A report brought back by most visitors to the US is how friendly, polite, and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are, of course, exceptions. Small-minded officials, rude waiters, and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US. Yet American’s friendliness and helpfulness is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.
For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of distraction, and brought news of the outside world．
The tough realities of the border also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest settler agent. It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or only a charitable impulse (沖動(dòng)） on the part of the settlers. It reflected the hardship of daily life: if you didn't take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would. And someday, remember, you might be in the same situation．
Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the exhausted traveler. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US, especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist routes. "I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner, amazing." Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly. The casual friendliness of many Americans should be understood neither as superficial（表面的）nor as artificial（虛偽的）, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.
As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals and customs is the basis of all social inter-relationships. And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily mean that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to "translate" cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example when an American uses the word "friend", the cultural meanings of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor's language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to tell polite customs from individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue （美德） that many Americans value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.
小題1:In the eyes of visitors from the outside world, ________．
A．rude taxi drivers are hardly seen in the US
B．small-minded officials deserve a serious comment
C．Canadians are not so friendly as their neighbors
D．most Americans are ready to offer help
小題2:We can know from the last paragraph that _______．
A．culture has an influence over social inter-relationship
B．polite customs and individual interest are inter-related
C．various virtues shows themselves only among friends
D．social inter-relationships equal the complex set of cultural customs
小題3:Families who lived far from one another used to entertain strangers _______．
A．to improve their hard lifeB．in view of their long-distance travel
C．to add some taste to their own daily lifeD．out of a charitable impulse
小題4:The tradition of hospitality to strangers _______．
A．tends to be superficial and artificial
B．is generally well kept up in the United States
C．is always understood properly
D．has something to do with the busy tourist route

小題1:D
小題2:A
小題3:C
小題4:B

試題分析：本文介紹了訪問(wèn)過(guò)美國(guó)的游客都會(huì)覺(jué)得美國(guó)人民熱情、助人為樂(lè)，作者分析了美國(guó)能保留熱情好客傳統(tǒng)的原因。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題：根據(jù)第一段第一句“A report brought back by most visitors to the US is how friendly, polite, and helpful most Americans were to them.”到美國(guó)去的旅游者對(duì)大多數(shù)美國(guó)人的印象是友好、禮貌和樂(lè)于助人。故選D。
小題2:推理題：根據(jù)最后一段第一句“As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals and customs is the basis of all social inter-relationships.”同任何發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家一樣，美國(guó)有一套建立在所有社會(huì)相互關(guān)系基礎(chǔ)上的復(fù)雜的文化信號(hào)，假設(shè)，和習(xí)俗。由此可知文化對(duì)社會(huì)相互關(guān)系產(chǎn)生影響。故選A
小題3:推理題：根據(jù)文章第二段內(nèi)容可知相距很遠(yuǎn)的居住條件使人們的生活無(wú)聊、孤獨(dú)，旅行者的到來(lái)會(huì)給他們帶來(lái)外界的消息，也是一種娛樂(lè)消遣。故選C。
小題4:細(xì)節(jié)題：根據(jù)第四段中“Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US, especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist routes.”然而，對(duì)陌生人熱情好客的老傳統(tǒng)在美國(guó)仍然很強(qiáng)，尤其是在小城市和城鎮(zhèn)遠(yuǎn)離旅游熱線。故選B。
練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Jack Benny was one of the most famous names in show business.He was born in Chicago，Illinois，on February 14th,1894.His parents，Meyer and Emma Kubelsky，were religious Jews.They had moved to the United States from Eastern Europe.Benny was a quiet boy.For much of the time，his parents were busy working in his father’s store.As a child，Benny learned to play the violin.After finishing his school，he joined the Navy.He continued using his violin to perform for sailors.In one show he was chosen more for his funny jokes than for his skill with the violin.That experience made him believe that his future job was a comedian.
Benny developed a show personality that had all the qualities people dislike.He was known for being so stingy—he refused to spend any money unless forced to do so.On his shows Benny often spoke of his appearance，especially his baby blue eyes.As he grew older，he always claimed to be 39 years old.Benny rarely made jokes that hurt other people.Instead，he would let the other actors on the show tell jokes about him.
In real life，he was very giving and he was a person people liked having as their employer.Benny entered the new media of television in 1950.Five years later，he dropped his radio programme to spend more time developing his television show.At first his appearances on television were rare.By 1960 the Benny Show was a weekly television programme.It continued until 1965.Benny appeared in about twenty films during his life.A few became popular.But most were not.In 1963 Benny returned to Broadway for the first time since 1931.
Benny received many awards during his lifetime.Perhaps the one honour that pleased him most was that his hometown of Waukeegan named a school for him.This was a special honour for a man who had never finished high school.
Benny continued to perform.He died of cancer in 1974.At his funeral his friend Bob Hope said，“Jack Benny was stingy to the end.He gave us only eighty years.”
小題1:Benny was determined to be a comedian after he ______.
A．left high school
B．joined the Navy
C．performed in a show for the sailors
D．left the Navy for Broadway
小題2:The underlined word “stingy” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “________”．
A．cleverB．mean
C．outgoingD．hard­working
小題3:According to the text，on Benny’s shows，he ________.
A．developed a good personality
B．played the violin skillfully
C．often referred to his appearance
D．said funny things that hurt others
小題4:Which of the following statements is TRUE about Benny?
A．He did a good job in show business.
B．His first appearance on TV was very successful.
C．Most of his films became well­known to Americans.
D．He treated all his awards as nothing.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

