Hello,IamLiuLu.I'magirl.I'm13yearsold.Mymotherisdoingbusinessandmyfatherisapublicofficial.Thereare5peopleinmyfamily,theyaremygrangpa,grangma,father,motherandI.Inmyschool,mybestfriendisNorma.

　　1InterpretingaLaugh

　　Huihua,aChinesestudent,andMary,anAmericanstudentstudyingChineseinChina,wereontheirwaytoabookstore.Astheygottothebookstore,theysawayoungmanwalkingdownaflightofstairs.Inhishurry,hemissedthelasttwosteps,andfellontheground.Hestruggledtogetbacktohisfeetwhilepeoplearoundhimlaughed.Fortunately,heseemedtobeO.K.

　　Marywasworried.ShefoundHuihuasmilingalittleandwasnotcomfortableaboutit.“Tellme,Huihua,howcouldpeoplelaughwhensomeonefelllikethat?Dotheycareatall?Shouldn‘ttheygoupandasktheyoungmanwhetherhewashurt?“

　　Huihuasaid,“theyknewhewasn‘thurttoomuch.“

　　“ButIstilldon‘tunderstand.Afallisafall.Inmyculture,peoplewoulddoanythingbutlaugh!“

　　Chineseperspective

　　ThisisanotherexampleinwhichtheChineseandtheWesternerinterpretasmiledifferently.Asmentionedinthelastcase,Chinesepeopleresorttolaughorsmilewhentheyfeelembarrassed.Veryoften,thepersoncaughtintheembarrassingsituationwouldalsolaughormakeajoke,toeasetheembarrassment.However,ifsomeonegetshurtseriously,itwillnotbealaughingmatteranymore.Peoplewillhelphim/herinstead.

　　NorthAmericanperspective

　　AWesternerwouldinterpretlaughterinsuchasettingasasignofeitherinsensitivityor,worse,pleasurethatthepersonfallinghadhurthimself/herselfbecausethatpersonwasdisliked.AWesterner‘sresponsewouldhavebeentorushover,assistthepersonup,andtoinquireaboutanyinjurybysayingsomethinglike,“Areyouokay?“IfaWesternerfell,they,likeaChineseperson,mightattempttomakeajokeoutoftheincidentiftheywerenothurt.Iftwoclosefriendsarewalkingtogether,andonet