Unit1 A land of diversity
Ⅰ.阅读理解
UnlikeChina,wherethemajorityofsocietybelongstotheHanethnicgroup,theUnitedStatesishometopeoplefrommanydifferentethnicandculturalbackgrounds,creatinggreatdiversitywithinitslivelysociety.
However,historicaleventsthatcreatedthisdiversityalsoledtoracialdisputesandprejudicethathavelasteduntiltoday.ArounddayslikeMartinLutherKingJr.Day,peopleintheUSareespeciallynsitivetoracistcommentsandbehaviour.
Recently,aFacebookmessagepostedbyawhitestudentatmyboardingschoolstartedawaveofangeramongAfricanAmericanstudentsandstartedheatedconversationsaboutminoritygroupsattheschool.
ThestudentspostedanarticlewrittenbysomeoneelwhostatedthatRobertE.Lee,aconfederategeneralduringtheUSCivilWar,shouldbecommemorated(纪念).AstheConfederacybrokefromtheUnioninordertokeepslaveryintheirstates,theywereusuallyenasracists.Thepostreceivedafloodofcommentsfrombothwhiteandblackstudentswithinminutes,andconversationsaboutthetopicspreadacrosscampusquickly.
Afishbowlconversationwasorganizedtheeveningthatthearticlewasposted,andstudentsandfaculty(学院)memberstalkedabouttheirfeelingsandopinions.Duringthediscussion,studentsfromminoritygroups,includingAfricanAmerican,Jewish,AsianandIndianstudents,spokeupabouthowtheyfeltaboutlivinginasocietymainlymadeupofpeoplewhoaredifferentfromthem.Itturnedoutthatmanypeoplefeltisolatedbecauoftheirdifferencesfromotherpeople.
Thediversityofsocietycanopenupinterestingopportunities,butthegreatdifferencesbetweenpeoplecanalsocreatehugegapsandmisunderstandingsiftheyarenottreatedcarefully.Thus,effectivecommunicationisntial.
Afterthefishbowlconversation,theatmosphereintheschoolemedtobechanging,atleastfrommypointofview.Studentmedtobetalkingandactingmorefreelythanbefore,andtheexpressionsofjudgementwereenlessontheirfaces.
1.WhatisthemainpurpoofParagraph1?
A.DrawattentiontothefactthatracialproblemsstillexistinAmerica.
B.ShowthattheUnitedStateshasawonderfullydiverculture.
C.ExplainhownsitivepeopleintheUSaretoracistcommentsandbehaviour.
D.PointoutthedifferencesbetweenAmericancultureandthoofothercountries.
2.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisTRUE?
A.Thepostwasoffensivetoblackstudents.
B.ThepostwasaimedatAfricanAmericanstudents.
C.Theauthorofthepostwasstronglyinfavourofslavery.
D.Theauthorofthepostheldanegativeattitudetowardsminoritygroups.
3.Accordingtothearticle,whatwasthefishbowlconversationheldmainlyfor?
A.Figureoutwhetherthearticleshouldbepostedornot.
B.Educatestudentsonhowtoexpresstheiropinionsappropriately.
C.Improvethelivesofpeoplewhobelongtominoritygroupsoncampus.
D.Getpeopletocommunicatehowtheyfeltandthoughtaboutthepost.
4.Whatdidtheauthorlearnfromtheincident?
A.Weshouldlearntolivewithothersdifferences.
B.Weshouldalwaysfeelfreetoshareourfeelings.
C.Effectivecommunicationisveryimportantinadiversociety.
D.Ifthereisnodifference,thenthereisnomisunderstanding.
Ⅱ.阅读七选五
根据短文内容, 从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Peoplearepeople
Globalizationhasbroughtdifferentculturestogetherinawayunimaginably.Today,Chine,Indians,Arabs,Africans,Anglos,andHispanicsmayallworkinthesameoffices,attendthesameschoolsorliveinthesameneighbourhoods. 1 Andoursocietyhaslatelyemphasized(强调)theimportanceofdiversity.
2 Takethefollowingoldproverbsforexample.
“Honestyisthefirstchapterinthebookofwisdom.” ThomasJefferson,AmericanPresident
“Onefalhoodspoilsathousandtruths.” Africanproverb
“Behonesttothowhoarehonest,andbealsotothowhoarenothonest.” LaoTzu,Chinephilosopher
“Asacrificeiswrittenoffbyalieandthemeritofdevotionbyanactofcheat.” Hindusaying
3 Theemtobeasortofculturalunity.
Wedontwishtoimplythatallculturesarethesame.Culturaldiversityisreal,andpeoplefromdifferentculturesviewmanysituationsindifferentways.However,historically,differentculturemtosharemanycommonvalues.Theyarejustice,courage,patience,generosity,equality,mercyandkindness,respectfortheelders,andmanymore.Lyingandstealingappeartobewrongnomatterwhereyougo.Perhapssomeculturesmakeroomforextenuating(情有可原的)circumstancesmorethanothers;perhapsculturesapplythevirtuesindifferentways;andwhenvaluesdisagree,differentculturesmayplacedifferentlevelsofimportanceonthem. 4 Butbothculturesmaystillvalueboth.
Tous,itemsasifthereissomesortofcodeofrightandwrongthateveryoneeverywhereemstounderstand,regardlessofculture.Itisalmostasif,behindallofthediversity,onefindsacommonunderstanding—ahumanculture,ifyouwill—thatgoesbeyondracial,social,andpoliticalboundaries. 5
