阅读理解
Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From
the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention
to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasise (强调) the importance of relationship building
to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not
possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it
is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a
glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries—like the UK or
France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at
restaurants or cafés rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I
once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and
start a lively discussion; instead, there was an uncomfortable silence. The
people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways
better, I realised that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture,
we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many
words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause
serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values;
however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that
they are rude. In fact, this is just because the culture starts discussions and
makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different
values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we
can understand them better, a multicultural
environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
(1)
In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to .
A . develop closer relations
B . share the same culture
C . get to know each other
D . keep each other company
(2)
What does the underlined word "multicultural" in the last paragraph mean?
A . 本地的
B . 多元文化的
C . 彼此的
D . 单一的
(3)
According to the passage, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
A . By sharing different ways of life.
B . By accepting different habits.
C . By recognising different values.
D . By speaking each other's languages.
(4)
What would be the best title for the passage?
A . Multicultural Environment
B . Cross-Cultural Differences
C . How to Understand Each Other
D . How to Build Up a Relationship
答案: A
B
C
B