One important variable affecting munication across cultures is destiny (命运) and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.
In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they are encouraged to redouble their efforts, to “Try, try again.” Action, efficiency, and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts.
Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history reflects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny’s role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expressed in their way of responding to failure or an accident by saying “ni modo” (“no way” or “tough lick”), meaning that the failure was destined.
This variable is important to understanding cultural conflicts. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, mismunication is likely. The first person may expect action and responsibility. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of things. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be acplished or changed.
【小题1】The author thinks that one’s character is partly determined by .A．physical sensesB．general attitudeC．financial backgroundD．geographic characteristics【小题2】According to the passage, Mexicans would think that Americans are .A．impracticalB．dishonestC．ambitiousD．hesitant【小题3】The underlined word “subject” in Paragraph 1 probably means .A．a topic of a discussionB．a branch of knowledgeC．a person being experimented onD．a person under the power of others【小题4】The author would probably agree that .A．vast land may lead to a more controllable desireB．heroic sense of life roots deeply in a small countryC．living in limited space contributes to an accepting attitudeD．fighting over land helps people gain high levels of confidenceD
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(答案→)D
解析：本文主要讲述的就是一个国家的地域大小对人的性格的影响，国家疆域较大的国家的人往往思路开阔，疆域较小的国家的人往往思路较为狭窄，不容易接受新鲜事物。
【小题1】D 推理题。根据第一段后五行Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.说明作者把人的性格和他们所在的地区的大小联系在一起了，故D项正确。
【小题2】A 推理题。根据第三段3,4行In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable.说明墨西哥人在有困难的历史，他们会把斗争作为生活中不能避免的一部分。而美国人的思想是很开放的，在墨西哥人看来，很美国人的想法是不实际的。故A正确。
【小题3】D 推理题。根据本句This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control.说明subject to things outside our control与the masters of our lives是反义词。故该词是指接受命运和他人安排的人。故D项正确。
4.C 推理题。本文主要讲述的就是一个国家的地域大小对人的性格的影响，国家疆域较大的国家的人往往思路开阔，疆域较小的国家的人往往思路较为狭窄，不容易接受新鲜事物。故C项表达与文章较为吻合。