1 . The British Sense of Humour

The British are known for their sense of humor. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to make sense of their jokes. The main thing to remember is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others.     1     Another key to understanding British humor is to know that the British often use understatement.

Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, 'She isn’t exactly friendly.' Understatement is often used in unpleasant situations or to make another person look silly.     2    

The British like to make fun of many other things. They often laugh about the silly and terrible things that happen to us every day, like when someone accidentally falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society.     3    Finally, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedy programme Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.

    4    In pictures, he almost never talks, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. For instance, once Mr. Bean bought a large chair. He needed to take it home, but it was too big to fit in his small car. His solution was to put the chair on top of his car.     5    Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humor. Because of this, many people can better understand the British sense of humor.

A．British humor brings people laughter and content.

B．Understatement plays an important part in British humor.

C．Then, he sat in the chair and used a broom to drive the car!

D．They also like to make jokes about situations that are quite serious.

E．Throughout the film, the audience were amused by his convincing acting.

F．Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990.

G．Such jokes are normally about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave.

2 . 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 unique gift-giving traditions.

India

If you’re 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 include eight. Eight is said to bring prosperity.

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 that are made by hand to show love, respect and appreciation.

1. What kind of gift would you bring to an Indian home?

A．Some chocolates in a green box.	B．Flowers wrapped in black paper.
C．Sixty dollars in a yellow envelope.	D．Seventy-five rupees wrapped in white paper.

2. Why don’t Japanese accept a gift at once?

A．To get another better gift.	B．To be more polite and thankful.
C．To refuse one’s kindness.	D．To be more outgoing and active.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To list some attractive festivals.	B．To compare some countries.
C．To recommend some formal gifts.	D．To introduce some gift-giving traditions.

3 . 语法填空

As we all know, we can learn a lot about others' feelings and thoughts by watching     1    (they) body language. In fact, body language     2    (vary) from culture to culture, so the crucial thing     3    (be) using body language in a way     4    is appropriate to the culture you are in. In different     5    (culture), the gesture for “OK” has     6    (differ) meanings.For example, in Japan, this gesture means money.Even the gestures we use     7    “yes” and “no” differ around the world. Besides, there are some gestures with     8     same meaning everywhere.For example,     9    (move) hand in circles over the stomach after a meal means “I am full”.Some body language has many different uses and perhaps     10    (good) example is smiling.

4 . There was a time an event would not begin without a photographer.“I remember the days when event organizers would even delay a show if the photographer was running late,” says Balachandra Raju,a photographer of Sathyam studio,a still surviving photo studio in India’s southern city of Chennai.

Photo studios are facing extinction in the digital age.But as they struggle to continue doing the business,one research project is looking at ways to preserve their legacy(遗产) by digitizing archival(档案的) pictures.

The project,funded by the British Library,visited around 100 photo studios across the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu and digitized 10,000 prints.Many of the photos were taken between 1880-1980,and they ranged from pictures of families and famous stars to weddings and funerals.“The digital archive will be useful for those interested in history,” Said Zoe E Headley,one of the researchers.Ramesh Kumar,another researcher on the project,called it a “gold mine” for photographers.“The research we’ve done also highlights production techniques used before digital photography arrived in our cities and towns,” he said.

However, the researchers would often find old photos piled on top of one another in the storage room of a studio.“No one had bothered to clean them,” Kumar said,adding that many photos had been damaged due to the hot and wet weather in Tamil Nadu.

The owner of Nallapillai studio in central Tamil Nadu said he spends about 20,000 rupees (￡230;$310) each month to run the studio that was founded by his great grandfather almost 150 years ago.To survive in this digital age has been a struggle.“Many customers don’t book us for special events anymore,” he said,adding that they had all got smartphones to do the job.“I’m not sure if photo studios will exist five years from now,” he said.But this is why,according to Mr Raju,this archival project is so important.

1. What’s the main function of the research project?

A．Protect the legacy of photo studios.

B．Speed up the extinction of photo studios.

C．Search for better ways of taking photos.

D．Visit all the photo studios across the India.

