reading-comprehension

II.ReadingComprehensionDirections:Thereare4passagesinthispart.Eachofthepassagesisfollowedbyquestionsorunfinishedstatements.Foreachofthemthereare4choicesmarkedA,B,CandD.Chooseoneasthemostappropriateanswer.PassageOneInEngland,Christmasisthemostimportantofallthe“BankHolidays”intheyear.Twoimportantthings,apartformitsreligioussignificance,helptosetthisholidayapartfromallothers:thecustomofgivinggiftsandthehabitofspendingitwiththefamily.InthepresenthighlycommercializedageweareremindedofChristmasmanyweeksbeforetheevent.IntheshopsthespecialChristmasdisplaysappearandoutsidethemthespecialChristmasdecoration.Intheshoppingcentersofverylargetownsdecorationsareputupinthestreets.InLondonthousandsofpeopleflockintothecenterofthetowntoseethedecorationsinOxfordStreet,Piccadillyandelsewhere.Theadvertisementsinallthenewspapersremindusthattherearebrightlycoloredposterswantingusto“PostEarlyforChristmas”forhundredsofmillionsofChristmascardsandmillionsofparcelsaresenteveryyear.Everywhereoneturns,oneismadeawarethatChristmaswhichcomes“butonceayear”iscomingonceagain.Manypeopledeplorewhattheyconsidertheover-commercializationofasacredholiday,butunderneathallthebusinessactivity,agreatdealofgenuineChristmasspiritsistobefound.Thecustomofgivingpresentstoone’sfamilyandfriendsisaverypleasantonesolongasoneremembersthatitisthespiritbehindthegiftwhichmattersmostandnotthegiftitself.AndhowgooditisatChristmastoreturntothefamilyhouseandmeetparents,grandparentsandasmanyaunts,unclesandcousinsascanbeaccommodated.Withouttwentieth-centurymeansoftransportmanyfamilieswouldbedeniedtheChristmasreunion.ChristmasDayisspentquietlyathome.TheexcitementofallthepresentsishardlyoverbeforeitistimeforallthetraditionalChristmasdinnerturkey,chickenwithrichfruityChristmaspuddingafterwards.Attea-timethecrackersarepulled.Theeveningisspentingames,merrimentandmoreeatinganddrinking.ThereisalwaysBoxingDay(theBankHolidayafterChristmasDay)onwhichtorecover,ifalltheexcitementandfoodhaveprovedalittletoomuch.1.Christmasdiffersfromotherholidaysbecauseof______________.A.itsreligioussignificanceB.thecustomofgivinggiftsC.thehabitofspendingitwiththefamilyD.alltheabovethree2.Thesecondparagraphdescribestheconditions____________.A.beforeChristmasB.duringChristmasC.afterChristmasD.noneofthem3.Thecustomofgivingpresentstoone’sfamilyandfriendsis__________.A.abusinessactivityB.anexampleofChristmasspiritC.agiftD.notagoodactivity4.“Withouttwentieth-centurymeansoftransportmanyfamilieswouldbedeniedtheChristmasreunion.”Thismeans_____________.A.“transportisveryimportantforfamiliestogettogether”B.“transportisnotimportantforthat”C.“transportisnotenoughforthat”D.“transportisverygoodforthat”5.Fromthecontextinthelastparagraph,wecanknow“turkey”isakindof_______.A.dinnerB.dishC.drinkD.milk6.BoxingDayistheholidayonwhich____________.A.peoplerelaxB.peoplemakeboxesC.peopleareveryexcitedD.peopleeattoomuchPassageTwoSomeofthenotebooksGeorgeWashingtonkeptasayoungmanarestillinexistence.TheyshowthathewaslearningLatin,wasveryinterestedinthebasicofgoodbehaviorinsocietyandwasreadingEnglishliterature.Atschoolheseemsonlytohavebeeninterestedinmathematics.Infacthisformaleducationwassurprisinglybriefforagentleman,andincomplete.ForunlikeotheryoungVirginiangentlemenofthatday,hedidnotgotothecollegeofWilliamandMaryintheVirginiancapital—Williamsburg.Intermsofformaltrainingthen,WashingtoncontrastedsharplywithsomeotherearlyAmericanPresidentssuchasJohnAdams,ThomasJeffersonandJamesMadison.Washingtonprobablyregrettedhislackofintellectualtraining.HeneverfeltcomfortableinadebateinCongress,ornoanysubjectthathadnottodowitheverydaypracticalmatter.AndbecauseheneverlearnedFrenchandcouldnotspeakdirectlytotheFrenchleaders,hedidn’tvisitthecountryheadmiredsomuch.Thus,unlikeJeffersonandAdams,heneverreachedEurope.7.WhatreasondoestheauthorgiveforWashingtonnotgoingtocollege?A.Hisfamilycouldnotaffordit.B.Acollegeeducationwasratheruncommoninhistime.C.Hedidn’tliketheVirginiangentlemenwhowenttocollege.D.Theauthordoesn’tgiveanyreason.8.WashingtonfeltuncomfortableinCongressdebatesbecausehe_______.A.lackedpracticeinpublicspeakingB.felthiseducationwasinadequateC.didn’tlikearguinganddebatingwithpeopleD.feltthattheotherswerebeingimpractical9.ThereasonwhyWashingtondidn’tvisitFrancewasprobablyhe________.A.didn’treallycareaboutgoingB.didn’tknowtheFrenchleadersC.couldnotcommunicatedirectlywiththeFrenchpeopleD.wastoobusytotravel10.Accordingtotheauthor,____________.A.WashingtonwasamodelforallVirginiangentlemenB.WashingtonshouldhavegonetoFranceeventhoughthecouldn’tspeakFrenchC.WashingtonwasnotasgoodasapresidentasAdams,JeffersonorMadisonD.Washington’slackofeducationplacedhimatadisadvantageinlaterlifePassageThreeCultureisoneofthemostchallengingelementsoftheinternationalmarketplace.Thissystemoflearnedbehaviorpatternscharacteristicofthemembersofagivensocietyisconstantlyshapedbyasetofdynamicvariables:language,religion,valuesandattitudes,mannersandcustoms,aesthetics,technology,education,andsocialinstitutions.Tocopewiththissystem,aninternationalmanagerneedsbothfactualandinter