1 . 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 |
2 . After finishing a meal at an American Chinese restaurant you probably expect to receive a handful of fortune cookies after you pay the bill. Fortune cookies are in Chinese restaurants throughout the United States. It’s rather satisfying to crack open a cookie at the end of your meal and read your “lucky fortune” on the slip of paper inside.
The exact origin of the fortune cookie is unknown. It is thought that the tasty snack was the first introduced into San Francisco in 1914, after an immigrant began distributing the cookie with “thank you” notes in them. These “thank you” notes were intended as symbols of appreciation for friends who stood with him through the economic hardship and discrimination of his early life in America.
There is an alternate origin story. Los Angeles is regarded as the site of the fortune cookie’s invention. In this version of the story, David Jung, a Chinese immigrant residing in L. A., is thought to have created the cookie in order to uplift the spirits of the poor and homeless. In 1918, Jung handed out the cookies for free to the poor outside his shop and each cookie contained a strip of paper with an inspirational sentence printed on it.
Fortune cookies first began to gain popularity in mainstream American culture during WWII. Chinese restaurants would serve them in place of desserts, as desserts were not popular in traditional Chinese cuisine. Today fortune cookies are not tied to Chinese-American culture. In fact, the largest fortune cookie manufacturer is located in the United States and it produces 4.5 million fortune cookies a day —— an evidence to the modern-day popularity of the snack. However, an attempt to introduce the fortune cookie to China in 1992 was a failure, and the cookie was cited for being “too American.”
So the next time you break open a fortune cookie and read a fortune about the many successes you should expect in your future, remember that the conclusion to your Chinese restaurant meal may not be as Chinese as you think.
1. What do we know about fortune cookies?| A．They are as popular in China as in America. |
| B．They contain slips of paper with good wishes. |
| C．They first appeared in America during WWII. |
| D．They are often charged to the customers’ bill. |
| A．To make profit. |
| B．To express gratitude. |
| C．To uplift people’s spirits. |
| D．To help people out of hardship. |
| A．The fortune you seek is in another cookie. |
| B．Every exit is an entrance to new experiences. |
| C．I’m being held prisoner by a Chinese bakery. |
| D．Only taste fortune cookies; disregard all others. |
| A．A Symbol of Chinese Culture |
| B．Chinese Restaurants in America |
| C．Can fortune cookie tell your fortune? |
| D．Fortune cookie, Chinese or American? |
3 . Today, we talk about a common object that appears in many expressions—buttons! Buttons, which are usually small and round and made of metal or plastic, are found on all sorts of clothing. They fasten or connect one piece of clothing to another in order to make sure your clothes don’t fall off.
To be cute as a button is an old saying, which means to be attractive or sweet, but in a small way. Babies are often described as cute as a button. Language experts don’t know why. But they do say this expression dates back to the late 1860s.
Here is another expression related to button: button-down. People often wear button-down shirts to the office. Button-down as an adjective means to be conservative or traditional. People described as button-down stay as close as possible to the normal way of dressing and behaving.
When buttoning a button you slip it into a buttonhole. A buttonhole traps the button. So, to buttonhole someone means you have trapped them in a spoken conversation. Now, let’s say you find yourself buttonholed in a conversation at a party. Someone just keeps talking and talking and talking! Finally, you can’t take it any longer. You tell the person to button it! This is a direct, but unacceptable way of saying, “Stop talking!” Button your lip is another equally rude but effective way to stop a person who talks too much.
Another kind of difficult person is someone who pushes one’s buttons. To push one’s buttons means to know exactly how to get that person angry or upset. People who like to push other people’s buttons usually do it for selfish reasons. They find a person’s weak point and then they use it to upset them.
