Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.
One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one’s own culture’s way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It’s ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it’s necessary to study the different elements（组成部分）of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.
Language
A. knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.
Values are people’s basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad . An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.
Customs and manners
Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad （色拉） before the main course at dinner, not after. It’s not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn’t sell well because the French don’t usually drink juice with breakfast.
1.A. knowledge of the local language allows international business people _________.
A. to be more open with their customers
B. to communicate without outside help
C. to express their thoughts indirectly
D. to have a better idea of their own culture
2.The act of many people buying chocolate of Switzerland shows the role of ________.
A. manners B. values C. attitudes D. customs
3.What would be the best title for the text?
A. Misconceptions in Business B. Basic Beliefs in Business
C. International Business Culture D. Successful International Business
4.The author’s purpose of writing this article is to tell people ___________
A. how to take a right attitude in business
B. how to avoid misunderstandings in business
C. how to use a local language in business
D. how to act politely and properly in business
Brian arrived at the San Francisco airport two hours before the flight to Paris. He was wearing three shirts, a jacket, two pairs of socks, a pair of shorts, and two pairs of jeans. He was carrying one small backpack, which was very full, but he didn’t have any other luggage. Brian needed to meet a man named Tony before he checked in for his flight. He found Tony near the Air France counter. Tony gave him a round-trip ticket and a small package.
“Give this package to Jean-Paul at the airport in Paris. He will have a sign with your name on it. I think you can find him easily, “Tony said.” You don’t have any luggage, right?”
“Only this backpack,” Brian answered. “You said I could bring one carry-on bag.”
“That’s right, one carry-on bag is fine. Have a good trip.”
“Thanks.”
Is Brian a criminal（犯罪）? Not at all. He is an air courier. And he paid only $110 for the round-trip ticket to Paris. Air couriers get cheap airline tickets because they take important packages and papers to foreign countries. Businesses sometimes need to get packages and papers to people in foreign countries by the next day. Often, the only way they can do this is to use an air-courier company. It is not cheap for a business to send a package with an air courier, but it is quick.
Every year about 80, 000 people worldwide travel as air couriers. The number of tickets for courier travel is growing by about 10 percent a year. However, air-courier travel isn’t for everyone, But if you have very little money, can be flexible（灵活的）about your travel plans, and don’t mind wearing the same clothes for a week, it can be a great way to take a vacation!
1.Why was Brian wearing so many clothes for his travel?
A. Because they were the uniform for air couriers,
B. Because that made him easier to be recognized.
C. Because his backpack had no room for his clothes.
D. because he did not have any luggage with him.
2.An air courier is a person who
A. manages a business company in foreign countries
B. organizes international flights for tourists
C. travels around the world with cheap tickets
D. delivers papers and packages to foreign countries
3.Businesses choose the air-courier service because
A. it costs less B. it is flexible C. it saves time D. it grows fast
4.One of the disadvantages of traveling as an air courier is that he
A. cannot decide when and where to travel
B. cannot take any luggage with him
C. has to wear two pairs of jeans
D. saves little money from the travel
5.The author of the text mainly
A. describes the activities of a law-breaker
B. suggests an ideal way to travel
C. argues against the air-courier travel
D. tells us about a developing business
“Old wives tales” are beliefs passed down from one generation to another, For example, most of us remember our patents’ telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test of time
Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic（蒜）is good for you, too。It can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
Unfortunately, not all of Mom’s advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes and no. sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don’t hold water, there is still a lot of truth in the old wives’ tales, After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated （积累） from thousands of our traditional beliefs don’t hold water should respect this body of knowledge even as research for clear scientific support to proven it true or false
1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text？
A, Eating garlic is good for our eyes
B, Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth
C, Swimming after a meal is dangerous。
D, Carrots prevent people from catching colds
2.The author develops the third paragraph mainly--------。
A. by cause and effects B. by order in space
C. by order in time D. by examples
3.The phrase “hold water” in the last paragraph most probably means“ ”
A. to be believable B. to be valuable C. to be admirable D. to be smtable
4.What is the author’s attitude toward “old wives’ tales” in the text?
A. So objective B. Objective C. Dissatisfied D. Curious
When people hear a president speak, they seldom think about others helping to shape the presentation（报告）. Today, however, presidents depend on writers such as J. Terry Edmonds to help them communicate （交流） effectively. Edmonds is the first African American ever to work as a full-time speechwriter for a U. S. president; he is so the first African American to serve as director of speechwriting for White House. His is an all-American story of success.
