案例分析 Directions: In this section you are suppo...

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write an analysis about 100 words on the cultural differences and cultural understanding in the case. A Filipino couple was vacationing in England. While they were strolling along one of the main streets of London with a British acquaintance, they met another Filipino who had been residing there for some time. He was a good friend from the past, who has not seen for several years. They greeted each other warmly and continued their conversation in a loud and animated fashion using their native language. After a while the British became noticeably agitated, and turned his head away and sighed. The Filipinos noticed the reaction, and then resumed their conversation but in a quieter tone. Question: Why did the British become agitated?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. In 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton visited China. During his visit, he gave a speech to university students in Beijing. His remarks were generally well received and were followed by a lively question and answer session. After the speech, one student remarked, “During the question and answer session, I did not understand why the president pointed his finger at us to select a person. We would not use such a rude gesture.” Puzzled, the American reporter asked the student what gesture the president should have used. The student answered using a sweep of the open hand---palm upward. What can we learn from this case? What does Clinton’s gesture mean in Chinese culture? How about in American culture?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write an analysis about 100 words on the cultural differences and cultural understanding in the case. Dinner with Friends Janice is a young American engineer working for a manufacturing joint venture near Nanjing. She and her husband George, who is teaching English at a university, are learning Chinese and enjoying their new life. They have been eager to get to know Chinese people better so were pleased when Liu Ling, Janice’s young co-worker invited them to her home for dinner. When Janice and George arrived, Liu Ling introduced them to her husband Yang Feng, asked them to sit down at a table containing 8 plates of various cold dishes, served them tea and then disappeared with her husband into the kitchen. After a few minutes Liu Ling came back and added water to their tea. Janice offered to help in the kitchen but Liu Ling said she didn’t need help. She invited the couple to look at their new CD player and their color TV and then disappeared again. A half-hour later she came back and sat down and the three began to eat. Yang Feng came in from time to time to put dish after hot dish on the table. Most of the food was wonderful but neither George nor Janice could eat the fatty pork in pepper sauce or the sea cucumbers, and there was much more than they could eat. They kept wishing Yang Feng would sit down so they could talk to him. Finally he did sit down to eat a bit, but quickly turned on the TV to show them all its high tech features. Soon it was time to go home. George and Janice felt slightly depressed by this experience, but returned the invitation two weeks later. They decided to make a nice American meal and felt lucky to find olives, tomato juice, crackers and even some cheese in the hotel shops. They put these out as appetizers. For the main course they prepared spaghetti and a salad with dressing made from oil, vinegar and some spices they found in the market. When Liu Ling and Yang Feng arrived they were impressed by the apartment and asked the price of the TV, video player, vacuum cleaner and other things. Janice politely refused to answer their questions. They took small tastes of the appetizers and seemed surprised when both George and Janice sat down with them. They ate only a little spaghetti and did not finish the salad on their plates. George urged them to eat more but they refused and looked around expectantly. Janice and George talked about their families and jobs and asked the Chinese couple about theirs. After a while, George cleaned the table and served coffee and pastries. Yang Feng and Liu Ling each put four spoons of sugar into their coffee but did not drink much of it and ate only a bite or two of pastry. Questions: What differences in food culture, do you think, contribute to the communication difficulties?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. Shen-Lan, who is from Taiwan, was satisfied for her first twenty-five years of life because she was surrounded by the people who have loved her and whom she has loved. She had never left home before she came to America. When she came to America, culture shock obviously influenced her self-concept, self-esteem, and self-presentation. In Chinese culture, she was taught to be interdependent. She had to care not only about herself but also about the people who were around her. However, in American society, she noticed that everyone was very independent and nobody cared about one another. Because she did not want to get hurt, she knew that she had to make some changes. In her self-concept, she changed her interdependent view to an independent view. Using a different language, the major reason for culture shock, really injured her self-esteem. When she came to America, she was supposed to be good at English, but she was not. After this realization, she tried to study hard in English to match her standards. However, she had studied English for one year, yet she did not improve greatly. She lacked self-confidence to speak English, so her self-esteem decreased. Can she become an American woman? After a few years, we will see. What changes took place in her? How could she have avoided or lessened the culture shock?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. 　 