阅读理解

　　Although gifts play an important role in business around the world, you run the risk of offending(冒犯)a colleague if you present an inappropriate gift．In many eyes, a poor gift choice is worse than not offering a gift at all．

　　Every culture has specific items that are considered taboo(忌讳)or bad luck．Many of these traditions aren't followed as much these days by the younger generations or within more modem and global companies．However, it's a good idea to be careful when you're deciding on a gift, particularly if the recipient is an older person．

　　Here are some gifts that you should avoid in certain parts of the world：

　　Europe：Red roses symbolize a romantic relationship in many parts of Europe．An arrangement containing 13 flowers is considered bad luck in Germany and Switzerland．In addition, the preference is for flower arrangements to have an even number of flowers．

　　China：Sharp objects symbolize the cutting off of the relationship．Clocks are not appropriate because the Chinese phrase to give a clock sounds the same as to attend a dying parent．Handkerchiefs imply sadness．Never give an odd(奇数)number of an item; odd numbers symbolize separation, loneliness, and death．Do not bring food when you're invited to a meal because that implies your host cannot provide enough food．

　　The Middle East：Buying alcohol is forbidden in the Islamic faith, so don't present wine to your host．Pigs are banned because they're considered scavengers, so you shouldn't bring pork products, either．

　　India：Cows are sacred in India, so items made from cowhide are very offensive．

　　Latin America：Since some of the world's finest leather goods are made in Latin America, it would be insulting to bring leather from another country．Also, chrysanthemums(菊花), white asters, carnations(康乃馨), and yellow and purple flowers are sent only for funerals(葬礼)．

　　Korea and Japan：Don't give items in groups of four or nine．The words in Korean and Japanese that sound the same as the words for four and nine are related to death．In Japan, individual flowers are only for courting, death, or an illness．

　　Germany, Switzerland, and Scandinavia：Keep your gifts simple．Large and expensive gifts are considered tasteless．

　　Vice premier Wu Yi poses for a group photo with women at home and abroad in Beijing on March 7, 2006．

　　She is known as “China’s iron lady”, but impresses the world with her soft tone and charming smiles．

　　She dreamed of becoming a great entrepreneur(企业家)in her youth, but turned into the only female figure in China’s core(核心)of political power．

　　Elegant and intelligent, Vice-PremierWuYi, 67, is the world’s third most powerful woman, according to a Forbes magazine list published on Friday．It also said German Chancellor Angela Merkel overtook US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as the world’s most powerful woman, with Rice ranking the second．

　　But Wu is not the only influential Chinese woman to feature on the list．She is joined by Wu Xiaoling, 59, vice-governor of the People’s Bank of China, and Yang Mianmian, 65, chairwoman and executive director at the Haier Group, the world’s fourth-largest manufacturer of household appliances．They respectively(分别)rank 35th and 70th on the list of the world’s 100 most powerful women．

　　China’s resource-starved and fast-paced economy has kept Vice-Premier Wu busy this year, the US-based magazine said．

　　“Among the issues on her very full plate are addressing intellectual copyright concerns and trade imbalances while developing new markets, ” it said．

　　She announced more than US＄18 billion worth of government contracts(协议), including an estimated US＄5 billion order for Boeing aircraft, while visiting the United States in April．

　　She also travelled to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on an official goodwill visit, part of international efforts to settle the DPRK nuclear issue．

　　“In my eyes, Wu is a wise and capable woman, and a little bit aggressive．Her kind smiles always give others a sense of security,” said Chen Ruya, who works for a foreign consultancy company in Beijing．

　　“Her outstanding performances in China’s diplomatic activities guaranteed her place on the list, ”Chen said．

　　Besides Wu, Merkel and Rice, the rest of the top 10 are business executives, led by the chief executive-designate of PepsiCo, Indian-born and educated Indra Nooyi．

　　In its assessment(评估)of Wu Xiaoling, Forbes said, “no other woman is more powerful in the world of finance in China than Wu Xiaoling．”

　　Yang Mianmian is one of China’s most powerful businesswomen．She became chairwoman and an executive director of Haier in January last year．“Our long-term goal is to become a global top three white goods manufacturer,” Yang wrote in an April letter to shareholders．