Happy Shakespeare Day!

The 23rd April is World Book Day, but did you know that it is also Shakespeare Day? Everybody has heard of Shakespeare, but do you know many plays he wrote? Have you heard of many of his poetry?

Shakespeare’s plays fit into three categories: tragedies, comedies and histories. Perhaps his most famous play is the tragedy story of Romeo and Juliet, which deals with two young lovers who are forbidden to marry by their parents. Other tragedies include Hamlet, a play about a vengeful ghost Othello, about an army general who is manipulated(操纵) into killing his wife, and Macbeth(麦克白). If you’ve seen Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban written which is sung in the Great Hall after the Sorting Ceremony. These words come from the Witches in Macbeth!

Shakespeare’s comedies include Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night is a play about confusing identities. Two twins are shipwrecked and the sister, Viola, dresses up as her brother, Sebastian, who she thinks is dead. It’s hilarious, because the brother reappears without Viola realizing and there’s a big love triangle going on: Viola is in love with the Duke Osino, who is in love with Olivia, who falls in love with Sebastian, except she doesn’t realize that Sebastian is actually Viola dressed up! Everybody falls in love with the wrong person, but it is all made right in the end.

The history plays, such as Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III and Henry V are based on the lives of real historical people. Antony and Cleopatra is a story about a doomed romance in ancient Egypt. Cleopatra becomes Antony’s mistress and Antony becomes so obsessed with her that he loses his military might. Cleopatra kills self by letting a snake bite her after Egypt’s army has been defeated by Octavius and Antony kills himself too.

Shakespeare’s plays can be very heavy going sometimes. Some of the themes they deal with are heavy and complex, so they almost always contain a lighter subplot with characters who aren’t closely linked to the characters in the main plot. They are often used in tragedies to lighten the mood of the play and to keep the audience interested in the main plot.

1.What can we learn about Shakespeare’s tragedies?

A. Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most famous play of all time.

B. Hamlet tells us a story of two young lovers dead in the end.

C. The army general Othello kills his wife in person purposely.

D. Macbeth gives J.K. Rowling some inspiration in her writing.

2.What is not a probable ending in Twelfth Night?

A. Viola and Sebastian reunited. B. Osino and Viola got marred.

C. Osino and Olivia got married. D. Sebastian and Olivia got married.

3.Characters in the lighter subplot of Shakespeare’s plays are often used to_____.

A. deal with the heavy and complex themes

B. distinguish the characters in the main plot

C. make the mood of the play softer than before

D. interest the audience in the subplot to the great extent

I was born and raised in Minnesota,the USA,but us an adult I have mostly lived in Europe and Africa.I teach cross-cultural management at the International Business School near Paris.For the last 15 years,I’ve studied how people in different parts of the world build trust,communicate,and make decisions especially in the workplace.

While traveling in Tokyo recently with Japanese colleague,I gave a short talk to a group of 20 managers.At the end,I asked whether there were any questions or comments.No hands went up,so I went to sit down.My colleague whispered to me,“I think there actually were some comments,Erin.Do you mind if I try?”I agreed,but I guessed it a waste of breath.He asked the group again,“Any comments or questions?”

Still,no one raised a hand,but this time he looked very carefully at each person in the silent audience.Gesturing to one of them,he said,“Do you have something to add?”To my amazement,she responded “Yes,thank you.” and asked me a very interesting question.My colleague repeated this several times,looking directly at the audience and asking for more questions or comments.

After the session,I asked my colleague,“How do you know that those people had questions?”He hesitated,not sure how to explain it,and then said,“It has to do with how bright their eyes are.”

He continued,“In Japan,we don’t make as much direct eye contact as you do in the West.So when you asked if there were any comments,most people were not looking directly at you.But a few people in the group were looking right at you,and their eyes were bright.That indicates that they would be happy to have you call on them.”

I thought to myself I would never have learned from my upbringing in Minnesota.Since then,I try to focus on understanding behavior in other cultures I encounter,and keep finding the bright eyes in the room.

1.What can we conclude from the first paragraph?

A. Life in Minnesota has made the author worn out.

B. The author enjoys traveling around the world.

C. Different cultures are kind of familiar to the author.

D. The author may start his own business in the future.

2.Hearing the colleague whispering,the author______.

A. went back to his seat and got seated

B. knew his colleague had some questions

C. owed a big debt of gratitude to his colleague

D. thought his colleague would get nowhere

3.Where does the author’s colleague probably come from?

