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《新编跨文化交际英语教程》期中考试复习资料1Unit1CommunicationacrossCulturesSomeIdeasRelatedtoGlobalizationandInterculturalCommunication1.Whatisglobalization?Globalizationreferstotheincreasingunificationoftheworld’seconomicorderthroughreductionofsuchbarrierstointernationaltradeastariffs,exportfees,andimportquotas.Thegoalistoincreasematerialwealth,goods,andservicesthroughaninternationaldivisionoflaborbyefficienciescatalyzedbyinternationalrelations,specializationandcompetition.Itdescribestheprocessbywhichregionaleconomies,societies,andcultureshavebecomeintegratedthroughcommunication,transportation,andtrade.Thetermismostcloselyassociatedwiththetermeconomicglobalization:theintegrationofnationaleconomiesintotheinternationaleconomythroughtrade,foreigndirectinvestment,capitalflows,migration,thespreadoftechnology,andmilitarypresence.However,globalizationisusuallyrecognizedasbeingdrivenbyacombinationofeconomic,technological,sociocultural,political,andbiologicalfactors.Thetermcanalsorefertothetransnationalcirculationofideas,languages,orpopularculturethroughacculturation.Anaspectoftheworldwhichhasgonethroughtheprocesscanbesaidtobeglobalized.2.TheChallengeofGlobalization1)Globalizationposesfourmajorchallengesthatwillhavetobeaddressedbygovernments,civilsociety,andotherpolicyactors.2)Thesecondistodealwiththefearthatglobalizationleadstoinstability,whichisparticularlymarkedinthedevelopingworld.3)Thethirdchallengeistoaddresstheveryrealfearintheindustrialworldthatincreasedglobalcompetitionwillleadinexorablytoaracetothebottominwages,laborrights,employmentpractices,andtheenvironment.4)Andfinally,globalizationandallofthecomplicatedproblemsrelatedtoitmustnotbeusedasexcusestoavoidsearchingfornewwaystocooperateintheoverallinterestofcountriesandpeople.Severalimplicationsforcivilsociety,forgovernmentsandformultinationalinstitutionsstemfromthechallengesofglobalization.3.WhatMakesInterculturalCommunicationaCommonPhenomenon?1)Newtechnology,intheformoftransportationandcommunicationsystems,hasacceleratedinterculturalcontact.Tripsoncetakingdays,weeks,orevenmonthsarenowmeasuredinhours.Supersonictransportsnowmakeitpossiblefortourists,businessexecutives,orgovernmentofficialstoenjoybreakfastinSanFranciscoanddinnerinParis—allonthesameday.2)Innovativecommunicationsystemshavealsoencouragedandfacilitatedculturalinteraction.Communicationsatellites,sophisticatedtelevisiontransmissionequipment,anddigitalswitchingnetworksnowallowpeoplethroughouttheworldtoshareinformationandideasinstantaneously.WhetherviatheInternet,theWorldWideWeb,oraCNNnewsbroadcast,electronicdeviceshaveincreasedculturalcontact.3)Globalizationoftheeconomyhasfurtherbroughtpeopletogether.Thisexpansioninglobalizationhasresultedinmultinationalcorporationsparticipatinginvarious《新编跨文化交际英语教程》期中考试复习资料2internationalbusinessarrangementssuchasjointventuresandlicensingagreements.Theseandcountlessothereconomictiesmeanthatitwouldnotbeunusualforsomeonetoworkforanorganizationthatdoesbusinessinmanycountries.4)Changesinimmigrationpatternshavealsocontributedtothedevelopmentofexpandedinterculturalcontact.WithintheboundariesoftheUnitedStates,peoplearenowredefiningandrethinkingthemeaningofthewordAmerican.NeitherthewordnortherealitycananylongerbeusedtodescribeasomewhathomogeneousgroupofpeoplesharingaEuropeanheritage.4.SixBlocksinInterculturalCommunicationAssumptionofsimilaritiesOneanswertothequestionofwhymisunderstandingand/orrejectionoccursisthatmanypeoplenaivelyassumetherearesufficientsimilaritiesamongpeoplesoftheworldtomakecommunicationeasy.Theyexpectthatsimplybeinghumanandhavingcommonrequirementsoffood,shelter,security,andsoonmakeseveryonealike.Unfortunately,theyoverlookthefactthattheformsofadaptationtothesecommonbiologicalandsocialneedsandthevalues,beliefs,andattitudessurroundingthemarevastlydifferentfromculturetoculture.Thebiologicalcommonaltiesarenotmuchhelpwhenitcomestocommunication,whereweneedtoexchangeideasandinformation,findwaystoliveandworktogether,orjustmakethekindofimpressionwewanttomake.LanguagedifferencesThesecondstumblingblock—languagedifference—willsurprisenoone.Vocabulary,syntax,idioms,slang,dialects,andsoonallcausedifficulty,butthepersonstrugglingwithadifferentlanguageisatleastawareofbeingintrouble.Agreaterlanguageproblemisthetenacitywithwhichsomepeoplewillclingtojustonemeaningofawordorphraseinthenewlanguage,regardlessofconnotationorcontext.Thevariationsinpossiblemeaning,especiallywheninflectionandtonearevaried,aresodifficulttocopewiththattheyareoftenwavedaside.Thiscomplacencywillstopasearchforunderstanding.Even“yes”and“no”causetrouble.Thereareotherlanguageproblems,includingthedifferentstylesofusinglanguagesuchasdirect,indirect;expansive,succinct;argumentative,conciliatory;instrumental,harmonizing;andsoon.Thesedifferentstylescanleadtowronginterpretationsofintentandevaluationsofinsincerity,aggressiveness,deviousness,orarrogance,amongothers.NonverbalmisinterpretationsLearningthelanguage,whichmostvisitorstoforeigncountriesconsidertheironlybarriertounderstanding,isactuallyonlythebeginning.Toenterintoacultureist