I was born and raised in Minnesota, the USA,but as an adult I have mostly lived in Europe and Africa. I teach cross-cultural management at the International Business School near Paris. For the last 15 years, I’ve studied how people in different parts of the world build trust,communicate, and make decisions especially in the workplace.
While traveling in Tokyo recently with Japanese colleague，I gave a short talk to a group of 20 managers. At the end, I asked whether there were any questions or comments.No hands went up,so I went to sit down.My colleague whispered to me,“I think there actually were some comments, Erin.Do you mind if I try?” I agreed, but I guessed it a waste of breath. He asked the group again, “Any comments or questions?”
Still, no one raised a hand, but this time he looked very carefully at each person in the silent audience. Gesturing to one of them, he said, “Do you have something to add?” To my amazement,she responded “Yes, thank you.” and asked me a very interesting question. My colleague repeated this several times,looking directly at the audience and asking for more questions or comments.
After the session, I asked my colleague, “how do you know that those people had questions?” He hesitated, not sure how to explain it, and then said, “It has to do with how bright their eyes are.”
He continued, “In Japan, we don’t make as much direct eye contact as you do in the West. So when you asked if there were any comments, most people were not looking directly at you. But a few people in the group were looking right at you, and their eyes were bright. That indicates that they would be happy to have you call on them.”
I thought to myself I would never have learned from my upbringing in Minnesota. Since then, I try to focus on understanding behavior in other cultures I encounter, and keep finding the bright eyes in the room.
1.What can we conclude from the first paragraph?
A. Life in Minnesota has made the author worn out.
B. The author enjoys traveling around the world.
C. Different cultures are kind of familiar to the author.
D.The author may start his own business in the future.
2.Hearing the colleague whispering, the author ________.
A. went back to his seat and got seated.
B. knew his colleague had some questions.
C. owed a big debt of gratitude to his colleague.
D. thought his colleague would get nowhere.
3.Where does the author’s colleague probably come from?
A. Japan. B. America. C. Africa. D. France
4.Which is the proper title for the passage?
A. Focusing on Behavior in Cultures.
B. Looking at Another Culture in the Eye.
C. Sharing Different Cultures in Tokyo
D. Admiring the Beauty in the Eye.
Have you ever not wanted to do something so badly? Well, that’s how I about joining Madcaps, a mothers and daughters’ club assisting philanthropies (慈善事业). , my feeling changed finally. Now I believe if you adopt an attitude, you might just enjoying it.
Six months ago, my mom told me the club asked us to work as at Saint Vincent de Paul Homeless shelter. That meant I had to in the dirty homeless shelter for at least 20 hours.
The first time we went there, a lady led us to the kitchen where we my five fellow Madcaps classmates — they also wore the same expression. Since I’m usually socially , I had never talked with any of them earlier. Worse still, my mom was asked to help outside the kitchen, leaving me totally to serve food with them. Soon large numbers of homeless families in like rushing river. A little girl, around 5 years old, walked up to me. I her a cold sandwich. She took it and joined her family quickly. As she walked away, I she was wearing a coat, clearly too big for her, hanging on her thin body, and couldn’t help thinking how much I had with her. It suddenly struck me that how I am.
After that moment I had a of heart. Now I love Madcaps and don’t miss one meeting. I have awkwardness when communicating and have many friends. And this year I am sure I will do more than the 20 hours of philanthropies.
So that is how I have made a by doing one thing I don’t want to do. If you have an open about things you can accomplish more and become a well-rounded (全面的) person.
1.A. felt B. worried C.heard D. brought
2.A. Otherwise B. Besides C. Therefore D. However
3.A.aggressive B. ordinary C. optimistic D. honest
4.A. end up B. give up C. keep on D. insist on
5.A. members B. clerks C. friends D. volunteers
6.A. wander B. serve C. teach D. walk
7.A. looked for B. cared about C.ran into D. passed by
8.A. excited B.fragile C. scared D. awkward
9.A.alone B. doubtful C. afraid D. patient
10.A. joined B. broke C. dropped D. poured
11.A. handed B. returned C. awarded D. bought
12.A.thought B. guessed C. discovered D. concluded
13.A. neatly B. loosely C. constantly D. carelessly
14.A.covered B. connected C. compared D. competed
15.A. eager B.strong C. proud D. lucky
16.A. relief B. change C. surprise D. loss
17.A.overcome B. realized C. remembered D. developed
18.A. allowed B.finished C. included D. required
19.A. sacrifice B. promise C. difference D. mistake
20.A.mind B. plan C. study D. question
—Do you mind if I use your reference book?
—No, ______.
A. look out B. forget it
C. be my guest D. take it easy
I really don’t know______ Mary found her lost necklace that day.
A. where was it that B. where it was that
C. that where D. it was that where
The program “Master’s Lectures” of CCTV is both interesting and instructive. No wonder it_______ a large audience.
A. accounts for B. allows for
C. adapts to D. appeals to
Actually all the empty apartments in downtown areas have been rent at______ high prices.
A. extremely B. constantly C. approximately D. frequently
