高等学校研究生英语系列教材(听说教程)(上)Unit4讲述.ppt

The term culture has been defined in many ways. Howard defines it as the customary manner in which human groups learn to recognize their behavior and thoughts. I define culture as the way of life of a group of people. In that way, culture is in essence the moulder of human behavior of a certain group. Culture has several major components. The first important one is material possessions, which refer to objects like books or clothes. The non-material component can be illustrated by the following parts: values, norms, beliefs, emotions, attitudes, aspirations, laws, and symbols. The arrows in the figure point in both directions, suggesting that culture shapes these components. In turn, these aspects impact culture, which means culture is dynamic, always undergoing great changes. For example, people who share the same level of material possessions may have different values or beliefs. People who have similar beliefs may change the way to express emotions. From birth to death, people are faced with cultural messages and change in these components. Questions for the long conversation What do Huang and Zhao think of their handwriting? What is the reason for that? What are they worried most about in terms of children? According to the passage, how long is the history of Chinese handwriting? What advise do they offer? What is mainly talked about in this conversation? H: Well, I’m a little worried about my Chinese handwriting skills. I use my computers to write my e-mails and my cellphone to send messages. It’s so easy to forget how to write Chinese character! Z: Well, you are not alone in your worries. Last week, I was reading a postcard my father sent me. I was struck by how neat and clear it was. You know, he does not live with me, but his unique handwriting reminds me of my days with him. 1) Sometimes, I wonder will my son be impressed by my handwriting? My ugly handwriting!