Jed couldn't keep the tears running down his face. His friend, Rob, wanted to help, but the more he talked about it, the worse , led felt. “I know how terrible you must feel, ”Rob said.“Everyone on the team thought the coach（教练）would choose you. He must be crazy（疯狂）to let Tom swim the breaststroke（蛙泳）!”When the coach told him about the date and place of the state swimming meeting for boys of 15 and under, Jed was sure he would be swimming the breaststroke. He even told his family that the team couldn't win the event without him. When the coach chose Tom Timmaons, the new boy from Springfield, to swim the breaststroke, Jed could hardly believe it. Coach Robertson told Jed he could swim on the relay team, but that offered little Consolation. I may leave the team, he told Rob.“I'd rather not swim at all than be on the relay team.”“I don't know whether you should do that or not, ”Rob saie.“We need you on the relay team. Of course, if you say you won't swim at all, the coach may change his mind and let you swim the breaststroke.”Jed left Rob and headed towards home. He knew it would be embarrassing（尴尬）to have to tell his family and his friends that someone else would take his place. He wondered if he should make up a story and tell his morn and dad that he asked the coach to put the new boy in. Jed didn't know what to do.

[　　]

A．Rob failed to help Jed

B．Jed didn't want to swim the breaststroke at all

C．Tom would swim on the relay team

D．the coach chose both Jed and Tom for the breaststroke

[　　]

A．something that makes you feel sad

B．something that makes you feel better

C．another chance to swim the breaststroke

D．another chance to be on the relay team

[　　]

A．Too Good to Swim

B．It's Terrible to Be out

C．The Coach and Jed

D．The Relay Team

[　　]

A．the coach didn't like him

B．he was not good enough to swim

C．he wanted Tom to swim instead of him

D．his friend Rob wanted to swim

[　　]

A．Jed should have the chance to swim the breaststroke

B．the coach made a clever decision

C．Jed should ask for help from his mom and dad

D．Tom should be on the relay team

Close contacts between Japan and the rest of the world were created in the twentieth century. In the last forty years, business contacts between Japan and the West have become very important. Many foreign companies now have offices in Japan and Japanese businessmen do business around the world. Differences between Japanese and Western ways of doing business, however, often bewilder foreign businessmen and make doing business in Japan difficult for foreigners.
　　The American businessman, for example, wants to start talking business immediately. He does not want to wait. The Japanese businessman， on the other hand， likes to arrive at decisions after giving them serious thought. Another thing foreign businessmen have difficulty in understanding is when a Japanese means “Yes” or “No”. This is because of cultural differences between Japanese and Western society(社会)， Which make it difficult for a Japanese to say “No” directly.
In the USA， it is easy to say “No” to something one does not want to do. But in Japan， it is very difficult to say “No”. To refuse an invitation or a request(请求) with “No” is felt to be impolite. It is thought to be selfish and unfriendly. So instead of saying “No” directly， the Japanese have developed many ways to avoid(避免) saying “No”. These can help them avoid hurting other people’s feelings. However， this often makes their ways of doing business rather difficult for foreigners to understand and follow.
【小题1】What often makes foreigners feel difficult to do business in Japan?

My daughter Eyen is ten years old. She is in Grade Three in a primary school. She is a cute girl though(虽然) she has some strange ideas sometimes.

One day she asks me, “Mum, what is your favorite subject?” I think for a while and answer, “It is difficult to tell. I love singing, so music is my favorite. And I am good at English. My history teacher also says I am excellent. Well, I can say I don’t like science. But science is important for us, you know. So you must do well in it. What is your favorite subject , Eyen? Tell me something about your subjects, dear.”

“ I like Chinese. It is easy. I like English because my English teacher likes me very much. I can’t stand(忍受) Maths. It is serious(严肃的) and sad.”

“Do you mean your Maths teacher is serious and sad?”

“No, it is Maths, not the Maths teacher.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because Maths has so many problems(问题)! Isn’t it sad all day?”

1.Eyen is ________years old. She is a _________.

A. ten; middle school student B. nine; middle school student

C. nine; primary school student 　D. ten; primary school student

2.The mother doesn’t like _________ though it is important.

A. musicB. Maths 　　C. English D. science

3.The girl thinks _________ is serious and sad.

A. her Maths teacher 　　B. Maths 　　 C. her Chinese teacher 　 D. Chinese

4.Why doesn’t the girl like Maths?

A. Because it is too easy . 　　　　 B. Because it is difficult to learn.

C. Because there aren’t many problems in it. D. Because her teacher doesn’t like her at all.

5.What does the underlined word “excellent” mean?

A. Very good. B. Very sad. C. Very bad.D. Very easy.