2018年6月四级听力美文第24篇:Difference Between Cultures

英语自学网

　　英语四级听力美文第24篇:Difference Between Cultures
        　　I have always found the Chinese to be a very gracious people. In
particular, Chinese frequentlycompliment foreign friends on their language
skills,knowledge of Chinese culture, professional accomplishments, and personal
health.Curiously, however, Chinese are as loathto accept a complimentas they are
eager to give one.
        　　As many of my Chinese friends have explained,this is a manifestation of the
Chinese virtue ofmodesty. I have noticed a difference, though, in the degree to
which modesty is emphasizedin the United States and China. In the US, we tend to
place more emphasis on “seeking thetruth from fact;” thus, Americans tend to
accept a compliment with gratitude. Chinese, onthe other hand, tend to reject
the compliment, even when they know they deserve thecredit or recognition which
has been awarded them. I can imagine a Chinese basketball fanmeeting Michael
Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. He might say, “Mr. Jordan, I am so happy to
meetyou. I just want to tell you, you are the best basketball player in the
world; you’re thegreatest!” to which Jordan would probably respond, “Thank you
very much. I really appreciateit! I just do try to do my best every time I step
on the court.” If an American met Deng Yaping, China’s premier pingpong player,
he might say much the same thing: “Ms. Deng, you’re thebest!” but as a Chinese,
Deng would probably say, “No, I really don’t play all that well. You’retoo much
kind.” Plainly, Americans and Chinese have different ways of responding to
praise. Ironically, many Americans might consider Ms. Deng’s hypothetical
response the lessmodest, because it is less truthful — and therefore less
sincere. Americans generally placesincerity above etiquette; genuine gratitude
for the praise serves as a substitute forprotestations of modesty. After all, in
the words of one of my closest Chinese friends, modestytaken to the extreme is
arrogance.