It is commonly believed among many Chinese that Westerners who take “Yes’，and “No” by their facial expressions are more straightforward than Chinese. Normally Westerners don * t have to adopt Chinese ways like sweeping the floor or constantly checking the clock to indicate to a guest that it’ s time to leave. They don’ t have to hesitate in saying “No” when they are not able to, or don’ t want to, offer help to a friend in need. There is no embarrassment attached to this behavior. But it is too simple to conclude that Westerners are more direct speakers than the Chinese.

There are many occasions when the way Westerners express themselves makes Chinese look more straightforward and honest. When I was a fresh international student，the director of our program once asked students in an e-mail what we thought about a young professor. I simply said ’ “She seems to know a lot but doesn* t know how to teach. ” And the director replied with “Thank you for being honest. ”

Only years later when I better understood the new culture，I realized why I had gone too far. If that question were asked now，the reply would have three paragraphs devoted to the qualities of the professor before the last line came out — ” There are some gaps in her teaching method. ” Still tough, but at least it wouldn't be considered rude.

Indeed, the reserved social norms and the deeply - rooted “face issue" make honest speaking risky in China ； Americans have their own ways of being polite. This results partly from political correctness. It also results from several generations of people who have been told they have done well even when they have failed. It may not be unfair to suggest that many Americans are oversensitive and obsessed with a perfect self image.

So，the next time you hear about indirect Chinese，it would be worth challenging the source and pointing out that the cultural comparisons are much more complex. But maybe you should do it in a roundabout way，to be polite.

The passage mainly aims to ??

A.  tell us something about culture distinctions

B.  remind us of the conflicts between cultures

C.  ask us to take positive attitudes to Chinese cultures

D.  keep us informed of the various communications

According to the passage, the young professor lacked   .

A.  confidence in her job

B.  teaching experience

C.  interaction with her students

m D. responsibility for her students

   The underlined words “obsessed with" (para.4) probably means   .

A. satisfied with   B. proud of C. addicted to  D. stuck in

   It can be inferred from the passage that    .

A.  the writer has a good knowledge of American culture

B.  Americans are much more straightforward than Chinese

C.  the new professor was very angry with the writer' s comments

D.  different culture backgrounds make cultures comparison complicated

It is commonly believed among many Chinese that Westerners who take “Yes’，and “No” by their facial expressions are more straightforward than Chinese. Normally Westerners don * t have to adopt Chinese ways like sweeping the floor or constantly checking the clock to indicate to a guest that it’ s time to leave. They don’ t have to hesitate in saying “No” when they are not able to, or don’ t want to, offer help to a friend in need. There is no embarrassment attached to this behavior. But it is too simple to conclude that Westerners are more direct speakers than the Chinese.

There are many occasions when the way Westerners express themselves makes Chinese look more straightforward and honest. When I was a fresh international student，the director of our program once asked students in an e-mail what we thought about a young professor. I simply said ’ “She seems to know a lot but doesn* t know how to teach. ” And the director replied with “Thank you for being honest. ”

Only years later when I better understood the new culture，I realized why I had gone too far. If that question were asked now，the reply would have three paragraphs devoted to the qualities of the professor before the last line came out — ” There are some gaps in her teaching method. ” Still tough, but at least it wouldn't be considered rude.

Indeed, the reserved social norms and the deeply - rooted “face issue" make honest speaking risky in China ； Americans have their own ways of being polite. This results partly from political correctness. It also results from several generations of people who have been told they have done well even when they have failed. It may not be unfair to suggest that many Americans are oversensitive and obsessed with a perfect self image.

So，the next time you hear about indirect Chinese，it would be worth challenging the source and pointing out that the cultural comparisons are much more complex. But maybe you should do it in a roundabout way，to be polite.

1.The passage mainly aims to    •

A.  tell us something about culture distinctions

B.  remind us of the conflicts between cultures

C.  ask us to take positive attitudes to Chinese cultures

D.  keep us informed of the various communications

2.According to the passage, the young professor lacked  .

