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  3. Americans have a great love for informality and nowhere is this better expressed than in their love for nicknames. Upon greeting

Americans have a great love for informality and nowhere is this better expressed than in their love for nicknames. Upon greeting

admin2010-07-24  52
问题     Americans have a great love for informality and nowhere is this better expressed than in their love for nicknames. Upon greeting strangers for the first time they will quickly introduce themselves by their nickname. These are shortened forms of their given name at birth and reflect the casual relationships which exist among friends and coworkers. Family names are hardly ever used in daily situations and the use of one’s father’s last name is saved only for rare and formal occasions.
    In many traditional cultures the use of the family name is seen as a sign of respect. For Americans, however, it’s the nickname which creates an immediate intimacy between two people upon which to build a relationship. By speaking to another on a first name basis and using his nickname walls are immediately torn down and equality between two people is established.
    At work bosses will refer to their employees by their nicknames. Should an employer use a worker’s family name, you can be sure that some kind of correction or serious business will follow.
    Not only people but cities often carry their own nicknames. Chicago is called the "Windy City" because of the gusty winds which come down from Canada throughout the year. Philadelphia is well-known as the "City of Brotherly Love", St. Louis with its Gateway Arch is called "The Gateway to the West", and New York City is considered the "Big Apple" for reasons which are still obscure to most people including many New Yorkers. Other cities are merely abbreviations for the sake of convenience. Washington is simply called D. C. and Los Angeles is L. A.
    Not every nickname, however, is a complement and some can be downright rude and insulting. If someone should demonstrate a certain negative characteristic, a label will soon be attached to describe that person in a non-flattering way. Likewise a person’s physical traits which are very dominant may lead to nicknames but not necessarily to one’s liking or choice. A nickname, there- fore, is a way of endearing, identifying, alienating( 使疏远) or describing someone or something for better or worse.
Why is New York City called "The Big Apple" ?
选项 A、People are not really sure of the origin of this term.
B、Because people sold apples on street corners during the depression.
C、Because of the McIntosh Apple Computers produced there.
D、Because New York is a city of great attractions.
答案A
解析 题干问的是纽约被称作“The Big Apple”的原因，联系原文定位关键词句for reasons which are still obscure to most people including many New Yorkers可以推测大部分纽约本地人也不知道为什么， obscure为“模糊的，不明白”之意，A中not really sure为之同义转述，故为答案。
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大学英语四级

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