Vocabulary Handout
Situation 1 : My home stay in Canada—Accept it or change it?
▲ appropriate 适合恰当的= __________ (近义词)
___________ (否定形式)= ___________
It is (not) appropriate for sb. to do sth.
▲ adjust 调整，习惯，适应- __________(形容词)- __________(名词)
adjust to doing sth. (调整后)习惯于- ___________________(近义词组)
adjust oneself to sth. 调整自己，适应于 = adapt (oneself) to
翻译：你应该调整自己，适应国外的生活。
You should ________________________ the life abroad.
Situation 2 : Ma Li’s homework and trouble
(1)Ma Li’s homework— words about culture
vocabulary gambling game
You must bet between 1 and 10 for each statement
Statement
True
False
Bet
Loss
Gain
1.The Titanic hit a huge berg and sank in the end.
2. Killing a snake is a taboo in some places. People often kill it for food to remember their ancestors.
3.That guy is a man of no courtesy. He didn’t even apologize for the wrong deed.
4. In Japan you should take off shoes before entering the house, which is an etiquette to show politeness.
5. Subculture is the culture that most people practice in one country.
6. Harry Potter has a special coat to keep him invisible so that no one can see him.
7. If there is serious conflict between two countries, it may even cause a war.
8. Cross-cultural communication exists between at least two different cultures.
9. If you blend some items, it means you break them into pieces.
10.If there is a diversity of possibilities, that means there are various kinds of possibilities.
Total losses: ________ Total gains:__________
Final total: _________
(2) Ma Li’s trouble: Ma Li’s understanding of Japan
▲ offence – offend vt. 冒犯; 侮辱
_______________= make trouble
It doesn’t _______________ if you make noise while eating noodles in Japan.
take offence= _______________
That girl is difficult to get along with because she easily takes offence at smallest things.
Don’t be so easy to take offence. Just calm down.
▲ prohibit - prohibited- prohibited (尤指法令性)禁止
prohibit sb from doing sth. prohibit doing sth.
在日本浪费食物是被禁止的
In Japan, _____________________ is prohibited
In Japan, people ________________________.
联想：(近义词)forbid-____________-____________
用法：forbid doing
forbid sb. to do
forbid sb. from doing
(反义词)permit = allow
用法：______________________; ____________________
区别(过去式/过去分词)：permit-___________-___________
admit-____________-__________
commit- __________- __________
Task: Help Ma Li out of trouble
Read the e-mail from Ma Li in Japan and write a letter back offering explanations and advice.
Try using the vocabulary we have just learned.
Dear Li Hua,
I have been puzzled recently. My friend A refuses to talk to me after two meals together. I have so many questions. When I was invited to his home for dinner, they seemed uneasy simply because I kept silent while eating noodles. Isn’t impolite to make noise? How could they dislike the gifts wrapped in green, my favorite color? What’s worse, Why was A so upset when I offered a full bowl of rice and passed dishes to his bowl? I was only trying to be enthusiastic. I thought I had done a lot of homework about the culture in Japan before I came here, but it was totally useless. What should I do?
Best wishes.
Yours, truly
Ma Li
Part one: Analyzing the situation of Ma Li
1. cultural conflict, experience, common, exchange student
_________________________________________________
2. iceberg, culture, aware, invisible part
_________________________________________________
Part two: Answering Ma Li’s questions
noise, eating noodles, offence, delicious
__________________________________________________
2. prohibit, gifts in green paper, taboo, bad luck
__________________________________________________
3. appropriate, pass dishes , chopsticks
__________________________________________________
4. waste, offer a full bowl of rice, food
___________________________________________________
Part three: Offering suggestions and help.
1. communication, understanding
_________________________________________________
2. accept, adjust, accustomed
__________________________________________________
Possible version:
Dear Ma Li,
__________ . Experiencing the cultural conflict is quite common for an exchange student. You should be aware of the invisible part of the cultural iceberg. Making noise while eating noodles doesn’t cause offence. ______, it shows they are delicious. ______________, people are prohibited from giving gifts wrapped in green paper ______ it is a taboo and considered to bring bud luck. ____________, it is inappropriate for us to pass dishes using our own chopsticks, which is unhealthy. _________, it is a waste of food offering a full bowl of rice.
________________ since communication promotes understanding. I advise you to accept the culture as it is and adjust yourself to it. You can get accustomed to the life there.
Best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
Reference materials -- customs and taboos in different countries
the UK: You should open the gifts in face of the sender.
Brunei: Common people are prohibited from drinking alcohol.
Korea: People will bring a living hen and rooster to show good luck.
Japan: Don’t send gifts in the number of 4, which is pronounced like the word death.
Germany: Avoid wrapping the gift in black or white, which is considered to be unlucky.
America: Don’t make noise while having soup. Dress yourself in a formal way while working.
Italy: Don’t use a handkerchief as a gift. They think it will bring sadness to them. And they hate
the number thirteen.
Australia: People there have a very strong sense of time. They don’t like rabbits.
New Zealand: Maoris greet each other by touching noses. They don’t like being photographed.
