Vocabulary development

LIVING IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Our own society is the only one,
which we can transform and yet
not destroy, since the changes,
which we should introduce,
would come from within.

Claude Levi-Strauss

The importance of maintaining one’s cultural identity – and therefore the need to preserve, protect and defend one’s culturally shared values – often leads to the overestimating of the uniqueness of this or that nation. On the other hand, the hightened emphasis on culture is accompanied by growing opportunities to interact with people whose cultural background is different from one’s own. To some extent, national images may obstruct international understanding because they are, in a way, negative and misleading, and generally may cause international and national friction. No nation can afford cultural isolation as well as no country has the right to impose its merits on the whole civilization. We need to understand our co-inhabitants on the earth so that we can compete effectively in an increasingly global economy.

While working on the material of this unit be ready to discuss the issues of the intercultural connections, the problem of changing the place of living or citizenship, some racial or national prejudices and the variety of national peculiarities which have to be accepted to avoid cultural shocks.

BASIC VOCABULARY TERMS

descendant (n)	an offspring of a certain ancestor, family, group;
asylum (n)	a safe place;
stereotype (n)	fixed of conventional notion or conception;
exodus (n)	a mass departure;
influx (n)	arrival in large numbers;
deport (v)	send out of the country;
migrate (v)	move from one place to another (to live there);

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

Task 1. Match the words on the left with the words or phrases of similar meaning on the right.

1. asylum a) clever, skillful

2. bogus b) difficulty, perplexity

3. dexterous c) arguable, disputable

4. diversity d) unwilling

5. trespass e) false

6. tackle f) refuge

7. plight g) variety

8. moot h) deal with

9. involuntary i) intrude

10. intervene j) interfere

Task 2. Match the word with its definition.

1. nation	a) the quality of being ingenuous; cleverness
2. nationality	b) to give allegiance or support
3. type	c) stable community of people with territory, history, culture and language in common
4. stereotype	d) a fixed or conventional notion or conception
5. adhere	e) behavior typical of a person or group
6. ingenuity	f) a class, group, etc. with characteristics in common
7. character	g) the status of belonging to a nation by birth or naturalization
8. diversity	h) variety, difference
9. realignment	i) be tired, with no freedom of movement
10. be bond	j) drawing lines for new borders

Task 5. Fill in the blanks with the suitable words from the box.

To outlaw, expulsion, to dissent, to adjust, mourner, to intervene, bias

1.
Countries like Spain and France ordered mass … of ethnic or religious minorities.

2.
I strongly … from what the last speaker has said.

3.
Skinheads beat up … who gathered by the bomb site. The police did not….

4.
The first important piece of legislation in the US … discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex or national origin was the Civil Rights Act 1964.

5.
Muslims in particular, is the strongest of all … against ethnic, racial and religious groups.

6.
I was trying … to the demands of a society with which I was relatively unfamiliar.

Task 6. Fill in the gaps using the words in the box.

A. There is no such thing as a … American, but there are some views of Americans which many think are fair.

Ordinary Americans are friendly and not afraid of showing their feelings. They are not as … or class-conscious as the English, and the way people speak is not … to them. A University professor can talk to his students in a broad Brooklyn or Southern accent. However, there is “money …” in the USA which sometimes takes strange forms.

The American's dream is … in his job, success … by his own skill and hard work. There is no one an American … more that the self-made man, no matter what kind of family he comes from, whereas upper-class people in Britain still tender to dislike … men and find them socially unacceptable.

Self-made, success, typical, important, snobbish, earned, admires, snobbery

B. Englishmen are naturally … and are never tired of saying “Thank you” and “I'm sorry”. They are generally …, you never hear loud talk in the street. They do not rush for seats in buses and trains, but they take their seats in queues at bus stops. They will never shut the door in your face but will hold it open for you.

English people do not … … when meeting one another, they just smile and say “Hello!” they say “How do you do” sometimes, but not very often, only to people they meet for the … …..

Englishmen do not … their emotions even in tragic situations. They seem to remain … and … under difficulties.

First time, polite, show, good-tempered, shake hands, well-bred, cheerful

C. First of all, let us see, what has been influencing the formation of the Belarusian national …. Let’s start with natural and climatic conditions.

Sharp contrasts outside, inside and in the souls are not … for Belarus. The Belarusian character has no … and tense readiness for unexpected dangers. The nature of Belarus doesn't know storms or any cataclysms in general. Therefore, the Belarusians are … and on the whole optimistic, they never … a misfortune.

The Belarusians are accustomed to work hard, so as to produce something on this soil, sand or clay, that is why they are patient and …. The environmental peculiarities require our universality. Diligence and universalty are helping us …. Moreover, the Belarusians are undemanding and …. A Belarusian does not need very much any external demonstrations, he is more oriented at internal work.

Modest, hardworking, typical, character, somberness, expect, to survive, trustful

---

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29