A. Japan. B. America.

C. Africa. D. France

4.Which is the proper title for the passage?

A. Focusing on Behavior in Cultures.

B. Looking at Another Culture in the Eye.

C. Sharing Different Cultures in Tokyo.

D. Admiring the Beauty in the Eye.

I have spent years of my life traveling all over the world. When I arrive in a new country or city, usually I am very __________ and go to bed early. For this __________ my first day or night in any __________ place is always quiet and very little happens. __________ my first night in Algeciras was very different. That night was very __________ and unusual.

At that time __________ in Southern Spain was a dirty and badly looked __________ city. I arrived late in the __________ by boat. As soon as I got off the __________, I went to look for a __________. I found a small one not far from the quay(码头).

This hotel looked __________ and untidy from the outside. I was very tired and did not know my __________ around the city of Algeciras, so I decided to stay in this __________ hotel on the quay. I also decided to stay in this hotel for __________ reason. The moon was full and it was a clear, __________ night. From the hotel I could __________ at the sea. I could see the huge rock of Gibraltar in the bright __________.

The hotel had a narrow __________ and no name. When I __________ this doorway, I had to climb up narrow and dark stairs to the first floor. I __________ a small cup-board with desk in front of it. This was the hotel office.

1.A. unhealthy B. excited C. tired D. careless

2.A. way B. reason C. research D. journey

3.A. big B. new C. old D. small

4.A. So B. Because C. And D. But

5.A. ordinary B. dark C. free D. strange

6.A. Gibraltar B. Algeciras C. Madrid D. New Delhi

7.A. after B. for C. at D. back

8.A. morning B. evening C. afternoon D. spring

9.A. bus B. boat C. plane D. train

10.A. guide B. driver C. hotel D. dinner

11.A. clean B. dirty C. beautiful D. interesting

12.A. friend B. address C. effort D. way

13.A. small B. large C. expensive D. funny-looking

14.A. another B. one C. no D. some

15.A. dark B. cloudy C. bright D. rainy

16.A. look down B. look up C. look after D. look for

17.A. sky B. night C. space D. moonlight

18.A. bedroom B. doorway C. stairs D. door

19.A. went through B. painted C. walked out D. pointed out

20.A. came to B. walked for C. went out of D. escaped from

A couple of weeks ago, my friend offered to sell some of our things for us. I thought it was a good opportunity to ______ my 7?year?old son's room and ______ some toys that were no longer suitable for him to play with. We ______ that all the money we got from selling the toys would be his money.

The night before the ______, we loaded up the truck with toys and a little bike that was too ______ for him.In the yard he ______the bike for the last time and then happily put it onto the truck. This little bike had at least two previous owners as far as we ______. It wasn't in the best ______and was certainly not new,but the tires(轮胎)were ______ good.

We put a price of $10 on it, but it didn't sell.So,after the sale was ______,my friend put it on the sidewalk,with a sign that ______ “FREE BIKE”.Within five minutes her doorbell rang.A little boy was ______ there.In poor English he asked whether the bike was ______ free.We said yes and that he could have it for ______.He smiled,got on the bike and rode away.

Later that evening when I told my son how much money he had made at the sale, he was very______,shouting happily. He asked about a few of his things, wondering ______ they had been sold. When he asked about the bike, I told him about the little boy and that made him ______.He was much happier than when I told him how much he had ______.He was so happy to ______ that someone else would make good ______ of that little bike!

1.A. clean B. check C. display D. design

2.A. look for B. go through C. show off D. deal with

3.A. refused B. agreed C. wrote D. lied

4.A. trip B. show C. sale D. decision

5.A. weak B. small C. new D. thin

6.A. rode B. found C. watched D. felt

7.A. doubted B. knew C. told D. thought

8.A. time B. chance C. place D. shape

9.A. also B. never C. still D. hardly

10.A. ahead B. on C. near D. over

11.A. said B. repeated C. copied D. expressed

12.A. jumping B. standing C. walking D. shouting

13.A. barely B. usually C. really D. always

14.A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing

15.A. calm B. scared C. excited D. disappointed

16.A. when B. if C. why D. how

17.A. smile B. worry C. leave D. cry

18.A. enjoyed B. lost C. bought D. made

19.A. hear B. understand C. remember D. think

20.A. interest B. money C. use D. price

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