Lesson 10 Cultural Conflict

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Lesson 10 Cultural Conflict

• (6-8 periods)

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Teaching Aims

• Analyse the structure of this text and try to
  imitate it in writing
• Try to master the words, expressions and uses of
  English taken from the text

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intercultural points

• Help to obtain some knowledge of Intercultural
  communication
• Get acquainted with some major problems that
  arise in intercultural communication
• Learn to take cultural conflict and cultural
  diversity into consideration when learning and
  using English and try to avoid the mentioned
  problems in communicating with people from other
  cultures

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Arrangement

• Introduction (0.5 period)
• Text (4.5 periods)
• Interactive activities ( 1 period)
• Exercises (1 period)
• Text and interactive activities are
  woven together at class

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Preparation for the text

• Find out some information and comment about the
  movie The Treatment Gua Sha(??)and, if
  possible, watch the movie.
• Read the text, trying to get the main idea of it.
  Then look up the new words and phrases in
  dictionaries.

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Introduction

• Part I discussion on the movie
• An oral presentation about the movie by the
  student on dutyits content and its significance
  (3 minutes)
• Group discussion on two questions 1. Who is to
  blame for bringing about so many troubles and so
  much misery to that Chinese family?
• 2. What is the most impressive scene for
  you ?(5 minutes)

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To sum up, no one is to blame. It is the
differences in the Chinese and American cultures
that cause misunderstanding and hurt. We should
also realize, however, love and affection among
men, sometimes and to some extent, though, can
surpass the cultural misunderstandings and
conflicts.
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Part II discussion on the word CULTURE

• A Talk about the following questions (3-5
  minutes)
• What is CULTURE?
• What does CULTURE include?

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A definition for reference

• Culturethe customs, beliefs, art, music,
• and all the other products of human thought
• made by a particular group of people at a
• particular time. (What do those italicized parts
  imply?)

Cultures always vary from one group of people to
another . A group of peoples culture may change
along with the changes of times.
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BeliefsBuddhism, Christianity, reincarnation,

more examples, please?
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CustomsSpring festival, Christmas,
more examples, please?
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Art
More examples, please?
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Music

• Swan
• The moonlight in the second spring
• Without you

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Other products of human thoughts include
philosophy, history, values, outlooks, language,
literature, architecture, and politics, etc.
almost everything.
To sum up, all the above elements make cultural
differences possible, which always lead to some
conflicts between people from different cultures.
Thus, the theme and the title of this lesson
cultural conflict in intercultural communication
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Structure of the text

• Go through the text, focusing only on the
  subtitles, the topic and conclusion sentences of
  each paragraph, and then, try to outline the
  whole text.

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Samples of structure analysis

• The whole text
• Introduction of the topic
• Part I (Para 1-2) Communication and
  Culturedefinition and the problem
• Body further explanation of the conflicts and
  analysis on their reasons
• Part II (Para 3-6) Misinterpretationthe first
  problem, with an example and its analysis
• Part III (Para 7-11) Ethnocentrismthe second
  problem, with an example and its analysis
• Part IV (Para 12-17) Stereotypes and
  Prejudicethe fourth problem, with an example and
  its analysis
• conclusion
• Part V (Para 18) Summary and Restatement of the
  topic

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Part I Communication and Culture (detailed
analysis)
This is an introductory part

• Para 1 Intercultural Communication and its
  definition? This definition is simple, but the
  process is complex?(transitional sentence,
  introducing the topic)?further explanation of the
  topic
• Para 2 Cultures do not communicate individuals
  do. (topic sentence, which helps to specify the
  theme of the text)?further explanation by means
  of analogy, making it easier to understand how
  cultures influence individuals in communication ?
  We are not always aware of the subtle influences
  of our culture. Likewise, we may not perceive
  that others are influenced by their cultures as
  well. (conclusion and transitional sentence)

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Part II Misinterpretations (the first reason for
cultural conflict)

• Para 1 Introduction
• Para 2 A detailed example
• Para 3 Analysis of the conflict reflected in the
  example (What is misinterpretation and how does
  it affect personal relationship)
• Para 4 Conclusion

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• Now, try to analyze the structure and
  organization of the other parts by yourselves and
  learn how to organize such an analysis of a
  social phenomenon in a clear, systematic, and
  coherent structure.

