1 . Imagine yourself sitting in a cafe one day in your hometown, when on the next table you hear some people speaking English with a strong North American accent (口音)Being a friendly person, you smile and say, “Hi! Are you American?” “No,” comes the quick answer. “Canadian!” Calling an English-speaking Canadian an American can be as bad as telling a Scotsman that he’s English or a Swiss person that he’s German. Although they have a common language, there are differences in culture and national feeling. “No,” many Canadians will tell you with confidence, “we’re not Americans! We’re Canadians.”
About 80% of Canadians live within 150 kilometers of the US border (国界), and this has had a detrimental influence on the Canadian economy. Like most European countries, Canada has a good national health service, and a good social service, but the good services have to be paid for by high taxes(税). Because of this, hundreds of thousands of Canadians often get in their cars and drive over to the USA to go shopping. This is one cause of economic problems in Canada. Over half of Canada’s products that are brought in from other countries come from the United States.
But the American influence is not just a question of shopping. Lots of Canadians drive American cars, and cars are, almost as important in Canada as they are in the USA. There is television too.
While Quebecers watch their own French-language TV stations, English-speaking Canadians have a choice between local English-speaking television stations, national programmes from CBC, and many American television stations. Unless they want to watch local stations, they’re just as likely to choose one of the big American television stations which include many different types of programmes as they are to a Canadian television station.
1. What does the author want to tell us in the first paragraph?| A．Canadians can speak many languages. |
| B．Canadians have a strong national feeling. |
| C．Canadians are generally friendly to foreigners. |
| D．Canadians have a lot in common with Americans. |
| A．Timely. | B．Special. | C．Unexpected. | D．Bad. |
| A．The cost of living in Canada is quite high |
| B．Canada only has a few French programmes. |
| C．The service industries of Canada are famous. |
| D．Canada produces fewer cars than America. |
| A．A nation of high taxes |
| B．What is Canadians’ lifestyle? |
| C．How is Canada influenced by the US? |
| D．The differences between Canada and the US’ |
2 . I remember when Kamala Harris became Joe Biden's running mate. It seemed funny how many people pronounced her name incorrectly. On one occasion, a news host became upset when being corrected, and purposely called her Kumbaya.
I am no stranger to this issue as many of my students are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and sometimes their names are difficult for me to pronounce, even after asking them how to say it. Many students seem unwilling to correct me when I attempt to learn their names correctly. The other thing I’ve seen in growing numbers is students “adopting” an English name.
It's much more common than many think, for people to change their names in order to fit in.
This is especially the case when it comes to seeking jobs. Racial and cultural minorities often attempt to avoid discrimination hiring by hiding racial cues on the resume including changing their name. This is referred to as “resume whitening”. Research shows almost 50 percent of black and Asian job applicants did so.
Xian Zhao from the University of Toronto researches ethnic (种族的) name pronunciation, saying that many people don’t understand that habitually pronouncing an unfamiliar name inaccurately is a form of indirect discrimination. It sends a message that “you are the minorities” says Zhao. “You are not important in this environment, so why should I take time and my effort to learn it?”On the other end, those with ethnic names frequently don’t correct people, even when their name is pronounced wrong repeatedly, feeling it is better just to keep the peace and not stand out for being difficult.
It is important to try to pronounce everyone’s name as they pronounce it. This communicates respect of them as a person and their culture. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to repeat their name so that you can learn to pronounce it properly. This is usually appreciated.
1. When their names are incorrectly pronounced, the author’s Asian students| A．attempt to laugh at it | B．tend to accept it |
| C．offer to correct the author | D．agree to change their names |
| A．An application for a better job. |
| B．A change in work environment. |
| C．A ban on racial discrimination in workplace. |
| D．A practice of using Western names in job seeking. |
| A．ethnics accept their names being mispronounced to save trouble |
| B．ethnics fight effectively with the discrimination against their names |
| C．many westerners pronounce ethnic names incorrectly on purpose |
| D．many westerners make efforts to pronounce ethnic names correctly |
| A．Critical. | B．Uncaring. | C．Reserved. | D．Supportive. |
3 . The capital of a country is often a very populated city where much history has been made due to the high-level political and economic functions that occur there. However, sometimes government leaders decide to move the capital from one city to another. Capital relocation has been done hundreds of times throughout history. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese changed their capital frequently.
