题干

   It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather. Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr. Johnson’s famous comment that “When two English meet, their first talk is of weather.” Though Johnson’s observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago, most commentators(评论员) fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weather-speak.

Bill Bryson, for example, concludes that, as the English weather is not at all exciting, the obsession with it can hardly be understood. He argues that” To an outsider, the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it.” Simply, the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles.

Jeremy Paxman, however, disagrees with Bryson, arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive. Bryson is wrong, he says, “because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena(现象).” The interest is less in the phenomena themselves, but in uncertainty.” According to him, the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider.

Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weather-speak among the English. Both commentators, somehow, are missing the point. The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all. English weather-speak is a system of signs ,which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other. Everyone knows conversations starting with weather-speak are not requests for weather data. Rather, they are routine greetings, conversation starters or the blank “fillers”, In other words, English weather-speak is a means of social bonding.

【小题1】The author mentions Dr. Johnson’s comment to show that________.
A.most commentators agree with Dr. Johnson
B.Dr. Johnson is famous for his weather observation
C.the comment was accurate two hundred years ago
D.English conversations usually start with the weather
【小题2】What does the underlined word “obsession” most probably refer to?
A.A social trend.B.An emotional state.
C.A historical concept.D.An unknown phenomenon.
【小题3】According to the passage, Jeremy Paxman believes that________.
A.Bill Bryson has little knowledge of the weather
B.there is nothing special about the English weather]
C.the English weather attracts people to the British Isles
D.English people talk about the weather for its uncertainty
【小题4】What is the author’s main purpose of writing the passage?
A.To explain what English weather-speak is about.
B.To analyze misconceptions about the English weather.
C.To find fault with both Bill Bryson and Jeremy Paxman.
D.To convince people that the English weather is changeable.
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同类题2

In a society such as the United states or Canada, which has many national, religious, and cultural differences, people highly value individualism—the differences among people. Teachers place a lot of importance on the qualities that make each student special. The educational systems in these countries show these values. Students do not memorize information. Instead, they work individually and find answers themselves. There is often discussion in the classroom. At an early age, students learn to form their own ideas and opinions.
In most Asian societies, by contrast, the people have the same language, history, and culture. Perhaps for this reason, the educational system in much of the Orient reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposed rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea often work together and help one another on assignments. In the classroom, the teaching methods are often very formal. The teacher lectures, and the students listen. There is not much discussion. Instead, the students recite rules or information that they have memorized.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these systems of education. For example, one advantage to the system in Japan is that students there learn much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. They also study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The system is difficult, but it prepares students for a society that values discipline and self-control. There is, however, a disadvantage. Memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students say that after an exam, they forget much of the information that they have memorized.
The advantage of the educational system in North American, on the other hand, is that students learn to think for themselves. The system prepares them for a society that values creative ideas. There is , however, a disadvantage. When students graduate from high school, they haven’t memorized as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have..
 
Students in the US and 【小题1】
Students in China, Japan and Korean
What do they value?
【小题2】
【小题3】 goals and purposes
Ways of study
working individually
listen to the teachers
forming their own  ideas and opinions
 
memorizing and 【小题4】
a lot of discussion in the classroom
not much discussion
【小题5】
Learning to think for themselves
learning much more math and 【小题6】 by the end of high 【小题7】
studying more hours each day and more days each year
good for a society that values 【小题8】 ideas.
good for a society valuing 【小题9】 and self-control
disadvantages
students haven’t memorized many basic rules and facts when before 【小题10】
Information is forgotten easily