In America, an expensive gift is definitely out, which is considered a waste．An appropriate alternate to a gift is to take the deserving person to dinner, or to an entertainment or sporting event．On the contrary, gift giving is an institution and a revered custom in Japan．According to Business Tokyo magazine, among the Japanese "gift giving is a necessity, not merely a nicety as in the West．" In Japan the proper gift is thought to express the giver's true friendship, gratitude, and respect far better than words can．So if you plan to visit Japan or to have Japanese visit you here, be prepared．
So you know gift giving plays a very important role in nowadays society．Now let's see what's happened in other countries．
Australia
Australia is known for its friendly informality and lack of pretentiousness．So modest gifts, such as a business diary, a paperweight, or a coffee mug might be presented as a memento(纪念物)of a visit of business meeting．At a trade show, T-shirts, ties, baseball caps, or a pin may be appropriate mementos．Anything more than these types of gifts could cause embarrassment．
Greece
The most common form of showing appreciation in Greece is probably an evening's entertainment．If you do present a gift, avoid personal items, such as ties and shirts．If you are invited to a Greek home, flowers or a cake for the hostess are an appropriate gift．
Germany
Social gift giving is popular and well-established in Germany but has certain do's and don'ts．
Flowers are often taken to a hostess of a dinner party at her home, but there are three taboos to remember：1)red roses signify a romantic interest; 2)an even number of flowers signifies bad luck, as does the number thirteen; 3)and always unwrap the flowers before presenting them．This West Virginia was making what amounted to a pass at his customer's wife．
When visiting a German home, gifts that reflect your home country are popular, and you might want to bring small gifts for the children of the family you are visiting．
Gifts are customarily wrapped and many Germans spend considerable time designing elegant wrappings．Most shops offer gift-wrapping services, too．
Italy
When you are invited to a person's home for dinner, it might be nice to bring flowers or a box of chocolates for your hostess, although it is just as considerate to have the flowers sent the next day．
Yellow roses can signify "jealousy"．And in Italy never send chrysanthemums, since they suggest death．
(1)
What does the passage mainly discuss?
[ ]
A．
Customs of sending gifts in western countries．
B．
Table manners in western countries．
C．
Westerners' human relations．
D．
Westerners' various entertainments．
(2)
One most uncommon gift in America might be ________．
[ ]
A．
a cheap coffee cup
B．
an invitation to dinner
C．
something too expensive
D．
an interesting book
(3)
Giving gifts is a respected custom in ________．
[ ]
A．
America
B．
Greece
C．
Italy
D．
Japan
(4)
Which of the following is a proper gift giving?
[ ]
A．
Sending your Italian friend yellow roses．
B．
Presenting your business partner a diary in Australia．
C．
Buying your friend a new shirt as a gift in Greece．
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