Every culture has some characteristics and values
that you have to live with . For this reason, signs and symbols help people
connect to each other and recognize each other better. I got this expression
from Sausser who understood language like a system of signs and ideas. That
means we live with these symbols and we need them to connect to each other.
I live in a religious country and I was raised
with this culture, so everybody knows shaking hands with other men is
prohibited for women because of religious reasons. However, shaking hands is a common
practice in many other places.
When I went to the
In this culture shaking hands means you know
somebody and you have sympathy with him or her, so it is impolite to reject
their hand. I didn’t want to be impolite. I didn’t know how I could explain
this matter. Sometimes I thought maybe explaining this would be stupid and not
a big deal.
Shaking hands is the initial act and if you
don’t do it, you could insult someone. Several months later after I
could express my concern, I felt better. Now I prepare myself before and just
say, “Sorry, I don’t shake hands”.
Paul
Galea. ( Culture Shock. True Experiences in Foreign Places.) Paul
Galea’s Level 5/6 class. February 2010
COMPREHENSION
1. Answer the following questions in your own words as far as possible.
a. Why is shaking hands with other men prohibited for
women in the writer’s country?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. What does shaking hands mean in the
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………
c. Are values shared and common among all cultures?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Decide if these statements are true or false.
a. Shaking
hands is not allowed among all cultures.
b.
Shaking hands in the
c. If
you don’t shake hands with Americans, they may take it to be an insult.
4. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is
correct.
a) The writer’s
culture and values are…
a) Identical to the host country.
b) Similar to many other countries in
c) Different from the host country.
b) According to the
text, shaking hands with Amercans is…
a) An abnormal practice.
b) A normal practice.
c) A frightening practice.
5. Match the following words with their definitions
Word |
|
Definitions/ Meaning |
a) Values |
1) To officially forbid
(= refuse to allow) something. |
|
b) Culture |
2) An uncomfortable
feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening. |
|
c) Prohibited |
3) An offensive remark
or action. |
|
d) Anxiety |
4) Principles or
standards of behaviour; one's judgement of what is important in life. |
|
e) Sympathy |
5) The way of life,
especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people
at a particular time. |
|
f) Insult |
6) (An expression of)
understanding and care for someone else's suffering. |
6. Use the following words to complete the following sentences.
(Misunderstanding, values, culture)
- Music, language and customs are
important components of every __________________.
- In my opinion, Modesty and
tolerance are two vital personal __________________that every human being
should have.
- Cross-cultural differences
usually cause __________________.
7.
Match the following words with their antonyms.
Word |
# |
Antonym |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8. What does the underlined word in the text
refer to?
a. It (paragraph 5):…………………….……………