Question

       As we know, there are differences between western culture and Chinese culture. We can see differences when we pay attention to the way words are used. Let’s look at the words about animals and plants. Most expressions in Chinese about the dog, for example, “a homeless dog”, “a mad dog”, “a running dog” and “a dog catching a mouse”, have negative（消極的）meanings. But in western countries, dogs are thought to be honest and good friends of humans. In English, people use the dog to describe positive（積極的）actions. For example, “you are a lucky dog” means you are a lucky person. And “every dog has its day” means each person has good luck sometimes. To describe a person’s serious illness, they say “sick as a dog”. The word “dog-tired” means very tired. However, Chinese love cats very much. But in western culture, “cat” is often used to describe a woman who is cruel（冷酷的）. There are many other examples of how “cat” is used differently as well.

       The rose is regarded as a symbol（象征）of love in both China and some western countries. People think the rose stands for（代表）love, peace（和平）, courage and friendship. And the rose is the national flower of England, America and many other countries.

       The words about plants and animals are used in positive or negative ways in different cultures. We can learn about many differences in cultures by comparing how some words are used.

1. The word “dog” in Chinese usually _______.

   A. shows peace                                                 B. stands for friendship

   C. has a negative meaning                                   D. has a positive meaning

2. “Every dog has its day.” means “_______”.

   A. Everybody in the world is lucky.

   B. Each person lives his own way of life.

   C. If one works hard, he’s sure to succeed.

   D. Everybody has a time in life to be lucky.

3. Western people usually use “cat” to refer to（指代）“_______”.

   A. a tired person                                                B. a brave man

   C. a homeless person                                          D. an unkind woman

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   A. Words show differences in culture.

   B. Chinese people prefer dogs to cats.

   C. Western people think cats to be good friends.

   D. Rose is the national flower of all western countries.

5. What’s the best title(標題) for the passage?

   A. Negative or Positive

   B. Different Countries Have Different Culture

   C. Rose Means the Same in Chinese and English

   D. What Dog and Cat Mean in English and Chinese

Answer 1

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