Decision-making can be extremely difficult. Decision-making styles are significantly different in different cultures.
In any approach to a problem and in any negotiations, the Western world turns to the“I to you” approach while Japan，the “you to you” approach. The former means both sides present their arguments openly from their own point of view. Naturally, often comes a confrontation(沖突) situation, which Westerners are very skillful in dealing with.The latter is based on each side trying to understand the other person’s point of view. Thus, the direction of the meeting is a mutual(相互的) attempt to reduce confrontation and achieve harmony.
Besides, Western decision-making goes mostly from top management(管理人員) and often does not consult middle management or the worker. However, in Japan great consideration is given to the thoughts and opinions of everyone at all levels. Based on “bottom-up direction”, ideas can be created at the lowest levels, travel upward through an organization and have an effect on the final decision.
Difference in decision-making also comes from different communication styles. The Japanese business person works to achieve harmony, even if the deal fallsthrough, and will spend whatever time is necessary to determine a “you to you” approach, communicating personal views only indirectly. They put a thorough job above the Western deadline approach. So the Japanese are thorough in their meetings. Thus Americans are often annoyed by the many meetings in many Japanese businesses. But where the American is pressingfor a specific decision, the Japanese is trying to think up a rather broad direction.
On the other hand, once a given agreement is made, it is the Japanese who sometimes wonderat the slow pace in which Westerners carry out the decision. The Japanese are eager to move forward and Westerners, perhaps, lag(落后)behind as they take the time for in-depth planning.
小題1: The text mainly tells us that Japan and the Western world         .
A．face great difficulty in making decisions
B．a(chǎn)re different in decision-making styles
C．have all members contribute to a decision
D．have two approaches: “I to you” and “you to I”
小題2:Which of the following is TRUE of the Westerners?
A．They carry out the decision once it is made.
B．There are many meetings in their businesses.
C．They work to achieve harmony in doing business.
D．They are good at handling confrontation situation.
小題3:The author’s attitude towards Japanese decision-making is         .
A．positiveB．criticalC．negativeD．casual(無所謂的）
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

AN upper class British lady once declared: “Anyone seen on a bus after the age of 30 has been a failure in life.”

