It is often difficult for visitors to understand Americans’ lack of desire for privacy. They are not a nation of walled gardens and closed gates. Their yards normally run into one another without fences；they often visit one another’s homes without being invited or telephoning first; they leave their office doors open while they work.
Their lack of desire for privacy probably results from their history as a nation. America is a big country. There have never been walled cities in the United States, nor was there the need for Americans to protect themselves from neighboring states. During the early years, America had so few settlers that neighbors were very important; they were not to be shut out by doors and fences. Neighbors offered protection and helped in the hard work of settling the land. They depended upon each other.
From the nation’s early history has come the desire for openness rather than privacy. Visitors will notice this desire in a number of small ways; there may be rooms in American homes that do not have doors or that have glass walls. If you notice that people forget to close your door when they leave your room, do not think that this is rude, help them to learn that you would like it to be closed, or else become accustomed to new ways. In either case, be patient with the differences.

During the early years, people were never shut out by doors because（　）

A:they were neighbors B:they were friends C:they depended upon each other D:they got accustomed to that

When John and Victoria Falls arrived in New York from London for a one-year stay, they did not bring many things with them. They had planned either to live in a furnished (配备家具)apartment or to buy used furniture. But they soon learned about a new system that more and more people are using. The renting (出租；租用) of home furnishings (beds, tables, dishes, and so on) has become one of America’s fastest growing business.
What kinds of people rent their home furnishings instead of buying them Many kinds of people, international businessmen, government officials, airline workers, young married couples -- the people whose jobs may force them to move frequently(频繁) from one city (or country ) to another. They saved the trouble and cost of moving their furniture each time. They simply rent new furniture when they reach their new homes. Young people with little money do not want to buy cheap furniture that they will soon grow to dislike. They prefer to wait until they have enough money to buy furniture they really like. Meanwhile, they find they can rent better quality furniture than they can afford to buy.
One family, who now have a large, beautiful home of their own, like their rented furniture so much that they decide to keep renting it instead of buying new things. But they don’t like to tell people about it. The idea of renting home furnishings is still quite new, and they are not sure what their neighbors might think.
The family keep renting furniture as a secret because ______.

A:their neighbors might not accept the new idea B:their neighbors are sure to laugh at them C:they like the furniture and pretend to be the owners D:they want to show that they are rich

It is often difficult for visitors to understand Americans’ lack of desire for privacy. They are not a nation of walled gardens and closed gates. Their yards normally run into one another without fences；they often visit one another’s homes without being invited or telephoning first; they leave their office doors open while they work.
Their lack of desire for privacy probably results from their history as a nation. America is a big country. There have never been walled cities in the United States, nor was there the need for Americans to protect themselves from neighboring states. During the early years, America had so few settlers that neighbors were very important; they were not to be shut out by doors and fences. Neighbors offered protection and helped in the hard work of settling the land. They depended upon each other.
From the nation’s early history has come the desire for openness rather than privacy. Visitors will notice this desire in a number of small ways; there may be rooms in American homes that do not have doors or that have glass walls. If you notice that people forget to close your door when they leave your room, do not think that this is rude, help them to learn that you would like it to be closed, or else become accustomed to new ways. In either case, be patient with the differences.
During the early years, people were never shut out by doors because ______.

A:they were neighbors B:they were friends C:they depended upon each other D:they got accustomed to that

It is often difficult for visitors to understand Americans’ lack of desire for privacy. They are not a nation of walled gardens and closed gates. Their yards normally run into one another without fences；they often visit one another’s homes without being invited or telephoning first; they leave their office doors open while they work.
Their lack of desire for privacy probably results from their history as a nation. America is a big country. There have never been walled cities in the United States, nor was there the need for Americans to protect themselves from neighboring states. During the early years, America had so few settlers that neighbors were very important; they were not to be shut out by doors and fences. Neighbors offered protection and helped in the hard work of settling the land. They depended upon each other.
From the nation’s early history has come the desire for openness rather than privacy. Visitors will notice this desire in a number of small ways; there may be rooms in American homes that do not have doors or that have glass walls. If you notice that people forget to close your door when they leave your room, do not think that this is rude, help them to learn that you would like it to be closed, or else become accustomed to new ways. In either case, be patient with the differences.
Which of the following is true

A:People walled their yards with fences. B:The settlers in early years needed their neighbors’ help very much. C:People get used to American openness. D:It is difficult to follow the American way of lif

D

The family keep renting furniture as a secret because ______.

A:their neighbors might not accept the new idea B:their neighbors are sure to laugh at them C:they like the furniture and pretend to be the owners D:they want to show that they are rich

In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the importance of protecting the environment. The three Rs to keep in mind for a cleaner environment are "reduce, reuse, and recycle."
First, reduce how much you use. It means shopping with the environment in mind: Consider the environmental impact of each product before you buy it. Make a list of what you need before you go shopping; this will reduce impulse buying. Buy in bulk-its cheaper and eliminates small containers and excess packaging. Besides, bulk merchandise may be shared with friends or neighbors. You should also avoid buying things that can’t by recycled.
What will the speaker talk about in the following part of his/her speech

A:How to achieve the other two Rs. B:How to share merchandise with friends or neighbors. C:How to select the goods one needs. D:How to reduce garbage littering at hom

The decline in moral standards, which has long concerned social analysts, has at last captured the attention of average Americans. And Jean Bethke Elshtain, for one, is glad.
The fact that ordinary citizens are now starting to think seriously about the nation’s moral climate, says this ethics (伦理学) professor at the University of Chicago, is reason to hope that new ideas will come forward to improve it.
But the challenge is not to be underestimated. Materialism and individualism in American society are the biggest obstacles. "The thought that ’I’m in it for me’ has become deeply rooted in the national consciousness," Ms. Elshtain says.
Some of this can be attributed to the disintegration of traditional communities, in which neighbors looked out for one another, she says. With today’s greater mobility and with so many couples working, those bonds have been weakened, replaced by a greater emphasis on self.
In a 1996 poll of Americans, loss of morality topped the list of the biggest problems facing the U.S. And Elshtain says the public is correct to sense that: Data show that Americans are struggling with problems unheard of in the 1950s, such as classroom violence and a high rate of births to unmarried mothers.
The desire for a higher moral standard is not a lament (挽歌) for some nonexistent "golden age," Elshtain says, nor is it a wishful (一厢情愿的) longing for a time that denied opportunities to women and minorities. Most people, in fact, favor the lessening of prejudice.
Moral decline will not be reversed until people find ways to counter the materialism in society, she says. "Slowly, you recognize that the things that matter are those that can’t be bought./
Which of the following characterizes the traditional communities

A:Great mobility. B:Concern for one’s neighbors. C:Emphasis on individual effort. D:Ever-weakening social bonds.