1、新编跨文化交际英语教程期中考试复习资料1Unit 1 Communication across CulturesSome Ideas Related to Globalization and Intercultural Communication 1. What is globalization?Globalization refers to the increasing unification of the worlds economic order through reduction of such barriers to international trade as tariffs, e
2、xport fees, and import quotas. The goal is to increase material wealth, goods, and services through an international division of labor by efficiencies catalyzed by international relations, specialization and competition. It describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures h
3、ave become integrated through communication, transportation, and trade. The term is most closely associated with the term economic globalization: the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, the spread of tec
4、hnology, and military presence. However, globalization is usually recognized as being driven by a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural, political, and biological factors. The term can also refer to the transnational circulation of ideas, languages, or popular culture through accultu
5、ration. An aspect of the world which has gone through the process can be said to be globalized.2. The Challenge of Globalization1) Globalization poses four major challenges that will have to be addressed by governments, civil society, and other policy actors. 2) The second is to deal with the fear t
6、hat globalization leads to instability, which is particularly marked in the developing world. 3) The third challenge is to address the very real fear in the industrial world that increased global competition will lead inexorably to a race to the bottom in wages, labor rights, employment practices, a
7、nd the environment. 4) And finally, globalization and all of the complicated problems related to it must not be used as excuses to avoid searching for new ways to cooperate in the overall interest of countries and people. Several implications for civil society, for governments and for multinational
8、institutions stem from the challenges of globalization. 3. What Makes Intercultural Communication a Common Phenomenon? 1) New technology, in the form of transportation and communication systems, has accelerated intercultural contact. Trips once taking days, weeks, or even months are now measured in
9、hours. Supersonic transports now make it possible for tourists, business executives, or government officials to enjoy breakfast in San Francisco and dinner in Paris all on the same day.2) Innovative communication systems have also encouraged and facilitated cultural interaction. Communication satell
10、ites, sophisticated television transmission equipment, and digital switching networks now allow people throughout the world to share information and ideas instantaneously. Whether via the Internet, the World Wide Web, or a CNN news broadcast, electronic devices have increased cultural contact. 3) Gl
11、obalization of the economy has further brought people together. This expansion in globalization has resulted in multinational corporations participating in various 新编跨文化交际英语教程期中考试复习资料2international business arrangements such as joint ventures and licensing agreements. These and countless other econo
12、mic ties mean that it would not be unusual for someone to work for an organization that does business in many countries.4) Changes in immigration patterns have also contributed to the development of expanded intercultural contact. Within the boundaries of the United States, people are now redefining
13、 and rethinking the meaning of the word American. Neither the word nor the reality can any longer be used to describe a somewhat homogeneous group of people sharing a European heritage.4. Six Blocks in Intercultural CommunicationAssumption of similaritiesOne answer to the question of why misundersta
14、nding and/or rejection occurs is that many people naively assume there are sufficient similarities among peoples of the world to make communication easy. They expect that simply being human and having common requirements of food, shelter, security, and so on makes everyone alike. Unfortunately, they
15、 overlook the fact that the forms of adaptation to these common biological and social needs and the values, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding them are vastly different from culture to culture. The biological commonalties are not much help when it comes to communication, where we need to exchange id
16、eas and information, find ways to live and work together, or just make the kind of impression we want to make. Language differencesThe second stumbling block language difference will surprise no one. Vocabulary, syntax, idioms, slang, dialects, and so on all cause difficulty, but the person struggli
17、ng with a different language is at least aware of being in trouble.A greater language problem is the tenacity with which some people will cling to just one meaning of a word or phrase in the new language, regardless of connotation or context. The variations in possible meaning, especially when infle
18、ction and tone are varied, are so difficult to cope with that they are often waved aside. This complacency will stop a search for understanding. Even “yes” and “no” cause trouble. There are other language problems, including the different styles of using language such as direct, indirect; expansive,
19、 succinct; argumentative, conciliatory; instrumental, harmonizing; and so on. These different styles can lead to wrong interpretations of intent and evaluations of insincerity, aggressiveness, deviousness, or arrogance, among others.Nonverbal misinterpretationsLearning the language, which most visit
20、ors to foreign countries consider their only barrier to understanding, is actually only the beginning. To enter into a culture is to be able to hear its special “hum and buzz of implication.” This suggests the third stumbling block, nonverbal misinterpretations. People from different cultures inhabi
21、t different sensory realities. They see, hear, feel, and smell only that which has some meaning or importance for them. They abstract whatever fits into their personal world of recognition and then interpret it through the frame of reference of their own culture. 新编跨文化交际英语教程期中考试复习资料3The misinterpret
22、ation of observable nonverbal signs and symbols such as gestures, postures, and other body movements is a definite communication barrier. But it is possible to learn the meanings of these observable messages, usually in informal rather than formal ways. It is more difficult to understand the less ob
23、vious unspoken codes of the other cultures, such as the handling of time and spatial relationships and the subtle signs of respect of formality.Preconceptions and stereotypesThe fourth stumbling block is the presence of preconceptions and stereotypes. If the label “inscrutable” has preceded the Japa
24、nese guests, their behaviors (including the constant and seemingly inappropriate smile) will probably be seen as such. The stereotype that Arabs are “inflammable” may cause U.S. students to keep their distance or even alert authorities when an animated and noisy group from the Middle East gathers. A
25、 professor who expects everyone from Indonesia, Mexico, and many other countries to “bargain” may unfairly interpret a hesitation or request from an international student as a move to get preferential treatment.Stereotypes are over-generalized, secondhand beliefs that provide conceptual bases from w
