1 . Should schools allow Halloween celebrations?

Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States.     1     Many schools also celebrate the holiday by having kids dress up in costumes, take part in costume shows, and join in a variety of activities relating to Halloween. On October 31, the halls of schools across the country will be filled with princes, princesses, and superheroes. In addition to costumes, school Halloween celebrations often include classroom parties and trick-or-treating.

    2     They also say that dressing up in costumes allows kids to express themselves and show off their creativity.

    3     Officials at many of those schools say the celebrations are too time-consuming (费时的) and take away class time. They also point out that kids who can't afford costumes or who don't celebrate Halloween for cultural reasons feel left out. For example, Seth Boyden Elementary School in Maplewood, New Jersey, canceled（取消）its Halloween celebration last year. Officials at the school said that in the past, many students stayed home on that day.

    4     Bree Picower, a Professor of Early and Elementary Education at Montclair State, said, “Maplewood is a wonderful example of a school being responsive to society. Many schools plan to learn from it. Schools are places where students should feel included.”

Parents in Maplewood had different opinions of this policy. Some said that the new no-Halloween policy was a welcome change.     5    

A．It brings a lot of safety problems.

B．Experts say Maplewood is not alone.

C．Many people dislike these costumes.

D．Each year there're millions of Americans celebrations the holiday.

E．But more and more schools have canceled（取消）Halloween celebrations in recent years.

F．Many teachers, parents, and students see these celebrations as a fun break from the school day.

G．And others said that it was unfair that their children are now not allowed to celebrate Halloween in school.

2 . Spend any time in London, England’s capital, and you’ll quickly gather that it’s a multicultural (多元文化的) community. Look around at your fellow passengers on the Tube(地铁) or the bus. They’re of every skin color and dress differently to one another. Listen, and you’ll hear many other languages besides English spoken. Some of these people, no doubt, will be tourists who are in London to see the sights. But others — in fact probably most — will be living their lives there, along with millions of others.

Along with white British people, there are Britons from, or with parents and grandparents from, the Caribbean, India, China and most other places. This makes London a fascinating place in which to live. The reason is that when people settle in a place, they don’t just buy a house and live there, but bring aspects of the culture of their “old country” with them.

The most visible sign of this is the number of restaurants offering dishes from different parts of the world. In a city in which it’s estimated 250 different languages are spoken, you can expect a similarly wide range of foods to be available. You would expect in one of the world’s leading cities to encounter(遇到) French, Italian, Chinese and Indian eateries. But in London you’ll also find Polish, Patagonian and Palestinian restaurants.

However, London’s multiculturalism isn’t just about food. Many types of people are gathered in one space, but the way they live differently shows in that space. They worship(崇拜) differently, for one thing. Alongside the famous old English churches by Nicholas Hawksmoor and Christopher Wren — responsible for one of the capital’s most famous landmark, St Paul’s Cathedral—you’ll find mosques(清真寺), temples and synagogues (犹太教堂).

London even speaks its own special kind of English. Language experts created the term “Multicultural London English” to identify the dialect of English that appeared at the end of the last century.

All of this makes London a very surprising and varied place to call your home. But, in a way, this has long been true. In the 18^th century, the compiler(编纂者) of the first English dictionary, Samuel Johnson, once said: “ He who is tired of London is tired of life.”

1. By describing the situation on the Tube and bus, the author intends to ________.

A．show that London is a multicultural city

B．explain why London appeals to tourists

C．prove that London is a great place to live in

D．inform us of how the population of Britain is made up

2. According to the article, people who settle in London from other places ________.

A．are forced to give up their native language

B．find it easy to buy a house in the city

C．bring in cultural practices from their original country

D．make up the majority of the population in the city

3. Which of the following could be used as proof of London’s multiculturalism?

A．The city is home to the famous building St Paul’s Cathedral.

B．The city has become a favorite destination for tourists abroad.

C．There are a variety of French restaurants in the city.

D．A new London dialect has appeared in recent years.

4. Samuel Johnson is mentioned in the last paragraph to ________.

A．show what London was like in the 18th century

B．prove the cultural diversity of London from a historical aspect

C．inform the readers what to expect in London

D．introduce the first English dictionary he compiled

3 . Time flies, or so they say. No matter where you are, humans are constantly measuring and checking time. Some of us are good at it—planning and doing things ahead of time—while others are always trying to beat the clock and do things at last. What about if you are behind time?

Delay can be serious. If you were one minute late for work, would you resign? It may sound extreme to many of us, but that is exactly what occurred in the UK upper chamber of parliament, the House of Lords, in January 2018. International development minister Lord Bates arrived one minute late, and, as a result, was unable to answer a scheduled question. Instead of trying to make up for lost time, he resigned on the spot. He apologised for his discourtesy and stated that he was ashamed. His resignation, though, was not accepted by the UK prime minister.

