At a psychology conference in England years ago, a woman said to me: “I’ll knock you up in the morning.” I was taken aback by her strange suggestion, but it occurred to me that I might not have understood what she really meant. As it turned out, what she had meant was, “I’ll knock on your door in the morning so that we can meet for breakfast to discuss the panel we’re on.”
This example of the difference in the meaning of “knock you up” in British and American English shows the complicated situations that can result from cultural misunderstandings. A cultural misunderstanding occurs when something — a word, gesture, object, social context, or almost anything you can think of — has a different meaning in two cultures. Sometimes the misunderstandings get resolved, sometimes they lead nowhere, and sometimes they can become the starting point of something much more extreme, from love to war.
Race is one area where cultural misunderstandings are common. We Americans tend to assume that racial categories are biological rather than social, so it may not occur to us that people from other cultures have a different set of racial concepts and classify themselves and us differently. Some African Americans complain that certain immigrants from other countries, such as Haiti or Jamaica, “act as if they aren’t black.” The cultural misunderstanding is that, in the immigrants’ countries of origin, they would never describe themselves as “black”. This doesn’t mean that they think they are white. It just means that their cultures have more categories, like marabou or grimaud in Haiti, or fair or brown in Jamaica, than are used in the United States. Meanwhile, white people in America, unaware of this cultural diversity, sometimes refer to all darker-skinned people as “black” without realizing that an issue exists.
Resolving cultural misunderstandings can clear the air or even lead to laughter. Sometimes, though, when it comes to race, unidentified cultural misunderstandings can create tension, unhappiness and distrust.
小題1:The main purpose of the first paragraph is to       .
A．show that language misunderstandings would cause big problems
B．show the differences between British and American English
C．explain in general what cultural misunderstandings are
D．introduce the idea of cultural misunderstandings with a story
小題2:The underlined word “resolved” probably means       .
A．complicatedB．settled C．a(chǎn)cceptedD．noticed
小題3:We can learn from the passage that cultural misunderstandings      .
A．mostly come from body language
B．a(chǎn)re the most serious social problem in the US
C．can cause negative feelings among people
D．can be cleared up with laughter
小題4:What is the author’s opinion about cultural misunderstandings?
A．There’s no need to notice racial differences.
B．Haitians prefer to be described as fair or brown.
C．Cultural misunderstandings based on racial categories may be difficult to spot.
D．Americans are especially likely to misunderstand people from other cultures.