2. Which shows the effect of the project?

A．Photo studios can attract many visitors.

B．Photographers can have a good working place.

C．Photographers get to learn about old photography techniques.

D．Photo studios have the chance to take pictures of famous stars.

3. What has the researchers found?

A．Some photo studios are doing well.

B．Photo studios are booked for special events.

C．Some photo studios suffer from bad weather.

D．Photo studios give old pictures little protection.

4. What is Raju’s attitude towards the project?

A．Hopeful.	B．Negative.
C．Indifferent.	D．Dissatisfied.

5 . Many westerners plan their schedules at the beginning of the day, or perhaps a day or two in advance. If you would like to meet with a westerner, you should generally call at least a day in advance. If you do not, the person might plan something else during that time slot (时间空档).     1    However, in western culture having a schedule is stressed as an example of good planning and organization in one’s life.

    2    Also, the person being visited has time to tidy his home, wear proper clothing, and offer drink or snacks (小吃) to the guests. Without advance notice, the westerner may not be prepared for visitors.

If you make a visit in western countries without prior (提前的) notice, the person you visit may answer the door, but not invite you in.    3    This means he is unprepared for visitors at this time. This is not generally considered rude.    4    However, sometimes you may succeed in making a visit without an appointment. Appointments are usually made over the phone, but can also be made in person.

    5     In the west, these appointments are generally made through a secretary. Appointments are also necessary for meeting professional workers, such as doctors, dentists, lawyers, barbers, hairstylists, etc.

A．It is best to call ahead.

B．He may speak to you at the door.

C．Some people may not follow this rule.

D．Most westerners enjoy a flexible schedule.

E．Appointments are required for interviews and business meetings.

F．A busy schedule means they can’t delay any longer for a walk-in visitor.

G．Westerners phone in advance of a visit because they all have busy schedules.

6 . After spending a term in Spain, I have been trying to work out which common impressions on Spain have some truth in them and which don't.    1    

Spain is always warm and sunny. This is not true. The city I stayed in, which is in central Spain, often becomes colder than London in winter. However, the city receives little rain all year round and gets very hot in summer.    2    In Andalusia of southern Spain, for example, temperature can be cool but pleasant in winter, but becomes very high in summer.

The Spanish love to have fun.    3    The Spanish people I meet tend to be very warm and open. Spaniards love to celebrate life through different festivals throughout the year. As well as religious festivals, they celebrate others such as La Tomatina, a festival in Valencia where people throw tomatoes at each other.

    4    This is true. Both locals and tourists enjoy watching Flamenco shows just as much, especially in Andalusia. It is also possible to see them in Madrid and Barcelona, but they tend to be more for tourists. I recommend seeing a Flamenco show in Cadiz or Jerez de la Frontera. The flamenco in Cadiz takes on a more cheerful style. Maybe this is because the people of Cadiz live by the sea and have access to beautiful sandy beaches.

Spain is a fascinating country, in which you are sure to have lots of fun. I find that a lot of the common impressions on Spain hold some truth.    5    Spanish culture is very complex and the traditions and culture, as well as food and weather, can vary between regions.

A．Spain is famous for its Flamenco.

B．Here’s what I have discovered so far.

C．But the country is not limited to them.

D．I have seen a lot of evidence that this is true.

E．The following are correct impressions on Spain.

F．Southern Spain tends to be warmer than northern Spain.

G．Northern Spain is colder in summer and also colder in winter.

7 . When you go on a trip to America, you will see the word Motel on signs and notice boards. It is made up of “motor” and “hotel” and it is really a hotel for people who arrive by car (however, you don’t need a car to stay at one). You have to pay when you arrive for your room, which usually has a bath. Meals are not provided but there will certainly be a cafeteria. Americans eat a lot of salads and sandwiches. Along the main roads there are a lot of motels. Each tries to offer more than the others. Some provide television in every bedroom; others have swimming pools and so on. Motels are especially useful when you are in the country, far from a town or city. You will also find them in big national parks.

