It can be hard to meet people from another culture. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal (信號). Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize（強調）the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in “small talk”, usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries—like the UK or France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural（多元文化）environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
小題1:In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to ______.
| A．keep each other company |
| B．share the same culture |
| C．get to know each other |
| D．develop closer relations |
小題2:The writer mentions his experience in Thailand to show that ______.
| A．too many words are of no use |
| B．the English prefer to make long speeches |
| C．even talk and silence can be culturally different |
| D．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
小題3:What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Multicultural Environment |
| B．Cross-Cultural Differences |
| C．How to Understand Each Other |
| D．How to Build Up a Relationship |
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