阅读理解。
Foreign visitors are often puzzled in Japan because most streets there don't have names. In Japan, people
use landmarks instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers,"Go straight down to
the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is just across the bus stop."
In the Midwest of America, usually there are not many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the landmarks, people will tell you directions and distance. In Kansas (堪萨斯州), for example, people will say, "Go north
two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile."
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure (测量) distance by
telling time."How far away is the post office?" you ask."Oh," they answer,"it's about five minutes from here."
You say,"Yes, but how many miles away is it?" They don't know.
People in Greece (希腊) sometimes do not even try to give directions because few visitors understand the
Greek language. Instead of giving you the direction. a Greek will often say,"Follow me." Then he'll lead you
through the streets of the city to the post office.
Sometimes a person doesn't know the answer to your question. A New Yorker might say, "Sorry, I have
no idea." But in Yucatan, Mexico (墨西哥), no one answers"I don't know." People in Yucatan think"I don't
know" is not polite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A visitor can get very, very lost in
Yucatan!
One thing will help you everywhere. You might not understand a person's words, but maybe you can
understand his body language. He or she will usually turn and then point in the correct direction. Go on in
that direction, and you may find the post office!
1. What do you think of the word "landmarks" mean?
A. Street names.
B. Building names.
C. Hotels, markets and bus stops.
D. Buildings or places which are easily seen.
2. In the passage, ________ countries are mentioned (提到) by the writer.
A. seven
B. four
C. five
D. eight
3. The passage mainly tells us that ________.
A. there are not many landmarks in the Midwest of America
B. we needn't carry a map for travel
C. there are different ways to give directions in different parts of the world
D. people give directions in the same way in different parts of the world
