Book I
Unit 3 Culture
Teaching Aims:
In this unit students are required to :
1) get to know some useful information concerning the topic of the reading passages in this unit and to know more about English culture;
2) do some preparation activities such as discussion, group work, etc. to practice their spoken skill and communicative skills;
3) grasp some new words and try to use these words which help them to enrich their vocabulary;
4)read the in-class reading passage in a limited time and grasp some expressions and grammatical points in the in-class reading passage to improve their reading comprehension;
5) do some post-reading exercises and some after-class reading to practice what they have got to know in class to improve their English comprehensive skills.;
6) translate some typical sentences into Chinese or English by using some expressions learned in the reading passages to acquire some translating skills and better their translating abilities.
I. Useful Information
Culture is a very broad term used to describe the arts, the beliefs, the values, the traditions, the customs, and the institutions that are considered to be characteristic of a community, a people, a region, or a nation. Culture also includes the languages and dialects that people use to express their feelings and to communicate with each other. It is often difficult to separate language and culture since, in most cases, language is the main medium through which culture is transmitted. Most people feel that it is impossible to really know a culture without speaking the language. In some immigrant populations in North America, however, the original language (French, German, Chinese, Polish, etc.) has been lost but customs and traditions are still maintained.
Although many cultures in the world have remained isolated for centuries, commerce and trade have often been the source of all sorts of cultural exchanges, ranging from foods to tools. Chinese fine china and other inventions reached Europe thanks to the silk route, for example. However, cultural exchanges have not always been fair or balanced. The native population of North and South America were killed or destroyed (a large part of) by disease and alcoholbrought by the Europeans. Throughout history, wars and political decisions have destroyed cultures and forced people to adopt the language and the customs of the dominant civilization.
It is often assumed that if a culture is technologically advanced, it must be superior or that if a culture is young it must be inferior. Everyone tends to make value judgments about other cultures. Finding fault with or making fun of other customs and beliefs is often merely a way of bolstering (supporting a theory cause etc.) our complacency (feeling of personal content, satisfaction) our pride. It is certainly much easier to learn about other cultures if one approaches them with an open mind and if one respects differences rather than criticizing them. Often something that appears strange or unusual in other cultures is in fact very logical and part of a deeply rooted tradition. What might seem rude in one culture might seem perfectly normal and acceptable in another culture. Tolerance and curiosity are key factors in all cross-cultural learning experiences.
Although modern transportation and communications have reduced the word to a “global village”, there are still many fascinating cultural differences to explore. Discovering how people from other regions or other countries see the world can be an enriching experience. Tasting (taste) new foods, listening to different music, and studying the architecture or the literature of other cultures can open up new perspectives on life.
II. Preparation
1．Clearing up a misunderstanding
The reason is that the thumb-and-forefinger-in-a-circle (the okay gesture), a friendly one in America, has an insulting meaning in France and Belgium: “You are worth zero.,” while in Greece and Turkey it is an insulting or vulgar(rude/showing bad banners) sexual invitation.
2．Bridging a gap
At first he didn’t understand the question “How do you find it here?” It was inappropriate for him to answer the above-mentioned question by saying: “ Well, I don’t know,” It was better to say something about his impressions of the country. And it would help to keep the conversation going.“How much do you know?” was a difficult question for Geri to answer. “A lot” or “A little”’ the tow possible replies, in fact, would not be satisfactory to Liu Zongren.He said his last name when he meant his first name.It was ridiculous for him to say “Thank you” at the end of the conversation because there seemed to be nothing for him to thank them for.
Notes:
1) bowing like a Japanese:
The Japanese are noted for their courtesy(polite behavior). They bow all the time and repeatedly. Japanese who greet people from the west often try to do two things at once. They try to follow local customs. They also try to shake hands at the same time---following western traditions. But they mix both. As they shake hands, they also move their body up and down as if they are bowing. It looks like they are trying to pump water from an old pump at a well.
2) ritual and a great deal of one-upmanship:
Here “ritual” refers to the things people unanimously (unanimous: in/showing complete agreement) do or say when parting. “One-upmanship” means one tries to be more polite than the other. If one says one “Goodbye”, the other will say it two or three times.
3) That same “slow” is used in another polite expression used by the host at the end of a particular large and delicious meal to assure his guests what a poor and inadequate host he has been.（这里“slow”被用在“怠慢” 这个词组里）
III. In-Class Reading Activities
Bridging Cultural Gaps Gracefully
1.to slip into: pass gradually into a state or situation, in a way that is hardly noticed.
It amazed him how easily one could slip into a routine.
He slipped into the room when no one was looking.
