Australian Culture And Culture Shock Reading Answer
IELTS Academic Reading PassageSometimes work, study or an sense of adventure take us out of our familiar surroundings to go and live in a different culture. The experience can be difficult, even shocking.
Almost everyone who studies, lives or works abroad has problems adjusting to a new culture. This response is commonly referred to as ‘culture shock’. Culture shock can be defined as ‘the physical and emotional discomfort a person experiences when entering a culture different from their own’ (Weaver, 1993).
For people moving to Australia, Price (2001) has identified certain values which may give rise to culture shock. Firstly, he argues that Australians place a high value on independence and personal choice. This means that a teacher or course tutor will not tell students what to do, but will give them a number of options and suggest they work out which one is the best in their circumstances. It also means that they are expected to take action if something goes wrong and seek out resources and support for themselves.
Australians are also prepared to accept a range of opinions rather than believing there is one truth. This means that in an educational setting, students will be expected to form their own opinions and defend the reasons for that point of view and the evidence for it.
Price also comments that Australians are uncomfortable with differences in status and hence idealise the idea of treating everyone equally. An illustration of this is that most adult Australians call each other by their first names. This concern with equality means that Australians are uncomfortable taking anything too seriously and are even ready to joke about themselves.
Australians believe that life should have a balance between work and leisure time. As a consequence, some students may be critical of others who they perceive as doing nothing but study.
Australian notions of privacy mean that areas such as financial matters, appearance and relationships are only discussed with close friends. While people may volunteer such information, they may resent someone actually asking them unless the friendship is firmly established. Even then, it is considered very impolite to ask someone what they earn. With older people, it is also rude to ask how old they are, why they are not married or why they do not have children. It is also impolite to ask people how much they have paid for something, unless there is a very good reason for asking.
Kohls (1996) describes culture shock as a process of change marked by four basic stages. During the first stage, the new arrival is excited to be in a new place, so this is often referred to as the “honeymoon” stage. Like a tourist, they are intrigued by all the new sights and sounds, new smells and tastes of their surroundings. They may have some problems, but usually they accept them as just part of the novelty. At this point, it is the similarities that stand out, and it seems to the newcomer that people everywhere and their way of life are very much alike. This period of euphoria may last from a couple of weeks to a month, but the letdown is inevitable.
During the second stage, known as the ‘rejection’ stage, the newcomer starts to experience difficulties due to the differences between the new culture and the way they were accustomed to living. The initial enthusiasm turns into irritation, frustration, anger and depression, and these feelings may have the effect of people rejecting the new culture so that they notice only the things that cause them trouble, which they then complain about. In addition, they may feel homesick, bored, withdrawn and irritable during this period as well.
Fortunately, most people gradually learn to adapt to the new culture and move on to the third stage, known as ‘adjustment and reorientation’. During this stage a transition occurs to a new optimistic attitude. As the newcomer begins to understand more of the new culture, they are able to interpret some of the subtle cultural clues which passed by unnoticed earlier. Now things make more sense and the culture seems more familiar. As a result, they begin to develop problem-solving skills, and feelings of disorientation and anxiety no longer affect them.
In Kohls’s model, in the fourth stage, newcomers undergo a process of adaptation. They have settled into the new culture, and this results in a feeling of direction and self- confidence. They have accepted the new food, drinks, habits and customs and may even find themselves enjoying some of the very customs that bothered them so much previously. In addition, they realise that the new culture has good and bad things to offer and that no way is really better than another, just different.
Questions 1-6
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1. Australian teachers will suggest alternatives to students rather than offer one solution.
2. In Australia, teachers will show interest in students’ personal circumstances.
3. Australians use people’s first names so that everyone feels their status is similar.
4. Students who study all the time may receive positive comments from their colleagues.
5. It is acceptable to discuss financial issues with people you do not know well.
6. Younger Australians tend to be friendlier than older Australians.
Questions 7-13
Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
THE STAGES OF CULTURE SHOCK
|
Name |
Newcomers’ reaction to problems |
Stage 1 |
7………………… |
They notice the 8……………….. between different nationalities and cultures. They may experience this stage for up to 9………………… |
Stage 2 |
Rejection |
They reject the new culture and lose the 10……………….. they had at the beginning. |
Stage 3 |
Adjustment and reorientation |
They can understand some 11………………. which they had not reviously observed. They learn 12………………… for dealing with difficulties. |
Stage 4 |
13………………… |
They enjoy some of the customs that annoyed them before. |
Solution:Australian Culture And Culture Shock Reading Answer
1. TRUE | 8. similarities |
2. NOT GIVEN | 9. one month |
3. TRUE | 10. enthusiasm |
4. FALSE | 11. clues |
5. FALSE | 12. skills |
6. NOT GIVEN | 13. adaptation |
7. Honeymoon |
Latest Academic Reading Passages
Becoming An Expert Reading Answer
A Expertise is commitment coupled with creativity. Specifically, it is the commitment of time, energy, and resource to a relatively narrow field of study and the creative energy necessary to generate new knowledge in that field. It takes a...
STUDY CENTRE COURSES Reading Answer
SELF-STUDY TIPS AHowever difficult you find it to arrange your time, it will pay off in the long run if you set aside a certain part of the day for studying - and stick to it. It is best to make a weekly allocation of your time, making sure...
The Extrinct Grass In Britain Reading Answer
A The British grass interrupted brome was said to be extinct, just like the Dodo. Called interrupted brome because of its gappy seed-head, this unprepossessing grass was found nowhere else in the world, Gardening experts from the Victorian...
Morse Code Reading Answer
A. A new satellite-based system is being implemented to replace Morse code for sending distress calls at sea. Since 1992, when the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System was established, nations have been gradually retiring their Morse...
Magnetic Therapy Reading Answer
AMagnetic therapy, which is a $5-billion market worldwide, is a form of alternative medicine which claims that magnetic fields have healing powers. Magnetic devices that are claimed to be therapeutic include magnetic bracelets, insoles, wrist...
IELTS Academic Reading – Band Score Description and Calculation
IELTS Academic Reading - Band Score Description and Calculation The IELTS Academic Reading test is graded on a band scale of 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest score possible. Each band score corresponds to a level of proficiency in English. The following is a general...
IELTS Academic Reading FAQs
IELTS Academic Reading FAQs What types of texts will I encounter on the IELTS Reading test? You may encounter a range of text types, including academic articles, reports, newspaper articles, and advertisements. The texts will cover a range of topics, from science and...
IELTS Reading – Improve Vocabulary and Grammar Skills
IELTS Reading - Improve Vocabulary and Grammar Skills To improve your vocabulary and grammar skills for the IELTS Reading test, here are some tips: Read extensively: Reading extensively is one of the best ways to improve your vocabulary and grammar skills. Read a...