2015年高二英语话题阅读训练WeekTwelve文化风俗

1、Week Twelve 文化风俗一、阅读理解（共19小题；共38.0分）A Children have traditionally been the stars of family portraitsbut these days they are increasingly likely to be upstaged(抢镜头) by their pets. Photographers say that there has been a 20 percent rise in demand in the past year for shots featuring not only dogs and

2、cats, but also more unusual animals including horses, cows, sheepand even ferrets and snails. But it doesnt always come cheap, as parents are paying up to 3,000 for the distinctive images. Richard Mayfield, creative director at Venture Photography, which runs a nationwide chain of studios, said: The

3、y say never work with children or animals but we think the opposite. Children and animals are unpredictable, and thats great for capturing dynamic(动态的) photographs. We always ask clients if they would like to bring any pets along to their shoots as we want to capture the character of the families we

4、 photograph, and often their pets help them to relax. We get a lot of domestic pets such as dogs and cats but more unusual pets can be really interesting from a photographers perspective. This year weve seen lots of rabbits in particular as more and more are kept in the house and so really feel like

5、 part of the family. A glance at these pictures proves just how astonishing the animal magic can be. Toddler Alfie Poutney, from Felixstowe, poses with a green parrot perched on his flat cap; Charlie Wells from Wakefield gives his pony Lucy a gentle kiss; James Corrigan is pictured with his Dutch dw

6、arf rabbit perched in the center of his skateboard; Poppy Hanshaw reaches out to stroke Lego the lamb; and Harry the tortoise provided the main focus for a Home Counties family portrait. But the most unusual image surely has to be Gabriel Pereira from Woking, Surrey, posing with his pet snails Wayne

7、, Lucy and Aaron. 1. According to the passage, children take pictures . A. only with dogs and catsB. only with unusual animals C. with seven kinds of petsD. very cheaply and commonly 2. According to the passage, Richard Mayfield considers . A. children and animals are predictable B. it difficult to

8、work with children or animals C. his firm runs a worldwide chain of studios D. it fun to get dynamic photographs 3. What role do pets play when people take pictures? A. Helping them feel less pressure. B. Helping them get more excited. C. Helping them get little disturbed. D. Helping them feel more

9、stressful. 4. What animals become more popular in families? A. Dogs.B. Cats.C. Horses.D. Rabbits. 5. How many pets are mentioned in the last paragraph? A. Six.B. Seven.C. Eight.D. Nine.B Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their

10、practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptionsmistaken ideas. One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that ones own cultures way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. Its ethnocentrism that l

11、eads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, its necessary to study the different elements(组成部分) of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners. Language A knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people ca

12、n communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.

13、 Values and attitudes Values are peoples basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland

14、is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it. Customs and manners Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad(色拉) before the main course at dinner, n

15、ot after. Its not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesnt sell well because the French dont usually drink j

16、uice with breakfast. 6. A knowledge of the local language allows international business people . A. to be more open with their customers B. to communicate without outside help C. to express their thoughts indirectly D. to have a better idea of their own culture 7. The act of many people buying choco

17、late of Switzerland shows the role of . A. mannersB. valuesC. attitudesD. customs 8. What would be the best title for the text? A. Misconceptions in Business B. Basic Beliefs in Business C. International Business Culture D. Successful International Business 9. The authors purpose of writing this art

18、icle is to tell people . A. how to take a right attitude in business B. how to avoid misunderstandings in business C. how to use a local language in business D. how to act politely and properly in businessCSailing Through History A group of 1,309 passengers boarded the MS. Balmoral on Sunday, in Sou

19、thampton, England, on a voyage to retrace the path of the Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world when it sailed on its ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died. The ship, which was headed to New York City, carried the rich and fam

20、ous on its first voyage. It also carried immigrants, who were seeking a better life in America. Relatives of people who sailed on the Titanic, historians, authors and people fascinated by the story of the unsinkable ship, are on the Balmoral. They want to remember the doomed ship and those who died

21、on her first and last voyage. The historic liner had set sail on April 10, 1912, from Southampton. Late at night on April 14, she hit an iceberg. In the early morning hours of April 15, the Titanic sank. The Balmoral is following Titanics original route from Southampton. First, the modern-day cruise

22、 liner docked in the port of Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic had picked up more passengers. On Monday afternoon, the Balmoral stops in Cobh, Ireland, the Titanics last port of call before sailing to New York. Balmoral will then cruise the North Atlantic Ocean to the location where Titanic hit a

23、n iceberg that ripped the ships hull(外壳). On Sunday, April 15, at 2:20 a.m.the time the Titanic went downpassengers and crew will hold a memorial service. The next two days will be spent in Halifax, Canada, where many victims of the sinking are buried. Then, the Balmoral will reach its final destina

