The way we do things round here
Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, “Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us. ”That “quite” saddened me. I thought he was saying “we’ re kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else.” Then I discovered that in American English “quite” sometimes means “very”, while in British English it means “fairly”.
So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don' t
just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures（文化）．
Some of these differences may be only on the surface—dress, food and hours of work—while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate（气候），while getting on with business.
Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality（准时）．If you invite people to a party at 7 o’ clock
your guests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the
American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word “late” because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.The author was unhappy as mentioned in Paragraph 1 because he thought______．
| A．the American bank didn’ t think much of him |
| B．the American bank might hire another person |
| C．it’ s difficult to get used to American culture |
| D．it’ s easy to misunderstand Americans |
The word “highlights” in Paragraph 2 probably means_____.
| A．encourages | B．helps to narrow |
| C．increases | D．draws attention to |
According to the author, what should we do with most cultural differences?
| A．Ask the native people for help. |
| B．Understand and accept them. |
| C．Do things in our own way. |
| D．Do in-depth research. |
When invited to a party the people who are usually punctual are______.
| A．Italians | B．Germans | C．Greeks | D．the British |
Chinese mainland's star-making reality TV show "Happy Boy" will not be open to male applicants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau or other foreign cities, said the country's top TV industry committee yesterday.
Happy Boy is the male version of Super Girl, which is regarded as the Chinese version of American Idol. The girl's event, operated by central China's Hunan TV, drew an audien
ce of 400 million for the final match in 2005. The country's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television approved the male version earlier this month. However, the regulation that only mainland's male applicants are allowed to register was released just days before the application procedure began on Wednesday in Changsha, one of the five mainland cities to hold the contest. The other four includes Chengdu and three undecided cities.
The regulation spoiled Hunan TV's ambition to extend the series to the overseas market, an official with the TV station told the Hunan-based Xiaoxiang Morning yesterday. "My Hero," another star-making reality show by Shanghai's SMG Dragon TV, said it was not informed of the regulation, and it is still receiving foreign applicants, said an official with Dragon TV. A previous regulation by the administration has made clear that televised talent shows can't run for more than six weeks at a time. While the first "Happy Boy" may last for five months, according to a previous report.
Last year there were about 10 influential star-making TV shows across the country, among which those from CCTV, Hunan Satellite TV and SMG's Dragon TV, were the most popular. "Super Girl" ran for almost five months and "My Hero" lasted four months. While the shows have proven popular, they have also earned many complaints from people who say they are crude and not satisfactory.
1. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A. Male applicants from Hong Kong won’t be accepted to attend Happy Boy show.
B. It was Hunan TV that made the regulation that they couldn’t accept foreign applicants.
C. American Idol was started earlier than Super Girl.
D. Audience love American Idol better than Happy Boy.
2. Which of the following may best explain the underlined word spoiled in paragraph 3?
A. prevented B. gave C. encouraged D. affected
3. We can safely draw the conclusion that ________.
A. Hunan TV will obey the regulations issued by the administration.
B. not all of the audience think highly of the shows.
C. there were about 10 popular TV shows across the country.
D. Dragon TV broke the regulations on purpose.
4. The relationship between State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and Hunan TV is possibly close to _______.
A. teacher and student B. coach and sportsmen
C. father and son D. police and criminal
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 communicate without outside help
B. to be more open with their customers
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. attitudes B. values C. manners 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 act politely and properly in business
C. how to use a local language in business
D. how to avoid misunderstandings in business
The meaning of the word “volunteer” may be a little different in different countries, but it usually means “one who offers his or her services” .There are many different ways in which people can volunteer, such as taking care of sick people, working in homes for homeless children, and picking up garbage(垃圾)from beaches and parks. Volunteers may work within their own countries or in other countries. They are often people with a strong wish to help those who are less fortunate than themselves. Volunteers don’t expect any kind of pay.
At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a new idea of what being a volunteer means. She worked for two and a half weeks in one of Mother Teresa’s homes in Calcutta. The following is her story.
“I first heard about
Mother Teresa in my high school, we watched a video(录像)about her work in India and all over the world. I was so moved by her spirit to help others and her endless love for every human being that after I graduated from high school, I too wanted to try her kind of work. So with two friends I flew to Calcutta for a few weeks.”
“I was asked to work
in a home for sick people. I helped w
ash clothes and sheets, and pass out lunch. I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer them up. I felt it was better to share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don’t think I was helping very much. It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help, but to learn about and experience another culture(文化)that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world.”
1. According to the text, a volunteer refers to a person who __________.
A. is willing to help those in need without pay
B. can afford to travel to different places
C. has a strong wish to be successful
D. has made a big fortune in life
2.Tracy started her work as a volunteer ____________ .
