Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
I. Reading aloud
Reading aloud
Audiovisual supplements
Read the following sentences aloud, paying special attention to
intonation. The sign / indicates a division of tone units.
1. Everyone, it seems, / provided, of course, they can afford to do so,
/ need never be out of touch. /
2. ... and for many people, / learning English is an essential stepping
stone on the road to success. /
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
II. Audiovisual supplements
Reading aloud
Audiovisual supplements
Watch the film episode and then answer the following questions.
Film Episode: You’ve Got Mail
Questions:
1. What did Joe tell Kathleen, a friend whom he had never met?
2. Have you got an urge to tell your secret to someone you’ve
never met in your daily life? If so, how do you justify your
motivation?
Answers for reference:
1. He told her about his hobbies and feelings about expecting her
mail.
2. Open Answer.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Reading aloud
Audiovisual supplements
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
COMPUTER: You’ve got mail.
KATHLEEN: Brinkley is my dog. He loves the streets of New York as
much as I do.
Although he likes to eat bits of pizza and bagel off the
JOE:
sidewalk, and I prefer to buy them. Brinkley is a great
catcher and was offered a tryout on the Mets farm team
but he chose to stay with me so that he could spend 18
hours a day sleeping on a large green pillow the size of
an inner tube. Don’t you love New York in the fall? It
makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you
a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your
name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing
has its charms.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Reading aloud
Audiovisual supplements
■
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
I. Text introduction
Text introduction
Structural analysis
Cultural background
This text, an argumentative essay, may be divided into three
major parts. The first part, illustrates that the great global
communications revolution is linked to the expansion of English,
which has now become the leading international language. The
second part, proves that, because languages are so culture-related,
we often find that what we can say in one language cannot be
expressed at all in another, and that translators, faced with
insurmountable linguistic problems, negotiated the boundaries
between languages and came up with a compromise. The last part
briefly points out the immense function or great significance of
intercultural understanding.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
II. Structural analysis
Text introduction
Paragraphs 1-3
—
our easy access to the world and the
communications revolution
Paragraphs 4-7
—
human being’s inability in their
expressions and the translators’ work
Paragraph 8
—
immense function or great significance
of intercultural understanding
Structural analysis
Cultural background
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
III. Cultural background
Text introduction
Structural analysis
Cultural background
Cyberlove Affects “Real” Relationships
According to psychology doctoral student
Heather Underwood, today Internet romances
are considered just as significant to some
people as their “real” relationships.
“Some people are becoming concerned
that their Internet relationship is affecting their
primary relationship with their partners in real
life. Balancing the demands of both relationships may prove to be
complicated,” she explained.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Text analysis
Structural analysis
Cultural background
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Some data indicate that 74 per cent of people who have
romantic Internet relationships are employed full-time. Twothirds of the participants are male, mostly married and with
children.
Survey results show that Internet relationships quickly
become very intimate, with participants engaging in high levels
of self-disclosure about their problems and discussion of sexual
preferences.
Other key findings suggest that 70 per cent concealed the
extent of their online activities from their “real life” partners.
While 50 per cent of respondents agreed that their activities had
significantly damaged their real relationships, 34 per cent
reported that the Internet liaison had improved their real
relationships.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Susan Bassnett
We live in an age of easy access to the rest of the world. Cheap
flights mean that millions of people are able to visit places their
parents could only dream about, while the Internet enables us to
communicate with the remotest places and the traditional postal
services are now referred to almost mockingly as “snail mail.” When
students go off back-packing, they can email their parents from
Internet cafes in the Himalayas or from a desert oasis. And as for
mobile phones — the clicking of text messaging at any hour of the
day or night has become familiar to us all. Everyone, it seems,
provided, of course, they can afford to do so, need never be out of
touch.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Significantly also, this great global communications revolution is
also linked to the expansion of English, which has now become the
leading international language. Conferences and business meetings
around the globe are held in English, regardless of whether anyone
present is a native English speaker. English has simply become the
language that facilitates communication, and for many people learning
English is an essential stepping stone on the road to success.
So why, you may wonder, would anyone have misgivings about all
these wonderful developments, and why does the rise of English as a
global language cause feelings of uneasiness for some of us? For there
are indeed problems with the communications revolution, problems that
are not only economic. Most fundamental is the profound relationship
between language and culture that lies at the heart of society and one
that we overlook at our peril.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Different cultures are not simply groups of people who label the
world differently; languages give us the means to shape our views of
the world and languages are different from one another. We express
what we see and feel through language, and because languages are so
clearly culture-related, often we find that what we can say in one
language cannot be expressed at all in another. The English word
“homesickness” translates into Italian as “nostalgia,” but English has
had to borrow that same word to describe a different state of mind,
something that is not quite homesickness and involves a kind of
longing. Homesickness and nostalgia put together are almost, but not
quite, the Portuguese “saudade,” an untranslatable word that
describes a state of mind that is not despair, angst English borrowed
that from German, sadness or regret, but hovers somewhere in and
around all those words.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
The early Bible translators hit the problem of untranslatability
head-on. How do you translate the image of the Lamb of God for a
culture in which sheep do not exist? What exactly was the fruit that
Eve picked in the Garden of Eden? What was the creature that
swallowed Jonah, given that whales are not given to swimming in
warm, southern seas? Faced with unsurmountable linguistic problems,
translators negotiated the boundaries between languages and came up
with a compromise.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Compromising is something that speakers of more than one
language understand. When there are no words in another language
for what you want to say, you make adjustments and try to
approximate. English and Welsh speakers make adjustments
regarding the color spectrum in the grey / green / blue / brown range,
since English has four words and Welsh has three. And even where
words do exist, compromises still need to be made. The word
“democracy” means completely different things in different contexts,
and even a word like “bread” which refers to a staple food item made
of flour means totally different things to different people. The flat
breads of Central Asia are a long way away from Mother’s Pride
white sliced toasties, yet the word “bread” has to serve for both.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Inevitably, the spread of English means that millions of people are
adding another language to their own and are learning how to negotiate
cultural and linguistic differences. This is an essential skill in today’s
hybrid world, particularly now when the need for international
understanding has rarely been so important. But even as more people
become multilingual, so native English speakers are losing out, for they
are becoming ever more monolingual, and hence increasingly unaware of
the differences between cultures that languages reveal. Communicating
in another language involves not only linguistic skills, but the ability to
think differently, to enter into another culture’s mentality and shape
language accordingly. Millions of people are discovering how to bridge
cultures, while the English speaking world becomes ever more
complacent and cuts down on foreign language learning programs in the
mistaken belief that it is enough to know English.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
World peace in the future depends on intercultural understanding.
Those best placed to help that process may not be the ones with the
latest technology and state of the art mobile phones, but those with
the skills to understand what lies in, under and beyond the words
spoken in many different languages.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Susan Bassnett
We live in an age of easy access to the rest of the world. Cheap
flights mean that millions of people are able to visit places their
parents could only dream about, while the Internet enables us to
communicate with the remotest places and the traditional postal
services are now referred to almost mockingly as “snail mail.” When
students go off back-packing, they can email their parents from
Internet cafes in the Himalayas or from a desert oasis. And as for
mobile phones — the clicking of text messaging at any hour of the
day or night has become familiar to us all. Everyone, it seems,
provided, of course, they can afford to do so, need never be out of
touch.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Significantly also, this great global communications revolution is
also linked to the expansion of English, which has now become the
leading international language. Conferences and business meetings
around the globe are held in English, regardless of whether anyone
present is a native English speaker. English has simply become the
language that facilitates communication, and for many people learning
English is an essential stepping stone on the road to success.
