We Chinese are not big huggers. A handshake or a pat on the shoulder is enough to convey our friendship or affection to one another. So when our newly-acquainted Western friends reach out in preparation for a hug, some of us feel awkward.
Many questions go through our head. Where should I put my arms? Under their armpits (胳肢窝) or around their neck? What distance should I maintain? Should our chests touch?
It’s even more difficult with friends from some European countries. Should I kiss them on the cheek while hugging? Which side? Or is it both cheeks? Which side should I start on?
But it isn’t just people from cultures that emphasize a reservedness in expressing physical intimacy(亲密) who find hugging confusing. Hugs can cause discomfort or even distress in people who value their personal space.
In a recent article for The Wall Street Journal, US psychologist Peggy Drexler said that although the US remains a “medium touch” culture — “more physically demonstrative(公开表露感情的) than Japan, where a bow is the all-purpose hello and goodbye, but less demonstrative than Latin or Eastern European cultures, where hugs are strong and can include a kiss on both cheeks”, Americans do seem to be hugging more.
From politicians to celebrities, hugs are given willy-nilly (不管愿意不愿意的）to friends, strangers and enemies alike; and the public has been quick to pick up the practice. US First Lady Michelle Obama has put her arms around icy foreign leaders like Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the Queen of England, on the latter occasion actually breaking the rule of royal manners.
But not all are grateful to be hugged, even by the most influential and famous. To them, any hug is offensive if it’s not sincere.
Amanda Hess, writing for US magazine Slate, says public figures should stop imposing hugs on everyone they meet. For them, a hug is rarely a gesture of sincere fellowship, compassion or affection. It’s all part of a show. Hugs are falsely close power plays used by public figure
s to establish their social dominance (统治力）over those in their grasp.
Cecilia Walden, a British journalist writing for The Telegraph who lives in New York, holds the same opinion. “Power-hugging”, as she calls it, is “an offender dressed up as kindness”. It has become a fashion in the US where “bosses are already embracing their staff (either shortly before or after firing them), men and women ,their friends or enemies, in a thousand cheating displays of unity”.
【小题1】From the first four paragraphs, we can see that ___________.| A．we Chinese people don’t know how to hug |
| B．people from European countries often get puzzled about hugging |
| C．people in Western countries seldom use hugs to express their physical closeness |
| D．hugs can bring pressure to people when used improperly |
| A．Americans hold a “medium touch” culture |
| B．public figures know hugging functions well in public |
| C．she is much liked by American people |
| D．hugs are forbidden in England |
| A．hugs are only used sincerely by some people with power |
| B．hugging is powerful to bosses in US |
| C．public figures sometimes use hugging just for a show of power |
| D．public figures can hug anyone in their grasp freely |
| A．Hugs, vital or not? |
| B．Hugs, tricky affair? |
| C．Hugs and public figures |
| D．Hugs and power |
The pair were on hand for the International and Heriage Languages Association’s (IHLA) 12th annual Mother Language Day celebrations in an effort to save endangered languages.
“Keeping languages alive is important for me richness of our culture and the diversity that strengthens Edmonton,” said Iveson.
There are nearly 7,000 unique languages spoken worldwide, but according to data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) half of those languages are at risk of going extinct in just a few generations.
For example, there are currently over 3,000 languages spoken throughout Africa. This sounds impressive until you realize that there were over 10,000 languages spoken on the continent before colonization during the 19th century.
“People who lose their language experience suffering,” said Olenka Bilash, professor of second language education at the University of Alberta. Bilash likened the loss of language to the loss of cultural identity.
“As a multicultural society, it is very important to continue to preserve and pass on to future generations the language, culture, traditions and customs that we bring to Canada, ” said IHLA president Olga Prokhorova.
While the City of Edmonton’s citizen and new arrival centre in city hall provides services in 150 languages, Bilash said research shows that “most people are still uncomfortable speaking their own language in public spaces.”
Bliash hopes the official announcement of International Mother Language Day in Edmonton——which echoes International Mother Language Day declared by UNESCO in 1999 —— will be a step toward encouraging more language diversity in order to preserve the cultures tied to them.
“Our words define us; our expressions and vocabulary define who we are as people,” said Marueen Kubinec, Alberta’s minister of culture and tourism. “Our words are living examples, perhaps the best that there are, of human creativity.”
