经管院第六届团支书联席会期末复习宝典
Part B: Use mainly the words in Part A of Extending your vocabulary to complete this paragraph
It is very important to avoid giving gifts to [clients] that will upset them or be seen as [offensive]. People usually [appreciate] receiving small gifts but the giver should take care to ensure these are neither [inappropriate] for the customs of the country nor too [intimate] for the person to whom the present is intended. Gift givers need to bear in mind different things have different meaning in other countries – a number may [symbolize] bad luck for example and some cultures have a belief in [superstition] so care should be taken to avoid certain objects. People should also be aware of natural [modesty] amongst recipients and not be surprised if their gifts are rejected at first.
Expanding your creativity Do
? Crystal ornaments
? Decorative items, e.g. sculptures,
handicraft ? Watches ? Books
? Bottled delicacy or food, e.g. jams,
honey ? Potted plants
? ? ? ?
Cash
Exotic food, e.g. snakes, dried lizards Chinese herbal medicine
Intimate clothing, e.g. lingerie, underwear
Don?t
Guidelines for giving gifts to a western person
Here are some tips for you when you are trying to decide what gifts to buy for your western colleagues or friends when you visit them overseas. The questions below will help you to do the right thing:
1. How well do you know the person that you are buying the gift for?
2. Do you know if there is anything that is offensive to the person either because of his religion or
his personal taste?
6 由各班团支书辛勤搜集，团支书联席会秘书长蒋润珠，副秘书长董叶子、杨梦
楠、周家伊、朱怡哲整理
经管院第六届团支书联席会期末复习宝典
Firstly, if you do not know the person well, then you should stay with neutral gifts for his house or office that are not considered intimate. For example, you can get him a painting or a penholder. If you are quite familiar with the person, then you can try to find something that matches his personality or taste. However, you must still stay away from items that are considered too intimate like underwear.
Secondly, you should find out if there are any taboos or superstitions that the person believes in. Then make sure you do not buy him anything that is in any way connected with or anything that resembles his taboos or superstitions. Don’t forget that it is not just the appearance of the gift that you have to be careful of, but also the way the item is pronounced in his language!
Lastly, do not forget that it is considered impolite not to wrap up your gift before presenting it to your western friend. And you must also be careful in choosing wrapping paper. It should be in either plain colours or have neutral designs.
If you remember the above advice, you should not go wrong. In fact, you should be quite popular with your western friends!
UNIT TWO: Horoscopes Words to note
Find the words in column A below in the text and try to work out their meanings from the contexts in which they are used. Then match each word with the correct definition in column B.
Column A
Ambition Arouse Aspect Astrologer
Something that you really want very much to do, usually something that is difficult to achieve
To cause an emotion or attitude
Particular part, feature, or quality of something
Someone who studies astrology (i.e. the study of the movements of the
Column B
7 由各班团支书辛勤搜集，团支书联席会秘书长蒋润珠，副秘书长董叶子、杨梦
楠、周家伊、朱怡哲整理
经管院第六届团支书联席会期末复习宝典
stars and planets and how they might influence people?s characters and lives)
Characteristic Compatible Constellation Dominate Dynamic Fate Influence Passion Rebellious Vague Winter solstice
A particular quality or feature that is typical of someone or something Likely to have a good relationship because of being similar A group of stars in the sky named after the pattern they form
To control something or someone, often in a negative way, because you have more power or influence
Very lively and enthusiastic, with a lot of energy and determination A power that some people believes controls everything that happens in their lives
To affect the way someone thinks or behaves or affect the way something happens
A powerful emotion such as love or anger Opposing the accepted rules of society Not clearly or fully explained
The day of the year when the sun is above the horizon for the shortest time
Zodiac An imaginary area of the sky containing the twelve groups of stars that
some people believe affect your character
Understanding the Text Part A:
1. Into how many signs is the Western horoscope divided? [12]
2. Name 4 of the Western star signs. [Varied answers – Refer to chart in \
section for all twelve possible answers)]
3. What other items are often found on the same page of the newspaper as the Western
horoscope? [Cartoons and crosswords]
4. What should a Leo avoid doing? [Travelling overseas]
Answer these questions as fully as you can.
8 由各班团支书辛勤搜集，团支书联席会秘书长蒋润珠，副秘书长董叶子、杨梦
楠、周家伊、朱怡哲整理
经管院第六届团支书联席会期末复习宝典
5. Which is the seventh animal in the Chinese horoscope? [Horse] 6. What does the tiger symbolize? [Power, passion and daring]
7. When does Chinese New Year start? [The second New Moon day after the winter
solstice]
8. Why are some animal signs best avoided when thinking of marriage? [Because some
signs are believed to be incompatible and therefore a bad marriage will result]
Part B: True or False?
Put a tick (√) or cross (X) against these statements to indicate whether they are correct or incorrect according to the information in the text. For the ones that are incorrect, write the correct information.
1. Most British people read their star signs everyday. [X] 2. The advice for Pisces includes staying at home more. [√]
3. If you are a Libra you should jump at the chance to start a new love affair. [X]
4. Horoscopes in the newspaper give important and serious advice about how to behave. [X] 5. The Chinese tiger is strong but quiet. [X]
6. Chinese parents traditionally planned to have children during ?favourable? years. [√] 7. Chinese horoscopes tell you what to do every day. [X] 8. Western and Chinese horoscopes are essentially the same. [X]
Corrections
1. About 30% of British people read their star signs everyday.
3. If you are a Libra you should look before you leap into a new love affair.
4. Horoscopes in the newspaper give light-hearted and harmless fun to entertain people in their daily lives.
5. The Chinese tiger is strong and dynamic. 7. Chinese horoscopes describe your fate.
8. Western and Chinese horoscopes are essentially not the same.
9 由各班团支书辛勤搜集，团支书联席会秘书长蒋润珠，副秘书长董叶子、杨梦
楠、周家伊、朱怡哲整理
经管院第六届团支书联席会期末复习宝典
Developing your skills
Identifying various types of supplementary details
Supplementary Details Types Example: figure paraphrases definitions/explanations effects and consequences 1) Almost 30% of British people read the ?star sign? section of the newspaper every day. (A/Paragraph 1) 2) … in other words it can mean what you want it to mean! (A/Paragraph 5) 3) Western horoscope is supposed to tell you what to do and how to behave on a day-to-day basis. (B/Paragraph 6) 4) Anyone born between these times needs to know exactly when the New Year fell in the year they were born in order to work out their true animal sign. (B/Paragraph 4) 5) Traditionally parents tried to plan when to have children … (B/Paragraph 5) 6) We can all agree that it would be good to spend more time with one?s family or think about the future and we do not need the stars to tell us that! (A/Paragraph 5) 7) Being born a horse, for example, determines your character, but then it is up to you to maximize the positive aspects of this animal and minimize its negative features. You can become a very good horse, but you can never stop being a horse! (B/Paragraph 6) 8) This is the animal that hides in your heart. (B/Paragraph 2) reasons and purposes writer’s own opinions examples quotations Extending Your Vocabulary
Part A: Cloze passage
People born in the year of the Sheep do not have great [passion]. They rarely [dominate] other people and are unlikely to have a [dynamic] nature. They are
10 由各班团支书辛勤搜集，团支书联席会秘书长蒋润珠，副秘书长董叶子、杨梦
楠、周家伊、朱怡哲整理