The English, as a race, have the reputation of being very different from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, Belgians and Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island (1) ____has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities.
Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed (2) ___. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems inhibited, (3) ____. You have only to witness a commuter train any morning or evening to sec the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit (4) _______ or dozing in a comer; no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An English wit, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, “On entering a railway compartment shake hands with all the passengers.” Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is (5) ___of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately the object of suspicion.
It is a well-known fact that the English have (6) ___and that, given half a chance, they will talk about it (7) ___. Some people argue that it is because English weather defies forecast and hence is (8) ____ to everyone. This may be so. Certainly Englishmen cannot have much faith in the meteorological experts—the weathermen—who, after promising fine, sunny weather for the following day, are often proved wrong when an anti-cyclone over the Atlantic brings rainy weather to all districts. The man in the street seems to be as accurate—or as inaccurate—as the weathermen (9) _____. This helps to explain the seemingly odd sight of an Englishman (10) _____with a raincoat slung over his arm and an umbrella in his hand. So variable is the weather that by lunchtime it could be pouring.
(From The English Character)
A. an obsession with their weather
B. an unwritten but clearly understood code
C. a source of interest and speculation
D. leaving home on a bright, sunny, summer morning
E. only among people he knows well
F. separated from the rest of Europe
G. even embarrassed
H. at length
I. accompanied by appropriate gestures
J. reading their newspapers
K. more or less
L. in his predictions