So why, you may wonder, would anyone have misgivings about all
these wonderful developments, and why does the rise of English as a
global language cause feelings of uneasiness for some of us? For there
are indeed problems with the communications revolution, problems that
are not only economic. Most fundamental is the profound relationship
between language and culture that lies at the heart of society and one
that we overlook at our peril.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Different cultures are not simply groups of people who label the
world differently; languages give us the means to shape our views of
the world and languages are different from one another. We express
what we see and feel through language, and because languages are so
clearly culture-related, often we find that what we can say in one
language cannot be expressed at all in another. The English word
“homesickness” translates into Italian as “nostalgia,” but English has
had to borrow that same word to describe a different state of mind,
something that is not quite homesickness and involves a kind of
longing. Homesickness and nostalgia put together are almost, but not
quite, the Portuguese “saudade,” an untranslatable word that
describes a state of mind that is not despair, angst English borrowed
that from German, sadness or regret, but hovers somewhere in and
around all those words.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
The early Bible translators hit the problem of untranslatability
head-on. How do you translate the image of the Lamb of God for a
culture in which sheep do not exist? What exactly was the fruit that
Eve picked in the Garden of Eden? What was the creature that
swallowed Jonah, given that whales are not given to swimming in
warm, southern seas? Faced with unsurmountable linguistic problems,
translators negotiated the boundaries between languages and came up
with a compromise.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Compromising is something that speakers of more than one
language understand. When there are no words in another language
for what you want to say, you make adjustments and try to
approximate. English and Welsh speakers make adjustments
regarding the color spectrum in the grey / green / blue / brown range,
since English has four words and Welsh has three. And even where
words do exist, compromises still need to be made. The word
“democracy” means completely different things in different contexts,
and even a word like “bread” which refers to a staple food item made
of flour means totally different things to different people. The flat
breads of Central Asia are a long way away from Mother’s Pride
white sliced toasties, yet the word “bread” has to serve for both.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Inevitably, the spread of English means that millions of people are
adding another language to their own and are learning how to negotiate
cultural and linguistic differences. This is an essential skill in today’s
hybrid world, particularly now when the need for international
understanding has rarely been so important. But even as more people
become multilingual, so native English speakers are losing out, for they
are becoming ever more monolingual, and hence increasingly unaware of
the differences between cultures that languages reveal. Communicating
in another language involves not only linguistic skills, but the ability to
think differently, to enter into another culture’s mentality and shape
language accordingly. Millions of people are discovering how to bridge
cultures, while the English speaking world becomes ever more
complacent and cuts down on foreign language learning programs in the
mistaken belief that it is enough to know English.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
World peace in the future depends on intercultural understanding.
Those best placed to help that process may not be the ones with the
latest technology and state of the art mobile phones, but those with
the skills to understand what lies in, under and beyond the words
spoken in many different languages.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
…for many people learning English is an essential stepping stone on
the road to success.
Paraphrase:
... for many people the acquisition of English is basically a
spring board towards their lifetime achievements.
……很多人学习英语就是把英语当作成功路上的垫脚石。
Explanation:
A stepping stone is something that helps you to progress towards
achieving something.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Most fundamental is the profound relationship between language and
culture that lies at the heart of society and one that we overlook at
our peril.
Paraphrase:
The relationship between language and culture is an essential
part of society and one that it is dangerous if we ignore.
最为基础的一点就是语言和文化存在深刻的关系，这种关系
存在于社会的核心部分，如果我们忽视这一点，就会大难临
头。
Explanation:
do something at one’s peril: used to say that what someone is
intending to do is dangerous or may cause them problems
e.g. You ignore this warning at your peril.
e.g. You take traffic signals lightly at your peril.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
…languages are so clearly culture-related.
Paraphrase:
... languages are so clearly connected with a specific civilization
of the state of cultural development of a particular people.
……很明显，语言与文化密不可分。
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
…given that whales are not given to swimming in warm, southern
seas?
Paraphrase:
... considering the fact that whales are not likely to swim in
warm, southern seas?
……不要忘记，在温暖的南方海洋中是没有鲸鱼的？
Explanation:
given (that): taking something into account
Practice:
Translate the following sentence into English:
如果有机会，我就到纽约来看你。
I’d come and see you in New York, given the chance.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
…translators negotiated the boundaries between languages and came
up with a compromise.
Paraphrase:
... translators managed to deal with the differences between
languages and thought of a version that was similar to the
original in spirit.
……译者通过对不同语言的处理，最终达到一个平衡点。
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Explanation:
When they were faced with problems of language that could not
be overcome, translators got over or transcended language
barriers and solved linguistic problems by using words and
phrases or sentences that reproduced the original meaning
flexibly instead of distorting it and that were acceptable to the
source language readers. / When they encountered language
problems which could not be satisfactorily solved, translators
conquered linguistic problems by making adjustments and
attempting to approximate in the light of the different cultures
involved.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
…to enter into another culture’s mentality and shape language
accordingly.
Paraphrase:
... to understand another nation’s particular way of thinking and
use language appropriately.
……需要融入到另一种文化的思维习惯之中，恰当地遣词造句。
Explanation：
Conveying or exchanging ideas, feelings, or information in
another language requires or calls for not only linguistic skills,
but also the ability to think in a different way, to share another
culture’s customary ways of thinking and employ language
appropriately and idiomatically.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
…understand what lies in, under and beyond the words spoken in
many different languages.
Paraphrase:
... understand the basic, the implied and the cultural meaning
of each word spoken in many different languages.
……既要懂得字面意思，又要明白其深层含义，还要了解言
外之意。
Explanation:
Those who are most able to contribute to that process of world
peace probably are not the ones who have grasped the latest
technology or the ones who are most skilful at using mobile
phones, but those who have acquired the skills to understand the
literal, implied, figurative, or cultural meanings of the words
spoken in many different languages.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
access n.
1) the possibility or means of entering or approaching a place
e.g. There is no access to the street through that door.
2) the right to use something, see someone, etc.
e.g. Access to the papers is restricted to senior management.
Collocation:
access to
easy access
Derivation:
accessible adj.
accessibility n.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice:
Translate the following sentences into English:
1）学生放假时也可以去图书馆。
Students have access to the library during the vacation, too.
2） 猫要喝干净新鲜的水。
Cats should always have access to fresh, clean water.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
remote adj.
1) far away in space or time
e.g. She lived in a remote village.
2) not close; widely separated from
e.g. His stories are too remote from everyday life.
3) if a chance or possibility of something happening is remote,
it is not very likely to happen
e.g. The prospect of peace seems remote.
4) (especially British English) used to emphasize that you do
not know something, are not interested in something, do
not intend to do something, etc.
e.g. He hasn’t the remotest interest in sport.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Derivation:
remoteness n.
Comparison:
distant, far, far-off
distant: far away in space or time
far: a long distance away
far-off: a long way from where you are or a long time ago
Practice:
Translate the following sentences into English:
1）人类十年内在火星着陆的可能性极小。
There is only a remote possibility that human beings can land on
the Mars in a decade.
2） 我完全不懂你的意思。
I have not the remotest the idea of / about what you mean.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
mockingly adv.
in a way in which somebody or something is made fun of
e.g. His shabby house is mockingly named as “villa.”
Derivation:
mock v. mock n. mocking adj.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
snail mail
The increasing popularity of the Internet has brought a great deal
of slang created and used by computer users. Slang terms include
cyber- (dealing with computers and the Internet), snail mail
(written messages delivered by the postal service), hacker (an
expert computer programmer perhaps involved in illegal
activities), flaming (a hostile response from a user), and
spamming (sending numerous unsolicited messages to users).
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
go off
1) to leave a place, especially in order to do something
e.g. Tom planned to go off hiking with friends.
2) to explode or fire
e.g. The signal pistol went off with a bang.
3) (British English) if food goes off, it becomes too bad to eat
e.g. This steak has gone off.
4) to happen in a particular way
e.g. The interview went off very badly.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Comparison:
call off, write off , put off
call off: to decide that a planned event will not take place
write off: to officially say that a debt no longer has to be paid, or
officially accept that you cannot get back money you have
spent or lost
put off: to delay doing something or to arrange to do something at
a later time or date
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with call, write or put in their proper forms:
put off until tomorrow what can be done today.
1) Don’t ___
2) The UN has ________
written off 35 billion dollars of the debt of the
poor countries.
