Key to Exercises

Opener

Suggested answers for reference:

1. In China it is a familiar scene that grandparents take their grandchildren to or from school every day, which, however, seldom happens in the West. There parenting responsibility mainly rests with the parents rather than others.

2. In general there is not much difference between Western and Chinese tourists. If any, it seems that Chinese like to pose for photos with the scenery as the background, whereas Westerners often just shoot pictures of scenic spots.

3. Well, it's true that many Western employees see them and their boss as equals, but anywhere, anytime, you and your boss are never equals in its truest sense. There always exists a gap in between. Compared with Westerners, Chinese employees might tend to be more forbearing (克制) towards their boss and seldom air their grievances publicly.

Reading & Interacting I. Understanding the Text 1. Text Organization Parts Part One Paragraphs Paras. 1-2 Main Ideas The fulltime presence of the author's mother-in-law after the baby's birth skewed the balance in the family. Her mother-in-law's sacrifice made her grateful but uneasy, even suspicious at times. The author and her husband experienced conflict because of their Part Three Paras. 6-7 completely different views on family relationship and gender equity. Her mother-in-law's explanation of her role in the family was a Part Four Paras. 8-10 complete cultural shock, because the author, brought up in Canadian culture, prefers greater involvement from her husband in raising their daughter. Part Five Paras. 11-13 The women at the dinner table helped put things in perspective for the author. 1

Part Two Paras. 3-5 The author finally understood the Chinese way of raising a child, Part Six Paras. 14-16 but she is unlikely to change diapers for her mother-in-law in the future.

2. Comprehension Check 2.1 Digging into detail

1. The fact that he wasn't taking on half of the childcare duties, and he thought it was more important to spend time on his work than on his daughter, and his expectation that his mother would do all the housework he was supposed to do.

2. Her mother-in-law explained that her role in the family was to lighten the burden of her son, allowing him to keep his former way of life, and to help her daughter-in-law out with parenting and household management.

3. She thought it was absolutely unacceptable, because, in her view, her husband is one of two parents, and therefore their daughter should be half his responsibility; and she married her husband, not her mother-in-law.

4. He obviously believed that mothers are the primary caregiver of children and this was the normal difference between mothers and fathers.

5. She totally rejected the idea, because she thought what her mother-in-law did was fulfilling the parenting responsibility of her husband, therefore it was her husband's responsibility to take care of his own mother when she was old.

2.2 Understanding difficult sentences 1. B 2. B 3. A 4. A 5. B

II. Focusing on Language in Context 1. Key Words & Expressions

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1.1

1. In a TV interview after the election, the elected congresswoman said repeatedly how grateful she was to all her supporters.

2. More and more people now understand the importance of striking a balance between work and family.

3. Lots of people enjoy cooking yet hate to wash up.

4. In the plane crash over the weekend, the sole survivor was a baby traveling with its parents. 5. More and more people are becoming increasingly aware that climate change affects every aspect of our lives.

6. He used to enjoy going out to dine with friends, but he started spending more time with family after his wife gave birth to their baby daughter.

7. It is a tradition of American universities to invite prominent people from various fields to deliver a speech at their commencement/graduation ceremony.

8. Apart from occasional visits to local places of interest, such as art galleries, exhibitions and shopping centres, the old couple generally stayed at home.

9. The elder gentleman looked over his shoulder before entering the building, making sure nobody was following him.

10. The new product was developed in response to customer demand.

11. The young man drank too much at the party and could barely remember anything when he found himself in the hospital next morning.

12. Students should be encouraged to adopt different approaches to problems.

13. Politicians always try to avoid expressing in public opinions that are considered extreme or unpopular.

14. I love the job, and it's an added bonus that it's so close to home.

15. It seemed that the employment opportunities available fell short of what people hoped for that year.

16. As some of the issues surrounding climate change are very complex, it will take a long time for the international community to reach consensus.

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1.2

1. negotiation 2. hono(u)r 3. phase 4. maintain 5. in the eyes of 6. leaving behind 7. relieve me of 8. work out 1.3

1. The prime minister in the United Kingdom is roughly equivalent to the president of the United States.

2. The law requires that a contract has to be signed in the presence of a witness.

3. The couple with the new-born baby was looking for someone to help manage the household. 4. Children can experience much pressure to live up to the expectations of their parents. 5. Growing up means a person learns to take full responsibility for making their own decisions. 6. Chinese parents are known to make huge sacrifices to ensure a good education for their children.

7. A crime is a crime. You don't have a chance of getting away with it. 8. Your analysis put my problems into perspective. 2. Usage

1. a 2. c 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. b 7. c 8. b

3. Sentence Patterns

1. As I see it, those threatened the most by digital technology should learn to adapt and make a living out of it, rather than constantly complain.

2. It's true my wife isn't an excellent cook, but my cooking skill is even worse, so I didn't dare (to) make any comments about what she cooks.

3. My girlfriend was seriously ill then, but she didn't dare (to) tell her parents about it.

4. It's true that I experienced culture shock when I first worked in a different country, but I gradually learned to appreciate the differences rather than feel angry at them.

5. Having worked in a different city for 18 months, the young man was proud of himself for embracing the unknown and making new friends rather than hiding himself in his comfort 4

zone as he used to.

6. The job market is at its worst and I consider myself lucky to find a well-paid job, therefore I don't dare (to) ask for more.

4. Comprehensive Practice 4.1

It is easy to get things wrong if you move to live in a new country with a different culture from your own. You may find yourself facing a whole new set of expectations about the proper way to behave. Go out to dine with your new friends and you may find yourself having to adopt a whole new set of table manners. Then there is the problem of who is responsible for paying for the meal. This may not be immediately apparent. In some cultures friends share the cost equally at the end of the meal, in others the preference is for friends to take turns, repaying one meal with another at a later date. Working out the details of local customs like these may take time, but, in my view, it is well worth the effort if you want to avoid misunderstandings. 4.2

To be a grandparent is a big deal in China. Chinese grandparents are widely known for their devotion to the responsibilities of taking care of the third generation. This, however, is a primary cause of the conflict between parents and their adult children, for there exist apparent differences in aspects like lifestyle and parenting approaches between the two generations. You can expect parents to help you manage your household and take on childcare duties, thus relieving you of your burden as a parent, but you must know, very often, you have to leave your own parenting ideas behind. Meanwhile, the adult child simply can't take the kindness of his/her parents for granted. As your parents helped you out when you struggled to balance family and career, you are certainly expected to repay their kindness by taking care of them when they get old.

Reading & Comprehending Reading 1

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