NoteTakingandGapFilling
Goodafternoon, class. Iwanttostartmylecturebytellingyouastory. OncetherewasayoungwomanfromMexiconamedConsuela, whocametoNewYorktolearnEnglish. ShegotajobatafactoryownedbyaChinese. OnedayasConsuelacametowork, herChinesebosshandedheraredenvelope. Consuelalookedinsideandsaw 20 dollars. Shebecameveryupsetandthrewtheenvelopebackatherboss! Herbosswasshocked. Well, hehadgivenhertheredenvelopeandthemoneybecauseitwasChineseNewYear. AndontheChineseNewYear, itistraditionaltogivemoneytoyoung, singlepeopleforgoodluck. However, fromConsuela’spointofview, hewasanoldermangivinghermoneyinanenvelope, whichmeantthathewasaskingherforsexualfavors. Naturally, sherefusedtotakethemoney.
Now, whatdoesthisstoryshowus? Itshowsthatanactioncanhavetotallyoppositemeaningsindifferentcultures. Everyculturehasitsownrulesforwhatisappropriateandwhatisnotappropriatebehavior. Andtoillustratemypointtoday, I’mgoingtogiveexamplesfromfourareas. First, thewaypeoplegreeteachotherindifferentcultures. Second, thewaytheyusenamesandtitles. Third, thewaypeopleeat. Andfinally, thewaytheyexchangegifts.
OK, let’sstartwithgreetingcustoms—Firstofall, I’msureyouknowthatintheUnitedStatesandinmostwesterncountries, greetingsofteninvolvesomesortoftouching, suchasahandshake, ahug, orakissifpeopleknoweachotherverywell. Ontheotherhand, peoplefrommostAsiancountriesdon’tusuallyfeelascomfortabletouchinginpublic. Althoughhandshakesbetweenbusinesspeoplearecommon, manyJapanesepreferabow, whilepeoplefromThailand, normallyholdtheirhandstogetherinakindofprayerposition. SoimaginehowembarrassingitwouldbeifanAmericanwasinvitedtosomeone’shomeinJapanorThailandandshetriedtohugthehost!
Now, anotherbehaviorthatdiffersfromculturetocultureistheuseofnames. HaveyounoticedthatAmericansarequicktousepeople’sfirstnameseveniftheyhavejustmet. Forinstance, visitorstotheUnitedStatesarealwayssurprisedtohearemployeesspeaktotheirbossesusingfirstnames. Incontrast, peopleinmostotherculturesaremoreformalandprefertobeaddressedasMr. BrownorMr. Honda, forexample. Inaddition, insomecountries, suchasItalyorKorea, peoplelikeyoutoincludetheirtitleorpositionwiththeirfamilynames, especiallyifthey’reuniversitygraduatesorownersofabusiness.
NowIwanttolookateatingcustoms. I’lltalkaboutthebehaviorsconnectedwitheatingthatvaryfromculturetoculture. Oneoftheseistheuseofutensils. YouprobablyknowthatpeopleinmanyAsianculturesusechopsticksbutinsomecountriesit’scustomarytoeatwithyourfingers. It’simportanttobeawareofdifferentdiningcustoms. Hereisanotherexample. Insomecultures, eatingeverythingonyourplateisconsideredimpolite. InEgyptandChina, youshouldleavesomefoodinyourdishattheendofthemeal. Thisistoshowthatyourhostsweregenerousandgaveyoumorethanenoughtoeat. However, Americansgenerallyconsideracleanplateasasignofsatisfactionwiththefood.
Finally, whatIwanttomentiontodayisgiftgiving, whichyoumaythinkisauniversalcustomandthereisnotmuchvariationfromculturetoculture. Buttherulesofgiftgivingcanbeverycomplicated. InUSA, ifyou’reinvitedtosomeone’shomefordinner, bringwineorflowersorsmallitemasapresent. Ontheotherhand, theJapanesegivegiftsquitefrequently, oftentothanksomeone, suchasateacheroradoctor. IntheJapaneseculture, giftgivingisaveryancienttraditionandithasmanydetailedrules. Anotherinterestingfactaboutgiftgivingisthatmanycultureshavestrictrulesaboutgiftsyoushouldnotgive. Forexample, nevergiveyellowflowerstopeoplefromIran, whichmeansyouhatethem!
【评析】
本文题材对考生来说并不陌生，是老生常谈的文化差异。作者先从一个故事引入，再从四个方面（打招呼，称谓，饮食及送礼）介绍各国不同的风俗习惯。做笔记时，从这四个角度进行归类，记下关键的实词，相信正确答案就近在咫尺了。
【难词】
bown. 鞠躬
addressv. 称呼
utensiln. 餐具
universaladj. 普遍的，通用的