1、Unit 1Other countries,other culturesWelcome to the unit模块九模块九Do you have an experience of going abroad?How much do you know about foreign countries?Look at the pictures below and try to guess which country each represents.Picture 1They are Mounties,or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.They are also
2、known as the RCMP.The RCMP was originally called North-West Mounted Police,which was formed in 1873.In 1920,it was renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.In the past,horses were used as a means of transport by the police in Canada.Now,various modern facilities are used instead.The Coat of Arms of
3、 Canada The worlds second-largest countryWhat other things can you think of to represent Canada?Red maple leaves Picture 2This man guards the Queens jewels.The man is a beefeater,or the Yeomen Warder of his Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London.In the past,the beefeaters looked afte
4、r the prisoners in the London Tower and guarded the British crown jewels.Now,they no longer safeguard the Queens jewels.Instead,they are ceremonial guardians who also act as tour guides.To most of the tourists,they are tourist attractions in their own right.What other things can you think of to repr
5、esent the UK?Big BenStonehengePicture 3 This modern opera house has become the symbol of the modern city.The Sydney Opera House represents both achievements in modern architecture and performance.This magnificent building was constructed between 1957 and 1973,and its concrete shell roof is very dist
6、inctive.Since its official opening,the Sydney Opera House has attracted famous performers all around the world.What other things can you think of to represent Australia?Koala bearKangarooPicture 4Everything is bigger in this country,including the skyscrapers!The Empire State Building,which stands ov
7、er a quarter of a mile above the heart of Manhattan,is a 102-story landmark skyscraper.It was designed by William F.Lamb and constructed between 1929 and 1931.What other things can you think of to represent the USA?The Statue of LibertyThe White HouseCan you name any symbols for other countries?cher
8、ry blossomJapanMount FujipyramidsEgyptLeaning Tower PisaItalyEiffel Tower FranceGreeceAegean SeakimonotulipHollandJapanrakiFootballFranceBrazilIf you had to choose a symbol to represent China,what would you choose?What is culture?What about the relationship between culture andlanguage?Culture,in a b
9、road sense,is an integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts,communications,languages,practices,beliefs,values,customs,courtesies,rituals,manners of interacting and roles,relationships and expected behaviors of a racial,ethnic,religious or social group.As a culture is so inclusive,it
10、 permeates virtually every aspect of human life and influences predominantly peoples behavior,including linguistic behavior.This means that language is not only part of how we define culture,but it also reflects culture.Language and culture intrinsically depend on each other,they have evolved throug
11、h the history.Their mutual interdependence can find proof in the rise of civilization,the development of writing and human communication.Language is a vehicle of cultural transmission.Different languages may reflect different cultures;different cultures entail different language expressions.Idioms,p
12、roverbs and metaphors in different languages derived from different origins,also demonstrate cultural differences.Different languages may have different idioms owing to different livingenvironments,social conventions and literature tradition,etc.Thus,language learners cannot truly master the languag
13、e until they have also mastered the cultural contexts in which the language occurs.What role do you think culture teaching play in language teaching?Language is a part of culture and plays a very important role in it.Some social scientists consider it the keystone of culture.Without language,they ma
14、intain,culture would not be possible.On the other hand,language is influenced and shaped by culture;it reflects culture.In the broadest sense,language is the symbolic representation of a people,and it comprised their historical and cultural backgrounds as well as their approach to life and their way
15、s of living and thinking.Learning a language is inseparable from learning its culture.When learning a foreign or second language.We should not only learn the mere imitation of the pronunciation,grammar words and idioms,but also learn to see the world as native speakers do.That is to say,learn the wa
16、ys in which the foreign language reflects the ideas,customs and behavior of that society.Learning to understand their“language of the mind”.That is to say,we need to learn enough about the languages culture so that we can communicate in the target language properly to achieve not only the linguistic
17、 competence as well.This is of great significance in learning a foreign or second language.Otherwise the ignorance of cultural difference can create barriers in learning the target language and in communication,thus causing some unnecessary misunderstandings and confusions sometimes.1.Find more information about symbols of a country.2.Prepare for the reading part.Homework
