Gestures are the silent language of every culture.We point a finger or move another part of the body to show what we want to say.It is important to know the body language of every country or we may be misunderstood.
In the US, people greet each other with a handshake in a formal discussion.The handshake must be firm.If the handshake is weak, it is a sign of weakness or unfriendliness.Friends may place a hand on the other’s arm or shoulder.Some people, usually women, greet each other with a hug(擁抱).
Space is important to Americans.When two people talk to each other, they usually stand about 2.5 feet away and at an angle, so they are not facing each other directl.Americans get uncomfortable when a person stands too close.They will move back to have their space.If Americans touch another person by accident, they say, “Pardon me” or “Excuse me”.
Americans like to look at the other in the eyes when they are talking.If you don’t do so, it means you are bored, hiding something, or are not interested.When you stare at someone, however, it is not polite.
For Americans, thumbs up means “yes”, “very good” or “well done”.Thumbs down means the opposite.To call a waiter, one might put up one hand to head level or above.To show you want the check, make a movement with your hands as you are signing a piece of paper.It is all right to point at things but not at people with the hand and index finger(食指).Americans shake their index fingers at children when they scold them and pat them on the head when they admire them.
Learning a culture’s body language is sometimes confusing(困惑的).If you don’t know what to do, the safest thing to do is to smile.
(1).When you shake hands with an American, you should ________．
A．shake his/her hand firmly
B．put your hands on his/her shoulder
C．shake his/her hand gently
D．give him/her a hug afterward
(2).In the US, people usually ________ if you stand too close to them．
A．feel friendly
B．get uncomfortable
C．keep still
D．hit you angrily
(3).If you talk with an American friend, it’s polite to ________．
A．stare at him/her
B．look at the ground
C．look at him/her in the eyes
D．look here and there
(4).What’s the main idea of this passage?
A．People greet each other by shaking hands in America．
B．Every country has their own gestures．
C．Learning a culture’s body language is very important and necessary．
D．It is all right to point at things but not at people with the hand and index finger．
手勢是每一種文化的“無聲的語言”。我們指手指或移動身體的另一部分來展示我們要說的事情。瞭解每一個國家的肢體語言很重要，否則我們可能被誤解。
在美國，在正式的談話中人們通過握手來互相打招呼。握手要堅定有力，如果握手無力，是弱者或不友好的標誌。朋友可以把手放在對方的手臂或肩膀上，有些人，通常是婦女，以擁抱來打招呼。對美國人來說空間是最重要的，當兩人互相交談時，他們通常站在約2.5英尺的距離，他們不直接面對對方，當人們站得太近的時候，他們感覺不舒服，他們會退後，留出自己的空間。如果美國人不小心觸摸到另一個人，他們說，“對不起”或“不好意思”。美國人在交談時喜歡直視對方。如果你不這樣做，那就意味著你是無聊的，隱藏了東西，或不感興趣。然而，你一直緊盯著別人時，也是不禮貌的。
美國人豎起大拇指表示“是的”或者“很好”“幹得不錯”，大拇指朝下則是相反的意思。叫服務生的時候，舉起一隻手保持水平或者略高於頭部。為了表示你想要支票結賬，用手作出一個在文件上簽寫的樣子。用手和食指指著東西是可以的，但不能用食指指著人(食指)。當美國人責罵他們孩子時，他們會搖動食指，當他們讚美他們孩子時，他們會拍拍他們的頭。
有時學習一種肢體語言的文化是令人困惑的，如果你不知道該做什麼，要做的最安全事情就是微笑。
答案：1．A;2．B;3．C;4．C;
解析：
(1)細節理解題。文章第一段介紹美國人見面時習慣於緊緊地握手。
(2)第二段介紹，當一個人站得離一位美國人太近時，這位美國人會覺得不舒服。
(3)根據“Americans like to look at the other in the eyes when they are talking．”可知。
(4)主旨歸納題。文章的第一段最後一句話點明瞭主題。
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