小題1:D
小題2:B
小題3:C
小題4:C

試題分析：這篇文章介紹了文化的誤解有時(shí)候會(huì)鬧笑話，有時(shí)候在種族間會(huì)造成不開心和緊張的氣氛。
小題1:根據(jù)As it turned out, what she had meant was, “I’ll knock on your door in the morning so that we can meet for breakfast to discuss the panel we’re on.”故選D。
小題2:根據(jù)sometimes they lead nowhere, and sometimes they can become the starting point of something much more extreme, from love to war.可猜出“resolved”意思是堅(jiān)決的，故選B。
小題3:根據(jù)Sometimes, though, when it comes to race, unidentified cultural misunderstandings can create tension, unhappiness and distrust.所以答案為C。
小題4:根據(jù)Resolving cultural misunderstandings can clear the air or even lead to laughter. Sometimes, though, when it comes to race, unidentified cultural misunderstandings can create tension, unhappiness and distrust.因此選C。
點(diǎn)評(píng)：要想答好題目，重在理解全文意思。這篇文章比較難，先看問(wèn)題，再帶著問(wèn)題讀短文，找出各段落的主旨句，理解全文內(nèi)容，總結(jié)全文中心，然后再回到問(wèn)題上來(lái)，很容易選出正確答案。多了解一些常識(shí)性知識(shí)有利于閱讀理解。如果對(duì)文章的相關(guān)背景有所了解，讀起文章一定既省時(shí)又省力。因此，在學(xué)習(xí)過(guò)程中，了解各方面的背景知識(shí)是十分重要的。
練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Producing money requires both artistic and technological skills． Dollar bills are made so that they are interesting to look at but very hard to copy． In total, there are sixty-five separate steps required to make a dollar bill．
The money making process begins when． a yearly order is sent by the Federal Reserve Board． That order will then be divided in half． Half will be done here in Washington, D． C．a(chǎn)nd the other half will be done in Fort Worth, Texas． Next, the Bureau orders special paper which is actually cloth since it is 75% cotton and 25% linen．
This paper is made so that it can last a long time． And, it is made with details that make it hard to copy． For example, bills contain security threads． These narrow pieces of plastic are inside the paper and run along the width of the bill． This special paper is also made with very small blue and red fibers．
Once the money is printed, guillotine cutters separate the sheets into two notes, then into individual notes． The notes are organized in "bricks," each of which contains forty one-hundred-note packages． The bricks then go to one of twelve Federal Reserve Districts, which then give the money to local banks． Ninety-five percent of the bills printed each year are used to replace money that is in circulation, or that has already been removed from circulation．
You may know that America's first president, George Washington, is pictured on the one- dollar bill． But do you know whose face is on the two, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred-dollar bills? They are, in order． President Thomas Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, President Andrew Jackson, President Ulysses Grant and statesman Benjamin Franklin．
The average life span of a one-dollar bill is twenty-one months． But a ten-dollar bill lasts only about eighteen months． The one hundred-dollar bill lasts the longest, eighty-nine months． One popular question is about the two-dollar bill． This bill is not printed very often． This is because many Americans believe two-dollar bills are lucky, so they keep them． 
小題1:During money production, we must consider all EXCEPT that it must                   .
A．last a long time
B．be hard to copy
C．be interesting to look at
D．be done by the president's order
小題2:We can learn from the passage that the security threads                   .
A．a(chǎn)re narrow pieces of plastic
B．a(chǎn)re pressed outside the bills
C．a(chǎn)re longer than the width of the bills
D．a(chǎn)re actually made of cotton and linen
小題3:How many presidents are printed on the American money?
A．FourB．FiveC．Six D．Seven
小題4:Why are the two-dollar bills not made often?
A．Because no one wants them．
B．Because their material is a bit more expensive．
C．Because they aren't used in America any more．
D．Because they aren't damaged quickly like other bills．

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

(The Guardian)More UK universities should be profiting from ideas
　　A repeated criticism of the UK's university sector is its noticeable weakness in translating new knowledge into new products and services.
　　Recently, the UK National Stem Cell Network warned the UK could lose its place among the world leaders in stem cell research unless adequate funding and legislation could be assured, despite an annual £40m spent by the Department of Health on all kinds of research.
　　However, we do have to challenge the unthinking complaint that the sector does not do enough in taking ideas to market. The most recent comparative data on the performance of universities and research institutions in Australia, Canada, USA and UK shows that, from a relatively weak starting position, the UK now leads on many indicators of commercialization activity.
　　When viewed at the national level, the policy interventions (interference) of the past decade have helped transformed the performances of UK universities. Evidence suggests the UK's position is much stronger than in the recent past and is still showing improvement. But national data masks the very large variation in the performance of individual universities. The evidence shows that a large number of universities have fallen off the back of the pack, a few perform strongly and the rest chase the leaders.
　　This type of uneven distribution is not strange to the UK and is mirrored across other economies. In the UK, research is concentrated: less than 25% of universities are receiving 75% of the research funding. These same universities are also the institutions producing the greatest share of PhD graduates, science citations, patents and license income. The effect of policies generating long-term resource concentration has also created a distinctive set of universities which are research-led and commercially active. It seems clear that the concentration of research and commercialization work creates differences between universities.
　　The core objective for universities which are research-led must be to maximize the impact of their research efforts. Their purpose is not to generate funds to add to the bottom line of the university or to substitute other income streams. Rather, these universities should be generating the widest range of social, economic and environmental benefits. In return for the scale of investment, they should share their expertise (expert knowledge or skill) in order to build greater confidence in the sector.
　　Part of the economic recovery of the UK will be driven by the next generation of research commercialization spilling out of our universities. On the evidence presented in my report, there are three dozen universities in the UK which are actively engaged in advanced research training and commercialization work.
　　If there was a greater coordination（協(xié)調(diào)）of technology transfer offices within regions and a simultaneous (happening at the same time) investment in the scale and functions of our graduate schools, universities could, and should, play a key role in positioning the UK for the next growth cycle.
小題1:What does the author think of UK universities in terms of commercialization?
A．They have lost their leading position in many ways.
B．They still have a place among the world leaders.
C．They do not regard it as their responsibility.
D．They fail to change knowledge into money.
小題2:What does the author say about the national data on UK universities’ performance in
commercialization?
A．It masks the fatal weaknesses of government policy.
B．It indicates their ineffective use of government resources.
C．It does not rank UK universities in a scientific way.
D．It does not reflect the differences among universities.
小題3:We can infer from Paragraph 5 that “policy interventions (in Paragraph 4)” refers to _____.
A．concentration of resources in a limited number of universities
B．compulsory cooperation between universities and industries
C．government aid to non-research-oriented universities
D．fair distribution of funding for universities and research institutions
小題4:What dose the author suggest research-led universities do?
A．Fully use their research to benefit all sectors of society.
B．Generously share their facilities with those short of funds.
C．Advertise their research to win international recognition.
D．Spread their influence among top research institutions.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

