Question

In England three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop. They studied the information on the post sign and decided which bus to take. About five minutes later the bus they wanted came along. They prepared to get on. Suddenly people rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted insulting remarks about the foreigners. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus-stop is the first person to get on the bus.

Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, You might see a man apparently shaking his head at another and assume (认为) that he is disagreeing. But in many parts of India a rotating (旋转) movement of the head is a gesture that express agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty. In that country you shake your head to express “yes” — a nod means “no”.

In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting, talking to someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could cause offence (冒犯). It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. Also when in Thailand avoid touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done. Attitudes to women vary considerably around the world. In Japan, for example, it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home.

Knowing about customs and attitudes is useful when you are travelling, but you also need to know the language used to express different degrees of formality (礼节).

56. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed because ________.

A. they didn’t know the English language

B. the bus conductor told them to jump the queue

C. they didn’t know the custom of lining up for a bus

D. they thought they were looked down upon

57. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “insulting” in Para. 1?

A. Modest.   B. Entertaining.      C. Misunderstanding.      D. Rude.

58. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this passage?

A. In Europe, using the left hand is considered less respected.

B. In India, the left hand is not used as a sign of respect to others.   

C. In Thailand, you’d better cross your legs when sitting or talking.       

D. In Japan, it is considered bad manners to touch the head of an adult.

59. The underlined sentence “Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty” means in Bulgaria _______.

A. you are probably thirsty if you nod your head

B. you’re possibly eager to have a drink if you nod your head

C. you probably refuse to drink when you nod your head

D. you’d like to have a cup of tea because you nod your head

60. We can infer from the passage that _________.

A. in Asian countries, women are equal to men in every field

B. learning a language well is a necessity before going abroad

C. attitudes to women vary from country to country

D. in Japan, men are still the centre of the family

Answer 1

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