1. What do you think of someone who wears a button-down shirt to the office?| A．Funny | B．Fashionable |
| C．Crazy | D．Traditional |
| A．Be cute as a button | B．Button your lip |
| C．Push your buttons | D．Be button-down |
| A．By making contrasts(对比) | B．By giving examples |
| C．By listing figures | D．By analyzing cause and effect |
| A．Learns of one’s secret | B．Shouts loudly |
| C．Gets someone to lose his temper | D．Argues with someone |
Thank you for agreeing to take part in our Music Day. The whole idea of the day is for music students around the area to meet other players and receive expert teaching from our guests,six professional players!In the evening,you will perform the pieces you have worked on during the day at a concert which your friends and family can attend.
After you have registered at the reception,go to the main hall. First,there will be a short performance by our professional musicians who are joining us for the day. After this you will go into your classes to practice on your own instruments for the evening concert. There will also be a chance to experiment with a different instrument from the one you normally play,and see if you enjoy playing something more unusual — we have several instruments to choose from!
The first part of the day will finish at 5 pm,when parents can collect students. For those remaining in the hall until the evening concert at 7 pm,there will be DVDs for you to watch,although you should also bring something to do while you are waiting. A change of clothes is required for the evening — black trousers or a skirt and white top — so unless you are going home at 5 pm,you will need to have this with you at the start of the day.
If for whatever reason you cannot attend the evening concert,you must tell us as soon as possible,as we need to know numbers in order to prepare the stage. We look forward to seeing you at the Young People's Music Day.
1. What can students do on Music Day?| A．They can have dinner with experts. |
| B．They can receive professional advice. |
| C．They can play with professional players. |
| D．They can meet world-famous musicians. |
| A．arrive at 5:00 in the afternoon |
| B．take one of their family members |
| C．play five pieces of music each |
| D．wear black trousers or a skirt and white top |
| A．To introduce Music Day. |
| B．to invite students to a concert. |
| C．To put up a notice about Music Day. |
| D．To encourage students to love music. |
5 . The Sahara Festival is a celebration of the very recent past. The three-day event is not fixed to the same dates each year, but generally takes place in November or December. It is well attended by tourists, but even better attended by the locals.
During the opening ceremonies, after the official greetings from the government leaders, people who attend the festival begin to march smartly before the viewing stands, and white camels transport their riders across the sands. Horsemen from different nations display their beautiful clothes and their fine horsemanship. One following another, groups of musicians and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turn to show off their wonderful traditional culture. Groups of men in blue and yellow play horns and beat drums as they dance in different designs. On their knees in the sand, a group of women in long dark dresses dance with their hair: their long, dark, shiny hair is thrown back and forth in the wind to the rhythm of their dance.
The local and visiting Italian dogs are anxious to run after hares. The crowd is on its feet for the camel races. Camels and riders run far into the distance, and then return to the finish Line in front of the cheering people.
Towards the evening, there comes the grand finale of the opening day, an extremely exciting horserace. All the riders run very fast on horseback. Some riders hang off the side of their saddles（马鞍）. Some even ride upside down—their legs and feet straight up in the air—all at full speed. Others rush down the course together, men arm in arm, on different horses. On and on they went. So fast and so wonderful!
1. The Sahara Festival is a festival which _____.| A．has a very long history in North Africa |
| B．is held in the same place on the same day |
| C．is attended mainly by the people in the Sahara |
| D．is celebrated mostly by travelers from different countries |
| A．musicians, dancers, horses and hares |
| B．camel riders, musicians, dogs and hares |
| C．horsemen, dancers, camels and dogs |
| D．musicians, officials, camels and horses |
| A．first part | B．last part | C．middle | D．whole |
| A．how animals race on the first and the last days of the Sahara Festival |
| B．how people celebrate during the three-day Sahara Festival |
| C．what takes place at the closing ceremonies of the Sahara Festival |
| D．what happens on the opening day of the Sahara Festival |
6 . Calvin Gillian didn’t believe that Norway was the place for an adventurous holiday. However, some friends told him to go there and he loved it.
