The cultures of the East and the West really distinguish each other a lot. This is because the culture systems are two separate systems on the whole.
The origin of the Eastern cultures is mainly from two countries: China and India. Both of the two cultures are developed by rivers-the Yellow River in China and the Hindu River in India.
When the two mother rivers gave birth to the Eastern culture, another famous culture was brought up on the Mesopotamian Plain—the Mesopotamian Civilization. This civilization later on developed into the cultures of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
The differences are everywhere.
| A．Let us work together to keep a variety of culture. |
| B．One important thing is to learn about other cultures. |
| C．And these two are well-known as the base of the European culture |
| D．At the same time, some other differences add to the cultural differences. |
| E．They are obvious and affect people’s ways of thinking and their views of the world. |
| F．They helped the two cultures develop for centuries and form their own styles. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】People often talk about cultural differences between western and eastern countries, but how about the western world itself? Surprisingly, a closer look at it can reveal a good many curious details.
The most obvious characteristic of the majority of Americans is that they smile a lot. It does not matter whether they have a strong reason to smile; they do it, sometimes simply because they have to. A smile is not just a powerful marketing tool but also a way to show that someone is friendly, and that life in general is fine. Europeans, on the contrary, prefer to keep a more neutral (不带感情色彩的) facial expression. They smile mostly when they are in a good mood, or feel amused; if not, a European’s face will remain neutral, or even dull. In Russia, for example, there is a proverb, saying that laughing for no reason is a sign of a fool. It does not mean that Europeans are serious, or that they do not have a sense of humor.
The same refers to communication in general. Americans are extremely communicative; small talks and chats are common. Europeans talk mostly when there is something to say, and rarely enter communication just for the purpose of talking to other people. American people prefer to express what they think carefully, considering how it might affect surrounding people. Europeans are more straightforward, even with unfamiliar people. A European friend will almost always voice his opinion on different occasions, and will not hesitate to remind you that you need to lose some weight or take a shower.
It can be said that Americans are people of contrasts. They are open-minded, flexible, and ready to accept everything new enthusiastically; but at the same time, American society manages to bring up unbelievable conservatives. Americans are extremely politically correct, which, in most cases, is indeed a secure and beneficial practice, but it can also mess up daily or even private communication, sometimes preventing having close relationships. Europeans, on the contrary, are more straightforward, preferring to tell the truth in direct ways. Each way of communication is different—neither is correct or incorrect.
1. What does the author say about smiling?| A．It is a powerful marketing tool across cultures. |
| B．It is culture-related within western countries. |
| C．It is thought of as a sign of a fool in America. |
| D．It is regarded as a social necessity in Europe. |
| A．Beating around the bush. | B．Hiding their feelings carefully. |
| C．Expressing themselves openly. | D．Having small talks and chats. |
| A．Being politically correct. | B．Being straightforward. |
| C．Accepting everything new. | D．Raising unbelievable conservatives. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By classifying body language. | D．By discussing research findings. |
【推荐2】The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups. Silences may be thoughtful, or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap (间隙) with conversation. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a person’s needs.
Many Native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people, just as some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore, when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and suddenly stops, what may be implied (暗示) is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing.
Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion. However, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority.
Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing. Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient’s silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing(治愈) value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.
1. What does the author say about silence in conversations?| A．It implies uncomfort. | B．It promotes friendship. |
| C．It is content-based. | D．It is culture-based. |
| A．The Mexicans. | B．The French. | C．The Chinese. | D．The Russians. |
| A．Make use of its healing effects. | B．Break it while treating patients. |
| C．Evaluate its harm to patients. | D．Let it continue as the patient pleases. |
| A．Sound and Silence | B．What It Means to Be Silent |
| C．Silence to Native Americans | D．Speech Is Silver; Silence Is Gold |
【推荐3】Australians are pretty (大胆的) when it comes to humor. Not afraid of saying something insulting (冒犯的) in the name of a good laugh, they generally don’t hold back. This is always done in fun, however.
You get yourself a haircut before going to meet your new Aussie friend. You’re expecting to be praised, but what you hear is, “Did you have a fight with a lawnmower (割草机)?’’ You might take this as an insult, but it’s just your friend’s way of saying that you’ve had a haircut.
Your friend comes knocking at your bedroom door one morning to tell you’re late for class. You were up studying late the night before and you look a mess. Your friend thinks you need to put a brush through your hair before leaving, but instead of just saying so he says, “Wow. Your hair looks like a bush pig’s airse.’’ He’s trying to be nice.
Australia is one of cultures on this planet where making fun of someone is a sign of friendship. If you find yourself being made fun of lots, it could be that you’ve scored yourself a whole lot of new friends. Consider yourself lucky -- these insults are all part of building a relationship.
Australians also use a lot of sarcasm (讽刺). You foolishly say something that’s obvious (明显的). For example, “A six pack of beer is named after the number of beers you get in the pack, the number being six.’’ A normal answer would be, “That is the most obvious statement I’ve ever heard”, but an Australian would say, “Really? You’re so clever”.
Now let’s say your teacher tells you that there will be a test the following day. Australians might say, “Great. I can’t wait to add preparing for a test to my already long to-do list. Thank you for this gift.“
1. According to Paragraphs 2 and 3, Australians try to be humorous _____.| A．by telling funny jokes | B．by making fun of friends |
| C．by laughing at themselves | D．by showing unfriendliness |
| A．Dislike. | B．Worry. | C．Gladness. | D．Thankfulness. |
| A．By telling stories. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By providing examples. | D．By examining differences. |
