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 hand
B．the left hand
C．both hands
D．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 England
B．show their disrespect to Mother England
C．add a new tradition to those in Mother England
D．show off their creativeness to Mother England小题3:In the last sentence, the word “juggle” probably means ____________.
A．hold
B．play with
C．pick up
D．lay down小题4:Also in the last sentence, the two “them” refer to ____________.
A．Americans
B．Europeans and Americans separately
C．Americans and Europeans separately
D．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 become an American feature.
D．European people will use the American method because of its efficiency.
