We Chinese are not big huggers

We Chinese are not big huggers. A handshake or a pat on the shoulder is enough to convey our friendship or affection to one another. So when our newly-acquainted Western friends reach out in preparation for a hug, some of us feel awkward.Many questions go through our head. Where should I put my arms? Under their armpits or around their neck? What distance should I maintain? Should our chests touch?It’s even more difficult with friends from some European countries. Should I kiss them on the cheek while hugging? Which side? Or is it both cheeks? Which side should I start on?But it isn’t just people from cultures that emphasize a reservedness in expressing physical intimacy who find hugging confusing. Hugs can cause discomfort or even distress in people who value their personal space.In a recent article for The Wall Street Journal, US psychologist Peggy Drexler said that although the US remains a “medium touch” culture —“more physically demonstrative than Japan, where a bow is the all-purpose hello and goodbye, but less demonstrative than Latin or Eastern European cultures, where hugs are robust and can include a kiss on both cheeks”, Americans do seem to be hugging more.From politicians to celebrities, hugs are given willy-nilly to friends, strangers and enemies alike; and the public has been quick to pick up the practice.Public figures know that nothing projects likeability like a good hug. US First Lady Michelle Obama has put her arms around icy foreign leaders like Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the Queen of England, on the latter occasion breaching royal protocol.Pop superstar Lady Gaga is also a hug enthusiast, telling her fans that “I will always, always, try my very best to wrap my arms around you when I meet you.”But not all are grateful to be embraced, even by the most influential and famous. To them, any hug is offensive if it’s not sincere.Amanda Hess, writing for US magazine Slate, says public figures should stop imposing hugs on everyone they meet. For them, a hug is rarely a gesture of sincere fellowship, compassion or affection. It’s all part of a show. Hugs are falsely intimate power plays used by public figures to establish their social dominance over those in their grasp.Cecilia Walden, a British journalist writing for The Telegraph who lives in New York, holds the same opinion. “Power-hugging”, as she calls it, is “an assault dressed up as kindness”. It has become a fad in the US where “bosses are already cuddling their staff(either shortly before or after firing them), [and] men and women their frenemies, in a thousand fraudulent displays of solidarity单词1、seed n.种(子),籽2、self-centered a. 自我中心的,自我本位的,利己主义的3、self-pitying adj. 分离，分开4、separation n. 分离，分开5、shape n.形状vt.形成6、share vt.分享,共享n.份额,股份7、sickness n.疾病；恶心，呕吐感8、signal n. 信号9、similar a.相似的,类似的10、sledge n. 雪橇11、special a.特殊的,专门的12、sponsor n.发起者，赞助人vt.发起，赞助 13、start-up n. 启动，（刚刚起步的）小公司14、 stomach n.胃；胃口；欲望14、strategy n. 策略15、stressful a.有压力的16、strict a.严格的,严谨的17、structure n.结构；建筑物vt.建造18、subway n.隧道；地铁19、system n.系统；制度20、technology n.工艺,技术21、telegram n.电报22、temperature n.温度;体温23、tent n.帐篷24、theory n.理论,学说25、thumb n.大拇指26、tremble vi.发抖,哆嗦27、underground a.地下的;秘密的28、underlined adj. 划线於下的30、unexpected a.意外的31、universal a.宇宙的;普遍的32、unlit adj. 未点燃的33、unusuala.不平常的,独特的34、vacuum n.真空35、value n.价值,价格vt.评价36、vehicle n.车辆37、victory n.胜利,战胜38、 videophone n. 电视电话40、 webcams n. 网络摄像机41、 well-being a. 安宁,福利 42、wizardry n. 巫术43、 worldwide adj.全世界的历年中考真题阅读完型核心短语44、 turn into = change into 把……变成 45、When it comes to … 当提到……，当谈到…… 46、knock out 出局47、 make a wish 许诺48、 the finishing line 终点线49、 up and down 上下地，到处, 前前后后, 来来往往 50、come over 走过去In one way of thinking, failure is part of life. In 26 way, failure may be a way towards success. The “Spider-story” is often 27 . Robert Bruce , leader of th e Scots in the 13 th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watche d a spider 28 a web. The spider tried to reach across a rough 29 in the ro ck. He tried six times. On the 30 time he made it and went on to make his w eb. Bruce is said to have been encouraged by this and to have gone on to 3 1 the English . Edison , the inventor of the light bulb, made 32 models that f ailed before he found the right way to make one. Once he was asked 33 he kept on trying to make a new type of battery when he had failed so often, he r eplied, “Failure? I have 34 failure. Now Iknow 50,000 ways it won't 35 ”.So what? First，always think about your failure. What caused 36 ？Were conditions right? Were you in top from yourself? What can you change? So things will go 37 next time.Second, is the goal you're trying to reach the right one? Try to 38 about wh at your real goals may be. Think about this question. “If I do succeed in this, w here will it get me?" This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn't be doing any way.The third thing to keep in 39 that failure is a part of life. Learn to “live with yourself" even though you may have 40 ．26. A. other B. another C. first D. second28. A. doing B. taking C. making D. playing29．A. room B. house C. place D. soil30. A. tenth B. sixth C. eighth D. seventh31．A. save B. help C. defeat D. like32．A. hundred B. hundreds C. hundred of D. hundreds of33. A. why B. when C. what D. who34. A. many B. no C. already D. nobody35．A. do B. make C. took D. work36. A. one B. it C. that D. this37．A. high B. large C. right D. wrong38．A. think B. shop C. read D. clean39. A. hand B. eyes C. ears D. mind40. A. failed. B. succeeded C. finished D. passed(2010 .河北省卷,Ⅶ. 阅读理解计10 分More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment. Maybe that‟s why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roadsworldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost! Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighbourhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit (受益) from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don‟t even have to ride all the way.Folding (折叠) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travellers.Health Benefits of Bicycling:It helps to prevent heart diseases.Bicycling helps to control your weight.A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.Bicycling can improve your mood (心情).Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.Bicycling is healthier than driving.56. From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming very .A. surprisingB. excitingC. expensiveD. popular57. When you are riding your bicycle around your neighbourhood, you may.A. pollute the environment aroundB. find something you didn‟t noticeC. go everywhere and use a little oilD. get off your bike and begin to work58. If you travel with a folding bike, you can fold it and _ .A. get out of the carB. take it onto a trainC. put it in your purseD. go on airline websites59. One of the benefits from bicycling is that .A. you can fold the bicycleB. you will be friendly to othersC. you will be more relaxedD. you may get fatter and fatter60. Which is TRUE according to the passage?A. Bicycling is enjoyable exercise for people.B. Driving cars is healthier than riding bikes.C. Riding a bike pollutes your neighbourhood.D. Common bikes are welcomed by all airlines.【答案】DBBCAAre you interested in country music? I like it very much !It will take me away for a while after I am tired .The guitars and songs will take me to mountains and fields.Country music usually talks of everyday life and feelings. It‟s the spirit of America ,easy to understand ,slow and simple.Country music developed in the Southern United States. It was the folk music of American countryside. Many of songs tell about the lives of farmers .They talk about love, crops or death.The life of the countryside can be hard, so the words in country music are often sad. At first, people played the music only at family parties. But it became more popular later. In the 1920s,people played country songs on the radio, and they made them into records.When people in the countryside moved to towns and cities to look for work, they took their music with them. Country music continued to change and became popular across America.John Denver was one of America‟s most famous country singers in the 1970s.His song “Take Me home, Country Roads” is well-known and people still play it today.51.Country music is usually about _______.A. everyday life and feelingsB. farmer‟s feelingsC. the lives of workers52.Country music developed ________.A. in John Denver‟s cityB. in the Southern United StatesC. in the Northem United States53.People bagan to make country song records _______.A. in the 1920sB. in 1920C. in the 1970s54.Why did Country music become popular in America?A. Because city people liked the music.B. Because farmers moved to cities with their music and it continued to change.C. Because country music talked about city people‟s lives.55.Who is famous for the song “Take Me Home,Country Roads”?A. A farmer in the countryside.B.A person who moved to townsC. John Denver.When we talk about stars ,especially women stars ,it seems that they are always young, pretty and own charming body shapes. But recently a Britain‟s Got Talent（英国达人）star Susan Boyle has changed our views absolutely.Simon Cowell ,one of the judges of the talent show spoke of his shock over Ms Boyle‟s voice. “This lady camp up ,and I‟m thinking, …This will take five seconds and I can go to have a cup of tea‟. That changed when she began to sing I Dreamed to Dream from Les Miserables. She knew we were going to have that reaction and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face through–it was one of my favorite moments,” Cowell said.The performance was posted on line and before long, the 47-year-old Scottish woman has been famous all over the world.Speaking from her home in Scotland, Ms Boyle said that she hasn‟t thought of changing her appearance. She said that her friend helped her with make-up. “I mean,that‟s hardly a makeover,” she added.Ms Boyle also spoke of the reason she first began to explore her vocal talents, “I was kind of slow at school, so getting like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and thus it built my confidence.”44.Susan Boyle is _________A. a judgeB. a reporterC. a beautifulD. a Scottish woman45.Susan Boyle had a look of satisfaction on her face when she was singing because______.A. she was confident of her singingB. she was satisfied with the judgesC. she was pretty and in good shapeD. she sang the song I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables46.According to the passage, which is NOT true?A. It was the vocal talents that built Susan‟s confidenceB. Susan Boyle was not good at her lesson when at school.C. Susan Boyle became famous because of her appearance.D. Simon Cowell didn‟t think S usan Boyle a good singer at the first sight.47.What can we learn from Susan Boyle‟s successA. It‟s never too old to learn.B. It‟s easier to succeed at the age of 47.C. If you have a dream, try to make it come true!D. If you are not able to study well, to be a singer instead.