Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal（信号）. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize（强调）the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
1.In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to__________.
A．develop closer relations B．share the same culture
C．get to know each other D．keep each other company
2. The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that__________.
A．the English prefer to make long speeches
B．too many words are of no use
C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature
D．even talk and silence can be culturally different
3.According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
A．By sharing different ways of life. B．By accepting different habits.
C．By recognizing different values. D．By speaking each other' s languages.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A．Multicultural Environment. B．Cross-Cultural Differences.
C．How to Understand Each Other. D．How to Build Up a Relationship.
5.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. I talked too much in the speech, which surprised the audience.
B. Within Northern Europe, there are no such things as cultural differences.
C. There is no way to overcome cultural differences.
D. Different cultures have difference in relationship building.
1 Day Fly-Fly Aboriginal Rock Tour
Tour Details
Operator: Adventure North Australia
Destination: Cooktown
Departs From: Cairns
Tour Description
Voted as one of Australia's Must-Do-Experiences. Treat yourself to an amazing day out with Aboriginal Elder Willie Gordon.
Depart Cairns Domestic Airport for the Skytrans Flight to Cooktown. Flight departs Cairns at 6:45 a.m.
Enjoy a 45-minute flight with wonderful views from Cairns to Cooktown as you fly along the coast between the World Heritage rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. On arrival in Cooktown you will be met by Willie Gordon, the traditional storyteller of the Nugal-warra clan(部落).
Willie Gordon takes guests to his ancestral rock art sites, set high in the hills above Hope Vale, outside Cooktown. Here he shares the stories behind the art, and explains how the paintings speak of the most basic and important quality of life and the knowledge of his people.
The tour takes you through an impressive view of six rock art sites, including an ancestral Birth Cave and the Reconciliation Cave. This includes a 30-minute bush walk on generally easy terrian(地形). (Covered closed-on shoes must be worn.)
Return to Cooktown at 1:15 p.m. where Willie will take you to the Nature Power House Museum, Cooktown's Visitor Information Centre. Lunch is included at the Verhandah Cafe.
The rest of the afternoon is free to explore historical Cooktown before your transfer to Cooktown airport and return flight to Cairns. Flight arrives at Cairns Domestic Airport at 6:40 p.m. Own arrangements on arrival in Cairns.
Prices
Adults: $ 549.00
Children: $ 390.00
Families(2 adults and 2 children): $ 1,869.00
1.According to the passage, how will tourists arrive in Cooktown?
A. By ship. B. By car. C. By air. D. By train.
2.What do we learn about Willie Gordon?
A. He acts as the guide of the tour.
B. He is the owner of the Verhandah Cafe.
C. He works in the Nature Power House Museum.
D. He is the manager of Adventure North Australia.
3.After viewing rock art, tourists will go to__________.
A. the World Heritage rainforest B. the Great Barrier Reef
C. rock art sites outside the town D. the Nature Power House Museum
4.We learn from the passage that the whole trip lasts about__________.
A. six hours B. eight hours C. ten hours D. twelve hours
5.From the passage, the tour is designed to let the tourists__________.
A. learn about the custom B. enjoy the ancient art
C. taste the delicious snacks D. experience the lifestyle
When I lived in Spain, some Spanish friends of mine decided to visit England by car. Before they left, they asked me for advice about how to find accommodation. I suggested that they should stay at “bed and breakfast” houses, because this kind of accommodation gives a foreign visitor a good chance to speak English with the family. My friends listened to my advice, but they came back with some funny stories.
“We didn’t stay at bed and breakfast houses,” they said, “because we found that most families were away on holiday.”
I thought this was strange. Finally I understood what had happened. My friends spoke little English, and they thought “VACANCIES” meant “holidays”, because the Spanish word for “holidays” is “vacaciones”. So they did not go to house where the sign outside said “VACABCUES”, which in English means there are free rooms. Then my friends went to house where the sign said “NO VACANCIES”, because they thought this meant the people who owned the house were not away on holiday. But they found that these houses were all full. As a result, they stayed at hotels!
We laughed about this and about mistakes my friends made in reading other signs. In Spanish, the word “DIVERSION” means fun. In English, it means that workmen are repairing the road, and that you must take a different road. When my friends saw the word ‘DIVERSION’ on a road sign, they thought they were going to have fun. Instead, the road ended in a large hole.
English people have problems too when they learn foreign languages. Once in Paris, when someone offered me some more coffee, I said “Thank you” in French. I meant that I would like some more. However, to my surprise the coffee pot was taken away! Later I found out that “Thank you” in French means “No, thank you.”
1. My Spanish friends wanted advice about __________.
A. learning English
B. finding places to stay in England
C. driving their car on English roads
D. going to England by car
2. I suggested that they stay at “bed and breakfast” houses because__________.
A. they would be able to practise their English
B. it would be much cheaper than staying in hotels
C. it would be convenient for them to have dinner
D. there would be no problem about finding accommodation there
3.“NO VACANCIES” in English means__________.
A. no free rooms B. free rooms
C. not away on holiday D. holidays
4.If you see a road sign that says “Diversion” in UK, you will__________.
A. fall into a hole
B. have a lot of fun and enjoy yourself
C. find that the road is blocked by crowds of people
D. have to take a different road
5.When someone offered me more coffee and I said “Thank you” in French, I__________.
A. didn’t really want any more coffee
B. wanted them to take the coffee pot away
C. really wanted some more coffee
D. wanted to express my politeness
I am Ali. I have always believed in myself. My parents taught me to be 41 and that I could be the best at anything. I 42 challenging my neighbourhood boys to see who could jump the highest and run the fastest. Of course I knew when I made the challenge, I would win. I never even 43 losing.
I started my boxing 44 when I was 12. In high school I boasted (自夸) that one day I was 45 to be the champion of the world. As part of my training, I would run down the street. I would rush in and out of shops to 46 them I was training for the Olympics and I was going to 47 a gold medal. I never thought of failing but only glory(光荣) I was going to 48 when I won. When I said I was going to be the "Greatest of All Time", I 49 myself. And I still do.
But I didn't know that my will would be 50 when I retired. In 1996, I was asked to 51 the cauldron(圣火) at the summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
When the 52 came for me to set fire to the cauldron, I realized I had the eyes of the world on me. Then I heard an extremely loud 53 . I was reminded of my 1960 Olympic 54 in Rome, when I won the gold medal. I remembered those 36 years between Rome and Atlanta and 55 that I had come full circle. Nothing in life has defeated me. I am still "The Greatest."
1. A. brave B. confident C. honest D. polite
2.A. excuse B. avoid C. remember D. suggest
3.A. gave up B. went on C. heard of D. thought of
4.A. breaking B. matching C. training D. watching
5.A. willing B. sure C. hopeful D. active
6. A. tell B. ask C. wish D. take
7.A. win B. lose C. find D. buy
8. A. need B. get C. decide D. make
9.A. believed in B. cared about C. turned to D. went through
10.A. forced B. increased C. damaged D. tested
11.A. protect B. carry C. light D. touch
12.A. challenge B. chance C. choice D. moment
13.A. cheer B. laugh C. noise D. shout
14. A. history B. experience C. devotion D. stage
15.A. expected B. supposed C. proved D. realized
He__________from his seat and answered the question__________by the teacher.
A. raised; rose B. raised; risen C. rose; raised D. risen; raised
We prefer__________alone rather than__________.
A. staying; go out B. staying; going out
C. to stay; to go out D. to stay; go out
