阅读理解（八）1、Here is some must-know information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.In BrazilBrazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible, with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned.But to be safe, be on time. Meals can stretch for hours—there’s no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social, preferring face-to-face communication over mails or phone calls.In SingaporeSingaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small, polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal, so meetings and dealings often are fast-paced.Singaporeans are direct in their discussions, even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines both people interact in meetings. For example, people avoid disagreeing outright with someone with a higher rank.In the United Arab EmiratesIn the UAE, status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So, do not pull away the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes, but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided.When meetings are one-to-one, if your host offers you coffee, you should refuse. It might seem odd, but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is always set out or presented.In SwitzerlandThe Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality (守时) is vital, something that comes from a deep respect for others’ time. Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higher-ups make the final decisions, even if others might disagree. Neat, clean dress is expected.The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.1.The passage is mainly about ________.munication typesB.the workplace atmosphereC.customs and social mannersD.living conditions and standards2.Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?A.They put efficiency in the first place.B.They dislike face-to-face communication.C.They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible.D.They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank.3.In the UAE, when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?A.When greeting seniorsB.When meeting the host aloneC.When attending a presentationD.When dining with business partners.4.In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?A.In Brazil.B.In Singapore.C.In the United Arab Emirates.D.In Switzerland.2、Food festivals around the worldStilton Cheese RollingMay Day is a traditional day for celebrations, but the 2,000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include cheese rolling in their annual plans. Teams of four,dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes, roll a complete cheese along a 50-metre course. On the way, they must not kick or throw their cheese, or go into their competitors' lane(赛道). Competition is fierce and the chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos (disappointingly, but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones). All the competitors are served with beer or port wine, the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese.Fiery Foods Festival—The Hottest Festival on EarthEvery year more than 10,000 people head for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They come from as far away as Australia, the Caribbean and China, but they all share a common addiction—food that is not just spicy(辛辣), buthot enough to make your mouth burn, your head spin and your eyes water. Their destination is the Fiery Eood and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three days every March. You might like to try a chocolate-covered habanero pepper—officially the hottest pepper in the world—or any one of the thousands of products that are on show. But one thing's for sure—if you don't like the feeling of a burning tongue, this festival isn't for you!La Tomatina—The World's Biggest Food FightOn the last Wednesday of every August, the Spanish town of Bunol hosts Ea Tomatina—the world's largest food fight. A week-long celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week's events. The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes—official fight-starters get things going by casting tomatoes at the crowd.The battle lasts little more than half an hour, in which time around 50,000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves, runs, or fights back. Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again—and for a much-needed wash!1.In the Stilton cheese rolling competition, competitors on each team must _____.A.wear various formal clothesB.roll a wooden cheese in their own laneC.kick or throw their cheesee a real cheese weighing about four kilos2.Where is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival held?A.In New Mexico.B.In the Caribbean.C.In Australia.D.In China.3.The celebration of La Tomatina lasts _______.A.three daysB.seven daysC.less than three daysD.more than seven days4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A.The chief prize for the Stilton cheese rolling competition is beer or port wine.B.More than 10,000 Chinese take part in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival.C.Thousands of spicy foods are on show in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival.D.An exciting tomato battle takes place at the beginning of La Tomatina.3 、Since I was first in China in 2012, my life, and China itself, have developed and changed a