2. 課本PPT 成績冊Google Sheet
Lesson 1: Kiss Culture Shock Goodbye
Traveling can be an enjoyable and valuable experience. However, foreign customs can be so different from our own that our traveling experiences may often surprise us. This is known as culture shock. Let’s meet some travelers and learn how they “survived” their experiences of culture shock.
Meiling’s Awkward Kiss
I have fond memories of my trip to France last year, except for the French greetings. Once, I was introduced to one of my cousin’s girlfriends. Like most Taiwanese people, I smiled and said hello, but the French girl grabbed both of my shoulders and kissed me on the cheeks! It was such an embarrassing experience for me that I just stood there, smiling like a dummy!
Felix’s Kindness Broke a Cultural Rule
On my second day in Thailand, I learned a valuable cultural lesson. I was walking down the street when a soccer ball bounced toward me. I picked it up and looked around. A shy young boy approached and gestured to the ball. I smiled and handed it over, patting the boy on the head. The smile on the face of his dad immediately vanished. Later I learned that for Thai people, people’s heads are holy. Only the king, monks, and parents are permitted to touch them.
The Story of a Hungry Backpacker
To enjoy my time in Spain, all I had to do was get used to their odd daily schedule. First of all, they usually have breakfast no earlier than 10 a.m. In fact, breakfast is normally skipped altogether! Their lunch break, on the contrary, seems to last forever. It includes the famous Spanish “siesta,” or midday nap, and can sometimes last until 4 p.m. Six p.m. is the time for an “afternoon” snack, and I had to wait till nine or ten for dinner!
If you ever experience this kind of culture shock, don’t panic. It’s normal to be surprised by cultural differences. In order to enjoy your travels to the fullest, all you have to do is be open to new things and embrace the feeling of culture shock. These experiences can teach you so much more than books ever will!
Lesson 2: Brooklyn Bridge: A Story of Determination
About 150 years ago, John Roebling, an engineer, wanted to build a huge suspension bridge to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn. At that time, such a bridge was badly needed, since thousands of people had to cross the East River by boat every day. John Roebling’s plan, however, would be one of the most difficult engineering projects in history and even seemed impossible. Experts all over the world thought he was crazy and said the job couldn’t be done.
However, John and his son, Washington, did not give up. They hired a team of construction workers and began to build their dream bridge. Though the project went well in the beginning, John was seriously hurt during the construction process and soon died of an infection. Later, things went from bad to worse when Washington suffered terrible brain damage. As a result, he could neither talk nor walk. Everyone thought that the project would end because only the Roeblings fully understood the design of the bridge.
Despite all the doubts and challenges, Washington continued to believe that the bridge was worth building. He could move only one finger, but his mind was still sharp. By moving this finger, he slowly developed a code so as to communicate with his wife, Emily. He started to tap messages on her arm. Eventually, Emily could pass his instructions on to the construction team. In addition, she even studied higher mathematicsž and bridge engineering so that she could guide the team. For 13 years, she helped her husband fulfill his dream. Finally, the project was completed. The Brooklyn Bridge opened with a big celebration on May 24, 1883, and Emily was the first to cross it.
Today, the Brooklyn Bridge is a famous landmark in New York City and is one of the greatest constructions in the world. It not only honors the Roeblings’ spirit and determination but also values those who keep their faith. The building of this bridge is truly a story of how one person can achieve great success in spite of facing great difficulties.
Lesson 3: The Life of a Plastic Bag
I am a plastic bag. I have a great figure; I’m thin, light, and transparent. When I was very young, I was sent from the factory where I was born to a convenience store. I stayed there for a long time, waiting eagerly to be used. Finally, some kids came along, bought snacks, and took me to the beach, where they had a picnic. As darkness approached, they packed everything up and left, but they forgot one thing—me! The wind started to blow, and suddenly I was in the sea.
I floated helplessly on the surface of the water for a while, but soon realized I wasn’t alone. I was surrounded by plastic cups, plates, and straws. Up in the sky were birds flying high and free, but I could only follow the currentsž. Suddenly, I went down a tunnel into a chamber. “What happened?” I asked a fork next to me. “I think we were just eaten by a huge fish!” he replied. More and more of us were swallowed until it got quite crowded inside. We obviously weren’t that nutritious because the fish died after a few days.
The fish’s body slowly decomposed, and then I was back in the ocean. One day, a big wave came and tossed me onto the shore. Then a few days later, some school children walked up to me, carrying bags and pairs of tongs. I felt a sudden pinch, and the next thing I knew was that I was inside a big bag of trash. A teacher told these schoolchildren, “Plastic never goes away, and it can harm people. A lot of the plastic products that we make end up in the ocean, where sea creatures consume them. When we eat seafood, the poisonous substances from the plastic end up inside us.”
According to a plastic bottle nearby, the humans are going to take us to a recycling plant. That’s good news for me because I’m tired of floating around, killing fish, and damaging the environment. I’m really looking forward to the day when someone uses me properly!
Lesson 4: Ban-Doh: The Most Authentic Taiwanese Eating Experience
Taking part in a student exchange program has really opened my eyes to the cultural differences between Taiwan and my home country. One of the highlights of my trip was when my host family invited me to a friend’s wedding banquet in Kaohsiung.
