新编跨文化交际英语教程 Case 27

Case 27

Summary This paper tells a story about times and space accross culture. Joe went to visit his friend in China excitly, but quickly, he felt deprived and trapped by the itinerary Hong gave him for the next few days. Apart from the lectures, all of his time would be filled with meals, concerts, shopping, and a one-day trip of a nearby resort. Joe had thought he would have time to explore the city and the area, but the itinerary would leave him almost no free time. So,sometimes, he felt like a prisoner in China.

Question 1 1. Why did Joe sometimes feel like a prisoner when he was in visiting in China? In the case, Hong gave Joe a itinerary which fulled of different meals, concerts, lectures or shopping. it was so tight that Joe didn't have the free time to explore the city and the area and do anything by himself.

Question 2 2. What do you think was wrong with Hong's arrangement for Joe? We Chinese people usually attach great importance to taking good care of our guests to make a guest feel comfortable, and our kindness when it comes to a foreign visitor. But in western, people are usually trained to spend time alone and to do things for themselves when they are still very young. Therefore, they may feel uncomfortable when they are always surrounded by people attempting to be kind to them. Hospitality itself may be something universal, but the form and amount of hospitality differ greatly from culture to culture.

Thanks for your attention !The end