Question

Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.

One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one’s own culture’s way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It’s ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it’s necessary to study the different elements（组成部分）of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.

Language

A. knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.

Values are people’s basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad . An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.

Customs and manners

Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States,  it is the custom to have salad before the main course at dinner, not after. It’s not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn’t sell well because the French don’t usually drink juice with breakfast.

1.A. knowledge of the local language allows international business people _________.

A. to be more open with their customers

B. to have a better idea of their own culture

C. to express their thoughts indirectly

D. to communicate without outside help

2.The act of many people buying chocolate of Switzerland shows the role of ________.

A．attitudes          B．values            C．manners          D．customs

3.What would be the best title for the text?

A．Misconceptions in Business

B．Basic Beliefs in Business

C．International Business Culture

D．Successful International Business

4.The author’s purpose of writing this article is to tell people ___________

A．how to take a right attitude in business

B．how to avoid misunderstandings in business

C．how to use a local language in business

D．how to act politely and properly in business

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了成功的生意人之所以能取得成功，一个重要的原因在于他们理解不同民族的文化，并学会了根据不同的文化而改变自己的行为，即没有“民族优越感”。那么，怎样才能避免每个人心中由来已久的“民族优越感”呢？本文就语言，态度和价值观及风俗习惯等几个方面提出了一些建议。

1.细节理解题。根据由第二自然段中的First, people can communicate easily一句可知选D。

2.推理判断题。根据根据An attitude is a way of thinking or acting.可知本题故选A。

3.主旨大意题题。根据由文章的主题段——第二自然段大意可知本题选C。

4.推理判断题。根据To avoid ethnocentrism, it’s necessary to study the different elements（组成部分）of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.

可知本题选B。

考点：人生百味类短文阅读。

点评：做推理判断类试题时我们不仅要弄懂文章字面的意思，更重要的是要知道文章潜在的含义，以及作者所给的提示。同时要对文章的含义和作者的暗示作合理的猜测和推论。关键是：意思要靠推断得出，而不是原文照搬。这就要把握住文章的主题思想和每段的内容；明确作者的观点及其写作该文的目的；分析文章里所给的有关信息；注意词汇在词典里的定义和词典以外的含义；最后运用自己的知识进行由表及里的逻辑推理，挖出文章的伏笔，得出正确的推论。