大学英语课件：Active reading 2 (5)

1、ResourcesDeveloping the skills of reasoning and arguments;Learning to develop a passage through comparison and contrast.Raising the students cultural awareness, especially of the differences between collectivism and individualism. Video watchingCollectivism vs. Individualism Answering questions Disc

2、ussion Definitions A story Role playMoreCross-cultural misunderstandingWatch a video and work in groups to complete the following tasks.1. Answer the following questions:clickclick1) What is the misunderstanding between the Chinese and European businessman?2) What is the cultural difference that cau

3、ses the misunderstanding?Reference Answer:1) At the end of a business meeting, the European businessman tries to make a pleasant talk before leaving. He compliments a painting of the Chinese businessman, who may think that the European businessman likes the painting. So the Chinese businessman gives

4、 the precious painting that he adores to the European businessman who actually doesnt want it and feels very embarrassed and awkward about accepting the gift.BackBackReference Answer:2) The cultural difference is that it is quite natural in western culture to compliment the host on their possessions

5、. But in China, the host may feel honor-bound to give the guests what they like as a gift. In addition, Chinese businessmen usually try to establish good relationship with their business partners for future cooperation by giving them precious gifts or inviting them to dinner. This might be another r

6、eason why the host gives the precious painting to the European businessman, who has no idea about the importance of personal relationship in business in China. BackBackMore2. Work in groups to discuss the following questions. 1) Does the interpreter do his job successfully? What should a qualified i

7、nterpreter do?2) Choose from the following list what makes it difficult to do business. A. A language problem B. A technical problem C. Different cultural interests D. A lack of trustclickclickReference Answer:1) No, the interpreter does not do his job successfully. He should have conveyed the true

8、meaning of the European businessman to the Chinese host to avoid the misunderstanding. A qualified interpreter should not only have a high level of language proficiency, but also a good knowledge about cultural differences. He or she should serve as a bridge between two cultures in addition to two l

9、anguages. BackBackReference Answer:2) We discussed this from the point of view of doing business internationally. Language seems to be the most obvious problem, but we thought people would learn other languages or use interpreters. Different cultural interests surely make it difficult and it is like

10、ly that business people take more time to learn about cultures than they do about languages. A lack of trust could make a difference, because if something goes wrong people may blame the partners and feel that they cant do so much about finding solutions in another country. Technical problems may al

11、ways lead to difficulties but we dont think it is especially the case with international business. Overall, we think cultural factors are the most difficult ones to manage well.BackBackMore3. Work in groups of three to have a role play. Three members play the role of the Chinese businessman, the Eur

12、opean businessman and the interpreter respectively. The interpreter should try to avoid the misunderstanding caused by the cultural differences.Role play ScriptsMoreScriptsHost: 我很高兴，您此次行程很顺利。Interpreter: I am very pleased that your trip has been so successful.Guest: Well, without your help it would

13、 have been impossible.Interpreter: 多亏了您的帮助，太感谢了。Host: 这没什么，是我的荣幸。Interpreter: Not at all. It has been a pleasure.Guest: You have been very kind, and your hospitality was wonderful.Interpreter: 您还非常好的热情好客。MoreGuest: Thats an interesting picture.Interpreter: 那幅画很有意思。Host: 您喜欢吗？Interpreter: Do you like

14、 it?Guest: I like the style. Is it contemporary?Interpreter: 我喜欢它的风格，是现代作品吗？Host: 有三四十年了，这位画家刚去世不久。生前是中国 美术界挺知名的人物。Interpreter: It was thirty or forty years old. The artist, Chen Xiling, died recently. He was quite well known in the Chinese art circle.Guest: We dont have anything to compare with it

15、in the west. My wife likes that type of painting. Anyway, I must go back to the hotel and pack.MoreInterpreter: 我们西方就没有这一类风格的作品。我妻子一 定会很喜欢的。我现在要回酒店收拾行李。Host: 请收下吧。不成敬意。我派人送到您酒店去。Interpreter: Please, it is my gift to you. I will have it sent to your hotel. Guest: (surprised) I couldnt possibly accept

16、 such a gift.Interpreter: 我实在不敢收。Host: 不行，你一定要收下。Interpreter: Please, I insist. Guest: (appeals to the interpreter) I feel awkward about taking the painting.MoreSometime after the guest has left, the interpreter talks to his employer.Interpreter: 您和客人的这次会面还都顺利吧？Host: 还好。可是我的画Interpreter: 我想他只是出于礼貌罢了

17、。Host: 你是说他不是真想要我的画。Interpreter: 是啊，他肯定没想到你能把画送给他。Sometime later, the guest is in his hotel room talking to his wife on the phone.Guest: Well, I was just trying to be polite, you know. They wrapped it up and sent it to the hotel. I have to get it to the airport somehow, and then try to get it throug

18、h the Customs, I suppose. But, you know, I just wonder whether Ill leave it to the hotel.BackBackMoreIndividualism vs. CollectivismWork in pairs to give a definition to individualism and collectivism according to your own understanding.MoreIndividualism vs. CollectivismListen to a short passage intr

