Question

A trip across the Pacific will guarantee you a different experience with a tipping(给小费) culture you’ve never come across in China.

In the US,giving a little extra money to service workers on top of your bill is a common practice.

Though US national law requires that businesses pay workers at least $7.25 (45 yuan) per hour,employees receiving tips—often waiters and waitresses—are the exceptions.They usually only receive at least $2.13 an hour,and tips make up the difference.As The Wall Street Journal put it:“The American system of tipping holds the promise of great rewards for waiting staff.”

So how should you tip if you are in the US?

Normally you pay tips as a percentage of the bill.Offering an extra 15 percent of the bill to the waiter or waitress in a restaurant and to the delivery man or woman is customary and expected.You can offer more for great service and less for poor service.

Yet there is an exception.For take-out food,you don’t have to provide tips,though some people say that filling an order still requires work and time that deserve a little extra—but maybe a little less.

Tips are not expected at fast food restaurants,pizza parlors,cafés or ice cream shops either,though a tip jar might be right by the cash register (收银机).Don’t feel obligated to throw some money in,but also remember that it doesn’t hurt.Those workers do not rely on tips.

Other service workers also receive tips.For taxi drivers,15 percent is the norm (标准),more if they help with your bags.Hairdressers often receive about 15 percent of the bill.The same goes for spa therapists(理疗师) and tour guides.

Today,you can even pay tips on a credit card.When receiving a copy of the bill to sign,you are free to fill in how much you’d like to tip.

Though thinking about when to tip and how much you should tip causes a big headache for many Chinese people,it’s important to bear in mind that as long as you show respect and use your reasoning,things will be just fine.

1.What is the article mainly about?

A. How tipping culture started in the US.

B. How to give tips properly in the US.

C. New ways to give tips in the US.

D. The different attitudes that Chinese people and Americans have toward tipping.

2.Which of the following is said to be against the norm of tipping in the US?

A. Paying waiters and waitresses less than $7.25 per hour.

B. Ignoring the tip jar at fast food restaurants,cafés,or ice cream shops.

C. Tipping taxi drivers less than 15% because of poor service.

D. Refusing to give tips to your tour guide.

3.The underlined word “obligated” in Paragraph 7 probably means 　　　.

A. being forced to do something    B. being grateful for something

C. being surprised at something    D. being embarrassed about something

4.According to the author,Chinese consumers 　　　.

A. don’t necessarily have to follow the tipping rules in the US

B. should use their credit cards to give tips

C. must argue about the amount of tip they have to pay

D. should take it easy and give the correct tips for different occasions

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.D

【解析】试题分析：文章主要讲述了在美国给小费的原则和具体细节，即在美国怎样恰当地给小费。

1.

2.

3.

4.

考点：考查社会生活类短文阅读。

【名师点睛】

主旨大意题的解题思路与应试技巧

做这类题时常用略读法。快速阅读文章找出各个段落的主题句。把各个段落的主题句联系起来着眼于全文结构安排，了解文章的重心，就能概括出文章的中心。文章的标题是中心思想最精炼的表达形式，选择的标题意义范围要能涵盖全文，不能太大也不能太小。命题者在出这类题时，常常利用生活常识编造干扰项，把文中的细节当主旨，利用局部信息编造干扰项，编制超出文章范围的标题或不能涵盖文章中心意义的标题来考查考生的理解程度，考生要特别留意。

概括主旨的方法是：先看首尾或各段开头再看全文找主题句，若无明显主题句，就通过关键词句来概括(如议论文中寻找表达作者观点态度的词句，记叙文寻找概括情节和中心的动词或反映人物特点的形容词。) 。文中出现两种或两种以上的不同观点时，务必牢记作者的观点才是体现全文中心的。此时，要注意一些转折词，如but, yet, however, although, in spite of, by contrast, on the contrary等。当文章中表示相反的观点时，往往用到这些词。答题时要弄清哪个是作者的观点，排除迷惑性信息，准确归纳主旨大意。