The origins of words are a key factor that distinguishes homonyms from polysemants.（)

of exclusive information societies has restarted【M1】______ the debate about cultural diversity by renewing the common perception and evolution of this elusive term We shall focus on the meaning of the two words "diversity" and "culture". Diversity is often perceived as disparity, variation, singularity, that is, the opposite of uniformity and【M2】______ homogeneity. In its first and literal sense, cultural diversity then refers quite simply the multiplicity of cultures or cultural identities. This【M3】______ vision has now been replaced, though As for many experts "diversity" is not so much defined in opposite to "homogeneity". It is synonymous【M4】______ with dialogue and sharing values. In fact, the concept of cultural【M5】______ diversity, like that of biodiversity, goes on further, because it considers【M6】______ the multiplicity of cultures in a systemic perspective when each culture【M7】______ develops and evolves through contact with other cultures. As to culture, it draws its origins from the Latin word "cultura", that indicated the【M8】______ cultivation of fields and cattle. In the sixteenth century it acquires the meaning of the action of cultivating, or formation, which is at the【M9】______ source of the sense it is given today. So, culture has then come to mean that whole complexity of meanings, values and beliefs that determine【M10】______ how we do things and how we structure our ways of thinking.

【M1】

t only humans have developed the language which is more【M1】______ than a set of prearranged signals. Our speech even differs on a physical way【M2】______ from the communication of other animals. It comes from a speech center which does not respond instinctively, but organizes sound and meaning on a rational basis. This section of the brain is unique to humans. When and how the special talent of language developed is impossible to say. So it is generally【M3】______ assumed that their evolution must have been a long process. Our ancestors【M4】______ were probably speaking a million of years ago, but with a slower delivery, a【M5】______ smaller vocabulary and of all a simpler grammar than we are accustomed to.【M6】______ The origins of human language will perhaps remain for ever obscure. With【M7】______ contrast the origin of individual languages has been the subject of very precise study over the past two centuries. There are about 5,000 languages spoken in the world today(a third of them in Africa), but scholars group them together into relative few families—probably less than twenty. Languages are linked【M8】______ to each other in shared words or sounds or grammatical constructions. The【M9】______ theory is that the members of each linguistic group have descended from one language, a common ancestor. In many cases that original language is judged by the experts to have been spoken in surprisingly recent times—as little a few【M10】______ thousand years ago.

【M1】

听力原文： One of America's most important exports is her modern music. American music is played all over the world. It is enjoyed by people of ail ages in all countries. Although the lyrics are English, people not speaking English enjoy it. The reasons for its popularity are its fast pace and rhythmic beat.

Music has many origins in the United States. Country music which comes from the rural areas in the southern United States is one source. Country music features simple themes and melodies describing day-to-day situations and the feelings of country people. Many people appreciate this music because of the emotions expressed by country music songs.

The second origin of American popular music is the blues. It depicts mostly sad feelings reflecting the difficult lives of American blacks. It is usually played and sung by black musicians, but it is popular with all Americans.

Rock music is a newer form. of music. This music style, featuring fast and repetitious rhythms, was influenced by the blues and the country music. It was first known as rock-and-roll in the 1950s. Since then there have been many forms of rock music: hard rock, soft rock, disco music and others. Many performers of popular music are young musicians.

American popular music is marketed to a demanding audience. Now popular songs are heard on the radio several times a day. Some songs have become popular all over the world. People hear these songs in their original English or sometimes translated into other languages. The words may differ but the enjoyment of the music is universal.

(26)

A．Because it has simple themes.

B．Because its lyrics are in English.

C．Because it depicts the feelings of the common people.

D．Because it has a fast pace and rhythmic beat.

Christmas Day

What is Christmas

The word Christmas comes from the words Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass". Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus for members of the Christian religion. Most historians peg the first celebration of Christmas to Rome in 336 AD.

Christmas is both a holiday and a Holy Day. In America it is the biggest event of the year(especially for kids), and for members of the Christian religions. It is an important day on the religious calendar. The federal government, all state governments, all schools/colleges/universities and the vast majority of businesses in America give employees one or two days off at Christmas, making it an important holiday(other federal holidays are: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day). In the Roman Catholic calendar, Christmas is one of 6 holy feast days celebrated in America, the others being: Circumcision(New Year's Day), Ascension, Assumption(Mary's Assumption into heaven, August 15), All

Saints(November 1), and the Immaculate Conception(December 8).

Why does everyone give each other presents on Christmas day？

The tradition of gifts seems to have started with the gifts that the wise men(the Magi) brought to Jesus. As recounted in the Bible's book of Matthew, "On coming to the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh(没药)." As mentioned in the previous question, however, no one was really in the habit of exchanging elaborate gifts until late in the 1800's. The Santa Claus story combined with an amazing retailing phenomena that has grown since the turn of the century has made gift giving a central focus of the Christmas tradition.

Why is there a small evergreen tree in your living room？

This is a German tradition, started as early as 700 A.D. In the 1800's the tradition of a Christmas Tree was widespread in Germany, then moved to England and then America through Pennsylvanian German immigrants.

Why have you decorated this evergreen with ornaments, lights, fake snow and plastic tinsel？

In Victorian times, people had already started decorating trees with candies and cakes hung with ribbon. In 1880 Woolworths first sold manufactured Christmas Tree ornaments, and they caught on very quickly. Martin Luther, in the 16th century, is credited as being the first person to put candles on a tree, and the first electrically lighted Christmas tree appeared in 1882. Calvin Coolidge in 1923 ceremoniously lit the first outdoor tree at the White House, starting that long tradition. Fake snow and tinsel...Who knows？ It's probably related to the song "White Christmas".

Why do you have holly drape over the mantel and staircase？

Mistletoe(槲寄生) has apparently been used as a decoration in houses for thousands of years and is also associated with many pagan rituals. According to the book Extraordinary Origins of Ordinary Things by Charles Panati, "the church forbade the use of mistletoe in any form, mindful of its idolatrous associations. As a substitute, it suggested holly(冬青属植物). The sharply pointed leaves were to symbolize the thorns in Christ's crown and the red berries drops of his blood. Holly became a nativity tradition. The Christian ban on mistletoe was in effect throughout the middle ages. Surprisingly, as late as the 20th century, there were churches in England that forbade the wearing of mistletoe sprigs and corsages during services."

Why is there a big log in the fireplace？

According to the book The Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins by William and Mary Morris, "Yuletide for Christmastime is a term derived from the yule log, which in olden days was a huge log used as the foundation of the

A．Y

B．N

C．NG

A.beginnings

B. backgrounds

C. sources

D. origins

A) ends

B) backgrounds

C) bases

D) origins

A.origins

B.originals

C.discoveries

D.resources

A) selections

B) collections

C) sources

D) origins