【Itcanbehardtomeetpeoplefromanotherculture.Fromthebeginning,peoplemaysendthewrongsignal(信号).Ortheymaypaynoattentiontosignalsfromanotherpersonwhoistryingtodeveloparelationship.Differentculturesemphasize】

　　Itcanbehardtomeetpeoplefromanotherculture.Fromthebeginning,peoplemaysendthewrongsignal(信号).Ortheymaypaynoattentiontosignalsfromanotherpersonwhoistryingtodeveloparelationship.

　　Differentculturesemphasize（强调）theimportanceofrelationshipbuildingtoagreaterorlesserdegree.Forexample,businessinsomecountriesisnotpossibleuntilthereisarelationshipoftrust.Evenwithpeopleatwork,itisnecessarytospendalotoftimein“smalltalk”,usuallyoveraglassoftea,beforetheydoanyjob.InmanyEuropeancountries—liketheUKorFrance—peoplefinditeasiertobuildupalastingworkingrelationshipatrestaurantsorcafesratherthanattheoffice.

　　Talkandsilencemayalsobedifferentinsomecultures.IoncemadeaspeechinThailand.Ihadexpectedmyspeechtobeasuccessandstartalivelydiscussion;insteadtherewasanuncomfortablesilence.Thepeoplepresentjuststaredatmeandsmiled.Aftergettingtoknowtheirwaysbetter,IrealizedthattheythoughtIwastalkingtoomuch.Inmyownculture,weexpressmeaningmainlythroughwords,butpeopletheresometimesfeeltoomanywordsareunnecessary.

　　EvenwithinNorthernEurope,culturaldifferencescancauseseriousproblems.Certainly,EnglishandGermanculturessharesimilarvalues;however,Germansprefertogetdowntobusinessmorequickly.Wethinkthattheyarerude.Infact,thisisjustbecauseoneculturestartsdiscussionsandmakesdecisionsmorequickly.

　　Peoplefromdifferentpartsoftheworldhavedifferentvalues,andsometimesthesevaluesarequiteagainsteachother.However,ifwecanunderstandthembetter,amulticultural（多元文化）environmentwillofferawonderfulchanceforustolearnfromeachother.

　　小题1:Insomecountries,eatingtogetheratrestaurantsmaymakeiteasierforpeopleto______.A．keepeachothercompanyB．sharethesamecultureC．gettoknoweachotherD．developcloserrelations小题2:ThewritermentionshisexperienceinThailandtoshowthat______.A．toomanywordsareofnouseB．theEnglishprefertomakelongspeechesC．eventalkandsilencecanbeculturallydiffe