The boy slipped into bed and went right to sleep.
to slip one’s memory/mind: to be forgotten
These points had entirely slipped my memory. His name slipped my mind
2….without all your foreignness exposed (without+N+P.P)
e.g. without all your weakness exposed
without all the mail delivered
without all the products delivered
without all the apples picked
without all her sensitivity revealed
3.to start out: begin
e.g. He has started out to study French. He stared out to write his report.
We all start out in life as helpless infants.
to start out :leave; set out
We stared out from home in the morning.
Bill started out for school on his bicycle.
4.when it came to seeing…: When talking about seeing; When it was a case or question of seeing…
When it comes to relationships, everyone makes mistakes.
When it comes to hard work, you can rely on him.
When it comes to mathematics, I am completely at sea.
The school has very good teachers, but when comes to buildings, the school is very poor.
5.to see sb off: to go to an airport, station etc.with sbwho is leaving
to see his friends off at the bus stop
Are you coming to see us off at the station?
This morning he had not even come to see them off.
to see about sth: to deal with
The first thing we must do when we arrive in London is to see about a hotel.
to see through sb/ sth : not be deceived by
He cannot fool me; I can see through him every time.
I saw through his trick.
to see sth through: continue it until the end
Whatever happens, we’ll see the struggle through
to see to sth : attend to it
There was much to see to.
Who is seeing to the arrangements for the meeting?
6.An abrupt goodbye would not do.
to do : be acceptable（行，合适，可以，凑合）
Will it do if we let you have an answer by Friday?
It will do if you let me know in an hour or so.
That is not quite what I wanted, but I think it will do.
7.to smooth over: to make (difficulties) seem small or unimportant使…缓解，使… 平息下来
It will be difficult for you to smooth over your differences after so many years.
经过这么多年，你想消除你们之间的分歧谈何容易。
The teacher smoothed over the quarrel between the two boys.
Bill tried to smooth over his argument with Mary making her laugh.
8.to pick up: get, gain（非正规地）学会，学到
He picked up French while he was staying in Paris.
Young children soon pick up words they hear their elders use.
Statistics isn’t a subject that can be picked up in a month.
to pick up: take hold of and lift
He picked up the book and gave it to her.
to pick up: gather together ; collect
Pick up your room before mother sees it.
to pick up: to give sb a lift
Pick me up at the hotel.
At the next corner the bus stopped and picked up 3 people.
9.to send sb off: to say good-bye to sb; to see sb off
There was a large crowd to send him off.
All the students want to send the teacher off.
to send sth off: to post/mail (a letter, parcel, message…)
I would like to send off the parcel by early post.
Why haven’t you got my letter? I sent it off last week.
to send sb off: (esp. in football) to cause a player to leave the field because of a serious breaking of the rules
The judge sent Li Jingyu off
10.to involve : cause … to take part in
This problem involves us all.
Don’t involve you in the quarrel.
That’s no concern of me. I’m not involved.
to involve: have as a necessary result
To accept this work involves living in London.
Housework involves cooking, washing dishes, sweeping and cleaning.
The plan involves the co-operation of both young and old.
11.to assure(sb that)…to cause sb to be sure向谁保证，肯定地说
I assure you that you are wrong.
I assure you that the medicine cannot harm you.
Nothing can assure permanent happiness.
to assure sb of…向。。。保证一定，肯定地向…说
I can assure you of my full support for your plan.
He assures us of his ability to work.
to ensure: to make sure保证，使一定得到
to ensure sb sth. to ensure sth to sb to ensure that
The book ensured his success.
This medicine will ensure you a good night’s sleep.
These documents ensure to you the authority you need
I cannot ensure that he will be there in time. .
to insure:make a contract that promises to pay a sum of money in case of accident, loss,death etc.
The old lady has insured her life.
My house is insured against fire.
12.to put sb to trouble:给某人造成麻烦，增添麻烦
I don’t like putting you to so much trouble.
I am sorry for putting you to so much trouble.
I don’t want to put you to a lot of trouble.
to ask/look for trouble: behave so as to cause trouble
What made you write such a letter? It was asking for trouble.
Don’t you go looking for trouble?
to get into trouble: to be in trouble
He is always getting into trouble with the police.
to get sb into trouble
If you do, you might get me into trouble.
to have trouble in doing: to have difficulty in doing
Did you have much in finding the house? I have some trouble in reading the letter.
to take trouble over sth;to take trouble to do sth: use much care and effort in doing sth
He should take more trouble over his work.
He has taken endless trouble to make a success of our picnic.
They took a lot of trouble to find the right person for the job.
