Speakers of different languages not only describe the world differently but think about it differently too, according to a new study.
Researchers used a cartoon cat Sylvester to study how language was reflected (反映) in the gestures people made. Dr. Sotaro Kita of the University of Bristol’s Department of Experimental Psychology (心理學), showed the cartoon to a group of native English, Japanese and Turkish speakers and then watched their gestures as they described the actions they had seen. He found speakers of the three different languages used different gestures to describe the same event, which appeared to reflect the way the structure of their languages expressed that event. For example, when describing a scene where the cat swings on a rope, the English speakers used gestures showing an arc trajectory (弧形軌跡) and the Japanese and Turkish speakers tended to use straight gestures showing the motion but not the arc.
Dr. Kita suggests this is because Japanese and Turkish have no proper verb to express the English meaning “to swing”. While English speakers use the arc gesture as their language can readily express the change of location and the arc-shaped trajectory, Japanese and Turkish speakers cannot as easily express the idea of movement with an arc trajectory so they use the straight gesture.
Dr. Kita said, “My research suggests that speakers of different languages cause different spatial (空間的) images of the same event in a way that matches the expressive possibilities of their own languages. In other words, language influences (影響) spatial thinking at the moment of speaking.”
68. Researchers watched the gestures the people made because they wanted to know _____.
A. how language was reflected
B. whether they could express the same idea
C. whether they could describe what they had seen
D. how the structure of language changed
69. After watching the gestures of speakers of the three different languages, Dr. Kita concluded that _____.
A. Japanese and Turkish people couldn’t express the meaning of “swing”
B. English was obviously better than Japanese and Turkish
C.no word in Japanese and Turkish could express some ideas of English
D. every language had its own special way to describe things
70. What is mainly discussed in the text?
A. Differences between languages.
B. Differences between gestures.
C. How people use different gestures to express the same event.
D. That language influences the way people think.
名校課堂系列答案科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
When you are in another country, it is important to know the language, but it is equally important to know how to communicate nonverbally(非語言地), before saying anything by making gestures. According to a pioneer in nonverbal communication, only 30 to 35 percent of our communication is verbal. When people don't know the language, the most common way to communicate is through gestures. However, many gestures have different meanings, or no meaning at all, in different parts of the world.
In the United States, for example, nodding your head up and down means “yes”. In some parts of Greece and Turkey, however, this motion can mean “no”. In Southeast Asia, nodding your head is a polite way of saying “I've heard you”.
In ancient Rome, when the emperor wanted to spare someone's life, he would put his thumb up. Today in the United States, when someone puts his / her thumb up, it means “Everything is all right”. However, in Sardinia and Greece, the gesture is insulting and should not be used there.
In the United States, raising your clasped hands above your head means “I’m the champion” or “I’m the winner”. It is the sign prizefighters make when they win a fight. When a leading Russian statesman(政治家) made this gesture after a White House meeting, Americans misunderstood and thought he meant he was a winner. In Russia, however, it is a sign of friendship.
In the United States, holding your hand up with the thumb and index finger in a circle and the other three fingers spread out means “Everything is O.K.” and is frequently used by astronauts and politicians. In France and Belgium, it can mean “You’re worth nothing.”
There are other nonverbal signals that people should be aware of when they go to another country, such as the distance to maintain between speakers. Americans usually feel comfortable when speaking with someone if the distance between them is about eighteen inches to arm’s length. Anything closer makes them feel uncomfortable.
When talking to Americans, it is also important to make eye contact. If you look down when talking to an American, he / she may feel that you are embarrassed, afraid, or trying to hide something.
In addition to knowing how to communicate nonverbally in a country, it is important to know what you and he cannot discuss. In the United States, there are certain topics to avoid when you first meet someone, For example, don’t ask people their age, weight, religion, marital status(婚姻狀況), how much money they earn, or how much something costs. You can talk about work, the weather, traffic problems, sports, food, news of the day, where one lives, consumer subjects (computers, car repairs, and so forth), and travel or vacation plans.
These few examples illustrate that your actions can speak louder than your words. In a particular cultural contest, what you say and what you don’t say are equally important.
1. Which of the following is true?
A. People all over the world only communicate verbally.
B. Most of our gestures have no meaning at all.
C. Some people think that 65 to 70 percent of our communication is nonverbal.
D. Gestures are the most common way to common way to communicate.
2. As we can see from the passage there are ______ kinds of nonverbal communication signals.
A. four B. five C. six D. seven
3. Please paraphrase the clause“…your actions can speak louder than your words.
A. Your deeds are better than your words
B. What you do is better than what you say
C. You try to show your best manners
D. you are better understood by your gestures than through your words
4. The main idea of the passage is that when you are in another country, ______.
A. it is unimportant to know the language
B. it is important to know what you can talk about to a foreigner
C. to know how to communicate nonverbally is as important as to know the language
D. to communicate the rough gestures is more important than to know the language
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科目：高中英語 來源：2015屆河北省石家莊市高一10月月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解
Learners of English, especially self-taught learners may have troubles in understanding speeches by native speakers. The following ways might help improve their listening ability.
First of all, do things step by step. It is not good to listen to something beyond your level. Better choose a proper course and start with the first book. Go on to the second book only after you are sure you understand the first one.
Secondly, stick to (堅持) one course of study. Don't change books often. Never let your attention be attracted (吸引) by another course just because it seems to be more "fashionable" (時髦).
Thirdly, listen to the English news program over the radio from time to time. Better go through the news stories in the Chinese-language newspaper first. That will make it easy for you to understand the English news on the radio.
Fourthly, if you have time, listen to some interesting stories in Special English from the V. O. A. or other listening materials（材料）of the same level as that of your textbook.
