题目内容
Manners nowadays in metropolitan cities like London are practically non-existent. It is nothing for a big, strong schoolboy to push an elderly woman aside to take the last remaining seat on the underway or bus.
This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued about by young men, who say that since women have claimed equality, they no longer deserve to be treated with politeness and that those who go out to work should take their turns in the rat race like anyone else. But women have never claimed to be physically strong as men. Even if it is not agreed, however, the fact remains that courtesy(礼节) should be shown to the old and the sick. Are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we can sit there indifferently(冷漠地) reading the paper or a book, saying to ourselves, “First come, first served” while a grey-haired woman, a mother with a young child or a cripple(残障者) stands? Yet this is all too often seen.
Older people, tired and impatient from a day’s work, are not always considerate either — far from it. Many arguments break out as the older people push and squeeze(挤)each other to get on buses. One cannot approve this, of course, but one does feel there is just a little more excuse.
It seems urgent, not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. All over cities, it seems that people are too tired and too rushed to be polite. Shop assistants won’t bother to assist; taxi drivers shout at each other as they dash dangerously around corners; bus conductors pull the bell before their desperate passengers have time to get on or off the bus, and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young to do their small part to stop such lowering of moral standards.
Title：Manners in Metropolitan Cities
| Theme | Politeness is (1) ▲ , especially in large cities. | |
| Phenomena and Excuses | Phenomena | Excuses |
| Big, strong schoolboys push elderly women aside to (2) ▲ on the last remaining seats. |
| |
| Young men (3) ▲ to treat women politely. | Women think they are(4) ▲ to men, so they should take their turns in the rat race like others. | |
| Young people sit indifferently(5) ▲ while grey-haired women, mothers with (6) ▲ and disabled people stand by. | First come, first served. | |
| The elderly themselves push each other to get on buses. |
| |
| (7) ▲ | ●Communications in transport are not satisfactory. ●Communication between people doesn’t go (8) ▲ and politely. ●People are too (9) ▲ and too rushed to care about others. | |
| Solution | Young people make an (10) ▲ to stop such lowering of moral standards. | |
1.disappearing/non-existent/missing/lacking/lost2.sit/rest
3. refuse/hate/dislike 4. equal 5. reading 6. children/babies7. Causes/Analysis
8. smoothly9. tired 10. effort
阅读快车系列答案In England three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop. They studied the information on the post sign and decided which bus to take. About five minutes later the bus they wanted came along. They prepared to get on. Suddenly people rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted insulting remarks about the foreigners. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus-stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man apparently（显然地）shaking his head at another and assume (认为) that he is disagreeing. But in many parts of India a rotating (旋转) movement of the head is a gesture that express agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty. In that country you shake your head to express “yes” — a nod means “no”.
In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting talking to someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could cause offence (冒犯). It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. Also when in Thailand avoid touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done.
Attitudes to women vary considerably（相当地）around the world. In Japan, for example, it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home.
Knowing about customs and attitudes is useful when you are travelling, but you also need to know the language used to express different degrees of formality (礼节).
【小题1】The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed because __________________.
| A．they didn’t know the English language |
| B．someone called their names |
| C．they didn’t know the custom of lining up for a bus |
| D．they knocked someone down while getting on the bus |
| A．Men always go to parties with women. |
| B．Men plan evening entertainments for their wives. |
| C．Men and women have equal rights to go to parties. |
| D．Men plan evening entertainments for themselves, while their wives stay home. |
| A．善意的 | B．咨询的 | C．商量的 | D．无礼的 |
| A．India and Thailand | B．India and Bulgaria |
| C．Bulgaria and Thailand | D．Thailand and Japan |
| A．It’s probably that you are thirsty if you nod your head |
| B．You’re possibly eager to have a drink if you nod your head |
| C．You probably refuse to drink when you nod your head |
| D．You’d like to have a cup of tea because you nod your head |