Alternative Beliefs.
1. Do you think there is intelligent life on other planets?
2. Some people claim to have seen UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) such as flying saucers. Do you believe them?
3. What is your opinion of people who say that they can communicate with spirits? Have you ever taken part in a since?
4. Do you know anybody with psychic powers or extra sensory perception?
5. Do you believe in telepathy? Is there another person in the world with whom you have a special understanding?
6. Would you ever visit an astrologer for a forecast of how your life will run in the future?
7. What does your star sign tell you about your personality and your compatibility with other people?
8. Do you believe in other forms of fortune-telling such as:
Palmistry?
Tarot cards?
Reading teacups?
Exercise 25. Read and translate the following information, comment upon it .
Different customs:
Canada and the U.S. |
Do not arrive early if you are invited to someone’s home. |
Indonesia |
Never point to anything with your foot. |
Korea |
Do not pass something to an older person or superior with only one hand. |
Muslim countries |
Do not eat with your left hand. |
Samoa |
Do not eat when you’re walking in public. |
Thailand |
Never touch anyone except a child on the head. |
Exercise 26. Write the answers to the following questions.
Does your culture follow any of these customs?
____________________________________________________________
Why do you think people have these customs?
____________________________________________________________
What other interesting customs do you know?
____________________________________________________________
What customs should a visitor to your country know about?
____________________________________________________________
Exercise 27. Group work. Read these questions. Think of two more questions to add to the list. Then take turns asking and answering the questions in the groups.
If you could live in foreign country, what country would you like to live in?
If you could go abroad with someone, who would it be?
What is something you would never travel without?
Who would you write to first after arriving?
What would be your two greatest concerns about living abroad?
What do you think you would enjoy most of all about living abroad?
For example:
A: What country would you like to live in?
B: The country I’d like to live in is Peru.
C: Why is that?
B: Well, I’ve always wanted to learn how to cook Peruvian food…
Exercise 28. Complete the sentences.
1. A symbol is… .
2. Custom is … .
3. Belief is … .
4. Crossing cultures is… .
5. Alternative Beliefs are … .
Exercise 29. Role – Play: “In My Culture it’s Normal”. Give an advice to strangers who visit our country.
In my country it is normal/polite/impolite/rude/strange:
To shake hands when we meet someone for the first time.
To kiss on both cheeks when we greet or say goodbye to a friend.
To take someone out to dinner (pay for dinner) for his birthday or when he gets a promotion.
To be a little late to meet friends.
To be a little minutes late to work or to business meetings.
To spit in public.
To call most people by their first names.
To ask people their ethnicity or nationality when you meet them for the first time.
To sing in public.
For women in the family to make important decisions like which school to send children to, how to spend money, etc…
For men to cook, clean or do other household work.
To interrupt people when talking.
To give gifts to teachers, doctors, government officials, bosses for students to wear suits or dresses or formal clothing.
To invite people to your home.
To ask guests to leave when it gets late or if you are busy.
To serve guests only drinks and chips or small snacks.
To disagree with older people or people who are more powerful than you.
To give up your seat for older people or women.
Exercise 30. Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations and use them in sentences of your own.
- люди усвідомлюють ______________________
- важливі речі ______________________
- уникати стереотипів ______________________
- подорожувати за кордон ______________________
- співати на людях ______________________
- перервати розмову ______________________
- запрошувати у гості ______________________
- важливе рішення ______________________
- захоплюватися чимось ______________________
- дивні звички ______________________
- поступатися місцем ______________________
- культурне розмаїття ______________________
Exercise 31. Translate the proverbs into Ukrainian and comment upon them.
1. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
2. Good fences make good neighbors.
3. To good hearer, a good speaker.
4. You cannot buy a friend with money.
5. The dog wags his tail, not for you, but for your bread.
Exercise 32. Find out what your classmates know about other cultures.
1. What foods from other countries have you tried? Which did you like?
2. Do you often see people wearing clothes from different cultures in the streets of your town? Do you know which countries they are from?
3. Do you ever listen to music from other cultures? Do you know the names of any of the artists?
4. Do you ever watch films with subtitles?
5. Would you like to go and live in a country that has a different culture to your own?
6. Do you think it is important to retain your own culture even if you move to another country?
7. Do you have friends from other cultures and countries? Would you like to have more friends from other cultures?
8. Do you think children should be educated within the culture of the country they live?
9. What do you think about mixed marriages with people from different cultures? Does it encourage greater cultural understanding?
10. Would you recognize any art from another culture?
Exercise 33. Read and translate the text.