Comprehension 

1. When you read an article, you can often guess the words you do not 

know from the context. Find words or expressions in the above article which 

have the following meanings:

a) say or do something wrong or inappropriate, usually as a result of 

thoughtlessness, and so cause an awkward situation; 

b) quick and not thorough; 

c) something to eat which is considered rare or expensive; 

d) say or do something wrong or stupid; 

e) something done without attention to details; quick, hurried;

f) deal seriously with something; tackle; 

g) become aware of something esp. through the eyes or demand.

the text:

Is the sun red or yellow? Should you crack a joke in a business presentation? 

Are such questions important? Is it only language you need to learn? 

International business people often invest time and money in improving their 

knowledge of foreign languages in order to be able to communicate with col-

leagues from around the world. Language, of course, is vital, but it is only half the 

problem. 

There are hidden rules for playing the game of doing business with people of 

other cultures. It is all to easy to "put your foot in it" by making mistakes which 

can upset your foreign counterparts.

An American, greeting a mid-European businessman by saying "Hi Dieter, 

great to meet you!" may not be favorably regarded in a country where more formal 

modes of address are usual. 

In the West, business cards are given a cursory glance and pocketed. In Ja-

pan, they are highly regarded, looked at closely and left on the table during a busi-

ness meeting. 

In Britain, most business presentations would include a joke. In many other 

countries, this would be unheard of. 

Will you cause offence if you refuse to eat something generally regarded as 

inedible in your country? Your counterpart may be watching your reaction when 

he offers you this local delicacy. 

Small talk and relationship building are considered highly important in some 

parts of the world; talking about the weather, the wine and the local area come be-

fore business. In other places, people get down to business immediately. 

It is important to know the way things are usually dealt with in your host 

country. Problems arise because we see things differently. It helps to be aware of 

how other nationalities perceive certain things. 

The Japanese see the sun as red. It is an important national symbol which 

appears on their flag. When Japanese children paint pictures, they paint a red sun. 

European and American children paint the sun yellow. When children travel and 

see the sun painted in a different colour, they are surprised and find it very strange. 

Adults find these differences harder to accept. Both sides may feel uneasy 

because they are unsure of the rules of the game in the opposite culture. 

It is, however, very dangerous to have stereotyped views of what the other 

culture is like. Such views are often narrow and can cause criticism and intoler-

ance. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing" and can encourage you to make 

predictions about what will happen in your business transactions. If your ideas are 

too narrow, you may be surprised at all the people you meet who do not fit into 

your pattern and who behave differently from the way you predicted they would. 

Our ideas then, have to be flexible and constructed from thorough research 

and observation. We should also recognise that it is not only people's national 

background that influences their behaviour and personality, but also their particular 

regional background, their personal background and their company culture