Decision-making can be extremely difficult. 1.
In any approach to a problem and in any negotiations, the Western world turns to the "I to you" approach while Japan, the "you to you" approach. The former means both sides present their arguments openly from their own point of view. Naturally, often comes a confrontation （冲突） situation, which Westerners are very skillful in dealing with.2.Thus, the direction of the meeting is a mutual （相互的）attempt to reduce confrontation and achieve harmony.
Besides, Western decision-making goes mostly from top management and often does not consult middle management or the worker. 3.Based on "bottom-up direction" , ideas can be created at the lowest levels, travel upward through an organization and have an effect on the final decision.
4. The Japanese business person works to achieve harmony, even if the deal falls through, and will spend whatever time is necessary to determine a "you to you** approach, communicating personal views only indirectly. They put a thorough job above the Western deadline approach. So the Japanese are thorough in their meetings. 5. Where the American is pressing for a specific decision, the Japanese is trying to think up a rather broad direction.
On the other hand, once a given agreement is made, it is the Japanese who sometimes wonder at the slow pace at which Westerners carry out the decision. The Japanese are eager to move forward and Westerns, perhaps, lag behind as they take the time for in-depth planning.
A. In general, harmony is hard to achieve in most Western companies.
B. However, in Japan great consideration is given to the thoughts and opinions of everyone at all levels.
C. Thai's why Americans are often annoyed by the many meetings in Japanese businesses.
D. Difference in decision-making also comes from different communication styles.
E. The latter is based on each side trying to understand the other person's point of view.
F. Decision-making styles are significantly different in different cultures.
G. Brainstorming plays a significant role in both Western and Eastern decision-making.
With a rise in the number of allergies and worries over exposure to chemicals, more people are looking for alternative ways to clean their homes. To this end, some people are turning to the use of garbage enzyme (酶)--a concentrated liquid produced from fruit and vegetable waste. Garbage enzyme can be easily produced in the home, and has many uses, including as a cleansing agent, insect killer and even shampoo.
At the same time, it is hoped that the production and use of garbage enzyme will help reduce household waste and encourage people to take the initiative in sorting their trash.
The concept of using home-produced enzymes entered China several years ago when a special bucket imported from Japan was promoted by some health experts as a means of making healthy drinks. While the effectiveness of the enzyme drink remains unproven, garbage enzyme has been shown to be effective as an agent for cleaning toilets and floors, and as a fertilizer for plants.
Making wet garbage into an enzyme solution has been practiced in Southeast Asian countries for decades, greatly reducing household waste and protecting the environment by reducing the use of bleach (漂白剂) and other strong chemicals. Many people have realized that chemicals do harm to human body and the more garbage enzyme they make, the more good it does to the environment.
Any reduction in the volume of household garbage will benefit the city. Shanghai produces the largest amount of garbage than any other city in China. It is also home to the largest refuse landfill in Asia, the Laogang Refuse Landfill in Pudong New Area, which occupies a total area of about 30 square kilometers. It is struggling to accommodate all of the city's garbage, with a fifth phase under construction. The landfill and its surrounding areas are heavily polluted, something that nearby residents have been complaining about for years. The process of making enzyme solution consumes wet garbage. This means residents don't produce wet garbage after they start to make garbage enzyme. They even find the amount of wet garbage produced by their families is insufficient, so that they have to ask for garbage from their neighbors. Another advantage is that producing garbage enzyme encourages people to think more about garbage separation — something the local government has been trying to encourage but which still is not practiced by some residents.
1.Which of the following belongs to the usage of garbage enzyme?
A.Making plants more fragrant.
B.Creating materials to clean houses.
C.Producing effective healthy drinks.
D.Reducing the amount of dry garbage.
2.What is the writer's attitude toward garbage enzyme?
A.Disapproving. B.Ambiguous. C.Favorable. D.Skeptical.
3.How will garbage enzyme possibly affect people in the future?
A.It will force people to ask for more garbage from their neighbors.
B.It will prevent people from using chemicals to clean their houses.
C.It will shelter people from household garbage pollution for good and all.
D.It will make people take garbage separation seriously before dumping it.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The threat of constructing more landfills.
B.How to classify garbage wisely and practically.
C.How to make garbage enzyme at home successfully.
D.The practice of turning leftover into a household product.
The negative health effects of being economical on sleep during the week can't be reversed by marathon weekend sleep sessions, according to a new study.
Researchers have long known that routine sleep lack can cause weight gain and increase other health risks,including diabetes. But those who force themselves out of bed sleepy each weekday after too few hours of shut-eyed, hope that shutting off the alarm on Saturday and Sunday will repay the weekly sleep debt and compensate any ill effects.
The research, published in Current Biology, crushes those hopes. Despite complete freedom to sleep in and nap during a weekend recovery period, participants in a sleep laboratory who were limited to five hours of sleep on weekdays gained nearly three pounds over two weeks and experienced metabolic disruption （新陈代谢紊乱）that would increase their risk for diabetes over the long term. While weekend recovery sleep had some benefits after a single week of insufficient sleep, those gains were wiped out when people plunged back into their same sleep-deprived （剥夺） schedule the next Monday.
"If there are benefits of catch-up sleep, they're gone when you go back to your routine. It's very short-lived," said Kenneth Wright, director of the sleep and chronobiology laboratory at the University of Colorado, who oversaw the work. "It's kind of like smoking once was — people would smoke and wouldn't see an immediate effect on their health, but people will say now that smoking is not a healthy lifestyle choice. I think sleep is in the early stage of where smoking used to be. ”
Michael Grandner , director of the sleep and health research program said that the study reinforces the concept that people need to stop thinking of sleep as a balance sheet. Imagine a person who ate nothing but cheeseburgers and french-fries Monday through Friday, but dined only on celery and kale on the weekend and tried to call that a healthy diet. Hugely cutting calories all week and then eating a giant pizza on Saturday wouldn't restore balance either.
