20．Destiny and Personal Responsibility
One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny（命运）and personal responsibility．This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives，contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control．Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act，to choose the course of our lives and relationships．Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself．The North American view is vast，with large spaces of unpopulated land．The frontier attitude of"King"of the wilderness，and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances，may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies．
In this expansive land，many children grow up with a heroic sense of life，where ideas are big，and hope springs forever．When they experience temporary failures，they encouraged to redouble their efforts，to"try，try again．"Action，efficiency（效率），and achievement are valued and expected．Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts．
Now consider places in the world with much smaller land，whose history reflects wars and tough struggles：Northern Ireland，Mexico，Israel，Palestine．In these places，destiny's role is more important in human life．In Mexico，there is a history of hard life，fighting over land，and loss of homes．Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable．Their passive attitude is expr4essed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying"ni modo"（"no way"or"tough lick"），meaning that the failure was destined．
This variable is important to understanding cultural conflict．If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive，miscommunication is likely．The first person may expect action and accountability．Failing to see it，he may conclude that the second is lazy，not cooperative，or dishonest．The second person will expect respect for the natural order of thins．Failing to see it，he may conclude that the first is forcible，rude，or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed．
67．The author thinks that one's character is partly determined byD．
A．physical senses B．general attitude
C．financial background D．geographic characteristics
68．According to the passage，Mexicans would think that Americans areA．
A．impractical B．dishonest C．ambitious D．hesitant
69．The underlined word"subject"in Paragraph 1probably meansD．
A．a topic of a discussion
B．a branch of knowledge
C．a person being experimented on
D．a person under the power of others
70．The author would probably agree thatC．
A．vast land may lead to a more controllable desire
B．heroic sense of life roots deeply in a small country
C．living in limited space contributes to an accepting attitude
D．fighting over land may help people gain high levels of confidence．
分析 本文属于说明文阅读，作者通过这篇文章主要向我们描述了命运与个人责任的关系，成长的地域不同是造就不同性格的原因之一，生活在广阔地域的人普遍比较自信，相信自己会成功，而在战乱狭小地域的人甚至觉得失败是必然的，这是很重要的文化冲突．
解答 67．D．推理判断题．根据文章第二段"In this expansive land，many children grow up with a heroic sense of life"可知作者认为人的性格形成的一部分原因是地理特征；故选D．
68．A．推理判断题．根据文章第三段"Their passive attitude is expr4essed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying"ni modo"（"no way"or"tough lick"），meaning that the failure was destined"可知墨西哥人认为失败是注定的，而美国人相信不停尝试一定会成功；因此可知墨西哥人会觉得美国人是不切实际的；故选A．
69．D．词义推断题．根据文章第一段"This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives，contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control"可知subject与masters of our lives生活的主人意思相反，因此意为在别人压迫下的人；故选D．
70．C．细节理解题．根据文章第二段"Now consider places in the world with much smaller land，whose history reflects wars and tough struggles"可知生活在受限的小空间的人更服从命运，即他们更易拥有懂得接受命运的态度；故选C．
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
