Decision-making can be extremely difficult. Decision-making styles are significantly different in different cultures.
In any approach to a problem and in any negotiations, the Western world turns to the“I to you” approach while Japan，the “you to you” approach. The former means both sides present their arguments openly from their own point of view. Naturally, often comes a confrontation(冲突) situation, which Westerners are very skillful in dealing with.The latter is based on each side trying to understand the other person’s point of view. Thus, the direction of the meeting is a mutual(相互的) attempt to reduce confrontation and achieve harmony.
Besides, Western decision-making goes mostly from top management(管理人员) and often does not consult middle management or the worker. However, in Japan great consideration is given to the thoughts and opinions of everyone at all levels. Based on “bottom-up direction”, ideas can be created at the lowest levels, travel upward through an organization and have an effect on the final decision.
Difference in decision-making also comes from different communication styles. The Japanese business person works to achieve harmony, even if the deal fallsthrough, and will spend whatever time is necessary to determine a “you to you” approach, communicating personal views only indirectly. They put a thorough job above the Western deadline approach. So the Japanese are thorough in their meetings. Thus Americans are often annoyed by the many meetings in many Japanese businesses. But where the American is pressingfor a specific decision, the Japanese is trying to think up a rather broad direction.
On the other hand, once a given agreement is made, it is the Japanese who sometimes wonderat the slow pace in which Westerners carry out the decision. The Japanese are eager to move forward and Westerners, perhaps, lag(落后)behind as they take the time for in-depth planning. The text mainly tells us that Japan and the Western world .
| A．face great difficulty in making decisions |
| B．are different in decision-making styles |
| C．have all members contribute to a decision |
| D．have two approaches: “I to you” and “you to I” |
Which of the following is TRUE of the Westerners?
| A．They carry out the decision once it is made. |
| B．There are many meetings in their businesses. |
| C．They work to achieve harmony in doing business. |
| D．They are good at handling confrontation situation. |
The author’s attitude towards Japanese decision-making is .
| A．positive | B．critical | C．negative | D．casual(无所谓的） |
Do you drink water that's been left sitting out overnight or even for another day? Have you noticed it tastes different?
Tap water that has been left to sit out slowly begins to acquire an off taste. Many people think that this is because of microorganisms(微生物). But that's not what makes old water taste not fresh. For that we can thank carbon dioxide. After about 12 hours, tap water starts to go flat as carbon dioxide in the air starts to mix with the water in the glass, lowering its pH and giving it an off taste. But it's most likely safe to drink.
However, back to those microorganisms. If you use a dirty glass day after day, there is more of a chance of bacteria making themselves known; a risk that increases if you share the glass with another mouth as well. But assuming you use a fresh glass every few days, you probably won't have a problem unless the glass has been touched by dirty fingers, and especially if those dirty fingers went unwashed after using the bathroom.
As for plastic water bottles that have been left out in the sun or in the car, step away from the bottle, warns Dr. Kellogg Schwab, director of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute. "A chemical called bisphenol-A, or BPA, along with other things used to make plastic can leach(过滤) into your water if the bottle heats up or sits in the sun," he explains. BPA, as you probably know, has been linked to everything from heart disease to cancer.Schwab also adds that plastic used for commercial bottled water isn't meant to be washed or refilled, so use only one time and recycle. Or don't buy them at all; use refillable water bottles instead.
Tap water begin to acquire an off taste because of .
| A．BPA | B．the glass |
| C．the microorganism | D．carbon dioxide |
According to Paragragh 2 , tap water that's been left sitting out for 12 hours____.
| A．tastes better | B．is still safe to drink |
| C．contains few microorganisms | D．is most likely undrinkable |
What should we do with plastic water bottles that have been left out in the sun or in the car?
| A．Throw them away. | B．Refill them with fresh water. |
| C．Use them after they cool down. | D．Clean them and use them again. |
Which of the following is true about BPA?
| A．It is safe for people to use. |
| B．It is a kind of new material. |
| C．It can cause great harm to people. |
| D．It is the main material to make plastic. |
In October 2013, Davion Only made an appeal on the Internet. He had learned that his biological mothr had died not long before. ”My name is Davion and I've been in foster care (寄养照管) since I was born," he said, “but I'm not giving up hope. "
The heartbreaking appeal spread quickly, and Only's foster agency received calls from more than 10,000 people. Only ended up travelling to Ohio to live with a family. But after Only got into a physical fight with one of his elder would-be brothers, the family changed their minds.
