Question

A taboo(忌讳，禁忌) is a social action that is not allowed. Every culture in the world has its own taboos. The breaking of a taboo sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable. I learned this through my own experience.

Last weekend, Wang Lin and I showed two foreigners around our city. Mr Singh was from India and Mr. White from USA. When I held out my left hand to shake hands with him, Mr. Singh seemed to be unhappy. Mr. White, however, was quite casual. He said hello to me with a big smile and a wave of his hand.

In the evening, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. I noticed that Mr. Singh didn’t touch the beef and Mr. White seemed not to like chickens’ claws. During the meal, Wang Lin said sorry to Mr. Singh and continued to explain that we didn’t know it was a taboo in India to shake one’s left hand. Mr. Singh explained that since oxen are sacred(神圣的) in India, people don’t eat beef there. Mr. White joined in and said that it was not usual in the states for people to eat chickens’ claws. He went on to say that Americans don’ t usually get into each other’ s personal space. Marriage, job and age are their taboos. Isn’ t it a good lesson to remember?

Main idea	The taboos in every country are ____1._____. People sometimes feel     ____2.____  if one breaks a taboo.
Facts	In India	Indians don’ t eat ____ 3.___because they think oxen are sacred. It’ s   4.    to shake one’ s left hand.
In the USA	Although it’ s not a taboo, Americans  5.  eat chickens’ claws
Americans don’ t usually get into each other’ s personal space. For example, they usually don’t ask someone else’s  6.  , job or   7.    .
Conclusion	If you pay    8.  to taboos, you can get on  9.  with the people with different   10.   .

Answer

1.different

2.uncomfortable

3.beef

4.rude/impolite

5.never/seldom

6.marriage

7.age

8.attention

9.well

10.cultures

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍了世界上各个国家不同的文化禁忌。

1.根据第一段Every culture in the world has its own taboos.描述，可知每个国家的禁忌是各不相同的。故填different，不同的。

2.根据第一段The breaking of a taboo sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable. 描述，可知填uncomfortable，不舒服的。

3.根据最后一段Mr. Singh explained that since oxen are sacred(神圣的) in India, people don’t eat beef there.描述，可知填beef，牛肉。

4.根据最后一段we didn’t know it was a taboo in India to shake one’s left hand.描述，可知填rude/impolite，粗鲁的，不礼貌的。

5.根据最后一段Mr. White joined in and said that it was not usual in the states for people to eat chickens’ claws.描述，可知填never/seldom，从来不/很少。

6.根据最后一段He went on to say that Americans don’ t usually get into each other’ s personal space. Marriage, job and age are their taboos.描述，可知填marriage，婚姻。

7.根据最后一段He went on to say that Americans don’ t usually get into each other’ s personal space. Marriage, job and age are their taboos.描述，可知填age，年龄。

8.根据本文描述，可知如果你能注意这些禁忌，你就能和不同文化的人和睦相处，故填attention，注意力。

9.根据本文描述，可知如果你能注意这些禁忌，你就能和不同文化的人和睦相处，故填副词well，很好地，作状语。

10.根据本文描述，可知如果你能注意这些禁忌，你就能和不同文化的人和睦相处。故填复数名词cultures，文化。

考点：关于文化禁忌的说明文