Task: Scan the text for key words

This title How to teach multicultural communication can help you realise that key words must concern intercultural communication which cannot be learned without intercultural understanding. E.g., in paragraph 3 it is possible to point out the following key words: learning languages, understanding cultures, cultural perspective. Follow the three-step strategy to make finding key words easier.

Step 1. Make sure you know what you are looking for.

Step 2. Scan each paragraph for 5-10 key words. Do not read every word.

Step 3. Select 5-10 key words for the whole text.

Task:

· Basing on paragraph 1 give a definition of intercultural understanding.

· Basing on paragraph 1 explain why the “overt culture” is easily observable in the “iceberg model of culture”.

· Basing on paragraph 1 explain why the “covert culture” is below the waterline in the “iceberg model of culture”.

· Basing on paragraph 2 explain why Socrates’ maxim: “Know Thyself.” is true for intercultural understanding.

Answer the following questions:

· What is the main topic of the passage?

(A) Different meanings of cultures.

(B) Intercultural learning involves developing an understanding of one’s own language and culture in relation to an additional language and culture.

(C) The door to one’s perception of one’s culture.

(D) A better understanding of cultures.

· What does the passage mainly discuss?

(A) New approach to intercultural understanding.

(B) Intercultural understanding, which is based on the knowledge of culture.

(C) The cultural perspective of the study of languages.

(D) Lack of opportunity to use the language for communication.

· What is the author's attitude toward the opinion that it is practically impossible to find out the perceptions a person has about her or his own culture?

(A) He shares this position.

(B) He strongly disagrees.

(C) He tries to be objective.

(D) He doesn’t care.

· Where in the four sentences does the author discuss culture as ways of thinking: modes of perception, beliefs and values?

(A) When asked to describe one’s culture, a person might have very vague answers or often provide certain social generalizations which are stereotypes about one’s culture.

(B) Cultures are not static, they change constantly.

(C) Even if a person loses the active and even the passive knowledge of a second language, the learning of this language is a very enriching and beneficial process.

(D) Nations are not culturally homogeneous, individuals in a nation might have different ideas about their culture.

 

Collect specific information by pointing out groups of synonyms, semantic and thematic groups. Keep it in mind that vocabulary in context includes both single words (usually nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) and two- or three-word phrases.

 

Read the passage: “Perceptions about one’s culture are mostly unconscious. When asked to describe one’s culture, a person might have very vague answers or often provide certain social generalizations which are stereotypes about one’s culture. There are two important facts concerning perceptions of one’s culture:

First, nations are not culturally homogeneous, individuals in a nation might have different perceptions about their culture. These perceptions will vary according to social class, age, education, gender, experiences in life and many other factors.

Second, cultures are not static, they change constantly.

These two facts are true for all cultures. Does this mean that it is practically impossible to find out the perceptions a person has about her or his own culture or the perceptions a person of a different culture holds about her or his own culture?

No, it is quite possible through questioning, debates, discussions, reflective writing about one single cultural aspect, thus allowing the person to reflect about her or his own perception about one cultural aspect, often linked to other aspects of the culture. Thus, the door to one’s perception of one’s culture has been opened..”

This passage is marked for semantically coupled expressionsn characterising perceptions:

Unconscious – vague; generalizations – stereotypes; not homogeneous – different (they vary); are not static – change; it is practically impossible – it is quite possible.

How do these expressions illustrate the author’s idea that the door the perception of culture has been opened?

 

Qualify the following questions and statements by marking that you 1/ strongly agree, 2/ agree, 3/ have no opinion, 4/ disagree, or 5/ strongly disagree:

· Men in my country usually expect women to prepare and serve food. __________

· A married man should help around the house, doing cleaning, ironing and cooking. __________

· In my country, it is common for a man to give up his seat to a woman on public transport. __________

· In my country, it is not typical for women to speak their minds and contradict men. __________

· Should both husband and wife contribute to the household income? ___________

· Is it normal “going Dutch” (when each pays half of the costs) when a man and a woman go out? __________

· If a man and a woman are having dinner together, is it OK for the woman to pay the bill? __________

· Is it OK for a man to give a woman a pat on the backside to show he likes her? __________

· Is it proper for a man to hold a door open for a woman? __________

· Whenever a mixed group of people (male/female) come together the men always sit together. __________

· If you are a student at school and you received a mark that seemed not to reflect your knowledge, is it proper to talk to the teacher about it? __________. Is it proper in your country?