I guess she meant that if you’re middle aged and don’t have a car then you are a loser. How arrogant (傲慢) and ignorant！
Unfortunately, there are still people who think that way: that somehow public transport is only for the poor. And the rest have a right to their cars. Some wealthy folk in the West look down on buses and boast (吹噓) about how many years it has been since they last traveled by one.
How sad is that? Our roads are packed with cars and the air is full of the pollution they emit (排放). But still, many car users are unwillingly to get on a bus or a bike or a train to take themselves to work.
It’s convenient to drive, they’ll say. Buses are so unreliable, they’ll claim. And trains are expensive ---- at least in the UK.
It’s an attitude which may have to change. It doesn’t make sense to drive a car in a city where there’s a public transport system. Also, these rush hour commuters (往返上班者) usually travel alone.
As a result, transport authorities in the UK are looking at solutions to city center congestion (擁堵).
One is to increase the number of parking spaces at out-of-town railway stations. More motorists (乘汽車的人) can then leave their cars and travel into the city by train.
Light rail or tramways are another environmentally friendly solution. Many cities across Europe have installed light rail or tramway systems.
The subway in London is used by everyone, rich and poor. It’s the quickest way of getting around the city, whatever your bank balance.
And then there are the cycle hire schemes you find in many modern cities. In London and Paris, you can hire a bike by the hour to get you where you need to go.
While commuters in Beijing abandon their bicycles for cars, cycling to work grows in popularity in the West.
Many cyclists are willing to pay more than 10,000 yuan for their bicycles. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is often pictured cycling to work. David Cameron, the British prime minister, cycled to the House of Commons before he became leader. These days he takes the prime ministerial limousine (豪華轎車).
小題1:. According to the article, some British people, like the upper class woman, think that        .
A．buses are inconvenientB．bus services are unnecessary
C．having a car is a sign of success D．only the upper class should have cars
小題2:Which of the following measures is taken by transport authorities in the UK to solve city center congestion?
A．The development of cycle hire schemes.
B．Increasing the number of parking spaces in the city center.
C．Installing light rail or tramway systems in out-of-town areas.
D．Banning commuters from traveling alone during rush hour.
小題3:The author mentions the example of Boris Johnson in the last paragraph to        .
A．express his respect for the mayor of London
B．point to the growing popularity of cycling to work in the West
C．criticize Beijing commuters for abandoning their bicycles for cars
D．show that cars are still the most common means of transportation for famous people in Britain
小題4:Which of the following might the writer agree with?
A. The British prime minister should give up his limousine.
B. Beijing commuters should learn from British commuters.
C. British solutions to public transport problems are inadequate.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Scholars and researchers have tried to discover what personality characteristics go along with success in intercultural experiences. Their findings have often been unclear or incomplete. But three characteristics stand out in their reports: patience, a sense of humor, and the awareness of being unclear.
Patience, of course, is the ability to keep calm even when things do not go as one wants them to, or hopes they will, or has even been sure they will. Impatience sometimes brings improvements in relations with other people, but usually it does not.
A person with a sense of humor is less likely to take things too seriously and more ready to see the humor in his own reactions than a humorless person. The value of a sense of humor really needs to be paid more attention to.
The awareness of being unclear is a more difficult concept than patience or a sense of humor. Foreigners often find themselves in situations that are unclear to the newcomers. That is, they do not know what is happening in the situation. Perhaps they do not understand the local language well enough, or they do not know how some system or organization works, or they can’t be sure of different people’s roles in what is going on. “It’s like I just got here from the moon,” a Chinese graduate student who newly arrived in the United States said, “things are just so different here.”
小題1:The passage mainly tells us             .
A．that it’s not easy to travel abroad
B．that humor is very important in communication
C．of some characteristics in dealing with foreigners
D．of three main ways useful for communicating with foreigners
小題2:According to the passage, what characteristic should be most focused on?
A．Patience.B．The awareness of being unclear.
C．The sense of humor.D．Understanding each other.
小題3:“The awareness of being unclear” refers to           .
A．knowing the meaning of an exact situation
B．not stating clearly what happens
C．realizing the possible misunderstanding in a situation
D．being aware of the unclear situation
小題4:According to the writer, the Chinese students is           .
A．a(chǎn) hard-working studentB．recently back from the moon
C．interested in the study of moonD．not used to the culture in America
小題5:Which of the following can best sum up the passage?
A．It is necessary to learn the language before you go to the country.
B．Americans are used to the culture of other countries.
C．One needs many characteristics to live in a foreign country.
D．To live in a foreign land one should get fully prepared.[

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

One thing the tour books don’t tell you about London is that 2,000 of its residents are foxes , which fled the city about centuries ago after developers and pollution moved in . But now that the environment is cleaner , the foxes have come home , one of the many wild animals that have moved into urban areas around the world .
Several changes have brought wild animals to the concrete jungles . First of all , air and water quality in many cities has improved as a result of the 1970s’ pollution control efforts . meanwhile , rural areas have been built up , leaving many animals on the edges of suburban areas . In addition , conservationists have created urban wildlife shelters .
“ The number and variety of wild animals in urban areas is increasing , ” says Gomez Jones . One of the country’s largest populations of raccoons now lives in Washington , D.C. , and moose are regularly seen wandering into Maine towns . Peregrine falcons（獵鷹）dive from the window edges of buildings in the largest U.S. cities to hunt for pigeons .
For peregrine falcons , cities are actually safer than rural areas . By 1970 the birds had died out east of the Mississippi because the DDT , a widely used poison to kill insects , had made their eggs too thin to support life . That year , Tom Cade began raising the birds for release in cities , for cities afforded abundant food in the form of pigeons and contained none of the peregrines’ natural enemies .
“ Before they died out , some migrated to cities on their own because they had run out of natural habitats , ” Cade says . “ To peregrines , buildings are just like natural habitats . ” He has released about 30 birds since 1975 in New York , Baltimore , Philadelphia and Norfolk , and of the 20 pairs now living in the East , half are originally born in the city . “ A few of the young ones have gotten into trouble by falling down chimneys and crashing into window glass , but overall their adjustment has been successful . ”
小題1:. The first paragraph suggests that __________ .
A．environment is vital for wildlife
B．tour books are not a reliable source of information
C．London is a city of fox
D．foxes are highly adaptable to environment
小題2:. The passage is mainly concerned with __________ .
A．wildlife of all kinds returning to large cities to live
B．falcons in New York , Baltimore , Philadelphia , and Norfolk
C．moose running into glass doors of stores
D．foxes returning to London
小題3:. The following statements about peregrine falcons are true EXCEPT __________ .
A．They died out east of he Mississippi because of the side effect of DDT
B．They tend to jump down from a height to hunt for food
C．They like running into glass windows or chimneys
D．Most of them have got used to living in the concrete jungle
小題4:. The second paragraph is trying to tell us __________ .
A．that air and water quality has improved in the cities
B．why wildlife likes the noise and activities in the cities
C．that wildife refuges have been built in the cities
D．why wildlife is returning to cities