【小题1】The example of the languages in Africa is given to show .
| A．there’re many languages in Arica. |
| B．a great number of languages became extinct. |
| C．Africa believes in encouraging cultural diversity. |
| D．Africans are trying to save endangered languages. |
| A．mastering more than one foreign language. |
| B．public policy on Canadian traditions and customs. |
| C．protecting languages and cultures from extinction. |
| D．the official announcement of IMLD by UNESCO. |
| A．Suggests. | B．Creates. |
| C．Celebrates. | D．Imitates. |
| A．Your language is your identity. |
| B．Native language is disappearing. |
| C．Alberta is rich in language diversity. |
| D．Language can be saved by creativity. |
When it comes to your life , the opinion of others should matter very little . I am not talking about your friends and family , but others who have no importance in your reality – like your social peers and others like them . They are unimportant to your life , and yet you secretly struggle for approval at the cost of your own . Remember , your opinion is king .
Start by being your true self . Allowing your true self to appear and connect with people on a more real level helps them in turn do the same with you . There is openness and honesty in the interaction . At the end of the day this is what we all want – the joy of true and meaningful connections .
Next , evaluate your decisions . Are they representing who you are or are they the result of other people’s opinion ? Practice your ability not to be affected by pressure and learn to take nothing personally . When we are bothered by outer criticisms , it influences and changes our behavior . Don’t look to others for guidance on how to behave . Don’t look for approval . If you don’t need approval , you won’t have a reason to try to impress people or be impressed by them .
And finally , be real in EVERY situation . As you express your real self , others will think highly of you and the few who don’t – don’t matter anyway . Be willing to be judged , and then not take it to heart . If all this is a bit scary , then start small . Rather than not caring at all what others think , start by just caring a little less . No one outside your inner circle should get a vote or pass judgment or have influence on how you live your life .
【小题1】The text is especially helpful for those who want to __________ .
| A．enlarge friend circle |
| B．speak highly of others |
| C．remain unaffected by others’ opinions |
| D．develop the ability to make wise decisions |
| A．get honest relations | B．gain courage |
| C．take nothing too personal | D．avoid criticisms |
| A．Care about no one’s opinion . |
| B．Look for guidance on behaviors . |
| C．Impress people by making changes . |
| D．Start by taking others’ judgment less seriously . |
America’s greatest technological achievement, the Hoover Dam, now has a companion piece, a bridge held up by the longest arch in the Western Hemisphere(半球). The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened this month and connects the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, crosses the vast chasm(峡谷)890 feet above the Colorado River that is controlled by the dam.
The striking 1,900-foot-long structure will improve traffic in the region and help protect the dam from being destroyed. It is the seventh highest bridge in the world, behind four in China, one in Papua New Guinea and one in the US state of Colorado.
“The Hoover Dam is the greatest civil engineering achievement in America’s history,” said the bridge project manager Dave Zanatell. “Our goal was not to outdo or outshine it. Our goal was to, in a respectful way, do something that would be great for our generation and that would stand besides Hoover Dam in a respectful and quality way that would become a part of Hoover’s legacy(遗产).”
Just as the Hoover Dam was built in the heart of the Great Depression(大萧条)and was seen as an example of the nation’s can-do spirit, some hope this project can also provide someuplift.
The bridge is surprising: at 1,050 feet, its support arch holds up a roadway that lies on 300-foot-long concrete pillars(柱子), some of the tallest in the world. It contains 16 million pounds of steel.
The idea of the bridge came into being in the 1960s because the top of the Hoover Dam has been a narrow two-lane road that is the fastest route from Arizona to Las Vegas and then the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
Access to the dam from each direction is a dangerously winding route, but massive trucks and passenger vehicles shared it for decades. During the day, when thousands of tourists travel to the dam from Las Vegas three times as many accidents as on a normal road will happen.
The bridge has a sidewalk on the side facing the dam. The wall on both sides is 54 inches high, so walkers can take photos there.
【小题1】Which of the following is true of the Hoover Dam?| A．It was completed recently. |
| B．It was built during the hard times. |
| C．It has the longest arch. |
| D．It’s the seventh highest dam in the world. |
| A．To protect the dam. | B．To save the cultures. |
| C．To outdo the dam. | D．To develop the tourism. |
| A．lift of the heavy object | B．support in money |
| C．spiritual encouragement | D．instruction in technology |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
| A．the Hoover Dam |
| B．American western development |
| C．a tour along the Colorado River |
| D．a recently built bridge |
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