Question

Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.

Different cultures emphasize (強調) the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.

Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.

Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.

People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment  will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.

1.In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _______.

A．get to know each other                   B．share the same culture

C．develop closer relations                  D．keep each other company

2.The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _________.

A．the English prefer to make long speeches

B．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature

C．too many words are of no use

D．even talk and silence can be culturally different

3.According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?

A．By sharing different ways of life.

B．By recognizing different values.

C．By accepting different habits.

D．By speaking each other' s languages.

4.What would be the best title for the text?

A．Cross-Cultural Differences

B．Multicultural Environment.

C．How to Build Up a Relationship

D．How to Understand Each Other.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要講述的就是不同國家和文化之間的差異問題，并舉例做了說明。

1.C 推理題。根據第一段最后4行Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.說明在英國等國家在一起吃飯喝咖啡等形式能夠形成堅定的友誼關系，故C正確。

2.D 段落大意題。根據本段的主題句第一句Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures.說明本段就是關于談話和安靜在一些文化中的意思也是不一樣的。故D正確。

3.B 推理題，根據文章最后3行However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment  will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other說明如果我們能夠更好的理解他們的文化，以及和我們之間的文化的差異，我們就能有更好的理解，故B正確。

4.A 主旨大意題。本文主要講述的就是不同國家和文化之間的差異問題，故A項正確。

考點：考查文化類短文閱讀

點評：本文考查的推理題較多，要求考生在理解原文表面文字信息的基礎上，做出一定判斷和推論，從而得到文章的隱含意義和深層意義。推理題所涉及的內容可能是文中某一句話，也可是某幾句話，但做題的指導思想都是以文字信息為依據，既不能做出在原文中找不到文字根據的推理，也不能根據表面文字信息做多步推理。推理題要根據原文表面文字信息一步推出的答案：即對原文某一句話或某幾句話所作的同義改寫(paraphrase)或綜合。