Question

Making sense of how the US shows humor

Living in a new country gives me many surprises. The first surprise was the way that the US people speak

One day I saw someone was having a public speech in a square. I thought it would be a serious speech. But I soon found it became a kind of entertainment show.

   The speaker told the audience to protect the environment with humorous words. Later he said some people’s behavior didn’t go with their words. He took the example of Taylor Swift’s song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.[

   He said that since Swift doesn’t want to be with the boy any more, she doesn’t need to speak it aloud, she doesn’t need to sing unless she still keeps in touch with that guy. It sounds like she is a hypocrite.

   Then he sang the song in a funny way. The audience laughed out loudly. I felt a little angry because Swift is my favourite star. I couldn’t understand why they laughed at Swift.

As time goes on, I find many US people make fun of others. But they don’t mean to hurt them. They do that to show closeness and humour. And people who are laughed at seldom get angry. Now I understand the speaker at the square. Now I’ve got used to the way the US people speak.

   It’s easy to find culture shock when you’re in a new place. But everyone should learn to understand different cultures and customs. 

1.The man in the square was _______________.

A. teaching people how to give a speech       

B. calling on people to protect the environment

C. giving a singing show in public            

D. criticizing the US government           

2.What does the underlined word “hypocrite” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A. 会唱歌的人      B. 真诚的人       C. 虚伪的人    D. 爱护环境的人

3.From Paragraph 6, we learn that_________________.

A. many US people like to laugh at others  

B. many US people are friendly and humorous

C. the US people get angry at others easily 

D. the writer doesn’t like the way the US people speak          

4.Which is Not suitable for the passage?

A. The writer went to America and protect the environment.

B. Americans show humour in a different way from China.

C. It’s easy to find culture shock when you are in a new place.

D. Tailor Swift is an American famous singer.               

5.What does the article mainly talk about?

A. Differences between the Chinese and the US people.      

B. In what way the US people speak in public.

C. How to get used to life in the US.  

D. A Chinese girl’s culture shock experience in the US.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.A

5.D

【解析】

试题解析:本文大意：在一个新的国家居住给我很多惊喜。第一个就是美国人说话的方式。

一天我看到一个人在广场上做一个公共讲演，我认为会是一个严肃的演讲，但我不久就发现它变成一种娱乐秀了。演讲者用幽默的语言告诉观众保护环境，后来他说一些人的言行不致，拿Taylor Swift的歌 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.举例子。随着时间流逝，我发现许多美国人拿别人开玩笑，但他们本意不是伤害他们，那么做是展未亲密和幽默。我慢慢地习惯了美国的的说话方式。 当你在一个新地方时，很容易发现文化冲击，但每个人都应该学会去理解不同的文化和风俗。

1.细节理解题。根据The speaker told the audience to protect the environment with humorous words.演讲者用幽默的语言告诉观众保护环境，可知答案选B.

2.推理判断题。根据 Later he said some people’s behavior didn’t go with their words. He took the example of Taylor Swift’s song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.后来他说一些人的言行不致，拿Taylor Swift的歌 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.举例子，可知答案选C.

3.细节理解题。根据As time goes on, I find many US people make fun of others. But they don’t mean to hurt them. They do that to show closeness and humour.随着时间流逝，我发现许多美国人拿别人开玩笑，但他们本意不是伤害他们，那么做是展未亲密和幽默，可知答案选B.

4.推理判断题。根据，可知答案选A.

5.主旨大意题。根据It’s easy to find culture shock when you’re in a new place. 当你在一个新地方时，很容易发现文化冲击，可知答案选D.

考点：文化类短文阅读。