【導(dǎo)讀】itisdificultforthemtogettoppricesonthemarkets.”ManypeopleinEnglandbelievedthisstory.TheyrangtheBBCtofindouthoetogrowtheirownnodletree.Theyweretoldto“placeapieceofnoodleinatinoftomatosauceandhopeforthebest.”Thismayseemverysily,butinthe1950sveryfewBritishpeopletraveledaboardfortheirholidaysandevenfewerofthematenoodles.Soitseemedposibletoimaginethatnoodlesgrewontreelikeapples,pearsandnuts.Peoplealsot

　　

【正文】 places l ike Spai n, Ital y or South Am erican countries aproach others cl osel y and are m ore l ikel y to touch them . Most people around the world now gret each other by shaking hands, but some cul tures use other greti ngs as wel l, such as the Japanese, who prefer to bow. These acti ons are not good or bad, but are simply ways i n which cul tures have devel oped. I have seen, however, that cultural customs for body language are very general not al m em bers of a cul ture behave i n the same way. In general, though, studyi ng i nternational customs can certai nl y hel p avoid di ficul ti es in today’s worl d cul tural crossroads! Showi ng our feeli ngs Body l anguage i s one of the m ost powerful s of m uni cati on, often even more powerful than spoken l anguage. Peopl e around the world show al l knds of feeli ngs, wi shes and atti tudes that they m ight never speak al oud. It i s possi bl e to “read” others around us, even i f they do not i ntend for us to catch thei r unspoken muni cation. O f course, body l anguage can be m isread, but m any gestures and acti ons are uni versal. The m ost universal faci al expresion i s, of course, the smi l e – it’s functi on i s to show happines and to peopl e at ease. It does not al ways m eans that we are trul y happy, however. Sm il es around the world can be fal se, hi di ng other feeli ngs li ke anger, fear or worry. There are unhappy smi les, such as when som eone “l(fā)oses face” and smil es to hi de i t. However, the general purpose of smi li ng i s to show god feeli ngs. From the time we are babie, we show unhappi ness or anger by frowning. In most pl aces around the worl d, frowning and turni ng one’s back to som eone show anger. Maki ng a fi st and shaking it al omost m eans that someone i s angry and threatening another person. There are m any ways around the world to show agrem ent, but noddi ng the head up and down s for agreement alm ost worl dwi de. Most peopl e al so understand that shaki ng the head from si de to side means di sagreem ent or refusal. H ow about showing that I am bored? Looki ng away from people or yawni ng wil l, i n m ost cases, make m e apear to be uni nterested. H owever, if I turn toward and look at som eone or somethi ng, peopl e from alm ost every cul ture wi l thi nk that I am i nterested. If I rol l m y eyes and turn m y head away, I most l ikel y do not beli eve what I am heari ng or do not li ke i t. Being respectful to peopl e is subjective, besed on each culture, but i n general it i s probably not a god i dea to gi ve a hug to a bos or teacher. In alm ost every cul ture, it i s not usual y god to stand too close to someone of a hi gher rank. Standi ng at a li ttl e di stance wi th open hands wi l show that I am wi li ng to l isten. Wi th so m any cultural di fferences betwen people, i t i s great to have som e sim il arities in body language. We can ofen be wrong about each other, so it i s an amazi ng thi ng that we understand each others as wel as we do! THE O PEN H AN DA UN ICERSAL SIGN When m eeting people at the ai rport, m ost people sm il e and shake hands wi th peopl e they m eet. We know that smi le i s usual ly a sign that peopl e feel friendl y and happy, but what i f we don’t know who the new person i s? What i f we are not i ntroduced by a friend? What i f we are m eti ng a stranger i n a unfam il ar pl ace? Som etimes people are dangerous and hum ans have to fi nd ways to protect themsel ves. We have to m ake sure we can trust peopl e we don’t know, and we have to show that we are not dangerous. Showi ng our hands m eans that we are not arm ed. In m any cul tures today, the Western custom of shaki ng hands i s used. We use our ri ght hand, which i s usual y strong than the l eft one. If we are usi ng our hand this way, i n cannot be hol ding a kni fe or a gun. It shows that we trust the other person, and that the other person can trust us. N ot al l cultures use the handshake, and people i n m any Asian cul tures do not al ways touch another person. The tradi ti onal greeti ng i n Chi na was to cover the l eft hand wi th the right and bow. Japanese peopl e m ight cover one hand wi th other and, depending on whom they are greti ng, bow sl i ghtl y or qui te l ow. In India , Hi ndu peopl e join thei r hands in front of their faces and bow thei r heads. A Muslim wil l touch hi s heart, mouth and forehead to show respect. Even young peopl e i n the West now gi ve each other the “hi gh fi ve”, when they slap each other’s hands high i n the air. They are al keepi ng thei r hands busy. In almost al cultures, to sm il e and show an open ri ght hand m eans, “Wel e, you are safe with me.” Uni t 5 Them e parks – f un and mor tha f un Whi ch them e park woul d you l ike to vi si t? There are various ki nds of theme parks, wi th a di fferent park for alm ost everything: food, cul ture, sci ence, cartons, movi es or hi story. Some parks are fam ous for having the bi ggest or l ongest rol ler coasters, others for showing the fam ous si ghts and sounds of a culture. Whichever and whatever you li ke, there i s theme park for you! The them e park you are probabl y m ost famil i ar with i s Di sneyl and. It can be found in several parts of the worl d. It wil bring you i nto a magi cal worl d and m ake your dream s e true, whether traveli ng through space, visiting a pirate ship or m eeti ng your favori te fai ry tal e or Di sney cartoon character. As you wander around tha fantasy amusem ent park, you m ay see Snow White or Mickey Mouse in a parade or on the street. O f course Di sneyl and also has m any exci ti ng ri des, from gi ant swingi ng shi ps to terri fyi ng freefal drops. With al l these attracti ons, no wonder touri se is i ncreasi ng wherever there is a Di sney l and. If you want to have fun and more than fun, e to Disneyl and! Dol ywood, i n the beauti ful Smoky Mountai ns i n the southeastern USA, i s one o