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Question 1: “Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants. Years of study have convinced me that the real job is not to understand foreign culture but to understand our own” Edward. T.Hall (19142009) I agree with Edwards quote. T. Hall. I think culture, like an iceberg in the ocean, only partially rises above the water, and nine parts are deep below. Part of it rises above that water, which is normally noticeable and sometimes easy to draw conclusions attributed to an entire community. Nevertheless, the nine parts that are deep beneath the cultural layers represent so many aspects of cultural life that we cannot easily observe, like the part rising above the water.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING …… UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES ESSAY BRITISH – AMERICAN CULTURE Instructor: Student: Student code: Class: School year: Ho Chi Minh City, November 11th, 2021 ………… UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES and FOREIGN LANGUAGES Academic Year: 2021- 2022 FINAL TEST Student’s name: Student’s code: Class: SCORE IN FIGURES SCORE IN WORDS EXAMINER EXAMINER Question 1: “Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants Years of study have convinced me that the real job is not to understand foreign culture but to understand our own” Edward T.Hall (1914-2009) Do you agree with the quotation by Edward T.Hall? Do people really not understand their own culture? What aspects of a country’s culture are the hardest to understand? Question 2: What you know about the culture of USA? the location ? the history? The political system? their etiquette in the daily life and workplace the traditional foods In your opinion, what are some most important American values? Give some examples? Question 3: What you know about the culture of United Kingdom? the location ? The political system? their etiquette in the daily life and workplace the traditional foods of the countries within the United Kingdom? the education system In your opinion, what are some most important American values? Give some examples? ESSAY: Question 1: “Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants Years of study have convinced me that the real job is not to understand foreign culture but to understand our own” Edward T.Hall (1914-2009) I agree with Edward's quote T Hall I think culture, like an iceberg in the ocean, only partially rises above the water, and nine parts are deep below Part of it rises above that water, which is normally noticeable and sometimes easy to draw conclusions attributed to an entire community Nevertheless, the nine parts that are deep beneath the cultural layers represent so many aspects of cultural life that we cannot easily observe, like the part rising above the water In my opinion, people really don't fully understand the culture of their own country Because they only see the culture that exists before their eyes and the deeper parts of culture, people have not fully grasped the principle of the iceberg in culture For example, when it comes to culture, people almost only mean festivals, food, music, language, etc but people don't think about the code of conduct, the level of social communication, the concept of the ego, body language, how to get used to greeting, facial expressions, eye contact, etc Sometimes people can't feel it I think that language, thought, values, and so on are the most perplexing and difficult-to-access non-material aspects of a country's culture In this respect, we must feel, not see or see directly as the material aspect Just like the iceberg principle in the culture I mentioned above Question 2: The culture of USA: The United States of America has 50 states, 14 islands, and a federal district Each state has a capital, and the country's capital is Washington, D.C The U.S borders both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans and is bordered by Canada and Mexico It is the third-largest country in the world after Russia and Canada and has a varied topography The eastern regions consist of hills and low mountains, while the central interior is a vast plain (called the Great Plains region) The climate is mostly temperate but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest In addition, the US is divided into different regions: the Northeast, Southwest, West, Southeast, and Midwest + The Northeast: There are 11 states that make up the Northeast Region of the United States The specific climate of this region in the summer is warm to hot, while the winter is very cold and has about 46 inches of rain a year + The Southeast: There are 12 states in the Southeast Region of the United States In the summer, the climate in this region is hot to very hot, while the winter is mild and it has about 606 inches of rain a year + The Midwest: There are 12 states in the Midwest region of the United States The specific climate of this region in the summer is hot and humid, while the winter is cold to very cold and dry, and the most precipitation was 50 inches in Missouri and at least 13 inches in North Dakota + The Southwest: There are states in the Southwest region of the United States In the summer, the climate in this region is hot to very hot and dry, while in the winter it is mild and it has about 86 inches of rain a year (mostly in Oklahoma) + The West: There are 11 states in the West region of the United States In the summer, the climate in this region is hot to very hot, while in the winter it is mild and it has about 32 inches of rain a year In America, there are many beautiful and impressive mountains, and here I will go through some of them: + The first, The Rocky Mountains, is a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America It rises abruptly from the Great Plains and extends northwesterly from northern New Mexico to Canada Compared with the Appalachians, the Rockies are geologically young and considerably more rugged + The second, Mt McKinley, is the tallest mountain in the United States It is