2014-2015-1 《商务跨文化交际》期末口语考试

Oral Test For Intercultural Business Communication Course

Directions: You’ll read 5 cases, with several questions for discussion followed. Please work in pairs and get prepared for the oral test. You should make up a dialogue for each case and analyze the case with the help of those questions. You should first point out the conflict/ conflicts in the case, and then analyze the reason/ reasons by figuring out the cultural differences. You should also work out the solutions. During the oral test, each pair will be assigned one case to analyze and your dialogue should last for at least 3 minutes. （40’）

Case 1

A very distinguished 75-year-old Chinese scholar and statesman was being honored by a university in the eastern United States. He and his wife had just made the 21-hour flight from Beijing and they were met at the airport by some friends who exclaimed, “You must be tired!” His response was keyi, “It’s possible” or “It’s OK”. Of course he was tired! He was an old man who had sat on airplanes or in airports for 24 hours straight. But the context --- the meeting in an airport at night, the fact of his long journey, his slightly glazed eyes --- communicated the obvious. It was unnecessary to put it into words.

Yet it is not hard for a Western imagination to suppose the situation in reverse. A traveler to Beijing gets off the plane after 24 hours of continuous travel and , in response to the same comment, “You must be tired!” replies, “Tired! I’ve never been so tired if my legs would work again! My eyes are so gritty with sleep that they feel like the Gobi desert was in that plane!” and so forth.

Questions for discussion:

1.What does the old man’s answer mean?

2.What aspects of culture result in the different answers between American and Chinese?

Case 2

American: I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Sato. (The American extends his hand for a handshake).

Japanese: (extending his hand and shakes hands with a weak, limp grip) So pleased to meet you, Mr. Rogers.

American: This is my first time in Tokyo, and I look forward to our business association... Shall we begin our meeting?

Japanese: (puzzled). Excuse me. (reaches into a card case and presents his card to Rogers). Here is my business card...

American: ( Rogers takes out his wallet immediately and puts Sato’s card in it after quickly glancing at both sides; he fumbles through his credit cards looking for a business card)... I’m sure i have a card here... somewhere...

Japanese: (acting hurt) Do not go to any trouble...

American: (Finds one)... Ah, here’s a card... ( he hands Sato a bent card).

Japanese: ( Sato graciously accepts the card and reads it very carefully, and turns it over to its flip side and its blank... He is puzzled...)