Unit 9 Social Customs.docVIP

Objectives Skills Development: identifying, recognizing, inferring, reasoning, recalling Functions and Situations: describing and explaining social customs Language Focus: descriptive and explanatory expressions about customs Focus of Learning The focus of learning in this unit is to introduce some typical Western customs and to help students understand Western culture through dialogues and talks. Warm-Up Speaking Situation 1 Xiaoming shouldn’t have helped the lady without being sure of her gratitude. If an American saw the old woman, he would probably stop and watch her for a few seconds checking whether she seemed to be coping all right, and go on his way. His behavior would be based on the fact that Americans highly value independence and the capacity to do things by themselves. Considering her feeling of self-respect, he would decide to leave her alone after seeing that the parcel was not too heavy for her. He would know that if he offered to take her burden, she might think she was regarded as old and feeble, and no American woman wants to be looked in that way. Situation 2 Xiaoming should pause and say “(God) Bless you!” to his friend. English native speakers use this ancient saying simply from a force of habit. Up until a few centuries ago, they believed sneezing expelled the soul, letting life escape from the body, and bad spirits in. So, as a charm against that moment’s danger, Christians said “God bless you!” to a sneezer, believing that to neglect this meant the sneezer would end up in the next world. Today, non- Christians follow the habit too, but just say “Bless you!” (As everyone knows the belief is false, it’s not superstition, merely habit.) Situation 3 Xiaoming should not have asked the price of the decoration. This is a personal issue and should be avoided. Other subjects considered as taboo in Western society include intimate health or sexual details, details of birth, details of unpleasant illness, any financial income of frien