《中西跨文化知识.doc》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《中西跨文化知识.doc（8页珍藏版）》请在三一文库上搜索。
1、Western students enjoy a seemingly relaxed educational experience. This, however, is not the case for students in Asia, who face crushing workloads and are often very disciplined. In the first part of her Globalist. China has a long history of standardized tests, beginning with the ancient imperial
2、exams initiated during the Sui Dynasty.Shelly Chen is at the top of the class at the Shanghai foreign language school, one of the citys best middle schools. Already near fluent in English, she is studying German and ranks among the highest in her grade in physics. Her goal is to get a full scholarsh
3、ip to Harvard to study biochemistry. It is not only Western expatriates that grow anxious when hearing about students like Shelly. Throughout England, politicians, parents and pundits worry that the industriousness and discipline of kids in the East are leaving relatively relaxed Westerners trailing
4、 behind. Though there is some debate surrounding the statistics, it is widely believed that North America is failing to produce sufficient graduates in sciences and engineering.Chinese students are taught that all questions have but one right answer and there is little room for debate.North American
5、 education needs to move away from an emphasis on fun, flexibility and individual learning styles.Instead, it has to shift towards a more strict, disciplined teaching environment that math and science, in particular, seem to demand.This shift can be discerned even in Canada, where there are no colle
6、ge entrance exams, and where, standardized testing, memorization and rote learning have long been frowned upon.2一，文化差异(CultureDifference):种族NationalraceThewholequestionofthechangingroleofBlacksinAmericansocietyasbeenthesubjectofnews*articlesaroundtheworldsofrequentlythatvisitorstotheUnitedStatesdono
7、tknowwhattoexpectwhentheyarrive.TheymaybesurprisedwhentheyseethatBlacksandWhitesworksidebysideinoffices,factories,andschoolsacrossthecountry.ThemajorityofBlacksintheUnitedStates,however,liveinandaroundonlyasmallnumberofAmericancities.Manydark-skinnedvisitorsarriveintheUnitedStatesfearingpersonalatta
8、ckorexpectingvariousdegreesofracialprejudice.Someformsofdiscrimination1stillexist,unfortunately,especiallyintheareasofthehousing,schools,andjobs.Theschoolequalityisstillmoreadreamthanareality.TherearestilltoomanyareasofthecountrywhereBlackAmericansdonotenjoythesamefullopportunitiesasWhiteAmericans.H
9、owever,thevastmajorityofAmericansareworking,studying,andsharingpublicplacestogether.Thiswasnottrueevenafewyearsagoinsomepartsofthecountry,butprogressissteadilybeingmade.Youwillbeabletoobservetheimprovementinracerelationsassoonasyourplanelands.Youwillseeitintheairport,inpublicbusesandtrains,intheater
10、s,restaurants,restroom,insopsandlibraries,inofficesandfactories.ClosepersonalfriendshipsbetweenBlacksandWhites,fulltrustandsocialrelationshipsarestillnotcommon,exceptincertainareas,However,eveninthis-theslowestareaofprogress-therehasbeenchange,especiallyamongyoungpeople.1discriminationn.辨别,区别,识别力,辨别
11、力,歧视二，文化差异(CultureDifference):个人的进步PersonalProgressInmanypartsoftheworld,personalinfluenceisessentialinachievingsuccess.ThisisnottrueintheUnitedStates,wheresuccessusuallyresultsfromhardwork,education,skill,andpersonalinitiative,Americaistrulyado-it-yourselfsociety;successisnotdependentonfamilyorigin
12、sorthehelpofaninfluentialperson.Personalprogressistheresultofindividualeffort.BecauseeffortandinitiativearesoimportantinAmerica,therearemanycustomsthatmaybedifferentfromthosepracticedinothercountries.Forexample,itisnotconsidereddishonorabletoquitajob,evenifyouhavehaditforonlyashorttime.Movingfromjob
13、-to-job,orjob-hopping,asitiscalled,isquiteacceptableintheUnitedStates.Frequently,theopportunitytochangejobsoffersworkersachancetomoveuptoabetterposition.Americansliketomovefromplacetoplacetryingnewjobs,meetingnewpeopleandlivingindifferentpartsofthecountry.Job-hoppingalsogivesemployersachancetobenefi
14、tfromthenewideasandskillsthatdifferentpeoplebringtotheirjobsevenifsuchpeopleareemployedforonlyashorttime.三，文化差异(CultureDifference):真实还是礼貌？TruthorCourtesy?Justasthedegreeofindividual*thatexistsinAmericaseemslooseandthereforeuncomfortabletomanyvisitors.Inmanycountries,peoplewilltellyouwhattheythinkyou
