In Europe, people hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right throughout the meal, a system that is generally agreed to be more efficient than the American zigzag（曲折的）method. Americans hold both the fork and the knife in their right hands throughout the meal, so they continually change their forks to the left hand when they have to cut their meat. It seems to be funny for the Europeans to see Americans busy changing their dinner sets, making a lot of noises.
A few explanations for this American style are as follows:
(1) Americans are practical and efficient. Since most of us are right-handed, it is reasonable to keep our working tools at all times in the right hand that can use them most efficiently.
(2) Americans, the master of the New World are rebels（叛逆者）.They use the zigzag method to break the rules in the Old World and in this way they are thumbing their nose at Mother England. Americans are a restless kind. They do not like to sit in one spot for very long when dining.
(3) Forced to do so, they respond by “playing” with the silver.
Whatever the reason for the practice, it is now certainly as American as apple pie. Europeans recognize this and are quick to attack it as evidence of American innocence（无知）of form. Arguments against the zigzag method rest not only on grounds of efficiency but also on those of tradition. In Old World dining, the knife is held in the right hand continually because it can serve as an instant defense against the uninvited intruders（入侵者）.However, such alertness（警觉） is out of place in the New World, as every American believes that this is the home of the brave. Americans juggle their silverware, perhaps, to show that they are not afraid and that one of them holding a fork is worth any number of them holding blades（刀）.
【小题1】Americans use to hold their fork to pick up the salad.A．the right handB．the left hand C．both handsD．either of the two hands【小题2】As the masters of the New World, Americans use a different cutting method from that in the Old World to .A．show their independence of Mother EnglandB．show their disrespect to Mother EnglandC．add a new tradition to those in Mother EnglandD．show off their creativeness to Mother England【小题3】In the last sentence, the word “juggle” probably means .A．hold B．play withC．pick upD．lay down【小题4】Also in the last sentence, the two “them” refer to .A．AmericansB．Europeans and Americans separatelyC．Americans and Europeans separatelyD．Europeans【小题5】Which of the following statements is NOT true? A．European people hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand.B．The zigzag eating method is related to American characteristics.C．The zigzag eating method has bee an American feature.D．European people will use the American method because of its efficiency.A
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(答案→)A
解析：本文叙述了美国人和英国人都使用刀叉，他们各自使用方式不同。美国人是把刀叉都放在右手使用的,因此他们不得不不断地把叉换到左手使用；右手只拿刀的是英国人，这些又能说明什么问题呢？
【小题1】推理判断题。根据第一自然段“Americans hold both the fork and the knife in their right hands throughout the meal”可知。故选A.
【小题2】细节理解题。根据文章中的三个解释中的第二条“They use the zigzag method to break the rules in the Old World and in this way they are thumbing their nose at Mother England.”可知。thumb one's nose at是“嘲笑、轻视某人”的意思。故选B。
【小题3】词意猜测题。根据上文可知,美国人是把刀叉都放在右手使用的,因此他们不得不不断地把叉换到左手使用,这样像耍把戏一样,由此可推断出正确的词义。故选B。
【小题4】推理判断题。根据上文可知,用右手拿叉的是美国人,而右手只拿刀的是英国人,因而这两个them前一个是美国人,而后一个是英国人。这句话的意思是:他们像耍把戏一样玩着银质的刀叉是为了表示他们勇敢,而且他们一个持叉的人就可以敌得过任何一个拿刀的人。故选C。
【小题5】推理判断题。根据最后一段“Europeans recognize this and are quick to attack it as evidence of American innocence（无知）of form.”可知英国人是极力反对美国人的这个做法的,并把它作为一个证据来证明美国人的无知,所以它们是不会使用美国的这个做法的。故选D。