1 . When Mark Twain visited Florence (佛罗伦萨) in 1867, he dutifully visited the city’s museums, churches, and tombs. But as he stood by the Arno, he began to sense the Italians’ insistence that it was a river, not a stream. “They all call it a river, and they honestly think it is a river, do these dark and bloody Florentines,” he complained, “I might enter Florence under happier circumstances a month hence and find it all beautiful, all attractive. But I do not care to think of it now, at all.”
It’s normal to feel uncomfortable outside your home culture. Feelings of discomfort, dislocation, and overload among travelers are referred to by many as “culture shock.” But Susan Goldstein, a professor at the University of Redlands says, “Though the term has existed for many years, ‘Culture shock’ implies a dramatic,unexpected, negative event. Though many travelers will experience such challenges, a real sense of ‘shock’ is untypical. So untypical that many researchers no longer use the term.”
It was the vivid description of culture shock by Canadian researcher Oberg, written in 1960 in response to his own multicultural experiences, that won over audiences. The researcher spoke of the adjustment process as “an occupational disease of people who have suddenly been transplanted abroad” — a “disease” that progressed from a honeymoon phase, through rejecting the new environment, to finally adjusting fully to it. By the 1970s many researchers adopted the idea that, like physical illnesses, culture shock progressed through a remarkably consistent and universal set of stages.
Modern research, however, suggests that the experiences of adaptation are individual, not universal. “People will have their ups and downs, but for the most part, they will become increasingly comfortable and competent over time,” Goldstein says. And while many connect the causes of culture shock to the host culture itself, an individual’s internal expectations and differences are just as important.
As for Mark Twain, the moody author was able to ride out his feelings of upset and dislocation while traveling. He eventually finished out his European tour - and in his bestselling travel memoir The Innocents Abroad, famously remarked that travel is “fatal to prejudice and narrow-mindedness.” With the right attitude - and the willingness to seek help if you need it - it’s more than likely that you, too, can adapt and grow in new settings, building new memories-and toughness - with each new stamp in your passport.
1. How did Mark Twain feel about Italians’ insistence?A.Annoyed. | B.Calm. | C.Uninterested. | D.Curious. |
A.It would lead to physical diseases. |
B.It was regarded as an avoidable thing. |
C.It was named for people’s adjustment. |
D.It had gained wide acceptance by the 1970s. |
A.Suggestions about culture shock. |
B.A change in understanding culture shock. |
C.Stress of the importance of culture shock. |
D.A criticism of previous idea of culture shock. |
A.To remember him. | B.To inform and anticipate. |
C.To conclude and encourage. | D.To make the ending humorous. |
2 . I recently attended a wedding in Canada, in the countryside. When the taxi driver sent me back at midnight, I was
Tipping has long been a source of
Such an embarrassing mess often occurs
Perhaps, tipping one and not the other only
A.superbly | B.secretly | C.curiously | D.primitively |
A.selected | B.blessed | C.realized | D.suspected |
A.tip | B.pursuit | C.award | D.emergency |
A.stuck | B.submitted | C.buried | D.banned |
A.charge | B.permission | C.change | D.privilege |
A.common | B.enjoyable | C.civil | D.embarrassing |
A.vary | B.spread | C.work | D.grow |
A.panic | B.confusion | C.bond | D.mercy |
A.ignore | B.embrace | C.rejoice | D.annoy |
A.Therefore | B.Furthermore | C.Likewise | D.Otherwise |
A.bonus | B.choice | C.matter | D.trick |
A.even if | B.unless | C.so that | D.because |
A.quoted | B.resigned | C.suggested | D.forecast |
A.assumption | B.difference | C.principle | D.guidance |
A.makes sense | B.takes shape | C.weighs on | D.pays off |
3 . “White people food” is trending on Chinese social media platforms as large numbers of users are confused by the typical Western packed lunch. The trend started on the social media platforms Weibo and Xiaohongshu with too many users shocked by quick and easy meals such as cold sandwiches and raw vegetables. Many posts are from international students surprised by the simple meals their peers eat. Similarly, overseas workers and expatriates (侨民) have posted their shock at their co-workers’ repetitive lunches.
Photos of the bland (淡而无味的) lunches have quickly spread through global social media platforms including TikTok and Twitter. Many social media users have promoted the health benefits of the simple “white people lunch“. In response to this, a commenter on Xiaohongshu suggested, “If such a meal is to extend life, what is the meaning of life?”
