在紧张的gre复习阶段不如轻松一下，读一读gre趣味阅读。这是一篇关于各国之间文化差异的文章，也可以给考生补习一些文化背景介绍。

　　Cultural practices, cultural differences, local manners, and mores: traveling the globecan be a behavioral minield, even when you have the best intentions. Everything from greeting to eating can be an opportunity to do the wrong thing, and not only embarrass yourself, but offend your host countrymen. Look out for the following cultural mistakes and try to avoid them while going abroad。

　　文化习惯、文化差异、当地礼仪和风俗：即使你怀着良好的意愿，这些文化陷阱也可能让你的环球旅游险象环生。从问候到饮食，稍不留神就会出差错，不仅让自己难堪，还有可能冒犯东道主。到国外时要特别留心并尽量避免误入以下几种文化陷阱。

　　[Touching Someone 触摸他人]

　　Where It&aposs Offensive: Korea, Thailand, China, Europe, the Middle East.

　　禁忌地：韩国、泰国、欧洲、中东

　　What&aposs Offensive 禁忌：

　　Personal space varies as you travel the globe. In Mediterranean countries, if you rrain from touching someone&aposs arm when talking to them or if you don&apost greet them with kisses or a warm embrace, you&aposll be considered cold. But backslap someone who isn&apost a family member or a good friend in Korea, and you&aposll make them uncomfortable. In Thailand, the head is considered sacred--never even pat a child on the head。

　　个人空间的概念因地而异。在地中海国家，如果你和别人交谈时没有碰对方的手臂，或见面问候时没和对方亲吻拥抱，别人会认为你不热情。但在韩国，拍别人的背会让对方感觉不安，除非此人是你的家庭成员或好友。在泰国，头是很神圣的部位——就算是小孩子的头也不要随便乱拍。

　　What You Should Do Instead 对策：

　　Observe what locals are doing and follow suit. In Eastern countries remember that touching and public displays of affection are unacceptable. In places like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, men and women are forbidden from interacting, let along touching。

　　观察当地人的一举一动并照着做。记住，在东方国家，身体接触或在公众场合流露感情往往不被人接受。在卡塔尔和沙特阿拉伯这样的地方，男女交往都被禁止，更不要说身体接触了。

　　[Blowing Your Nose 擤鼻涕]

　　Where It&aposs Offensive: Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, France.

　　禁忌地：日本、沙特阿拉伯、法国

　　What&aposs Offensive 禁忌：

　　Some cultures find it disgusting to blow your nose in public--especially at the table. The Japanese and Chinese are alsorepelled by the idea of a handkerchi。

　　有些文化认为当众擤鼻涕是让人厌恶的行为——尤其在餐桌上。日本人还排斥使用手帕。

　　What You Should Do Instead 对策：

　　If traveling through Eastern and Asian countries, leave the hankies at home and opt fordisposable tissues instead. In France as well as in Eastern countries, if you&aposre dining and need to clear your nasal passages, excuse yourself and head to the restroom. Worst-case scenario: make an exaggerated fort to steer away from the table. Let&aposs hope you don&apost have a cold。

　　到东方或亚洲国家旅游时，把手帕留在家中，选择用一次性纸巾吧!在法国以及一些东方国家，如果在就餐过程中你需要擤鼻涕，要先说声“请原谅”再去洗手间。最糟糕的情景是：极为夸张地从餐桌上扭过头去擤鼻涕。还是祈祷自己不要感冒吧!

　　[Talking Over Dinner 就餐时谈话]

　　Where It&aposs Offensive: Africa, Japan, Thailand, China, Finland.

　　禁忌地：非洲、日本、泰国、芬兰

　　What&aposs Offensive 禁忌：

　　In some countries, like China, Japan, and some African nations, the food&aposs the thing, so don&apost start chatting about your day&aposs adventures while everyone else is digging into dinner. You&aposll likely be met with silence--not because your group is unfriendly, but because mealtimes are for eating, not talking. Also avoid conversations in places a country might consider sacred or rlective--churches in Europe, temples in Thailand, and saunas in Finland。

　　在日本和一些非洲国家，吃饭就是吃饭，所以当其他人都在大快朵颐时，不要谈论你当天的经历。你可能会遭遇沉默——这并非你的同伴不友好，而是因为就餐时间只应吃饭，无需交谈。也要避免在一些被认为是神圣或需要沉思的地方谈话——比如欧洲的教堂、泰国的庙宇和芬兰的桑拿浴室。

　　What You Should Do Instead 对策：

　　Keep quiet! 保持沉默!

　　[Removing Your Shoes…or Not 脱鞋.....与否]

　　Where It&aposs Offensive: Hawaii, the South Pacific, Korea, China, Thailand.

　　禁忌地：夏威夷、太平洋群岛、韩国、泰国

　　What&aposs Offensive 禁忌：

　　Take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party and the hostess will find you uncivilized, but fail to remove your shoes bore entering a home in Asia, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands and you&aposll be considered disrespectful. Not only does shoe removal very practically keeps sand and dirt out of the house, it&aposs a sign of leaving the outside world behind。

　　到伦敦人家里参加宴会时脱掉鞋子，女主人会认为你不文明，但去亚洲、夏威夷或太平洋群岛的居民家中不脱鞋却被认为失礼。脱掉鞋子不仅把沙粒与尘土留在了门外，更意味着把外面的世界抛之脑后。

　　What You Should Do Instead 对策：

　　If you see a row of shoes at the door, start undoing your laces. If not, keep the shoes on。

　　如果你在门口看到一排鞋子，就解开自己的鞋带。否则，就穿鞋进去吧!

　　[Knowing Your Right from Your Lt 分清左右手]

　　Where It&aposs Offensive: India, Morocco, Africa, the Middle East.

　　禁忌地：印度、非洲、中东

　　What&aposs Offensive 禁忌：

　　Many cultures still prer to eat using traditional methods--their hands. In these cases, food is often offered communally, which is why it&aposs important to wash your hands bore eating and observe the right-hand-is-for-eating and the lt-hand-is-for-other-duties rule. If you eat with your lt hand, expect your fellow diners to be mortified. And when partaking from a communal bowl, stick to a portion that&aposs closest to you. Do not get greedy and plunge your hand into the center。

　　许多文化依然推崇传统的进食方式——用手吃。在这种情况下，食物往往是众人一起分享的，因此饭前洗手很重要，而且要遵守用右手吃东西的习俗(左手往往有其他用途)。如果你用左手吃，同伴会感觉蒙受羞辱。当大家一起从公共的碗里取食时，就吃离你最近的那部分吧，不要贪婪地把手伸向饭碗中央。

　　What You Should Do Instead 对策：

　　Lt-handed? Attempt to be ambidextrous--even children who are lt-handed in these cultures are taught to eat with their right hand--or at least explain yourself to your fellow diners bore plunging in。

　　你是左撇子吗?还是努力让自己的双手都灵巧吧——在这些文化里，即使是左撇子的孩子也被教会用右手吃饭——或者至少吃饭前向同伴解释一下。

　　Once you are on the ground of a different country, remain highly sensitive to native behavior. Never be completely surprised by anything; try to take it in stride, and don&apost feel offended if something seems offensive--like queue jumping. After all, this is a global village, and we are all very different。

　　一旦你踏上异国的土地，就要对当地人的一举一动高度敏感。千万不要大惊小怪，尽量使自己泰然自若，对一些看似无礼的行为也不要恼火——比如插队。毕竟，我们生活在一个地球村，不同的文化构成了我们共同的家园。

　　其实这种gre趣味阅读可以给考生补充很多文化背景知识，在考试的时候也能用的上。

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