Question

Social customs and ways of behaving change all the time. Things that were considered impolite many years ago are now acceptable. Just a few years ago, it was considered to be impolite behavior for a man to smoke on the street. No man who thought of himself as being a gentleman would make a fool of himself by smoking when a lady was in the room.

Customs also differ from country to country. Does a man walk on the left or the right of a woman in your country? Or doesn’t matter? What about table manners?

The Americans and British people not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs. For example, in both America and England, people shake hands when they meet each other for the first time. Also most Englishmen will open a door for a woman or offer their seats to women, and so will most Americans. Promptness（准时） is important both in England and in America. That is, the dinner guest either arrive close to the time that has been made or calls up to explain his delay（耽误）.

The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people feel uncomfortable—especially if they are your guests. There is an old story about a man who gave a very formal dinner party. When the food was served, one of the guests started to eat his peas with a knife. The other guests were amused or greatly surprised, but the host calmly picked up his knife and began eating in the same way. It would have been bad manners to make his guest feel foolish or uncomfortable.

1.The underlined phrase make a fool of himself in the first paragraph means      .

A. make himself strong

B. make himself rich

C. make himself comfortable

D. cause himself to seem like a fool

2.According to the passage, the American and the British       .

A. don’t speak the same language

B. don’t have social customs in common

C. do share a lot of social customs

D. do have the exactly same social customs

3.If a dinner invitation is for six o’clock, the guest is supposed to arrive at _____ six.

A. nearly or a minute later than

B. a quarter past

C. a quarter to

D. much later than

4.The last example in the passage shows       .

A. the correct way to use a knife at table

B. that it is good manners not to make your guest feel foolish or uncomfortable

C. that social customs and ways of behaving change too fast

D. that different counties have different customs

5.The best title of the passage is      .

A. Different Customs

B. Social Customs

C. Customs are Changing Fast

D. Different Countries, Different Customs

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.A

4.B

5.B

【解析】

这篇短文主要介绍了英美两国在社会风俗和习俗方面需要注意的一些问题。

1.词意猜测题。联系上文可知No man who thought of himself as being a gentleman would make fool of himself by smoking when a lady was in the room.的意思是，没有一个认为自己像个绅士的男人会在一个有女士的房间里面吸烟，从而让自己看起来像个傻瓜。故选D，让自己好像一个傻瓜。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段The Americans and British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs . 及本段描述，可知英美在社会习惯方面有很多形同之处。故选C。

3.细节理解题。本题的题干问：如果晚餐请柬是六点，客人应该什么时间到？根据Promptness（准时） is important both in England and in America. That is, the dinner guest either arrive close to the time that has been made or calls up to explain his delay（耽误）.可知，准时在英国和美国都很重要。也就是说，参加晚宴的客人要么在接近的时间到，要么打电话来解释他耽搁的原因。也就是说，准时到最好。因此本题的客人到达的时间应该是六点左右。故选A。

4.细节理解题。由第四段第一句“The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people feel uncomfortable—especially if they are your guests.”描述，可知选B。

5.推理判断题。文章第一段就提到social customs，中间从不同方面介绍了social customs。关于社会习俗，最重要的是不应该让别人感到不舒服。故选B。