Question

We Chinese are not big huggers. A handshake or a pat on the shoulder is enough to convey our friendship or affection to one another. So when our newly-acquainted Western friends reach out in preparation for a hug, some of us feel awkward.

Many questions go through our head. Where should I put my arms? Under their armpits or around their neck? What distance should I maintain? Should our chests touch?

It’s even more difficult with friends from some European countries. Should I kiss them on the cheek while hugging? Which side? Or is it both cheeks? Which side should I start on?

But it isn’t just people from cultures that emphasize a reservedness in expressing physical intimacy(親密) who find hugging confusing. Hugs can cause discomfort or even distress in people who value their personal space.

In a recent article for The Wall Street Journal, US psychologist Peggy Drexler said that although the US remains a “medium touch” culture — “more physically demonstrative than Japan, where a bow is the all-purpose hello and goodbye, but less demonstrative than Latin or Eastern European cultures, where hugs are strong and can include a kiss on both cheeks”, Americans do seem to be hugging more.

From politicians to celebrities, hugs are given willy-nilly to friends, strangers and enemies alike; and the public has been quick to pick up the practice. Public figures know that nothing projects like the ability as a good hug. US First Lady Michelle Obama has put her arms around icy foreign leaders like Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the Queen of England, on the latter occasion actually breaking the rule of royal manners.

But not all are grateful to be embraced, even by the most influential and famous. To them, any hug is offensive if it’s not sincere.

Amanda Hess, writing for US magazine Slate, says public figures should stop imposing hugs on everyone they meet. For them, a hug is rarely a gesture of sincere fellowship, compassion or affection. It’s all part of a show. Hugs are falsely intimate power plays used by public figures to establish their social dominance over those in their grasp.

Cecilia Walden, a British journalist writing for The Telegraph who lives in New York, holds the same opinion. “Power-hugging”, as she calls it, is “an offender dressed up as kindness”. It has become a fashion in the US where “bosses are already embracing their staff (either shortly before or after firing them), men and women ,their friends or enemies, in a thousand cheating displays of unity”.

1.From the first four paragraphs, we can see that ___________.

A. we Chinese people don’t know how to hug

B. people from European countries often get puzzled about hugging

C. people in Western countries seldom use hugs to express their physical closeness

D. hugs can bring pressure to people when used improperly

2.The example of US first lady Michelle Obama is given to show that __________.

A. Americans hold a “medium touch ”culture

B. public figures know hugging functions well in public

C. she is much liked by American people

D. hugs are forbidden in England

3.“Power-hugging” in the last paragraph actually means that _________.

A. hugs are only used sincerely by some people with power

B. hugging is powerful to bosses in US

C. public figures sometimes use hugging just for a show of power

D. public figures can hug anyone in their grasp freely

4.What can be the best title of this passage?

A. Hugs, vital or not? B. Hugs, tricky affair?

C. Hugs and public figures D. Hugs and power

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.B

【解析】

試題分析：擁抱對(duì)于一些人來說是溫馨的感情表達(dá)，但并非所有人都能接受這種親密的肢體接觸。對(duì)于一些政要名流而言，擁抱更是已經(jīng)淪為一種作秀，變了味道

1. when our newly-acquainted Western friends reach out in preparation for a hug, some of us feel awkward. 當(dāng)新結(jié)識(shí)的老外朋友伸出雙臂想要給我們一個(gè)擁抱時(shí)，很多人都面露難色。以及第四段But it isn’t just people from cultures that emphasize a reservedness in expressing physical intimacy who find hugging confusing. Hugs can cause discomfort or even distress in people who value their personal space. 然而擁抱這種肢體接觸方式并不只是令那些文化背景相對(duì)保守的人們感到為難，同時(shí)也會(huì)為那些注重私人空間的人們帶來不適，甚至是苦惱。得知不恰當(dāng)?shù)膿肀�使人倍感壓力。故選D

2. B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由第六段第二句Public figures know that nothing projects like the ability as a good hug句意：公眾人物深知沒什么能比一個(gè)誠意十足的擁抱更能展現(xiàn)親和力了。指出了US first lady Michelle Obama擁抱的用意。故選B

3. C詞義猜測(cè)題。由倒數(shù)第二段第二句It’s all part of a show這完全是作秀，和最后一段“Power-hugging”, as she calls it, is “an offender dressed up as kindness”.她將其稱為“強(qiáng)權(quán)擁抱”，并指出這是一種披著善良外衣的侵犯，已經(jīng)成為美國的一種時(shí)尚。得知擁抱變了味故選C

4. affair。故選B

考點(diǎn)：考查社科類說明文閱讀。