Living in a foreign culture can be exciting, but it can also be confusing(令人迷惑的). Some Americans who taught English in other countries recently talked about their experiences.
On her first day in Micronesia(密克罗尼西亚), an island in the Pacific, Lisa thought people weren’t paying any attention to her. It was hot. She went into a store and asked, “Do you have cold drinks? ” The woman there said nothing. Lisa repeated the question. Still the woman said nothing. She later learned that the woman had answered her: She had raised her eyebrows(眉毛), which in Micronesia means “yes”.
Jane remembered an experience she had in Bulgaria(保加利亚), a country in Europe. She went to a restaurant. She asked the waiter, “Do you have cabbage today?” He nodded his head. Jane waited, but the cabbage never came. In that country, a nod means “no”.
Tom had a similar problem when he arrived in India. After explaining something in class, he asked his students if they understood. Some nod and others shake. He thought some students had not understood, so he explained again. When he asked again, they did the same thing. He soon knew that his students did understand. In India, people nod and shake their heads in different ways depending on where they come from. You have to know where a person is from to understand whether they mean “yes” or “no”.
1.These Americans in the passage found that they__________ .
A. should go abroad for vacations
B. needed to learn foreign languages
C. should often discuss their experiences
D. had problems with communication in other countries
2.People in Micronesia show “yes” by ________ .
A. nodding heads B. raising eyebrows C. shaking heads D. saying “no”
3.Tom misunderstood(误解)his class at first because_______ .
A. he didn’t know much about Indian culture
B. he didn’t explain everything clearly enough
C. some students didn’t speak English
D. he didn’t know where the students came from
4.Which of the following is TRUE?
A. In Bulgaria, nodding heads means “no”.
B. Jane taught English on a Pacific island.
C. Lisa was trying to buy some cabbage.
D. In India, only shaking heads means “yes”.
5.The passage is mainly about_________ .
A. body language in foreign restaurants
B. class discussion in Indian schools
C. different language cultures in different countries
D. English teaching in other countries
What might the future be like? Here are some predictions(预言).
Returning home during the Spring Festival is difficult for many Chinese people. More than 2 billion people travel at the same time, making buying travel tickets and the journey difficult. But 28 years later, Spring Festival travel may not be a problem at all. China plans to build more railways and a fast transportation network that will serve 90% of the population by 2020. And because most of China will be cities, people will not have to go to other places to find a job, so it will no longer be a problem.
Oil is running out faster than expected. But scientists have found something else for oil as fuel(燃料). Coal, natural gas, sun power, nuclear power(核能) and even water can take the place of oil as energy.
Schools will go electronic. Computers will be important and popular among the students. Everything will be in the computer and students will not need to bring books to school. They will find information on the Internet. A computer will be the students’ library, schoolbag and connection to the outside world. There will be robot teachers, they will check homework on computers and communicate with the students’ parents through e-mail. And school buses will be like spaceships, comfortable and safe.
1.More than 2 billion people have a hard time returning home during according to the passage.
A. Christmas Day B. National Day C. the Spring Festival D. the Mid-autumn Festival
2.In 2020, China will build a fast transportation network that will serve of the population.
A. 60%B. 70% C. 80% D. 90%
3. is not mentioned in the passage as energy.
A. Coal B. Wind C. Nuclear power D. Water
4.From the passage we can know in the future.
A. the Spring Festival travel may still be a problem in China
B. 90% of the population will live in the city
C. robot teachers will check students’ homework
D. readers can discuss topics with each other face to face
5.What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Schools will go electronic.
B. Computers will be important.
C. There will be robot teachers.
D. School buses will be like spaceships.
Everyone should do something to protect the environment. How did we help to save our earth this week? Let me tell you.
First, my family try to save . We never left the lights on when leaving the rooms. We turn off the TV when is watching it. Mom only uses cold water in the washing machine.
Second, we also start recycling this week. We to write on both sides of the paper, not just on one side. We also our rubbish into different bags for bottles, cans, paper and food. Mom keeps the plastic shopping bags from the supermarket to use them again as rubbish bags. These are great to help our environment.
Third, my family also save water. We never take long baths and have short showers . We wash the toilet with used water. My sister and I don’t the tap running when we brushed our teeth.
At last, mom and dad begin to save gas. Mom to drive us to school, but now my sister and I start riding our bikes to school. It’s hard work good exercise! This week dad and his workmates(同事) also start to go to work together in one and share the cost. This also help reduce greenhouse gases.
These are great ways to help protect our environment.
1.A. waterB. oilC. electricityD. food
2.A. somebody B. everybody C. nobody D. anybody
3.A. want B. keep C. refuse D. try
4.A. divide B. check C. buy D. change
5.A. ways B. advice C. information D. news
6.A. again B. instead C. already D. too
7.A. leave B. stop C. finish D. watch
8.A. hoped B. began C. used D. needed
9.A. or B. but C. for D. and
10.A. car B. bus C. subway D. train
—Excuse me, could you tell me____________?
—There is an e–shop on the third floor. You can repair it there.
A. where can I repair my MP4 player
B. where I can repair my MP4 player
C. how can I go to the e–shop
D. how I can go to the e–shop
—Can you tell me how to make apple juice?
—Sure. Please watch carefully and you will see how it _________ .
A. is madeB. is makingC. makesD. will make
I have no time to tell you the whole story_________. In short they got married at last.
A. in needB. in the beginning C. in general D. in detail