3) Due to the rain, the meeting was _______
called off.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
back-packing
It is one of the most popular types of hiking. People carry food,
clothing, and other items on their backs. Backpackers can spend
many days in remote areas where supplies are unavailable.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Internet cafes
To ensure more equal access to the Net, many public libraries
and schools provide Internet-capable computers for individual
use. In many cities around the world, establishments known as
Internet cafes offer people the use of Internet-ready computers
for a fee based on time of use. Such establishments are
especially popular in areas of the world where many people do
not have computers or even telephones.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
the Himalayas
It is the highest mountain system in the world. The name
Himalayas means the House of Snow, or the Snowy Range, in
Sanskrit. The Himalayas consists of several parallel mountain
ranges.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
oasis n.
1) a place with water and trees in a desert
2) a peaceful or pleasant place that is very different from
everything around it
e.g. The park was an oasis of peace.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
messaging
a system for sending messages to people, for example, by
computer, telephone, or pager
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
afford
1) to have enough money to buy or pay for something
e.g. Thanks to the success of the business, we can afford a holiday
overseas this year.
2) to have enough time to do something; if you cannot afford to
do something, you must not do it because it could cause
serious problems for you
e.g. We can’t afford to lose such an important member of the staff.
3) (formal) to provide something or allow something to happen
e.g. I can’t afford three weeks away from my project.
Collocation:
afford to do something
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Derivation:
affordable adj.
Practice:
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 这笔买卖让他赚了一大笔钱。
The transaction afforded him a good profit.
2） 他告诉我公司无法支付如此巨额的工资。
He told me that the firm could not afford to pay such large salaries.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
out of touch
having no contact with
e.g. I’d like to go back to teaching, but I am out of touch with
my subject now.
e.g. I am out of touch with my high school classmates now.
Collocation:
be in touch
lose touch with
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
global adj.
affecting or including the whole world
e.g. Global climatic changes may have been responsible for the
extinction of the dinosaurs.
e.g. Some TV stations have a global audience.
Collocation:
global village global warming
Derivation:
globe n. globally adv.
Practice:
Translate the following sentence into English:
成为百万富翁之后，约翰决定作一次环绕世界一周的不着
陆的飞行。
Having been a millionaire, John made up his mind to take a
nonstop global flight.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
conference n.
1) a large formal meeting where a lot of people discuss important
matters such as business, politics, or science, especially for
several days
e.g. My boss attended a conference on plastics last weekend.
e.g. The manager cannot see you now; she is in conference.
2) a private meeting for a few people to have formal discussions
e.g. The teacher had a conference with each student during the term.
Collocation:
be in conference
hold a conference
an annual conference
a roundtable conference
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Collocation:
a joint conference
a press conference
a summit conference
an emergency conference
Derivation:
confer v.
Practice:
Translate the following sentences into English:
1) 国际经济问题会议在日内瓦召开。
The conference on international economic problems was held
in Geneva.
2) 史密斯先生正在和他的顾问们协商。
Mr. Smith is in conference with his advisers.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
regardless of
without being affected by different situations, problems, etc.
e.g. Regardless of the danger, he climbed the tower.
e.g. I bought the book, regardless of its cost.
Comparison:
notwithstanding, despite
Notwithstanding means in spite of something.
e.g. The teams played on, notwithstanding the rain. (prep.)
e.g. We proceeded, notwithstanding. (adv.)
Despite is used to say that something happens or is true even
though something else might have prevented it.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Practice:
Translate the following sentence into English:
尽管以前我们失败过，但仍要坚持下去。
We will persevere regardless of past failures.
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
facilitate v.
to make it easier for a process or activity to happen
e.g. The new underground railway will facilitate the
journey to the airport.
Derivation:
facilitation n.
Practice:
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 要是你再配合些，事情就会变得更容易些。
It would facilitate matters if you were more cooperative.
2） 门锁坏了，我毫不费力地进了那所空房子。
The broken lock facilitated my entrance into the empty house.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
essential adj.
completely necessary for the existence, success, etc. of something
e.g. We can live without clothes, but food and drink are essential.
e.g. Essential services will be maintained despite the industrial
dispute.
Collocation:
be essential to / for
Derivation:
essential n. essentially adv.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
wonder v.
1) to express a wish to know, in words or silently
e.g. “Does she know we are here? ” “I’m just wondering.”
e.g. What are they going to do now, I wonder?
2) to be surprised and want to know why
e.g. The fact that she left home is not to be wondered at.
e.g. I don’t wonder at her refusing to marry him.
Collocation:
wonder about / at
wonder if / whether
Derivation:
wonder n. wonderful adj.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice:
Translate the following sentences into English:
1) 他觉得很奇怪：为什么人们明明可以造出漂亮的房屋，
但偏偏建造出来的房子就很丑陋。
He wondered why people built ugly homes, when they could
have beautiful ones.
2) 我想知道他们现在要去干什么。
What are they going to do now, I wonder?
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
profound adj.
intense; deep; very strongly felt
e.g. There was a profound silence in the empty church.
e.g. The incident made a profound impression on me.
Comparison:
deep, profound
deep: you use deep to say what distance something goes
down from the top or surface
profound: exceedingly great depth
Derivation:
profoundly adv.
Practice:
Translate the following sentence into English:
母亲的行为对于成长中的孩子有着很大的影响。
The mother’s behavior has a profound effect on the
developing child.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
label n.
a piece of paper or other material, fixed to something, which
gives information about what it is, where it is to go, who owns it,
etc.
e.g. The label on the bottle says, “Poison.”
e.g. The labels were attached to the luggage.
Comparison:
label, brand
label: a piece of paper or other material, fixed to
something, which gives information about what
it is, where it is to go, who owns it, etc.
brand: a type of product made by a particular company, that
has a particular name or design
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Derivation:
label v.
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 人们叫他骗子。
People labeled him as a liar.
2） 教师不应该称汤姆为 “教不会” 的学生。
It was wrong for a teacher to label Tom as “unteachable”.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
involve v.
to cause somebody or oneself to be connected or concerned
e.g. Don’t involve other people in your mad schemes.
e.g. She was informed that her husband had been involved in a murder.
Collocation:
involve doing something
involve somebody (in) doing something
involve yourself in
Derivation:
involved adj. involvement n.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 所有的孩子都参加了学校的戏剧排练。
All the children were involved in the school play.
2） 这一课需要做的作业有很多。
This lesson involves a lot of work.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
longing n.
strong wish; a strong feeling of wanting something
e.g. He has cherished a longing for fame, position and wealth.
Comparison:
long, yearn, pine, hanker
long: to want something very much, especially when it seems
unlikely to happen soon
yearn: (literary) to have a strong desire for something,
especially something that is difficult or impossible to get
pine: if you pine for a place or for something, you miss it a lot
and wish you could be there or have it again; if you pine
for someone, you feel very unhappy because they are not
with you
hanker: to feel strongly that you want something
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Derivation:
longingly adv.
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with long, yearn, pine, hanker in their proper forms:
1) The professor has been ________
longing for a peaceful and quiet life.
yearned
2) After his success on the screen, the film star, however, ________
for
a career on the stage
3) Like any moneylender in the world, Shylock is always __________
hankering
for more money.
4) The orphans have always been _______
pining for a long-lost love ever
since they were born.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
despair n.
complete loss of hope or confidence; something that causes this
feeling
e.g. Defeat after defeat filled us with despair.
e.g. His failure in TOEFL drove him to despair.
e.g. He is the despair of his teacher because he refuses to study.
Comparison:
despair, hopelessness, desperation, discouragement
despair: a feeling that you have no hope at all
hopelessness: the situation that is so bad that there is no chance
of success or improvement
desperation: the state of willing to do anything to change a very
bad situation, and not caring about danger
discouragement : the time when you no longer feel confident or
willing to do something
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Derivation:
despair n. despairingly adv.
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with despair, hopelessness, desperation,
discouragement in their proper forms:
1) When the bank repossessed the house, their depression turned
despair .
to _______
2) A spirit of ____________
hopelessness pervaded the refugee camp.
___________ , he decided on a dash through the flames.
3) In desperation
4) The farmer experienced moments of discouragement
_______________ over the
failure of his crops.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
hover v.
1) to be in an uncertain state
e.g. He is hovering between life and death.
2) to stay around one place, esp. in a way that annoys other
people
e.g. I wish you’d stop hovering round and let me get on with my work.