When I arrived at the banquet, I saw people sitting at large round tables in a place I was not expecting at all. Back in the US, banquets are usually held in large dining halls. This one, however, was taking place right out on the street! A large tent had been put up to shelter the cheerful guests from the fierce sun. Although it occupied nearly half the street, none of the passing vehicles or pedestrians seemed to mind. At one end of the temporary tent, I could see cooks and assistants working hard, preparing large plates of delicious-looking food.
I was curious about this custom of “open-air” banquets, so I asked my host parents how it had first come about. My host father explained that this kind of banquet, or “ban-doh” in Taiwanese, originated in the countryside. In the old days, when people wanted to celebrate an event, everyone in the neighborhood would work together to arrange a ban-doh. The host would prepare all the ingredients for the meal, and neighbors would help out with the cooking, or provide tables, chairs, and eating utensils. The ban-doh back then was all about enjoying a sense of togetherness.
My host mother added that at the end of the banquet, guests would pack up the leftovers to take home. Since it was usually late in the evening when they finally left, the host would hand out torches to help them light their way home. Older folks in Taiwan still remember seeing lines of people stroll home with torches and bags of food in their hands. Although some aspects of the ban-doh have changed in modern times, the spirit of gathering together to have fun still remains.
I am truly lucky to have had the opportunity to experience this awesome event. It is one thing I’ll surely share with all my friends and family members when they ask me about my time in Taiwan.
Lesson 5: I No Longer Mind the Gap
Last week, I saw her for the third time. Just as before, she was sitting quietly on the platform benchž. Three trains came and went, but she didn’t move or even look up. It seemed like she was simply... listening.
“Mind the gap.” The familiar announcement echoed along the station track. Some passengers got off. Others rushed on to grab a seat. Still others made their way to the exits. She just sat, listening.
The woman was old and elegantly dressed, and she wasn’t bothering anyone. Yet, as the stationmasterž, I decided to check to see if anything was wrong. I walked over but before I could reach her, she rose and spoke to me first.
“Excuse me, sir, but the voice....”
“Ma’am?”
“The voice,” she went on, “it’s different. It’s not his.”
Seeing her become slightly emotional, I pointed to a bench, and we sat down together. She shared her story, and all became clear. The previous recording, which warned train passengers to watch their step, was of her late husband’s voice. Some changes in life are hard to get over, so every time she missed him, she came to this station just to hear him “speak” again.
I felt very sorry to tell her that the Underground had replaced her husband’s recording with a new system, and that nothing could be done. Then I watched her get up and disappear slowly into the crowd.
Today, she was walking along the empty platform again. A train arrived, and I saw her stop to listen for the announcement. Wonder and joy filled her wrinkled face when she once more heard her lost love’s voice: “Mind the gap.”
“Of course, we have a recording for you too,” I said, handing her a digital copy. Her teary eyes shone with gratitude as she took the precious gift. Then she stepped onto the train. “You’re finally getting on?” I asked, a little surprised. “Thank you. I can go on from here now,” she smiled in reply. “Carrying my memories with me, I no longer mind the gap.”
Lesson 6: Having Fun with Change
Most people have habits or behaviors that they would like to change for the better. However, such changes are not always easy to make. So how do we encourage people to take action? The answer is: Have more fun!
Let’s look at a simple part of daily life: crossing the street. People often ignore the “red man” light signal that tells them not to cross. This can lead to accidents. To improve road safety, a car company put up a new kind of traffic light at an intersection in Lisbon, Portugal. Instead of standing still, a new “red man” started to dance when the light turned red. To many people’s surprise, the red man’s dance moves were actually being performed by someone in a nearby boothž. Anyone could enter the booth and choose the music that he or she wished to dance to. This proved to be fun for both the dancer and the pedestrians. Thanks to this creative idea, 81% more pedestrians stopped at the red light. It was by adding a little fun to people’s daily routine that the experiment was successful.
At a busy subway station in Stockholm, Sweden, another fun change was added to people’s everyday lives. An experiment was conducted with the goal of having people use the stairs rather than the escalator. In the experiment, regular stairs were changed to look like giant piano keys and each produced a sound when it was stepped on. Normally, most people would head straight for the escalator. However, because the enormous keys were so appealing, many chose to climb the stairs instead. Some even jumped from one stair to another to play music with their feet! What a difference it made! The number of people who chose the stairs over the escalator went up by 66%. It was the musical stairs that had motivated people to make the change, simply because they were more fun!
When ordinary activities become more entertaining, most people are happy to join in the fun. There are different ways to add an exciting spark to our daily routines, and the changes can be big or small. The important thing, obviously, is that they promote positive behavior by making people feel good.
7. 課文補充影片:
(1) 如何回應法式貼面禮
(2) French kissing culture: The ins and outs of 'la bise'
(3) Things NOT To Do in Thailand
(4) 泰國旅遊五大禁忌，這麼做超沒禮貌會被泰國人討厭｜超強系列 Ft. Ku's dream酷的夢、Iku老師
(2) The Brooklyn Bridge: Where did it come from? | Stuff of Genius
(3) How to Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Lesson 3: The Life of a Plastic Bag
Lesson 4: Ban-Doh: The Most Authentic Taiwanese Eating Experience
Lesson 5: I No Longer Mind the Gap
(2) The famous London "Mind The Gap" Message
(3) Mind The Gap - Short Film (2014)
Lesson 6: Having Fun with Change
(2) The Fun Theory 1 – Piano Staircase Initiative | Volkswagen
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