measured at 20,320 ft The natives originally named it Denali, meaning "the high one." + Finally, The Grand Canyon is one the largest canyons in all the world Carved out by the Colorado River for millions of years, it is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep in some areas In the U.S., besides the mountains and the desert, there is also a place called Death Valley Death Valley is the lowest, driest, hottest location in North America The hottest temperature ever recorded there was a staggering 134 degrees About rivers: The main stems of 38 rivers in the United States are at least 500 miles (800 km) long + The Missouri River is a separate river and, therefore, it is the longest river in the United States at 2,540 miles The Missouri River starts in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and flows into the Mississippi River near St Louis, Missouri It flows through ten states in the United States and two provinces in Canada When combined with the Mississippi River, it makes up the fourth longest river system in the world + The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States and the fourth longest in the world It flows for 2,320 miles The Mississippi and its tributaries, the Ohio and Missouri Rivers, make it the largest and busiest system in the United States So, The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers were the transportation arteries for farm and industrial products They were linked to ports and other parts of the world The United States consists of thousands of lakes Some of the largest freshwater lakes in the world are the Great Lakes in the Midwest, which border Canada In addition, the U.S has islands but does not have many large islands The largest would be the Hawaiian islands, which are linked to the United States politically rather than geographically Alaska’s the Aleutian Islands and the Florida Keys are other small island chains When it comes to a country's culture, we can't lack history And here I'll give a brief overview of the history of the country's formation: At the height of the Ice Age, between 34,00 and 30,000 B.C., much of the world’s water was contained in vast continental ice sheets As a result, the Bering Sea was hundreds of meters below its current level, and a land bridge, known as Beringia, emerged between Asia and North America In 1492, on behalf of the King and Queen of Spain, Christopher Columbus was trying to find a way from Europe to the Far East Surprisingly, he didn’t get to China Instead, he found some islands in the Atlantic Ocean near North America By accident, he discovered a new world Columbus thought it was near the Indies, so he called the people Indians When Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador in 1492, he was welcomed by a brown-skinned people whose physical appearance confirmed his opinion that he had at last reached India, and whom, therefore, he called Indios Before colonization, there were about 10 million people living in over 200 tribes By 1865, only 300,000 remained Because of the enforcement of their land, many died from diseases brought by the colonists In 1788, 13 colonies became the United States of America And then, America bought Louisiana from France in 1803 By 1837, new states had been created around the Mississippi By 1850, Oregon and California had become states In 1862, a new law gave free land to settlers And by 1912, all states except Alaska and Hawaii had been created The political system of the United States has operated under a two-party system for most of its history, and the major parties are the Democratic Party (1824) and the Republican Party (1854) The American system of government is established by the United States Constitution There are three separate but equal branches of government The three branches are legislative, executive, and judicial + The Legislative Branch is the bicameral Congress, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government In which, The Senate has 100 senators, and there are two senators in each state Such a senator would be in office for six years, and this is called a "term." Members of both houses are directly elected by the people In some states, the governor has the power to appoint a caretaker senator when there is a mid-term vacancy Senators meet in the U.S Capitol building In contrast to the Senate, the House of Representatives has 435 representatives The more people that live in a state, the more representatives that state has Representatives serve for a term of two years, and they can be elected for more than one term + The Executive Branch, The president, or the chief executive, is the head of the government Americans vote every four years for the leader of their democratic society After being elected to serve his/her country, the president lives and works in the White House The president is in charge of the armed forces and is the commander-in-chief of the military The president can veto legislative bills before they become law and appoint the Cabinet and other officers who administer and enforce federal laws and policies And the president works with the leaders of other countries + The Judicial Branch consists of The Supreme Court and lower federal courts There, The Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S and is the system of courts to settle questions about the laws Besides that, judges are appointed by the president with Senate approval, appoint, interpret laws, and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional Every country has different etiquette in daily life and in the workplace And here are a few etiquettes that I know + In etiquette in daily life, greetings are casual For Americans, a smile and a "hello" are needed They prefer a handshake as a first greeting It is accompanied by a light body hug, but this hug is suitable for family and friends Social kissing as a greeting is warm, and it is usually done only in the context of relatives, lovers, and friends They prefer someone to be called by their first name and by their title (Mr., Mrs., and