9．I travel a lot，and I find out different"styles"of directions every time I ask"How can I get to the post office？"
Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don't have names； in Japan，people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names．For example，the Japanese will say to travelers，"Go straight down to the corner．Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market．The post office is across from the bus stop．"
In the countryside of the American Midwest，there are not usually many landmarks．There are no mountains，so the land is very flat； in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles．Instead of landmarks，people will tell you directions and distances．In Kansas or Iowa，for example，people will say，"Go north two miles．Turn east，and then go another mile．"
People in Los Angeles，California，have no idea of distance on the map； they measure distance in time，not miles．"How far away is the post office？"you ask．"Oh，"they answer，"it's about five minutes from here．"You say，"Yes，but how many miles away is it？"They don't know．
It's true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes．What happens in such a situation？A New Yorker might say，‘Sorry，I have no idea．"But in Yucatan，Mexico，no one answers"I don't know．"People in Yucatan believe that"I don't know"is impolite．They usually give an answer，often a wrong one．A tourist can get very，very lost in Yucatan!
21．When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place they usuallyB．
A．describe the place carefully
B．refer to recognizable buildings and places
C．show him a map of the place
D．tell him the names of the streets
22．Which is the place where people measure distance in time？C
A．New York． B．Kansas．
C．Los Angeles． D．Iowa．
23．People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answerD．
A．in order to save time B．as a test
C．for fun D．so as to be polite
24．What can we infer from the text？C
A．It's useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly．
B．People have similar understandings of politeness．
C．It's important for travelers to understand cultural differences．
D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors．
分析 本文围绕回答问路的风格，介绍了不同国度的不同文化．
解答 BCDC
21．B 细节理解题．根据文章第二段第一句Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don't have names； in Japan，people use landmarks （地标） in their directions instead of street names．很多外国游人在日本感到很迷惑因为很多街道没有名字，在日本，人们在方向上用坐标而不用街道名字．可知答案选B．
22．C 细节理解题．根据文章第四段第一句People in Los Angeles，California，have no idea of distance on the map； they measure distance in time，not miles．在洛杉矶人们对地图上的距离没有概念，他们用时间而不用英里来估量距离．可知答案选C．
23．D 细节理解题．从最后一段第四、五、六句But in Yucatan，Mexico，no one answers"I don't know．"People in Yucatan believe that"I don't know"is impolite，They usually give an answer，often a wrong one．可知在尤卡坦州当人们不知道地址的时候，为了表示礼貌，会给问路人一个错误的答案．故选D．
24．C 推理判断题．全文围绕回答问路的风格，介绍了不同国度的不同文化．可以从中推断出，对于旅行的人来说了解各国的文化差异是很重要的．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．