lot. My first China interaction was in 2012, when I came here with a friend. We traveled from Beijing to Hong Kong, all in 5 weeks. We had a fantastic time meeting local people, exploring beautiful places and eating delicious food. After this experience traveling across China and eating local food, I really wondered “How did I live without eating dumplings and eggplant on a weekly basis?” Well, I gues s I did, somehow, for 22 years!As my Chinese improved during my studies I became more independent and more aware of the possibilities of Waimai, or food home delivery. I suddenly noticed the thousands of Waimai drivers zooming across the roads on their motorcycles. On deep, dark Beijing winter days and rainy days, Waimai is like the holy grail and as I enjoyed my take - away dumplings I would think and laugh to myself, “How did I live before without being able to get Waimai?” Well, I guess I did, somehow, for 23 years!In mid-2015, I was back in China again for my master's degree. That's wh en I came across my first Mobike: “Oh, that’s a unique bike and surely it will get stolen soon ”, I thought as I passed on my own black bike. But one week passed and I saw it still there. Then the one Mobike sighting turned into two and three, and soon thousands and then seemingly overnight the streets of Beijing were flooded with orange and yellow wheels. Again, I pondered on how I ever lived without my shared bike account. Well, I guess I did, somehow, for 25 years!China today is a country still steeped in ancient knowledge and custom, yet one that is also bursting with new ideas and changes. Although some things will always stay the same, something else is constantly changing at a pace beyond comprehension. I’m sure as I continue my life here in Beij ing I will be swept up in the next new convenience of life that China’s rapid development is bringing out.1.According to the first paragraph, what impressed the author most might be ________.A.Chinese cultureB.Chinese foodC.Chinese peopleD.Chinese history2.The underlined words holy grail in Paragraph 2 probably means________.A.something preciousB.something deliciousC.something expensiveD.something unavailable3.What might be the author’s attitude towards Mobike after it boomed?A.Doubtful.B.CuriousC.Shocked.D.Regretful.4.What can be inferred from the passage?A.Chinese ancient wisdom has been replaced by new ideas.B.China is changing steadily and slowly.C.China will always stay as what it was.D.People in China will live a more convenient life in the future.4、Travelling by car in Switzerland is very easy, as villages and towns are very well marked and accessible. All green road signs indicate a highway or autobahn, blue signs are secondary roads and white signs back roads.*LimitationThe speed limit is 120 km/h (74 mph) on the autobahn, 80 km/h (50 mph) on secondary roads outside of towns and 50 km/h (30 mph) in towns if not indicated differently. Roadside automatic radar-triggered cameras help enforce these limits. Police are empowered to collect fines on the spot. The minimum age of a driver is 18 years. Seat belts are compulsory for front and rear-seat passengers. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08 .*Getting throughFor travelers with motor-homes, it's good that even large motor-homes can travel through the mountain passes. The roads are well maintained and large enough even for trucks. Remember, Switzerland is a very small Country (ca. 250x400 km) and you can easily drive from one end to another in 3 - 5 hours if you stick to the highways. If you plan to travel to Switzerland by car, take your time, you can plan to see lots of places in a short amount of time. Plan to drive for diving's sake, and try to minimally constrain yourself with time-related issues.The mountain resort towns of Braunwald, Murren, Wengen and Zermatt cannot be reached directly by private motor vehicle. Park at the railway or sky tram station and complete the journey via public transport. Trams always have priority. Buses have priority when leaving a bus stop. Traffic going up a mountain has priority. Some mountain roads require one-way traffic during certain hours only; these hours will be posted at either end of such roads.*FuelFuel stations along expressways are usually open from 6:00 a.m. to 10pm or midnight. Outside of open hours fuel is commonly available from automatic pumps that accept 10 and 20 SwF(瑞士法郎) notes or credit cards. Many stations accept major charge cards like Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Fuel price ranges from SFr. 1.75.- to 1.95.- depending on the oil price.1.What can you know from the text?A.The mountain roads are wide enough for motor-homes or trucks to go through.B.Travelers should try to save time to cover the places of interest in Switzerland.C.Travelers can ride motor-homes to visit Braunwald, Murren, Wengen and Zermatt.D.In Switzerland people over 16 are permitted to drive.2.What might NOT be available for travelers to pay fuel in Switzerland?A.Swiss FrancsB.Ali-payC.MasterCardD.American Express3.What type of writing is this text?A.Geography posterB.An activity announcementC.Travel journalD.Travel guide5、Studies show farmland in Africa is often lacking in important nutrients. But researchers say a combination of farming methods may help.Researchers wonder how to increase production without necessarily clearing more land to grow additional crops. American researchers say that can happen with greater use of an agricultural system called perennation. It mixes food crops with trees and perennial plants —those that return year after year.Soil scientist John Reganold says, "One of the major problems is that the soils are fairly poor in most of the regions. So how do you grow food on poor soils? There have to be food production systems that can build the soil and improve the field. ”Mr. Reganold says poor soils may have resulted from years of weathering that washed away many nutrients. He says some farmers may have done more harm than good.