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Culture Shock – Exploring how people adapt to different cultures through different forms of visual and audio media is a great way to prepare for the IB English B listening exam.
Time
40 minutes
Main Skill
Listening
Theme and topic
Experiences: Culture Shock
Download Available
Audio Transcript
Five students from five different continents tell us how they adapted to a brand new culture when they first came to study abroad.
You will hear from a reporter who has just arrived in Beijing after living in Tokyo for two years. It results in him feeling some culture shock.
An idiom is a common word, or common phrase culturally understood – meaning that what is said differs from what is actually meant. Brits are really well known for this, and the logic behind the majority of sayings are unknown but really useful to understand.
a penny for your thoughts - A way of asking someone to share their thoughts with you.
back to the drawing board - Used to indicate that an idea, scheme or proposal has been unsuccessful and that a new one should be devised.
beat around the bush - A typical British saying meaning you're purposely avoiding the topic in a subject, not speaking directly about the issue.
hit the sack - The sack would be your bed - and you hitting it would be you going to bed.
see eye to eye - When two or more people agree on something. You see eye to eye because you have the same views.
your guess is as good as mine - Meaning you basically have no idea. You simply know as much as the next person.
You can find more common idioms based on culture here.
Here are the keywords and phrases covered in this lesson:
- antithesis
- architecture
- confrontations
- culture shock
- dynamics
- energetic
- exchange
- frustration
- homesick
- jaywalking
- obsession
- societies
- socializing
- strict etiquette
- surroundings
- overwhelmed
- welfare advisors
Answers for Exercise 2
1-4. C, D, E, G
5. China 6. China 7. Japan 8. China 9. Japan
10. B

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