Points on Travel Taboos(禁忌)
Traveling the globe can be a behavioral(行为的) minefield(雷区), even when you have the best intentions. Try to avoid cultural mistakes when going abroad.
Touching Someone
Where it’s Offensive: Korea, Thailand, China, Europe and the Middle East.
(1) In Mediterranean (地中海地区的) countries, if you don’t greet them with kisses or a warm embrace(拥抱), you’ll be considered cold. In Thailand, the head is considered sacred-------never pat（拍）a child on the head.
Blowing Your Nose
Where it’s Offensive: Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, France.
Some cultures find it disgusting to blow your nose in public-------especially at the table. (2)
Removing Your Shoes…or Not
Where it’s Offensive: Hawaii（夏威夷）, the South Pacific（太平洋）, Korea, China and Thailand.
Take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party and the hostess will find you uncivilized（不文明的）, but fail to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands and you’ll be considered disrespectful（无礼的）. Not only does shoe removal very practically keep sand and dirt out of the house, it’s a sign of leaving the outside world behind.
(3) Once you are on the ground of a different country, remain highly sensitive（敏感的） to native（本族的） behavior.
Traveling the globe can be a behavioral(行为的) minefield(雷区), even when you have the best intentions. Try to avoid cultural mistakes when going abroad.
Touching Someone
Where it’s Offensive: Korea, Thailand, China, Europe and the Middle East.
(1) In Mediterranean (地中海地区的) countries, if you don’t greet them with kisses or a warm embrace(拥抱), you’ll be considered cold. In Thailand, the head is considered sacred-------never pat（拍）a child on the head.
Blowing Your Nose
Where it’s Offensive: Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, France.
Some cultures find it disgusting to blow your nose in public-------especially at the table. (2)
Removing Your Shoes…or Not
Where it’s Offensive: Hawaii（夏威夷）, the South Pacific（太平洋）, Korea, China and Thailand.
Take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party and the hostess will find you uncivilized（不文明的）, but fail to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands and you’ll be considered disrespectful（无礼的）. Not only does shoe removal very practically keep sand and dirt out of the house, it’s a sign of leaving the outside world behind.
(3) Once you are on the ground of a different country, remain highly sensitive（敏感的） to native（本族的） behavior.
举一反三
- According to local customs, which of the following is not true? A: In the U.S.A., you should call to explain if you are going to be more than 15 minutes late for a party, lunch, or dinner. B: In China, you should cover your mouth when you are using a toothpick. C: In Japan, you should take off your shoes before entering someone’s home. D: In Thailand, you can touch a child’s head if you think he is very cute.
- Which of the following is considered poor etiquette in Japan? A: Offering a gift with two hands B: Placing your chopsticks upright in your food C: Taking off your shoes before entering someone's home
- You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.
- According to the passage, when you fail in loving your job_____ . A: you’ll have to change your job B: you’ll have to change your position C: you’ll have to take a leave from your job D: you’ll have to think about the missing part in your job
- It’s cold today, Daniel. Don’t _________ your coat when you are out. A: put on B: try on C: take off D: take up