“They have been actually using farming practices where they’re not putting in organic matter. They're not putting in fertilizers. They can't afford those things. And it just runs the soil down. So they’re worsening the situation."The scientist says the word perennation defines three systems that are already used in Africa. The oldest of the three is called evergreen agriculture. This is where farmers plant trees with their crops. Farmers in Africa have been doing this for sixty years, but it seems to be growing in popularity.The method is gaining widespread use in countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso, Malawi and Zambia. The trees are planted among maize(玉米), millet or sorghum crops. They not only add nitrogen to the soil through their roots, but also through their leaves when they fall off and break down. At other times of the year, the trees can protect plants from strong sunlight.John Reganold says he knows of one woman who has had great success with perennation.“She’s a grandmother in her fifties. Her name is Rhoda Mang yan a and she started using this system about twenty years ago. And her yields initially were about a ton of maize. Now with a good year she gets four tons per hectare,four times what she was getting."1.The purpose of the passage is to ________.A.tell people how to increase productionB.introduce an agricultural system in AfricaC.introduce the oldest farming method in AfricaD.tell us how to prevent soils from being poor2.What does the underlined word “weathering” in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?A.Being exposed to wind and rain.B.Growing different crops.C.Being polluted severely.D.Being ploughed improperly.3.According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?A.Perennation mixes food crops with trees and perennial plants.B.Poor soil is the main problem in increasing food production.C.Farmers may be more to blame for the present situation.D.American researchers first invented perennation.4.Why does John Reganold mention Rhoda Mang'yana?A.To show the method is very popular in Africa.B.Because she is an expert at farming production.C.To prove the farming method is effective.D.Because she produced more grains than anyone else in the country.6、The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on earth, is of great importance to African ecosystem(生态系统). Unlike other animals, the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big plant-eater, it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna(大草原)surroundings in which it lives, therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat(栖息地).It is the elephant's great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and underbushes, and pulls branches off big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas. In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state, the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants, elephants make open spaces, allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations, the forests become suitable for large hoofedplant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem.1.What is the passage mainly about?A.Disappearance of African elephants.B.Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants.C.The effect of African elephants' search for food.D.The eating habit of African elephants.2.What do es the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?A.Fixing the time.B.Worsening the state.C.Improving the quality.D.Deciding the conditions.3.What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?A.They result from the destruction of rain forests.B.They provide food mainly for African elephants.C.They are home to many endangered animals.D.They are attractive to plant-eating animals of different kinds.4.The passage is developed mainly by _____.A.showing the effect and then explaining the causesB.pointing out similarities and differencesC.describing the changes in space orderD.giving examples7、I read somewhere that we spend a full third of our lives waiting. But where are we doing all of this waiting, and what does it mean t o an impatient society like ours? To understand the issue, let’s take a look at three types of “waits”.The very purest form of waiting is the Watched-Pot Wait. It is without doubt the most annoying of all. Take filling up the kitchen sink(洗碗池) as an example. There is absolutely nothing you can do while this is going on but keep both eyes fixed on the sink until it’s full. During these waits, the brain slips away from the body and wanders about until the water runs over the edge of the counter and onto your socks. This kind of wait makes the waiter helpless and mindless.A cousin to the Watched-Pot Wait is the Forced Wait. This