I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles”（风格）of directions every time I ask “ How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused（困惑的）in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks（地标）in their directions 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 countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually 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 or Iowa, 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 distance in time, not miles. “ 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 is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don’t know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
【小题1】When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .

A．describe the place carefully

B．show him a map of the place

C．tell him the names of the streets

D．refer to recognizable buildings and places

【小题2】What is the place where people measure distance in time?

A．New York.

B．Los Angles.

C. Kansas C. Iowa
【小题3】People inYucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ________ .

A．in order to save time	B．as a test
C．so as to be polite	D．for fun

【小题4】What can we infer from the text?

A．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences.

B．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly.

C．People have similar understanding of politeness.

D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors.

   “Daily Star, sir,” called Jason, carrying some news-papers under his arm. The little boy had been running up and down the street, but there were still twenty ____ left. His voice was almost gone and his heart was ____. The shops would soon close, and all the people would go home. He would have to go home too, carrying the papers ____ money. He had hoped to sell more papers tonight to make more money to buy a ____ for his mother and some seeds for his bird. That was why he had bought the papers with all his money. He ____ as he thought of his failure to sell all his papers.

“You don’t know the ____ of selling papers. You must shout, ‘Hot news! Bomb bursting!’” another newsboy Chad told Jason. “____ it’s not in the paper at all,” replied Jason. “Just run away quickly ____ they have time to see, and you’ll ____ out and get your money,” Chad said.

It was a new ____ to Jason. He thought of his bird with no ____ and the cake he wanted to buy for his mother, but was ____ that he would not tell a lie. Though he was ____ a poor newsboy, he had been ____ some good things.

The next afternoon Jason went to the office for his papers ____. Several boys were crowding around Chad, who declared with a ____ smile that he sold six dozen the day before. He added that Jason ____ money because he would not tell a lie. The boys ____ at Jason. “You wouldn’t tell a lie yesterday, my boy?” A gentleman at the office came up and patted Jason’s shoulder ____, “You’re just the boy I am looking for.” A week later Jason started his new ____. He lost the sale of twenty papers because he would not tell a lie, but got a well-paid job because he told the truth.

【小题1】A. shops B. coins C. people    D. papers
【小题2】A. open B. heavy     C. pure D. weak
【小题3】A. instead of B. in return for     C. regardless of D. in exchange for
【小题4】A. cup B. card C. comb D. cake
【小题5】A. gave in   B. broke down C. got away D. showed up
【小题6】A. difficulty B. process   C. goal D. secret
【小题7】A. And B. But C. For D. So
【小题8】A. before B. since C. though    D. unless
【小题9】A. call B. drop C. sell D. reach
【小题10】A. edition  B. idea C. policy     D. task
【小题11】A. bread    B. insects    C. seeds D. water
【小题12】A. concerned B. amazed   C. excited D. determined
【小题13】A. still B. already   C. just D. also
【小题14】A. taught   B. handed    C. awarded D. allowed
【小题15】A. at once  B. by chance C. as usual D. on purpose
【小题16】A. proud    B. gentle     C. warm     D. polite
【小题17】A. borrowed B. lost C. made    D. saved
【小题18】A. laughed B. shouted   C. nodded   D. stared
【小题19】A. bravely B. gratefully C. fondly    D. modestly
【小题20】A. duty B. business C. job D. method

English can be a difficult language to learn, but there are certain things you can do to learn the language a lot faster. People can master English as long as they take the time to practice speaking, reading and writing in English.【小题1】
Start by taking a class that teaches beginning English. These classes are often named as “ESL” classes, or “English as a Second Language.”【小题2】
Buy an English audio(音频的) course. You can go over these classes in your spare time and learn quite a bit. Buy an audio course and listen to it in the car or while working, if possible. The higher the quality of the course, the quicker you’ll learn.
Practice speaking English with other people, especially with native English speakers.【小题3】And make sure they are willing to help you learn English by having simple conversations with you. You will probably be surprised at how quickly you can start having a conversation in English.
【小题4】Pay attention to the dialogue and try to figure out what the actors are saying. Congratulate yourself when you are able to pick out certain words and phrases that you understand.
Read newspapers, books and magazines that are printed in English. At first they maybe very difficult, but as your knowledge grows so will your understanding of written English.【小题5】It will help you a lot in learning to speak the language much faster.

A．Try to understand written English. B．Watch television shows or movies that are in English. C．Read and remember as many English words as possible. D．Here we will show you how to learn to speak English quickly.   E．Every morning you should get up very early and read English. F．Make friends with people speaking English as their native language. G．The teachers of these classes have the experience to teach the students.