So, how late is too late? Many cultures take punctuality very seriously, whereas others seem to accept lagging behind

as just the normal way of things. BBC employees from Latin America, Rwanda and Sri Lanka said that there are more flexible attitudes to timekeeping in their cultures. In Latin America, things may happen five minutes, 20 minutes, an hour or even two after they were planned. Whereas, in Sri Lanka, lateness is a part of the daily routine. This is because of poor infrastructure and heavy traffic conditions. In Rwanda, those who attend to deadlines with strick timekeeping are said to be “like a typical European”.

On the other hand, German and Japanese employees mentioned a stricter adherence to time. In Japan, it is common to make an effort to arrive with time to spare for an appointment. Those who arrived at the stroke of nine to a meeting starting at 9 am would be considered late. In Germany, however, if a dinner party were to begin at eight, a person who had arrived five minutes prior, may walk around the block to make sure that they arrive at eight on the dot.

1. What did Lord Bates do when he arrived one minutes late?

A．He continued to answer questions.	B．He resigned on the spot.
C．He made up for lost time.	D．He apologized and ran away.

2. The underlined word “discourtesy” means “________”.

A．rudeness	B．misunderstanding
C．ignorance	D．position

3. It can be inferred from the third paragraph that ________.

A．many cultures take punctuality very seriously

B．people have flexible attitudes to timekeeping

C．what is considered acceptable is based on culture

D．heavy traffic conditions always lead to lateness

4. German people share the same idea about time with people from ________.

A．Rwanda	B．Latin America
C．Sri Lanka	D．Japan

4 . Different Cultures

The cultures of the East and the West really distinguish each other a lot.     1    .

The origin of the Eastern culture is mainly from two countries: China and India. Both of the two cultures are developed by rivers—the Yellow River in China and the Hindu River in India.     2    .

When the two mother rivers gave birth to the Eastern culture, another famous culture was brought up on the Mesopotamian Plain—the Mesopotamian Civilization. This civilization later on developed into the cultures of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.     3    Like the Chinese culture, the European culture also crossed waters. When the British settled down in America, their culture went with them over the Atlanta Ocean. So the American culture doesn’t distinguish from the European culture a lot.

At the same time, some other differences add to the cultural differences. Take the language system for example. In the East, most languages belong to the pictographic language while the Western languages are mostly based on the Latin system. Other causes like human race differences count as well. But what’s more, due to the far distance and the steep areas between the East and the West, the two cultures seldom communicate until recent centuries.     4    

The differences are everywhere.     5    But different cultures make the world of 21st century more colorful. The cultural gap should not be the obstacle to the civilization of human being. It ought to be the motivation of our going farther.

A．Let us work together to keep a variety of cultures.

B．And these two are well- known as the base of the European culture.

C．One important thing is to learn about other cultures.

D．This is because the culture systems are two separate systems on the whole.

E．They are obvious and affect people’s ways of thinking and their views of the world.

F．They helped the two cultures develop for centuries and form their own styles.

G．So they grew up totally in their own ways with almost no interference from the other.

5 . We Chinese are really particular about what we eat; meanwhile we are also concerned with how we eat. Along with the growing popularity of the manners in the workplace,     1    . The following are some Chinese table manners. Hope it would help you to get an idea on how to handle the table manners with high proficiency.

At the beginning of Chinese dinner, the first wet towel served by the waiter is for the hands, not the face. Along with lobster, chicken and fruits would come a small basin in it some lemon slices or rose petals are floating on the water,    2    . When washing your hands, you should wet your fingers in turn and wash them quietly, then dry your hands with wet towel.

You can introduce the features of Chinese food to foreign guests.    3     and they can choose dishes as they like. Some people like to recommend food or even picking up dishes for the guests, but you have to know the foreign guests are not used to this; they may grow tired of your repeated advice.

You have to pay attention to the manner when picking up food, only do so when the dishes come in front of you; do not pick up before your neighbors; the dishes should not be picked up too much at one time and you should chew your food slowly,    4    . It is a greedy performance to wolf down the food.

    5    . For example, avoid touching the neighbor, be careful not to make the dishes out of the plate or spill the soup. Please do not make food noise when drinking the soup or chewing the dishes. Do not chat with others when eating. Do not spit the bones or the fish bone directly to the desk, you had better cover your mouth and pick it out on the plate with your chopsticks.

