[originaltext]M: Have you ever visited a foreign country recently?W: Yes, I we

M: Have you ever visited a foreign country recently?
W: Yes, I went to Thailand this summer with my parents.
M: Are there any local customs that strike you as interesting or strange?
W: Sure. One thing I found interesting is how the Thai people attach different levels of importance to different part of the body. For example, head is considered the most important, so you aren’t supposed to touch others’ head in Thailand. Then the right hand is considered clean and the left hand unclean. You should use your right hand to eat food and never use left hand to shake hands or receive a gift.
M: That’s interesting. Different cultures have different customs and rules of behavior. Do you think cultural differences can be a source of misunderstanding in communication?
W: Yes, I think so. I think we are so used to the ways we do things in our own culture that we tend to take them for granted. What are good manners in one culture may be bad ones in another. If you are ignorant of such differences, problems will surely arise.
M: But how can we deal with cultural differences?
W: I think first of all, we must learn about other cultures so as to avoid causing unnecessary
misunderstanding. But more importantly, we should treat people from other cultures with respect.
M: How do we usually treat other cultures then?
W: We tend to view people who are different from us as odd or ever inferior, but we have to remember that all cultures are equal. In fact, if we are willing to put away our prejudices and try to see things from other people’s perspectives, we’ll find that they are not as different from us as they may seem.
M: Sure, thank you. I do appreciate your insight.
W: My pleasure.
9. What is considered to be polite in Thailand?
10. Why do cultural differences cause misunderstanding?
11. How should we deal with cultural differences according to the woman?
12. What may happen if we treat other cultures equally?