24、tion in New York City, where Titanic was supposed to dockbut never did. Until today, several teams of divers have explored the site. They have recovered some items such as dishes and silverware and put them on public display. And more trips are planned to the wreckage in the future. The Titanic and

25、its passengers and crew have been remembered in books, movies and TV programs. But theres a much more important contribution that Titanic gave us. After she sank, lawmakers and shipbuilders made ships safer. It took a terrible tragedy to make ship travel safer for all.10. How many passengers in Tita

26、nic survived at last? A. More than 1,500.B. About 1,309. C. About 1,000.D. Less than 750.11. Passengers in Balmoral mainly want to . A. seek a better life in America B. enjoy the fascinating voyage to the US C. observe the maiden voyage of MS Balmoral D. observe the 100th anniversary of maiden voyag

27、e of Titanic12. How many countries does the Balmoral reach before sailing to New York? A. Two.B. Three.C. Four.D. Five.13. The Balmoral will stay in Canada just in memory of . A. the dead passengers in the Balmoral B. the survivors in Titanic C. the dead passengers in Titanic D. the survivors in the

28、 Balmoral14. What might be the most important contribution of the sunken Titanic? A. Its site attracts more exploring teams. B. It makes the later ships more secure. C. Some of its items are on public display. D. More trips are planned to its wreckage.D Historic Hill at Risk of Being Removed From La

29、ndscape Its literally a case of turning a mountain into a molehill. An entire hill, famed for its archeological heritage and geological significance, is to be removed from the Scottish skyline to make way for a quarry(采石场) under plans being considered by West Dunbartonshire Council. Sheep Hill, in t

30、he Kilpatrick Hills on the Clyde, is the site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age forts which local residents and experts say will be destroyed by the expansion of a stone quarry. The hill also features in a painting by the 19th-century Scottish artist John Knox, and is used by geology teachers to show h

31、ow the landscape has been shaped by volcanoes and ice ages. Allowing the hill to be wiped off the map would be an act of wanton(荒唐的) destruction of our environment and inheritance, according to Clydebelt, a local environmental group, which is calling for Scottish ministers to intervene to save the h

32、ill. Sheep Hill is liable(应承担责任的) to be destroyed, said the groups secretary, Sam Gibson. This would leave a gaping hole in the side of the hill showing the workings of the quarry and fully visible from a distance. A proposal to revise mineral permission for an existing quarry run by a local firm ne

33、ar Sheep Hill is due to be discussed by West Dunbartonshire Council on Wednesday and has aroused fierce opposition from local groups. They say that, as well as damaging important archaeological remains and ruining the landscape, expanding the quarry would threaten wildlife and trees. The North Bank

34、Environmental Group has filed a formal complaint to the ombudsman(巡视官) about the councils handling of the development. The quarry company, William Thompson & Son, which has extracted whinstone at its Sheep Hill quarry for decades did not respond to repeated requests to comment last week.15. For what

35、 is Sheep Hill well-known? A. A molehill and its stone quarry. B. Its ancient heritage and geological significance. C. The site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age. D. Its painting by John Knox, a 19th-century artist.16. The underlined word intervene means in the 3rd paragraph. A. go insideB. step inC. i

36、nterviewD. interrupt17. What can we infer from what Sam Gibson said? A. It is right to remove Sheep Hill from a distance. B. The workings of the quarry can be seen from a distance. C. The workings of the quarry would ruin the wholeness and the scenery of the hill. D. Too many holes will be opened in

37、 the side of the hill after the workings.18. Why do the local groups oppose the mineral permission? A. Because they run the quarry near Sheep Hill and make money from it. B. Because the mineral permission will do harm to archaeological remains and the landscape. C. Because they don t agree with the

38、handling of the development of the quarry. D. Because they care about not only archaeological remains, landscape but also the wildlife and trees.19. How did William Thompson & Son react towards the complaint from the locals? A. He had no reaction. B. He worried about their production of whinstone. C

39、. He feared to be punished. D. He is not satisfied with the ombudsman.二、阅读理解（共4小题；共8.0分） “You are going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You are really lucky.“ Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But is it true all the time? Is your life in the

40、new country always wonderful and exciting? Specialists say that it isnt easy to get used to life in a new culture. Culture shock is the term specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. There are three stages of culture shock, say the specialists. In the fir

41、st stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more. There are some obvious

42、factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems, the telephone, post office, or transportation maybe difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult. Who feels culture shock? Everyone

43、does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity. They have to build a new self-image. Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation(迷惘). This feeling may be hom