Among the many differences between Western and Chinese cultures, table manners are one of the most noticeable(显著的) differences. Westerners often make mistakes at the table in China or in a Chinese home. In order not to have an embarrassing（尴尬的） experience, here are some things to consider next time you are eating with some Chinese.

Step1:

Keep in mind that food is shared. It is one of the biggest differences between Chinese and Western eating habits. In China a few dishes are placed in the center of a table and shared by all. Also, you should offer thanks when a Chinese host takes food from one of the dishes on the table and places it on your plate. Refusing it would not be polite even if you are full.

Step2:

Respect the chopsticks. The chopsticks are the single most important tool at a Chinese table. Use the chopsticks to grab food and never skewer (叉) it. Also make sure to place your chopsticks over your bowl or plate. Don’t lay them on the table or even worse, stick them into the rice bowl.

Step3:

Use communal(共用的)chopsticks. To take food from the center of the table you should use the communal chopsticks or spoons that are placed there for that purpose. If there are no communal tools, use the other ends of your chopsticks to take food, remembering not to use the other end to put food into your mouth.

Step4:

Respect the elders. Table manners in China place extra respect on elders. At the table, pass food to your elders before taking it for yourself. If someone makes a toast, make sure that when you clink glasses with someone older than you, the rim of your glass is lower than the rim of the elder person.

1.How can you use your chopsticks according to the passage?

A．Use them to grab your own food.

B．Put them on the table.

C．Use them to skewer the food.

D．Stick them into the rice bowl.

2.According to the passage, the following are wrong EXCEPT that ________.

A．you don’t have to accept the food a Chinese host places on your plate

B．a skewer is also a commonly used tool at a Chinese table

C．one can offer his own chopsticks for communal use when there aren’t any

D．when clinking glasses, the rim of the younger person should be lower than that of the older person

3.What is the purpose of writing the passage?

A．To let the world get a full understanding of China.

B．To introduce table manners among different cultures.

C．To introduce Chinese table manners to Westerners.

D．To introduce how Chinese table manners came into being.

When foreigners come to Chengdu, a good alternative is to get around by taking the bus. Once getting used to going by bus, you will discover that it is actually not that bad.
Although a ride usually covers two or twenty stops, a bus ride costs RMB 2 in Chengdu. It is important to carry enough small money with you, because it is not usual to get back changes. Even though it is cheap, you can pay less and save some trouble if you get a RMB 25 bus card at your local pharmacy, Hongqi Chain Store or bus station terminal office—note that personal identification is needed. Explain to the worker that you want to purchase a bus card.
With this card, one bus drive costs only RMB 1 if you use a card based on frequency of your ride. If your card is based on the so called E-purse, you pay each time RMB 1.80 for the bus. If you require the use of subway, you can ask the cashier at the Hongqi Chain Store to activate the metro. After having your bus card, you can store money on your travel card. The fees for bus and metro have to be stored separately.
It is important to keep in mind that the money on the card does not overlap. For example, you charge 40 bus rides on the card, but you only used 20 during the month, the rest 20 will be invalid at the beginning of the next month and you have to recharge the card. Therefore, it is important to calculate the exact numbers of bus rides you will have to take.
After you have your own bus card, one swipe is only needed when you get on the bus at the front door. If you only manage to get on the bus at the back door, just ask the passengers to pass your card to the front and swipe it for you. With the bus card, you can transfer buses for fee if the travel time is within two hours.
Furthermore, it is to stress that you should keep an eye on your belongings while being on the bus. Generally, Chengdu is a safe place but most of the thefts are occurring on buses, at train stations or crowded large area, like the shopping street Chunxi Road.
Due to the fact that the place names are announced in Chinese, it is better to know the Chinese name of your destination. Even though there are announcements in English, they will sound like the following: “The next stop is Jinjiang Binguan (Jinjiang Hotel)”
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true when taking the bus in Chengdu?

阅读下面的短文并从A-G 中选出最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余项。

In the 60s, people asked about your astrological (about star) sign. In the 90s, they want to know your website.   1   Your website is an electronic meeting place for your family, friends and potentially, millions of people around the world. Best of all, you may not have to spend a cent. The Web is filled with all kinds of free services and all it takes is some time and creativity.

  2  Like the table of contents of a book or magazine, the home page is the front door. Your site can have one or more pages, depending on how you design it.

While web pages vary greatly in their design and content, most use a traditional magazine layout（版面设计）.At the top of the page is a banner(横幅). Next comes a greeting and a short description of the site. Pictures, text, and links to other websites follow.

  3  Think about whom the site is for and what you want to say. Next, gather up the material that you want to put on the site.

While there are no rules you have to follow, there are a few things to keep in mind:   4  If you are too much at the beginning, you may never get the site off the ground. You can always add to your site.

Less is better. Most people don’t like to read a lot of text online.   5 

Smaller is better. Since it can take a long time to download large image files, keep the file sizes small.

Have the rights. Don’t put any material on your site unless you are sure you can do it legally. Learn the Net’s Copyright Article for more about this.

Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start building

A．Start simply.

B．Break it into small pieces.

C．Draw a rough layout on a sheet of paper.

D．Many websites are considered very interesting.