With the average temperature for January standing at －50 ℃，it is no wonder the Russian village of Oymyakon is the coldest permanently inhabited settlement in the world.Known as the“Pole of Cold”，the coldest ever temperature recorded in Oymyakon is －71.2 ℃.This is the lowest recorded temperature for any permanently inhabited location on Earth and the lowest temperature recorded in the northern hemisphere(北半球)．
Ironically，Oymyakon actually means“non?freezing water”due to a nearby hot spring.Most homes in Oymyakon still burn coal and wood for heat and enjoy few modern conveniences.
Nothing grows there so people eat reindeer(馴鹿)meat and horsemeat.A single shop provides the town's bare necessities and the locals work as reindeer?breeders，hunters and ice?fishermen.
There are few modern conveniences in the village—with many buildings still having outdoor toilets—and most people still burn coal and wood for heat.When coal deliveries are irregular，the power station starts burning wood.If the power ceases，the town shuts down in about five hours，and the pipes freeze and crack.
Daily problems that come with living in Oymyakon include pen ink freezing，glasses freezing to people's faces and batteries losing power.Locals are said to leave their cars running all day for fear of not being able to restart them.Even if there was coverage for mobile phone reception，the phones themselves would not work in such conditions.
Another problem caused by the frozen temperatures is burying dead bodies，which can take anything up to three days.The earth must first have thawed(融解)sufficiently in order to dig it，so a bonfire is lit for a couple of hours.Hot coals are then pushed to the side and a hole couple of inches deep is dug.The process is repeated for several days until the hole is deep enough to bury the coffin.
Travel companies offer tourists the opportunity to visit the village and sample life in the freezing conditions.
小題1:From the passage we can infer that people in Oymyakon ________.
A．prefer meat to any other kind of food
B．seldom have fresh vegetables and fruits
C．can buy anything in the shop
D．might row a boat to catch fish
小題2:Which of the following is the first step when burying a dead body?
A．The coffin must be put in place.
B．A bonfire has to be lit first.
C．Hot coals have to be pushed to the side.
D．A hole couple of inches deep is dug.
小題3:Mobile phones would not work in Oymyakon because ________.
A．the batteries are of poor quality
B．there was no coverage for phone reception
C．batteries can't be charged in such conditions
D．the extreme coldness makes the batteries lose power
小題4:Why do the locals have their cars running all day?
A．They are afraid they can't get the car started.
B．They want to keep warm in the car.
C．They have abundant oil resources.
D．They have little awareness of saving.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

