出自:西安交通大学--英语（一）学习指南
Passage 1
In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morn ing. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p. m. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it.s a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance. In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in ad vance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from different cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued high ly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late, will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. It is not customary to telephone someone in the morning and in sleeping hours in the U.S.
B. The role of time in social life over the world.
C. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible in the U.S.
D. Not every country treats the concept of time as the same.
2. What does it mean in the passage if you call someone during his or her sleeping hours?
A. A matter of work.
B. A matter of life or death.
C. You want to see him or her.
D. You want to make an appointment with him or her.
3. Which of the following time is proper if you want to make an appointment with your friend?
A. at 7:00 am. B. at 4:00 pm. C. at the midnight. D. at 4:00 am.
4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are highly regarded if the invitation to a din ner party is extended only three or four days before the party date.
B. There is no misunderstanding arising between people from different cultures about the concept of time.
C. It may be considered foolish to make an appointment well in advance in the U.S.A. .
D. Promptness is valued highly in American life.
5. From the passage we can safely infer that .
A. it.s a matter of life or death if you call someone in day time.
B. the meaning of time differs in different parts of the world.
C. it makes no difference in the U.S. whether you are early or late for a business party.
D. if a person is late for a date, he needn.t make some explanation.
Passage2
A foreigner.s first impression of the U.S. is likely to be that everyone is in a rush - often under pressure. City people appear always to be hurrying to get where they are going restlessly, seeking attention in a store, and elbowing others as they try to complete their errands (任务). Racing through daytime meals is part of the pace of life in this country.
Working time is considered precious. Others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so that they too can be served and get back to work within the time allowed. Each person hurries to make room for the next person. If you don.t, waiters will hurry you.
You also find drivers will be abrupt and that people will push past you. You will miss smiles, brief conversations, and small courtesies with strangers. Don.t take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent someone else "wasting"it beyond a certain courtesy point.
The view of time affects the importance we attach to patience. In the American system of values, patience is not a high priority. Many of us have what might be called "a short fuse." We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away without some return - be this in terms of pleasure, work value, or rest. Those coming from lands where time is looked upon differently may find this matter of pace to be one of their most difficult adjustments in both business and daily life.
Many newcomers to the States will miss the opening courtesy of a business call, for example, they will miss the ritual socializing that goes with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee that may be traditional in their own country. They may miss leisurely business chats in a café or coffeehouse. Normally, Americans do not assess their visitors in such relaxed surroundings over prolonged small talks. We seek out evidence of past performance rather than evaluate a business colleague through social courtesies. Since we generally assess and probe professionally rather than socially, we start talking business very quickly.
1．Which of the following statements is wrong? ___________
A：Americans seem to be always under pressure.
B：Americans attach less importance to patience.
C：Americans don.t care much about ritual socializing.
D： Americans are impolite to their business colleagues.
2．In the fourth paragraph, "a high priority"means ___________.
A：a less important thing B：a first concern
C：a good business D：an attractive gift
3.Americans evaluate a business colleague ________.
A：through social courtesy
B：through prolonged business talks
C：by establishing business relations
D：by learning about their past performance
4.This passage mainly talks about __________.
A：how Americans treasure their time
B： how busy Americans are every day
C：how Americans do business with foreigners
D： what American way of life is like
5.We can infer from the passage that the author.s tone in writing is ________.
A：critical B：ironical C：praiseful D：objective
Passage 3
The greatest recent changes have been in the lives of women. During the twentieth century there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman’s life spent in caring for children. A woman who got married at the end of the 19th century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which custom, chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women get married at a younger age and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has the care of children ,her work is lightened by household appliances（家用电器）and convenience foods.
This important change in women’s way of life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they got married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though
women tend to get married young, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Many more return afterwards to a full-time or part-time job. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with both
husband and wife accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfaction of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money and running the home, according to the abilities and interest of each of them.
1. We are told that in an average family about 1890________.
A. many children died before they were five
B. the youngest child would be fifteen years younger than the oldest
C. seven of eight children lived to be more than five
D. the child death rate was rather high
2. When she was over fifty, the late 19th century mother________.
A. would expect to work until she died
B. was usually expected to take up paid employment
C. would be healthy enough to take up paid employment
D. was unlikely to find a job even if she is now likely
3. Many girls, the passage says, are now likely to ________.
A. get married so that they can get a job
B. leave school as soon as they can
C. give up their jobs for good after they are married
D. continue working until they are going to have a baby
4. According to the passage, it is now quite usual for women to ________.
A. stay at home after leaving school
B. marry men younger than themselves
C. start working again later in life
D. get married while still at school
5. The best title for this passage is ______________.
A. Great Changes in Women’s Life B. 19th-Century Family
C. Modern Girls’ Choice D. Equal Duties in Family Life
There were once three sons of a wealthy businessman. 16 they met, the two el dest, who were twins, 17 to quarrel about which of them should be his father.s heir (继承人) . The youngest, who was not 18 ambitious (野心勃勃的), took no part in their argument. As soon as they left home, the father arranged for an adequate income to be provided for 19 of them, but insisted that apart from this they were to be financially self-supporting. The 20 twin, who had the advantage of good looks and a striking per sonality, decided that he would take up the stage 21 a career. He 22 a small reper tory company, acted in minor parts, was always unpunctual (不准时) at rehearsals and was accordingly 23 with his fellow-actors. He earned little and so had to live mainly on his allowance. He occasionally thought of 24 his profession, but always put off 25 a decision, and he became increasingly bored and disillusioned.
16. A. whatever B. whenever C. wherever D. however
17. A. are used B. used C. using D. are using
18. A. at least B. at most C. in the least D. in the most
19. A. every B. all C. each D. none
20. A. first B. older C. younger D. elder
21. A. is B. as C. be D. /
22. A. joined B. attended C. went D. joined in
23. A. popular B. unpopular C. welcome D. unwelcome
24. A. living B. turning C. ending D. changing
25. A. making B. make C. decide D. deciding