A. after she met Mother Teresa B. when she was touring Calcutta
C. after she finished high school D. when she was working in a hospital
3. Why did Tracy choose to be a volunteer?
A. She liked to work with Mother Teresa.
B. She was asked by Mother Teresa to do so.
C. She had already had some experience.
D. She wanted to follow Mother Teresa’s example.
4. What is Tracy’s “new idea”(Paragraph 2)of being a volunteer?
A. Going abroad to help the sick.
B. Improving oneself through helping others.
C. Working in Mother Teresa’s home.
D. Doing simple things to help the poor.
第三部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分 40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑
For most Chinese university students, the US is a favorite destination for further education. But apart from obstacles such as the GRE and TOEFL exams, choosing a good graduate school is no easy task.
Admission is very competitive for international students, so it is important to apply for a number of institutions to have a reasonable chance of acceptance.
Since the application to most universities requires a certain fee, Chinese students usually choose seven to 17 universities according to their own financial circumstances.
Wang Yuwei, a Zhejiang University graduate, sent applications to 15 US universities.
When the 24-year-old girl began looking for a US graduate school in her senior year, she took time to compare the various schools and find the ones most suiting her needs. Now, studying at the University of Washington, she knows that her hard work paid off.
“To broaden your chances, at least one third of the applications should be to less selective schools,” said Wang. “Applicants shouldn’t limit their choices to the most famous institutions.”
Furthermore, one shouldn’t rely on too much on college rankings such as the Gorman Report or US News & World Report’s annual league tables.
The right school is the one that best meets your own personal needs and interests, rather than someone else’s assessment of an institution’s prestige（声望）.
“Usually choices are based on one’s personal interests and academic background, but it is important to make sure that your chosen subject is satisfying,” said Wang.
1. The author believes that the right school is the one that _____.
A. has the best location
B. offers good living conditions
C. best meets one’s assessment of an institution’s prestige
D. best meets one’s own personal needs and interests
2. According to this passage, what can we judge?
A. To go abroad for further education, you must pass the GRE or TOTEL.
B. Choosing a good graduate school is a piece of cake.
C. More and more students will go abroad for their further education.
D. To get a better chance to go abroad, you’d better apply for a less selective school.
3. In the passage the writer uses the example of Wang Yuwei to show ______.
A. you must spend a lot of time comparing the various schools
B. it is necessary to find the suitable university that meets your personal interests
C. it isn’t worthwhile to spend time looking for the right university
D. one’s own financial circumstances is worth considering
4. What will be continued after this passage?
A. How hard Chinese students studied in America.
B. Some advice on how to take care of yourself in America.
C. Some other things to consider to choose the right school.
D. The difficulties you will meet with while living in America
Just how far does the euro(欧元) have to fall before Europe actually becomes reasonable?
Anyone traveling to the old continent from the U.S. in recent years has learned the hard way how expensive it is. The situation has improved in the last co
uple of months, thanks to the Greek financial crisis. But it still has a way to go.
Alarm about Greece—and other financially unstable countries in Europe—has dragged down the euro sharply. In November, before the crisis struck, you needed about $1.49 to buy one euro. Today you need only about $1.36. That's a 9% cut.
What does that mean for you, the would-be traveler? It's a big sale.
As recently as November, when the euro was flying high, the OECD estimated that countries like France, Italy and Germany were about a third more expensive than the U.S. Not all European countries were quite as expensive for the American visitor: Greece only cost about 17% more than the US, while the Czech Republic (which is not part of the eurozone) was actually about 15% cheaper than back home.
Fast-forward two months, and the situation looks somewhat better.
At current exchange rates, places like France will still cost you about 23% more than the U.S., but cheaper countries such as Spain and Greece are now only about 6% more expensive. The Czech Republic's a fifth cheaper than the U.S.
European prices will only break even(持平) with the U.S. if the euro falls to about $1.10, says the OECD. But is it going to get there?
Greece's financial crisis may or may not be over. Members of a labor union just occupied part of the finance ministry to protest against the planned austerity(紧缩) measures. No, it doesn't inspire confidence!
Julian Jessop, chief international economist at the Capital Economics consultancy in London, sees the euro falling 
to $1.25 by year-end. “We still think the euro should be a lot lower,” he says. “We think the outlook for the European economy is a lot worse than for the U.S. And Greece is only a symptom of a wider problem: Does the eurozone make sense as a currency union?” If he's right, you may want to wait to change your money or book a trip.
1. In the passage the writer offers some suggestions to the travellers from _________.
A. USA B. Europe C. Greece D. China
2. The underlined word “it” in the passage refers to _________.
A. the planned austerity measures B. Greece’s financial crisis
C. the protest from a labor union D. the decline of the euro in value
3. Julian Jessop has a negative attitude toward the euro because he thinks _________.
A. Greece’s financial crisis may not be over
B. the euro will dr
op to $ 1.25 by the end of the year
C. the European economy is a lot worse than the US’
D. the other European countries have a similar problem like Greece
4. The purpose of the author writing the passage is to tell the readers that _________.
A. the euro shall be further reasonably lowered
B. travelers to Europe will save less in the future
C. the economic situation in Europe is worsening
D. the Greek financial crisis influences the whole Europe
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