Back in Florida, Only passed through four different temporary homes over the following year, until he called Connie Going, his adoption case worker, to make a special request. Only had known Going for nearly ten years, and had asked every year if she would adopt him, but she always hesitated. “I always believed there was a better family than us out there," Going said in an interview. But last July, when Only called and asked again if she might adopt him, Going said something felt different. "When he asked me, my heart felt this ache and I just
knew he was my son," she said.
So Going, 52, invited Only to start spending time with the rest of her family-her two daughters, Sydney, 21, and Carly 17, and a son Taylor, 14, who she also adopted out of foster care. Eventually, after seeing how well the arrangement was working, Going, who had rented a bigger home, started adopting Only. Only moved in with her family last December.He officially joined Going's family on April 22, 2015 when the adoption papers went through.
"Today, I feel blessed and honored to have been chosen to be the parent of all my children," Going said.
By making the appeal, Davion Only hoped that
| A．service in his foster agency would improve |
| B．his biological mother would come to him |
| C．a foster agency would accept him |
| D．he would be adopted by a family |
Davion Only didn't live with the family in Ohio because
| A．he hated living with them |
| B．they finally refused to accept him |
| C．he has received another invitation |
| D．he often fought with his would-be brothers |
What do we know from Paragraph 3?
| A．Davion Only had fun living in different homes. |
| B．Connie Going had cared about Davion Only for over ten years. |
| C．Davion Only had a strong desire to be adopted by Connie Going. |
| D．Connie Going believed she would give Davion Only what he wanted. |
After Davion Only joined Connie Going's family,
| A．Connie Going bought a bigger house |
| B．the four kids often had physical fights |
| C．Connie Going didn't regret her decision |
| D．another three kids were later adopted as well |
Victoria Avenue School supports the Walking School Bus initiative（倡议） a safe, healthy and fun way for children to walk to and from school, guided by a registered group of parents. If you and your child would be interested in joining one of our buses we would love to hear from you.
Bell Road route
This is a morning bus with over 30 walkers! The route is as follows: Starts at 14 Bell Road, down Scherf Road, crosses Portland Road into Ingram Street, left into Spencer Street then to school. Please call Vanessa McNaught at 5234529.
Lingarth / Mahoe route
This bus runs morning and afternoon. It departs from the corner of Combes Road and Lingarth Street at 8:10 am. There are two routes-one goes along Lingarth Street and the other along Mahoe Avenue and Manawa Road at 8:25 am. The bus continues up Manawa Road, turns right into Victoria Avenue, and goes down Dragon Drive. At the end of the school day all walkers meet at the bottom of Dragon Drive, leaving school at approximately 3:10 pm. Please contact Toko Kofoed tokofoed@gmail. com.
Shore Road route
We gather together at Hapua Reserve at 8:15 am and depart at 8:20 am. We walk along Shore Road to Stirling Street and then up Stirling Street to school. Please contact Nicky Hall nicky. hall@simpsongrierson. com.
Spencer Street starwalkers
The route begins at the crossing of Aldred Road and Spencer Street leaving at 8:20 am.The bus then crosses Glenbrook Street and continues along Spencer Street reaching the school. Please contact Victoria Nicholls victorian@ pascoes. co. nz.
Shera Road route
Currently this bus is not running. Those living in Shera Road, Leys Crescent and Portland Road are welcome to register your interest in taking this bus. We hope to have the bus running in the autumn, when it will travel along Portland Road, up Ingram Street and left into Spencer Street. Pease call Vanessa McNaught at 5234529.
