Module 1 Explorations and exchanges
Unit 2 Culture shock
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Reading
Brad Li is a junior high school student in China. He visited the US on an international exchange last year, and now he is giving a speech about his experience.
Living in another country
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My name is Brad Li. I'm here today to tell you about my experience as an exchange student in the United States last year.
I must admit that at first America was a big culture shock for me. Many things were strange to me: the language, the food and even the school.
I stayed with a host family in a small town. My host parents, Mr and Mrs Hurst, were very kind. They organized a lot of activities for me in my spare time so that I wouldn't miss home or feel lonely.
However, to a certain degree, life in the US was hard to get used to. My main problem was with the language. I failed to understand much in the first few weeks because everyone spoke so fast. Though I soon managed to get used to it, I still had problems because they used a lot of idioms. For example, they often say they are "under the weather" when they are ill. Their everyday English is very different from what we learn in China.
Another difference was the food. My host family always had bread, potatoes and salad for meals. I really missed the dumplings, rice and delicious dishes from home.
School was a big shock too. They do not require students to wear uniforms, so students can wear almost whatever they like. Some students have strange hairstyles as well. Some students even have pink or purple hair!
Anyway, I have many great memories of that year, especially playing in the snow in winter, and playing baseball. At Halloween, I went to a party dressed as Harry Potter. At Thanksgiving, we had a big dinner with a huge turkey.
It was an exciting year, and it was a valuable education for me. Now I understand more about American culture. My American friends asked me many questions about life in China, and this made me think about my own culture as well.
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Listening
A culture quiz
Listen to some questions about American culture. You will hear three choices (a, b and c) for each question. Write the correct letters in the blanks.
Host:Good morning! Welcome to Quiz Time. Today's quiz is about American culture. How much do you know about it? Let's find out!
Question 1 Where is the US?
a In Europe.
b In North America.
c In Asia.
Question 2 What is the capital city of the US?
a New York.
b San Francisco.
c Washington D.C.
Question 3 How many states are there in the US?
a 49.
b 50.
c 15.
Question 4 How many stars are there on the national flag of the US?
a 50.
b 54.
c 52.
Question 5 What is the American word for "trousers"?
a Skirts.
b Pants.
c Socks.
Question 6 When do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?
a On the first Thursday in November.
b On the fourth Thursday in November.
c On the fourth Saturday in December.
Question 7 Who was the first president of the US?
a George Washington.
b Abraham Lincoln.
c Thomas Jefferson.
Question 8 On April Fool's Day, what do Americans usually do?
a Send each other gifts.
b Jump into the air.
c Play tricks on each other.
1
Where is the US?
Answer: ___b___
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2
What is the capital city of the US?
Answer: ______
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3
How many states are there in the US?
Answer: ______
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4
How many stars are there on the national flag of the US?
Answer: ______
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5
What is the American word for "trousers"?
Answer: ______
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6
When do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?
Answer: ______
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7
Who was the first president of the US?
Answer: ______
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8
On April Fool's Day, what do Americans usually do?
Answer: ______
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Speaking
A Talk time
A1 Sam, an exchange student, is discussing festivals in the US and China with his Chinese teacher, Mr Li. Read their conversation and practise it in pairs. Pay attention to the words in blue.
Mr Li: Sam, did you enjoy your first Spring Festival in China?
Sam: Yes, I did. During this festival, many family members get together.
Mr Li: Yes. I hear that at Thanksgiving Americans also get together for a special meal. It sounds similar.
Sam: Yes. It's similar. During these holidays, both the Chinese and Americans come home and have a big dinner. It's great fun.
Mr Li: What do you think are the main differences between the Spring Festival and Thanksgiving?
Sam: Well, we take part in different activities and eat different kinds of food. In China, people usually set off fireworks and eat dumplings. In the US, we usually watch a Thanksgiving parade and an American football game on TV. We also eat turkey.
Mr Li: That's interesting.
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