When my family moved to America from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect (尊敬) elders(长辈). Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple（夫妻）, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect older people. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long talk about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and said “sorry” to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem because “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect older people, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
By JackJack brought the couple their food very fast because______.
| A．the manager asked him to do so |
| B．he respected the elderly |
| C．the couple wanted him to do so |
| D．he wanted more pay |
When Jack called the couple “older people”, they became ______.
| A．nervous | B．afraid | C．unhappy | D．excited |
After this experience, Jack ______.
| A．lost his job in the restaurant |
| B．made friends with the couple |
| C．no longer respected older people |
| D．changed his way with older people |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got. |
| B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience. |
| C．The manager went back to the table and said “sorry” to the couple. |
| D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture. |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．Different Countries, Different Customs |
| B．Old people, Old Customs |
| C．Different Restaurants, Different Services |
| D．Differences between Old and Young |
Health is very important to everyone. Here are some tips about it.
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STAY FREE OF FLU Studies show that a cold or flu virus can live on our hands for long. So wash all parts of your hands frequently with soap and water. For more ways to prevent the spread of flu, please call the Health Line at 1800 848 1313. |
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IMPROVE ON SLEEP Good health needs good sleep. Going to bed before you’re tired. No eating or reading in bed. Go to bed at the same time before midnight and get up at the same time. Your body likes routine (常规) for a good night’s sleep. |
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ORAL (口腔) HEALTH Brush your teeth twice a day and visit the dentist at least once a year. The mouth is a mirror of disease. The oral examination is not only for the health of teeth, but the whole body. For more of it, please visit www. mydr. com. au. |
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FIT FOR LIFE Studies have shown that many diseases have something to do with little or no physical (身体) activity. Try to do it for 30 minutes a day, 5 days or more a week. For more information, please call the Health Line at 1800 438 2000. |
To prevent from catching a cold or flu, it’s good for you _________.
| A．to clean your fingers often |
| B．to brush your teeth twice a day |
| C．to get up early every morning |
| D．to wash all parts of your hands |
If you want to get a good sleep, you’d better __________.
| A．go to bed after you’re tired |
| B．go to sleep at midnight |
| C．follow the bedtime routine |
| D．eat something or read in bed |
Studies have shown that many diseases have something to do with __________.
| A．having no oral examination |
| B．washing hands with cold water |
| C．sleeping too late sometimes |
| D．doing little physical activity |
Anne’s best friend
Do you want a friend whom you could tell everything to, like your deepest feeling and thoughts? Or are you afraid of your friend would laugh at you, or would not understand what you are going through. Anne Frank wanted the first kind. She made her diary her best friend.
Anne lived in Amsterdam in the Netherlands during World War Ⅱ .Her family wad Jewish so they had to hide or they would be caught by German Nazis(纳粹). They hid away for twenty-five months before they were discovered. During that time the only true friends was her diary. She said, “I don’t want to set down a series of facts as most people do. But I want this diary itself to be my best friend, and I shall call my friend Kitty. Now read how she felt after being in the hiding place since July 1942.
Thursday 15th June 1944
Dear Kitty,
I wonder if it’s because I haven’t been able to be outdoors for so long that I’ve grown so crazy about everything to do with nature. I can well remember that there was a time when a deep blue sky, the songs of the bird, moonlight and flower could never have kept me spellbound. That’s changed since I came here.
…for example, one evening when it was so warm, I stayed awake on purpose until half past eleven in order to have a good look at the moon by myself. But as the moon gave far too much light, I didn’t dare open the window. Another time five month ago, I happened to be upstairs when at dusk when the window was open. I didn’t go downstairs until the window had to be shut. The dark, rainy evening, the wind, the thundering clouds held me entirely in their power; it was the first time in a year and a half that I‘d seen the night face to face….
…Sadly…I am only able to look at nature through dirty curtain before very dusty window. It’s no pleasure looking at nature through these any longer, because nature is one thing really must be experienced.
Yours,
Anne
High Housing Cost Makes Sub-Divided Flats
HONG KONG—Average home price have increased by73% since the end of 2008.This huge jump in home price has pushed more and more low income families into sub-divided flats.
What is a sub-divided flat? It is a flat that is divided into parts, so that it can house more than one family. Many sub-divided flats do not meet fire-safety standards (标准）.For example, some flat owners have turned fire escape exits into part of their own rooms.
In June 2011, a fire happened in an old eight-storey building and left four people dead. That building was filled with sub-divided flats, some as small as 100 square feet. Many people believed that sub-divided flats were one of the causes for the accident. Since then, the government has paid more attention to the housing problem.
