chinese children get money from their | Children usually make money by | |
| Education | Parents usually do their to send their children to study in expensive schools. | Many parents think it isn’t send their children to an expensive school. |
| Chinese girls join in groups. | Many girls exercise, dance and | |
| Friends | Parents are usually in knowing more about their children’s friends. | Most parents never pay attention to their children’s friends. |
【推荐2】DIY is very popular now. Yang Chen works for a computer company in Beijing. Though he enjoys his work, it is hard to relax after work. One day, when he saw many toy dogs in a shop, he had an idea. “I can make things and relax myself.” Then he began to make model planes, model ships and something else. The things he made by himself didn’t look as beautiful as those in the shop, but he liked making them. Now his bookshelves(书架) are full of many kinds of things that he makes. They are very beautiful and his friends like them very much.
More and more people are like Yang, making things by themselves. Though making things with our own hands may take much time, some people enjoy doing it very much. In the past DIY was different. Most people lived a poor life. They had to use their own hands to make many things. Washing the wall or making clothes was part of life because there was no choice. If you wanted something to be done, you had to do it yourself. And if you needed something, you made it yourself. But now DIY has different meanings.
1. Does Yang Chen work for a computer company in Beijing?2. What are on Yang Chen’s bookshelves now?
3. Why do people enjoy making DIY now? (two reasons)
You can tell a lot about your friends by what they carry in their schoolbags: what they read, and other things they like to do out of school.
In the bags of middle school-age boys in the UK, you can find hand-held computer games and football magazines. Girls usually have a book in their bags (maybe a romantic novel) and some make-up (化妆品) and hair clips (发夹). Boys and girls both often have an iPod, a mobile phone, and, of course, last night’s homework!
By looking in a friend’s bag, you can tell what kind of person he or she is. A clean and tidy bag without trash (废物) shows an organized (有条理的) person. A bag full of textbooks and pens belongs to someone who works hard.
British middle school-age children also have a locker (有锁的存储柜) at school. They store their books or sports things, such as a football or tennis rackets there. They use pictures to make the inside of their lockers beautiful. Maybe they have pictures of their favorite music or sports stars, or photos of their friends. So just like their bags, their lockers say a lot about the person.
1题完成句子；2~3题简略回答问题；4题找出并写下第四段的主题句；5题将文中划线句子译成汉语。
1.
2. What things are there in bags of middle school-age boys in the UK?
3. What makes the inside of students’ lockers beautiful?
4.
5.
In most parts of the world, many students help their schools make less pollution(污染). They join the Environment(环境) Clubs. In an Environment Club, people work together to make our environment clean.
Here are some things students often do:
No-garbage lunches. How much do you throw away after lunch? Environment Clubs ask students to bring their lunches in bags that can be used again. Every week they will choose the classes that make the least garbage and report them to the whole school.
No-car day. On a no-car day, nobody comes to school in a car—not the students or the teachers! Cars give pollution to our air, so remember: walk, jump, bike or run. Use your legs! It’s lots of fun
Save(节约) water. Do you know that some toilets can waste(浪费) 20-40 tons of water an hour? In a year, that would fill a small river! In Environment Clubs, students mend(修理) those broken(坏的) toilets.
We love our environment. Let’s work together to make it clean.
1. How many things do students often do to make our environment clean according to the passage?2. On a no-car day,who will take a car to school?
3. Why do students in the club mend broken toilets?
4. What does the writer call on(号召) us to do in the last paragraph?
5. What other things can we do to protect the environment in our daily life? (自拟一句话作答)
【推荐2】In America, people often invite friends for a meal, a party or just coffee. People often say like these,
“Would you like to come over for dinner?” “We’re having a party on Friday, can you come?” To answer an invitation, they say “Thank you” and accept, or say “Sorry” and give a reason.
Sometimes, what people say is like invitations but which are not real invitations. For example, “Please come over for a drink sometime.” “Let’s get together for lunch soon.” They are not real invitations because they don’t talk about the date or time. They just show that the person is trying to be friendly. People usually answer “Sure, that would be great.” or “OK, thank you.” So next time you hear what is like an invitation, listen carefully. Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?
阅读短文，回答下列问题。
1. In what country do people often invite friends for a meal, a party or just coffee?
2. If someone says to you “We’re having a party on Friday, can you come?”, how do you answer?
3. Is it a real invitation if people say, “Let’s get together for lunch soon”?
4. Why is the invitation “Please come over for a drink sometime.” not a real invitation?
5. You want to have an English party on Friday, how do you make an invitation?
【推荐3】American and British people both speak English of course. But sometimes there are some important differences between British English and American English.
First of all, they sound very different. Often, Americans don’t say each word separately. They say words together. Americans may say “I dunno”instead of “I don’t know”. Or they may say “Whaddya say?” instead of “What did you say?”However, the British are more careful. They usually say all the words and keep them separate.
Sound is not only the difference. Words sometimes have different meanings too. For example, the vocabulary for cars and driving is very different. Americans drive trucks, but in England people drive lorries.
Many expressions are also different in the two countries. In England, if you are going to telephone your friends you “phone them up”. In America, you “give them a call”. When you are saying goodbye in England you might say “Cheerio!”. In America you might say “See you later.”
