文化探索
Western children get their pocket money in different ways. Some children help their par-
ents to do chores to get some pocket money. Children usually begin to do housework at the
age of 10. They are busy with schoolwork from Monday to Friday, so they have to do house-
work on weekends. They clean the floor, windows and cars. They cut the grass, feed pets,
or cook dinner for their families.
When children get older, they work harder to make more money. Some children deliver
newspapers. They have to get up early in the morning to send the newspapers from door to
door. It's a hard job. But they can make more money. Some high school children can also
make more money by cutting grass, looking after babies and feeding animals for others.
Of course, they also do some volunteering work. They work hard and work for free.
This can help them a lot in their study and life.
Questions:
1. Why do Western children mainly do housework on weekends?
2. How is it different in China?

1. Because they are busy with their schoolwork from Monday to Friday.
2. In China, parents usually give their children pocket money directly as allowance, and most Chinese children rarely earn pocket money by doing housework for their families or doing part-time jobs like delivering newspapers in their spare time. Most of the time, Chinese kids focus more on their school studies, and the housework is mostly taken on by family members. Chinese teenagers seldom do paid part-time work before they reach college age, and the volunteer work they participate in is mostly organized by schools.

【分析】本题为英语阅读理解题，包含两个问题。第一题需从原文中定位西方孩子主要在周末做家务的原因，第二题需结合中西方文化差异进行对比作答。解题时，先通读原文，找到第一题对应的关键语句，再结合日常积累的中西方关于零花钱获取方式的文化常识，完成第二题的解答。
【解析】1. 原文第一段明确提到西方孩子周一到周五忙于学业，因此只能在周末做家务，据此可得出第一题的答案。2. 对比西方孩子通过做家务、兼职等方式赚取零花钱的情况，结合中国的实际文化特点，说明中国孩子零花钱多来自父母直接给予，较少通过家务或兼职获取，更侧重学业，家务多由家人承担，青少年大学前很少做有偿兼职，志愿活动多由学校组织，据此完成第二题的解答。
【答案】1. Because they are busy with their schoolwork from Monday to Friday.
2. In China, parents usually give their children pocket money directly as allowance, and most Chinese children rarely earn pocket money by doing housework for their families or doing part-time jobs like delivering newspapers in their spare time. Most of the time, Chinese kids focus more on their school studies, and the housework is mostly taken on by family members. Chinese teenagers seldom do paid part-time work before they reach college age, and the volunteer work they participate in is mostly organized by schools.
【知识点】阅读理解、中西方文化对比
【点评】本题考查学生的英语信息提取能力及中西方文化差异的认知，需准确把握原文内容并结合文化常识作答，难度适中。
【难度系数】0.5

1. —Can/Could you please water the plants?
请问你能给植物浇下水吗？
—Sure. /Sorry, I have to clean the bath-room now. 当然可以。/抱歉，我现在得去打扫浴室了。
【感知】（1）—Can you sort your things into those boxes? 你能把你的东西整理到那些盒子里吗？
—OK. 好的。
（2）—Dad, could you please give me a lift to the shop this afternoon? 爸爸,今天下午你能载我去商店吗？
—Sorry, but I have to work at home all
day. 抱歉,我一整天都得在家工作。
（3）—Can you take care of these fish every day? 你能每天照顾这些鱼吗？
—Yes! 可以！
【思考】通过上述日常对话可知,用或句式来表达请求,用比显得更为委婉和礼貌。在回应时,用表示同意帮忙,句式则是拒绝并说明了原因。
【运用】
（1）—Jack, could you please help me take out the trash?
—Sorry, I , Mom. I my homework now.
A. couldn't; am doing
B. can't; am doing
C. can't; do
（2）—你能扫一下地吗？
— sweep the floor?
—好的,爸爸。我马上就去扫。
—, Dad. do it at once.

【思考】Could you; Can you; Could; Can; OK/Yes/Sure; Sorry, I have to do sth.
运用:(1) B (2) Could you please; Yes; I'll

【分析】
首先观察题目中的日常对话，请求他人帮忙时常用“Can you...”和“Could you...”句式；对比两者可知，“Could”引导的句式比“Can”引导的更委婉礼貌。回应请求时，用“OK/Yes/Sure”等表达同意帮忙，用“Sorry, I have to do sth.”这类句式拒绝并说明原因。运用部分需结合上述知识点，选择正确的选项和补全对话。
【解析】
【思考】部分：从对话例子可知，表达请求用“Could you”或“Can you”句式；“Could”比“Can”更委婉礼貌；同意回应用“OK/Yes/Sure”，拒绝回应用“Sorry, I have to do sth.”。【运用】（1）：拒绝请求时，用“can't”（不用couldn't），后面描述正在做的事用现在进行时“am doing”，故选B。（2）：请求句式为“Could you please”，同意回应用“Yes”，表示马上做用“I'll”。
【答案】
【思考】Could you; Can you; Could; Can; OK/Yes/Sure; Sorry, I have to do sth. 运用:(1) B (2) Could you please; Yes; I'll
【知识点】
请求与回应的表达；委婉句式的用法；现在进行时
【点评】
本题以日常对话为载体，考查请求与回应的常用句式，区分委婉程度，贴近生活实际，有助于学生掌握实用的交际用语。
【难度系数】
0.3