A report consistently brought back by visitors to the U.S. is how friendly, courteous and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are, of course exceptions. Small-minded officials, rude waiters and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the U.S. Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.
For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and loneliness were common problems of families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside world.
The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the harshness of daily life: If you didn’t take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would. And someday, remember, you might be in the same situation.
Today, there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary travelers. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the U.S., especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails. “I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon, he invited me home for dinner — amazing.” Such observations reported by visitors to the U.S. are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly. The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.
As is true of any developed society, in America, a complex set of cultural signals, assumptions and conventions underlies all social interrelationships. And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily mean that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to “translate” cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example, when an American uses the word “friend,” the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor’s language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention and individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many Americans value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.
【小题1】In the eyes of visitors from the outside world, __________.| A．rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the U.S. |
| B．small-minded officials deserve a serious comment |
| C．Canadians are not as friendly as their neighbors |
| D．most Americans are ready to offer help |
| A．social patterns and historical traditions are inseparable |
| B．people in remote and difficult areas used to be more friendly |
| C．various virtues exposed to strangers or neighbors are superficial |
| D．being friendly to strangers is particularly important to Americans |
| A．tends to be superficial and artificial |
| B．is generally well kept up in the United States |
| C．is always understood properly |
| D．has something to do with the busy tourist trails |
| A．American culture is confusing to most travelers. |
| B．Americans usually don’t mean what they say. |
| C．Words don’t always translate American culture properly. |
| D．Learning English is the first thing to known American culture. |