Derivation:
hoverer n. hoveringly adv.
Practice：
Translate the following sentence into English:
气温停留在摄氏二十五度左右。
The temperature hovered around 25℃.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
image n.
a picture formed in the mind; a picture formed of an object in front of
a mirror or lens, such as the picture formed on the film inside a
camera or one’s reflection in a mirror
Collocation:
be the living / spitting / very image of something
image in…mind
public image
Derivation:
imageless adj.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 那个小孩就是健康的化身。
That child is the image of good health.
2） 那位政治家在群众中的形象很差。
The politician has a very bad image among people.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
the lamb of God
The lamb is a particularly important Easter symbol in central and
eastern European countries. It represents Jesus and relates His
death to that of the lamb sacrificed on the first Passover.
Christians traditionally refer to Jesus as “the Lamb of God.”
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Eve
According to the Bible, Adam and Eve were the first man and
woman created by God. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of
Eden, tending the garden of God. They were permitted to eat from
any tree in the garden except from the tree of knowledge of good
and evil. But a serpent persuaded Eve to eat fruit from this tree.
Eve gave some to Adam, who also ate the fruit. Thus, they became
mortal and God exiled them from Eden. Outside the garden, Adam
had to work hard to make a living, and Eve also had to work and
to bear many children.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
the Garden of Eden
Eden was a region described in the Bible as the place where God
planted a garden for Adam and Eve.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Jonah
In the Bible, Jonah was a Hebrew prophet who was thrown
overboard during a storm because he disobeyed God. He was
swallowed by a large fish and later cast up on land alive.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
unsurmountable adj.
(also insurmountable) too large or too difficult to be dealt with
e.g. I don’t think there are any insurmountable problems in this
project.
Derivation:
insurmountably adv.
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 声障一度被认为是飞机制造业中一个不可逾越的难题。
The sound block used to be taken as an insurmountable problem
in airplane industry.
2） 只要认真仔细，按部就班，就没有什么问题是无法解决的。
Nothing is deemed insurmountable as long as it is handled
with care and method.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
boundary n.
Boundary is the real or imaginary line that marks the edge of a state,
country, etc., or the edge of an area of land that belongs to someone.
e.g. the boundaries between work and play
Comparison:
Boundary, border, frontier, limit
Boundary is the real or imaginary line that marks the edge of a
state, country, etc., or the edge of an area of land that
belongs to someone.
Border is the official line that separates two countries, states, or
areas, or the area close to this line.
Frontier is (especially British English) the border of a country.
Limit is the furthest point or edge of a place, often one that must
not be passed.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with boundary, border, frontier, limit in their
proper forms:
1) A stone wall marked the _________
boundary between the two farms.
2) Customs officers inspected our luggage when we crossed the
border .
_______
3) Cars cannot exceed 35 miles per hour within city _____
limit .
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
come up with
to produce; to think of a plan, reply, etc.
e.g. The airline has come up with a novel solution to the problem of
jet lag.
e.g. At the meeting he came up with a new solution to the issue under
discussion.
Comparison:
come off, come down, come over
come off: to become removed from something
come down: if a price, level, etc. comes down, it gets lower
come over: if someone comes over, they visit you at your
house
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
compromise n.
(an act of) settling an argument or difference of opinion by each
side agreeing to some of the demands of the other; an agreement
reached in this way that is acceptable to both sides
e.g. Progress has been made towards a political compromise
between the two nations.
e.g. Both sides are determined to get what they want and there seems
to be no possibility of compromise.
Collocation:
make compromises
reach a compromise
Derivation:
compromisingly adv.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Practice：
Translate the following sentence into English:
婚姻中妥协必不可少。
Compromise is an inevitable part of marriage.
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
adjustment n.
changing slightly in order to make right or suitable for a particular
purpose or situation
e.g. We made a few minor adjustments to the plan.
e.g. We have to make some major adjustments to our scheme.
Derivation:
adjusted adj. adjustable adj. adjustability n. adjustment n.
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with the proper forms of adjust:
____________
1) From the 3 weeks of work, we noticed the great adjustability
of Tom on handling emergencies.
2) Some slight ___________
adjustment of the machine improves not only the
speed but also the quality of our production.
3) This is a camera with __________
adjustable shutter.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
approximate vi.
come near (to) in amount, nature, etc.
e.g. Your story only approximates to the real facts.
e.g. What he spent on food and clothing last year approximated to
$4000.
Collocation:
approximate to
Derivation:
approximate adj.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 他的描述与事实已经接近，但还是有一些错误。
His description approximated to the truth but there were a few
errors.
2） 你的设计仅仅是接近顾客们的需要。
Your design only approximates to the requirements of the
customers.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Welsh
the Welsh language
Wales has two official languages, Welsh and English. Either
language may be used in the courts or for government business.
Some newspapers are published partly or only in Welsh, and many
radio and television programs are broadcast in both languages.
Welsh is one of the oldest languages in Europe. It is still the daily
language in many sections of western and northern Wales.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
regarding prep.
as regards; concerning; on the subject of; in connection with
e.g. I must consult an authority regarding this matter.
e.g. These are very important questions regarding education.
e.g. Have you ever consulted a lawyer regarding this important
matter?
Synonym:
concerning
Practice：
Translate the following sentence into English:
我写了一封信，是关于我女儿学校的考试的。
I wrote a letter regarding my daughter’s school examinations.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
staple adj.
basic, forming the main part; usual, used all the time
e.g. He came out with his staple excuse, which was that he was too
busy.
e.g. These people live on a staple diet of rice and vegetables.
Collocation:
staple diet, staple excuses
Derivation:
staple v. staple n.
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 大米是许多亚洲国家的主食。
Rice is the staple food in many Asian countries.
2） 石油是尼日利亚主要的出口产品。
Oil is Nigeria’s staple export.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Mother’s Pride
a brand for bread
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
hybrid n.
something that consists of or comes from a mixture of two or more
other things
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
multilingual adj.
containing or expressed in many different languages; able to speak
many different languages
e.g. This is a multilingual dictionary.
e.g. She is a multilingual secretary.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
monolingual adj.
speaking or using only one language
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
hence conj.
therefore; for this reason
e.g. The town was built near a bridge on the River Cam, hence the
name Cambridge.
e.g. She has been studying very hard, hence her full marks in the test.
Synonyms:
accordingly, therefore, consequently
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 他们在苏丹长大；由是产生了对努比亚艺术的兴趣。
They grew up in the Sudan; hence their interest in Nubian art.
2） 该城镇修建在群山之中，故取名山城。
The town was built among the hills, hence the name Hilltown.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
reveal v.
1) to show or allow something previously hidden to be seen
e.g. The curtains went up to reveal a darkened stage.
2) to make known something previously secret or unknown
e.g. Do you promise not to reveal my secret?
e.g. I can now reveal that the new director is to be James Johnson.
Comparison:
reveal， expose， disclose
reveal: to make known something that was previously secret or
unknown
expose: to show something that is usually covered or hidden
disclose: to make something publicly known, especially after it has
been kept secret
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Derivation:
revealer n.
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with reveal, expose or disclose in their proper
forms:
1) He was glad it was to him that she had _________
revealed her secret.
2) In a slip of the tongue the schemer ________
exposed his true motivation.
3) The journalist refused to ________
disclose the source of her information.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
enter into
1) to begin to take part in formally
e.g. Before you enter into an agreement of this nature, you should
read the contract carefully.
2) to allow oneself to share in or become part of
e.g. He entered into the spirit of the game with great excitement.
3) to have an important part in or influence on
Collocation:
enter upon something, enter for, enter into
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice:
Fill in the blanks with upon, for or into:
1) The nations entered _____
into a new agreement.
2) We enter ______
upon a new era in our history.
3) Every year I enter ____
for the garden competition too, and I
always win a little prize for the worst garden in the town.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
mentality n.
a particular attitude or way of thinking, especially one that you
think is wrong or stupid
Collocation:
business mentality
exploitative mentality
Derivation:
mental a. mentalist n. mentally adv.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice：
Translate the following sentence into English:
很难理解讲这种话的人的心理状态。
It’s very difficult to understand the mentality of people who say
such things.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
complacent adj.
pleased or satisfied with oneself or with a situation, often
unreasonably; not worrying, even though one perhaps should be
e.g. After so many wins we grew complacent and thought we’d never
lose; however, of course we lost the very next match.
e.g. He gave us a complacent smile.