· If children do well at school, parents should reward them with a present or pocket money. __________

· Students treat what the teachers and textbooks teach as something final and unquestionable. __________. Do they follow this stereotype in your country?

· Faithfulness is the most important factor for a successful marriage. __________

· In English, the terms stewardess (or steward for men) have been replaced with the gender-neutral term “flight attendant.” ____________. Can you give examples of such changes in your language?

How do your answers qualify Ukrainaians’ ways of thinking, beliefs and values?

Answer the following questions basing on Paragraph 3:

· Does a great majority of Ukrainian citizens have the necessity or opportunity to use English for communication?

· If there is no opportunity to use a language, will the learner’s motivation to learn the language become weaker and eventually disappear?

· Will a language which is not used for frequent communication slowly disappear?

· Does it mean that the teaching and learning of a second language in Ukraine is a waste of time?

 

Section 2. Grammar workout

Wrong word choice

Word choice errors involve the incorrect use of one word in place of another. The two words may have related forms (other and another, for example) or they may be completely different (do and make, for example).

Descriptions of some of the most common word choice errors are given below:

Wrong choice of make or do

The verb to do is often used in place of to make, and tomake in place of todo. In its basic sense, make means to produce, to create, to construct, while todo means to perform, to act, to accomplish, these verbs are also used in a number of set expressions:

Set expressions with Make:

make advances, make an attempt, make a comparison, make a contribution, make a decision, make a distinction, make a forecast, make a law, make a point, be made of (= be composed of), make up (= compose), make an investment, make a plan, make a prediction, make a profit, make a promise, make an offer, make a suggestion.

To make is also used in this pattern: make + someone +adjective (The gift made her happy.)

Common Expressions with Do:

do an assignment, do business with, do one's duty, do someone a favor, do a job (errand, chore) do research, do one's work.

The auxiliary verb do is used rather than repeat main verbs: (My computer doesn't operate as fast as theirs does.)

Wrong choice of like or alike and like or as

The word alike is incorrectly used in place of like, or like is used in place of alike. These words are used correctly in the following patterns:

Like А, В... Like birds, mammals are warm-blooded.

A, like B,... Birds, like mammals, are warm-blooded.

A is like В... Birds are like mammals in that they are both warm-blooded.

A and В are alike... Birds and mammals are alike in that they are both warm-blooded.

The word like is also sometimes confused with the word as. When like is used in a comparison, it is followed by a noun or pronoun. When as is used in a comparison, it is followed by a clause containing a subject and a verb.

I did my experiment just as Paul did. My results were much like Paul's.

The word as is also used before nouns when it means in place of or in the role of. This is particularly common after certain verbs: serve, function, and use, among others.

The vice-president served as president when the president was sick

Wrong choice of other or another

Another means "one more, an additional one." It can be used as an adjective before a singular noun or alone as a pronoun.

He needs another piece of paper.

I have one class in that building and another in the building across the quadrangle.

An understudy is an actor who can substitute for another actor in case of an emergency.

Other is used as an adjective before a plural noun. It is also used as an adjective before a singular noun when preceded by a determiner such as the, some, any, one, no, etc. It can also be used alone as a pronoun when preceded by a determiner.

There are other matters I'd like to discuss with you.

One of the books was a novel; the other was a collection of essays.

There's no other place I'd rather visit.

Wrong choice of because/because of, despite/inspite of or although, when/while or during

Certain expressions, such as because, are adverb clause markers and are used only before clauses, other expressions, such as because of, are prepositions and are used before noun phrases or pronouns.