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Detailed explanation and analysis language
points organization of the sentences
? involve include sth. as a necessary part. This
new job involves working abroad 3 months every
year.
? pay much attention to the logical order of
these three words, which is always ignored by
Chinese students when writing their compositions
in English.
? the communication problems can be more serious
/ made worse when people cant take advantage of
similar cultures. compound make sth. worse by
adding or increasing. The tragedy is compounded
by absurdity. For funeral directors and ordinary
citizens alike, the grief of losing a relative
has been compounded by the agonizing search for
their remains.
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? is similar to can be compared to / with.
Analogy serves here to show the relationship
between culture and individuals in communication.
By this means, the abstract relationship is
explained with a common example, which greatly
helps readers to understand.
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? problems and misunderstandings do not always
occur as the consequences of people from
different cultures communicating.
? arise (situation, opportunity, difficulty)
emerge come out.
? pucker (of facial expressions) tightly gather
or contract into wrinkles or small folds. Pucker
ones face/ brows/ eyes (You may try to act it
out.)
? This word is applied here to indicate that,
due to her anger towards him, she, when coming
across him, purposefully turns a cold back to him
or pretends not to see him at all?
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? Nonverbal signals are very important in
communication. Different cultures may have some
signals which look the same, but their
implications usually diverse. A signal which
means respect in this culture may be looked as an
insult in another one. The text has given us a
good example.
The last paragraph serves as conclusion, pointing
out some serious negative consequences of
misunderstandings.
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The following are some nonverbal signals of China
and US. Please talk about their implications and
the misunderstanding they may cause when used in
different cultures.
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(No Transcript)
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More examples are welcome
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? ethno a prefix means ethnics, races, such as
ethnocide(??????),ethnoliguistics(?????),ethnology
(???),etc. centrism, which comes from centre,
means a belief in somebody or something being
the centre. Thus, the word means a belief that
ones own race, nation, group, etc. is better and
more important than others. Who holds
ethnocentrism? the white ?the black the
European ?the Asian the Christian ? the
Islamic etc.
? Over the years of being raised, they are taught
and educated that their way is the best. This
belief has been deeply rooted in their minds.
? picky Such people always focus their attention
on what is different in the people from different
cultures and, when comparing them with those of
their own, regard all the differences as defects
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?. other words with the prefix self
self-abandonment, self-appreciation,
self-concern, self-disciplined, self-knowledge,
self-esteem, etc.
? positive negative, which mean acceptable
unacceptable in a certain culture, are always
used in this text, but not right wrong. It
shows exactness of the authors expression and
objectiveness of his attitude.
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? Neither of the two women is aware of each
others values / concepts about family life.
insensitive unaware unconscious
? decided. e.g. What you can be given is
conditioned by how much you have contributed.
The last paragraph, a conclusion
paragraph, illustrates the reason for their
conflict
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• The way we Chinese raise our kids is quite
  different from that of the Westerns. Now, discuss
  this problem with your classmates, comparing
  these two ways and finding out the advantages and
  disadvantages of each.

Any other examples taken from your own
experiences?
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Stereotypes and Prejudice

• Group discussion before text-reading-
• Whats your impression of these peoples
• Choose a people from the following list and,
  after a discussion, share your ideas and opinions
  with other groups.
• the Black, the Americans, the Italians, the
  French, the British,
• the Japanese, the Jews, the Cowboys, the
  Blond,

The results of the discussion actually
show the stereotypes and prejudice about these
people. Whats more, how do you get the
stereotypes about these people? Books, movies and
televisions, etc.
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? Stereotypes start and develop from various
sources. originate to have as an established
starting point. e.g. All theories originate from
/ in practice and in return serve practice. The
use of steam originated many other reforms.
? false, dishonest, or untrue account of somebody
or something. Their image or impression of the
Black is not true.
? Stereotypes make those untrue images of some
religious, racial, and cultural groups long exist
in peoples mind. / Stereotypes help people to
hold for a long time some dishonest images of
some religious, racial and cultural groups.
Perpetuate to make sth. continue to exist for a
long time. e.g. They put up a statue to
perpetuate her memory.
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? Pay much attention to the logical order of
these attitudes (they are stronger and stronger).
? This is not a true story do you notice what
this name stands for?
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? The applicant loses the opportunity simply
because he comes from a nation of which people
hold some negative but untrue impressions, which
demonstrates the unfair result to this man
brought about by prejudice.
? immediate response on hearing these remarks.
The last paragraph points out the serous negative
results brought by stereotypical remarks and the
solutions to it educating others ?being aware of
ones own ?establishing personal relationships
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This conclusion paragraph is made up of three
sentences, each of which has its unique function
for the organization and development of the whole.
The first one is a conclusion sentence of the
last several parts, which sums up the reasons for
cultural conflicts.
The second one further provides a main solution
to the problem.
The third sentence, then, points out the other
side of the coin, that is, we should not lose our
own cultural identity when trying to understand
other cultures.
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• Review and homework
• Do the exercises following the text
• Read the text with proper pronunciation
• and intonation
• Develop awareness of cultural diversity
• and try to avoid the metioned problems
• in your communication with people from
• other cultures.

Any question about the text and the
exercises is welcome.