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Unlike Britain, the US does not have a national health care service. Most people buy medical insurance to help pay for medical care. The government only helps pay for some medical care for the old and the people who are on low incomes. The problems of those who cannot afford insurance have become an important political subject.
In Britain, when people are ill, they usually go to a family doctor first. However, people in America sometimes go straight to an expert. Children are usually taken to a doctor who is an expert in the treatment of children. In Britain, if a patient needs to see a specialist doctor, their family doctor will usually recommend a specialist, which will save more time and money both for the patients and the public fund（基金）.
In Britain, doctors do not go to people’s homes when they are ill. People always make appointments to see the doctor in the doctor’s office. In a serious situation, people call for an ambulance. In America, hospitals must treat all seriously ill patients, even if they do not have medical insurance. The gov-ernment will then help pay for some of the cost of the medical care.
小題1:The majority of Americans pay for medical care    .
A．through the national health care serviceB．by buying medical insurance
C．with the help of the government
D．by increasing their income
小題2:The author implies in Paragraph 2 that     .
A．Americans don’t trust family doctors
B．family doctors are helpless to the patients
C．he is more in favor of the British medical care service
D．sick children should go to family doctors first
小題3: In the States, seriously ill patients will     .
A．be treated if they have an insurance
B．go to see the doctor by making an appointment
C．receive treatment even without insurance
D．normally go to see an expert for treatment
小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A．Health Care in the United States and Britain
B．Types of Doctors in the United States
C．Treatment of Sick Children in the United States
D．Medical Insurance in the United States and Britain

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

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.
小題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
小題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
小題3:   The underlined words “obsessed with" (para.4) probably means   .
A．satisfied withB．proud ofC．a(chǎn)ddicted toD．stuck in
小題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

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

What makes Americans spend nearly half their food dollars on meals away from home? The answers lie in the way Americans live today. During the first few decades of the twentieth century, canned and other convenience foods freed the family cook from full-time duty at the kitchen range. Then, in the 1940s, work in the wartime defense plants took more women out of the home than ever before, setting the pattern of the working wife and mother. Today about half of the country’s married women are employed outside the home. But, unless family members pitch in with food preparation, women are not fully liberated from that housework. Instead, many have become, in a sense, prisoners of the completely cooked convenience meals. It’s easier to pick up a bucket of fried chicken on the way home from work or take the family out for pizzas or burgers than to start opening cans or heating up frozen dinners after a long , hard day. Also, the rising divorce rate means that there are more single working parents with children to feed. And many young adults and elderly people, as well as unmarried and divorced mature people, live alone rather than as part of a family unit and don’t want to bother cooking for one.
Fast food is appealing because it is fast, it doesn’t require any dressing up, it offers a “fun” break in the daily outline, and the outlay of money seems small. It can be eaten in the car--- sometimes picked up at a drive-in window without even getting out---or on the run. Even if it is brought home to eat, there will never be any dirty dishes to wash because of the handy disposable (一次性的) wrappings. Children, especially, love fast food because it’s finger food, no struggling with knives and forks, no annoying instructions from adults about table manner.
小題1:Americans enjoy fast food mainly because __________.
A．it can be eaten in the car
B．it is much more tasty than home-made food
C．one only uses his fingers while eating it
D．it is time-saving and convenient
小題2:It can be inferred that children __________.
A．want to have more freedom at table
B．never wash dishes after each meal
C．a(chǎn)re good at using forks and knives while eating
D．take eating time as a fun break
小題3: Many Americans are eating out and not cooking at home partially because __________.
A．they want to make a change after eating the same food for years at home
B．the food made outside home tastes better than food cooked at home
C．many of them live alone and don’t like taking trouble to cook
D．American women refuse to cook at home due to women’s liberation movement
小題4:According to the text, a drive-in window is a __________.
A．car window from which you can see the driver
B．window in the restaurant from which you get your takeout in the car
C．place where you check the mechanic condition of your car
D．place where you return the used plates after eating

