I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience :“ This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling errors and your writing is illegible .” It might have been a sharp criticism of the pupil’s technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad reflection on the teacher who had neglected to read the essay, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child’s deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the errors, but if his priorities had centered on the child’s ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more motivation to seek improvement.The author’s attitude towards what the teacher did is ________.

A. approving
B. positive
C. critical
D. indifferent

The general terms“high context”and“low context”(popularized by Edward Hall) are used to describe broad cultural differences between societies. High context refers to societies or groups where people have close connections over a long period of time. Many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit because most members know what to do and what to think from years of interaction with each other. Low context refers to societies where people tend to have many connections but of shorter duration or for some specific reason. In these societies, cultural behavior and beliefs may need to be spelled out explicitly so that those coming into the cultural environment know how to behave.1. What is the pattern of the paragraph?__________________________________________________________________________2. Give a brief definition for“high context”and“low context”.high context:______________________________________________________________________low context:______________________________________________________________________

In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, passion, etc., often accompanied by appropriate gestures, while Englishmen tend to display their feelings far less. This is reflected in their use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. Whereas a man of more emotional temperament might describe her as“an exquisite jewel”,“divine”,“precious”, an Englishman will flatly state “Um, she’s all right.”An Englishman who has seen a highly successful and enjoyable film recommends it to a friend by commenting,“It’s not bad, you know,”or on seeing a breathtaking landscape he might convey his pleasure by saying,“Nice, yes, very nice.”1. What is the pattern of the paragraph?_________________________________________________________________________2. List the examples that support the topic sentence.1) _______________________________________________________________________2) _______________________________________________________________________3) _______________________________________________________________________

Low- and high-context communication refers not only to individual communication strategies, but may be used to understand cultural groups. Generally, Western cultures tend to gravitate toward low-context starting points, while Eastern and Southern cultures tend to use high context communication. Within these huge categories, there are important differences and many variations. Where high-context communication tends to be featured, it is useful to pay specific attention to non-verbal cues and the behavior of others who may know more of the unstated rules governing the communication. Where low-context communication is the norm, directness is likely to be expected in return.1.What is the pattern of the paragraph?__________________________________________________________________________2. In which way is the paragraph organized,“point by point”or“subject by subject”?__________________________________________________________________________

A handshake is a short ritual in which two people grasp one of each other’s hands, in most cases accompanied by a brief up-and-down movement of the grasped hands. The handshake is commonly done upon meeting, greeting, parting, offering congratulations, expressing gratitude, or completing an agreement. Using the right hand is generally considered proper etiquette.There are various customs surrounding handshakes specific to certain cultures:• In Norway, where a firm handshake is preferred, people will most often shake hands when agreeing on deals, in both private and business relations.• In Switzerland, it may be expected to shake the women’s hands first.• In China, where a weak handshake is preferred, people shaking hands will often hold on to each other’s hands for an extended period after the initial handshake.• In Japan, it is appropriate to let the Japanese initiate the handshake, and a weak handshake is preferred.• In South Korea, a senior person will initiate a handshake, where it is preferred to be weak. It is a sign of respect to grasp the right arm with the left hand when shaking hands. It is also considered rude or disrespectful to have your free hand in your pocket while shaking hands.1. What are the patterns of the two paragraphs?__________________________________________________________________________2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?__________________________________________________________________________