15、wanttohere,whetherornotitistrue.Tothem,thisisthepolitethingtodo.ToAmericansitisconsideredconfusing-evendishonest-toavoidtellingthetruefacts.evenifavoidingthetruthisdoneonlytobepolite.Itishelpfultorememberthatdifferentculturesconsidersomemattersmoreimportantthanothers.WitAmericans,however,trustandtru
16、tharemostimportant.OneoftheworsttingsthatcanbesaidaboutsomeoneinAmericaisthatyoucannottrusthimConsideringsuchdifferencesinvaluesamongthemanyculturesoftheworld,itisnaturalthatmisunderstandings1willoccur.Howfarisittothenexttown?anAmericanasksamanstandingbytheedgeofaroad.Insomecountries,becausethemanre
17、alizesthetraveleristiredandeagertoreachthenextvillage,hewillpolitelysay,Justdowntheroad.ethinksthisismoreencouraging.,gentler,andthereforetheanswerthetravelerwantstohear.SotheAmericandrivesaloneformanymorehoursbeforehecomestothevillage.Thetravelerisangry,feelingtricked.Hethinksthatthemanhaspurposely
18、liedtohimbecausehemusthaveknowquitewillwellwhatthedistancewas.IfavisitortotheUnitedStatesaskedanAmericanstandingattheedgeofaroadhowfarthenexttownwas,theAmericanwouldthinkitdishonestifhesaiditwasnearwhenheknewitwasreally24milesaway.Althoughhe,too,wouldbesympatheticwiththetiredtraveler,hewouldsay,Youh
19、avealongwaytogoyet;itisatleast24milesmore.Thetravelermightbedisappointed,buthewouldknowwhattoexpect,andtherewouldbenomisunderstanding.1misunderstandingn.误会,误解四，文化差异(CultureDifference):权威AuthorityInmanycountries,authorityisseldom,ifever,questioned,eitherbecauseitishighlyrespected,orbecauseitisfeared.
20、Sometimes,too,Becauserankhasbeenimportantincertainsocietiesforalongtime,peoplehavebeentrainednevertoquestionthoseinauthority.Forexample,childrenarenotexpectedtoquestiontheirteachersinschool.Itmaybeconsideredimproperforyoungbusinessmentosuggestideasthatdifferfromthoseofolder,moreexperiencedmembersoft
21、hebusiness.Inothercountries,includingAmerica,childrenaretrainedtoquestionandsearchforanswers.Whenachildasksaquestion,hewilloftenbetoldtogotothelibraryandfindtheanswerforhimself.Bythetimestudentsreachtheageof14or15,theymaybedevelopingexcitingnewideasinallfieldsofscienceandthearts.Toencouragesuchcreat
22、ivity1,therearemanynationalprizesofferedtostudents,everyyearfortheirscientificdiscoveriesandartisticaccomplishments.Thisinterestinquestioningandsearchingmaybeconsideredbysomepeopleasbadforyoungpeoplesmanners,thatyoungpeoplelackrespectforauthority.ThisimpressionmaybecreatedwhenvisitorsnoticeyoungAmer
23、icansaskingquestionsandarguingwitholderpeople.However,thisisbecausemanyAmericanshaveadifferentattitudetowardauthoritythanmayexistinotherareasoftheworld.Inaworkorbusinesssituation,ideasarefreelyandopenlydiscussedandargued.Itisimportanttoremembertatitisthepersonsideasthatarebeingquestioned,nottheindiv
24、idualhimself.Thetwoarequiteseparate.Thepurposeofthesearching,questioning,andarguingistofindthefactsinaparticularsituation,andthereforeasolution,sothattheworkofthebusinesscanprogressinthemosteffectivemannerpossible.Aswasmentionedearlier,youmaynoticethesomequestioninginsocialconversations.Althoughsome
25、individualsmaythinkthatAmericansarerudebecauseoftheirdirectmannerwithpeople,theyaremerelytryingtolearnmoreaboutyourideas.1creativityn.创造力,创造五，文化差异(CultureDifference):美国社会正在该变AmericanSocietyisChangingInmanynations,everydayactivitiesaredoneinaplanned,orderlymanner.Forexample,formalrelationshipsamongpe
26、oplemaybedeterminedaccordingtocustomsandhabitsthathaveexistedforalongtime.Peoplevisitinganinformalcountry,suchastheUnitedStates,mayfindthattheAmericanbeliefinpersonalinitiativeor*(includingthe*todisagreewiththoseinauthority),andthewholeeconomicsystemisquitsconfusinganduncontrolled.Tosomevisitorssuch
27、*saretoolooseandtoodisorganizedtobecomfortable.TodaytheUnitedStatesi*periencinggreatchangeineverypartofsociety;thereforelifeinAmericamayindeedseemconfused.SocialattitudesarebeingquestionedAmericansarewondering:Isthereanymorality?Whyhasthenationnevergivenallofitscitizensfullopportunity?Whatcoursessho
28、uldbetaughtinschool?Whatistheroleofwomeninsociety?Asvisitors,youwillnoticethatsomeAmericansarebeginningtoleavethecitiesandmaketheirhomesinsmallcitiesandtownswherelifeisquieterandslower.Politicalbeliefsarechanging.Thekindsofskillsneededbyworkerstodaydifferfromthoseindemandseveralyearsago.3cultural di
29、fference between West and EastEverything is relative, cultural difference being no exception. Culture, as the total pattern of human behavior and its products, oversteps geographical limits and historical conditions in many ways, and it is characterized by its strong penetrativeness and fusibility.
