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Lesson 15 Case Study and Performance

First Offer

A Canadian colleague and I traveled to Guilin with our admirable guide Heping Liu in very hot weather. Sightseeing is a thirsty business. We did not trust the water, and enjoyed excellent beer. We politely offered some to Heping but he refused. We said nothing and drank our beer, while poor Heping watched. On another day, Heping quickly accepted our offer of beer. Questions for discussion

In your daily life, do you often accept first offer? If yes, in what situation? Girl-ness

As a visiting professor in an American university, Zhang Hua was invited to give a lecture to a group of American students. He talked about university students in China. During the question-and-answer period after the lecture, one female student asked a question that surprised Zhang Hua. “When you talked about female students, you referred to them as girls. Why?”

“Because they are girls. That’s what they are called,” Zhang Hua tried to answer, but he knew he did not really understand the intent of the question. “ I don’t quite understand your question, I’m afraid.”

“In the States, we call ourselves ‘women’ if we’re old enough to go to the university. Calling us ‘girls’ is insulting.”

Do Chinese female college students prefer to be called women? Same Language, Different Behavior

(An American traveled to England and was staying with a friend. During his stay, the American decided to talk to the Englishman about some things that were bothering him.)

American: I feel uncomfortable with many of the people here, but I’m not sure why. I speak the same language, so there shouldn’t be any problem. Back home, I usually get along with people. You know that I’m very friendly.

Englishman: Yes, that’s true, but you’re friendly in the way that Americans are friendly.

American: I’m not sure I understand.

Englishman: Well, for example, at the meeting the other night, you immediately called people by their first names. We do that here, but not when we first meet someone.

American: That’s how we make people feel comfortable. People feel friendlier toward each other when they use first names.

Englishman: It’s different here. For example, when you met my boss you should have used his last name. Also there’s something else that you do that English people don’t often do.

American: What’s that?

Englishman: You touch people on the shoulder quite a bit, especially when you compliment them.

American: I guess I’ve never thought about that before. I suppose that is what I do at home.

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Lesson 16 Case Study and Performance

Interpreting a Laugh

Huihua, a Chinese student, and Mary , an American student studying Chinese in China, were on their way to a bookstore. As they got to the bookstore, they saw a young man walking down a flight of stairs. In his hurry, he missed the last two steps, and fell on the ground. He struggled to get back to his feet while people around him laughed. Fortunately, he seemed to be O.K.

Mary was worried. She found Huihua smiling a little and was not comfortable about it. Tell me, Huihua, how could people laugh when someone fell like that? Do they care at all? Shouldn’t they go up and ask the young man whether he was hurt?” Huihua said, “ they knew he wasn’t hurt too much.”

“But I still don’t understand. A fall is a fall. In my culture, people would do anything but laugh!”

Different Lunch Boxes

Peter was one of the American technicians who came to China to help set up a coffee plant. He was in China for six months. Before leaving for home，one of his Chinese colleagues took him out to dinner. Peter decided to ask him a question that had puzzled him for as long as he worked in the plant．

Why is it that the Chinese workers have stainless boxes for their lunch，while us foreigners have lunch put in the disposable plastic boxes?”

The Chinese colleague smiled, “It’s because the plastic boxes are more convenient; they are disposable. With the stainless boxes, you have to wash them after every meal.”

But Peter was not convinced．“I don’t think so．Stainless boxes are much better than plastic boxes．They look more professional, they are more durable, and they protect your lunch better.

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Lesson 17 Revision

Part 1

Why take Intercultural Communication? Culture

Communication

Intercultural Communication

The Difference between Chinese and Western Cultures

Part 2

Addressing People Greetings

Initiating Conversations Visiting Someone Partings

Part 3

Compliments and responses

Differences between Chinese and English compliments Response Formulas of E and C compliments

Expressions of gratitude and apology in English and Chinese

Part 4

Culturally loaded words

Cultural reflections on proverbs Taboos

Differences in cultural thought patterns

Part 5

Girls’ games occur within a gender culture that emphasizes cooperation, sensitivity toward others, and experience more than outcome.

Boys’ games emphasize achievement, both for the team and for the individual members.

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Lesson 18 TEST

Cultural Puzzles

Read the following situations and choose the appropriate answer(s). There may be more than one possible answer for each cultural puzzle. 1. What would you do if someone told you to use his or her first name, but you felt uncomfortable doing this?

a. You could continue to use the person’s last name without explaining why.

b. You could try to use the person’s first name even though you feel uncomfortable doing this. c. You could ask the person, “Is it OK if I use your last name?”

2. Situation: An American woman received a letter from a recently married Japanese friend. The Japanese woman wrote in her letter, “My husband is not very handsome. Your husband is much more handsome than mine.” The American woman was very surprised at what her friend wrote. 1) Why do you think the American was surprised?

a) The American woman saw a picture of her friend’s husband and thought that he was very handsome.

b) The American woman didn’t think her own husband was handsome. c) In the U.S., it is disrespectful to say that one’s husband is not handsome.

2) Why do you think the Japanese woman wrote, “My husband is not very handsome”?

a) The Japanese woman was trying to tell her American friend that she did not like her husband very much.

b) It is uncommon in Japan to compliment one’s husband.

c) The Japanese woman didn’t think her husband was handsome, but she liked his personality.

Case study

Interpreting a Smile

Peter is the general manager of an American company in China. Recently, Chen Jun, one of the Chinese managers made a mistake at work that caused some difficulties that required a lot of effort to fix. Chen Jun was very upset about what had happened, and came to Peter’s office to make a formal apology.

Chen Jun went into Peter’s office after being told to, smiling before he spoke. “Peter, I’ve been feeling very upset about the trouble I’ve caused for the company. I’m here to apologize for the mistake. I’m terribly sorry about it and I want you to know that it will never happen again.” Chen Jun said, looking at Peter with the smile he had been wearing since he walked into the office.

Peter found it hard to accept the apology. He looked at Chen Jun, and asked, “are you sure?” “Yes, I’m very sorry and I promise this won’t happen again,” Chen Jun said, with a smile even broader than before.

“I’m sorry I just can’t take your apology. You don’t look sorry at all!” Peter said angrily. Chen Jun’s face turned very red. He did not in the least expect Peter to take it negatively. He was desperate to make himself understood. “Peter,” he managed to smile again, “trust me, no one can feel any more sorry than I do about it.”

Peter was almost furious by now, “if you’re that sorry, how can you still smile?”

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