Part of Bell Road route is similar to .
| A．Lingarth/Mahoe route |
| B．Shera Road route |
| C．Shore Road route |
| D．Spencer Street starwalkers |
In the afternoon, a student taking the bus of Lingarth/Mahoe route may go along .
| A．Combes Road Lingarth Street Mahoe Avenue Manawa Road |
| B．Combes Road- Mahoe Avenue Manawa Road Dragon Drive |
| C．Dragon Drive Victoria Avenue Manawa Road Mahoe Avenue |
| D．Dragon Drive Manawa Road Victoria Avenue Lingarth Street |
Who might be most interested in the text?
| A．Bus drivers. | B．Local walkers. |
| C．Tourists. | D．Parents. |
Even if you’re not an astronomy fan, chances are that you can easily recognize certain constellations (星座) and stars such as the Big Dipper (北斗七星) and the North Star.
The North Star is the brightest star in the constellation known as the Little Dipper. It is so-called because of the special position. If you were to stay up all night looking at the stars, you’d slowly see them move around a point in the sky known as the North Celestial Pole.
You would notice, however, that one star remains still. This is the North Star, so named for its location almost directly in line with the North Celestial Pole.
Due to its position in the sky, at one time sailors used the North Star as a navigational tool. By measuring the angle between the northern horizon and the North Star, a navigator could accurately determine the ship’s latitude.
But latitude, or the imaginary lines stretching across the globe parallel to the equator, was not enough to plot a ship’s location. Knowing latitude only allowed navigators to locate themselves on a particular latitude line at a particular distance from the equator. It was only with the invention of a way to accurately measure longitude that precise navigation became possible.
Although the North Star is no longer used by navigators, it remains a heavenly symbol of human curiosity and exploration.Which of the following statements about the North Star is TRUE?
| A．The North Star is the brightest star in the night sky. |
| B．The North Star, together with some other stars, make up the Little Dipper. |
| C．The North Star moves along the same course with other stars. |
| D．The North Star is exactly located in line with the North Celestial Pole. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The North Star could help navigators set a straight course of their ship in the past. |
| B．Real lines that are parallel to the equator are called “latitude”. |
| C．Either latitude or longitude could make precise navigation possible. |
| D．Now the North Star is no longer a navigational tool used by sailors. |
Which is probably the best title of the passage?
| A．What is a navigational tool? |
| B．What can be called the earliest GPS? |
| C．What makes the North Star so special? |
| D．What is the symbol of human exploration? |
Thousands of students, from all around the world, have helped their international careers by taking EIS English studies at South Thames College London – STCL.
You too can take our first-class EIS courses to learn, and live English in London @ STCL.
1. Our experience
We have provided English for International Students EIS courses to people from around the world for 40 years.
More than 1,000 students take our EIS courses each year, often after a recommendation from a friend or relative.
Our teachers have worked in many countries; their experience will help you to develop international English communication skills.
2. A world in one college
The College has students from more than 100 countries.
When you study English with us, you will have the opportunity to meet not only UK students, but also people from all over the world.
3. ________
The College’s main purpose is to provide education and training for our local community.
We have more than 20,000 students, on a range of academic, technical and vocational courses in addition to English language courses.
All students can also use the facilities available at the college—library services, free Internet access, sports & more.
You can join a range of leisure and social activities.
4. Assured quality
STCL is a member of English UK, the national association of accredited (授权的) English language centers.
Our EIS courses meet the quality standards of Accreditation UK and are accredited by the British Council.
5. Our range of courses
We have a wide range of courses designed to meet the needs of global citizens in an international environment.
Our courses prepare you both for life in London – perhaps as a student – and for your future career, anywhere in the world.
We help you improve your English so you can communicate more effectively – for study, work or socializing…
Intensive courses meet UK immigration regulations for students.
For information about out intensive English courses, click here.What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To attract students from all over the world. |
| B．To make South Thames College London known. |
| C．To stress the importance of EIS courses. |
| D．To help find a suitable training course. |
Which can be the best heading of Part 3?
| A．Our recreation resources |
| B．Free services in STCL |
| C．More than an English school |
| D．Carefully designed activities |
From the passage we learn that _____.
| A．the College’s history goes back over a century |
| B．the teachers here come from all over the world |
| C．the students can’t have access to library services |
| D．the courses are useful for one’s future career |
This passage is most likely to be found _____.
| A．in a school report | B．on the Internet |
| C．in a textbook | D．in the newspaper |
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