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3-4CultureDifferenceSettledownForgoodFirstandforemostLong-stemmedroseVigorandvitalityFilmpostrerMakesenseOriginalityGiveprioritytoAltruisticdedicationSeminarRespondinstantaneouslyBeobsessedwithWorkingethicIndividual-orintedMoralautonomyConfucianismSinghighpraisesUpliftCommunalharmonyTakeprecedenceoverGlobalintegrationGobowlingThepeonypavilionBroadwayA:B:IthinkImquiteusedtomyChineselifehere.ActuallyImthinkingaboutsettlingdowninChinaforgood.A:B:Thisisagoodtopicandabroadtopic,too.Letmetalkabitmoreaboutthefilmyoumentioned.Actually,IhavenoticedaveryinterestingdafferencemanyChineseandAmericansinunderstandingthetitleofthefilm.A:B:InsomeOrientalcountries,thetranslationofthefilmstitlegoesassomethinglikeABeautifulAmericianLady,orevenBeautyisGuily.WhiletomostoftheAmerican,Iamafaidthereactiontowardfthistitleismixedorconfused,fortheycannotdecidewhatexactlythepharasemightindicate.Theflimfistandforemostreferstoatypeofrosebearinglarge,long-stemmmedpurplish-redflowers.Andtheflowersusuallyremindpeopleofromance,love,beautyinitsabstract,sense,andvigorandvitalityofanation,etc.ButthisinterestingimageonthefilmsposterhasfailedtomakeanysensetomanyChineseviewers.A:?B:Yes,absolutely.Suchculturaldifferncesarisefromthedifferencesinregion,race,history,environment,andinthelevelsofeconomic,scienticandtechnologicaldevelopment.B:B:Wewmphasizeefficiency,competitionandoriginalitywhileyourmanmangementgivesprioritytocarefulplanningandencouragesclosecooperationandaltruisticdedicationamongteammembers.Indailycontacts,wetendtobehumorousandcasualwhilesomeofyouappearmorederiousandformal.InAmericanschools,discussionisgiventoppriorityandseminaristheusualwayofclass.Goodteachersarethosewhopossessflexibleandadaptabletalents,andareabletorespondinstantaneouslyatanymomenttoanyquestionthatmightariseamongthestudents.ThatkindofcapacitymakesapopularteacherintheUnitedStates.ButChineseteachersliketolectureinclass,andalotofthemareobsessedwithexaminations;theyspendlonghoursstandardingandpreparinglessons,andwritingconsistentandstandardizedteachingplans.Alltoooften,theyrehappywithbringingupidenticalandstandardizedtalents.A:B:Yes,inmanycases,youreright.Americanworkingethicseemstobemoreindividual-oriented.Weofenvaluetheresultsandaccomplishmentsofworkmorethanitsprocess.CentraltoAmerianpolitical,economicandsocialthoughtistheconceptofindividualmoralautonomy.IfIamnotmistaken,traditionalChinesephilosophicalsystemsarebasedonConfucianism,whichsingshighprisesforindividualstoupliftthemselvesforthebenefitofcommualharmon.Thatis,communalharmonytakesprecedenceoverindividualfreedom.AB:Yes.Theglobalintegrationofeconomyandthespeedinginformationrevolutionhavebroughttheworldcloserthaneverbefore.ChineselearnEnglish,AmericanslearnChinese;wedrinktea,youdrinkcoca-cola;weexerciseKungFu,yougobowling;weenjoyPekingDuck,youlikeKFC;TitannicsailedintoChina,ThePeonyPavilionhasbeenperformedonBroadway.Nowadays,easternersandwesternersarewalkingsidebyside,talkingfacetoface,living,workingandstudyinginharmony.Thewholeworldisbecomingincreasinglybeautifulduetoculturalexchangers.A:B:Mypleasure.Yes,welldoitsomeothertime.AMrRoberts,youhavebeenlivinginChinafortwoyears.Howdoyoulikeit?B:AIsawanAmericanMovieafewdaysago,whichisentitledAmericanBeauty.Ididntquitethestory.IdontquiteunderstandwhythismoviewontheOscarforthebestpictureoftheyear,either.MaybetheansweristhedifferencebetweentheChineseandAmericancultures.Orrather,itisduetotheculturedifferencebetweentheEastandtheWest.B:AYes?B:AmericanbeautyAThatsright.AtleastIdidntgetthat.Isthisduetoculturaldifferences?B:ACanyouofferussomeexamples?Forinstance,duringyourstayinChina,haveyouhavefoundanyseriousculturaldifferencesorclasheswithregardtolifeandwork?B:A:IthinkAmericansgivetoomuchimportancetoindividualismandpersonalgains,somuchsothatotmightsacrificecollectivebenefits,hurttheagreeablerelationshipamonggroupmembersandevenbringharmtotheharmonyofthesociety.B:AYoumaysayso.Ishouldsayyouarepartiallycorrectonthat.Inspiteofsomanyculturaldifferences,globalizationhasbroughttheworldincreasinglycloser.Likewise,culturalexchangeshavebecomemoreandmoreextensive.B:AYes,ChinesebeautyandAmericanbeautyarewalkingtogether.Ibelivethereisstillmuchroomforfurtherdiscussiononthistopic.Astimeislimited,wehavetostopheretoday.Wearefindsomeothertimetocontinueourtalk.Thankyou.B: