Unit EightIntercultural Communication Enhance Your Language Awareness Words in Action▇Working with Words and Expressions1. Listed in the box below are some of the words you have learned in this unit. Complete the following sentences with the words given. Change the form where necessary.▇Answers:1) proof2) slice3) were delayed4) rejected5) abroad6) dictate7) splashes8) tender9) burst10) flavor11) transmitted12) tremendous13) slippery14) transplanted2. In the boxes below are some of the expressions you have learned in this unit. Do you know how to use them in the proper context? Now check for yourself by doing the blank-filling exercise. Change the form where necessary.▇Answer:1) a fish out of water2) from head to toe3) orient myself to4) as such5) on the … side6) by means of7) build up8) win … over9) identify themselves with10) get over11) enter into12) opening up13) resulted from14) held our breath▆Increasing Your Word Power1. Study the following confusable words and fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the proper words. Be sure to use them in their proper forms.▇Answers for reference:1) charged2) condemn3) scold4) blame5) accused6) condemned7) blames8) criticized2. The prefixes super- and ultra- mean “extremely, above, etc.” Study the box below and then do the exercise.Now fill in each blank with a word from the box below. Change the form where necessary. Consult a dictionary if necessary.▇Answers:1) ultraclean2) superstructure3) supersonic4) superheroes5) superstar6) ultra-stylish7) ultraconservative8) ultravioletGrammar in Context1. Study the following sentences containing double negation:Now rewrite the following statements using double negation after the examples.▇Answers:1) The announcement was followed by a not unexpected silence.2) Exhausted and hungry, she could not walk without my help.3) There’s nobody who makes no mistakes in his lifetime.4) You can’t search my house without a warrant.5) A life lived without dreams can’t be as rich and rewarding as life can be.6) The American West is a region where farming is impossible/not possible without irrigation.2. Examine the structure “The more…, the more…” in the following sentences.Now translate the following sentences into English.▇Answers for reference:1) The longer I am at this job, the happier I am.2) The more risky it is, the more I like it.3) The sooner you start, the earlier / sooner you’ll finish it.4) The more people you know, the less time you’ll spend with them.5) The more you learn, the less you find you know.Cloze▆Complete the following passage with words and phrases chosen from Text A. The initial letter of each target word is given.▆ Answers:(1) transplanted(2) cues(3) tendency(4) frustration(5) attributed(6) cures(7) capacity(8) built up(9) by means of(10) due to(11) orient … to(12) get over(13) opens up(14) In additionTranslation1. Translate the following sentences into English, using the words and expressions given in brackets.▇Answers for reference:1) As a proof of our hospitality, we Chinese will habitually urge our guests to help themselvesto more dishes on the table.2) When you move to a new land, you can / may orient yourself to the local culture by meansof listening to what people say and observing how they act.3) Familiarity with the environment gives a person a sense of security; so people have thetendency to resist or avoid new situations, consciously or unconsciously.4) Prejudice against or even hostility towards people from a certain region often results fromthe fact that we know very little about them /we know virtually nothing about them.5) I believe it is polite to decline directly, while my parents seldom say “No”so as not toembarrass others.6) There are two means to build up knowledge: to get it personally or by second-handexperience. Reading, which opens up a new world of different cultures for us, belongs to second-hand experience.2.Translate the following paragraph into English, using the words and expressions in the box below.▇Answers for reference:Once transplanted abroad, we will feel anxious and uneasy and even unable to deal with daily routines. As a matter of fact, these “symptoms” result from losing our familiar environment. Such a feeling of confusion and anxiety is referred to as “culture shock”. We used to feel free, easy and happy with a life style built up over so many years. Now, to get over a series of bad feelings caused by culture shock, we must act positively/take a positive attitude. First, ask ourselves to be broad-minded: accepting all cultural differences as normal. Then, try to orient ourselves to the new surroundings. The local culture will become more understandable if we actively participate in community activities. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Stepping into a new country means opening up a new world. Though it takes time for the feeling of “a fish out of water”to fade/disappear, yet, believe me, you’ll regain confidence and happiness in the end.Theme-Related Writing■Do either of the following two tasks after class.1.Cultural differences may cause problems in intercultural communication. However, we should also be aware of the advantages brought about by cultural differences. Think about the advantages and disadvantages of cultural differences and write an essay entitled“My Views onCultural Differences”. The following outline may be of some help:1) Cultural differences have more advantages than disadvantages:— Cultural differences make the world colorful and delightful;— Cultural differences enrich the civilization of mankind;— Cultural differences give each culture its unique identity.2) Your attitude to cultural differences:— Be more tolerant to other cultures;— People of different cultures should learn to live together and join hands in making the world a harmonious place to live in.▆ Sample essay 1:My Views on Cultural DifferencesIn my opinion, cultural differences have more advantages than disadvantages. First of all, it is cultural differences that make our world so colorful. If you go to a foreign country, you will be impressed not only by its physical environment but also by its cultural environment — its foods, clothes, customs, social practices, etc. Differences between cultures have always been a source of joy and inspiration.Secondly, differences in culture enrich human civilization. Different cultures compete with as well as learn from each other. Roman culture was modeled on Greek culture, which had once borrowed a lot from Egyptian culture. American culture is also a blend of many different cultures.Thirdly, differences in culture give each culture its unique identity. A culture is usually seen in relation to other cultures. Chinese culture distinguishes itself from others by its peculiar concepts and things that can hardly be found elsewhere.Of course, cultural differences may cause conflicts and misunderstandings. But interdependence, common interests and mutual goals of different nations always outweigh differences in culture. Nations with different cultures should learn from each other and live peacefully together. To this end, we should be more tolerant to other cultures while preserving, protecting and developing our own. (202 words)2. In the face of globalization (全球化), we tend to be more and more tolerant towards other cultures. As a result, the influence of Western culture is strongly felt in our everyday life today. Write an essay entitled “My Views on the Influence of Western Culture”. Your essay should at least include the following two aspects:1) Instances showing the influence of Western culture;2) Your attitude towards Western culture.▇ Sample essay 2:My Views on the Influence of Western CultureOn weekends, I gather with my friends at MacDonald’s or KFC. We eat fried chicken, drink Coco-cola and talk about the latest release of Hollywood movies. We read foreign novels, listen to Western music and watch NBA. We admire Bill Gates, George Michael and Princess Diana. We dress ourselves in the Western style and celebrate Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Our way of life has thus changed. Indeed, the influence of Western culture is strongly felt in our everyday life.This influence in turn prepares us well to blend into the modern world and participate in the world market competition. But we should not ignore its side effects. Our national culture may gradually lose its ground if our attention is focused only upon Western culture. In following the trend of globalization we should maintain our own cultural identity, cherish our cultural tradition and develop our own culture. What Mahatma Gandhi once said can best sum up my views on the influence of Western culture: “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”(211 words)。