Body language is the “silence language” of every culture. It is important to know the body language of every country, or we may be misunderstood.
In the United States, people greet each other with a handshake in a formal introduction. The handshake must be firm. If the handshake is weak, it is a sign of weakness or unfriendliness. Friends may place a hand on the other’s arm or shoulder. Some people, usually women, greet a friend with a hug.
Space is important to Americans. When two people talk to each other, they usually stand about two or a half feet away and at an angle, so they are not facing each other directly. Americans get uncomfortable when a person stands too close. They will move back to have their space. If Americans touch another person by accident, they say “Pardon me” or “Excuse me”.
Americans like to look the other person in the eye when they are talking. If you don’t do so, it means you are bored, hiding something, or are not interested. But when you stare at someone, it is not polite.
Learning a culture’s body language is sometimes confusing. If you don’t know what to do, the safest thing to do is to smile.
【小题1】Suppose you are meeting a customer from United States, how will you greet him?| A．Greet him with a hug | B．Stare at him |
| C．Place a hand on his arm | D．Shake his hand firmly |
| A．face you directly | B．move back |
| C．Say “Pardon me” | D．stare at you |
| A．Americans stand side by side when talking with friends. |
| B．Americans show their respect by shaking hands weakly. |
| C．Americans say “Excuse me” to each other when talking. |
| D．Americans like to look the other person in the eye when talking. |
| A．listen carefully with no expression | B．hide your opinions |
| C．smile | D．stare at others |