Some countries choose new capitals that are more easily defended in a time of invasion (侵略) or war. Some new capitals are planned and built in previously undeveloped areas to promote development. Countries sometimes change their capital because they expect some type of political, social, or economic benefit. They hope and expect that the new capitals will surely develop into cultural treasure and hopefully make the country a more stable place.
Here are capital relocations that have occurred in approximately the last few centuries.
| Asia | Japan | from Kyoto to Tokyo — 1868 |
| Turkey | from Istanbul to Ankara — 1923 | |
| Israel | from Tel Aviv-Jaffo to Jerusalem — 1950 | |
| Europe | Poland | from Krakow to Warsaw — 1596 |
| Finland | from Turku to Helsinki — 1812 | |
| Italy | from Turin to Florence to Salerno to Rome — 1871 | |
| The Americas | The US | from New York to Washington — 1800 |
| Jamaica | from Port Royal to Spanish Town to Kingston — 1872 | |
| Oceania | New Zealand | from Auckland to Wellington — 1865 |
| A．To further expand their land. |
| B．To uncover ancient treasure. |
| C．To develop undeveloped areas. |
| D．To declare war on another country. |
| A．Turkey. | B．Poland. |
| C．The United Sate. | D．New Zealand. |
| A．They moved the capitals more than once. |
| B．Their capitals were destroyed in the war. |
| C．They moved their capitals in the same year. |
| D．Their capitals moved because of the economy. |
4 . Malaysia is a country of contrasts — a mix of different architecture, attractive parks and modern tall buildings, and a unique landscape.
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s capital and largest city has much to offer travelers. Perhaps best known for the Petronas Twin Towers, KL is a very popular tourist destination (目的地). It is also considered one of the best shopping destinations in Southeast Asia. Its distinct, modern, Asian, and Malay architecture flows through the city, giving it a unique look you don’t usually find in other Southeast Asia capitals.
George Town
The older part has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site — but George Town is just as famous for its food as it is for its architecture. While George Town’s port and waterfront area is a tourist’s favorite, there’s much more to see and do here. The city’s tallest building is home to the U-shaped Rainbow Skywalk, an outdoor glass viewing platform (平台) set 68 floors up in the air.
Gunung Mulu National Park
The park attracts visitors from all over Asia who come here for the natural beauty that caused this place to be admitted on UNESCO World Heritage list. The park’s main attractions are, however, its caves and the millions of bats (蝙蝠). Sarawak Chamber is the largest cave in the world.
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is a hilly region with a long tradition of tea growing on the mountainside. For an inside look into the agricultural and farming practices in Malaysia, the Mardi’s Agro Technology Park is an unexpectedly fun destination. Or visit The Time Tunnel, where you can see recreated rooms and shops from the early 20th century, play board games, and see photographs from pre-war days.
1. What makes Kuala Lumpur different from other capitals in Southeast Asia?| A．Architectural style. | B．Popularity. | C．Number of visitors. | D．Shopping places. |
| A．The outdoor views are famous. | B．Bats and caves are fascinating. |
| C．They are recognized by UNESCO. | D．They have many foods to choose from. |
| A．George Town. | B．Cameron Highlands. |
| C．Kuala Lumpur. | D．Gunung Mulu National Park. |
5 . Due to its faraway location in the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand was one of the last countries to be discovered by humans. Although most of the current population are European descendants, it was the minority group known as the Maori who were the first to settle there.
Maori arts are very popular with tourists. The Waka is a traditional canoe (独木舟) that has been skillfully carved out of a tree trunk, with beautiful carvings added to show tribal (部落的) history and culture.
Traditional tattoos (纹身), known as “moko”, are also a strong visual part of Maori culture. They are most often done in circle forms across a man’s face, and on the chin (下巴) and lips of a woman. They represent a person’s social class, and are also believed to increase attractiveness.
There is so much more for visitors to discover about Maori culture.
| A．Receiving moko is seen as a great honour |
| B．Maoris, whether young or old, are all dance lovers |
| C．However, New Zealand is also known for its diverse cultures |
| D．It is an important part of what makes New Zealand a modern country |
| E．A large war canoe could be up to 40 metres long and hold up to 80 people |
| F．Another well-known part of Maori culture is the traditional kapa haka dance |
| G．Today, both past and present Maori culture can be found all over the country |
