What does the word “home” mean to you? How do you say the word in French? In Spanish? In your language? Although people usually know what the word means, it often has no exact translation. It’s not surprising really, because the idea of home differs from country to country, and from person to person. A home is more than a roof and four walls. It’s the cooking, eating, talking, playing and family living that go on inside, which are important as well. And at home you usually feel safe and relaxed.
But it’s not just that homes look different in different countries, they also contain different things and reveal（显示） different attitudes and needs. For example, in cold northern Europe, there’s a fire in the living room or kitchen and all the chairs face it. In the south, where the sun shines a lot and it’s more important to keep the heat out, there are small windows, cool stone floors and often no carpets. We asked some people about their homes.
How often do people move house in your country?
“In my country many people don’t stay in one place for a very long time. They often move every ten years or so.”
Cheryl, Boston, USA
What are typical features of homes in your country?
“In Britain, even in town there’s always a garden and sometimes a cellar（地下室）. We have separate bedrooms and living rooms. But we don’t often have balconies (阳台). The weather isn’t warm enough!”
— Pat, Exeter, England
小题1:Which one is true according to the passage?
A．People in Britain seldom have balconies because it’s so hot outside.
B．“Home” is a place where you feel safe and relaxed.
C．Although homes look different in different countries, they have the same needs.
D．Houses in northern Europe always have big windows and cool stone floors.小题2:The word “home” has no exact translation because ______.
A．people can’t find this word in the dictionary
B．no one knows what it is
C．it has different meanings in different countries
D．people can’t understand each other very well小题3:You can ______ at home according to the passage.
A．eat, play, and teach students
B．cook, talk, and play games
C．swim, eat, and make friends
D．do nothing小题4:Why is it important to keep the heat out of the houses in southern Europe?
A．Because they want to breathe fresh air outside.
B．Because there’s a fire in the living room.
C．Because they wear heavy clothing all day long.
D．Because the sun there shines a lot.