The best way to lower housing prices is to increase the number of flats; however, the best way may not be the easiest way. To lower housing prices, the government said that 20,000 new flats must be added every year for the next ten years.
Even if government could provide land for 20,000 flats a year, we would not know how much that would affect the housing market. One thing is for certain, Hong Kong’s housing problem will not soon go away and will be with us for a very long time.
| A．the fire in June 2011 |
| B．the housing problem in Hong Kong |
| C．the sub-divided flats |
| D．the fire-safety laws |
| A．0 | B．1 | C．4 | D．100 |
| A．bread the law | B．help the government |
| C．help the low income families | D．make more money |
| A．The flat owner’s invitation |
| B．The fire-safety law |
| C．The high cost of buying a home |
| D．The effect of sub-divided flats |
| A．to reduce the number of flats |
| B．to build more flats |
| C．to set fire to buildings |
| D．to give money to the poor |
| A．200 | B．2,000 |
| C．20,000 | D．200,000 |
Once upon a time, a greedy rich man hired a wise man. He wanted the wise man to find a way to make him even more money. The rich man was building a giant safe. And his greatest dream was to fill the safe with gold and jewels.
The wise man thought about this problem for months. One night he appeared at the rich man’s house with a big smile on his face. He said, “ I’ve done it! My calculations are perfect! You’ll be rich beyond your wildest dreams.” The rich man was very delighted to go on a long journey. He promised the wise man double pay to run his business for him.
When the rich man returned, he found that all of his money was gone. Very angry, he asked the wise man to explain. The wise man told him he’d given everything away. The wise man said, “ I analyzed(分析) how a single rich man could gain the biggest wealth. But it is limited how much one man can do by himself. Then I realized that many people could help us achieve our goal. By helping other people, you could gain most.”
Disappointed and angry, the rich man went away. As he was walking, several neighbours saw him. All of them had their share when the wise man gave away the man’s wealth. They were so thankful that they welcomed him to their homes and offered anything he needed.
Over the next few weeks, …
Choose the best answer (根据论坛内容，选择最恰当的答案) (12分)
This is online discussion group where people can post comments about a topic.
Read the post from the travel forum(论坛)
| Answers To All Your Travel |
|
 Jun， Korea Posted: 3 days ago |
Question: First trip to the USA For my new job, I will travel to the United States next month and meet my American boss. This will be my first trip to the USA. I’m worried about correct business behavior and manners. My boss invited me to his home for dinner. Do you have any advice? Reply |
 Sue, Miami Posted: 3 days ago |
Re: First trip to the USA It’s a good idea to bring a small gift or something from your country. Don’t be surprised if your boss opens the gift right away. In the USA, people often open a gift when they receive it. In Korea, that is not polite, but it’s appropriate in the USA. Reply |
 Sam, Los Angeles Posted: 2 days ago |
Re: First trip to the USA Americans use their hands to eat some kinds of food, such as pizza and fried chicken. Watch your American hosts, and do what they do. Reply |
 Kathryn, New York Posted: 12 hours ago |
Re: First trip to the USA In Korea and Japan, it’s the custom to remove your shoes before entering a house. In the United States, you usually don’t take your shoes off. Once I was travelling in Japan and entered a house with my shoes on by mistake. Oops! Reply |
 Lee, Korea Posted: 2 hours ago |
Re: First trip to the USA Many Americans are very informal at home. One time I went to dinner at the home of an American business partner, I was surprised that everyone stood and talked in the kitchen while the husband and wife cooked dinner. Besides, unlike in Korea, everyone took part in the dinner table conversation, even the man’s wife and children. Reply |
 Andrew, Washington Posted: 2 hours ago |
Re: First trip to the USA I agree with Lee. I was surprised that American men often cook and that both the husband and wife come to dinner table and talk. You probably won’t speak about business during dinner, so my advice is to know some good topics of conversation. For example, you can talk about travel, food, music, or sports. Of course, it’s good to ask about your boss’s family. But it’s not polite to question about age, salary, religion, or politics. |
| A．Sue | B．Kathryn |
| C．Sam | D．Jun |
| A．Korea | B．the USA |
| C．Japan | D．Not mentioned |
| A．完整的 | B．无礼的 |
| C．合适的 | D．愉快的 |
| A．travel | B．politics |
| C．sports | D．food |
A.Jun is worried about his English.
B.It’s not polite to bring a small gift when visiting a home in the USA.
C.It’s OK for you to use hands to eat pizza and fried chicken like your American hosts.
D.Lee found the husband talking with the guests while the wife cooked in the kitchen.
A.Both Japanese and Korean are informal at home.
B.Only wives cook in the kitchen in the USA.
C.American customs are similar to Korean and Japanese customs.
D.Women and children don’t usually take part in the table conversation in Korea.
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