A．Dining manner should be gentle

B．Do not repeatedly urge the guests to eat

C．which is for hand-washing not for drinking

D．table manners are also demanding more attention

E．At last, you should learn how to become a gentleman

F．we should know how to be polite in some public places

G．which is not only good for digestion but also a part of table manners

6 . In the U. S., speaking more than one language fluently is not very common except in Los Angeles, California.

The city has one of the largest population in the U. S. of young people between the ages of 18 and 34. This generation is often called millennials (新千年一代). More than half of millennials in Los Angeles are bilingual (双语的), which means they speak more than one language.

Maria Elena Burgos is cooking a Mexican breakfast. She says making Mexican food is just one of the many traditions in her home. Another is speaking Spanish to her children.

“We want them to be bilingual. We want to keep the Spanish somewhere in their learning too, not only at home.”

When Ms Burgos first came to the United States from Mexico, she learned English. She knew her children would learn English quickly. So she wanted them to speak Spanish at home and study the language at school.

She says being bilingual will give them more opportunities in the future. Knowing Spanish also means the children can talk with their relatives in Mexico.

“When we had our children, one of the decisions we as parents made was to name them with a name that was easily pronounced in English and Spanish.”

Elizabeth wants to know her family’s culture.” “The culture-to go back to our roots because that’s part of who we are.”

Monica wants to pass on the culture to her children.

“It’s nice to know our culture and then to be able to pass it onto our children and grand- children and everyone to let them know where we come from.”

And, Monica says she does not speak only English and Spanish. She has even learned some Korean in school.

1. Which of the following is a tradition of Maria?

A．Cooking breakfast for her relatives.

B．Talking with her children in Spanish.

C．Talking with her relatives in Spanish.

D．Forcing her children to speak Spanish.

2. What can be inferred from Monica’s words?

A．She doesn’t care where she comes from.

B．She looks forward to learning Spanish.

C．Everyone should know his own culture.

D．She doesn’t like American culture.

3. Which of the following is mentioned about children speaking more languages?

A．It can give children more chances in the future.

B．It can make children feel proud before their friends.

C．It can give the children a chance to go to a good college.

D．It can let children go to the places where they want to go.

4. What’s the main purpose of this passage?

A．To entertain the readers with a funny story.

B．To inform the readers of a shocking experiment result.

C．To encourage more persons to learn a second language.

D．To tell a truth that many people in Los Angeles are bilingual.

7 . If you plan to go abroad for your further education,first you should read something about the custom of the country.For example,in the United States,it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning.If you telephone him early in the day,while he is shaving or having breakfast,    1    .The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m.If someone receives a call during sleeping hours,he assumes it's a matter of life or death.So    2    .

In social life,time plays a very important part.In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not .0highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date,    3    .In other areas of the world,it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten.    4    .Thus,misunderstandings arise between people from cultures that treat time differently.Being punctual is valued highly in American life,for example.If people are not punctual,     5    .In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour,it would be too impolite.A person who is 5 minutes late is expected to make a short apology.

A．they will not be trusted

B．But it is not true in all countries

C．Different races understand it differently

D．the time chosen for the call communicates its importance

E．they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible

F．The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world

G．the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention

8 . Countries may be ranked by many various groups, such as how expensive or interesting they are to foreign tourists. They can also be ranked by their openness and friendliness toward visitors. You might be shocked to find out that, for example, the USA is number 102 on the list of the least welcoming places, 140 being the most unfriendly land.

Mongolia

Mongolia was closed for quite some time and opened up to foreigners only 20 years ago. That’s probably the major reason why it is not yet experienced enough in hosting tourists. The country is beautiful, with huge spacious areas of land that are low populated. There local people are not yet used to being visited by foreign guests.

Slovakia

There are, undoubtedly, pluses as well as minuses in every country. Slovakia is not the perfect destination for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, Slovakia is becoming more and more similar to the rest of European countries surrounding it. Sameness is not the best quality. As a rule, tourists want to travel and see things they have never seen before. It is good that the land’s countryside is still unique, although it is also being commercialized day by day.

Iran

Iran is not the best place to travel to. It is located close to Pakistan with its negative political atmosphere. Western visitors are not welcome over there and embassies (大使馆) advise against traveling to Iran. The population, contrary to the country’s government, consists of very friendly and welcoming people.

Kuwait

In Kuwait people are warm and friendly. It has a unique history, plenty of traditions and customs. People respect their culture and are very religious. It is a Muslim country, which means that you are not allowed to drink alcohol. If you happen to visit Kuwait during Ramadan, you will not be allowed to eat in public places, either.

