题型:阅读理解 题类:常考题 难易度:普通
江苏省常熟市2017-2018学年高一上学期英语期中考试试卷
When Mark Levine, an English-language instructor at Beijing's Minzu University of China, was first invited to attend a Chinese colleague's wedding in Jiangsu Province in 2016, his second year in China, the California native was ready to present a small decorative gift for the new couple as he used to do in the United States.
However, his gesture suddenly seemed inappropriate as he realized the Chinese at the ceremony had red envelopes filled with cash to present rather than a packed gift.
"It's a little bit embarrassing when you present something that people didn't expect to receive on certain occasions," Levine told China Daily recently. "In the US, people do that as well but only for close relatives. People would normally give things as presents, while here in China red envelopes are more commonly welcomed."
It was the first time that the 66-year-old had discovered the Chinese rules in gift giving. He was not alone.
British Minister of State for Transport Baroness Susan Kramer presented a watch in January to Ko Wen-je, mayor of Taipei, when she visited the city, immediately sparking headlines as she broke a long-held tradition in Chinese culture.
A clock or watch, or zhong in Mandarin, represents "the end" in Chinese, and many associate it with death. Therefore, giving someone, especially an elder, a clock or watch implies "your time is up".
Kramer later apologized for the mistake, but Ko also came under fire for his response as he told reporters that he had no use for the watch and would sell it for cash.
However, some foreigners in China stand by Ko in this particular debate, such as Mark Dreyer, a British citizen who has lived and worked in China since 2007."After all, 'don't give clocks or watches to your hosts' is on page l of most China travel guides. I'm embarrassed by the lack of respect shown by the British for not even reading about the customs beforehand."
Reader's Travel Photography Competition
This month's images include some original and brilliant shots. The overall 2018 winner will receive a $200 holiday ticket and go on a 16-night wildlife holiday.
Doug Scott Guess what the young monk is doing! He is playing with his smart phone in secret. PAUL GOLDSTEIN JUDGE: Smart phones have taken over the world. Even without the photographer's caption there is composition, humor and fun here. To the outsider, he could be having a short sleep, or lost in meditation. My eyes stop on this for a while and the admission of smart phones cannot be changed in any corner of the world. | |
Eloise Campbell I was able to follow this young eagle hunter and his eagle in the mountains of Mongolia and watched how it was trained. Though the bond between them was new, to me it seemed unbreakable—they were coexisting peacefully with each other. | |
Adam Cunningham White This shot grasps the moment when we had to change direction with this group of around 300 migrating reindeer in northern Sweden. They can become confused very quickly, making this moment risky. They could run in different directions immediately, making it difficult to get them back into a group. | |
Nick Dale This is a close-up of the left eye of a zebra. PAUL GOLDSTEIN JUDGE: Perfect, I have seen these before but rarely done with this competence. The depth of field is exactly right. The bold cropping and blue to the left make people interested. Zebras are easy to photograph but not often this well. |
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