All around the world, people drink tea. But tea does not mean the same thing to everyone. In different countries people have very different ideas about drinking tea.
In China, for example, tea is always served when people get together. The Chinese drink it at any time of the day at homes or in teahouses. They prefer their tea plain with nothing else in it. Tea is also important in Japan. The Japanese have a special way of serving tea called a tea ceremony. It is very old and full of meaning. Everything must be done in a special way in the ceremony. There is even a special room for it in Japanese homes.
Another tea drinking country is England. In England, the late afternoon is “teatime”. Almost everyone has a cup of tea then. The English usually make tea in teapot and drink it with cream and sugar. They also eat cakes, cookies and little sandwiches at teatime.
In the United States people drink tea mostly for breakfast or after meals. Americans usually use tea bags to make their tea. Tea bags are faster and easier than making tea in teapots. In summer, many Americans drink cold tea --- “iced tea”. Sometimes they drink iced tea from cans, like soda.
小題1:The passage is mainly talking about _________.
A. Chinese tea               B why tea is important
C. the teatime in England     D. different ways of tea drinking
小題2:The word “plain” in line 4 may mean _____________.
A．simpleB．goingC．hardD．drink
小題3:The Chinese drink tea __________.
A．for breakfastB．in a special way
C．when they get togetherD．only in teahouses
小題4: Iced tea is popular _____________.
A．in winterB．in EnglandC．for lunchD．in America
小題5:The English like to _____________.
A．eat something with their teaB．drink their tea plain
C．have tea with dinnerD．drink their tea in teahouses

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Two weeks after the opening ceremony, the Games are over. The last of the three hundred gold medals has been awarded and the flags of the winners have been raised for the last time.
The final event is the closing ceremony. This occasion is always sad and happy at the same time. It is a sad occasion because the tremendous excitement is over, and it will not happen again for four years. Those who have made friends will have to say goodbye, perhaps for ever. It is also a happy occasion because the competition is over and the athletes can really show their friendship for one another.
The closing ceremony is rather like the opening. But now the Olympic flame goes out and the Olympic flag, with its five rings, is lowered. The person who closes the Games calls upon the youth of the world to meet again in four years’ time. The scoreboard lights up with the name of the city for the next Games and the band starts to play. Then the celebration starts.
All the athletes try to be at the closing ceremony. They have forgotten all their fears and worries. It does not matter whether they have done well or not. All the teams walk round the stadium together. Everybody is laughing and joking. The band plays and people start to dance.
After that, everybody in the Village clears up and gets ready to leave. Everyone is hunting for souvenirs. People exchange track suits, hats, running vests and badges. There is a last chance to take photographs and get addresses of new friends. Then each team starts its journey home.
小題1:The last event of the Olympic Games is ______.
A．to award the last gold medalB．to raise the flags of the winners for the last time
C．to hunt for souvenirs　　　D．the closing ceremony
小題2:At the closing ceremony, it is found that ______.
A．a(chǎn)ll are called on to meet again in four years’ time
B．there is no music
C．the name of the city for the next Games is showed
D．Olympic flame is taken out of the stadium
小題3:Which of the following statements is TRUE about the athletes at the closing ceremony?
A．All of them are not present at the ceremony.
B．They are competitors rather than friends.
C．They can’t help worrying about losing the games.
D．They exchange clothes for fun.
小題4: The underlined phrase “ clear up” in the last paragraph means ________.
A．pack upB．go awayC．make clearD．do the cleaning

