阅读理解。
Sitting across from a German couple and a Chinese mother and her child, we were waiting at
the Guilin airport for our delayed flight to Shanghai. In this last week of our travel study tour, my
husband and I were savoring this short break by reading.
I tuned out the languages I couldn't understand. But it was an American accent that pulled my
attention from my book. It also pulled the attention of three rows of people seated around us as
the American barked, "Coming through! Coming through!"
At the same time, an oversized man pulling an oversized carryon passed our row. His wheeled
bag caught the German's feet. Turning to see what snagged his luggage, the American yanked his
bag so hard that it crossed over the man's feet. It was then that my horror struck. There was no
"I'm sorry", no "Excuse me" and no "Pardon me" coming from this countryman of mine.
While this wasn't the first or last incident where I sighted discourteous, illmannered and rude
Americans in China, each produced similar feelings. First, I was embarrassed that someone from
my country was creating a negative impression of Americans. My second reaction was a desire
to apologize. I wanted to explain to the Chinese woman and her child, the German couple next to
them, and everyone nearby that this was not typical American behavior. I wanted them to know
"we" were all not like that.
I never got to explain, or to apologize. Language differences made that option impossible, and
rational thinking made it inappropriate. But it turned out not to be a need. The German man caught
my eyes with a bit of headshaking, smiling and eye rolling, which I returned, and it was clear that he
knew we were Americans and was expressing that there was "no need" to apologize for "universal
idiot behavior".
1. In the airport the author, and her husband ________.
A. were talking with a German couple
B. were having a good time
C. were enjoying reading together
D. were worrying about their flight
2. According to the author the man with an American accent was ________.
A. strong
B. impolite
C. humorous
D. generous
3. The underlined word "snagged" (in Paragraph 3) means ________.
A. stopped
B. covered
C. touched
D. pushed
4. Every time the author saw Americans' bad behavior in China she always felt ________.
A. uneasy and apologetic
B. scared and disappointed
C. proud and comfortable
D. nervous and miserable
5. From this passage we can know that the author comes from ________.
A. Germany
B. China
C. Japan
D. America