Miss) Next is the introduction When you meet someone for the first time, use their title and their last name until you are told to otherwise Always stand when you are introduced to someone, unless you are physically unable to so However, it is very common and not at all impolite in the United States to introduce yourself And Americans perceive direct eye contact when speaking to someone as a sign of attention and sincerity There is also a section on gift-giving etiquette Americans give gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, and Christmas While gifts are given, they are not expected by the recipient Besides, there is a simple card with handwriting and a personal note that should be prepared as elaborated For example, when invited to someone’s home for dinner, guests can bring a small box of chocolate or a bottle of wine for the hostess And a gift must be opened when it's received Punctuality is highly emphasized in workplace etiquette If you are delayed, you should let your appointment known For example, if you are invited for a business meal, you should arrive promptly If you are invited to a cocktail party, you can arrive up to a half-hour late without calling In business situations, a handshake is used It should be very firm and only last for a few seconds Both men and women shake hands And then, the greeting "How are you?" is not an inquiry about your health The best response is a short one, such as "Fine, thanks." Besides, Americans often wave, smile, and nod in greeting in casual situations As for the introduction in the workplace, it is like the etiquette in daily life as mentioned above Regarding gift-giving etiquette in the workplace, Business gifts are often discouraged by the law, and many companies have policies against accepting gifts above a certain dollar amount Corporate gifts are exchanged around Christmas If you are invited to a business dinner in a home, a gift of wine or flowers should be brought And never address a woman in a business setting with "honey" or "dear," although these terms are common in the South Here is some traditional American food: + Traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, dressing, sweet + A cream-based New England chowder, traditionally made with clams + A Caesar salad containing croutons, Parmesan cheese, lemon, juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, and pepper + Creole Jambalaya with shrimp, ham, tomato, and Andouille sausage + Chicken Fried Steak (alternatively known as Country Fried Steak) + California club pizza with avocados and tomatoes + A submarine sandwich, which includes a variety of Italian luncheon meats + American style breakfast with pancakes, maple syrup, sausage links, bacon strips, and fried + A hot dog sausage topped with beef chili, white onions, and mustard Independence, equality, informality, and directness are, in my opinion, the most important American values + Equality in American culture refers to the belief that everyone is created equal and can have the same opportunities in society as everyone else + American informality tends to be extremely informal and somewhat disrespectful of authority For example, bosses often urge their employees 10 to call them by their first names Dress is another area where American informality will be the most noticeable, sometimes even shocking + Independence with regard to personal respect, promoting independence and independence is a typical American trait For example, most Americans choose their own classes and majors, pay for part or all of their own tuition, find a job, and plan their own marriage, instead of relying on their families + Directness with Americans is more important than saving face For example, Americans have always preferred the direct approach when informing people of unpleasant information They are likely to be completely honest in delivering their negative evaluations Question 3: The culture of United Kingdom The UK's full and official name is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." The name "United Kingdom" refers to the union of what were once four separate countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Great Britain is an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom It is a country of islands, such as Wales, England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland Across the English Channel from the UK is France West, across the Irish Sea, is the Republic of Ireland East, across the North Sea, is the Scandinavian Peninsula The name "Britain" is sometimes used to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole The capital is London, which is among the world’s leading commercial, financial, and cultural centers 11 The United Kingdom has a temperate climate with plentiful rainfall all year round The temperature varies with the seasons, rarely dropping below -11 °C (12 °F) or rising above 35 °C (95 °F) The wind blows from the southwest and brings frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean The eastern side of the island is mostly protected from the wind The majority of the rain falls over the western regions, and the eastern parts are the driest The Gulf Stream moves warm water across the Atlantic to the U.K This allows for milder winters compared to other countries with the same latitude Great for farming! However, less than 2% of people earn a living from farming Most people live in urban areas, where jobs are more readily available The rivers in Britain are relatively small islands The UK's rivers are not very long The Severn, its longest river, is just 338 km in length, beginning in Wales and entering the Atlantic Ocean near Bristol, England Other major rivers include the Thames, which flows through Oxford and London, and the Trent and Mersey rivers, which drain rainfall from large areas of central England The River Tweed in Scotland is 155 km long and the River Bann in Northern Ireland is 122 km long The UK has many beautiful lakes in all four of its constituent countries: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland Many of the UK's most picturesque lakes are in Scotland, in the Scottish Highlands, in Snowdon National Park in North Wales, and in the Lake District in northern England The UK's largest lake is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland England's largest lake is Windermere, and England's deepest lake is Wastwater, at a 12 depth of 79 m (259 feet) Both lakes are in the Lake District National Park Lakes in Scotland are called lochs; in Northern Ireland, they are pronounced the same way but spelled loughs; and in Wales, a lake is called a Llyn The UK has many beautiful and high mountains, and I will take a look at a few typical mountains: The highest mountains in the UK are in Scotland, in the Scottish Highlands A mountain in Scotland with a height of over 3,000 feet (914.4 m) is called a Munro Munros are named after Sir Hugh Munro, who produced the first list, known as the Munros Tables, in 1891 And the best-known Munro is Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, or Isle of Man with a prominence of at least 492 feet (150 meters) The name was coined as a pun to go with the designation Munro Thus, the names, when spoken together, sound like the legendary American starlet, Marilyn Monroe Marilyns in England, with the highest peak at Scafell Pike in the Lake District National Park in northwest England And here I'll give a brief overview of the history of the formation of the United Kingdom: + Prehistory (before the year 43), The earliest known humans arrived in these lands around 900,000 years ago Prehistory stretches from then until the Roman invasion in AD 43 In the hundreds of thousands of years before history began, these lands underwent huge climatic, societal, political, technological, and geological changes 13 + From 50 BC to 400 AD, Roman rule had a significant impact on England Around 2,000 years ago, the Romans continued The Romans moved north and west through British tribes until they met the fearsome Picts and the cold, wet weather They stopped and built Hadrian's Wall instead This area became Scotland! + The Romans (AD 43–410), In 55–54 BC, Julius Caesar arrived on the shores of Britain, but thanks to guerrilla resistance and bad weather, his conquest was not successful Almost 100 years later, in AD 43, the emperor Claudius launched a full-scale invasion, and Britain's Roman-era began The Romans stayed in Britain for almost four centuries In some parts of the country, they were met with rebellion and resistance, but in more peaceful areas, cities were founded, villas were constructed, and a network of roads was developed that can still be traced today And in AD 122, the emperor Hadrian, visiting Britain, ordered the building of his famous wall + 1500–1000 years ago, 400–600 AD, Anglo-Saxon tribes from Germany displaced the Celts and Romans Many people in England today are of Anglo-Saxon origin Many people in Scotland and Ireland remain of Celtic origin From 600 to 800, the Christianisation of Britain; from 750 to 800, King Offa of Wales created the "pound" (£ sterling) The pound sterling is the oldest currency still traded From 800 to 900, Vikings from Denmark invaded and settled in some areas In 1066, Normans from France invaded Britain + Early Middle Ages (c.410–1066), The six and a half centuries between the end of Roman rule and the Norman Conquest are among the most important in English history This long period is also one of the most 14 challenging to understand, which is why it has traditionally been labeled the "Dark Ages." Yet a kingdom of England emerged in these centuries and with it a new "English" identity and language + Medieval (1066–1485) Duke William of Normandy's resounding triumph over King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 marked the dawn of a new era The overthrow of the Saxon kingdom of England was to transform the country the Normans conquered, from how it was organized and governed to its language and customs, and perhaps most visibly today, its architecture This was also a period of upheaval and change, a time of revolt, civil war, a devastating plague, and royal unrest + Tudors (1485-1603), Henry VII's victory against Richard Ill at the Battle of Bosworth ended the turbulent Wars of the Roses and began the Tudor dynasty, possibly the most famous royal family in English history The country underwent huge changes during the reigns of three generations of Tudor monarchs Henry VIll ushered in the new state religion, and the increasing confidence of the state coincided with the growth of distinctively English culture + Stuarts (1603–1714), The Stuart era began when James I, who was also James VI of Scotland, succeeded Elizabeth I She died childless in 1603 James's ascension to the throne brought together the two long-warring nations of England and Scotland The Stuart period witnessed intense religious and political conflicts, which shifted power from the monarchy to parliament Meanwhile, discoveries and innovations transformed science, architecture, and everyday life 15 + Georgians (1714–1837), When Queen Anne died in 1714 with no surviving children, the German Hanoverians were brought in to succeed her This began the Georgian age, named after the first four Hanovarian kings, all called George This period saw Britain establish itself as an international power at the center of an expanding empire, and accelerating change from the 1770s onwards made it the world's first industrialized nation + Victorians (1837–1901), Victorian era, in British history, the period between approximately 1820 and 1914, corresponding roughly but not exactly to the period of Queen Victoria's reign (1837–1901) and characterized by a class-based society, a growing number of people able to vote, a growing state and economy, and Britain's status as the most powerful empire in the world Many of the intellectual and cultural achievements of this period are still with us today + During the twentieth century (1901-2000), The Britain of the year 2000 was unimaginable at the end of the Victorian era in 1901 