19、oducing individualism and collectivism. Compare the information you hear with the definitions you gave just now.Scripts MoreScriptsIndividualism refers to the tendency of a culture to emphasize the importance of individual identity over group identity, individual rights over group rights and individ

20、ual needs over group needs. In contrast, collectivism refers to the tendency to emphasize the importance of “we” instead of “I”, group obligations and in-group needs over individual wants and desires. In other words, being individualistic indicates the preference of people to look after themselves a

21、nd their immediate family only, while by collectivism we understand the tendency to belong to groups or cooperative units and to look after each other in exchange for loyalty.MoreIndividualism vs. CollectivismRead the following statements and decide whether the following behaviors belong to the coll

22、ectivists or individualists according to the definitions of individualism and collectivism.MoreIndividualism vs. collectivism1. It is a pleasure to do by yourself as much as possible.2. People are task-oriented, wanting to get down to business as soon as possible.3. Every person is a part of a group

23、. People depend on each other and value cooperation.4. People compete for status and they compete by outperforming others in a group.5. People will not do business with others until they build up personal relationships.individualistindividualistindividualistcollectivistcollectivistMoreIndividualism

24、vs. collectivism6. The relationship between employer and employee or business partners is based on trust and harmony and a deep understanding of moral values. 7. It is not advisable for people to disagree with others by saying no directly. They can show disagreement in a more private and personal at

25、mosphere to protect a person from the “loss of face”. 8. The individual efforts and achievements are highly appreciated and should be publicly acknowledged.9. People have weak awareness of face.10. It is the group efforts and achievements that should be publicly acknowledged.collectivistcollectivist

26、individualistindividualistcollectivistMoreIndividualism vs. CollectivismListen to a short story between an American businessman and a Moroccan company and explain the reasons that cause misunderstanding between them. MoreAn American company sent for the first time a top-level manager to clinch a dea

27、l with a company in Morocco. When he first arrived at the airport the group of Moroccan managers sent to welcome him were surprised to see that he came alone and interpreted this as he being somewhere low in the hierarchy, otherwise he would have come with advisors. Trying to be as efficient as poss

28、ible, the American manager Individualism vs. CollectivismWords and Expressions Morocco 摩洛哥摩洛哥 hierarchy 等级制度，阶层等级制度，阶层More When the American businessman first arrived at the airport, the group of Moroccan managers were surprised to see that he came alone and interpreted this as he being somewhere lo

29、w in the hierarchy, otherwise he would have come with advisors. This is a good example to illustrate that people from individualistic culture put more emphasis on self-reliance.Why cant we just get down to business?Reasons that cause misunderstanding The American businessman did not understand why t

30、he Moroccan company just showed him around without mentioning the business at all. This is just an example of how developing relationships and trust is essential in the business area in collectivistic culture. While the American is more task-oriented, wanting to get the job donea common feature of i

31、nstrumental individualistic culture, the Moroccans want to see if the man in front of them is trustworthy and enjoying the growing relationship is characteristic of collectivistic culture.BackBackText organisationText explorationText evaluation Understanding the text Interpreting Critical thinkingTe

32、xt organizationStories about doing business between Johannesson from a Swedish corporation and SaudisSkim the text and find which paragraph(s) is mainly about the information given below. Paras 1-3MoreclickText organizationBackBackcharacteristics of the collectivistCharacteristics of the individuali

33、stTwo different concepts about the role of personal relationships in business: the role of the individual versus the role of the group.Para 4 Para 5 Para 6clickclickclickText explorationUnderstanding the text1. Why did Johannesson feel annoyed about the meeting with the Saudis? _ A. The Saudis spent

34、 too much time laughing and joking.B. The trips to Saudi Arabia were long and tiring.C. The Saudi brothers didnt speak good English.D. Another Swedish man was always present.DRead paragraphs 1-3 and choose the best answer for the following questionsMoreUnderstanding the text 2. Why did the Saudis ch

35、ange their attitude from one day to the next? _ A. They no longer trusted the intermediary.B. They were urgent to find a business partner.C. They had known and trusted Johannesson after their meeting.D. They liked making jokes with Johannesson.CMoreUnderstanding the text3. Why was Johannesson asked

36、to return to Saudi Arabia? _ A.The corporation wanted him to start a new project.B. Even though it was just to solve a minor issue, the Saudis trusted Johannesson only.C.There was a lot of new work to do, so two people were needed.D.The successor was not experienced enough.BMoreUnderstanding the tex

37、tWhat is the way the writer mainly uses to organize the information? _ A. Cause and effect.B. Problem and solution.C. Comparison and contrast.D. Illustration.Read paragraphs 4-6 and complete the following tasksCMoreUnderstanding the textUse appropriate information to fill in the tableMoreAspects for

38、 comparison and contrastIndividualistCollectivistConcept of the role of personal relationships in businessDo business with a company, like the SwedesFamily patternSource of ones identityI, ones personal identityRelationship with othersDo business with a trustworthy person, like the SaudisNuclear fam

