【正文】 onsense! I can keep your pany, and you?ll feel better with me around you.” “Are you sure you want to do this instead of going out?” “Yes, I?m sure. I won?t go without you.” “Oh, you?re so special. I love you so much!” Simon drew Zhang Ge near and kissed her. Case 31 A Close Girlfriend Liu Hong and Wu Xin have been good friends since they were young girls. Both eventually had the opportunity to study in the United States, although they ended up in two different cities. After their first year of hard work, they decided to do some traveling together. Liu Hong went to stay with Wu Xin for two days before they set off. Then they visited three cities over the next 10 days. Liu Hong came back from the trip and told her American friends about the trip. She casually mentioned that they had to share one bed in one particular motel. “ Oh, did you?” , said one of the friends in a tone that made Liu Hong feel unfortable. Case 32 Interpreting a Smile . Peter is the general manager of an American pany in China. Recently, Chen Jun, one of the Chinese managers made a mistake at work that caused some difficulties that required a lot of effort to fix. Chen Jun was very upset about what had happened, and came to Peter?s office to make a formal apology. Chen Jun went into Peter?s office after being told to, smiling before he spoke. “ Peter, I?ve been feeling very upset about the trouble I?ve caused for the pany. I?m here to apologize for the mistake. I?m terribly sorry about it and I want you to know that it will never happen again.” Chen Jun said, looking at Peter with the smile he had been wearing since he walked into the office. Peter found it hard to accept the apology. He looked at Chen Jun, and asked, “ are you sure?” “ Yes, I?m very sorry and I promise this won?t happen again,” Chen Jun said, with a smile even broader than before. “I?m sorry I just can?t take your apology. You don?t look sorry at all!” Peter said angrily. Chen Jun?s face turned very red. He did not in the least expect Peter to take it negatively. He was desperate to make himself understood. “ Peter, ” he managed to smile again, “ trust me, no one can feel any more sorry than I do about it.” Peter was almost furious by now, “ if you?re that sorry, how can you still smile?” Case33 Interpreting a Laugh Huihua, a Chinese student, and Mary , an American student studying Chinese in China, were on their way to a bookstore. As they got to the bookstore, they saw a young man walking down a flight of stairs. In his hurry, he missed the last two steps, and fell on the ground. He struggled to get back to his feet while people around him laughed. Fortunately, he seemed to be . Mary was worried. She found Huihua smiling a little and was not fortable about it. Tell me, Huihua, how could people laugh when someone fell like that? Do they care at all? Shouldn?t they go up and ask the young man whether he was hurt?” Huihua said, “ they knew he wasn?t hurt too much.” “ But I still don?t understand. A fall is a fall. In my culture, people would do anything but laugh!” Case 34 Different Lunch Boxes Peter was one of the American technicians who came to China to help set up a coffee plant. He was in China for six months． Before leaving for home， one of his Chinese colleagues took him out to dinner. Peter decided to ask him a question that had puzzled him for as long as he worked in the plant． Why is it that the Chinese workers have stainless boxes for their lunch，while us foreigners have lunch put in the disposable plastic boxes?” The Chinese colleague smiled， “It?s because the plastic boxes are more convenient； they are disposable． With the stainless boxes, you have to wash them after every meal.” But Peter was not convinced． “I don?t think so． Stainless boxes are much better than plastic boxes． They look more professional, they are more durable, and they protect your lunch better. 。Case 1 Girlness As a visiting professor in an American university, Zhang Hua was invited to give a lecture to a group of American students. He talked about university students in China. During the questionandanswer period after the lecture, one female student asked a question that surprised Zhang Hua. “When you talked about female students, you referred to them as girls. Why?” “Because they are girls. That?s what they are called,” Zhang Hua tried to answer, but he knew he did not really understand the intent of the question. “ I don?t quite understand your question, I?m afraid.” “In the States, we call ourselves ? women? if we?re old enough to go to the university. Calling us ?girls? is insulting.” Do Chinese female college students prefer to be called women? Case 2 Many years ago, a Chinese man showed a photo of his wife to some American visitors. Out of courtesy, they all said,” She is very beautiful.” Also out of courtesy, the man replied with what he would have done in Chinese under the circumstance,” Where! Where!” Quite taken aback, nobody said anything for a moment, until the most ingenious one among the visitors, taking another look at the photo, said, “Oh, everywhere!” What did the Chinese intend to mean by replying with “ Where! Where!”? Case 1 Girlness As a visiting professor in an American university, Zhang Hua was invited to give a lecture to a group of American students. He talked about university students in China. During the questionandanswer period after the lecture, one female student asked a question that surprised Zhang Hua. “When you talked about female students, you referred to them as girls. Why?” “Because they are girls. That?s what they are called,” Zhang Hua tried to answer, but he