Being shy keeps many Chinese people from getting to know westerners. You may feel nervous about making language mistakes in front of a native English speaker.
But remember, westerners living in Asia know how it feels to try to communicate in a foreign language. They have made many mistakes when speaking Chinese!
So don’t worry about speaking imperfect English. The important thing is just to communicate. Start talking, and make some foreign friends!
Many westerners value(注重) their privacy(隱私). Don’t be surprised if your new friend doesn’t want to include you in everything he does. This may seem strange to Chinese who worry about that their friends will get lonely.
Chinese people often expect their good friends to give advice and take care of them in many ways. If you expect this kind of care from westerners, you may be disappointed. Why? Because most westerners value
independence. They feel insulted(侮辱的) if others think they can’t take care of themselves. They will assume(假設(shè)) you feel the same way.
Of course, these tips(小提示) are just rules of thumb(經(jīng)驗(yàn)之談) and may not apply(適用) to all westerners. Each person you meet will have his or her own ideas about friendship. When you get confused(不明白), don’t be shy and worry to ask questions. Your new western friends may also have many questions about Chinese culture, and they may be hesitant(猶豫) to ask. So encourage them to ask questions, too.
Be honest and open to your friends. Respect each other’s differences. The friendships you make can be lifelong treasure both for you and your new friends.
小題1:.Why do many Chinese people feel worried to speak to the foreigners?
A.Being shy. | B.Making a lot of language mistakes. |
C.Nothing to say. | D.Can’t speak a foreign language. |
小題2:.What do you think the foreigners may not be insulted with?
A.Giving advice. | B.Taking care of themselves. |
C.Getting care from good friends. | D.Getting help. |
小題3:.What does the underlined word “independence” mean?
小題4:.What may help you to make lifelong friends?
A.Be honest. | B.Open to your friends. | C.Respect each other. | D.All of the above. |