Question

The word culture includes not only the customs of our society, its art, music, but also everyday activities. Cultures give us a sense of belonging in society. So the losing of one’s culture is, for many, alarming. Many people believe their traditional ways of life are under threat (威脅) and that something should be done. Yet for some, the losing of culture is a natural result of globalization(全球化) and progress. So is the globalization of culture a threat or a chance?

Those who see globalization as a threat argue that societies are losing special parts of their cultures. For example, Omotik, a language spoken in East Africa, has only 50 live speakers. There are also increasing fears in China, where the losing of musical and dance traditions, as well as traditional crafts, is causing concern to many. Some argue that it is hard to find differences between London and Tokyo. Young people, whose ideas are often influenced by Western or other popular cultures, often refuse or even give up the traditions their parents grew up with.

Others focus on the advantages of globalization. They accept that Western culture is spreading, but they also point to how Western countries and many other parts of the world are being shown to world cultures. Young Americans enjoy Japanese comic magazines and watch Korean movies. Thai teenagers enjoy pop music from Hong Kong. Many argue that there are advantages to these cross-cultural exchanges and that they lead to better understandings between cultures. They say world traditions are celebrated more widely because of these. Chinese New Year, now celebrated in most big cities around the world, is just one of the many festivals that are accepted internationally.

Anyway, many grass-roots organizations and governments are making efforts(努力) to protect their cultures. One successful example is Wales. There was a time when social pressures were killing off the Welsh language, but after years of efforts, it is now an active part of Welsh life again. Around the world, similar efforts are going on.

1.Which of the following is an OPINION according to the passage?

A. Omotik is a language spoken in East Africa.

B. Young Americans enjoy Japanese comic magazines.

C. The globalization of cultures is a chance to traditional ones.

D. Chinese New Year is now celebrated in most big cities around the world.

2.The underlined word “concern” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”.

A. worries B. changes C. differences D. problems

3.What does the underlined word “these” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A. Advantages. B. World traditions.

C. Cross-cultural exchanges. D. Better understandings,

4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. Culture Changes B. Threats to Culture

C. Culture Protection D. Exchanges of Cultures

Answer 1