13.to insist on :to order strongly坚持要求，一定要
I insist on an answer.
He insisted on a second message being sent.
She insisted on lending them a car.
He insisted on her staying in London.
to insist that…should do/be
Mary insisted that he be present.
I insisted that he (should) go.
to insist : to declare firmly坚持说，强调
I insisted my correctness.
He insists on the need to work hard.
I insisted to everyone that he was wrong.
He insisted that I ought to see Brown alone.
14.to go against sth: be opposed or contrary to sth违背，违反
His thinking goes against all logic.
They are going against our wishes.
to go against: to resist or oppose抵抗或反对
Don’t go against your parents.
He went against the advice of his friends and resigned.
15. to be likely to do It is likely that (likely: that seems reasonable /probable)
It is likely to rain. I thought I wasn’t likely to see you again.
It is likely that he will do very well.(He is likely to do very well.)
It’s highly likely that he will succeed.
16.to hold true也符合…的情况，能成立
It has always held true that man cannot live without laws.
Bob is a good boy and that holds true of Jim.
17. with regard to: in regard to; concerning; about ;on; with respect to
With regard to John, I will write to him at once.
I spoke to him with regard to his low marks.
In regard to your problem, I should like to make a suggestion.
In regard to the test tomorrow, it is postponed.
With respect to those letters, I think the best thing is to burn them.
He wants to talk to you with respect to your journey.
18. to take(a)pride in: to be proud of ,to pride oneself on
His letters indicate that he loved his son, and took pride in him.
He takes a pride in his work.
He prided himself on being a man of self-control.
19. to take one’s word(for It):to believe what one says
You can take my word that he is innocent.
They took his word for it when he promised to return the money within a week.
IV. Reading Comprehension Activities
1．Understanding the main idea of the passage
Topic Sentence
…slip into a culture without all his foreign edges/foreignness exposed
Supporting evidence:
A.Parting customs:
a.one custom: The host ….will smooth over the visitors’ leaving and make them feel they will be welcome to come again.
The author’s problem: She constantly found herself tongue-tied.
Her solution; At first she often hid behind her husband and then she gradually picked up the words and phrases.
b.another custom: The host and hostess feel they must see a quest off to the farthest feasible point except those less important or young.
A problem she met with as a quest: She tried to discourage the host and hostess from seeing her off, but failed.
Her conclusion: It is better to accept the inevitable.
Chinese modesty vs. American straightforwardness(Para. 8-12)
At a party, when complimented for cooking skills
a Chinese will appear to be modest and apologize for giving “nothing” even slightly edible(sth. that can be eaten) and for not showing enough honor by providing proper dishes.
an American is likely to say, “Oh,, I’m glad that you like it. I cooked it especially for you.”
When talking about their children,
Chinese parents will say that their children , even if at the top of their class in school, are always so “naughty”’ never studying, never listening to their elders, and so forth;
American parents will straightforwardly speak proudly of their children’s achievements.
hearing the word “no”,
a Chinese will not take it the first time;
an American will take it to mean “no”
Conclusions(Para 13): Life becomes much easier once you have studied up on cultural differences.
2. Questions for discussion
Do you agree with the author’s description of Chinese people? Give your reasons.
In some way I agree with her, e.g. sending people off to the farthest feasible point, apologizing for a very delicious meal by saying they have prepared nothing, saying “no” before they accept something. But I don’t think that parents will say to others that their children are always naughty. Now like American parents, Chinese parents are proud of their children in their hearts and will also praise them in front of others
Have you ever noticed some other Chinese customs that are different from foreigners?
Yes.
Examples:
When Americans receive a present, they will unwrap it immediately. But the Chinese will never do that. They will wait until the giver is gone.
Americans say “hello” to each other when they meet, and the Chinese say: “Where are you going” or “have you eaten?” if it’s meal time. But this is not absolute. Many people are influenced by foreign cultures and they will say “Hello” too.
There are some taboo (something which religion or custom regards as forbidden) topics according to American culture, but they are not taboos in China, these are: age( especially female’s age), salary, religion etc.
Americans decide before the meal that will pay for it, but the Chinese will say nothing before the meal and after the meal, everyone will volunteer to pay, so there is usually a lot of expressions of politeness and protests. It sounds very noisy.
V. Further Development
1．Comparing Dining Customs
1）American dining customs:
to be on time. If you cannot, call the host or hostess
bring a box of candy or some flowers depending on the situation
to stand up when a woman enters till she is seated.
to help the lady sit down by pushing her chair under her.
When a prayer is being offered, keep silent with bowed head.
Use one hand whenever possible and keep the other one on the lap.