Russia

Russia is truly a special place. It is definitely worth visiting. What you might not find attractive is the corruption and bureaucracy (官僚主义) that rule in some certain official circles. Another nuisance you should be ready for is that, as a visitor, you’ll be asked to receive an invitation. Only then will you be able to apply for a visa. Once you arrive in Russia, you’ll be warmly greeted and accepted by the local people.

1. You’ll meet friendly people in the following countries except in _____.

A．Iran

B．Kuwait

C．Mongolia

D．Russia

2. Which of the statements is true according to the text?

A．You can apply for a visa for Russia at will.

B．If you’re fond of drinking, then Kuwait is not an ideal destination.

C．You’re not advised to travel in Iran due to its high cost.

D．Mongolia is a beautiful country with much experience in hosting tourists.

3. Where does this passage probably come from?

A．A news report

B．A lecture speech

C．An advertisement

D．A text book

9 . A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self-made man—the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts, usually beginning by working with his hands. While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and wins greater respect in the community than the common laborer or even the skilled factory worker, he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or laborer of some kind.
This attitude toward manual (体力的) labor is now still seen in many aspects of American life. One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even expensively furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel, expensive hobbies, and college education for the children; yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself, will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward; furthermore, the dinner will not consist just of something quickly and easily mixed from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery. Instead, the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes. A professional man may talk about washing the car, digging in his flowerbeds, painting the house. His wife may even help with these things, just as he often helps her with the dishwashing. The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living, or during the summer he may work with a group of workers on the highway in order to pay for his education.
1. From Paragraph 1, we know that in America ________.

A．people feel painful to mention their fathers as laborers

B．people tend to have a high opinion of the self-made man

C．people can always rise to the top through their own efforts

D．college professors win great respect from common workers

2. According to the passage, the hostess cooks dinner herself mainly because ________.

A．she can hardly afford servants

B．servants in America are hard to get

C．she takes pride in what she can do herself

D．it is easy to prepare a meal with canned food

3. The expression “wait on table” in the second paragraph means “________”.

A．wait to place the table

B．keep accounts for a bar

C．work in a furniture shop

D．serve customers in a restaurant

4. Which of the following may serve as the best title of the passage?

A．A Respectable Self-made Family.

B．The Development of Manual Labor.

C．Characteristics of American Culture.

D．American Attitude Toward Manual Labor.

10 . The concept of culture has been defined many times, and although no definition has achieved universal acceptance, most of the definitions include three central ideas: that culture is passed on from generation to generation, that a culture represents a ready-made principle for living and for making day-to-day decisions, and, finally, that the components of a culture are accepted by those in the culture as good, and true, and not to be questioned. The eminent anthropologist George Murdock has listed seventy-three items that characterize every known culture, past and present.
The list begins with Age-grading and Athletic sports, runs to Weaning and Weather Control, and includes on the way such items as Calendar, Fire making, Property Rights, and Tool making. I would submit that even the most extreme advocate of a culture of poverty viewpoint would readily acknowledge that, with respect to almost all of these items, every American, beyond the first generation immigrant, regardless of race or class, is a member of a common culture. We all share pretty much the same sports. Maybe poor kids don’t know how to play polo, and rich kids don’t spend time with stickball, but we all know baseball, football, and basketball. Despite some misguided efforts to raise minor dialects to the status of separate   tongues, we all, in fact, share the same language.
There may be differences in diction and usage, but it would be ridiculous to say that all Americans don’t speak English. We have the calendar, the law, and large numbers of other cultural items in common. It may well be true that on a few of the seventy-three items there are minor variations between classes, but these kinds of things are really slight variations on a common theme.
There are other items that show variability, not in relation to class, but in relation to religion and ethnic background — funeral customs and cooking, for example. But if there is one place in America where the melting pot is a reality, it is on the kitchen stove; in the course of one month, half the readers of this sentence have probably eaten pizza, hot pastrami, and chow mein. Specific differences that might be identified as signs of separate cultural identity are relatively insignificant within the general unity of American life; they are cultural commas and semicolons in the paragraphs and pages of American life.
1. According to the author’s definition of culture, ________.

A．a culture should be accepted and maintained universally

B．a culture should be free from falsehood and evils

C．the items of a culture should be taken for granted by people

D．the items of a culture should be accepted by well-educated people

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Baseball, football and basketball are popular sports in America.

B．Different classes have different cultures.

C．Playing polo is popular among kids.

D．There is no variation in using the American language.

3. It can be inferred that ________ will most probably be included in the seventy-three items.

A．accent

B．polo

C．dream patterns

D．table manners

4. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage is to ________.

A．prove that different people have different definitions of culture

B．warn that variations exist as far as a culture is concerned

C．indicate that culture is closely connected with social classes

D．show that the idea that the poor or the rich establish a separate culture is an absurdity