Bridging the gap between cultures

浙江 江 麗

__________體裁_________說明文文章詞數________________368____________________建議用時________7分鐘_________

Whether you're traveling to a different country for business or study, you must always be prepared to experience and overcome cultural differences and language barriers.Here are a couple of tips on how to help bridge the gap between cultures.

Every country in the world, old or new, has a rich and storied history.They celebrate their own holidays, cook national dishes, listen to their own styles of music and wear clothes appropriate for their culture.Take some time to learn the history,art and customs of the country you'll be visiting.Showing your knowledge of the local customs and history will make those around you realize you truly care about their culture.

Languages are hard to learn.You spent years in grade school learning all the grammar and intricacies of English.Why not spend more time learning a whole new language—especially when so much of the world speaks English already? Even if you can only recite a couple key phrases, it shows that you're mak?ing the effort to bridge the cultural gap.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you research a country or how well you know the language, there will always be some culture shocks and confusion.Words, actions or ges?tures that are not offensive（冒犯的）to us can be very offensive to someone from another culture.When this happens, it is important to stay patient.Working through these frustra?tions together will lead to a smarter and stronger bond between you and your friend from an?other culture.

When I learn a new language,or study the history of a culture I'm unfamiliar（不熟悉的）with,I think of it as exploring（探索）a new world.There are so many things that make each culture unique.You have to be open to trying and learning new things in order to fit in well in another country.Always try to think about how they see things from their cultural perspective.

All of this being said,there are so many similarities between people of all nations.We all laugh at the same physical comedy,groan（發牢騷）when we have to clean up our pets'messes,and cry when we lose a loved one.After all,we are all humans.

Reading

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The following four sentences are the main ideas of paragraph 2 to paragraph 5 in the text.Put the paragraph numbers in the blanks.

Language

Study

熟詞生義

Here are a couple of tips on how to helpbridgethe gap between cultures.這里有一些關于如何幫助彌合文化差異的建議。

bridgev.消除（分歧、隔閡、鴻溝）

e.g.It is unlikely that the two sides will be able to bridge their differences.雙方不太可能消除彼此之間的分歧。

主題應用·語庫構建

Ⅰ.主題詞匯

motherland 祖國

preparation 準備

tutor 導師；助教

recall 回想

qualify（使）合格

qualification 資格；學歷

qualified 合格的

ambitious 有野心的；有抱負的

adaptation 適應；改編本

participate 參加

comfort 安慰；安逸

engage 參加

presentation 陳述；報告

involve 包含；涉及

expectation 期望

applicant 申請人

expose 暴露；接觸

grasp 掌握

expense 花費

behave 表現

strengthen 加強

deny 否認

optimistic 樂觀的

gain 獲得

competent 有能力的

competence 能力

cooperate 合作

outcome 效果

motivate 激發；激勵

overwhelming 無法抗拒的；巨大的

homesickness 鄉愁

adviser 顧問

reasonable 合情理的

surroundings 環境；周圍的事物

surrounding 周圍的；附近的

depressed 沮喪的

boom 迅速發展；繁榮

envoy 使者

outlook 前景；可能性

departure 離開；啟程

dramatic 巨大的；突然的

tremendous 巨大的；極大的

mature 成熟的

acknowledge 承認；答謝

Ⅱ.主題短語

participate in 參加

speak up 明確表態

feel at home 感到舒服自在

engage in（使）從事

get involved in 被卷入……

side with 支持

cost an arm and a leg（使）花一大筆錢

as far as I know 據我所知

as far as I am concerned 就我而言

in summary 總之

culture shock 文化沖擊

generally speaking 一般來說

comfort zone 舒適區

step out of 走出

become more confident in 在……變得更加自信

suffer from 遭受

adapt to 適應

adjust to 適應

keep it up 保持優秀成績；繼續干下去

fit in 相適應；相融合

qualify for 有資格

say goodbye to 告別

be familiar with 對……熟悉

be familiar to 為……所熟悉

be exposed to 遭受……；接觸……

be surrounded by/with 被……包圍

take turns 輪流

feel confused 感到迷惑

keep a balance 保持平衡

have trouble with 在……有麻煩

fall in love with 愛上

cooperate with 與……合作

apply for 申請

be competent in 勝任

travel agent 旅行代理人；旅行社

Ⅲ.主題美句

1.Engaging in exploring splendid Chinese culture gives him a chance to act as a cultural messenger.致力于探索燦爛的中國文化，給了他一個充當文化使者的機會。

2.There is no better opportunity to improve a second language than studying abroad.留學是提高第二語言水平的最好機會。

3.Studying abroad, you make memo?ries that will last a lifetime.在國外學習，你會留下終生難忘的回憶。

4.Some peers may not be able to adapt to a new environment of studying and living.一些同齡人可能無法適應新的學習和生活環境。

5.They have to deal with many unex?pected hardships since they are away from their parents and homeland.遠離父母和家鄉，他們不得不應付許多意想不到的困難。

6.Living in another country, even if it is with a host family, means you might be doing things you may not have done in your home country.生活在另一個國家，即使是和寄宿家庭在一起，也意味著你可能要做在自己國家沒有做過的事情。

7.You will probably have times when you miss your family, friends, food, and ev?erything familiar.有些時候，你會想念家人、朋友、食物和一切熟悉的事物。

8.To begin with, living abroad broad?ens your perspective on life—you'll have new friends, new experiences, and amazing stories to tell when you get back home.首先，在國外生活拓寬了你看待生活的視角——你會有新的朋友、新的經歷，而且當你回家時，你會有可以講述的精彩的故事。

9.Furthermore, through your study abroad you will be exposed to a new style of education, new culture and different learning techniques.此外，通過你在國外的學習，你將接觸到一種新的教育風格、新的文化和不同的學習方法。

10.Studying abroad is also a process of learning to live independently in a com?pletely new environment.出國留學也是一個學習在一個全新的環境中獨立生活的過程。

Ⅳ.主題寫作

假定你是高二（1）班的班長李華，得知英國學生Chris 下學期將作為交換生到你班學習。請根據以下要點提示，給他寫一封郵件。

1.介紹本地的氣候與飲食等；

2.介紹本班情況；

3.希望Chris 做哪些事情以增進中英學生之間的了解和友誼。

注意：

1.可以適當增加細節，以使行文連貫；

2.詞數80 左右，開頭和結尾已給出，不計入總詞數。

Dear Chris,

I'm Li Hua, monitor of Class One,Grade Two.Please allow me to extend our welcome to your arrival as an exchange stu?dent on behalf of our class.______________

Yours,

Li Hua