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摘要：中美文化有其共通之处，但也有很多的差异。中国有着悠久的历史，经过长时间的文化积淀逐渐形成具有中国特色的传统文化。美国虽然历史不长，但是美国文化已经成为世界的主流文化之一。今天我们将从教育、宗教、饮食等方面来对比中美文化之间的异同，提高我们跨文化交际的能力。关键字：中国，美国，文化异同，教育，宗教，饮食AbstractTherearesomesimilaritiesbetweenChineseandAmericanculture，butalsokindsofdifferences。Chinaisacountrythathasalonghistory，inthelongperiodculturalaccumulation，thetraditionalculturewithChinesecharacteristicscameintobeing。AlthoughtheUnitedStatesdon’thavesuchalonghistory，Americanculturehasbecomeoneofthemainstreamcultureintheworld。Todaywe’llComparethesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericanculturesfromthreeaspects:religion，educationandfood。Inthisway，wecanimproveourabilityofcross-culturecommunication。Keywords：China,America,similarities,differences,education,religion,foodDifferencesbetweentheChineseandAmericanculturesAsweknow,therearemanydifferencesbetweenChineseandAmericancultures.IfwedesiretolearnaboutU.SorcommunicatewithAmericansinproperway,itisnecessaryforustoknowaboutcross-culturalcommunication.Cross-culturalcommunication(alsoreferredtoasinterculturalcommunication)isafieldofstudythatfocusonhowpeoplefromdifferentculturalbackgroundscommunicate,insimilaranddifferentwaysamongthemselves,andhowtheyendeavortocommunicateacrosscultures.Onlyifwearefamiliarwiththesimilaritiesanddifferencescanweavoidculturalconflictsandgetalongwellwithforeignfriends.Whenyouareconcernedaboutwhatyoucandoandwhatyoucan’t,yourforeignfriendswillshowrespectforyournationalcultureandthereisnodoubtthatyoucanenhancethelevelofcross-culturecommunication.Intheessay,I’lltalkaboutsimilaritiesanddifferencesinthreeaspectsbetweenChineseandAmericanculture:religion,foodandfestival.1.religionAmericaisremarkablenow,asinthepast,foritsattachmenttotheprincipleoffreedomofbeliefordisbelief.–TheFirstAmendmenttotheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesindicatesthatCongressshallmakenolawestablishingreligion,orprohibitthefreeexercisethereof.Soyoucanchooseyourindivisualrelision.Accordingtotheresearch,ThelargestreligionintheUSisChristianity,practicedbythemajorityofthepopulation(76%in2008)；Speakingingeneralterms,thecontemporaryAmericanisaChristiancountry.AresearchindicatesthatmostAmericansbelievetheexistenceofSantaClous,ChristJesusandangelevenaftertheyhavereceivededucationandbecomeadults.It’seasytoseetheingrainedstatusofChristianityintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Christianityhastheideathatpeoplehaveoriginalsin,becausehumanancestors,Adamandevahadsinned,corruptmoralinvadedtheirbody,andtransmittedtotheirdescendants,theresultisthatallmankindhavesin.Obviously,ChristianitypreachedthatmanandGod,theseparationofmanandnature.Chinaisamulti-religiouscountry,andBuddhism,Taoism,Islam,CatholicismandChristianarethemainreligionsinthecountry.Incompletestatisticsshowthattherearemorethan100millionreligiousfollowersinChinawithover85000religioussites,over3000religiousgroupsandsome74religiouscolleges.Chinesepeoplealsoenjoythefreedomofreligiousbeliefaccordingtolaw,andregularreligiousactivitiesareprotectedbytheConstitution.Allreligiousbelieversandnon-religiouspeopleinthecountryrespectforeachotherinbeliefsandcustomsandlivetogetherinharmonies.WhileChinesereligionwouldemphasizethattheharmonybetweenmanandnature,issuesoflifewithinaconfinedthemselves,tosolveproblemswithpeople-oriented.It’squitedifferentfromtheChristianity.2.foodGenerallyspeaking,weChinesethinkfoodisveryimportanttoman.Peopleoftenassociatefoodwithimportantholidaysandthechancetomeetdistinguishedguests.TheChinesefoodnotonlyisverydeliciousandtastybutalsoverypleasingtoyoursensesandmanyofdisheshaveverybeautifulandfancynames.TheChinesehavethefoodcultureofourownwhicharequitedifferentfromwesterners.Inthewest,peoplepaymoreattentiontothenutritionoffoodratherthanthelooksofit.Thecuisineandtablemannersarequitedifferentfromoursinagreatextent.ItisaverycommonpracticeweChinesepeoplesayHaveyouhadyourmeal?whentheymeeteachotheraroundthetimebeforeoraftermeals.Infact,itisakindofgreetingtocommunicatewitheachother.Butforeignerscannotunderstandthatbecausetheythinkwhyyouaskmethis.TheytendtothinkyouwanttoinvitemetodinnerorIamnotrichenoughtofeedmyselfregularlybutthatismybusinessnotyours.Chinesethinkfoodisveryimportantandessentialtopeoplesoitshowssomecareandconcernaboutyou.Veryoftenitpuzzlesforeignersalotthatweaskandtalksomuchwhenweorderourfoodintherestaurant.Onereasonisweaskwhatthefoodorthedishisandtrytoclarifyitbecauseyousometimesneverknowwhatthefoodisjustaccordingthenameofthefooduntilitisputonyourtableintherestaurantjust.Whilemostofwesternfoodhasasimpleandclearnameandyouknowwhatitiswhenyouhearthename.Forinstance,thereisatraditionalfoodcallfishandchipsintheUK.Youseeitisveryobviousitisfriedfishandpotatochips.ThereasonforthisinChinaisontheonehandtotrytotellyouthewayitcookssuchascook,fry,grillandbroilinthenameandontheotherithasbeautifulgoodnamessothatyouhaveagoodimaginationandassociationtoletyouhaveagoodappetite.Generallyspeaking,wedon'tusemuchtablewarewhenwehaveourmealinChina.Mainlywehavebowl,dishes,chopsticksandspoons,whichwedon'tuseveryoften.InservingEnglishmeals,theyusesomuchtablewarewithdifferentkindsandsizes.