1.This is a piece of advice to learners of English on how to ______.
A．improve their listening ability B．read fast
C．write better English and read faster D．speak correctly
2.If you want to understand the English news program on the radio, you should ________.
A．read the Chinese-language newspaper step by step
B．read again and again the Chinese-language newspaper
C．go through the Chinese-language newspaper
D．be able to recite the Chinese language newspaper
3."Beyond your level" means something _______.
A．easy for you
B．too difficult for you
C．not too easy and not too difficult for you.
D．just all right for you
4.The author advised that once you have taken up a course, you ______.
A．should stick to it
B．should begin with the last book
C．should take up other courses if they are more fashionable
D．shouldn't do anything else
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科目：高中英語 來源：2015屆新疆兵團農二師華山中學高一上期期中考試英語卷（解析版） 題型：單詞拼寫
單詞拼寫—注意運用該單詞的正確形式（共10小題；每小題1分，滿分10分）
1.He got a job in a foreign company after g ___________(畢業) from university.
2.Two-thirds of people there died or were ___________ (受傷) during the earthquake
3.She felt the warm sand b__________ (在…下面 )her feet.
4.I like my sister but she has one serious ______________(缺點).
5.I like the way you o_________(組織) the information in the report.
6.India has a lot of f____________ English speakers.
7.I'm rather u___________ to hear that you didn't get the job you wanted.
8.When people use words and e____________ different from the “standard language”, it is called a dialect.
9.China is our motherland, and Chinese is our n__________ language.
10.According to the weather f__________ it will rain tomorrow.
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科目：高中英語 來源：2010年河北省邯鄲市高三第二次英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
Funny English Errors and Insights
Laugh... And Learn!
Welcome to the website for Funny English Errors and Insights (2010), a new book of unconscious humour published by the National Library of Australia.
Funny English Errors and Insights will be launched at the National Library in Canberra on 29th, October 2010.
In the meantime, explore this website for other collections of real-life English language mistakes, including funny answers to exam questions, media misprints, and silly signs.
See Funny English Errors: The B List for more than a hundred examples of funny English gaffes（失言）. For more funny English errors, read author Troy Simpson's blog. For still more examples,, join this website to download a free PDF version of English As She Is Taught, which lists our top 250 funny English language mistakes from that classic howlers book.
Join this website FREE, and you can also:
o Enter member-only competitions
o Contribute your comments
o Download free e-Cards
o Be the first to know about our much-anticipated book, Funny English Errors and Insights (2010) ...
Features
Follows in the tradition of the runaway best-seller Howlers books of the 1920s and 1930s
o Includes quotes(引文) that have never been published before in this way
o Includes more than 30 carefully selected funny photos
o Topics include English, science, history, geography, religion, mathematics, and more
o A perfect gift for students, teachers, parents, grandparents, public speakers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, clergy and religious, and anyone with a sense of humour!
1.The word launched in the second paragraph is closest to the meaning:
A. sent up for the first time. B. written for the first time.
C. for sale for the first time. D. printed for the first time.
2.On the website ,you can do the following things except .
A. read some funny news
B. know something about this book previously
C. find a lot of examples about English errors
D. express your opinions freely
3.About this book, you know that .
A. it only includes English, science, history
B. it is quite different from Howlers books
C. all the quotes in it are familiar with us
D. it is intended for people all walks of life
4. The text is aimed at introducing .
A. a popular website B. some selected funny photos
C. a new book D. some funny English errors
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科目：高中英語 來源：2009-2010學年度（下）弋陽二中高二第三次月考 題型：閱讀理解
It is sometimes said that the English are polite people. This can make life difficult for foreigners. Suppose a foreign boy asks an English girl to go out with him and she says, “If I finish my work, I’ll meet you in the cafe at 7 o’clock.” Is she saying “yes” or “no” to his invitation?
In grammatical terms, she is using the conditional structure (表示條件的句式). By using the conditional, speakers of English can avoid giving a “yes” or “no” answer to a question. It enables people to be diplomatic (婉轉的). If the girl doesn’t want to go out with the boy, she won’t turn up at the cafe. She will let him understand she is still working. If she wants to go out with him, but doesn’t want to appear too easy to catch, she has achieved that with her reply. But in this case, as she uses the first conditional which shows probability, she is quite likely to turn up at the cafe. Being polite can make life very difficult!
The conditional is often used by people in the news -- politicians, for example -- who wish to avoid speaking out their ideas. This is very important if they are on their way to discuss an agreement. No one wants to give away his or her points before he or she starts. A government spokesman might say to a group of workers, “If we could pay you more, we would.” The use of the conditional here makes room for argument although the speaker is using the second conditional form, which shows improbability. So it is unlikely the workers will get their rise.
“If ” is a small word, which appears often in the English language. It can show politeness, reported speech and conditionals such as the First -- probability -- if I can come to your party, I will; the Second -- improbability -- if I saw you tomorrow, I’d give you the book; and the Third -- impossibility (meaning it is too late to change something that has happened ) -- if you have told me, I would have helped you.
60. The using of the conditional can make a speech _________.
A. clearer B. quicker C. more polite D.more exciting
61. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Language used in the news should make room to argue.
B. Usually English girls are not easy to catch.
C. English people never speak out their ideas in public.
D. The word “ if ” can show different meanings.
62. In the passage, “If we could pay you more, we would.” probably means __________.
A. the workers will make more money
B. the spokesman doesn’t give any promise
C. the spokesman keeps his word
D. the workers’ problems aren’t difficult
63. This passage is mainly talking about _________.
A. the conditional in communication
B. how to invite a girl in Britain
C. British people and their life
D. some language points in daily English
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