Unit 2: Cultural Diversity - Speaking

Work in pairs. Express your point of view on the following ideas, using the words or expressions in the box. (Làm việc theo cặp. Hãy thể hiện quan điểm của em về những nhận định dưới đây, sử dụng những từ hoặc sự diễn đạt theo gợi ý trong khung.)

• In Vietnam, three or even four generations may live in a home. (Ở Việt Nam, ba thậm chí là bốn thế hệ có thể chung sống trong một mái nhà.)
  • A: In my opion,it is good when three or four generations may live under one roof because they can help each other a lot.
  • B: I don’t agree with your idea. I think it is not good for three or four generations to live in a family because they will find difficult to sympathy their interests and habbits.Therefore, there may usually be conflicts among family members. In some countries, especially in developing countries, old-aged people like to live in a nursing homes, where they can lead independent lives.
• A happy marriage should be based on love. (Một cuộc hôn nhân hạnh phúc nên đặt nền tảng bằng tình yêu.)
  • C: In my opinion, it's obvious a happy marriage should be based on love, the true love, because love is the necessity for the family happiness. Only the true love can bring about forgiveness and sacrifice.
  • D: That's true. It’s love that joins a man with a woman together.
• In some Asian countries, love is supposed to follow marriage, not precede it. (Ở một số quốc gia châu Á, tình yêu nảy sinh trong hôn nhân mà chưa từng tồn tại trước đó.)
  • ​E: For me, it is not a really good idea that love can be supposed to follow the marriage. It's an obsolete thought. Everyone should have a right to make decisions for their own, especially the one relating to their personal life. Because we love something whenever we know and understand it well.
  • F: That's right. It’s love that joins a man with a woman together.
• In some countries, a man and a woman may hold hands and kiss each other in public. (Ở một số quốc gia, đàn ông và phụ nữ có thể cầm tay và hôn nhau ở nơi công cộng.)
  • G: I believe it's OK. Holding one's hands is a way to express one’s feelings or love, especially it is a popular way for the couple.
  • H: I agree with you. How about kissing each other in public?
  • G: Personally, it’s not our traditional culture. Our personal feelings may not be performed in public. I mean in front of other people, except for necessary circumstances.

Below are some typical features of American culture. Work in pairs, discuss and find out the corresponding features of Vietnamese culture. (Dưới đây là đặc trưng văn hóa Mỹ. Hãy làm việc theo cặp, thảo luận và tìm những đặc điểm tương ứng trong văn hóa Việt Nam.)

Work in groups. Talk about the similarities and differences between Vietnamese and American cultures, using the features discussed in Task 2. (Làm việc theo nhóm. Nói về điểm giống và khác biệt giữa văn hóa Việt Nam và Mỹ, sử dụng những gợi ý đã thảo luận ở phần 2.)

Guide to answer

• A: I think there are various differences between Vietnamese and American cultures.
• B: Can you give us an example?
• C: Well. In the United States, usually only two generations (parents and children) live under one roof. Meanwhile in Viet Nam you can see three or more generations living in the same home.
• D: A different feature between two cultures is old-aged Americans often live in nursing homes, but Vietnamese old people usually live with their children or grandchildren.
• A: In America, asking about age, salary and religion is considered impolite, but it’s OK or acceptable in Viet Nam. This custom, however, is also kept by some Vietnamese people, especially among young city dwellers.
• B: About greetings, in the US anyone can greet the others in the family first, but in Viet Nam young or inferior people must greet the old or superior first.
• C: Christmas and New Year are the most important holidays in America, but in Viet Nam only Lunar New Year is the most important.
• D: Americans usually buy groceries or go shopping at weekends, but Vietnamese people can buy groceries or things at any time they need or want. I think it depends on lifestyle and family activities.
• A: About the ways of expressing love or sentiments, Americans can kiss or embrace each other in public, but this is considered unpleasant to eyes in Viet Nam.
• B: Birthdays or wedding anniversaries are usually celebrated in American families; they are considered important family celebrations. In Viet Nam we also see this custom, but only in young or rich families.
• C: One more difference in two cultures: American children sleep in their own rooms, meanwhile Vietnamese parents let their children sleep with them, especially small children.

Remember some structures about how to express the point of view (Ghi nhớ một số cấu trúc thể hiện quan điểm cá nhân như sau)

• Western
  • A man and a woman may hold in hands in the public
  • People celebrate birthdays. They give presents and throw birthday parties
  • Shoes and slippers are used day and night.
  • People use knife, spoons, fork and plates. They eat soup in a plate.
• Vietnam
  • People rarely do this in public. It looks “ridiculous”.​
  • Vietnamese celebrate death days. They worship ancestors, prepare a big meal and invite members of the family and relatives to get together.
  • Slippers do not exist. People can walk in the streets with bare feet.
  • Vietnamese use spoons, chopsticks and a bowl. They eat soup in a bowl. 

Answer

• A. For me, between Vietnamese and Western cultures, there are various differences.
• B. For example?
• A. Yeah, In Western, a man and a woman, especially the couple, may hold in hands in the public. However, people in Vietnam rarely do this. It looks “ridiculous” if they do this in the public.
• B. A different feature between two cultures is about celebration. People in Western celebrate birthdays and they give presents and throw birthday parties. Meanwhile, Vietnamese not only have birthday, they also celebrate death days. They worship ancestors, prepare a big meal and invite members of the family and relatives to get together.
• A. Oh, I totally agree with you.  I think that there are some other differences in clothing and food between 2 cultures.
• B. Can you explain them?
• A: In Western, shoes and slippers are used day and night. As you know, slippers in Vietnam do not exist. People can walk in the streets with bare feet.
• B. And about food, the Westerner use knife, spoons, fork and plates. They eat soup in a plate. However, Vietnamese use spoons, chopsticks and a bowl. They eat soup in a bowl.

Như vậy là các em đã xem qua bài giảng phần Speaking Unit 2 Tiếng Anh Lớp 12 Cultural Diversity về đa dạng văn hóa.

Các em hãy cố gắng luyện tập thêm bài Trắc nghiệm Unit 2 lớp 12 Speaking để rèn luyện kỹ năng nói vừa học.

• Câu 1: Choose the phrase or sentences A, B, C or D for the best completes the conversation

  A: Personally, I think a happy marriage should be based on love.

  B:..............!

  • A. Oh, I hope so
  • B. So do I
  • C. I definitely agree
  • D. Good idea

• Câu 2:

  A: I'm not sure about this soup. It tastes like something's missing.

  B: ...................It tastes fine to me.

  • A. You're right.
  • B. Oh, I don't know.
  • C. I couldn't agree more.
  • D. I don't think so.

• Câu 3:

  A: It seems to me that spring is the most beautiful time of year.

  B:................It really is lovely!

  • A. You're exactly right!
  • B. You could be right.
  • C. You're dead wrong.
  • D. I couldn't agree less.

Câu 3 - Câu 5: Xem trắc nghiệm để thi online

Nếu có gì chưa hiểu các em có thể đặt câu hỏi với cộng đồng Tiếng Anh Chúng tôi ở mục Hỏi đáp để được giải đáp nhanh nhất. Sau bài học Speaking này các em chuyển qua bài học Unit 2 Lớp 12 Cultural Diversity - Listening kế tiếp. Chúc các em học tốt!