【答案】DACCTYPINGThis course is for those who want to learn to type, as well as those who want to improve their typing. The course is not common. You are tested in the first class and begin practicing at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed. Each program lasts 20 hours. Bring your own paper.Course fee（费用）:$125 Matericls:$25Two hours each evening for two weeks .New classes begin every two weeks. This course is taught by a number of professional business education teachers who have successfully taught trying courses before.UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERSThis twelve-hour course is for people who do not know very much about computers, but who need to learn about them. You will learn what computers are, what they can and ca n‟t do and how to use them.Course fee:$75 Jan.4,7,11,14,18 Wed.& Sat. 9:00-11:30 a.m. Equipmentfee:$10David is a professor of Computer Science at Beijing University. He has over twenty years of experience in computer field.STOP SMOKINGDo you want to stop smoking ?Have you already tried to stop and failed? Now is the time to stop smoking using the latest methods. You can stop smoking ,and this twelve-hour course will help you do it.Course fee:$30 Jan.2.9,16,23 Mon.2:00-5:00 p.mDr John is a practicing psychologist who has helped hundreds of people stop smoking.66.If you choose the UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS course, you will have classes_______.A. from Monday to SundayB. on Wednesday and SaturdayC. on Saturday and Sunday67.How long will the STOP SMOKING course last?A. For four weeks.B. For three hours.C. For a week.68.Mr.Black works every morning and evening ,but he wants to take part in one of the three courses. What is suitable for him?A.TYPINGB.UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERSC.STOP SMOKING69.If you want to learn about computers and the same time you want to improve your typing, how much will you pay for it?A.$75.B.$150.C.$23570.What‟s the special difference between the TYPING course and the other two/A. People with different skill levels may learn at different speed.B. You will take a test after the course.C. You will pay less money.【答案】BACCA(2010江苏省宿迁市三、阅读理解每小题2分）There are over 800 boarding (寄宿) schools in the UK with students from home and foreign countries. Boarding schools started hundreds of years ago in the country. But the earliest boarding schools were set up for white, rich boys only. Now both boys and girls can go to boarding schools from the age of 7 to 18.What to doIn the UK, boarding schools have three terms in a school year, with about 13 weeks in each term. Students study and live together. They can‟t go outside if they are not allowed to. In some schools, each student has his or her subject plan. Besides the usual classrooms and laboratories, the boarding schools have lots of other facilities for their students, including music rooms, boats, swimming pools, cinemas and theatres. Most boarding schools have a “light out” time. So when it‟s time to go to bed, all the lights in the bedrooms are turned off. There are house-masters to take care of students all the time,especially after school hours.What to wearNearly all students at boarding schools wear a school uniform. Boys usually wear a shirt and a tie, and girls wear a white blouse, sometimes also a tie and a skirt. As students get older, the rules become less strict._______________In the UK, boarding schools provide students with delicious food. They can choose to have a full English breakfast or simply bread. They can also choose between a meal with no meat and another meal at lunch and dinner. And there is always self-service for salad (沙拉), other side dishes and a dessert. Students can also make themselves something to eat at any time in a kitchen, or drink tea or have a snack between meals.36. Which of the following is TRUE according to (根据) the passage?A. Only white children were allowed to attend the earliest boarding schools.B. Students in a boarding school are looked after only after school hours.C. As students get older, the rules about wearing school uniforms become stricter.D. Students can have different activities in a boarding school.37. Which is the best title for the last paragraph?A. What to eatB. When to eatC. Where to eatD. How to eat38. The underlined word …facilities‟ means _____________.A. 教师B. 设施C. 活动D. 课程【答案】DABSome children are afraid to go to the dentist, but not me, because I have a fun ny dentist called Dr. Smileyface.A. He asks funny questions like “Are you married yet?” and “Do you eat flower s to make your breath smell so sweet?”B. Last week he gave me a toy ship and I liked it very much. C. It didn‟t hurt at all!D. He has a cool waiting room, and it has video games and a big toy box.E. He also teaches me how to take care of my teeth in an interesting way.F. One time, he told me this joke, “What has lots of teeth but never goes to th e dentist? A comb!”G. Dr. Smileyface always wears funny hat, sometimes he has his face painte d.H. When I laughed, he pulled my tooth.I. I don‟t think that‟s his real name, but that‟s what he tells all the children who come to see him.J. That makes me laugh.K. Before I leave, he always gives me a surprise.答案:IDGAJFHCKB（2）The Mid-Autumn FestivalThe Mid-Autumn is a very important Chinese festival.A. On the evening there will be a big family dinner.B. After dinner, people will light the lanterns which are usually red and round.C. A few days before the festival, everyone in the family will help to make the house clean and beautiful.D. It is said that there was a dragon in the sky.E. At night the moon is usually round and bright.F. It falls on the 15th day of August.G. Lanterns will be hung in front of the house.H. They can look back on the past and look forward to the future together.I. The dragon wanted to swallow up the moon to protect the frighten the drago n away.J. People who work far away from their homes will try to come back for the un ion.。