Culture Shock
Specialists say that it is not easy to get used to life in a new culture．“Culture shock”is the term these specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment．There are three stages of culture shock，say the specialists．
In the first stage，the newcomers like their new environment．Then，when the fresh experience dies，they begin to hate the city，the country，the people，and everything else．In the last stage，the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and，as a result， enjoy their life more．
There are some obvious factors（因素） in culture shock．The weather may be unpleasant．The customs may be different．The public service systems—the telephone，post office，or transportation（交通）—may be difficult to work out．The most simple things seem to be big problems．The language may be difficult．
Who feels culture shock？Everyone does in this way or that．But culture shock surprises most people．Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community．Coming to a new country，these people find they do not have the same established positions．They find themselves without a role（角色），almost without an identity（身份）．They have to build a new self-image．
Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation（迷失方向）．This feeling may be homesickness．When homesick，people feel like staying inside all the time．They want to protect themselves for the strange environment，and create an escape inside their room for a sense of security（安全）． This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term，but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture．Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience—these are the long-term solutions to the problem of culture shock．
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1．When people move to a new country，they _________．
A．will get used to their new surroundings with difficulty
B．have well prepared for the new surroundings
C．will get used to the culture of the country quickly
D．will never be fam iliar with culture of the country
2．According to the passage，factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following except _________．
A．language communication
B．weather conditions and customs
C．public service systems
D．homesickness
3．According to the passage，the more successful you are at home，_________．
A．the fewer difficulties you may have abroad
B．the more difficulties you may have abroad
C．the more money you will earn abroad
D．the less homesick you will fell abroad
4．When people are homesick，they tend to _________．
A．find some people to talk to
B．go outside to have a walk
C．visit their friends far away
D．stay indoors all the time
5．The writer tells us that the best way to overcome culture shock is to _________．
A．protect ourselves from unfamiliar environment
B．develop a strange sense of selfprotection
C．get familiar with the new culture
D．return to our own country
答案讲解与说明：
1．A。根据文章的第一句话，专家们说适应一个新环境是不容易的。“not easy”与“with difficulty”同义。
2．D。根据文章第四段，想家不会加重文化冲击，人们因为想家而做出的举动还能暂时缓解文化冲击。其它三个因素都能引起文化冲击。
3．B。根据文章第三段，最能感受到文化冲击的人是在家乡及社会团体中最成功的人，因为他们一切都要从头开始。
4．D。根据文章第四段第三句，当人们想家时，他们总是想呆在家里。
5．C。根据第四段最后一句，作者建议人们去很快地熟悉新文化、新环境，获取经验，这才是克服文化冲击最好的方法。
