Passage 36
（2014 浙江 B）

Here is some must-know information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.

In brazil

brazilians are warm and friendly.They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder.People often greet each other （particularly women）with light cheek kisses.Schedules tend to be flexible, with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. but to be safe, be on time.Meals can stretch for hours—there's no such thing as rushing a meal in brazil.Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon.brazilians are social, preferring face-to-face communication over emails or phone calls.

In Singapore

Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small, polite bow.business cards should be offered and received with two hands.Arriving late is considered disrespectful.So be on time.Efficiency （效率）is the goal, so meetings and dealings often are fast-paced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions, even when the subject is about money.Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines how people interact in meetings.For example, people avoid disagreeing outright with someone with a higher rank.

In the United arab Emirates

In the UaE, status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles.The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere.So do not pull away from the handshake.Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress.Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows （肘部）and down to the knees.People do not avoid entertaining in their homes, but they also hold business meals at restaurants.Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are one-to-one, if your host offers you coffee, you should refuse.It might seem odd, but it is a cultural tradition.coffee should only be accepted if it is always set out or presented.

In Switzerland

The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name.They also are respectful of private lives.You should be careful not to ask about personal topics.Punctuality （守時(shí)）is vital, something that comes from a deep respect for others' time.Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe.They also have clear structure in their companies.Higher-ups make the final decisions, even if others might disagree.Neat, clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners.They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table.It is polite to finish the food on your plate.

1.The Passage is mainly about ______.

A. communication types

B. the workplace atmosphere

C. customs and social manners

D. living conditions and standards

2.Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?

A. They put efficiency in the first place.

B. They dislike face-to-face communication.

C. They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible.

D. They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank.

3.In the UaE, when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?

A. When greeting seniors.

B. When meeting the host alone.

C. When attending a presentation.

D. When dining with business partners.

4.In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?

A. In brazil.

B. In Singapore.

C. In the United arab Emirates.

D. In Switzerland.

【重點(diǎn)詞匯】

handbook n.手冊(cè)

behave v.舉止，表現(xiàn)

shoulder n.肩膀

flexible adj.靈活的

stretch v.延續(xù)；拉長(zhǎng)

rush v.匆忙地完成

bow n.彎腰；鞠躬

business card 名片

fast-paced 快節(jié)奏的

interact v.互動(dòng)，互相影響

outright adv.直接地，立刻地

status n.身份，資歷

entertain v.熱情款待

odd adj.奇怪的

cultural tradition 文化傳統(tǒng)

address v.稱呼

【疑難長(zhǎng)句】

1.They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder.

本句為并列結(jié)構(gòu)，They often stand close when talking與it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder各自形成一個(gè)完整的分句，兩個(gè)分句相互關(guān)聯(lián)，因此由并列連詞and連接。

（參考譯文）談話時(shí)他們通常站得很近，碰碰對(duì)方的肩膀是常有的事。

2.In the UaE, status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles.

本句前半句較為簡(jiǎn)單，so引導(dǎo)結(jié)果狀語(yǔ)從句，其中first和with their titles都是修飾be greeted的狀語(yǔ)。

（參考譯文）在阿聯(lián)酋，身份很重要，因此要先跟那些最有資歷或最年長(zhǎng)的人打招呼，并且要稱呼他們的頭銜。