“White people food” made it beyond the Chinese social media platforms and found itself trending on Twitter. Hundreds of users shared their own experiences of low-maintenance lunches in the US, Australia and across Europe. “When I first came to Australia, I saw a woman who bought raw sliced mushrooms in the supermarket and sat down to eat them,” Marcelo Wang explained in a TikTok video. “Fascination with these meals has spread as many Chinese people are used to cooking with lots of different ingredients.”
A Western user said, “As a white person, I didn’t know we were all packing lunches like this. I thought it was just me being lazy.”Another commented, “It’s literally because we don’t get lunch breaks.” Others warned international TikTokers against making“white people lunches”. They said,“Don’t do it to yourself willingly! We do it because we don’t know any better. Don’t do this to yourself.“
1. What surprised overseas workers and expatriates?A.The simplicity of typical Western packed lunches. |
B.The diverse dietary structures of international students. |
C.The rapid development of Chinese social media platforms. |
D.The influence of Chinese cuisine on Western eating habits. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Worried. | C.Dismissive. | D.Negative |
A.They learn how to cook from TikTok videos. |
B.They have a tolerant attitude towards diverse diets. |
C.They are more than happy to share their packed lunches. |
D.They discourage people from adopting their dietary habits. |
A.A lunchtime surprise encountered by visitors in China |
B.Unpacking“white people food”: a wealth of cultural insights |
C.Surprising cooking trends on Western social media platforms |
D.Improving“white people food”: a growing emphasis on health |
4 . While I was working at a French school, I was often preparing my work in the staff room. Sometimes I would hear the school secretary talking. At first I thought she was talking to me, as there was no one else in the room except me, so I tried to respond to her. However, I soon realized that in fact, she was talking to herself. I noticed a lot of people do this in France. In the UK, people might think you’re a bit strange if you talk to yourself at work, but there it seemed quite normal. It really did confuse me at times, because I was not sure whether people were talking to me or just talking to themselves.
Another area of confusion involved the French language. In French, there are two ways to say “you”: “tu” is the informal form while “vous” is the formal form. This is an aspect of French which, even now, I do not really understand. When I learnt French, I was taught to call everyone vous unless they were my family or friends. So I was surprised that virtually everyone in France used the informal tu all the time. School children used tu when they stayed with their teachers and all the staff called the head teacher tu. But I continued to use vous because I didn’t want people to think I was impolite.
As you might know, school children in the UK traditionally wear school uniforms but in France pupils do not wear a uniform. It was a culture shock for me to see children wear Spiderman T-shirts and baggy (宽松的) blue jeans in the classroom.
I found the differences puzzling at times, but I couldn’t deny what a great opportunity it was to live and work in another country. The UK and France are only separated by a small channel of the sea, but there are many differences between the two countries.
1. In the staff room, the school secretary ________.A.always chatted online |
B.interrupted the writer |
C.talked to herself often |
D.always made speeches |
A.She tried to be polite to others. |
B.She couldn’t tell tu from vous at all. |
C.She didn’t have close friends in France. |
D.She couldn’t understand French very well. |
A.Pleased. | B.Embarrassed. |
C.Frightened. | D.Surprised. |
A.Experiencing different cultures. |
B.Communicating in an informal way. |
C.Traveling along the channel of the sea. |
D.Having a chance to work with French teachers. |
5 . Why Experiencing a New Culture Is Good for You
Often the best way to really explore a new place and culture is by spending abundant time there. A quick vacation may give you a glimpse (瞥) into your destination.
Dealing with culture shock
Culture shock is a response to your new surroundings when abroad that can leave you confused, anxious and feeling lonely. It generally includes frustration at how even the simplest things can be different in the new culture. The thing is though, culture shock can be seen as a problem but also as an opportunity.
Perhaps the most obvious lesson learned with travel is the importance of language. Even just learning the basics of the local language can make getting about and making new friends easier. Trying to overcome the language barrier also teaches you about non-verbal communication. Since you can’t rely on what is being said, you learn to adapt, to people’s tone and body language. This makes you a better communicator.
Finding inspiration
Meeting new people
Meeting people and making friends while overseas is both a necessity and one of the most enjoyable aspects of the experience.
A.Learning language skills |
B.Developing body language |
C.So you’re less likely to further experience a new culture |
D.Travelling to new cultures is a great way to expand your social circle |
E.Experiencing the local culture can expose you to local art, cuisine, architecture, etc. |
F.Only by adjusting to and accepting new surroundings can you understand and appreciate it |
G.But experiences like student or work exchange programs allow you to immerse(沉浸) in a new culture |