When everyone in China is wearing masks (口罩) to stop the COVID-19 (新冠肺炎), many people in Western countries don’t seem to want to do the same. For example, an Italian lawmaker was criticized (批评) by his coworkers when he went to work with a mask. They said he made them nervous. But why do the East and West have different ideas about wearing masks? Let’s take a look.

Western ideas about masks

In the West, people should wear masks only when they get sick, for example. People see masks as a tool (工具) to protect sick people and stop disease from spreading (传播), so healthy people don’t need to wear them. But as the number of COVID-19 cases is growing around the world, people in the West are changing their ideas.

Mask culture in the East

In Asian countries like China and Japan, wearing masks is common. In 1910, Chinese doctor Wu Liande invented (发明) the modern medical mask. During the 2003 SARS epidemic (流行病疫), people in China and East Asia also used masks to protect themselves. 

In Japan, wearing masks shows your politeness (礼貌) when you get a cold or flu. Some Japanese also turn masks into fashion accessories (配饰). They have different colors and patterns to choose to match their clothes. Some young women wear masks when they don’t have their makeup (化妆) on.

Many pop stars in Asia also use masks to protect their privacy (隐私). This cultural and historical background has made it easier for people in the East to wear masks when epidemics break out.

【小题1】What did the coworkers think of the Italian lawmaker?

A．He was too worried to work.	B．He made other people nervous.
C．He was unwilling to go to work.	D．He was just trying to protect himself.

【小题2】In the past, people in the West wore masks when _____________.

A．they were sick	B．they were talking to doctors
C．they were shy or worried	D．they went outdoors

【小题3】Where was the modern medical mask invented?

A．In the UK.

B．In Japan.

C．In China.

D．In the US.

【小题4】The reasons why Asian people like to wear masks do NOT include ___________.

A．wearing masks to stop disease from spreading	B．protecting against air pollution
C．looking fashionable	D．protecting their privacy

【小题5】What is the story mainly about?

A．Why masks are popular in Asian culture.

B．The importance of wearing masks during epidemics.

C．Why Western people don’t wear masks during epidemics.

D．Masks mean different things in different cultures.