30、The advancement of the globalized economy and the rapidity and ease of modern communication, transportation, and mass media have resulted in an ever increasing exchange between cultures, unprecedented in scale, scope, and speed. Consequently, an increase in universality and a reduction in difference
31、 between cultures is an inevitable trend. It is no surprise to see phenomena characteristic of one culture existing in another. As a result, some people even fear that the world will become a dull place when all the different nationalities behave exactly alike. Nevertheless, the “cultural sediment”
32、formed through long-range accumulation is not to be easily removed, and the cultural tradition handed down from generation to generation shows great consistency and continuity. The cultures of different regions and nations still have their own distinctive peculiarities, and therefore significance st
33、ill needs to be attached to the study of the individualities of different cultures against the background of their universality.4(一） What are the major differences between chinese and western culture? Ill list down a few differences: West: 1. Western culture is based on individualism rather than on
34、mass (collectivism). For instance, in the US, you always talk about individual rights, instead of placing the whole society above your own self. This is clearly different in China where a country, society or family are placed above your own self. 2. Western culture is adventurous and exploration bas
35、ed. Westerners like to discover new things, invention and expand outwards. For instance, bungee jumping is considered adventurous and common in western culture, but you will probably find no-one doing such a thing in China. 3. Western culture is based on science, which attempts to resolve people and
36、 natures relationship. 4. West uses law to resolve people and peoples relationship. You can never find law well-established in China. For 2000 years, China is a land thats based on human relationship rather than law. 5. West uses god and religion to resolve human and spiritualism relationship. In ca
37、se of problems with your own self, you just pray to god. 6. A culture that expands and develop outwards. Chinese Culture: 1. A culture based on masses (collectivism). People placed country and family above your own self. 2. A culture that is based on humanism and people 3. To resolve the relationshi
38、p betwen man and nature, the chinese attempts to fuse the human and heaven as one. (天人和一) 4. To resolve people and peoples relationship, chinese uses ethics and tolerance (中恕之道) 5. To resolve human and spiritualism, chinese emphasizes internal cultivation (修身养性) 6. A focus on balance and mean. By me
39、an, it means middle way. You dont go into extremism. Peace is always honoured. 7. Pay homage to heaven and earth, as well as bearing a remembrance to the homeland. (敬仰天地,思乡怀土) This was accorded to the fact that chinese had been a farming civilization and therefore will be more prone to remember thei
40、r land. 8. A culture that expands internally rather than outwards. Some of the disadvantage of old chinese culture: 1. Debase women and chauvanistic 2. An over-emphasis on past history instead of present (lacks pragmatism) Can you list some more differences? Any comments and contributions are apprec
41、iated. （二） The difference between west and east I wonder how many things do you know about the difference between west and east? I can tell you some. East and west , they are different in many ways. Today, I want to talk about it in the following three parts. They are food, dressing and living style
42、s. First , food. In China, we prefer noodles, rice , jiaozi as the main course. We like cooking a lot of delicious dishes, then we set up the tables, put the dishes on the tables, sit together, and taste the dishes together, we dont eat with individual plates, when we eating ,we like chatting and la
43、ughing, we think its warm and happy to eat this way; But in England or other west countries, people like eating hamburgers, chips, pizza, pasta as their main course, they eat them with vegetable salad, they eat with drinking (water or juice),and they eat with separate plates. In China, we become full up when we finish all the food, then we dont eat anything, but in west countries, people eat desserts after they finish their meals. Second, dressing. In China, we prefer colorful clothes, we dress them in different places, some time many