Last year, I lived in Chile for half a year. I lived with a Chilean family and had the responsibilities of any Chilean teenager. I had good days and bad days I didn’t understand.
Chuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp. When I arrived there, I was scared. It was so different from what I was used to. There were lots of dogs on the streets, and there was no downtown, few smoothly paved streets, and little to do for entertainment. Rain was not seen very often, earthquakes and windstorms were frequent.
I had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class. But in my first week in Chile I was only able to communicate and needed one person to whom I could explain my shock. I couldn’t speak the thoughts in my head and there were so many.
Most exchange students experience this like me. Culture shock presents itself in everything from increased aggression (敌对心理) towards the people to lack of appetite. I was required to overcome all difficulties.
As time passed, everything changed. I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food. I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun. Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people. And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy.
But the sacrifices were nothing compared to the gain. I learned how to accept and to succeed in another culture. I now have a deeper understanding of both myself and others.
小题1:The author came to Chile last year with the purpose of ________.
A．paying a visit to Chile as a tourist
B．experiencing Chilean life as a teacher
C．studying Chilean culture as a college student
D．studying knowledge as an exchange student小题2:On arriving in Chile, why did the author feel frightened?
A．Because he did not know how to get along with the local people.
B．Because it was full of dangers like earthquakes and windstorms.
C．Because its living conditions were worse than what he was used to.
D．Because it was not convenient for him to shop there.小题3: In the first week in Chile the author ________.
A．was not used to eating Chilean food
B．had some friends to have a chat with
C．couldn’t communicate with people
D．couldn’t express his thoughts in English小题4: What did the author most probably think of his life in Chile?
A．Wonderful and worthwhile
B．Difficult but meaningful
C．Difficult and meaningless
D．Boring and disappointing小题5:According to the passage, which of the following statements about Chile is TRUE?
A．its official language is Spanish and English.
B．It is a developing country without foreign students.
C．It seldom rains and natural disasters often happen.
D．Most Chileans are not friendly to foreigners.