E．Before you start building your site, do some planning.

F．Think of your home page as the starting point of your website.

G．These days, having a web address is almost as important as a street address.

Christmas is long gone. and Valentine’s Day is a distant memory. That means it's a slow time for jewelers, and a good time for you to make a purchase. Whether you’re out shopping for gold, or silver, here fife a few things you need to know:

What determines price?

The purity of the metal is one of the elements that determines the price. Gold purity is indicated with a stamp of 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K. And different countries have their own standards. For example, for a piece to be considered gold in the US, it must be at least 10K. In Britain and Canada: 9K. In Italy and France: l 8K. Anything over l 8K is really too soft for everyday wear. That’s why jewelry stores in the US sell mostly 14K.

How much can you expect to pay?

That depends on the weight of the metal and the gemstone(宝石). So keep that in mind, especially when buying online. To keep yourself from getting ripped off, ask yourself the following:

●How long has the company been around?

●What is its return policy?

● Is the jewelry featured on the website visible from all directions?

● Is the company transparent with the gram weights and the size of the gemstones?

Yellow gold? White? Rose?

Yes, it's confusing, and while this is largely a personal decision, there fife a few things to keep in mind. For starters. white or rose gold costs about l 0% more than yellow gold. If you want the “look for less”, consider gold. plated jewelry. “Gold plated” and “gold overlay” mean the same thing and guarantee a thicker layer of finish than “vermeil” which is a flash finish that is thinner and less consistent, but more affordable. Buy vermeil finished pieces you want for a season or two just to follow the fashion. For pieces you want to wear for a lifetime, solid gold is best.

What about sterling silver(标准纯银)?

Sterling silver has been。an alternative for white gold during the difficult economy, and while it used to be more popular with just the younger these days it has much more mass appeal. So much so that retailers are now offering fine gemstones with silver--something you used to see only with gold.

Keep in mind that in the US. the sterling silver standard is 92.5% real silver. Don’t buy it if there isn’t a “925” stamp on it. And keep in mind that the lower price you’re paying for silver means more maintenance. To keep silver jewelry from becoming less shiny, consider keeping a piece of chalk in your jewelry box.

1.According to the passage, the underlined phrase “getting ripped off” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_______”.

A．being charged      B．being cheated      C．being affected      D．being attracted

2.Which of the following is relatively good for only wearing a short time?

A．A 14K necklace.                        B．A gold-plated ring.

C．A vermeil ear ring.                       D．A gemstone necklace.

3.We call infer from the last paragraph that silver jewelry should be kept ________

A．in a dry place      B．in a cold place      C．in a wet place      D．in a hot place

4.The author writes the passage mainly to ________.

A．encourage young people to buy fashionable jewelry

B．tell people the best time to purchase gold and silver

C．introduce the real value and popularity of gold and silver

D．inform people of the factors to consider in buying jewelry

I’d like to share the strangest of the strange moments I’ve had here．

Back in 2003 I had a pet rabbit named Alaska．Due to the rules the landlord had set，he had to be kept in the basement(地下室)．One night I went downstairs to feed him．Keep in mind I’ve always thought the basement was frightening．As I was facing his cage and putting the bowl of water inside，a big shadow appeared behind me，as if a big，tall man were standing behind me．I turned around and nobody was there，but I got the distinct(清晰的)feeling that I was being watched．I basically dropped the water bowl and ran upstairs shouting for my mom．Ever since then I can’t go down there alone．

Once I was trying to get to sleep，and I slept with the lights off．All of sudden I wanted to leave the room eagerly，but I couldn’t get out of my bed，I was too scared．The feeling of someone looking closely at me was so upset，I was physically afraid to move or breathe．I opened my curtains to let the street light in，thinking the light would help me feel better to move．That did nothing．I must have sat there on my bed for about fifteen minutes before I got up．I didn’t sleep in there that night．I’ve never felt anything so upset!

Then there are all the little things，like seeing things in the comer of my eye，hearing doors open or close when I’m home alone，and the feeling of being watched．Once when my sister wasn’t home(we share a room)I heard someone breathing from her bed and heard the sheets rustle(沙沙声)．Last week，I felt someone patting me in the shoulder when I was alone in my room．Sometimes I’ll be looking something and I’ll see one or more contorted(扭曲的)，angry faces．

I realize that when one is looking for something to happen they can make things happen or imagine it．These are the moments in which I know nothing was imagined，so I wanted to share them and get your opinions．Thanks so much．

【小题1】The writer to the text seems to         .

A．tell us his strange experiences

B．tell us what happens in his bedroom

       C．tell us an interesting story

       D．tell us what happens in his apartment

【小题2】Which of the following may be the reason why the writer is afraid to go to the basement?

       A．Because his pet is dangerous．

       B．Because a big shadow may appear behind him．

       C．Because there is a big，tall man there．

       D．Because his landlord forbids him to go there．

【小题3】We can learn from the third paragraph that         .

       A．the writer slept with the lights on that night

       B．the street light helped the writer a lot

       C．he was too scared to get out of his bed at one time

       D．he didn’t sleep at all that night

【小题4】From the text，we can see the writer believes his experiences are              .

       A．real                            B．not real

       C．creative                         D．imaginative