Synonyms:
contented， self-satisfied
Derivation:
complacency n. complacently adv.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice：
Translate the following sentences into English:
1） 我们队有些队员自满了，所以输了。
Our team lost because some players became complacent.
2） 多年的成功使他变得自我满足起来 。
He had become complacent after years of success.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
cuts down on
to reduce an amount done, eaten, etc.
e.g. The doctor told me to cut down on drinking and smoking.
e.g. You smoke too many cigarettes a day; you should cut down on
smoking.
Collocation:
cut corners
cut down to size
cut loose
cut no ice
Comparison: cut back, cut in
cut back: to reduce the amount, size, cost, etc. of something
cut in: to interrupt someone who is speaking by saying something
else
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice：
Fill in the blanks with back or in:
1) I was angry as during the debate my opponent kept cutting __
in .
2) Facing a recession, many companies have no choice but to cut
back production.
______
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Vocabulary analysis
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
I. Word comparison
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
II. Word transformation
Oral activities
III. Phrase and word practice
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Word comparison
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Group 1: A. enable
B. let
C. have D. make
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
A. Enable means to make it possible for someone to do something.
e.g. The loan enabled Jane to buy the house.
B. Let means to allow someone to do something.
e.g. I let them borrow the car.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Vocabulary analysis
Group 1: A. enable
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
B. let
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
C. have D. make
C. Have means to persuade or order someone to do something.
e.g. She had me do all kinds of jobs for her.
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
D. Make means to force someone to do something.
e.g. My parents always make me do my homework before I go out.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Group 2:
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
A. provided
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
B. considering
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
C. given
Explanation:
A. provided: used to say that something will only be possible if
something else happens or is done
e.g. You may keep the book a further week provided (that) no one
else requires it.
B. considering: used to say that you are thinking about a particular
fact when you are giving your opinion
e.g. You managed the project well, considering your inexperience.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Group 2:
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
A. provided
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
B. considering
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
C. given
Explanation:
C. given: taking something into account
e.g. Given the condition of the engine, it is a wonder that it even starts.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Group 3: A. expansion B. extension C. enlargement
Vocabulary analysis
Explanation:
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
A. Expansion is used when something increases in size, range,
amount, etc.
e.g. Most regions are enjoying rapid economic expansion.
B. Extension means the process of making a road, building, etc.
bigger or longer, or the part that is added.
e.g. the extension of the Jubilee underground line
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Group 3: A. expansion B. extension C. enlargement
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
C. Enlargement means an increase in size or amount.
Exercises for integrated
skills
e.g. enlargement of the EU
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Group 4: A. conference B. congregation C. meeting D. gathering
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Exercises for integrated
skills
A. Conference means a large formal meeting where a lot of
people discuss important matters such as business, politics, or
science, especially for several days.
Oral activities
e.g. His presence at the doctors’ conference is unreasonable.
Writing practice
B. Congregation means a group of people gathered together in a
church.
Translation exercises
Listening exercises
e.g. The preacher addressed a congregation of more than one
thousand people.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Group 4: A. conference B. congregation C. meeting D. gathering
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
C. Meeting means an event at which people meet to discuss and
decide things.
Exercises for integrated
skills
e.g. I was late for the meeting so they started without me.
Oral activities
D. Gathering is a meeting of a group of people.
Writing practice
e.g. There was a large gathering of people at the ceremony.
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Group 5: A. basic B. fundamental C. profound
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Explanation:
A. basic: forming the most important or most necessary part of
something
e.g. Basic changes in public opinion often occur because of shifts in
concerns and priorities.
B. fundamental: relating to the most basic and important parts of
something
e.g. Although they are good friends, there is a fundamental difference
between their aims.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Group 5: A. basic B. fundamental C. profound
Vocabulary analysis
Explanation:
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
C. profound: (literary) deep or far below the surface of something
e.g. Her work touches something profound in the human psyche.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Group 6: A. scope B. field C. spectrum
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Explanation:
A.
Scope means the range of things that a subject, activity, book, etc.
deals with.
e.g. Such subjects are not in the scope of the book.
B. Field means a subject that people study or an area of activity that
they are involved in as part of their work.
e.g. It would be dangerous for youth to venture into the field of
politics.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Group 6: A. scope
Vocabulary analysis
B. field
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
C. spectrum
Explanation:
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
C. Spectrum means a complete range of opinions, people, situations ,
etc., going from one extreme to its opposite.
e.g. Actually, the influence of plastics is spread out in the whole
spectrum of industry.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Word transformation
Vocabulary analysis
1. age
Grammar exercises
Other forms of age: aged
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Chinese-English translation
1）很久, 长时间
a dog’s age
2）举止和年龄相称
act one’s age
3）成年
come of age
4）超龄
be over age
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
2. point
Other forms of point: pointer, point (v.)
Chinese-English translation
1） 他随便乱讲，可就是不讲与主题相关的内容。
He rambled and would not speak to the point.
2） 玛丽夫妇总是在回家的路上去看望他们的侄女。
Mary and her husband made a point of visiting their niece on the
way home.
3） 导师指出他们在推论中的一个错误。
The tutor pointed out an error in their reasoning.
4） 外交显然不是他的特长。
Diplomacy is certainly not one of his strong points.
5） 你的弱点是你总是想得到别人的认可。
Your weak point is your constant need for approval.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. let
Some phrases of let: let alone, let on, let out
Chinese-English translation
1） 他连吃饭钱都不够，就更不用说玩的钱了。
He hasn’t enough money for food, let alone amusements.
2） 我妈妈不会让我去看电影的。
My mother wouldn’t let me go to the cinema.
3） 放出气球中的空气
let the air out of the balloon
4） 我相信他知道更多东西，不只是说出来的这些。
I know he knows more than he’s letting on.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
4. come
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Some phrases of come: come across, come along, come back, come by
Chinese-English translation
1） 今天我在镇上遇到我大学的同学。
I came across my old college classmate in town today.
2） 加油！别放弃！
Come along! Don’t give up yet.
3） 看到这照片，美好的回忆又再度浮现。
When I saw the picture, happy memories came back.
4）很难获得抵押。
Mortgages are hard to come by.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
5. because
Some conjunctions similar to because: since, as, for
Chinese-English translation
1） 因为许多顾客白天上班，所以比利只好晚上去收钱。
Since many of the customers work during the day, Billy has to
collect the money at night.
2） 因为我太累了，所以很早就睡了。
I went to bed early, as I was exhausted.
3） 因为他不想挨饿，所以他不得不接受这个苛刻的条件。
He has to accept the harsh terms, for he doesn’t want to
starve.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Phrase and word practice
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
1. involve
Explanation:
if an activity or situation involves something, that
thing is part of it or a result of it; to ask or allow
someone to take part in something
Examples:
1) Jack involved the bystanders in his dispute with the police.
杰克把旁观者牵扯进他与警察的争执中。
2) The matter is serious because it involves your reputation.
这件事很严重，因为它影响到你的声誉。
3) All the children were involved in the school play.
所有的孩子都参加了学校的戏剧排练。
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
2. facilitate
Vocabulary analysis
Explanation: to make it easier for a process or activity to happen
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Examples:
1) This is a political agreement that facilitates troop withdrawals.
这项协议使撤军更容易了。
2) The new underground railway will facilitate the journey to all parts of
the city.
新的地下铁路将为去城市各处提供方便。
3) Tractors and other agricultural machines greatly facilitate farming.
拖拉机及其它农业机械大大方便了农业耕作。
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. staple
Vocabulary analysis
Explanation:
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
forming the greatest or most important part of
something
Examples:
1) Rice is the staple food in many Asian countries.
大米是许多亚洲国家的主食。
2) Coffee is the staple product of this district.
