When living or traveling in a foreign country, you may come across some cultural differences. It’salways a good idea to understand these differences to avoid doing or saying something wrong.
      Some cultural misunderstandings happen because of verbal miscommunication. For example, inTaiwan and Japan, people are taught to be humble when they talk about themselves in social settingsand workplaces. However, in the United States, it’s common for a person to boast about his or herown abilities in order to get them noticed. Therefore, if you’re being interviewed to get a job in theStates, tell them what you can do as much as possible.
        __(42)__ In Eastern Asia, maybe it is all right not to make eye contact with someone whilespeaking because he or she is too shy. However, to a Westerner, doing this could make you seem likethe kind of person who is always lying. Also, the use of gestures can also cause misunderstandings.The thumbs-up sign stands for a job well done in the West but can be an insult in parts of the MiddleEast. In the West, sticking your middle finger up is very rude, but in Vietnam, the middle finger isoften used to point at things. Different countries have different culture, but as the old saying goes,“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
■ avoid 避免 misunderstanding 誤解 verbal 口語 humble 謙虛boast 誇大 ability 能力 contact 接觸 gesture 手勢 insult 侮辱