For most people, shopping is still a matter of wandering down the street or loading a cart in a shopping mall. Soon, that will change. Electronic commerce (trade) is growing fast and will soon bring people more choices. There will, however, be a cost: protecting the consumer from being cheated will be harder. Many governments therefore want to apply street regulations to the electronic world. But politicians would be wiser to see cyberspace as a basis for a new era of corporate self-regulation.
Consumers in rich countries have grown used to the idea that the government takes responsibility for everything from the stability of the banks to the safety of the drugs or their rights to refund when goods are faulty. But governments cannot enforce national laws on businesses whose only presence is on the screen. Even in a country where a clear right to compensation exists, the on-line customer in Tokyo, say, can hardly go to New York to get a refund (退款) for a clothes purchase.
One answer is for government to cooperate more: to recognize each other’s rules. But that requires years of work and volumes of detailed rules. And plenty of countries have rules too fanciful for sober countries to accept. There is, however, another choice. Let the electronic businesses do the regulation themselves. They do, after all, have a self-interest in doing so.
In electronic commerce, a reputation for honest dealing will be a valuable competitive asset. Governments, too, may compete to be trusted. For instance, customers ordering medicines on- line may prefer to buy from the United States because they trust the rigorous screening of the Food and Drug Administration; or they may decide that the FDA’s rules are too strict, and buy from Switzerland instead.
Customers will still need to use their judgment, but precisely because the technology is new, electronic shoppers are likely for a while to be a lot more cautious than customers of the normal sort. And the new technology will also make it easier for them to complain when a company lets them down. In this way, at least, the advent(出現(xiàn)) of cyberspace may argue for fewer consumer protection laws, not more.
小題1:In case an electronic shopper bought faulty goods from a foreign country, what could he do?
A．Refuse to pay for the purchase.B．Go to the seller and ask for a refund.
C．Appeal to consumer protection law.D．Complain about it on the Internet.
小題2:In the author’s view, businesses would place a high emphasis on honest dealing because in the electronic world _______.
A．international cooperation would be much more frequent
B．consumers could easily seek government protection
C．a(chǎn) good reputation is a great advantage in competition
D．it would be easy for consumers to complain
小題3:We can infer from the passage that in licensing new drugs the FDA in the United States is______.
A．very quickB．very cautiousC．very slowD．rather careless
小題4:According to the author, what will be the best policy for electronic commerce?
A．Self-regulation by the business.B．Strict Consumer protection laws.
C．Close international cooperation.D．Government protection.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

After students come home from a tiring day at school, they tend to worry a lot about their homework.
Whether students are working on English or chemistry homework, they are simply working on the assignment in order to get it done, attempting to memorize the concepts for the time being and do not absorb any of the information afterward. Students are wasting their time on insignificant assignments rather than effectively using that time to achieve other accomplishments. According to www.dailymail.com, many parents are concerned that homework is being assigned rather than being used to integrate (整合) what teachers are covering in the classroom. In their eyes, if less homework is assigned, students would have much less stress and could focus more on their passions and hobbies.
Homework gets in the way of participating in community service events as well as opportunities for getting a job or being a part of an extra-curricular activity. These responsibilities are important for teenagers to take on because they prepare the teenagers for the "real world." Without the proper exposure to work that is not school related, students will find themselves lost after they graduate. If homework were no longer given, students would have a lot more time to mature in other fields rather than being educated only on academics.
In spite of the fact that teachers want students to do better on tests and absorb the material that they are teaching, homework is not accomplishing its purpose. Because school is becoming increasingly more competitive and challenging, homework is becoming a setback rather than extra practice. Its removal would benefit the well being of teenagers as well as encourage them to get out in the "real world" and discover themselves instead of staring at a pile of assignments.
小題1:Students are wasting their time on insignificant homework because
A．they are working on it carelessly and hurriedly
B．they attempt to get only part of the information memorized
C．they spend too much time doing it without understanding
D．they fail to take in the information after finishing it
小題2:Many parents think that teachers should ______.
A．help students integrate the homework
B．simplify what they teach in the classroom
C．reduce homework to develop students' own interests
D．a(chǎn)ssign more effective homework for students
小題3:From the third paragraph, we can infer that homework might ______.
A．leave students lack of job opportunities
B．make students lose the sense of responsibilities
C．weaken students' social adaptation ability
D．cause students to feel lost after graduation
小題4:The author insists that homework should be ______.
A．made simpler and easier
B．completely cancelled
C．connected with social activities
D．switched over to subject competitions

