I have a rule for travel-never carry a map. I prefer to ask for direction.

Foreign visitors are often puzzled (困惑的) in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”   

In the country of the American Midwest, usually there are not many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”

People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure (测量) distance by telling time. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.

People in Mexico never answer “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan think that “I don’t know” is not polite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A visitor can get very, very lost in Yucatan!

One thing will help you everywhere. You might not understand a person’s words, but maybe you can understand his or her body language. He or she will usually turn and then point in the correct direction. Go in that direction, and you may find the post office!

【小题1】What do you think the word “landmarks” means? It means ________.

A．street names	B．building names
C．hotels, markets and bus stops	D．buildings or places which are easily seen

【小题2】In which place do people tell distance by telling time?

A．Japan.	B．The American Midwest.
C．Los Angeles, California.	D．Mexico.

【小题3】Which of the following is wrong?

A．Travelers can learn about people’s customs (习俗) by asking questions about directions.

B．People in some places give directions in miles, but people in other places give directions by telling time.

C．A person’s body language can help you understand directions.

D．People in different places always give directions in the same way-they use street names.