People give gifts in almost all societies. Gifts mark anniversaries, religious festivals and other important occasions. Sometimes there are even special ceremonies for gift giving. Some gifts are expensive, or they may take months to create.【小题1】 What do these different kinds of gifts and gift-giving occasions have in common?

【小题2】 If you receive a birthday gift from someone, that person usually expects a birthday gift from you in return. A gift establishes or confirms a social obligation (责任). In some cultures, there are complex rules about gift exchange. In Pakistan, for example, there is a rule for giving gifts on special occasions, such as a wedding.【小题3】 It works this way; You give the wedding couple a gift, and they “repay” you with a gift of slightly higher value. Then you give the couple another gift. This one should be worth the difference between the first two gifts, plus a little more. The gift exchange continues, following the same pattern.

Sometimes gift giving is a form of tribute (贡品).【小题4】 In many ancient cultures, people made offerings to their leaders to show their loyalty. The Nubians in ancient Egypt are a good example. They brought gold to the Egyptian pharaohs, or kings.

Today ambassadors, presidents, and prime ministers usually bring gifts when they visit a foreign leader. This tradition is different from the tribute system. Leaders bring gifts to strengthen relationships between countries, not to emphasize the power of the gift receiver.

Gifts can also send special messages. For example, gifts can tell people that we are thinking of them and that we want them to feel special.【小题5】 The gift keeps the memory of a special person and a special relationship alive.