Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage
three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you .should
listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second
time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the
exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are
required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either
use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your
own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should
check what you have written.
Just like Chinese, Westerners give gifts on many occasions,
such as, on birthdays of family members, at weddings, at Christmas and some
other holidays, when someone (36) an honor or gets a
promotion, and on a (37) visit to a good friend, etc.
Although gifts are always welcome, it is not necessary to exchange gifts at any
time. Generally speaking, Westerners exchange gifts only among good friends.
Therefore, it is (38) to give gifts to casual (39)
Even if you are good friends, if you give them too many gifts, they
will feel (40) too, because they don’t know how to
reciprocate (报答). Usually when you are invited to dinner, it
is (41) unnecessary, to bring a gift except on special
occasions, for example, when you are going to be an overnight or weekend guest.
If you wish to bring something, in most cases, the gifts should always be
small, simple and (42) You might bring some
small toys, or some (43) for the children, or a book, some
flowers, a bottle of wine, etc. for the host or hostess. (44)
. If you want to make your gifts special, you can bring some typical
Chinese goods, such as, Chinese tea, Chinese bookmarks, Chinese paper-cuts,
Chinese paintings, or other things like that, or you can even cook a Chinese
dish and bring it with you. Westerners prefer to open a
gift at once and admire it. (45) . Westerners value homemade
things. (46) . They are trying to tell you that you are
skillful and talented enough to make it.