The 20th century saw two world wars catalyze enormous social change across the country, including dramatic enhancements in health and education The motor car stormed through town and country, transforming both, and Britain no longer ruled a third of the planet The government type of Britain is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch, in which Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state while the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, currently Boris Johnson, is the head of government and is the leader of the party with the majority of seats in the House of Commons 16 Executive power is exercised by the British government, on behalf of and with the consent of the monarch, and the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom: the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as in the Scottish and Welsh parliaments In which the House of Commons elects 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons MPs consider and propose new laws and can scrutinize government policies by asking ministers questions about current issues either in the Commons chamber or in the committees And the House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament It is independent of and complements the work of the House of Commons Members of the Lords play a vital role in making laws and keeping a check on the government The judiciary, the judges, and the courts ensure that everyone obeys the laws The judiciary is independent of the executive and legislature The highest national court is the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom In addition, the country is in fact governed by a cabinet The Cabinet is made up of about 20 senior ministers, led by the Prime Minister The government is formed by the party with the majority of support in the House of Commons Unlike the United States, the UK has three major political parties: LabourLeft Wing politics, Conservative-Right-wing politics, and Liberal Democrat-Centre politics In recent years, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also had their own local parliaments 17 Etiquette in the daily life and workplace of people in the United Kingdom, First impressions are a really important aspect of British culture In the business world, introductions are based on a person's rank or position in an organization Whoever is the highest-ranking person is introduced to everyone else in order of their position There might be occasions where you have to introduce yourself The British shake hands, i.e., when first introduced to new people In an informal situation, you may see social kissing (often just a peck on the cheek) This is acceptable between men and women and also between women who know each other very well In Britain, even today, people are judged by their table manners, especially when eating out or attending formal functions You should chew and swallow all the food in your mouth before taking more or taking a drink, and you should not talk with food in your mouth Never put too much food in your mouth If you are at a dinner party, wait until your host (or hostess) starts eating or indicates you should so Besides, never smoke during a meal Smoking should not take place until dessert is finished (in public places it is now against the law to smoke) British people place considerable value on punctuality Since Britons are so time-conscious, the pace of life may seem very rushed In Britain, people make a great effort to arrive on time It is often considered impolite to arrive even a few minutes late If you are unable to keep an appointment, it is expected that you call the person you are meeting So, you should arrive at the exact time specified or a few minutes early for public meetings, plays, concerts, movies, sports, etc 18 In Britain, they like to form orderly queues (standing in line) and wait patiently for their turn, e.g., boarding a bus It is usual to queue when required, and it is expected that you will take your correct turn and not push in front "Queue jumping" is frowned upon And say "Excuse Me," "Please" and "Thank you." It is very good manners to say "please" and "thank you." It is considered rude if you don't You will notice in Britain that they say "excuse me", "please" and "thank you" a lot When you are first introduced to someone, shake their right hand with your own right hand And when yawning or coughing, always cover your mouth with your hand Here are some of the traditional foods of the countries within the United Kingdom: British cuisine is the heritage of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom and its dependent territories Although Britain has a rich indigenous culinary tradition, its colonial history has profoundly enriched its native cooking traditions British cuisine absorbed the cultural influences of its post-colonial territories, in particular those of South Asia Full English breakfast, fish and chips, and Christmas dinner are all well– known traditional British dishes People in Britain, however, eat a wide variety of foods based on the cuisines of Europe, India, and other parts of the world British cuisine has many regional varieties within the broader categories of English, Scottish, and Welsh cuisine, as well as Northern Irish cuisine Each has developed its own regional or local dishes, many of which are geographically indicated foods, such as Cornish pasties, Cumberland sausage, and Arbroath smokies 19 ... it I think that language, thought, values, and so on are the most perplexing and difficult-to-access non-material aspects of a country''s culture In this respect, we must feel, not see or see directly... UK has three major political parties: LabourLeft Wing politics, Conservative-Right-wing politics, and Liberal Democrat-Centre politics In recent years, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have... successful Almost 100 years later, in AD 43, the emperor Claudius launched a full-scale invasion, and Britain''s Roman-era began The Romans stayed in Britain for almost four centuries In some parts