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A report consistently brought back by visitors to the U.S. is how friendly, courteous, and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are, of course, exceptions. Small minded officials, rude waiters, and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the U.S. Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.

For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside world.

The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the harshness of daily life: if you didn't take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would, and someday, remember, you might be in the same situation.

Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the U.S., especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails. "I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner — amazing." Such observations reported by visitors to the U.S. are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly. The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.

As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals, assumptions, and conventions underlies all social interrelationships. And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily mean that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to "translate" cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example, when an American uses the word"friend", the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor's language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention and individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many American value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.

1.In the eyes of visitors from the outside world,_______.

A.rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the U.S.

B.small minded officials deserve a serious comment

C.Canadians are not so friendly as their neighbors

D.most Americans are ready to offer help

2.It could be inferred from the last paragraph that_______.

A.culture exercises an influence over social interrelationship

B.courteous convention and individual interest are interrelated

C.various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friends

D.social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions

3.Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers_______.

A.to improve their hard life　　　　　　　B.in view of their long distance travel

C.to add some flavor to their own daily life　D.out of a charitable impulse

4.The tradition of hospitality to strangers_______.

A.tends to be superficial and artificial

B.is generally well kept up in the United States

C.is always understood properly

D.was something to do with the busy tourist trails

5.Which statement can be inferred according to the article?

A.American is not so friendly as it seems in fact.

B.There is different understanding to the cultures so it results into different feelings.

C.Because American feels lonely and dull, so they welcome newcomers to come here for travel.

D.Friendship of American is just due to long lasting cultural tradition.

长难例句分析

［长难例句］For example, when an American uses the word "friend", the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor's language and culture.

［结构分析］本句中，the cultural implications of the word是主句的主语，宾语是those，定语从句it has in the visitor's language and culture用来修饰those，those本身指代the cultural implications of the word。前面的关系代词when引导条件状语从句。

［参考译文］例如，美国人在使用“朋友”一词时，它的文化内涵可能与游客母语和文化中的该词的意思大相径庭。

全文参考译文

去美国访问的人一贯认为，大多数美国人对他们友好、谦恭、乐于助人。公平地讲，人们对加拿大和加拿大人也有同样的观察报告。最好应当看成这在整个北美都普遍存在。当然也有例外，在美国，心胸狭窄的官员、粗鲁的服务生以及缺乏教养的出租车司机也不少。但由于人们常得出上面的结论，那就值得议论一番了。

长时间以来，在美国很多地方，旅行者打破了当地沉闷的生活，所以受到欢迎。那时人们一般住在相距遥远的地方，沉闷、孤独是家庭普遍存在的问题。陌生人和旅行者很受欢迎，因为他们带来了消遣娱乐，还带来了外部世界的消息。

边境上的残酷现实也促进这一好客传统的发展。当一个人独自旅行时，如果饿了、受了伤或生了病，通常无处可去，只能向最近的小屋或村落求助。对旅行者来说，这不是选择的问题，对当地人来说，这也并非出于一时的仁慈冲动。它反映了日常生活的残酷：如果你不接纳陌生人，并照顾他，那他再找不到别人了。请记住，某一天也许你也会面临相同的处境。

现在有很多慈善组织，专门帮助那些疲倦的旅行者。但是对陌生人友好的旧传统在美国仍很盛行，尤其是在远离热门旅游线路的小市镇。“我刚转了一圈，同这个美国人聊了聊，很快，他就邀请我到他家吃饭——不可思议。”在来美国旅行的游客中碰到过这类事的很普遍，但对此并不都能正确理解。许多美国人的随意友好态度不应看成表面应付或矫揉造作，而应视为历史发展形成的一种文化传统。

美国同任何发达国家一样，文化、信念以及习俗是社会关系的基础。当然，一个人会说一种语言并不一定意味着他明白其社会和文化模式。那些不能理解文化含义的游客很可能经常作出错误的结论。例如，当一个美国人说“朋友”时，该词的文化内涵可能与游客母语和文化中的该词的意思大相径庭。仅凭借在汽车上偶遇时说声“朋友”并不能区分这是出于礼貌，还是个人兴趣。然而，待人友好是一种美德，许多美国人都推崇并且希望无论是邻居还是陌生人都如此。

题目答案与解析

1.在外界游客的眼中，________。

A.在美国很少见到粗鲁无礼的出租车司机　B.心胸狭窄的政府官员应该受到严肃批评

C.加拿大人不如他们的邻国人友好　　　　D.大多数美国人乐于提供帮助

【答案】D

【解析】本题可参照文章第一段的第一句话。从中可知，到美国旅行过的游客一直传说大多数美国人对他们如何友好、有礼貌，如何乐意帮助他们。据此可知，游客认为大多数美国人对人友好。D项与文中的意思相符。

2.从最后一段可以推知________。

A.文化对社会相互关系有影响　　　　B.谦恭的习俗和个人的爱好是相关的

C.各种美德只在朋友间的交往中体现　D.社会相互关系等同于文化习俗的复合体

【答案】A

【解析】从文章最后一段可知，文化、思维方式（文化复合体关系）决定或影响社会相互交往的方式。A项与文中的意思相符。B项之意与文章最后一段倒数第二句话的意思不符。C项与文章最后一句意思不符。D项与文章的意思明显不符。因此只有A项为正确答案。

3.居住在边境的家庭过去经常款待陌生人，________。

A.以便改善他们的艰难生活　　　　　　B.是出于对他们长途旅行的考虑

C.为他们自己的日常生活增添一些情趣　D.出于一时行善的冲动

【答案】C

【解析】从文章第二段的最后一句话可知，陌生人和旅行者带来了欢乐，因而受到人们的欢迎；从文章第三段的内容可知，边境上的残酷现实也促进这一好客传统的发展；当一个人独自旅行时，如果饿了、受了伤或生了病，通常无处可去，只能向最近的小屋或村落求助；对旅行者来说，这不是选择的问题，对当地人来说，这也并非出于一时的仁慈冲动；它反映了日常生活的残酷：如果你不接纳陌生人，并照顾他，那他再找不到别人了；请记住，某一天也许你也会面临相同的处境。据此可知，在边界居住的人们之所以常常招待陌生人，是因为这样做可以为自己枯燥乏味和孤独寂寞的生活解闷。C项与文中的意思相符，因此为正确答案。

4.招待陌生人的传统________。

A.往往是表面的、虚伪的　B.在美国普遍得到很好的继承

C.总是被正确理解　　　　D.与旅游热线有关系

【答案】B

【解析】从文章第四段的内容可知，如今，许多慈善机构专门帮助那些疲倦的旅行者；不过，款待陌生人的老传统在美国仍然盛行，在那些远离旅游热线的小城市和城镇尤其如此。B项的与文中的意思相符。A项和C项明显与文章的意思不符。D项不正确。综上所述，B项为正确答案。

5.依照本文意思，可以推论出以下那种论断？

A.美国人并不像表面上看起来那样友好。

B.因为对文化有不同的理解，所以有不同的感受。

C.因为美国人感到很孤独很无趣，所以欢迎陌生人来旅游。

D.美国人的友好只是长期文化传统使然。

【答案】B

【解析】本文作者对外国人感觉到的美国人的友善持怀疑态度。第四个选项绝对化了，因为文中讲述的是“部分美国人”。第一个选项也绝对化了。第三个选项则过于狭隘。