1.According to the passage what is the possible result of lack of sleep?
A.Weight loss in a long run.
B.Higher risks of diabetes.
C.Being too weak to marathon.
D.Dying a premature death.
2.What does Wright want to show about catch-up sleep by mentioning smoking?
A.The influence is long-term.
B.The benefits are subtle.
C.The consequence is overlooked.
D.The immediate effects are obvious.
3.Those who favor weekend recovery sleep are likely to believe that______.
A.junk food can be balanced by occasional healthy diets
B.cheeseburgers and french-fries are healthy diets
C.celery and kale are healthy if eaten on the weekend
D.Saturday pizzas are very helpful to gain weight
4.The passage is intended to______.
A.deny a previous concept B.introduce a new study
C.promote a healthy lifestyle D.compare two studies
There was no one quite like my father in our town. When any other man had an extra dollar, he bought a drink; when Father had an extra dollar, he bought a book. Other people had pictures on their walls; we had books, 3000 of them, lining every vertical surface of our little four-room house.
Father was the most persistent scholar I ever knew. He earned seven degrees, attended 11 different colleges and universities, and in 1951, when he was 82, sent us a cheerful little note from England to say that he had just enrolled for a graduate course in Elizabethan literature at Oxford.
I was the immediate beneficiary of Father's unbelievable hunger to learn. Every spring, he would take me hiking through the mountains to study mineral formations. On clear winter nights, he would set up a telescope and wake me to view the stars. After I grew up, wherever I traveled around this earth, the stars remained my friends.
Plain, distinct speech was a particular concern of my father and he was constantly drilling me in the art of elocution （演讲技巧）.Before I was three, he was reading aloud to me from the Bible, Shakespeare and Mark Twain. Thereafter, read aloud to him so he could work on my diction. By the time I was in the fifth grade, I could recite from a whole range of classical literature and poetry.
Of course, there had been times as a young man, when I got tired of study and devoted my time to playing. Then Father would admonish me succinctly by quoting a saying from Shakespeare, "If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious （乏味的）as to work."
Obviously, his efforts were not entirely in vain, for my voice has enabled me to earn a fair livelihood. But that fact doesn't begin to define the enormous debt I owe my father.
1.What contributed to my father's being a successful scholar?
A.His gift for academic studies.
B.The academic environment in our town.
C.The wealth of his family.
D.His lifelong passion for knowledge.
2.Which is closest in meaning to the underlined words in Paragraph 5?
A.Criticize me briefly. B.Comfort me patiently.
C.Praise me gently. D.Challenge me bravely.
3.Which of the words below can best describe the author's father?
A.Stubborn and lazy. B.Kind and generous.
C.Consistent and strict. D.Understanding and moody.
4.What may be the best title for the passage?
A.A Successful Scholar B.Enormous Debt
C.Secrets of My livelihood D.Father and Son
Washington State is best known for its biggest city of Seattle, but it is also home to a staggering number of scenic destinations. Below are the four must-visit places in Washington State as you plan your next trip.
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a hub for scenery, outdoor recreation and wine Lasting in the Pacific Northwest. You can spend a day sipping and sightseeing at places like Vin du Lac Winery, Karma Vineyards or Mellisoni Vineyards. Ride on a seaplane that takes off and lands in the lake itself, or try water-skiing during the summer months. Hiking possibilities are abundant, and on Historic Main Street you can dine on farm-to-table cuisine from a range of independent eateries.
Columbia River Gorge
South of the Rattlesnake Hills, and right in the heart of the Columbia River Plateau, is the Columbia River Gorge. The gorge cuts through the Cascade Mountains forming the boundary between Washington and Oregon, and you can get spectacular views of the gorge from above. The Multnomah Falls cascade right into the gorge at one point, only adding to the beauty of this particular destination.
Spokane
After Seattle, Spokane is the largest city in Washington, and it is located in the eastern portion of the state close to the border with Idaho. In Spokane, you can visit the Riverfront Park and stroll along the banks of the scenic Spokane River. Some of the city's top attractions include the John A. Finch Arboretum,the Northwest Museuni of Arts and Culture and Spokane Falls. You may also want
to check out some of the city's popular golf courses or take a tasting tour through some of the world- famous breweries.
North Cascades National Park
The park is home to a large amount of wildlife, including animals like grizzly bears, gray wolves and lynx. Hike or drive to Mount Baker, a volcano located within the North Cascades, to get an unparalleled view of the nearby Mt. Shuksan, which is definitely the most photographed in all of North America.
1.Which of the following activities does Lake Chelan offer?
A.Golfing. B.Hiking.
C.Parachuting. D.Motorcycling.
2.Which place appeals to photographers most?
A.Rattlesnake Hills. B.Karma Vineyards.
C.Mt. Shuksan. D.Spokane Falls.
3.Which two places are recommended to enjoy alcoholic drinks?
A.North Cascades National Park & Spokane.
B.Lake Chelan & Columbia River Gorge.
C.Spokane & Lake Chelan.
D.Lake Chelan & North Cascades National Park.
假定你是李华，你和英国留学生Kerry通过网络互相帮助，学习彼此的母语，但你现在学习忙，无法继续此事。请按以下提示给Kerry 写邮件说明此事：
1. 肯定对方取得的进步；
2. 表达歉意并说明原因；
3. 希望得到他的谅解；
注意：1. 词数100词左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Kerry,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
