A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to re

A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self made man—the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts,usually beginning by working with his hands.While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and commands greater respect in the community than the common labourer or even the skilled factory worker,he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or labourer of some sort.

This attitude toward manual(体力的) labour is now still seen in many aspects of American life.One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even luxuriously(豪华地)furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel,expensive hobbies,and college education for the children;yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself,will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward,furthermore the dinner will not consist merely of something quickly and easily assembled from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery.On the contrary,the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes.A professional man may talk about washing the car,digging in his flowerbeds,painting the house.His wife may even help with these things,just as he often helps her with the dishwashing.The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living,or during the summer he may work with a construction gang on a highway in order to pay for his education.

1.From paragraph 1,we can know that in America_________.

A.people tend to have a high opinion of the self?made man        

B.people can always rise to the top through their own efforts        

C.college professors win great respect from common workers        

D.people feel painful to mention their fathers as labourers        

According to the passage,the hostess cooks dinner herself mainly because_________.

A.servants in America are hard to get

B.she takes pride in what she can do herself        

C.she can hardly afford servants

D.it is easy to prepare a meal with canned food        

3.The expression“wait on table” in the second paragraph means“_________”.

A.work in a furniture shop

B.keep accounts for a bar

C.wait to lay the table

D.serve customers in a restaurant

4.Which of the following may serve as the best title of the passage?        

A.A Respectable Self made Family          B.American Attitude toward Manual Labour

C.Characteristics of American Culture    D.The Development of Manual Labour

试题答案

1----4    ABDB      

解析:

1.这是一道段落主旨题。从第一段的内容可知，整段都是围绕第一句话展开的，因而第一句话是这一段的主题句，说明在美国对手工工人很尊敬。答案为A。

2.这是一道细节题。第二段倒数第四句说明女主人自己做饭的原因是她们为自己能动手做饭而感到骄傲。答案为B。

3.这是一道词义猜测题。根据“wishes for his living”可推测出“wait on table”的意思是在饭店里当招待员。答案为D。

4.这是一道主旨题。这篇短文主要讲述了美国人对手工劳动的态度。答案为B。