新世纪英语专业综合教程(第二版)第4册Unit14(2)

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What unifies the nations into a “global village”? (Paragraph 1) It is the media flow that unifies the nations into a “global village”, as it defies national boundaries. When national boundaries are no longer a barrier of communication and when communication is so easy and fast on the Internet, people all over the world feel as i

f they were living in the same one village.

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How do you understand “the symmetry of the exhibition”? (Paragraphs 2) “The symmetry of the exhibition” means the balance, or the approximate balance between two sides: on the one hand is Marie Antoinette, the dedicator of the cellar and Queen of France to Louis XVI, and on the other are American pop stars. The former was royalty in history while the latter are royalty of the modern era, in the metaphorical sense.

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What underlies French hypocrisy as shown in Paragraph 3? (Paragraphs 3) French hypocrisy as manifested by the two facts related in Paragraph 3 is only superficial. There is something deeper. What lies behind is the paradox: the antagonism and the dependency are inseparable. People everywhere consciously resist the invasion of American culture for the maintenance of their native cultures, but subconsciously enjoy and even rely on American culture.

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Why does American culture become a kind of lingua franca? (Paragraphs 2—5) Part of the reason that American culture becomes a kind of lingua franca, i.e. it is universally recognized, is that it meets a psychological need in the growth of the young. Another part of the reason is America s attempt to popularize their culture in the world for economic, ideological and other purposes. In short, American culture as a kind of lingua franca is the result of America s striking “from inside the spectator as well as from outside.”