39、ilyExtended family“we” group or in-groupIndependentDependent on each other both practically and psychologicallyBackBack Interpreting Choose the best way to complete the sentences.1. The story in the passage is an example of _.(a) a clash between two people with very different personalities(b) the di

40、fference between an “individualist” and a “collectivist” approach to business(c) the problem which occurs when people do business in a foreign language(d) a failure to do business(b)More2. The fact that most people in the world live in collectivist societies means _. (a) people dont like to be alone

41、 (b) people need a lot of help to bring up their children (c) putting the needs of a group first helps protect the individual (d) people are taught not to stand on their own feet3. An “in-group”, or “we” group is _. (a) people who work for the same company (b) other people of your own age in society

42、 (c) the group which gives you your identity (d) a group you choose to belong to(c)(c)More4. Children in collectivist societies _. (a) grow up in small families (b) are likely to be very loyal to their family (c) prefer having a lot of people to help look after them (d) are controlled by their famil

43、y5. Children in individualist societies _. (a) are unlikely to have many playmates (b) are likely to leave home when they become adults (c) find it difficult to have relationships with other people (d) think of themselves as members of a group(b)(b)BackBackText evaluationCritical thinking1. How impo

44、rtant is cultural awareness in an international business deal?2. Is there a place for “extended families” in todays society?3. Is traditional family life threatened by globalization?4. Which kind of society is stronger: an “individualist” or a “collectivist” one? Why?clickclickMoreclickclick1. How i

45、mportant is cultural awareness in an international business deal?We think it is really important because it will influence how language is used, how relationships are formed and maintained, and how negotiations may proceed. We think that awareness of culture on both sides might affect the efficiency

46、 and effectiveness of communication and more interestingly, how the business people feel about each other and the business communication later. Of course, having a good product or service, or being clear about the goals of making a deal are also crucial. What some people have not realized is the imp

47、ortance of culture though.BackBack2. Is there a place for “extended families” in todays society?We think that there is quite a strong place for “extended families” in modern China. Many couples want to stay in close contact with their parents so that they can help with childcare. This is good for th

48、e grandparents too, because they want to be with their grandchildren.BackBack3. Is traditional family life threatened by globalization?Globalization seems to challenge traditional family life because there is much greater mobility of the population and people may get jobs with multinational companie

49、s which often move their workers around. But other aspects of globalization help to keep families together, e.g. emails and mobile phones help family members to keep in touch.BackBack4. Which kind of society is stronger: an “individualist” or a “collectivist” one? Why?Well, we come from a more colle

50、ctivist background and so we value many of the in-group aspects of this kind of society: the family support and help, loyalty and security, and knowing in-group members well. Still, we can also appreciate that some aspects of individualist societies are interesting and worth developing, such as that

51、 people should think more for themselves, and be creative and not necessarily follow the collective trend all the time. Some aspects of individualist societies seem quite selfish, though. We understand that all societies actually have different balances between individualism and collectivism. MoreAc

52、tually, China is getting a good balance now, it seems, as some collective features give way to more individual ones, meanwhile strong collective aspects remain and people are happy with this.BackBackSummarisingTalking pointSummarizingMore The writer uses stories about doing business between and to i

53、llustrate the differences between an individualist and a collectivist approach to business. They have different of the role of personal relationships in business. The Swedes believe the business is done with a company while the Saudis think it should be done with a person they know and . Then the wr

54、iter compares the characteristics of the _ and those of the _. SwedesSaudisconceptstrustcollectivistindividualistSummarizingIn most collectivist societies, the families are usually while in the individualist societies, are prevalent. People consider themselves as part of a “we” group or in-group in

55、the collectivist societies. In contrast, the individualists think of themselves as “I”, their _ which is distinct from other peoples. A _ and psychological relationship develops between the person and the in-group in the collectivist societies. However, rarely do people depend on a group in the indi

56、vidualist societies.extended familiesnuclear familiespersonal identitypracticaldependenceBackBackTalking pointOrganize the students into five groups and each group reads one quote and discuss the advice. Each group has a group leader who collects all the advice and reports to the whole class briefly

57、.My company has offered me a better job for more money, but it means that Ill have to work in a different part of the country, and Ill only be able to get home every month or so. What should I do?1clickMoreTalking pointclickclickMy friend wants to join the army because he wants to travel. But his mo

58、ther prefers him to continue his studies and pass some exams so that he gets a better job. What advice should I give him?2We like to travel and we usually take a package tour because its cheaper. But we dont always want to do what everyone else does. They dont like us going to museums while they go

59、shopping. What should we do?3MoreTalking pointclickclickI work for a company owned and managed by a family. I like my job, but sometimes the company feels too small, and I dont feel Im gaining enough experience. Do you think I should work on my own or move to a larger company?4I need some money to b

60、uy a new car. Should I go to a bank and borrow some, or should I ask my family to help me?5BackBackTalking pointTips: Ask yourself a few questions:1) Do you want the new job yourself?2) Are you really interested in this job or is it just the question of higher pay?3) What if you turned down the new