新编跨文化交际英语教程 参考答案(10)

Looking directly into another person?s eyes can connote an aggressive threat, a sexual invitation, or a desire for honest and open communication.

7. What was found in a study of nonverbal communication among Hispanic couples?

In a study of nonverbal communication among Hispanic couples, it was found that many Puerto Rican wives never looked directly at their husbands.

8. How does clothing manifest and promote cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity?

Through clothing and make-up, the body is more or less marked, constituted as an appropriate, or, as the case may be, inappropriate body for its cultural requirements. Males and females have to dress themselves appropriately according to their cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity.

Case Study Case 21

Sometimes our best intentions can lead to breakdowns in cross-cultural communication. For example, one of the very common manners of touching --- handshaking --- may result in conflict when performed with no consideration of cultural differences. Among middle-class North American men, it is customary to shake hands as a gesture of friendship. When wanting to communicate extra friendliness, a male in the United States may, while shaking hands, grasp with his left hand his friend?s right arm. However, to people of Middle Eastern countries, the left hand is profane and touching someone with it is highly offensive. Therefore, in Vernon?s eyes, Kenneth was actually an extremely offensive message to him.

Case 22

In Puerto Rican culture, as in some other Latin American and Eastern cultures, it is not right for a child to keep an eye-contact with an adult who is accusing him or her, while in the United States, failing of meeting other person?s eye accusing him or her would be taken as a sign of guiltiness. As the principal knew little about this cultural difference in using eye-contact, he decided that the girl must be guilty. Generally speaking, avoiding eye-contact with the other(s) is often considered as an insult in some cultures, but may signify respect for authority and obedience in other cultures.

Case 23

Just like smile, laughing does not always serve the same function in different cultures.

Interestingly, for us Chinese, laughing often has a special function on some tense social occasions. People may laugh to release the tension or embarrassment, to express their concern about you, their intention to put you at ease or to help you come out of the embarrassment. In this case, the people there were actually wishing to laugh with the American rather than laugh at her. Their laughing seemed to convey a number of messages: don?t take it so seriously; laugh it off, it?s nothing; such things can happen to any of us, etc. Unfortunately the American was unaware of this. She thought they were laughing at her, which made her feel more badly and angry, for in her culture laughing on such an occasion would be interpreted as an insulting response, humiliating and negative.

Case 24

It is obvious that there exists some difference between the British and Germans in their use of

touch. The lack of touch that seems to be natural in Britain may be considered strange by Germans. What is required (in this case, shaking hands with each other) in one country could be taken as unnecessary in another.

The appropriateness of contact between people varies from country to country. Figures from a study offer some interesting insight into this matter. Pairs of individuals sitting and chatting in college shops in different countries were observed for at least one hour each. The number of times that either one touched the other in that one hour was recorded, as follows: in London, 0; in Florida, 2; in Paris, 10; in Puerto Rico, 180. These figures indicate that touch is used very differently in different cultures.

Unit 7

Time and Space Across Cultures

Reading I

Comprehension questions

The Heartbeat of Culture

1. According to the author, it seems that time “talks.” But what is time telling us?

Since time is a human conception, it can tell us very much about people and their attitude toward life.

2.Does it matter very much when timepieces are often inaccurate in Brazil? Why or why not?

No, it doesn?t, for nobody minds it. In Brazil, people seem to be very flexible in their concepts of time and punctuality.

3. Why doesn?t the author need to look at a clock to know when the class hour is ending while he is teaching in California?

Because a few minutes before the end of the class he will surely notice the students shuffling their books and the strained expressions on their faces that seem to be saying, ―I?m starving… I?ve got to go to the bathroom… I?m going to suffocate if you keep us one more second.

4. What differences did the author find between his students in Brazil and his students in the United States?

He found some differences between his Brazilian students and American students. For instance, many Brazilian students came late to his class, some very late. Instead of appearing apologetic, all the latecomers wore the relaxed smiles and none seemed terribly concerned about lateness. Unlike American students who would leave the classroom as soon as the class is over, Brazilian students may still linger in the classroom long after the close of class.

5. What are Brazilians likely to attribute lateness for appointments to?

Brazilians are likely to attribute lateness for appointments to unforeseen circumstances that the person couldn?t control. They seem less inclined to feel personally responsible for being late. So they express less regret for their own lateness and blamed others less when others are la …… 此处隐藏：8289字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……