Being shy keeps many Chinese people from getting to know westerners. You may feel nervous about making language mistakes in front of a native English speaker.

But remember, westerners living in Asia know how it feels to try to communicate in a foreign language. They have made many mistakes when speaking Chinese!

So don’t worry about speaking imperfect English. The important thing is just to communicate. Start talking, and make some foreign friends!

Many westerners value(注重) their privacy(隐私). Don’t be surprised if your new friend doesn’t want to include you in everything he does. This may seem strange to Chinese who worry about that their friends will get lonely.

Chinese people often expect their good friends to give advice and take care of them in many ways. If you expect this kind of care from westerners, you may be disappointed. Why? Because most westerners value independence. They feel insulted(侮辱的) if others think they can’t take care of themselves. They will assume(假设) you feel the same way.

Of course, these tips(小提示) are just rules of thumb(经验之谈) and may not apply(适用) to all westerners. Each person you meet will have his or her own ideas about friendship. When you get confused(不明白), don’t be shy and worry to ask questions. Your new western friends may also have many questions about Chinese culture, and they may be hesitant(犹豫) to ask. So encourage them to ask questions, too.

Be honest and open to your friends. Respect each other’s differences. The friendships you make can be lifelong treasure both for you and your new friends.

1..Why do many Chinese people feel worried to speak to the foreigners?

2..What do you think the foreigners may not be insulted with?

3..What does the underlined word “independence” mean?

4..What may help you to make lifelong friends?

补全对话
A: You look upset. What’s the   【小题1】  ?
B: Oh. I had a big fight with my cousin yesterday.
A: Why?
B: She wanted to   【小题2】   my homework.
A: It’s not a good habit. She should do her   【小题3】   homework.. Well, you could call her up and talk about it   【小题4】   the phone.
B: She was    【小题5】    at me and didn’t talk to me.
A: Don’t worry. I think she will get over it.                   
B: I hope so.

"Everything happens for the best," my mother said whenever things weren't going my way. "Don't worry. One day your luck will change."

Mother was right, as I discovered after I had finished my college education, I had decided to try for a job in radio. One day, I wanted to host a sports programme. I went to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station. But I got turned down every time.

    In one station, a kind lady said my problem was that I hadn't got enough experience. "Get some work with a small station and work your way up," she said.

I went back home. I couldn't get a job there, either. Then my dad told me a businessman had opened a store and needed someone to help him. But again, I didn't get the job.

    I felt really down. "Your luck will change," Mom said to me. Dad lent me the car to help me to look for my job. I tried another radio station in Lowa. But the owner, a nice man, told me he had already had someone.

    As I left his office, I asked, "How can someone be a sports announcer(播音员) if he can't get a job in a radio station?"

    I was waiting for the lift when I heard the man call. "What did you mean? Do you know anything about football?" He put me in front of a microphone and asked me to try to imagine that I was giving my opinion on a football game, I succeeded.

    On my way home, Mom's words come back to me, "One day your luck will change, Son. And when it happens, it'll feel doubly good because of all the hard work you've had." At that moment I knew just what she meant.

16. What's the writer's ideal job?

A. A sportsman.                  B. A shop assistant.

C. A sports announcer.             D. A businessman.

17. Why didn’t the writer get the job in Chicago?

A. Because he was too young.

B. Because he didn't get college education.

C. Because he's got a good-looking person.

D. Because he hadn't got enough experience.

18. The sentence "But I got turned down every time. "means"        ".

A. But I was refused every time

B. But I was successful every time

C. But I lost my way every time

D. But the door of every station was always closed

19. What made the writer succeed in the end?

A. His mother’s words.             B. A kind lady’s help.

C. His father’s car.                   D. His own hard work.

20. What's the best title of this passage?

A. Mother's Words.                  B. Everything Happens for the Best.

C. No One Is Always Lucky.          D. To Find a Job in Radio Is Difficult.

根据短文内容回答问题。

　"I don't like my parents. They always tell me I should do this, and should not do that. It sometimes makes me angry，" said Zhang Hua，a middle school student in Guangzhou. Do you have the same problem? Perhaps your parents had the same problem when they were your age long ago. Why does it seem that some parents are not so friendly in their children's eyes?

　　One of the biggest things is when someone becomes a parent，he/she likes worrying things. They worry about everything about you，from the time you were born. They do a lot for you，though something would make you angry，because they care about you and worry about you. They worry about your choice of friends，the food you eat，your work at school，how much sleep you get，etc. All these things are part of your life. They want you to grow up healthily and happily.

　　So how can you make things easier on yourself? It's easier than you think. Just make sure your parents know what you're doing. Get them to know your friends. Phone if you stay somewhere else so that your parents don't call every hospital in the phone book looking for your body. Say sorry to them when you make mistakes. Take responsibility(责任) for what you have done. Talk about your ideas with them. They may talk about theirs with you.

　　Most of all，try to think about why your parents do this or do that. They are still practising being parents and need help you can give them. Someday，when you become a parent，they may be able to help you how to get on with your children.

1.Why doesn’t Zhang Hua like her parents？

_______________________________________

2.What’s Zhang Hua?

_________________________________________

3.Why are your parents worrying about you?

_________________________________________

4.What may your parents do if you talk about your ideas with them？

__________________________________________

Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents, however, it is not true.
Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it’s hard for you to communicate with your parents, don’t worry about it. Here are some advice for you to bridge the generation gap (消除代沟).
Don’t argue (争辩) with your parents. Don’t get to your parents when you are angry. Your parents probably won’t consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can’t express yourself well if you are angry. Go someplace to cool off. Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter. [来源:学|科|网]
Try to reach a compromise (和解). Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael’s mother didn’t agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days.
Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect (尊敬) to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong.
Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life.
A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. It is worth having a try!
【小题1】The passage tells us _______ have a communication problem.