In these great national parks, you may meet guests you don't expect to see. An American friend told me a short story. In the middle of a moonless night，she heard strange noises outside her motel window in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Thinking it might be a thief, she jumped out of bed, opened the door and crept towards a dark shadow. As she got close, she saw the thief. She was dreadfully frightened: it wasn’t a human thief-it was a big black bear. The bear was turning over some empty tins with its paws, looking for tasty bits of food. My friend decided to leave that particular thief alone!

There are also, of course, places called “rooming houses”, where they provide lodges（客房).You will see such signs as Tourists or Rooms Rent, and you could try one of these. A word of warning-looking for a room in New York during the tourist season is like looking for gold on the moon!

1. Motels provide all the following EXCEPT      .

A．bath

B．TV

C．meals

D．swimming pools

2. The underlined word “crept” in Paragraph 2 probably means “      ”.

A．moved slowly

B．rushed out

C．threw away

D．ran fast

3. From the last paragraph , we can learn that in New York during the tourist season      .

A．tourists can find gold there

B．it is difficult to find a room there

C．tourists can have a sweet dream there

D．there is a warning for tourists to New York

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Grand Canyon National Park has more than six million visitors every year. Tourism brings much-needed money to American Indians in the Grand Canyon area.

To the east of the national park    1    (lie )the Navajo Nation. The Navajo and other tribes view the place    2    two rivers meet there as sacred.Developers asked the Navajo for    3    (permit)to build a tramway, hotels, and restaurants in the area. The issue divided the Navajo community. Some people wanted the economic benefits. Others saw the plan as    4    (damage ) to their culture, and    5    (concern) about its environmental effect. In February 2018, the Navajo voted to refuse the plan. Sarana Riggs is a member of the Navajo Nation and the Grand Canyon Trust, a group that works    6    (preserve) the region. “There is always a need for    7    (economy)development, ”she says.“The question is:How can the Navajo tap into tourism    8    a sustainable way?”“The millions of tourists who come to Grand Canyon National Park each year are bound to have    9    effect,”says Cobb. But she believes those visitors will appreciate the park's history and beauty, and    10    (inspire ) to protect it. “People who visit national parks love them,” she says.

9 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Mayan civilization was from a group of people     1     lived in Central America. The Maya people used a(n)     2     (write) language before Columbus came to the Americas in 1492 AD. They were good     3     art, building, and math. They knew about stars and planets, which helped them make calendars.

The Mayan civilization was the most important between the years of 250 AD and 900 AD.     4     (gradual), the Mayan civilization spread all the way from Central Mexico to Honduras, Guatemala, and northern El Salvador.

The Maya people traded with other people in the Americas. They made changes to their buildings to make them much     5     (good). The style in which they made     6     ( they) buildings was often similar to styles of buildings in countries that the Maya people traded with.

The Mayan civilization started getting smaller after 900 AD. The Spanish arrived in     7     15th century and took over Central America, even in the Mayan areas. However, the Maya people still live there today. They even keep the old Mayan traditions and     8     (believe).There are many Mayan languages still spoken today,     9     (include) one called the Achi language. A play called Rabinal Achi     10     (consider) very important to the world.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在标有序号的空白处填入一个适当的词，或填入括号中单词的正确形式。

There is a gigantic study that’s been done in 38 cultures.     1    turns out that in every culture, both males and females desire their potential mates to be bright. But we don’t have our IQs     2     (print) on our forehead. How do we know that someone’s     3    (intelligence)? In Western cultures, at least, it’s often by the person’s sense of humor. Because creating and appreciating jokes both require us to make     4     (connect) between many separate pieces of information,     5     (have) a sense of humor shows that we possess a wide knowledge and     6     we know how to think about things in novel and creative ways.

Take a cartoon     7     example: a mouse is standing outside his house, having just pulled a gun on a cat, who pretends to give in by raising one paw (爪). “Six rounds. Nine lives. You do the math,” the cat says. In order to appreciate this joke, you need to know that mice are     8     (usual) the victims of cats, many guns have six bullets (子弹), and cats     9     (say) to have nine lives because of their ability to always land on their feet. You also need to be able to do some math     10     (understand) that the cat has the advantage in this scene after all.