26、hich we make sense out of what goes on around us, whether or not they are accurate or fit the circumstances. In a foreign land their use increases our feeling of security. But stereotypes are stumbling blocks for communicators because they interfere with objective viewing of other people. They are n
27、ot easy to overcome in ourselves or to correct in others, even with the presentation of evidence. Stereotypes persist because they are firmly established as myths or truisms by ones own culture and because they sometimes rationalize prejudices. They are also sustained and fed by the tendency to perc
28、eive selectively only those pieces of new information that correspond to the images we hold. Tendency to evaluateThe fifth stumbling block to understanding between persons of differing cultures is the tendency to evaluate, to approve or disapprove, the statements and actions of the other person or g
29、roup. Rather than try to comprehend thoughts and feelings from the worldview of the other, we assume our own culture or way of life is the most natural. This bias prevents the open-mindedness needed to examine attitudes and behaviors from the others point of view.The miscommunication caused by immed
30、iate evaluation is heightened when feelings and emotions are deeply involved; yet this is just the time when listening with understanding is most needed.The admonition to resist the tendency to immediately evaluate does not mean that one should not develop ones own sense of right and wrong. The goal
31、 is to look and listen empathetically rather than through the thick screen of value judgments that impede a fair and total understanding. Once comprehension is complete, it can be determined whether or not there is a clash in values or ideology. If so, some form of adjustment or conflict resolution
32、can be put into place.High anxietyHigh anxiety or tension, also known as stress, is common in Cross-cultural experiences due to the number of uncertainties present. The two words, anxiety and 新编跨文化交际英语教程期中考试复习资料4tension, are linked because one cannot be mentally anxious without also being physically
33、 tense. Moderate tension and positive attitudes prepare one to meet challenges with energy. Too much anxiety or tension requires some form of relief, which too often comes in the form of defenses, such as the skewing of perceptions, withdrawal, or hostility. Thats why it is considered a serious stum
34、bling block.Anxious feelings usually permeate both parties in an intercultural dialogue. The host national is uncomfortable when talking with a foreigner because he or she cannot maintain the normal flow of verbal and nonverbal interaction. There are language and perception barriers; silences are to
35、o long or too short; and some other norms may be violated. He or she is also threatened by the others unknown knowledge, experience and evaluation.Reading IIntercultural Communication：An IntroductionComprehension questions1. Is it still often the case that “everyones quick to blame the alien” in the
36、 contemporary world?This is still powerful in todays social and political rhetoric. For instance, it is not uncommon in todays society to hear people say that most, if not all, of the social and economic problems are caused by minorities and immigrants.2. Whats the difference between todays intercul
37、tural contact and that of any time in the past?Todays intercultural encounters are far more numerous and of greater importance than in any time in history.3. What have made intercultural contact a very common phenomenon in our life today?New technology, in the form of transportation and communicatio
38、n systems, has accelerated intercultural contact; innovative communication systems have encouraged and facilitated cultural interaction; globalization of the economy has brought people together; changes in immigration patterns have also contributed to intercultural encounter.4. How do you understand
39、 the sentence “culture is everything and everywhere”?Culture supplies us with the answers to questions about what the world looks like and how we live and communicate within that world. Culture teaches us how to behave in our life from the instant of birth. It is omnipresent.5. What are the major el
40、ements that directly influence our perception and communication?The three major socio-cultural elements that directly influence perception and communication are cultural values, worldview (religion), and social organizations (family and state).6. What does ones family teach him or her while he or sh
41、e grows up in it?The family teaches the child what the world looks like and his or her place in that world.新编跨文化交际英语教程期中考试复习资料57. Why is it impossible to separate our use of language from our culture?Because language is not only a form of preserving culture but also a means of sharing culture. Langu
42、age is an organized, generally agreed-upon, learned symbol system that is used to represent the experiences within a cultural community.8. What are the nonverbal behaviors that people can attach meaning to?People can attach meaning to nonverbal behaviors such as gestures, postures, facial expression
43、s, eye contact and gaze, touch, etc.9. How can a free, culturally diverse society exist?A free, culturally diverse society can exist only if diversity is permitted to flourish without prejudice and discrimination, both of which harm all members of the society.Reading IIThe Challenge of Globalization
44、Comprehension questions1. Why does the author say that our understanding of the world has changed?Many things, such as political changes and technological advances, have changed the world very rapidly. In the past most human beings were born, lived, and died within a limited geographical area, never
45、 encountering people of other cultural backgrounds. Such an existence, however, no longer prevails in the world. Thus, all people are faced with the challenge of understanding this changed and still fast changing world in which we live.2. What a “global village” is like?As our world shrinks and its
46、inhabitants become interdependent, people from remote cultures increasingly come into contact on a daily basis. In a global village, members of once isolated groups of people have to communicate with members of other cultural groups. Those people may live thousands of miles away or right next door t
47、o each other.3. What is considered as the major driving force of the post-1945 globalization?Technology, particularly telecommunications and computers are considered to be the major driving force.4. What does the author mean by saying that “the global may be more local than the local”?The increasing
48、 global mobility of people and the impact of new electronic media on human communications make the world seem smaller. We may communicate more with people of other countries than with our neighbors, and we may be more informed of the international events than of the local events. In this sense, “the
49、 globalmay be more local than the local”5. Why is it important for businesspeople to know diverse cultures in the world?Effective communication may be the most important competitive advantage that firms have to meet diverse customer needs on a global basis. Succeeding in the global market today requires theability to communicate sensitively with people from other cultures, a sensitivity that is 新编跨文化交际英语教程期中考试复习资料6based on an understanding of cross-cultural differences.6. What are the serious problems that countries throughout the world are confront
