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Unit 3 Understanding each other

●Task Writing a letter to explain cultural misunderstandings

Skills building 1: completing a text

In this part, you will learn how to complete a text by listening. You are expected to learn what to do before and after listening and how to use the skills in practice. 1. Read the guidelines on page 42. Read the instructions out and make sure you understand the four tips about what you should do before you listen.

What is the first thing you need to do before listening? Why should we do this? What should we do next? How can we decide what the missing words probably are? What is the fourth thing about? 2. What do you think we should do after we have finished a passage? (Proofread it

to ensure that it makes sense and check whether there are any mistakes in it, include any spelling mistakes.) Remember that it is very important to review the text and make sure there are no mistakes or missing words. Step 1: showing foreign visitors around

1. Go over the instructions to find out what you are going to do in Part A. Read the diary and try to guess what each of the missing words is by using the methods you have learnt in Skills building 1. You can do this in pairs.

2. Listening practice: Listen to the recording and fill in the missing words. You may check your guesses at the same time. Tapescript Li Lin: Well, I think that was a great day. We showed the three visitors around Beijing and I think they enjoyed it. What were their names again? Zhu Qing: Well, there was Mr Singh from India, Mr Takashi from Japan and Mr Hudson from the USA. Li Lin: Yes, I thought it was a good day and we managed to visit quite a few places. We did have a few strange incidents though, didn’t? Zhu Qing: Mmm, it was very odd how Mr Singh reacted when you held out your left hand. He wouldn’t shake hands with you! Li Lin: Also, he got a bit upset in the restaurant and refused to try the black pepper beer on the menu. I thought most people liked black pepper beef. Perhaps he would have preferred beef and onions. Zhu Qing: All the visitors I have taken to that restaurant before have really enjoyed it. Mr Takashi and Mr Hudson liked it. Mr Takashi seemed to have a really good time. He asked so many questions in the Forbidden City that I think I know the history very well now! He must have taken about a hundred photos in a day and he kept buying lots of gifts. Some were very expensive. One thing I noticed though was that he was always giving people his business card. He didn’t look very happy when I just put in my pocket. Also, it was very confusing when 专心 爱心 用心

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he kept making an okay sign. We just didn’t know what he wanted. Li Lin: Mr Hudson thought the Summer Palace was amazing but he got a bit upset before we got on the boat. It was really a pain that he wanted to wait for the next boat as he thought the first one was too crowded. I thought there was plenty of space on it. Well, I suppose we should volunteer to show another set of visitors around next year---- at least we get to improve our English! Answers A: (1) three (2) strange (3) upset (4) shake hands (5) beef (6) gifts (7) business cards (8) OK (9) crowded (10) space 3. Listen to the tape again and try to answer the following questions: Which tourist attractions did the two students show the three foreigners around?

(The Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.)

Why did the writer feel strange about Mr Singh? ( Because he looked upset when

the writer

held out his left hand to shake hands with him.) Where is Mr Singh from? ( He is from India.) Where is Mr Takashi from? ( He’s from Japan.)

Do you think the OK sign made by Mr Takashi means ‘very good’ or ‘great’?

(No.)

Why wouldn’t Mr Hudson get on the boat? (He thought it was too crowded.)

1. Read the first paragraph of Part B and find out what the word ‘taboo’ means.

You can go back to the diary entry in Part A. Then read the rest of the article and circle the taboos in different cultures. Find out the reason why Mr Takashi did not look very happy when the student just put his business card in his pocket. Answers B: Paragraph 2 …, if you are from India, you may not eat beef because of your religion. Paragraph 3 In India, it is impossible to shake hands or give someone something with your left hand. Japanese people may bow and even give out their business cards to greet others and get upset if people do not look at the cards carefully. So remember not to just put them in your pocket without looking. 5. Read the guidelines in Part C to know what you will do in this part. Listen to the recording to

get more information about cultural habits. Tapescript Teacher: From my experience, people from the USA often feel uncomfortable if people are in their ‘personal space’ ( about fifty centimeters around their body). But 专心 爱心 用心

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I heard that business people from Asia have a different idea about personal space and usually stand closer than some people from the USA might like. Latin Americans are the same, and like to greet their colleagues with a hug. I also noticed that in the USA, gift-giving is not part of the culture unlike in many other countries. I saw that gift-giving is very important in Japan and on a trip, Japanese people must bring back lots of gifts. There are also signs which mean different things in different countries. In the USA, an ‘OK’ sign is formed by touching the thumb to the index finger. This is a positive sign in the United Stated, but in France, the same sign means ‘zero’ or ‘worthless’ and in Japan, it is a request for small change. Skills building 2: asking questions

1. There are many types of questions you can ask. They are as follows:

Do you know…? Could you please tell me if/whether…? Please tell me if/whether… Who is…? Please tell me his/her name When/Where did…? Please tell me when/where… How did…? Do you know how to…? Why did…? Can you tell me the reason why…? 2. Read the guidelines on page 44. Make some sentences by using the correct question words.

Step 2: asking about cultural differences

1. Read the instructions to make sure you know what you are going to do. Work individually to form the eight questions in this part.

Answers (1) What do some people from India not eat? (2) Which hand shouldn’t be used to shake hands with or give things to people from India? (3) What do Japanese people have to buy when they travel anywhere? (4) What should you do when a Japanese person gives you a business card? (5) What does the OK sign mean to Japanese people? (6) Why do people from the USA not like crowded places? 2. Work in pairs to do the question-and-answer exercise according to what you have read in the magazine article on page 42 and what you have heard in the recording. Answers (1) Some people from India do not eat beef. (2) The left hand shouldn’t be used to shake hands with or give things to people from India. (3) When they travel anywhere, Japanese people have to buy many things. (4) When a Japanese person gives you a business card, you should look at the card 专心 爱心 用心

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