“I’m an extreme-sports maniac. I’ve traveled to many different countries, but I didn’t expect Norway to be a good place for an extreme holiday. Tourists usually visit Norway because of its old Viking history or to go fishing and boating in the famous fjords(峡湾) to enjoy a relaxing holiday, or to go climbing to enjoy the beauty of nature. But I didn’t go for fishing; I wanted adventure.
“Skiing is the best thing you can do in Norway. Svartisen, the Black Ice glacier(冰川）, is wonderful. The ice is not the usual white but a deep blue color, like the sea. However, you have to wear special clothes, because skiing on a million-year-old glacier can be very dangerous.”
“Then, there is Hunderfossen Family Park for Toll Park. You can go water skiing and ice skating. It is certainly a beautiful place but it is more expensive than visiting other parts of Norway.
“I also visited the Homenkollen Ski Jump in Oslo. The view from the top of the ski jump was wonderful and the the ski museum was very interesting. I wanted to try a jump but unfortunately, it’s only for professional ski-jumpers. Anyway, I was very tired and I needed a break, so I went back to my hotel and got some sleep.
“Next year, I am going to take my girlfriend to Norway, too. She is having her holiday in Australia now and she wants to have a different type of adventure for next year.”
1. How did Calvin Gillian feel about his trip?| A．Bored | B．Relaxed |
| C．Satisfied | D．Disappointed |
| A．has a strong interest in something | B．has a bad opinion of something |
| C．expects things to be successful | D．likes to compete with others |
| A．Ski-jumping | B．Climbing |
| C．Fishing | D．Skiing |
| A．Calvin Gillian’s Holiday Countries | B．Travel in Different Countries |
| C．Historical Places in Norway | D．A Norwegian Adventure |
While many people in China remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But that doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up the drawbacks of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The purpose or the first paragraph is mainly to ________.
| A．attract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| B．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| B．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| C．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| D．show great interest in studying Chinese nowadays |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| D．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes -- like tuxedos (小礼服) and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats , the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-eyed peas (豇豆) for good luck -- but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!
1. Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?
| A．The passage doesn’t say. | B．Spain. |
| C．France. | D．The United States. |
| A．Something you say. | B．Something you eat. |
| C．Something you burn. | D．Something you wear. |
| A．Bringing good luck. |
| B．Remembering the past. |
| C．Planning for the next year. |
| D．Keeping away from bad luck. |
| A．Black-eyed peas taste bad. |
| B．The peas are very difficult to cook. |
| C．One pea brings one day of luck. |
| D．It is bad luck to eat a lot of black-eyed peas. |
On New Year’s Eve, people in Italy throw out all the old things. So there are chairs, beds, clothes and plates in the trees. In Spain, the New Year comes in more quietly. In the evening people come together to the streets. Each holds a bag of grapes. When twelve o'clock comes, people start eating the grapes. In Japan, people eat noodles on New Year’s Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning, some families climb Mount Fuji(富士山). There they watch the first sunrise(日出) of the New Year.
1. This story is about New Year’s Eve in_______.| A．Italy | B．Spain |
| C．Japan | D．All of the above |
| A．eating grapes | B．eating noodles |
| C．throwing the old things | D．watching the sunrise. |
| A．throw things away | B．get together |
| C．eat some food | D．climb a mountain |
| A．look at the stars |
| B．look for New Year’s wishes |
| C．see the sun coming up |
| D．have a rest |
| A．Japan | B．China | C．Spain | D．Italy |
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises or jogging, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
By Jack
1. Jack brought the couple their food very fast because _______.
| A．the manager asked him to do so |
| B．he respected the elderly |
| C．the couple wanted him to do so |
| D．he wanted more pay |
| A．nervous | B．satisfied | C．Unhappy | D．excited |
| A．people dislike being called “old” |
| B．people are proud of being old |
| C．many people reach the age of seventy or eighty |
| D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants |
| A．lost his job in the restaurant |
| B．made friends with the couple |
| C．no longer respected the elderly |
| D．changed his way with older people |
| A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got. |
| B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience. |
| C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple. |
| D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture. |