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

In the last few years the Internet has become a widespread phenomenon(現(xiàn)象) around the world. People have started to use the computers just like they used to watch TV. Whenever we get hungry, we simply order a pizza through the Internet and while we are waiting for the food, we can send an important business e-mail concerning some sales for tomorrow. It is, in fact, very comfortable to just simply sit down and have a chat with somebody from South Africa about fishing and get some important advice. Sometimes when you are sad and are feeling lonely, if you go on the Internet, you can find good entertainment that will keep you busy.
To make a long story short, we just don’t have the time to communicate with people in person anymore. Besides, there is so much information easy to get on the Internet that when we start surfing, we find it hard for us to get away from the computer. There are a lot of people who are addicted(沉溺于) to TV and watch it 5 to 7 hours a day, while recently addiction to the Internet has become a very serious problem. You might think that these kinds of things could never happen to you, but it is not really true. To prevent yourself from getting addicted, the most important thing is to make sure that you are not spending too much time in front of the screen. Although it might seem to be easy to pull yourself away from the Web, it is simply not the case. You might have to make an effort to place some limits(限制) on yourself.
小題1:The first paragraph of the text mainly tells us that       .
A．it is nice to have a Net friend from South Africa
B．the Internet can help us to do business
C．some people prefer surfing the Internet to watching TV
D．the Internet can make our life more convenient
小題2:To avoid getting addicted to the Internet, we should     .
A．watch TV more hours a day instead
B．limit our time in front of the screen
C．communicate with people face to face
D．entertain ourselves in other ways
小題3:From the passage, we can infer that the writer        .
A．has once been addicted to the Net
B．is completely against surfing the Net
C．knows how to surf the Net efficiently
D．thinks the Net brings bads and goods
小題4:The text is most probably taken from       .
A．a(chǎn) health bookB．a(chǎn) geography magazine
C．a(chǎn) life magazineD．a(chǎn) computer technology book

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Americans have taken over from the Indians many things besides their continent! Where did corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate and maple sugar come from? The Indians. Who invented moccasins, snowshoes and hammocks? The Indians!
A list of the tools, plants, materials and designs we owe to the Indians would include hundreds of items. But there is something far more familiar, something that is always at hand. It is used daily by every American: a large vocabulary of Indian words.
Potato, tomato, chocolate, moccasin and hammock came into English from Indian languages. So did cocoa, tobacco, maize (an Indian word for corn) and succotash. Some words have changed on the way. Potato, for example, comes from a word that sounds like “batata”. Cocoa began as “cacahuatl”.
Some meanings have also changed. The long Indian word from which succotash comes means “something broken off in bits”. Indian women often varied their dishes by mixing bits of one food with another. White men who ate an Indian dish of mixed lima beans (青豆) and corn began using the Indian word to mean this particular mixture.
Put on your moccasins and take a walk in the country. If it is a cold day and you wear a mackinaw, your jacket will be as Indian as your shoes. But mackinaw came from “michilimackinac”, the Indian name of a place where a fort (集市) served as a trading post. Bright-colored blankets or jackets bought at the post soon became known as “mackinaws”.
Early white visitors to the continent found Indian words useful for the things new to them. But some Indian sounds, such as the “tl” at the end of many words, were hard to say. That is why “coyotl” became coyote and “tomatle” became tomato.
Some words simply seemed too long. So, “musickwautash” became succotash and “rockahominy” became hominy.
小題1:The first two paragraphs may serve as a(n)     .
A．explanationB．introductionC．commentD．background
小題2: Which of the following has been changed for easier pronunciation?
A．BatataB．ChocolateC．TomatleD．Rockahominy
小題3: Some words have changed because       .
A．they are too long
B．nobody can use them
C．the things they refer to have disappeared
D．they are too difficult for people to write
小題4: What is the passage mainly about?
A．How Indian traditions affect us.
B．Why Indian words were changed.
C．Things we owe to the Indians.
D．Indian words all around us.

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