Unit 7

Approaching Culture

Part I

• Task A: Cultural Difference in Sending Gifts• Pre-listening: Discussion• People in all countries enjoy gifts. Sometimes the

meanings are different in different cultures. Please talk about what Chinese people like to give as gifts for ordinary friends and what the gifts mean and what is not appropriate as gifts according to the Chinese culture?

Vocabulary

• symbol:

• a sign, shape or object which is used to represent something else:

• A heart shape is the symbol of love.

• The white bird is a symbol of freedom.

• 这白色的鸟是自由的象征。

• even: (referring to number)• forming a whole number which can be divided exactly by

two:2,4, and 6 are even numbers and 1, 3,and 7 are odd numbers.

• set: • a group of similar things that belong together in some way:• 一套 , 一部 , 一副• She bought a dinner set of Chinese make.• 她买了一套中国制造的餐具。

• Argentina: A country of southeast South America. Europeans first explored the region in the early 1500s, and in 1776 Spain established a viceroyalty that included present-day Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Argentina achieved its independence from Spain in 1816. Buenos Aires is the capital and the largest city. Population: 34,180,000.

• Switzerland: A country of west-central

Europe. The French took brief control of Switzerland during the French Revolution, but the confederacy was restored in 1815. Switzerland later adopted a federal constitution (1848) and maintained a policy of neutrality through both World Wars. Bern is the capital and Zurich the largest city. Population: 6,995,000.

While Listening

• Now you are going to listen to some people talking about what is consider as proper gifts and what are not in different countries. Look at the pictures in your books and put a check ()on the picture if it is a proper gift, and if it is not, put a cross ().

Answers

• 1. Argentina• A tie is too personal• 2. Switzerland• Roses mean love.• 3. Italy• Even numbers (2, 4, 6) are unlucky• 4. Japan• Japanese people usually don’t give four of anythi

ng as gift.

• Task B Ways to Greet People

• Pre-listening

• Vocabulary:

• hug:• to hold someone or something close to your body

with your arms, usually to show that you like, love or value them:

• firm:

• strong and tight:• a firm handshake

• There are many ways in the world to greet people. Listen to a few examples of greetings from some countries. Choose correct answers for each greeting.

• 1. A bow: Japan, Korea• 2. A hug: Brazil, Russia• 3. A strong, short handshake:• Canada, the U.S• 4. A softer, longer handshake:• Egypt, Mexico

Part II Museums in the Modern World

• Pre-listening: Discussion• Have you been to a museum? What is i

t like? What can you see and do there?• What can visitors usually do in a tradit

ional museum?

• Vocabulary• privileged: • having an advantage that only one person o

r group of people has, usually because of their position or because they are rich:

• 享有特权的 ; 特许的 ; 幸运的• As an ambassador, she enjoys a very privile

ged status.• vacationer (u.s): holidaymaker (uk)• a person who is on holiday away from wher

e they usually live

• While listening: Some changes have taken place in modern museums. What are these changes? Listen to some statements and supply the missing information

• Key to exercise A

• 1. changed, few, bored, rainy

• 2. museum directors, what they are seeing

• 3. Provide fun, feel at home

• Task B. Now you will listen to the whole passage. While listening, pay special attention to the specific museums mentioned in the passage. Complete the following chart with key words.

• Vocabulary• metropolitan: • of a very large city, often the most importan

t city in a large area or country• (musical) instruments: • an object, such as a piano, guitar or drum,

which is played to produce musical sounds:• costume:• the set of clothes typical of a particular cou

ntry or period of history, or suitable for a particular activity: 戏装 , 服装 , 装束

• reproduction: • a copy of something, especially a pain

ting, or the process of copying something:

• The book contains excellent color reproductions of Monet's paintings.

• stegosaurus: • 剑龙

• architecture: the style or the manner of building in a particular country or period of history

• 建筑学 ; 建筑式样 , 建筑风格• He likes Greek architecture.• 他喜欢希腊建筑式样。• represent: • lifestyle:

Key to exercise B

• 1. A science museum in Ontario, Canada• electricity/ pass / body• 2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC• 17th C instruments /music• 3. The Modern Museum in Sweden• put on costumes / the Stockholm Opera• 4. American Museum of Natural History, NYC• bone-by-bone reproduction / stegosaurus

Task C• Listen again and complete the

outline according to the information given on the tape.

Key to Exercise C• The major changes in the museums in

the modern world• I. Reading out to new audiences• A. the young• B. the poor• C. the less educated members

• II. Appearance

• A. old museums: rebuilt

• B. newer ones:

• 1. modern in architecture

• 2. inside the museums:

• a. modern lighting, color and sound

• b. showing fewer objects

• c. display of a group of objects to

• represent lifestyle

• III. Helping visitors become part of what they see

• A. no guided tours

• B. encouraging visitors to touch, listen, operating and experiment / discover scientific principles for themselves.

• IV. Providing educational services and children’s departments

• A. film showings

• B. dance programs

Part III Kwanzaa• Pre-listening: Vocabulary• goal:

• one’s aim or purpose; a position or object one wishes to reach or obtain

• cooperative:

• willing to help or do what people ask:

• economics: • the way in which something, such as a

plan or course of action, is influenced by economic considerations

• 经济情况 ; 经济• The economics of national growth are

of great importance.• 国民经济的增长情况具有极大的重

要性。

• candleholder: • a candlestick; a holder for one candle• 烛台• Swahili: • A Bantu language of the coast and islands

of eastern Africa from Somalia to Mozambique. It is an official language of Tanzania and is widely used as a lingua franca( 混合语 ; 混合方言 )in eastern and east-central Africa. Also called Kiswahili.

( 非洲 ) 斯华西里语

• Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration. When, where, why and how do people celebrate it? Listen carefully and get the answers to these questions and fill in the missing information to complete the outline.

Kwanzaa

• I. When and where Kwanzaa began• in 1966, in Los Angeles• II. The purpose of Kwanzaa• to honor black culture, esp. the importance of the

family• III. The word “Kwanzaa• A. language: Swahili• B. meaning: first fruits of the harvest

• IV. People who celebrate Kwanzaa• A. African American• B. families in Canada, Britain, France and Africa• V. The period of time when Kwanzaa is celebrated• seven days from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1• VI. The seven goals honored by Kwanzaa• A. unity• B. personal independence• C. joint responsibility • D. cooperative economics• E. purpose• F. creativity• G. faith

• VII. What people do during the celebration

• A. discussing one of the goals each day

• B. getting together for a party

• C. enjoying a holiday meal

• D. playing African music