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Coin confusion
Rachel looked through troubled eyes at her sister and said, "I wouldn't have thought Eric would be a thief." Her sister Sarah replied, "Whoa, that's a      accusation to make against your best friend!"
Rachel remembered two days ago when she had brought out her coin collection for Eric to     . At the end of that day, Rachel's mother asked her to do her a favor, so she asked her friend," Is it okay if I leave you for a few minutes?" Eric said, "Go ahead. I’ll clean up here,"      at the piles of coins on the floor.
When Rachel returned, it never occurred to her to     her coins until two days later that she realized some quarters were      .
Sarah said, "Why don't you just ask him?"
"Ask him what? Hey, best friend, did you       my coin collection?" Rachel thought for a moment,        if that would be a good idea. The theft of her collection left her with a feeling of        "How could I have misjudged my friend's       ?"
The next day Rachel went to Eric's house. Eric was acting funny sort of nervous, like he couldn't be       . In fact, Rachel thought Eric acted like someone with a secret. Anger blossomed as Rachel watched Eric pretend to be kind,      Eric had obviously stolen from her. Rachel finally could not stand it anymore and stood up. Suddenly, Eric     ,"I can't stand it anymore!" Rachel was astonished at hearing her own      burst forth from her friend! Instead of sounding     , Eric sounded excited. He pulled something from underneath the chair.
"Go to open it! I was going to wait until your birthday, but I can't wait." Slowly, Rachel lifted the top of the     . Laid out in front of her were all of the quarters from her coin collection. Each quarter was in its own      in a new collection case. Each quarter shone like it was new.
Rachel felt      rush over her neck and ears. She said     , "Thank you! This means... a great deal to me." She was grateful that Eric had cut her      before she said something she would     . Eric was exactly the type of person she wanted as a friend!
小題1:
A．repeated B．falseC．baselessD．serious
小題2:
A．cleanB．storeC．chooseD．see
小題3:
A．workingB．gesturingC．playingD．glaring
小題4:
A．seekB．selectC．checkD．collect
小題5:
A．destroyed B．messedC．missingD．decreasing
小題6:
A．replaceB．stealC．pickD．remove
小題7:
A．deciding B．knowingC．a(chǎn)skingD．minding
小題8:
A．stupidity B．a(chǎn)bandonC．failureD．betrayal
小題9:
A．favourB．characterC．a(chǎn)ppearanceD．method
小題10:
A．stillB．confidentC．generousD．silent
小題11:
A．whenB．soC．a(chǎn)fterD．if
小題12:
A．expressed B．condemned C．yelledD．a(chǎn)rgued
小題13:
A．purposeB．choicesC．desireD．thoughts
小題14:
A．shockedB．curiousC．guiltyD．cruel
小題15:
A．jarB．boxC．canD．bag
小題16:
A．spotB．formC．conditionD．style
小題17:
A．a(chǎn)irB．heatC．windD．sweat
小題18:
A．a(chǎn)bsentlyB．unwillingly C．weaklyD．fearfully
小題19:
A．offB．downC．inD．up
小題20:
A．suspectB．explodeC．tolerateD．regret

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

London has always been known for its "black fogs". In the winter of 1952, a milky white fog rolled into the city. As the smoke poured into the air, it was so hard to see that people had to walk in front of the buses to guide them. In this way, the most serious air pollution disaster in history began. When it was over, more than 4,000 people had been killed by the thick black smog.
New York City has had several London-type smogs since 1950. Each time, 100 to 400 deaths were caused by the smog. Although these smogs were not as deadly as London's, New York City has the worst air pollution problem in the United States.
In all the killer smogs, factories and homes poured smoke and fumes into the air from the furnaces. The chemical fumes combined with the water droplets in the fog to form harmful substances. These substances caused the illness of those who breathed the polluted air.
Usually, such harmful fumes rise into the upper air and are blown away by the wind. But sometimes there is an unusual weather condition called a temperature inversion. A layer of cold air remains near the ground as smoke and fumes pour into it. This is covered by an upper layer of warm air that acts like a lid. It prevents the polluted cooler air from rising. The harmful fumes pile up and make people ill. The smog may be so thick that airports are closed and chains of collisions occur on the highways.
Another type of smog occurs in Los Angeles. Here the weather may be clear and sunny. But stinging eyes and dry coughs show that harmful chemicals fill the air. The smog is due to invisible gases, mostly from automobile exhaust. Because these chemicals are changed by the sun high up in the air, it is called photochemical smog. It contains automobile exhaust fumes and nitrogen oxides changed by the sun's rays. Added to these are sulfur dioxide and other fumes from factories and oil refineries. Photochemical smog is found in many large cities all over the world.
Killer smogs don't happen very often, fortunately. But in Beijing, a combination of automobile exhaust fumes, home furnace smoke, and factory waste gases pours into the air. This may also happen in the suburbs, or out in the country, where large factories have been built. A number of harmful substances have been found in the air there. When these substances are breathed in day after day, the health of the population is affected.
小題1:Why do people call this phenomenon "black fog"?
A．It is black and dirty.
B．It can affect the health.
C．It can kill people.
D．It is too thick for people to see something.
小題2:What can reduce the air pollution according to the passage'?
A．Water.B．Wind.C．The sun.D．Cold air.
小題3:When photochemical smog happens in the city,          .
A．many people will be killed
B．black smoke may pour into the air
C．the weather may be fine
D．people have to walk to work
小題4:From the passage we know that the most serious black smog disaster took place in    .
A．LondonB．New YorkC．Los AngelesD．Beijing