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Brighton is in the county of East Sussex, on the South coast of England. Situated between the English Channel and the South Downs, Brighton is 90 km from London. Brighton's nearby neighbor, Hove, is seen by some as a more desirable location than Brighton and it is often referred to by locals as "Hove, actually".
Brighton is a small city but there's probably as much going on here as anywhere in the country except London. Brighton has numerous entertainment facilities, which additionally serve a considerable business conference industry. There's a huge range of entertainment venues, including comedy at the Brighton Komedia, world music, opera and ballet at the Brighton Dome, jazz at the Joogleberry, top stars at the Brighton Centre and pre-West End shows at the Theatre Royal. The live music scene is also alive and well with several bands originating from the Brighton area going on to have commercial success in recent years.
Every year in May, Brighton hosts the "Brighton Festival" ------ the largest arts festival in England. Brighton's theatres, concert halls, streets and some of the city's most extraordinary venues host an array of art, entertainment and extravaganza (盛大表演). The earliest feature of the festival, "Open Houses" ------ homes of artists and crafts people, opened up to the public as galleries and usually sell the works of the inhabitants and their friends.
Students at the two universities in the area give the city a youthful vitality (活力), and in the summer, thousands of young students from all over Europe gather in the city to attend language courses. In addition to the usual coastal attractions, vacationers are drawn to the city's Georgian architecture, trendy shops, and fine restaurants. Points of interest also include the Edwardian Preston Manor, the ornate Royal Pavilion, the engaging Sea Life Center, and a variety of museums and art galleries.
小題1:What's the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A．To introduce Brighton to the readers.
B．To attract foreign students to study in Brighton.
C．To show his admiration for the city of Brighton.
D．To list entertainments in Brighton.
小題2:What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?
A．The term of "Hove"
B．The situation of Brighton.
C．The county of East Sussex.
D．The distance between Brighton and London.
小題3:According to the passage，where can you go if you enjoy watching opera?
A．Brighton Komedia. B．Joogleberry.
C．Theatre Royal. D．Brighton Dome.
小題4:Why do people in Brighton have a good time in May every year?
A．Because they can enjoy all kinds of music played by top artists.
B．Because top stars from the world will go to Perform there.
C．Because the largest arts festival in England is held there.
D．Because the local people can appreciate works in the Open Houses.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Every culture has a recognized point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed.
In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world.
“Nobody wants to ride the cheese bus to school,” said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She brought the pressure back to memory, especially from kids from wealthier families. “It’s like you’re not cool if you don’t have a car,” she said.
According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay.
Not all families can afford cars for their children. In cities with subways and limited parking, some teenagers don’t want them. But in rich suburban areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.
But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents pause before letting their kids drive.
Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17 to apply for his learner’s permit.
Chad said he has accepted his parents’ decision, although it has caused some teasing from his friends. “They say that I am unlucky,” he said, “But I’d rather be alive than driving, and I don’t really trust my friends on the road, either.”
In China, as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult?
小題1:Which may serve as the BEST title of the article?
A．Cars Helping You to Grow-UpB．Driving into the Grown-Up World
C．Teenagers’ Driving in AmericaD．Recognized Point of Becoming an Adult
小題2:16-year-old drivers have more accidents possibly because           .
A．they want to show themselves offB．they are never experienced drivers
C．older people always drive betterD．they never drive carefully on the road
小題3:Which may NOT be taken into consideration when deciding whether to buy a car?
A．How well off the family is.
B．Whether the kid is old enough.
C．What traffic condition there is around.
D．Whether it’s practically needed.
小題4:When Chad said “I don’t really trust my friends ...”, he meant that           .
A．he might run into his friends if he drove
B．he didn’t agree with his friends
C．he might not be safe if his friends drove
D．he was afraid that his friends might well lie to him
小題5:The passage mainly gives information about           .
A．a(chǎn)n American culture
B．a(chǎn) cultural difference between America and China
C．a(chǎn) change in the Chinese culture
D．the relationship between driving and a person’s development

