高级英语

Subject2FamilyMattersUnit4Interview2Interview2:RelationshipHusbandandWife:ACross-CultureMarriagePre-readingquestions:1)Whatisthemostimportantthingbetweenhusbandandwifeinordertocreateahappyfamily?Forexample,mutualunderstanding,love,loyalty,stableincome,mutualcare,achild,frankness…Themarriedcouplesetsapatternofsacrifice,duty,andobligationthatnaturallyflowsintoparentaldutiesofraisingandnurturingchildren.2)Wouldyouliketomarrysomeonefromanotherculture?Whatwouldbethedifficultiesinacross-culturemarriage?Thesedifficultiesmayinclude:languagebarrier,contradictionbetweendifferentculturesorcustoms,differentlifestyles,misunderstandingofrelativesorfriends(Intheearly20thcentury,AmericanwhiteswereforbiddentomarryAsianpeoplefortheyregardedAsiansastheuncivilizedandthelow.).Anotherissuemaybeconsiderediseducationofchildrenofthiskindofinterethnicmarriage.AsEurasians,theymaybecaughtintwoculturesandfeelconfusedabouttheirtrueidentity,asawhiteoranAsianorboth?MyBigFatGreekWedding,20021.Post-ReadingQuestionsforDiscussion1)Didtheinterviewconfirmyourthoughts?Andinwhataspectsdiditconfirmoropposeyourpreviousthinking?Foryes:culturaldifferencesormisunderstandingdoexist,forexample,inthepaymentofwedding.Forno:Thesedifferencesdonotinfluencetheirloveforeachother.2)ThinkofMegan’sviewinthefirstinterview.HowdoesBill’sviewdifferfromhersaboutanidealhappyfamily?ForMegan,ahappyfamilymeansallthemembersbeingtogetherandchildrenbecomedecentpeoplewhentheygrowup.ForBill,ahappyfamilymeanshusbandandwifecanhaveopenandintimatecommunicationandfamilymembers(siblingsandparents)haveagenuineclosenessinrelationship.Besides,whetherafamilyishappyornothasnoconnectionwithsocialstatus.Bothofthemstressthathappinessisnotbasedonmaterialwealth.2.ReadandTalkReaditagainandDiscussthefollowingtopics:1)WhenBillsaysahappyfamilyisanintimateone,howdoesheexplainthisidea?Beingabletocommunicatetheirfeelingstoeachother,thereisagenuineclosenessamongsiblingsandparents.2)HowdoesBillfeelaboutLinLin’sfrequentcallstoherfamily?Astrongsenseofrespectforandtakingcareofhereldersinherfamily.3)FromwhatBillsaidabouthisfather,canyouenvisionwhatkindofmanheis?Hestrivestobeindependent,especiallyfinancially;hedoesn’tneedanybody’shelp.4)WhatistheworryofLinLin’smother?HerdaughtermarriedanAmericanwhowouldnothavethecommitmenttotakingcareoftheelders.5)Billisnotworriedabouttheculturaldifferencesbetweenhimandhiswife’sfamily.Butwhatpreventstheircommunication?Heismoreconcernedaboutthelanguagebarrierthanculturaldifferences.6)HowdoesBillthinkofLinLin’sfather?Heiscosmopolitan,sophisticated,plusheisaprofessorwhohadreceivededucationinseveralcountriesandhetravelsoften.Heenjoyedtalkingwithhim.7)WhatisLinLin’smisunderstandingofthefamilyrelationshipinAmericanculture?Americanfamiliesarestrangeinthatallthepeoplearerelativesexceptforimmediatemembers.8)Whatisthejokebetweenhusbandandwife?AccordingtoBill,hespentmoretimewithhiswife’sfamilythanhisownfamilyanditdidn’tbotherhim.9)Billmentionsthefinancialarrangementforthewedding.Whatpointdoeshewanttomakehere?Thereareculturaldifferencesbetweenhimandhiswife.ItismoreopentotalkaboutfinancialissuesinaChinesefamilythaninanAmericanfamily.Billwasveryhesitanttoraisethissensitivetopictohisfamily.Itwasnothiswonttotakemoneyfromhisfatherevenwhenhewasacollegestudent.ForBill,financialindependenceismoreimportantthanotherconcerns.ButforLinLin,familyrelationshipismoreimportantanditisappropriatetobringupfinancialissueswithherparents.ThereforesheexpectsBilltodothesame.(Don’tgofarawayfromyourhomewhileyourparentsarestillalive.父母在，不远游。)Differencesofweddingceremony:ChinaandAmericaIntroducedifferences;Tracehistory;Analyzeculturalconnotation;Expressyourjudgment.OthertopicsforculturaldifferencesbetweenAmericaandChinaFamilylife/educationMoneyincome/salaryattitudestowardsmoney/wealthNonverbalcommunicationposturegesturefacialexpressionInterview2Q:Whatisyourideaofahappyfamily?It'snotaneasyquestion,butIguess,eh,afamilythatisintimateandabletocommunicatetheirfeelingstoeachother.Basically,Idon'twanttosayafamilythatdoesn'tfight,becauseIthinkthat's,youknow,partofthelives,but,Ithinkthereisasortofgenuineclosenessbetweensiblingsorwithyourparents,Ithinkthat'smyideaofwhatwouldbeahappyfamily.Idon'tplacealotofvaluesonmaterialthings.Imean,Iguessahappyfamilycouldberegardlessreallyofyoursocialstatus.Q:IheardthatyourwifeisChinese,butyouareAmerican.Whenyouformedthisfamily,didyouthinktherewouldbedifferencesinyourviewsaboutfamilylife?Ithinkso,Ithink,hum,Ithinkinmanyways.Sheisclosertoherfamilyintermsofwhomoftenshespeakstoonthephone.Ithinkthereisaverystrongsenseof,kindof,bothrespectandtakingcareofyourelders.Iamprobablynotassubstantialashers.Ithink,forexample,Ithinkinpart,ofmyownexperience.Thiscomesfrom,youknow,myownfamily.Mydadisaveryindependentperson.Soevenhegetsolder,Ithink,hereallystrivestobe,ah,independent.Heissomeonewhodoesn'tneedreallyanybody'shelp,youknow,forexample,financially,orwhatever.Ithinkthathedoesn'treallyliketheideaofbeingaburdentous.Soweneverreallykindoftalkedaboutit.EvensoIwouldex