Cultural misunderstanding happens when you do something that is totally fine to do in your culture but it is offensive to the other.
Embracing
Embracing is one of the ways to greet in most parts of the world but not in all parts of the world.
You must know in many cultures especially in Muslims, sole of feet are directed very carefully. If you are pointing your feet soles to someone, it is like disrespecting them, or even an offense to an Arab.
No shoes
There are many places in the world where you must take your shoes off before entering. Masjids and temples are the common example for this. However, in some cultures you are not even allowed to enter a private house with your shoes on. In the south pacific or some parts of east Asia, you must remember to remove your shoes before entering a house as a sign of respect and cleanliness.
A.Mind your feet. |
B.Watch your step. |
C.It can happen both ways. |
D.In Japanese culture this thing is most common. |
E.It is always better to research possible misunderstandings to avoid troubles. |
F.There are some countries where trying to embrace might get you embarrassed. |
G.It is always advised to mind your body language, especially when you are in a foreign country. |
There is a large percentage of Asian people in the US. They’re hard-working, respectful but strange sometimes.
How are they different? When it comes to most Asian culture, respect is everything.
If you’re an American boss giving your Asian employee a review, you will see that they will have a problem with your negative remarks. They will think that you don t like them, disrespectful, and want to get rid of them.
A.In fact, you re just doing your job. |
B.So you have no choice but to trust them.. |
C.Americans cannot get along well with Asians. |
D.It just doesn’t work that way with Asian people. |
E.Americans are very different from Asian people. |
F.You can do anything you want but don t disrespect an Asian man. |
G.If you don t understand their culture, you will get some problems with them. |
In Korea, it is rude to wear shoes inside someone’s house because it is considered dirty. In Saudi Arabia, you should not bring food to someone’s house because taking food or drink suggests that you think the host cannot afford the meal. More and more people around the world are travelling abroad to study, to go on vacation, or to work, and while it can be a great way to learn about other cultures, there may be times when travelers accidentally annoy their host.
The same gesture can have very different meanings in different countries. The gesture meaning OK in the United States means something completely different in Brazil as Ella Yao discovered. Ella had travelled to Brazil to study and was living with a host family. During dinner, her host asked Ella if she was enjoying the meal. Because her mouth was full of food, Ella made a sign with her hand that to her meant OK. Although Ella meant the food was good, this symbol in Brazilian culture is extremely rude and her host was deeply annoyed.
While travelling in Thailand, Elizabeth Brown learned that there are differences in food in the United States and Thailand. She stopped at a small, family-owned restaurant in Chiang Mai and ordered spring rolls. She was really enjoying eating them until she got the last one and noticed that there was an insect inside. She complained to the server. Later, she discovered that although insects are disgusting to most Americans, they are considered a delicacy(佳肴) in some countries.
All these mistakes can be avoided with some research on cultural differences before you go abroad. However, if you do accidentally annoy someone, quickly apologize, and learn from your mistake.
【小题1】For what reason did Ella make her host angry?A.She spoke with her mouth full. |
B.Her host misunderstood her gesture. |
C.She didn’t like the meal her host prepared. |
D.Her host didn’t like using body language. |
A.She ate an insect. | B.She was badly treated. |
C.She argued with the server. | D.She learned insects are welcome there. |
A.What matters | B.When in Rome |
C.How to be polite | D.Why make mistakes |
A nation's humor is linked to the historical development of the country. How funny somebody finds a certain thing depends on many things including ages, personal experiences, levels of education and locations. Therefore, humor is something that is not always transferable (可转移的) in another country.
What about when both countries speak the same mother tongue? Does that mean they will then share the same sense of humor, or can differences still take place? Let's take the example of Britain and America. Time and time again, people say that Brits and Americans don't "get" each other's sense of humor. It is often argued that one of the most common differences between the British and American sense of humor is that Americans don't understand irony (反话). Simon Pegg explores this topic in depth in his article What Are You Laughing At? He concludes that this statement isn't true and I agree with him.
In fact, Brits use irony on a daily basis while Americans don't. I think Americans understand British irony (most of the time anyway); what they don't understand is the need to use it so frequently. When Americans use irony, they tend to say that they are "only kidding". They feel the need to make a joke more obvious than Brits do. Maybe this comes from a fear of offending (冒犯) people.
The American sense of humor is generally more slapstick (闹剧的) than that in Britain. I think this arises from a cultural difference between the two. Their jokes are more obvious and forward, a bit like Americans themselves. British jokes, on the other hand, tend to be more subtle. This may stem from the fact that British culture is more reserved (矜持的) than American culture.
【小题1】What does Paragraph 1 mainly show?A.Humor is difficult to get. |
B.Humor is influenced by culture. |
C.Not all people have a sense of humor. |
D.It is important to have a sense of humor. |
A.Americans don't get Brits' humor. |
B.Americans know how to use irony. |
C.Simon Pegg is professional in using irony. |
D.Britain and America share the same sense of humor. |
A.Americans' jokes often offend people. |
B.Brits' irony is not easy to understand. |
C.They are different in how often to use irony. |
D.They are not sure about the need to use irony. |
A.Hidden | B.Funny |
C.Obvious | D.Special |
组卷网是一个信息分享及获取的平台,不能确保所有知识产权权属清晰,如您发现相关试题侵犯您的合法权益,请联系组卷网