咖啡是这个地区的主要产品。
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
4. serve
Explanation: to be useful or helpful for a particular purpose or
reason; to provide an area or a group of people with
Examples: something that is necessary or useful
1) Make the past serve the present and foreign things serve China.
古为今用, 洋为中用。
2) A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.
一条单管给所有的房子供水。
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Grammar exercises
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
I. Present progressive form
II. Adverbial clauses introduced by given
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Present progressive form
Vocabulary analysis
The present progressive tense is used to express
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
1. an action that is going on at present (or an action that
is constantly repeated recently)
2. an action that is going on at a time when something else happens
(The present progressive tense in this use provides
the background against which some other action take place.)
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
e.g. Lao Liu is working in the laboratory now.
What are you doing now?
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
e.g. A wood fire is burning on the hearth, and a cat is sleeping in
front of it. A girl is playing the piano and singing softly to
herself. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. The girl stops
playing. The cat wakes up.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice
Connect sentences with given to make an adverbial clause.
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
1. He is the only guy who will go to the U.S. Nobody competed
against him.
key:
He is the only guy who will go to the U.S., given that nobody
competed against him.
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
2. Elephants are by far the largest animal on land. The mammoths are
extinct.
key:
Elephants are by far the largest animal on land given that the
mammoths are extinct.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
3. He is sure to go to see you. He has time.
key:
He is sure to go to see you, given that he has time.
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Adervials introduced by given
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Given is used to introduce a conditional clause which means
taking something into account.
e.g. What was the creature that swallowed Jonah, given that whales
are not given to swimming in warm, southern seas?
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice
Connect sentences with given to make an adverbial clause.
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
1. He is the only guy who will go to the U.S. Nobody competed
against him.
key:
He is the only guy who will go to the U.S., given that nobody
competed against him.
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
2. Elephants are by far the largest animal on land. The mammoths are
extinct.
key:
Elephants are by far the largest animal on land given that the
mammoths are extinct.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
3. He is sure to go to see you. He has time.
key:
He is sure to go to see you, given that he has time.
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Put the verbs in brackets into the present progressive form.
1. — Can I speak to Mrs. Green?
is doing (do) some shopping.
— I’m sorry. She’s not at home. She _______
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Explanation: Present progressive tense is used here to describe
something taking place at the moment.
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
2. Quick! Take the saucepan off the cooker — the water ________
is boiling (boil).
Explanation: Present progressive tense is used here to describe
something taking place at the moment.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. — Mike doesn’t change his job often, does he?
— Oh yes, he does. He is
________________
always changing (always change) his job!
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Explanation: Here the progressive tense is used to indicate someone
who is constantly doing one thing repeatedly.
4. The house is in a mess because we’ve got the workmen in. The
is putting (put) in a new bath, the electrician __________
is rewiring
plumber _________
_________
building us
(rewire) the system, and the carpenter (build) is
some new bookshelves.
Explanation: Present progressive tense is used here to describe
something taking place at the moment.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
5. Don’t rush me. I ___________
am working (work) as fast as I can.
Explanation: Present progressive tense is used here to describe
something taking place at the moment.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Complete the following sentences with the correct verb forms.
1. She’s a dietician — she _____
helps (help) people to choose the right
food.
Explanation: Here the simple present tense is used to explain a
definition of an occupation.
2. I can’t understand why he _______
is being (be) so selfish. He isn’t
usually like that.
Explanation: Here is being is used to show something taking place
at the moment.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. The professor ________
is typing (type) his own letters while his secretary
is ill.
Explanation: The present progressive tense is used to introduce an
action taking place at the moment.
am not eating (not eat)
4. I want to lose weight, so this week I _____________
lunch.
Explanation: Here the present progressive tense is used to indicate
people’s persistence which will continue for a certain
time.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Translation exercises
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Translate each of the following sentences into English, using the
word or phrase given in the brackets. Inflect the word or phrase
where necessary.
1. 今天人们利用电话、互联网、无线电、电视和人造卫星相互
进行远距离联系。(communicate)
Notes：
Communicate means to exchange information or conversation with
other people, using words, signs, writing, etc. It is often used with
the preposition with. Communicate can also mean to express your
thoughts and feelings clearly, so that other people understand them.
Today people communicate with one another over long
distances by means of telephone, the Internet, radio, television
and satellite.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Chinese-English translation
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
1） 音乐可以表达语言无法表达的事物，也可以呈现不可知的事物。
Music can name the unnameable and communicate the
unknowable.
2） 一般来说教师能把自己的意思表达清楚。
Generally speaking, teachers are able to communicate their
ideas clearly.
3） 外交部长已经跟美国总统就此事交换过意见了。
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has already communicated on
this event with the American President.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
2. 为了进行科学考察，徐霞客长途跋涉，翻山越岭，不顾艰难
困苦。(regardless of)
Notes：
Regardless of means without being affected or influenced by
something.
In order to make scientific investigations, Xu Xiake trudged a
long distance and tramped over one mountain after another,
regardless of difficulties and hardships.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Chinese-English translation
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
1） 尽管以前我们失败过，但我们仍会坚持下去。
We will persevere regardless of past failures.
2） 任何肤色的人都有权选择自己的生活方式。
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Every man has the right to live in the way he wants to,
regardless of the color of his skin.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. 为了你的健康，你必须少抽烟少喝酒；否则，你的身体会每
况愈下的。（cut down on)
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Notes：
Cut down means to reduce the amount of something.
You must cut down on drinking and smoking for the sake of your
own health; otherwise, you will be getting worse day after day.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Chinese-English translation
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
1） 学校方面已经考虑下个月裁员。
The school is considering cutting down the faculty next month.
2） 他应该减少自己的工作量。
He ought to cut down the volume of work.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
4. 童年的经历决定一个人的性格发展，这是一个毋庸置疑的事
实。（shape）
Notes：
Shape means to influence something such as a belief, opinion, etc.
and make it develop in a particular way.
It is an unquestionable fact that childhood experiences shape a
person’s character.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Chinese-English translation
Vocabulary analysis
1） 最终，两个奴隶主用掷硬币的方式决定这个奴隶的命运 。
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Finally, the two slavers shape the destiny of the slave with the
toss of a coin.
2） 有时候，小事会变成大事，决定人一生的命运。
Sometimes, trivial matters will grow into events which shape
people’s lives.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Exercises for integrated skills
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Fill in each blank in the passage below with ONE word you think
appropriate.
Languages are marvelously complex and wonderfully
complicated organs of culture: they embody the quickest and the most
efficient means of communicating within their respective culture. To
learn a foreign language is to learn
(1) _______
another culture. In the words
of a poet and philosopher, “As
(2) _____
many languages as one speaks,
so many lives one lives.” A culture and its
(3) ________
language are as
inseparable as brain and body;
(4) _____
while one is part of the other,
neither can function
(5) _______
without the other.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
In learning a foreign language, the best (6) _________
beginning is with the
_______ ,
non-verbal linguistic elements of the language, its
(7) gestures
its body language. Eye contact is extremely important in English.
Direct eye contact (8) _____
leads to understanding, or, as the English
maxim has it, seeing eye-to-eye. We can (9) ______
never see eye-to-eye
with a native speaker of English
(10) _____
until we have learned to
look directly into his eyes.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
many
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Explanation:
Many here is consistent with the other many used in the second
part of the sentence, which refers to the relation between language
and culture.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
another
Vocabulary analysis
Explanation:
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Another means not the same thing, person, etc., but a different one.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Vocabulary analysis
language
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
It is clear that the blank should be filled with the word language,
which is the thematic word of the whole passage.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
while
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
While is used to emphasize the difference between two situations,
activities, etc.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Vocabulary analysis
without
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Without means not having something, especially something that is
basic or necessary.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Vocabulary analysis
beginning
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Beginning means the start.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Vocabulary analysis
gestures
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Gesture is a movement of part of your body, especially your hands
or head, to show what you mean or how you feel.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Vocabulary analysis
leads
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Lead as used in lead to means to cause something to happen or
cause someone to do something.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Vocabulary analysis
never
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Never means not at any time, or not once.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Vocabulary analysis
until
Grammar exercises
Explanation:
Translation exercises
Not until is used to emphasize that something does not happen
before a certain point in time or before something else has
happened.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Oral activities
Vocabulary analysis
Discuss with one of your classmates on the following topics.
