Question

Different gestures (手勢(shì)) mean different things in different countries. Sometimes a gesture that is polite in one country is not polite in another and should not be used. Different meanings of gestures can also cause problems in understanding what another person is trying to say. A gesture that many people do not understand is one that uses the thumb. Most westerners will sometimes show that they like something by holding out a closed hand with the thumb lifting in the air. This is called give someone or something ＂the thumbs up＂. Often, only one thumb is used, so it should be ＂the thumb up＂.

The usual explanation (解釋) for the origin of this gesture is not really correct. It says that in ancient Roman times, when people were pleased with the way a gladiator (角斗士) had fought, they showed their thumbs up. When they were not pleased, they gave the thumbs down. When a gladiator was given the thumbs up, the emperor allowed him to live. When a gladiator was given the thumbs down, the emperor ordered him to be killed.

The truth is, however, it was translated into a wrong meaning by mistake. If people wanted to save the gladiator, they put out their hands and hid their thumbs in their hands. If they wanted the gladiator to die, they pointed their thumbs straight at him.

1.Westerners lift their thumbs when they ________.

A. want someone to die B. like something

C. want to go to a playground D. want someone to live

2.Most people think that in ancient Rome, ＂thumbs up＂ meant that ________.

A. the emperor could die

B. the people wanted the gladiator to live

C. the fighting could continue

D. the people were not pleased

3.In fact, if people wanted a gladiator to live, they ________.

A. hid their thumbs

B. pointed their thumbs down

C. lifted their thumbs up

D. pointed their thumbs at him

4.From the article we know that ________.

A. different gestures have different meanings in different countries

B. a friendly gesture is always the same in different countries

C. the meaning of ＂thumbs up＂ is the same both now and the past

D. we should often use the thumbs

5.The main idea of this article is about ________.

A. gestures around the world

B. closed thumbs

C. gestures in ancient Rome

D. the thumbsup gesture

Answer 1