There’re also some differences in grammar. For example, Americans usually use the helping verb “do”when they ask a question. They say “Do you have a storybook?” But the British often leave out the helping verb. They say “Have you a storybook?”
Most languages are like this. Languages change over time. When people live in separate places, the languages change in different ways. This is what has happened to English. It can also happen to other languages, such as French. Many people in Canada speak French but their French is very different from the French of France.
1. Where do people say words separately, in America or in Britain?2. When the British say “phone them up”, what do Americans say?
3. How many differences between American English and British English are there in the passage?
4. What is the main idea of the 5th paragraph?
5. Why is American English different from British English?
【1】It is ①________ to name all Chinese customs in a single article. Even so, in this passage we bring you four Chinese customs that you may not know. Here we go!
【2】Asians usually do not show their feelings openly, also avoiding any unnecessary physical contact (接触). The Chinese see badly that people kiss each other on the cheeks, even if they are women. In ②__________, shaking hands was also frowned (皱眉) upon in the past. For them it is enough to make a small nod when greeting. As the country gradually lets western traditions in, shaking hands is gradually extended(推广).
【3】There are many Chinese customs at lunchtime. The Chinese usually clean their hands before eating. Food manners are also very important. You should never serve yourself a drink, it should be served by someone else. In the meal always use chopsticks and a spoon with a short handle. Chopsticks should never be stuck into food. And when eating, you must put your mouth close to the plate and the chopsticks.
【4】Cities and towns in China have public toilets in the middle of the street, so that everyone can use them. Since space is very important in large Chinese cities, this is saved by creating public restrooms. However, many companies also have their own toilets for their workers.
【5】Many of you will already know the Chinese custom of not opening gifts in ③__________. But that’s not the only important thing to know when giving something to a Chinese person. For example, the Chinese will always refuse your gift up to three times, for simple education. But in the end, they’re wiling to accept it. And remember to receive the gift with both hands.
1. Why do the Chinese usually refuse to kiss each other on the cheeks? (no more than 10 words.)2. What are the Chinese customs to for eating? Please give an example. (no more than 10 words.)
3. What does a Chinese person usually do before he or she accept your gift? (no more than 12 words.)
4. Please fill in each blank with only one proper word.
①
5. Please translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
6. Do you think which Chinese custom is the most important ? Why?
Whether it is for a special festival, to express thanks or to just let someone know that you care about them, giving gifts is a common custom. The purpose of giving gifts may be similar, but the tradition varies from country to country. A gift of respect in one place may be considered rude in another. Take a look at three gift-giving traditions.
India
If you are invited to someone’s home in India, you should bring a small gift, whether it’s a box of chocolates or some flowers. Gifts shouldn’t be wrapped (包裹) in black or white colors because they are considered unlucky.
Instead, use bright colors such as green, red or yellow. When giving money for any occasion, it should have an odd number (奇数) value. That’s believed to bring good luck. Instead of receiving a gift with both hands, Indians generally only use their right hand because left hands are considered unclean.
Japan
For most Japanese, the ritual (礼节) of giving presents is more important than the gifts themselves. The correct way is to present or receive gifts with both hands. Every gift should be wrapped. That’s because uncovered gifts are considered disrespectful. To show politeness and thanks, those who are receiving the gift may turn it down once or twice before finally accepting it. Gifts should be given in pairs, but four should be avoided just like in China. Lucky numbers also included eight. Eight is said to bring prosperity (兴旺) .
Native America
While it may be common for guests to prepare gifts for hosts, this is different in Native American communities. From weddings to birthday celebrations, guests are the ones who receive gifts. Gifts are usually homemade arts and crafts made by hand to show love, respect and appreciation.
1. What is a common custom to express thanks or to show your caring about others?2. In which country only use their right hands to receive gifts?
3. Why do gifts should be wrapped in Japan?
4. What are gifts like in Native America?
5. What is the passage mainly talking about?
The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in most East Asian countries. The festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. It is a harvest(收获) festival. It is the second most important festival in China after Chinese New Year. To the Chinese, the festival means family reunion(团圆) and peace.
Chinese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival with many traditional and meaningful activities, such as eating dinner with family and admiring the moon.
Mooncakes are a kind of traditional Chinese sweet. Chinese people regard the round shape of mooncakes as a symbol of reunion and happiness. Other foods eaten during the festival are harvest foods. People enjoy them at their freshest and most nutritious(有营养的) period of time.
And the custom of admiring the moon started in the Shang Dynasty. Chinese emperors admired the sun and the moon every year to pray(祈求) for a good harvest. People believed admiring the moon and eating at a round table would bring them good luck and happiness.
In many other countries, the festival is widely celebrated. In Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, celebrations are more than those in China, such as lighting lanterns and dragon dances. In Japan and Vietnam, there are also some new celebrations because Chinese culture has influenced(影响) them deeply.
| Something About the Mid-Autumn Festival | |
| Eating dinner with family and admiring the moon. | |
| What do people eat on the Mid-Autumn Festival? | |
| When and why did people | In the Shang Dynasty. People believed admiring the moon and eating together would bring themselves good |
| How is the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrate in other countries? | People ways because of the influence of Chinese culture on them. |
