When my family moved to America from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect old people. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States. 

I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One day, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the old people. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive (敏感的) Americans are and how they dislike the description of being “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the couple. After the couple heard my explanation and realized that the problem was caused by cultural differences, they laughed. 

In my village in China, people are proud of being old because old age means having rich knowledge and experience. Young people always respect old people because they can learn from them.

However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since it shows that a person is going to retire or that his health is falling. So many people try to keep themselves from aging by doing exercises or jogging, and some women put on makeup, hoping to look young.

When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect old people, they got angry because I made them feel they were old. Clearly I had said something they didn’t want to hear. 

After that, I changed the way I had been with old people. It is not that I don’t respect them anymore; I still respect them, but now I no longer express it the Chinese way.

1.The writer served the couple their food so quickly because ________.

A the manager asked him to do so     

B he respected old people

C the couple wanted him to do so     

D he wanted more pay

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第二段第三句I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the old people.可知，作者很快给那对夫妻上菜是因为作者尊敬年长的人。故选B。

2.When the writer treated the couple as old people, they became ________.

A nervous

B sensitive       

C unhappy

D excited

解析：选C。C 细节理解题，根据第二段第四句As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure.可知，那对夫妻不高兴了。故选C。

3.In the writer’s hometown, ________.

A people are proud of being old

B people dislike being called “old”

C many people have been to America 

D old people are interested in doing exercises

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第三段第一句In my village in China, people are proud of being old because old age means having rich knowledge and experience.可知在作者的故乡，人们因年长而感到骄傲。故选A。

4.After this experience, the writer ________.

A lost his job in the restaurant      

B made friends with the couple

C no longer respected the old      

D learned more about American

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第四段可知，经过这次事件，作者更加了解美国人。故选D。

5.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A The more the writer explained, the angrier the couple got.

B The writer began to dislike the old after this experience.

C The manager went to the table and apologized to the couple.

D Americans and Chinese have different ideas about “being old”.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据文章中作者的经历可知，中国人和美国人对年长的理解不一样。故选D。