Lee, an overseas student from China, once had a talk with his American classmate Tom. Lee: it really puzzles me that you Americans thank people all day long. When the teacher answers your questions, when your mother buys you a book that you need, when a wife brings her husband a cup of coffee, after a salesgirl attends you, … Tom: well, when I finished my tour in China, I said “thank you”to the interpreter who accompanied me during the tour. The interpreter replied, “It’s my duty to do so.”I can’t help thinking that he means, “I had no choice but to do it, because it is my duty. Otherwise I would not have done so.” Question: What makes Lee puzzled and why? Is the interpreter’s reply appropriate in the English context?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. 　 Read the passage and give a brief analysis to the discussion questions. Zhong Min had a very good American friend Sue. The two usually ate lunch together and Zhong Min often asked Sue for advice on problems she faced adjusting to American society. Sue gave Zhong Min a lot of advice and helped her improve her English. Once Zhong Min urgently needed a large sum of money to pay her tuition fee. Since she had no other friends in the States, she asked Sue for help and promised that she would return the money soon. Zhong Min was disappointed when Sue didn’t seem happy to lend the money. Though Zhong Min returned the money two months later, the two didn’t get along well from then on. Questions: 1. What’s the problem? What are the differences between what American and Chinese people expect from their friends? 2. What would you give to both so they could get to know each other better?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. A female neurologist from Beijing was working on a research project in a Toronto hospital. She shared a small office with a young Canadian male from a large family, who loved peanut butter. He was so fond of peanut butter that he kept a jar in the office. One day he came into the office and exclaimed, “Who took my peanut butter?” But the Chinese woman immediately felt accused. After all, there were only two of them in the office. She was deeply distressed, but true to her learned cultural behavior of never showing anger in public, she said nothing. Later that day she was working in a room where the physiotherapist was treating a patient who suffered paralysis of his legs and arms from a motorcycle accident. The physiotherapist moved one of the patient’s legs in a way that caused him pain. “Ouch!” he cried. “Oh, I didn’t do that,” said the physiotherapist. “It was that doctor over there,” and he pointed to the Chinese woman. “How could she have done it since she’s on the other side of the room?” the patient pointed out. “Ah, she has three hands.” the physiotherapist replied. At these words the Chinese doctor became even more upset. She was so disturbed that she behaved in a way uncharacteristic of her culture. She waited until the patient had gone, and then said to the physiotherapist, “I’m very upset by what you said.” The physiotherapist was taken aback. “What had I said?” “You said I had three hands,” the Chinese doctor finally choked. “You think I took the peanut butter.” 1. How do you understand the phrase “to have three hands”? 2. What caused their communication conflicts?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. 　 Zhu Jun works in a joint-venture company as an executive in China. His boss is an American called Patrick. They are good friends. Once at a meeting with most Chinese participants including Zhu Jun, Patrick took it for grated that his new project would be quite satisfying. But to his great surprise and puzzlement, after the meeting, Zhu Jun came to his office and told him that the project might not work properly. This time, to Zhu Jun’s surprise, Patrick did not seem happy but even annoyed withi his. Question: What would Patrick expect from the participants for his new project at the meeting? Could you explain Zhu Jun’s behavior? Suppose you are the person who knows both of them quite well. Could you give some advice to both of them so that they could understand each other well?

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. 　 Study the following two short speeches. One is given by a Hong Kong Chinese and the other by an American businessman. A. Because most of our production is done in China now, and it’s not really certain how Hong Kong will be like after 1997, and since I think a certain amount of caution in committing to TV advertisement is necessary because of the expense. So, I suggest that we delay making our decision until after Legco makes its decision. B. I suggest that we delay making our decision until after Legco makes its decision. That is because I think a certain amount of caution in committing to TV advertisement is necessary because of the expense. In addition to that, most of our production is done in China now, and its not really certain how Hong Kong will be like after 1997. Question: Which speech might be given by the Chinese and which by the American? Give your reasons.

案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write down the answers on the Answer Sheet. The American secretary at the Foreign Student Affairs Office always smiles at every foreign student who visits there. A young man from the Middle East misunderstands the smile and thinks that the American lady is in love with him. But one day he ran into her in the street and greeted her, yet she passed by as if she did not recognize him. Angrily, he asked his American roommate: "Why are Americans such hypocrites?" His roommate was surprised. “Why do you think so?” Questions for Discussion: 1. Why do you think the young man from the Middle East got angry? Try to explain it from a cross-cultural angle. 2. What do you think his roommate can do to help him better understand the situation?