新编跨文化交际英语教程cases参考答案.pdf

Case1Inthiscase,thereseemedtobeproblemsincommunicatingwithpeopleofdifferentculturesinspiteoftheeffortsmadetoachieveunderstanding.WeshouldknowthatinEgyptasinmanycultures,thehumanrelationshipisvaluedsohighlythatitisnotexpressedinanobjectiveandimpersonalway.WhileAmericanscertainlyvaluehumanrelationships,theyaremorelikelytospeakoftheminlesspersonal,moreobjectiveterms.Inthiscase,Richard,smistakemightbethathechosetopraisethefooditselfratherthanthetotalevening,forwhichthefoodwassimplythesettingorexcuse.Forhishostandhostessitwasasifhehadattendedanartexhibitandcomplimentedtheartistby―saying,Whatbeautifulframesyourpicturesarein.InJapanthesituationmaybemorecomplicated.Japanesepeoplevalueorderandharmonyamongpersonsinagroup,andthattheorganization－itselfbeitafamilyoravastcorporation－ismorevaluedthanthecharacteristicsofanyparticularmember.Incontrast,Americansstressindividualityasavalueandareapttoassertindividualdifferenceswhentheyseemjustifiablyinconflictwiththegoalsorvaluesofthegroup.Inthiscase:Richard,smistakewasinmakinggreateffortstodefendhimself.Lettheothersassumethattheerrorswerenotintentional,butitisnotrighttodefendyourself,evenwhenyourunstatedintentistoassistthegroupbywarningothersofsimilarmistakes.Asimpleapologyandacceptanceoftheblamewouldhavebeenappropriate.ButforpoorRichardtohavemerelyapologizedwouldhaveseemedtohimtobesubservient,unmanly.WhenitcomestoEngland,weexpectfewerproblemsbetweenAmericansandEnglishmenthanbetweenAmericansandalmostanyothergroup.Inthiscasewemightlookbeyondthegestureoftakingsugarorcreamtothevaluesexpressedinthisgesture:forAmericans,―Helpyourself;fortheEnglishcounterpart,―Bemyguest.AmericandEanglishpeopleequallyenjoyentertainingandbeingentertainedbuttheydiffersomewhatinthevalueofthedistinction.Typically,theidealguestatanAmericanpartyisone―whomakeshimselfathome,eventothepointofansweringthedoororfixinghisowndrink.Forpersonsinmanyothersocieties,includingatleastthishypotheticalEnglishhost,suchguestbehaviorispresumptuousorrude.Case2Acommonculturalmisunderst