Culture Shock
Culture shock is precipitated1 by the anxiety thatresults from losing all our familiar signs and symbolsof social intercourse. Those signs or cues includethe thousand and one 2 ways in which we orient3ourselves to the situation of daily life ; when toshake hands and what to say when we meet people ,when and how to give tips, how to make purchases,when to accept and when to refuse invitations, when to take statements seriously and whennot. These cues, which may be words, gestures, facial expressions, customs, or norms, areacquired by all of us in the course of growing up and are as much a part of our culture as thelanguage we speak or the beliefs we accept. All of us depend for our peace of mind and ourefficiency on hundreds of these cues, most of which we do not carry on the level of consciousawareness.
Now when an individual enters a strange culture, all or most of these familiar cues are removed.He or she is like a fish out of water4 . No matter how broad-minded5 or full of good will youmay be , a series of props6 have been knocked from under you, followed by a feeling offrustration7 and anxiety. People react to the frustration in much the same way. First theyreject the environment which causes the discomfort.“The ways of the host country are badbecause they make us feel bad. ”When foreigners in a strange land get together to grouseabout8 the host country and its people , you can be sure they are suffering from culture shock.Another phase of culture shock is regression. The home environment suddenly assumes atremendous importance. To the foreigner everything becomes irrationally glorified. All thedifficulties and problems are forgotten and only the good things back home are remembered. Itusually takes a trip home to bring one back to reality.
Some of the symptoms of culture shock are excessive washing of the hands, excessiveconcern over drinking water, food dishes, and bedding; fear of physical contact with attendants,the absent-minded stare; a feeling of helplessness and a desire for dependence on long-termresidents of one’s own nationality; fits of anger over minor frustrations; great concern overminor pains and eruptions of the skin; and finally, that terrible longing to be back home.
阅读自测
Ⅰ. Replace the underlined words with the phrases in the passage with the same meaning:
1 . Culture shock is caused by the anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs andsymbols of social intercourse .
2 . Those signs and cues include a lot of ways in which we act.
3 . Entering a new company with no friends help him, he feels uncomfortable.
4 . Although living abroad for 5 years, she still feels homesick now and then.
Ⅱ. Question :
What are the symptoms of culture shock?