Grammar exercises
1. Making net friends is fun, but risky.
Translation exercises
2. Great global communications revolution is closely linked to
the expansion of English.
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
3. Learning English is an essential stepping stone on the road to
success.
4. The rise of English as a global language causes feelings of
uneasiness.
5. Culture lies at the heart of society.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
1. Making net friends is fun, but risky.
Guidance:
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
The discussion can be based on the following aspects:
1) people’s motivation of net-based conversation (a relief of
solitude, broaden mind, increase knowledge, add a new
dimension to life, etc.)
2) some possible risks from net friends (private information leak,
net addiction, inability to differentiate the reality from virtual
reality, etc.)
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
2. Great global communications revolution is closely linked to the
expansion of English.
Guidance:
The discussion can be based on the following aspects:
1) the global communication revolution (its origin, technical
possibility, significance to human life)
2) expansion of English (the current domination of the language,
the language’s affiliation with economy and power politics,
the future of the language with the onset of communication
revolution)
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. Learning English is an essential stepping stone on the road to
success.
Guidance:
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
The discussion can be based on the following aspects:
1) the importance of English as a medium in international
communication
2) the personal definition of success
3) the indispensability of English on people’s career
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
4. The rise of English as a global language causes feelings of
uneasiness.
Guidance:
The discussion can be based on the following aspects:
1) the rise of English as a historical and social issue
2) the concerns of all parties on the proliferation of the language
3) the impact of the language on the development of local
cultures
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
5. Culture lies at the heart of society.
Guidance:
The discussion can be based on the following aspects:
1) the development of the society with its industrialized and
commercialized tendency
2) the death of traditional cultures and the backwardness of
cultural improvement
3) culture’s pivotal value on social development
A Model Essay on Topic One
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
I firmly take the cyber friendship as a two-edge sword. On one
hand, people engage in cyber space with rosy purposes of making
friends, increasing knowledge or broaden his / her minds. Indeed,
he / she may really benefit from the abundant supply of information
and bottomless creativity manifested. On the other hand, Internet
can also be used as the greatest void where people vent their anger
or complaint to total strangers who would like to lend an attentive
ear. In this sense, the Internet is an ideal escape from the pressure of
the real society. At the same time, the negative impact of the
Internet can never be underestimated. There are always people who
surf the Internet with criminal purposes. Under the disguise of
goodwill or friendship, they would peep others’ privacy, conduct
frauds or blackmail. What is more, too much time spent on the
Internet disables people from telling the difference between reality
and the virtual reality.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
People reliant too much on cyber relations may become addicted
and have problems in dealing with their real friendship. In
conclusion, in this era of information, people need to keep a
balance between the real world and virtual world.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Writing practice
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Additional information
The coherence of a paragraph makes the writing easy to
understand because its parts are connected in a clear and reasonable
way. In another word, a passage must be guaranteed to flow
smoothly.
The coherence can be achieved through a careful arrangement
of sentence orders. And, technically, the combinations of sentences,
and the adoption of cohesive words or transitional words are highly
valued to this end.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Sentences are combined with a view to highlight the important
part. Attributive and adverbial clauses are often used to achieve
the goal.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cohesive words are used to clarify the relations among sentences.
Some of them, like, another, also, in addition, one more, are
frequently used to mark the important relationships among the
sentences.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Practice
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Put the following sentences in each group in the right order to form a
coherent passage.
1. John was angry at not winning any prize.
He did not even bother to speak to his friends at the door.
He stalked out of the auditorium.
He grabbed his diploma.
KEY
John was angry at not winning any prize. He grabbed his
diploma. He stalked out of the auditorium. He did not
even bother to speak to his friends at the door.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Section Two:
Global Reading
Listening exercises
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
2. Twelve years ago, I made a deliberate and painstakingly objective
decision regarding my career choice.
It appeared to satisfy all of my needs and goals for an ideal
profession.
I considered all my options, examined my capabilities and then
chose nursing.
Today, however, like many of my colleagues, I want out.
Oral activities
Writing practice
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
KEY
Twelve years ago, I made a deliberate and painstakingly
objective decision regarding my career choice. I
considered all my options, examined my capabilities and
then chose nursing. It appeared to satisfy all of my needs
and goals for an ideal profession. Today, however, like
many of my colleagues, I want out.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
3. Certainly, during examinations teachers and students are expected
to act like machines.
The written examination, where, all students are tested on the
same questions, was probably not known until the nineteenth
century.
A room full of candidates for a state examination, timed exactly
by electric clocks and carefully watched over by managers,
resembles a group of workers at an automobile factory.
There is nothing very human about the examination process.
Perhaps it came into existence with the great increase in
population and the development of modern industry.
Generally speaking, modern examinations are written.
KEY
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Generally speaking, modern examinations are written. The
written examination, where, all students are tested on the same
questions, was probably not known until the nineteenth century.
Perhaps it came into existence with the great increase in
population and the development of modern industry. A room
full of candidates for a state examination, timed exactly by
electric clocks and carefully watched over by managers,
resembles a group of workers at an automobile factory.
Certainly, during examinations teachers and students are
expected to act like machines. There is nothing very human
about the examination process.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
4. It rained hard.
One of the ministers was sick with typhoid.
There were pools of water in the courtyard.
All the shutters of the hospital were nailed shut.
There were dead leaves on the paving of the courtyard.
Two soldiers carried him downstairs and out into the rain.
When they fired the first volley he was sitting down in the water
with his head on his knees.
They shot the six cabinet ministers at half past six in the morning
against the wall of a hospital.
They tried to hold him up against the wall.
Finally the officer told the soldiers it was no good trying to make
him stand up.
KEY
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
They shot the six cabinet ministers at half past six in the
morning against the wall of a hospital. There were pools of
water in the courtyard. There were dead leaves on the paving of
the courtyard. It rained hard. All the shutters of the hospital
were nailed shut. One of the ministers was sick with typhoid.
Two soldiers carried him downstairs and out into the rain. They
tried to hold him up against the wall. Finally the officer told the
soldiers it was no good trying to make him stand up. When they
fired the first volley he was sitting down in the water with his
head on his knees.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Listening exercises
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Taking Time Off
A. Pre-listening questions:
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
1. If you could take time off for a year, what would you want to do?
2. Would you do it alone or would you take somebody along with
you?
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
B. Listen to Robert’s radio conversation with Chris carefully. After
that decide whether the following statements are true or false.
___
F 1. Chris lives in Chicago.
___
T 2. Chris is not a college student.
___
F 3. She wants to travel so she can earn a lot of money.
___
T 4. She likes to ride her bicycle.
___
F 5. She is not interested in learning about other cultures.
___
F 6. She would like to make this trip with her father and a
friend.
___
T 7. Chris wants to travel around the world on her bicycle.
___
T 8. Sleep, food and water are the three things that Chris
could not do without.
script
■
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
C. Listen again. Choose the word or phrase in each set of brackets
that gives the correct information according to the conversation
with Chris.
fourteen (nine, fourteen, twenty) years old,
Chris, who is about ________
took time off (had a lot of money, took time off,
says that if she ____________
on several continents
were older than she is), she would bike ___________________
(across the ocean, only in Asia, on several continents).
Chris likes this idea for two or three reasons. One reason she
develop her body and strength
gives is that by biking, she could __________________________
(lose weight, develop her body and strength, gain weight). Another
reason she gives is that in making this trip, she would _____
learn
________________
interesting things (learn interesting things, be away from her
parents, see beautiful places).
script
■
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
She says that if she went on the trip, she would go __________
by herself
(by herself, with her best friend, with several people), and when she
encourage others to make a similar trip (sleep
returned, she would __________________________________
for a week, run a marathon, encourage others to make a similar trip).
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Taking Time Off
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Host:
Chris:
Host:
Chris:
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Host:
Chris, you’re on the line, I gather, from La Mesa,
California.
Yes, I am.
Hi.