one requires a bit of discipline. Properly preparing packaged noodle soup requires a Forced Wait. Directions are very specif ic. “Bring three cups of water to boil, add mix, simmer three minutes, remove from heat, let stand five minutes.” I have my doubts that anyone has actually followed the procedures strictly. After all, Forced Waiting requires patience.Perhaps the most powerful type of waiting is the Lucky-Break Wait. This type of wait is unusual in that it is for the most part voluntary. Unlike the Forced Wait, which is also voluntary, waiting for your lucky break does not necessarily mean that it will happen.Turni ng one’s life into a waiting game requires faith and hope, and is strictly for the optimists among us. On the surface it seems as ridiculous as following the directions on soup mixes, but the Lucky-Break Wait well serves those who are willing to do it. As long as one doesn’t come to rely on it, wishing for a few good things to happen never hurts anybody.We certainly do spend a good deal of our time waiting. The next time you’re standing at the sink waiting for it to fill while cooking noodle soup that you’ll have to eat until a large bag of cash falls out of the sky, don’t be desperate. You’re probably just as busy as the next guy.1.While doing a Watched-Pot Wait, we tend to ___________.A.keep ourselves busyB.get absent-mindedC.grow anxiousD.stay focused2.What is the difference between the Forced Wait and the Watched-Pot Wait?A.The Forced Wait requires some self-control.B.The Forced Wait makes people passive.C.The Watched-Pot Wait needs directions.D.The Watched-Pot Wait engages body and brain.3.What can we learn about the Lucky-Break Wait?A.It is less voluntary than the Forced Wait.B.It doesn't always bring the desired result.C.It is more fruitful than the Forced Wait.D.It doesn't give people faith and hope.4.What does the author advise us to do the next time we are waiting?A.Take it seriously.B.Don't rely on others.C.Do something else.D.Don’t lose heart.5.The author supports his view by ____________.A.exploring various causes of "waits"B.describing detailed processes of "waits"C.analyzing different categories of "waits"D.revealing frustrating consequences of "waits"8、Anger is not wrong.I know this statement seems shocking and challenges the wildly popular “Positive Thinking” movement, which encourages us to “be full of positive energy” and“let go of our anger”.However, thetruth is that anger is just an emotion, and emotions are neither right nor wrong.We do not consciously choose them.We do, on the other hand, choose how we express our emotions and there are definitely right and wrong means of expression.The reason we're often urged to “keep a lid on” our anger is that few people ever learn proper and positive ways to express anger.Instead, we are taught that “anger is wrong”and “you should keep your anger inside”.But t hese messages don't change the fact that, for most of us, anger exists.Many popular “Positive Thinking” programmes assume that success comes from “controlling our emotions”and that this can be done by simply repeating positive statements.Interestingly, these positive slogans often include a lot of negativity. “Only losers complain!I am a winner!” is one popular saying.The belief that those who disagree with us are losers is actually quite negative and is often used as an excuse for rude language and personal attacks.When it comes to dealing with negative situations in our daily lives, the ability to reasonably express anger or disagreement is an important skill.But we must use balanced and non-violent methods to express our dissatisfaction.Frustration at unfair policies or treatment can certainly cause anger, but our anger can never be an excuse for abusing family members, damaging schools, attacking doctors or most seriously, engaging in terrorism.Instead of pretending that anger doesn't exist, we should start teaching appropriate means of dealing with anger.When we experience angry feelings in ourselves or others, what we should “let go of ” is the silly idea that we can remove anger with just a few sweet words.Instead, we should find reasonable solutions to the causes of those angry feelings.We need to accept anger as a natural emotion but stop using it as an excuse for violent and destructive behaviour.Anger isn't wrong, but failure to deal with it appropriately is.1.What is the write r's opinion about the “Positive Thinking” movement?A.It can help people control their negative feelings.B.It does not offer useful solutions for dealing with anger.C.Following such advice can improve people's chances for success.D.Most of the people who participate in such programmes are dishonest.2.The underlined expression “keep a lid on” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “________”.A.freely expressB.always forgiveC.hold insidepletely forget3.What information would have been useful to add to the final paragraph?A.The names of some good books that talk about anger issues.B.The viewpoints of people who hold the opposite opinion to the writer.C.Different studies that provide some evidence supporting the writer's beliefs.D.Some examples of how to deal with anger in a positive and beneficial way.4.The content of this passage is mostly based on________.A.factB.opinionC.theoryD.story答案以及解析1答案及解析：答案：1.C; 2.D; 3.B; 4.D解析：1.本文是说明文,题材为社会文化类。
