It is easy to understand the way a culture approaches disagreements by looking at the communication styles in that culture. In societies where open discussion is encouraged, conflict is much more common and accepted. On the other hand, cultures that strive to reduce conflicts and maintain harmony do not see such interaction appropriate, particularly in the workplace.

In Australia, Great Britain, and the United States, for example, disagreements are considered a natural part of communication. People in these countries typically have open and honest discussions, even if people’s differences of opinion lead to confrontation(对抗，对立). In business setting, this may mean debating with a colleague or a supervisor over the approach to a task. Or, co-workers might have a discussion about whether an agenda(议程)item during a meeting is suitable or not. Conflict is not necessarily negative ，though. And many people feel that debating an issue is as rewarding as resolving it. Successful conflict resolution(冲突解决) is also seen as a valuable skill, most people at the management level are expected to be very good at handling conflicts that arise in the workplace.

The Asian style of communication is quite different. In almost parts of eastern Asia, individuals present their ideas and then wait for others to do the same. They prefer to seek agreement from a group without rejecting another’s opinions out loud. In business meetings, subordinates (下级) will hardly disagree openly with their supervisor. This shows respect for supervisor, and it reflects the cultural importance placed on politeness and building harmony and trust.

1. The best title for this passage is ______.

A. Approaching Disagreements                    B. Differences of Opinion

C. Culture and Communication                    D. Conflict Resolution

2. In Australia, people would consider disagreement______.

A. a negative part of communication             B. necessary in their communication

C. normal and beneficial                            D. Unimportant in communication

3. Which of the following is true according to the author?

A. Subordinates in the USA don’t try to show their respect in the supervisors.

B. Asian people at management level are not good at handling conflicts.

C. People in Asia always try to avoid conflicts.

D. People in some western countries like to have conflicts.

4. What does the underlined word “harmony” probably mean?

A. Difference           B. Agreement     C. Respects        D. Communication

 

 Japan's 24-hour convenience stores, already struggling with lagging sales and growth, may soon face yet another threat - moves to limit business hours and close the stores late at night. The district of Saitama, which borders Tokyo, may follow in the footsteps of the western city of Kyoto and urge convenience stores to close during late night hours in an effort to limit carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）emissions, Japanese media reported.

 Kyoto, a former capital, wants to persuade convenience and other 24-hour stores to close late at night so as to improve evening views of the city and cut down on energy use. The Nikkei business daily said closures could last from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. The move is strongly opposed by the industry, which fears a bad impact on an already troubled sector also grappling with the specter of a higher tobacco tax, which could hit overall sales.

 "Even if we only operate the stores for 16 hours, we can't stop the refrigerators," said Toshiro Yamaguchi, the president of Seven-Eleven Japan Co, which is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co Ltd, at a news conference in Saitama on Tuesday. He said such cuts in operating hours would reduce each store's profit by 20 percent. "If this happens, our current business model will lose its foundation."

 Analysts said that while it is difficult to estimate the potential impact of the move without a concrete plan, their overall impression was that it was likely to be negative. "This could cut profits and lead to less efficient operations and the increased loss of opportunities," said Masafumi Shoda, an analyst at Nomura Securities. "But it depends on the store -- urban stores do better than others. There are some in the countryside that are inefficient."

 Some have suggested that if governments were sincere about reducing carbon emissions there were much more efficient methods, such as cutting back on the huge number of automatic vending machines（自动售货机）

1.Which of the followings was the first to try to limit convenience store hours?

 A. Saitama               B. Tokyo   C. Kyoto   D. Nomura Security

2.What's the main goal of the proposal?

  A. To give employees more free time.

  B. To limit carbon dioxide emissions.

  C. To sell more tobacco products.

  D. To reduce each store’s profit.

3.How's the convenience store sector doing in Japan?

 A. It is not mentioned.    B. It's doing great. Business is booming.

 C. Not very well.        D. It’s about to close.

4.According to the passage, which convenience stores are generally more successful?

 A. The ones in big cities.     B. The ones in the countryside.

 C. The ones in Tokyo.       D. The ones in Saitama.

5.According to the convenience store industry, what impact would closing for the night have on a typical store?

  A. It could cause a 10% increase in sales.

  B. Its effect would be maximal. It would close soon.

  C. Its effect would be minimal. People would simply shop earlier.

  D. It could cause a 20% decrease in profits.

 

No one wants to look silly or do the wrong thing at a new job. It’s important to make the right impression (印象) from the first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place. It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are seven tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job:

1. First impression is important. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has a dress code. If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what you wear, always be neat (整洁) and clean.

2. Get to work on time. Employers value workers who come to work on time. Give yourself an extra 15 minutes to make sure you arrive on time.

3. Pay attention to introduction. One of the first things that your supervisor (主管) may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss isn’t around.

4. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what your are expected to do. If he or she has not told you your job duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself.

5. Don't make personal phone calls. You should never make personal phone calls to your friends and family unless it's an emergency.

6. Don’t take too long for lunch. What’s the lunch-hour policy at your new job? You can find out from your supervisor or your company’s personnel department(人事部门). For example, do people eat at their desks or does everyone take a full hour outside the workplace?

7. Never be the first one to leave. Observe how your co-workers behave around quitting (离开) time. It does no good for you to be eager to leave.

1.Which is the best title for the passage?

  A. Tips On First Days At a New Job    B. How to Do a Job Well

  C. Be the Last to Leave              D. Ways to Find a New Job

2. From the last two paragraphs, we can infer that the most important rule we should follow is ______.

 A. to have lunch outside the workplace   B. to do as other people do

 C. not to be the first to leave after work   D. to pay attention to introductions

3.The underlined phrase “a dress code” (Para. 2) means ______.