A.  confidence in her job

B.  teaching experience

C.  interaction with her students

m D. responsibility for her students

3.  The underlined words “obsessed with" (para.4) probably means   .

A. satisfied with   B. proud of C. addicted to  D. stuck in

4.  It can be inferred from the passage that    .

A.  the writer has a good knowledge of American culture

B.  Americans are much more straightforward than Chinese

C.  the new professor was very angry with the writer' s comments

D.  different culture backgrounds make cultures comparison complicated

　　I'm afraid we have to accept the fact that criminals are getting younger all the time, but unfortunately the offences they commit are becoming proportionately more serious. I only wish we didn't have to admit this but, in doing so we must first ask ourselves what's wrong with our society that our children apparently couldn't care less about law and order. The days of the sneak thief who stole a couple of apples off a barrel or nicked a packet of sweets from a chain store are virtually over. I had occasion to say this to a young offender the other day. “Sweets from a chain store?” be said, “You must be joking. That's kid's stuff.” I may add that he was aged eleven. In other words, today's young criminals would find it laughable to risk being caught for petty theft of this description. They've got enough money in their pockets to buy the sweets they want, anyway. I think we have come to the point where it's all too easy to put the blame on anyone but ourselves. Faced as they are with a society that frequently rejects them on the grounds of colour, race or low academic ability, these children turn to crime as a means of boosting their self-esteem. Nurtured on films and TV glamorising the role of the criminal, they are quick to identify with these anti-heroes. It is a matter of increasing concern to the police and magistrates that the Children and Young Persons Act, 1969, is becoming inadequate to deal with the rise in juvenile delinquency. Because the emphasis has been placed on the cause and treatment of their delinquency, rather than on old-fashioned methods of punishment, the children themselves are well aware that there is very little that can be done to prevent them continuing to mug, vandalise and in some case even cause the death of those they choose to terrorise. I don't like the look of this situation any more than you do. In our own interests and in those of our children and grandchildren, we cannot continue to take the “it's nothing to do with me” attitude we have adopted for so long. We must unite in a common demand for harsher and more disciplined methods against these young offenders.

(1) The question“Sweets from a chain store?”mean whether ________.

[　　]

A．he wanted some sweets from a chain store

B．he was caught while stealing sweets from a chain store

C．the days of stealing sweets from a chain store were over

D．stealing sweets form a chain store was illegal

(2) Today's young criminals wouldn't commit such offences as stealing some fruit because ________.

[　　]

A．they are afraid of being caught on the spot

B．people will laugh at them

C．they have enough money to buy them

D．it is not worth the risk

(3) According to the author, the reason why some youngsters tend to commit crimes is, psychologically speaking, that ________.

[　　]

A．they are often rejected on the grounds of race, colour or education

B．they don't know what they are doing is against the law

C．they think it the only way of showing their self-respect

D．both A and C

(4) In dealing with juvenile delinquency, the author is apparently in favor of ________.

[　　]

A．severe punishment once used in the past

B．showing great concern about our children

C．more patient methods in reforming young offenders

D．treating every young offender as our own child

　　I'm afraid we have to accept the fact that criminals are getting younger all the time, but unfortunately the offences they commit are becoming proportionately more serious. I only wish we didn't have to admit this but, in doing so we must first ask ourselves what's wrong with our society that our children apparently couldn't care less about law and order. The days of the sneak thief who stole a couple of apples off a barrel or nicked a packet of sweets from a chain store are virtually over. I had occasion to say this to a young offender the other day. “Sweets from a chain store?” be said, “You must be joking. That's kid's stuff.” I may add that he was aged eleven. In other words, today's young criminals would find it laughable to risk being caught for petty theft of this description. They've got enough money in their pockets to buy the sweets they want, anyway. I think we have come to the point where it's all too easy to put the blame on anyone but ourselves. Faced as they are with a society that frequently rejects them on the grounds of colour, race or low academic ability, these children turn to crime as a means of boosting their self-esteem. Nurtured on films and TV glamorising the role of the criminal, they are quick to identify with these anti-heroes. It is a matter of increasing concern to the police and magistrates that the Children and Young Persons Act, 1969, is becoming inadequate to deal with the rise in juvenile delinquency. Because the emphasis has been placed on the cause and treatment of their delinquency, rather than on old-fashioned methods of punishment, the children themselves are well aware that there is very little that can be done to prevent them continuing to mug, vandalise and in some case even cause the death of those they choose to terrorise. I don't like the look of this situation any more than you do. In our own interests and in those of our children and grandchildren, we cannot continue to take the “it's nothing to do with me” attitude we have adopted for so long. We must unite in a common demand for harsher and more disciplined methods against these young offenders.

(1) The question“Sweets from a chain store?”mean whether ________.

[　　]

A．he wanted some sweets from a chain store

B．he was caught while stealing sweets from a chain store

C．the days of stealing sweets from a chain store were over

D．stealing sweets form a chain store was illegal

(2) Today's young criminals wouldn't commit such offences as stealing some fruit because ________.

[　　]

A．they are afraid of being caught on the spot

B．people will laugh at them

C．they have enough money to buy them

D．it is not worth the risk

(3) According to the author, the reason why some youngsters tend to commit crimes is, psychologically speaking, that ________.

[　　]

A．they are often rejected on the grounds of race, colour or education

B．they don't know what they are doing is against the law

C．they think it the only way of showing their self-respect

D．both A and C

(4) In dealing with juvenile delinquency, the author is apparently in favor of ________.

[　　]

A．severe punishment once used in the past

B．showing great concern about our children

C．more patient methods in reforming young offenders

D．treating every young offender as our own child