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Yu Bingbing is a 28­year­old market research manager. When she is ____ her way to work each morning, she cannot help feeling ____ about whether she has locked the door of her apartment and ____ off the gas.
“I'm usually ____ with these feelings for the entire day，” Yu said. Working at an international pharmaceutical(制藥的) firm, Yu looks older than she is and her heavily made­up face always has a(n) ____ look. “Since I have been ____ to a managerial position, I lose my temper with my parents and husband more frequently just because of some ____ things，” she said, adding that ____ wrinkles and acne(粉刺) on her face have irritated her even more, and even luxury cosmetics cannot ____ her.
“I have to work six days a week and don't even have extra off­time when I'm sick，” she said. “I have to ____ myself to become a workaholic since the competition in my company is really ____ and I also have to pay a 5,000 yuan monthly mortgage, besides saving a certain amount of money for my ____ baby.”
Life is like riding on a ____ for Yu and many other members of China's post­80s generation, the first generation ____ after the ____ of the family­planning policy and the group to benefit ____ from the country's opening up policy and its booming economy.
Being the only child in their family, and without much to trouble them during their youth, most of them were taken good care of or even ____ by their parents and grandparents.
Having such a ____ carefree youth—when this generation reached ____ and had to ____ with soaring(猛增的) prices, the high cost of raising children and intense competition in the workplace—they suffered a rude awakening.
According to statistics, the population of China's post­80s generation is over 200 million. The media usually refers to them as “slaves” to property, credit cards, children and marriage.
小題1:
A．onB．inC．a(chǎn)tD．off
小題2:
A．unsure B．doubtfulC．a(chǎn)nxiousD．a(chǎn)ngry
小題3:
A．turnedB．tookC．gotD．run
小題4:
A．wrestlingB．goingC．a(chǎn)ssociatingD．keeping
小題5:
A．worriedB．exhaustedC．sadD．terrible
小題6:
A．promotedB．risenC．putD．occupied
小題7:
A．unhappyB．unimportantC．badD．household
小題8:
A．bigB．manyC．heavyD．slight
小題9:
A．helpB．decorateC．benefitD．beautify
小題10:
A．makeB．pushC．pullD．encourage
小題11:
A．fierceB．severeC．strongD．huge
小題12:
A．plannedB．preparedC．behavedD．grown
小題13:
A．bikeB．horseC．roller­coasterD．line
小題14:
A．bornB．raisedC．startedD．suffered
小題15:
A．practiceB．introductionC．completionD．influence
小題16:
A．muchB．mostC．a(chǎn)pproximatelyD．little
小題17:
A．lovedB．protectedC．a(chǎn)voidedD．spoiled
小題18:
A．likelyB．seriouslyC．greatlyD．relatively
小題19:
A．childhood B．youthC．a(chǎn)dulthoodD．mid­life
小題20:
A．copeB．meetC．talkD．share

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds
Waiter / Waitress
A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小費(fèi)). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant.
Work in a library
If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students.
Internet jobs
There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers.
小題1:What does the writer think of the job as a waiter/waitress?
A．It needs a period of training.
B．It pays much more than other jobs.
C．It can improve one’s leadership skills.
D．Making diners comfortable is part of the job.
小題2:A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
A．in a restaurantB．in a libraryC．on the InternetD．in an IT company
小題3:The writer wrote this text to ______.
A．tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs
B．a(chǎn)dvise teenagers how to choose a part-time job
C．teach young people how to make lots of money
D．introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs
小題4:Why do some companies ask the teens to do surveys?
A．The teens have more free time.
B．They can pay less to the teens.
C．They need advice to make products for teens.
D．The teens usually express their true opinions.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案