12．I travel a lot，and I find out different"styles"（风格）of directions every time I ask"How can I get to the post office？"
Foreign tourists are often confused（困惑）in Japan because most streets there don't have names； in Japan，people use landmarks（地标）in their directions 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 across from the bus stop．"
In the countryside of the American Midwest，there are not usually many landmarks．There are no mountains，so the land is very flat；in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles．Instead of landmarks，people will tell you directions and distances．In Kansas or Iowa，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 distance in time，not miles．"How far away is the post office？"you ask．"Oh，"they answer，"it'is about five minutes from here．"You say，"Yes，but how many miles away is it？"They don't know．
It's true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes．What happens in such a situation？A New Yorker might say，"Sorry，I have no idea．"But in Yucatan，Mexico，no one answers"I don't know．"People in Yucatan believe that"I don't know"is impolite．They usually give an answer，often a wrong one．A tourist can get very，very lost in Yucatan!
32．When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place，they usuallyD．
A．describe the place carefully
B．show him a map of the place
C．tell him the names of the streets
D．refer to recognizable buildings and places
33．What is the place where people measure distance in time？B
A．New York B．Los Angeles C．Kansas D．Iowa
34．People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answerC．
A．to save time B．to cheat him C．to be polite D．for fun
35．What can we infer from the text？A
A．It's important for travelers to understand cultural differences．
B．It's useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly．
C．People have similar understandings of politeness．
D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors．
分析 本文讲述了不同地区的人对游客问路的回答不同，所以对于旅行者来说，最好事先了解当地的习惯．
解答 32-35．DBCA
32．D 考查细节理解．根据文中所举的例子"Go straight down to the corner．Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market．The post office is across from the bus stop"可知，当游客问日本人去某地的路，他们通常会指出参照性的建筑物．故选D．
33．B 考查细节理解．根据"People in Los Angeles，California，have no idea of distance on the map； they measure distance in time，not miles"可知，洛杉矶的人会用时间来说明路程．故选B．
34．C 考查细节理解．根据"People in Yucatan believe that"I don't know"is impolite．They usually give an answer，often a wrong one"可知，当地人不会不回答问题，而是会出于礼貌地回答一个错误的方向．故选C．
35．A 考查推理判断．根据文章内容可知，不同地区的人对于问路人的回答不同，所以对于旅行者来说，了解文化差异是很重要的．故选A．
点评 阅读理解考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