A. a beautiful dress        B. a place where a dress can be placed 

C. a neat and clean dress    D. a rule about what you can wear to work

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. You should not make personal calls unless very necessary.

B. Co-workers will be important to you when the boss is out.

C. You shouldn’t ask any questions in case you trouble others.

D. Leave an extra 15 minutes earlier to make sure you won’t be late.

 

Edinburgh Mela

Time: 25th – 31st August 2008

Tel / Fax: 0131 557 1400

E-mail: info@edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Website: www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Each year Edinburgh Mela is Scotland’s biggest multicultural（多文化的）arts festival that celebrates in Scotland. Although Edinburgh Mela’s roots are in South Asian cultures, this is a festival for everybody. Music, colour, dance, art, fashion, food, children’s activities, the Mela bazaar（集市）and much more!

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Time: 9th – 25th August 2008

Tel: 0131 718 5666

Fax: 0131 226 5335

E-mail: admin@edbookfest.co.uk

Website: www.edbookfest.co.uk

Edinburgh International Book Festival is the world’s biggest book festival. We present different programs for both adults and children including discussions, lectures, debates and workshops, all in one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful spaces, Charlotte Square Gardens.

Edinburgh International Festival

Time: 8th – 31st August 2008

Tel: + 44 (0) 131 473 2000

Fax: +44 (0) 131 473 2002

E-mail: eif@eif.co.uk

Website: www.eif@eif.co.uk

Each year the Edinburgh International Festival stages one of the greatest celebrations of the arts, attracting audiences from around the world to the city’s exciting atmosphere. The festivities offer a special opportunity to experience the excitement of live performance by internationally well-known artists as well as the joy of discovering new and unfamiliar works.

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Time: 25th March-5th April 2008

Tel: 0131 558 7666                                

Fax: 0131 557 9177

E-mail: esf@scifest.demon.co.uk

Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

The UK’s largest Science Festival is back with one of the most exciting line-ups in the Festival’s 16-year history. The Science Festival is an unbelievable place for everyone, with events at all levels, all ages and all purses. On offer are 10 days of non-stop shows workshops, presentations, hands-on activities, exhibitions and tours designed to amuse and entertain. Call our ticket hotline on 0131 557 5588.

1.According to the passage, the four festivals         .

A. are all about arts                                                 B. all happen in 2008 only

C. are all celebrated in Edinburgh                      D. are all mainly for children

2.What do we know about Edinburgh Mela?

A. It is deeply rooted in Edinburgh.                   B. It is a place to buy and sell things.

C. It shows kinds of cultures in Scotland.            D. It offers a chance for you to buy books.

3. How many ways are available for you to get the information about each festival?

A. Only one.                 B. Two.                 C. Three.               D. Four.

4.If you want to book tickets to Edinburgh International Science Festival, you’d better dial       .

A. 0131 557 5588                                            B. 0131 558 7666         

C. + 44 (0) 131 473 2000                                  D. 0131 557 1400

 

The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is a wake-up call. It is a call for every American to pay attention to the destruction we risk by allowing human-induced(导致的) climate change to continue. It is impossible to prove that Hurricane Katrina was caused by global warming, or even that human activities made the storm more severe. However, a paper published in the scholarly journal Nature reports that the force of dangerous hurricanes has increased by 50% during the last 50 years. It also reports that a global warming-induced rise in temperature near the ocean’s surface has probably contributed to this increase in dangerous storms, and thus to property(财产) damage and human death.

On August 30, the Los Angeles Times summed up(总结) the view of many scientists who agree that if the frequency of hurricanes does not decrease in the next few years, then we will be fairly certain that humans, and not natural storm cycle, are at the root of the problem. I believe there is at least a chance that by reducing U.S. reliance on fossil fuels for energy, we can prevent future tragedies like Hurricane Katrina. Let the change begin now.

There are many ways to reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions. My family drives the most fuel-efficient car we can afford, but I prefer to take public transportation whenever possible. My family buys locally grown food instead of produce that was transported thousands of miles on fuel-burning vehicles. We also replaced our incandescent light bulbs（白炽灯泡）with more energy-efficient compact fluorescents（荧光灯）. This might sound like a trivial move, but the Union of Concerned Scientists reports that if every household in the United States replaced one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent, it would have the same effect on U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions as removing 7.5 million cars from the roads. Now think if every household replaced not just one but all of their incandescent bulbs!

The United States, with just five percent of the world’s population, is responsible for close to one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, yet our country is doing far less than most European nations to fight global warming. We don’t have to sacrifice our lifestyles; Europeans enjoy the same standards of living as Americans. So what are we waiting for? It is time to act.

1. Which of the following is a fact?

A．Hurricane Katrina was caused by global warming.

B．Human activities made the storm more severe.

C．The force of dangerous hurricanes has increased by 50 percent during the last 50 years.

D．A global rise in temperature near the ocean’s surface accounts for more dangerous storms.

2.From Paragraph 2 we can infer that many scientists agree ________.

A．it might be human activities that lead to global warming.

B．natural storm cycles have caused global warming.

C．hurricanes are likely to come more frequently.

D．burning fossil fuels for energy is a better alternative.

3. If every household in the U.S. replaced all their incandescent bulbs, ________.

A．it would have the same effect as removing 7.5 million cars from the roads.

B．it would save 7.5 million tons of carbon-dioxide from going into the air.

C．this would reduce the total output of CO?emissions in huge amounts.

D．cars will be much more environmentally friendly.

4. According to the writer,_______in reducing the volume of greenhouse gas emissions.

A．Europe does a better job.

B．Europe should follow the example of America.

C．he, as an European, wants to see more efforts made by Americans.

D．Europeans should shoulder a greater responsibility.