Edmonds grew up in Baltimore, Maryland; his father drove a truck, and his mother worked as a waitress. A. great reader, Edmonds showed a gift for writing at his high
School, Baltimore City College After graduating in 1967 Edmonds went on to Morgan State University
Edmonds began his career in business, with jobs in public relations and communications. He joined the world of politics as news secretary for his congressman （国会议员） from Baltimore During Bill Clinton’s presidency, he wrote speeches for Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and worked in a number of job in the White House and in governmental departments President Clinton then appointed （任命）him to the office of directory of speechwriting Following the 2000 elections Edmonds returned to Morgan State University as the school’s special assistant to the president for 2001-2002
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A. Edmonds proved himself to be good at writing at high school
B. Edmonds graduated from Morgan State University in 1967.
C. Edmonds was the first full-time speechwriter.
D. Edmonds served the White House after 2000.
2.Edmonds entered the world of politics first as -------------。
A. news secretary for a Congressman
B. a speechwriter for President Clinton
C. news secretary in the White House
D. a speechwriter for Secretary Donna Shalala
3.The text is most likely to be found in a book about-------------。
A. popular science B. historical events
C. successful people D, Political systems
It was the first snow of winter — an exciting day for every child but not for most teachers. Up until now, I had been old enough to dress myself, but today would need some help. Miss Finlayson, my kindergarten teacher, had been through brst snow days many times, but I think she may still remember this one.
I managed to get into my wool snow trousers. But I struggled won my jacket because it didn’t fit well. It was a hand-mc-down from my brother, and if made me wonder why I had to wear his ugly clothes, At least my hat and scarf were mine, and they were quite pretty. Finally it was time to have Miss Finlayson help me with my boots（靴子）.
In her calm, motherly voice she said, “By the end of winter, you will all be able to put on your own boots.” I didn’t realize at the at the time that this was more a statement of hope than of confidence（信心）.
I handed her my boots and stuck out my foot. Like most children, I expected grown-ups to do all the work. After much pushing, she managed to get first one into place and then, with a sigh, worked the second one on too.
I announced, “They’re on the wrong feet.”
She struggled to get the boots off and went through the joyless task of putting them on again.
“They’re my brother’s boots, you know,” I said. “I hate them”.
Somehow, from long years of practice, she managed to act as though I wasn’t an annoying（烦人的） little girl, She struggle with me, she asked, “Now, where are your mittens（连指手套）？”
I looked into her eyes and said, “I didn’t want to lose them, so I hid them in the toes of my boots.
1.The little girl was more satisfied with her_____.
A. trousers B. jacket C. boots D. hat
2.Miss Finlayson had difficulty with the girl’s boots mainly because_____.
A. the girl got them from her brother B. the girl put something in them
C. they were on the wrong feet D. they did not fit the girl well
3.Why does the author Miss Finlayson would remember that first snow day?
A. Because the little girl was in her brother’s clothes.
B. Because it was the most exciting day of the winter .
C. Because the little girl played a trick on her.
D. Because the little girl wore a pretty scarf.
4.We can learn from the text that Miss Finlayson____.
A. was losing confidence in the little girl.
B. gradually lost patience with the little girl.
C. became disappointed with the little girl.
D. was getting bored with the little girl.
阅读下面短文, 从短文后面各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中, 选出适合填入对应空白处的最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
One afternoon, my son Adam asked me, “Are all people the same even if they are different in color?”
I thought for a minute, and then I said, “I’ll explain, 1you can just wait until we make a quick 2at the grocery store. I have something 3to show you. ”
At grocery store, we 4some apples --- red, green and yellow ones. Back home, I told Adam, “It’s time to 5your question.” I put one apple of each 6on the table. Then I looked at Adam, who had a 7look on his face.
“People are like apples. They come in all 8colors, shapes and sizes. On the 9, some of the apples may not 10look as the others. ” As I was talking, Adam was 11each one carefully.
Then, I took each of the apples and peeled（削皮）them, 12them back on the table, but 13a different place.
“Okay, Adam, tell me which is which.”
He said, “I 14tell. They all look same now. ” “Take a bite of 15. See if that helps you 16which one is which. ”
He took 17, and then a huge smile came cross his face. . ”People are 18like apples! They are all different, but once you 19the outside, they’re pretty much the same on the inside. ”
He totally 20it. I didn’t need to say or do anything else.
1.A. although B. so C. because D. if
2.A. stop B. start C. turn D. stay
3.A. expressive B. encouraging C. informative D. interesting
4.A. bought B. counted C. saw D. collected
5.A. check B. mention C. answer D. improve
6.A. size B. type C. shape D. class
7.A. worried B. satisfied C. proud D. curious
8.A. ordinary B. normal C. different D. regular
9.A. outside B. whole C. table D. inside
10.A. still B. even C. only D. ever
11.A. examining B. measuring C. drawing D. packing
12.A. keeping B. placing C. pulling D. giving
13.A. on B. toward C. for D. in
14.A. mustn’t B. can’t C. shouldn’t D. needn’t
15.A. each one B. each other C. the other D. one another
16.A. admit B. consider C. decide D. believe
17.A. big bites B. deep breaths C. a firm hold D. close look
18.A. just B. always C. merely D. seldom
19.A. put away B. get down C. hand out D. take off
20.A. made B. took C. got D. did