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

What does the word“youth” mean to you? Many define it as a precious time in their life when they are young, when fun, passion, and imagination seem limitless. But for most high school students, youth is a time of determination and willpower for achieving their goals.
This is vividly shown in Mark of Youth, a movie that opened on Feb 5. Mark of Youth tells the story of four Senior 3 students in a top high school in the days leading up to the national college entrance examination.
Each character represents a different type of student, ranging from the most mischievous(調(diào)皮的)to the most motivated. Like most teenagers, they enjoy carefree moments and like to talk about their schoolmates. But the tension of the approaching exam, probably their first life-changing event, is common—they must memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems, work through piles of practice test papers, and improve their scores despite the increasing pressure.
But life exists beyond campus. That the college entrance examination is coming up doesn’t mean they can escape family changes, such as when one character’s parents get divorced or another’s father is arrested. Can these four young people handle their problems and eventually make it to their ideal universities despite their on –and –off campus stress?
The story is set in Hubei Huanggang Middle School, known for its students’ outstanding performances on the big exam. The four students are played by the actors who played in the reality shows Happy Boys and Happy Girls. HongKong actor Alex Fong plays their teacher.
Students may look more fashionable in Mark of Youth than in real life, but it is the story about the final year of high school that many viewers relate to.
“The film is very inspiring,” said Senior 2 student Yao Lingqian, 16, from Leshan Foreign Language School in Sichuan province. “A total commitment(投入)to hard work, though it can be lonely and no fun at all, will leave precious marks on my youth.”
And for Senior 3 student Gao Jing, the film has given her optimism. “The characters taught me that what you score is not the only important thing. The way you approach the exam matters the most,” said the 17-year-old from Zhenping County No 1 High School in Nanyang, Henan province.
“The film really reflects senior 3students’life.” Zhang Ping, a teacher from a senior high school in Qingdao, commented.
小題1:What is the function of the first paragraph in the passage?
A．To tell us what the word “youth” means.
B．To introduce what will be mainly talked about.
C．To tell youth is a time of determination and willpower.
D．To introduce some famous actors.
小題2:Why must the four Senior 3 students memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems?
A．They want to enjoy carefree moments.
B．They want to gossip about their schoolmates.
C．They want to work through piles of practice test papers.
D．They want to improve their scores.
小題3:Which of the following is true about the film?
A．Mark of Youth tells a story that happened on Feb 5.
B．The characters in the film have to face the pressure from both study and their families.
C．The film tells a story that really happened in Hubei Huanggang Middle School.
D．Most characters in the film are played by actors from HongKong.
小題4:What kind of belief does the film convey?
A．Youth is a wonderful thing.
B．We youth should face challenge with smile.
C．Entrance examination is very important in our life.
D．The entrance examination isn’t so terrible.
小題5:Which of the person can we see in the film?
A．Alex FongB．Yao LingqianC．Gao JingD．Zhang ping

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Most schools are named after famous people. Other schools are named after the streets on which they are located. Some school names are most unusual. How they were chosen is anyone’s guess.
There are schools with names that would make a person think twice before opening the door. The school named Lookout at least warns pupils in advance. You would need the most courage of all to enter the school in Oregon named Tenkiller!
Not all unusual school names are strange in a fearful way. Many of the names are pleasant. Who would not feel at home in the school named Welcome? What could go wrong in the school called Allgood? The Bright School, located in Montana, seems to promise that much learning will take place.
Other schools have names neither pleasant nor fearful. Their names are simply funny. There are schools with names such as Telephone, and Ducktown. For names to make us smile, what can match Bushyhead in the state of Georgia?
Do you think you can find the Nonesuch School? If you look carefully at the word, you will see that its name says there is no such school, but there is. The Nonesuch School is found in Kentucky. 
小題1:One pleasant school name in the passage is _______.
A．TelephoneB．TenkillerC．LookoutD．Allgood
小題2:When you hear of the school name Bushyhead, you will find it _______.
A．terribleB．fearfulC．funnyD．familiar
小題3:The Bright School is found in the state of _______.
A．GeorgiaB．KentuckyC．OregonD．Montana

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案