Question

One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny (命運) and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.

In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they are encouraged to redouble their efforts, to “Try, try again.” Action, efficiency, and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts.

Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history reflects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny’s role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expressed in their way of responding to failure or an accident by saying “ni modo” (“no way” or “tough lick”), meaning that the failure was destined.

This variable is important to understanding cultural conflicts. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and responsibility. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of things. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed.

1.The author thinks that one’s character is partly determined by ________.

A．physical senses                         B．general attitude

C．financial background                     D．geographic characteristics

2.According to the passage, Mexicans would think that Americans are ________.

A．impractical        B．dishonest          C．a(chǎn)mbitious         D．hesitant

3.The underlined word “subject” in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.

A．a(chǎn) topic of a discussion                    B．a(chǎn) branch of knowledge

C．a(chǎn) person being experimented on           D．a(chǎn) person under the power of others

4.The author would probably agree that ________.

A．vast land may lead to a more controllable desire

B．heroic sense of life roots deeply in a small country

C．living in limited space contributes to an accepting attitude

D．fighting over land helps people gain high levels of confidence

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.D

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要講述的就是一個國家的地域大小對人的性格的影響，國家疆域較大的國家的人往往思路開闊，疆域較小的國家的人往往思路較為狹窄，不容易接受新鮮事物。

1.D 推理題。根據(jù)第一段后五行Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.說明作者把人的性格和他們所在的地區(qū)的大小聯(lián)系在一起了，故D項正確。

2.A 推理題。根據(jù)第三段3,4行In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable.說明墨西哥人在有困難的歷史，他們會把斗爭作為生活中不能避免的一部分。而美國人的思想是很開放的，在墨西哥人看來，很美國人的想法是不實際的。故A正確。

3.D 推理題。根據(jù)本句This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control.說明subject to things outside our control與the masters of our lives是反義詞。故該詞是指接受命運和他人安排的人。故D項正確。

4.C 推理題。本文主要講述的就是一個國家的地域大小對人的性格的影響，國家疆域較大的國家的人往往思路開闊，疆域較小的國家的人往往思路較為狹窄，不容易接受新鮮事物。故C項表達(dá)與文章較為吻合。

考點：考查社會知識類短文閱讀

點評：本文主要講述的就是一個國家的地域大小對人的性格的影響，國家疆域較大的國家的人往往思路開闊，疆域較小的國家的人往往思路較為狹窄，不容易接受新鮮事物。以推理題的考查為主，解此類題需要結(jié)合上下文提供的語境和信息進(jìn)行簡單的概括和判斷。