【文章內容簡介】 e programme makers makers realized that people might wonder why noodles were always the same size so that they explained that “it was the result of many years’ patient research with the tree to produce noodles of exactly the same length.” But even so they explained, the life of a noodle farmer was not easy. “The last two weeks of March are an anxious time for noodle farmers. There is always a chance of very cold weather spoiling their crop. Then it is difficult for them to get top prices on the markets.” Many people in England believed this story. They rang the BBC to find out hoe to grow their own noodle tree. They were told to “place a piece of noodle in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.” This may seem very silly, but in the 1950s very few British people travelled aboard for their holidays and even fewer of them ate noodles. So it seemed possible to imagine that noodles grew on tree like apples, pears and nuts. People also trusted the Panorama programme for its careful research and serious information. So they were shocked to find the next day that they had all believed an April Fool’s joke. Even today the report of the noodle harvest is remembered as one of the best April Fool’s jokes ever!Unit 4Communication: No Problem?Yesterday, another student and I, representing our university’s student association, went to the Capital International Airport to meet this year’s international students. They were ing to study at Beijing University. We should take them first to their dormitories and then to the student cantee. After an hour of waiting for their flight to arrive, I saw several young people enter the waiting area looking around curiously. I stood for a minute watching them and then went to greet them.The first person to arrive was Tony Garcia from Columbia, closely followed by Julia Smith from Britain. After I met them and then introduced them to each other, I was very surprised. Tony approached Julia, touched her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek! She stepped back appearing surprised and put up her hands, as if in defence. I guessed that there was probably a major misunderstanding. Then Akira Nagata from Japan came in smiling, together with George Cook from Canada. As they were introduced, George reached his hand out to the Japanese student. Just at that moment, however, Akira bowed so his nose touched George’s moving hand. They both apologized another cultural mistake!Ahmed Aziz, another international student, was from Jordan. When we met yesterday, he moved very close to me as I introduced myself. I moved back a bit, but he came closer to ask a question and then shook my hand. When Darlene Coulon from France came dashing through the door, she recognized Tony Garcia39。s smiling face. They shook hand and then kissed each other twice on each cheek, since that is the France custom when adults meet people they know. Ahmed Aziz, on the contrary, simply nodded at the girls. Men from Middle Eastern and other Muslim countries will often stand quite close to other men to talk but will usually not touch women.As I get to know more international friends, I learn more about this cultural “body language”. Not all cultures greet each other the same way, nor are they fortable in the same way with touching or distance between people. In the same way that people municate with spoken language, they also express their feelings using unspoken “l(fā)anguage” through physical distance, actions or posture. English people, for example, do not usually stand very close to others or touch strangers as soon as they meet. However, people from places like Spain, Italy or South American countries approach others closely and are more likely to touch them. Most people around the world now greet each other by shaking hands, but some cultures use other greetings as well, such as the Japanese, who prefer to bow.These actions are not good or bad, but are simply ways in which cultures have developed. I have seen, however, that cultural customs for body language are very general not all members of a culture behave in the same way. In general, though, studying international customs can certainly help avoid difficulties in today’s world cultural crossroads!Showing our feelingsBody language is one of the most powerful s of munication, often even more powerful than spoken language. People around the world show all knds of feelings, wishes and attitudes that they might never speak aloud. It is possible to “read” others around us, even if they do not intend for us to catch their unspoken munication. Of course, body language can be misread, but many gestures and actions are universal.The most universal facial expression is, of course, the smile – it’s function is to show happiness and to people at ease. It does not always means that we are truly happy, however. Smiles around the world can be false, hiding other feelings like anger, fear or worry. There are unhappy smiles, such as when someone “l(fā)oses face” and smiles to hide it. However, the general purpose of smiling is to show good feelings.From the time we are babie, we show unhappiness or anger by frowning. In most places around the world, frowning and turning one’s back to someone show anger. Making a fist and shaking it alomost means that someone is angry and threatening another person.There are many ways around the world to show agreement, but nodding the head up and down s for agreement almost worldwide. Most people also understand that shaking the head from side to side means disagreement or refusal.How about showing that I am bored? Looking away from people or yawning will, in most cases, make me appear to be uninterested. However, if I turn toward and look at someone or something, people from almost every culture will think that I am interested. If I roll my eyes and turn my head away, I most likely do not believe what I am hearing or do not like it.Being respectful to people is subjective, besed on each culture, but in general it is probably not a good idea to give a hug to a boss or teacher. In almost eve