Every culture has it own ways to show friendship. On the island of Hawaii,
friendship is part of the “aloha spirit”. In the language of the Hawaiians who first settled the islands long ago,
aloha had a very special meaning. That is “to be with happiness”.
Hawaiians believe that once somebody loves the land, they are ready to love their people or community. This is the second most important thing of friendship. It is called
lokahi in the Hawaiian language, which means “oneness with all people”. To enjoy the land you should not be selfish. The land is for everyone who lives on. Today many different people call Hawaii their home. Indeed, Hawaii is a place where people make one big community from many smaller communities. Each person gives
kokua(help) to other people so that all feel stronger. It is believed that the islands can be a paradise(天堂) when people live in peace. People are told that their actions should be as gentle as the wind that blows from the sea. When problems happen, people are asked to solve them with understanding. So when people of Hawaii talk about
ohana(family), they are really talking about all those who live on the island.
Living in peace, Hawaiians have developed a third sign of friendship. This personal friendship is shown by giving
leis to one another. The
lei, a string of flowers, is put over a friend’s neck. Then the friend is given a kiss on the cheek. Visitors to the islands are also given
leis. When they hear
aloha, visitors began to feel at home.
Aloha also means “goodbye”, so visitors will hear it again when they leave. It can mean “our hearts singing together”. Perhaps this is how most visitors will remember their new friendship.
小題1:Which of the following can be the proper title for this text?
A.People in Hawaii | B.Visitors to Hawaii |
C.Traveling in Hawaii | D.Friendship in Hawaii |
小題2:How do you understand the underlined sentence in the first paragraph ?
A.Happiness matters most for Hawaiians. |
B.Friendship is always together with happiness. |
C.Friendship is every thing in Hawaiian culture. |
D.Friendship has special meanings for Hawaiians. |
小題3:Which of the following proverb can best express the idea of friendship by Hawaiians?
A.Practice makes perfect. |
B.Love me, love my dog. |
C.A penny saved is a penny gained. |
D.An apple a day keeps a doctor away. |
小題4:Which of the following is a sign to show friendship by Hawaiians?
A.A warm handshake. | B.A kiss on the cheek. | C.A string of flowers. | D.A big hug. |
小題5:According to the text, which of the following Hawaiian word expresses more good wishes?
A.aloha | B. lokahi | C.kokua | D.ohana |