elsewhere would be obscene?
● passing objects or gesturing with your left hand is an offense in many countries? ● you are expected to smack and suck loudly at dinner in some culture> ● you'd not talk with your hand in your pockets?
● pointing with your index finger is impolite in most cultures?
These and many other small but important facts are contained in the nonverbal world of gestures. Let's start with gestures of approval and disapproval. Gestures of approval
The OK sign (an \goodness in North American culture. However, as mentioned earlier it is obscene or rude in many parts of Latin America, Europe, Asia, and elsewhere. To the French, the OK gesture means \or \
Many cultures, including France and a number of Latin American countries, show approval by the thumb-up gesture. But in Bangladesh, the same sign means rejection, not approval! Two thumbs are better than one in Kenya, where this double sign means approval. The thumb and all fingertips pulled together (\hand purse\while waving toward the body, means \in Tunisia. Unfortunately, the same sign can also mean \
In many parts of the world, people often use hand clapping to show thanks or positive feelings. Greeks indicate approval or \can mean approval in Lebanon and Iran. In Tonga, raising the eyebrows indicates agreement or liking.
An Italian gesture of praise or happiness is he \finger into the cheek and twists it. Kissing one's own fingertips is a sign of happiness, joy, and utter approval of something or someone especially in Europe and Latin America.
Gesture of Disapproval
Gestures of disapproval, dislike, or \gesture of shaking the whole hand from side to side with the index finger extended and the palm outward. A similar gesture is used all the way in Japan.
In Bolivia and Hunduras, people wave the index finger as a negative sign. In labanon, negativity can also be expressed by shaking the index finger from side to side.
Folks in Barbados express disgust by puckering their lips and making a sound (chupse). In Bangladesh, the thumbs-up sign is used to show disapproval or rejection, not approval. In Greece, Iran, and Italy, a slight upward not (the head toss) shows \
In many countries around the globe, a common sigh for saying \fingers or the hand toward the irritating person or thing. No wonder it is called the \Part IV
China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business there. Let's have a look at some important tips to help you be successful with these nationalities.
Firstly, you must be punctual with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it's important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means quarter to eight, or even eight o'clock! With Russians, always be on time, but don't be
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surprised if your Russian contact is very late! It is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late!
In all four countries, it is best to dress formally and use dark colors. In Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don't be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have \down Friday\when people wear casual clothes.
In Germany, first names are only used with family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names.
In conversation, the British and the Americans value humor, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British. The Germans, however, prefer to get strait down to business!
Finally, when doing business in all countries make sure you have a lot of business cards. Remember that in Germany, once a deal has been agreed, you can’t change it! In the USA, money is more important than relationships, whereas in Russia it’s important to get to know your contact well. Finally, don’t be surprised if a British meeting seems like chaos, with everybody participating and giving opinions!
So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to s successful international business career!
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Unit 12
Item one
Different people have different ways of learning. We call this your “learning style”, and it’s based on your senses. To learn, you need to use your different senses – hearing, seeing, touching, etc., to bring information to your brain. Now, most people use one of their senses more than the others.
Some people learn best by listening. They are called hearing learners. And others learn best by reading or looking at pictures. They are called visual learners. And some learn best by touching and doing things. They are called tactile learners. Now scientists don’t know why people use one sense more than the others. Maybe the sense they use most just works best for them.
Item two
Today, we tell about one of the most famous national parks in the United States. It is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Yosemite National Park is a place of extremes. It has high mountains. It has valleys formed by ancient ice that cut deep into the earth millions of years ago. Water from high in the mountains falls in many places to the green valley far below. There are thirteen beautiful waterfalls in Yosemite Valley. One of these waterfalls, Yosemite Falls, is the fifth highest on Earth. Yosemite has a beautiful slow-moving river and large grassy areas where you can see wild animals.
Item three
America’s national road system makes it possible to drive coast to coast. From the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west is a distance of more than 4,000 kilometers. Or you could drive more than two thousand kilometers and go from the Canadian border south to the Mexican border. The highway system has made it possible for people to work in a city and live outside it. And it has made it possible for people to travel easily and quickly from one part of the country to another.
Item four
The way you look at someone conveys important cultural messages. Without your even knowing it, your gaze speaks volumes. “The eyes are the window of the soul,” according to the old sayings. Staring is acceptable in some cultures but not in others. A wink can mean a compliment or an insult, depending on the cultures. A direct gaze can be a sign of honesty or an indication of disrespect and rudeness, according to the culture that surrounds the gazer. The way a person gazes thus expresses a strong message-but this message can be easily misunderstood if cultural norms are not shared.
Item five
This time of the year Americans spend lots of time shopping for holiday gifts for their family members and friends. Many people visit a lot of stores in large shopping centers to buy their gifts. Others order goods by telephone from catalogues, the magazines that offer company’s products. And many are doing their holiday shopping on the Internet. Industry experts say American business should have about 184,000 million dollars in sales during November and December. 63% of people who use the Internet say they expect to buy at least some gifts there.
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Item six
IOC stands for International Olympic Committee, which governs the Olympics in general. It was founded in Paris on 23 June 1894. Its headquarters are in the Swiss city of Lausanne. Its official languages are English and French. IOC members come from five different continents-Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. They choose Olympic cities six years in advance. All the Olympic movement’s rules are contained in a book called The Olympic Charter. There is an Olympic Museum and Studies Center in Lausanne. It contains posters, documents, medals, books, photos, paintings, films and sculptures.
Item seven
There are far too many road accidents in this country, too many deaths and too many people injured. One wonders who most to blame, drivers or pedestrians. Some people say that the blame can not be put fairly without considering the state of the roads and the whole transport system. On the other hand, many experts are convinced that the larger part of the blame for the death toll must be put on persons and persons alone. To be fair, pedestrians, drivers and road conditions are all to blame. One looks forward to the day when the motor-car has been replaced by some less dangerous means of transport.
Item eight
Petroleum has been important since ancient times. In Latin, the name means “rock oil.” Petroleum is a fossil fuel. The liquid comes from the remains of plants and animals that died millions of years ago. These remains were buried deep below levels of rock over time and under great pressure. This geological process created complex molecules of hydrogen and carbon. Oil can also contain other elements. Crude oil, or unprocessed petroleum, is called sour when it contains a lot of sulfur, an impurity. Sour crude requires more refining than sweet crude, which is often more valuable.
Item nine
In September of 2000, world leaders set eight goals for bringing millions of people out of poverty. These became known as the United Nations millennium development goals. Among them: cut in half the number of people living on less than one dollar a day and halt the spread of AIDS and malaria. The goals also include improving survival rates for pregnant women and young children, and educating all children. Working for equality between women and men and dealing with environmental needs like safe water also are included. The target date for reaching the goals is 2015.
Item ten
One way to think about time is to imagine a world without time. There could be no movement, because time and movement cannot be separated. A world without time could exist only as long as there were no changes. For time and change are linked. We know that time has passed when something changes. In the real world-the world with time-changes never stop. Some changes happen only once in a while, like an eclipse of the moon. Others happen repeatedly, like the rising and setting of the sun. Humans always have noted natural events that repeat themselves. When
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