If I were to take time off — I’m actually an eighth-grade
student in Montgomery Mills School — I would take
time off from school and bike all the way around the
world in a chance to see different cultures and get an
exposure, to be able to come back where I live and be
able to tell people how different — be able to compare
all the different cultures to the United States’ culture.
How would you get across the ocean?
■
SectionFour_L_4popwin1
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Chris:
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Host:
Chris:
Host:
Chris:
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Well, I would probably fly across or take a boat
across, and then I would travel between the continents
on a boat, and then once I got to the land, I would
bike or ride across.
You like biking, I assume.
Yes.
You don’t think it would be very, very tiring and
wearing or it would take a long time?
No, as long as I got enough sleep and food and water,
I think I’d be pretty much all right. Of course, it
would be a chance to gain some muscle.
■
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Host:
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Exercises for integrated
skills
Chris:
Host:
Chris:
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Host:
Chris:
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Yeah, I should say, because if you biked all the way
around the world — you’re starting out in the eighth
grade — it could be time for college by the time you
finished this bike trip. It’s a long way.
Well, yeah.
That doesn’t scare you off?
No, it doesn’t, because I’d like — in the process, I’d
be learning a lot of things going to different countries.
I’d be learning about their cultures, so it wouldn’t be
just — I’d be learning while having fun.
Hear, hear! Would you take anybody along with you?
I’d probably want to do it by myself and then tell
people about it when I came back. And then ...
■
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Host:
Chris:
Vocabulary analysis
Grammar exercises
Translation exercises
Host:
Exercises for integrated
skills
Oral activities
Writing practice
Listening exercises
Chris:
Host:
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
I’m sorry. I missed what you said just a moment ago.
And tell people about what it was like and encourage
them to do things like that, or if they can, take time
off and get a chance to see the rest of the world.
Well, of course, that sounds like a great idea, and
thank you very much for calling and telling us about
it. Thank you.
Bye, bye.
That was Chris, who’s in eighth grade in La Mesa,
California. I’m Robert Siegel, and this is Talk of the
Nation.
■
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Lead-in questions
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
1. Have you ever got embarrassed by misreading people’s body
language? If so, discuss the details with your friends and figure
out the reason.
2. Are you of the opinion that the body language is almost as
important as the verbal language in interpersonal communications?
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Does Your Body Betray You?
You may think that you are making yourself perfectly clear, but
could your body language be telling the world a totally different
story?
Experts believe that, when we just meet another person, three
quarters of our knowledge about them comes via our eyes rather
than our ears. So, however cool and contained you think you’re
being, there is a host of little telltale gestures and expressions that
give you away, as top psychologist Dr. David Lewis explains.
FIDDLING
Fidgeting with things — like a pencil, a cigarette, keys or
coins — or tapping your fingers indicate that you are feeling
uncomfortable. And even if you manage to keep your hands from
fiddling you’ll probably start fidgeting with your feet. That’s
because, as they are furthest from the brain, they’re harder to control!
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Watch out for shifting the weight from foot to foot, kicking, or
rubbing one foot against the other, if you don’t want to let people
know that you’re a bundle of nerves.
KEEP AWAY!
Folding your arms while talking to someone shows that they’re
invading your space and you want to keep them at arm’s length.
Perhaps they’re irritating you, or you feel they’re trying to be too
friendly. If your arms are folded and your fists clenched, it’s a clear
message that you feel threatened and want to be left alone.
An arm clasp, in which the upper arms are firmly gripped, is an
even clearer signal that you reject this person and want nothing to
do with them.
EAR, EAR
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Gently massaging or tugging at an ear lobe while listening to
someone means that, however interested you look, you don’t really
want to hear what’s being said to you. You want to block out the
speaker’s words, even if they’re true.
NECKING
Scratching your neck while trying to persuade someone that
you’re right reveals that you’re not really sure of your facts. Or it
could be that you are trying to persuade your listener to do
something you don’t, in your heart of hearts, believe is right. For
some reason the neck is usually scratched exactly five times.
EYE TOUCH
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
A woman gently touching the skin underneath her eye as she
speaks is trying to shield her listener from what she’s saying. She
doesn’t want to hurt their feelings, but she has to be honest. A man in
the same situation will often rub one eye very briskly. If someone of
either sex looks away after speaking they are showing that they’re
nervous about the reaction they’re likely to get.
WHO NOSE?
Touching the nose is an almost foolproof sign that you’re
telling porkies. People who do this a lot, even if it’s just a light brush
on the side of the nose, often lead deceitful lives. They may be hiding
a guilty secret, so beware! Covering the mouth as you speak is an
even clearer indication of lying.
COLLARED
When a man wearing a shirt and tie gently eases the collar away
from his neck, he’s almost certainly lying. This is because it reduces
tension in the neck caused by the increased stress.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
UP, UP AND AWAY
When people try hard to remember something, they usually
look up and to the left. But, if they’re inventing something rather
than telling the truth, they usually gaze upwards and to the right. So
if you want to be believed, remember to gaze in the correct direction!
GROOMING
A small child often has conflicting desires — e.g. he wants to
snatch a toy from another toddler but is afraid of being scolded —
and often raises an open hand close to his head. In adults, this
gesture has often evolved into head grooming, when the hair is
smoothed downwards two or three times. It shows that you are in a
quandary, and don’t know what to do for the best.
In a conversation, it indicates that you’re not sure whether to
believe someone or not.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
LOVE SIGNS
When you’re in love or sexually attracted to someone, your
body soon betrays you. Without your realizing it, the pupils dilate,
and you smile and make lots of eye contact. Posture also becomes
more relaxed and flexible. You’ll find that you lean gently towards
that special person, and use lots of hand movements when you talk.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
body language
Body language is communication by means of
facial expressions, gestures, postures, and other wordless signals.
Body language also includes grooming habits, hair and clothing
styles, and such practices as tattooing and body piercing. Body
language communicates unspoken information about people’s
identity, relationships, and thoughts, as well as moods, motivation,
and attitudes. It plays an essential role in all interpersonal
relationships, such as child care, politics, teaching, and public
speaking. The scientific study of body language is called kinesics.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
... you’re a bundle of nerves.
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
... you are feeling very nervous.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
invading your space
intruding into your air space
Studies by experts suggest that man walks around inside a kind of
private bubbles, which represents the amount of air space he feels he
must have between himself and other people. To invade is to affect
someone in an unwanted and annoying way.
e.g. Does that give you an excuse to invade my privacy?
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
keep them at arm’s length
avoid developing a relationship
with them
e.g. If you’re wise, you’ll keep Mrs. Jones at arm’s length. She’s the
worst gossip in the village.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
You want to block out the speaker’s words.
yourself thinking about what the speaker says.
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
You want to stop
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
in your heart of hearts
If you know, feel, or believe
something in your heart of hearts, you are sure about it although you
may not admit it.
e.g. Claire knew in her heart of hearts that she would never go back
there.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Questions for discussion:
1. What does the title of the text mean?
2. How can one’s gestures and expressions give him / her away?
3. What implications does the study of body language have for
learning a foreign language?
4. Observe people near you for several days, looking for uses of
body language. Try also to be conscious of your own use of body
language. What conclusion can you draw?
Answers for reference:
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
1. Changes in your body position and movements show what you are
feeling or thinking.
2 All of us communicate with one another nonverbally, as well as
with words. Most of the time we are not aware that we are doing
it. Body language provides evidence about how the human mind
processes information.
3. Nonverbal signals differ from culture to culture at least as much
as one language differs from another, and so we need to realize
that knowledge of a foreign language is incomplete unless it
extends to the nonverbal signals.
4. Open answer.
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
Memorable quotes
Lead-in questions
Paraphrase the following quotes
Supplementary reading
Culture has one great passion — the passion for
sweetness and light. It has one even yet greater, the
passion for making them prevail.
—Matthew Arnold
Memorable quotes
Section Five:
Further Enhancement
Cultural Encounters
Section One:
Pre-reading Activities
Lead-in questions
Supplementary reading
Memorable quotes
Section Two:
Global Reading
Section Three:
Detailed Reading
Section Four:
Consolidation Activities
The men of culture are the true apostles of
equality.
— Matthew Arnold
Section Five:
Further Enhancement