8.4. Writing Enhancement

Assignment 1. Make up a questionnaire “How culturally aware are you?”about a nation you know well.

Assignment 2. Choose one of the following topics to write an essay. Make use of the active vocabulary list/

1. “Close-fisted Scotchman!” Johnson cried (from Ambrose Bierce’s poetry). Would you cry the same? What might be the advantages and disadvantages of having a Scottish friend?

2. Your friends are considering emigrating to Great Britain. You are not quite sure it is a good idea. Outline advantages and disadvantages of this step.

3. “The English are nothing but snobbish perfectionists”. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give arguments and illustrate with examples.

4. “An Irishman is the only man in the world who will step over the bodies of a dozen naked women to get to a bottle of stout.” Do you consider this statement to be a truthful image or an imaginary stereotype? Discuss.

5. Most people do not fit their national stereotypes. Can you prove or refute this statement providing arguments and illustrating your point of view with examples?

6. Travel is the only way to foster open-mindedness and eliminate xenophobia. Write an essay saying whether you agree or disagree with this statement.

7. If you were to chose a place to live, which country would it be and why?

8. The world might be a safer place to live in if there were not so many differences between the nationalities and cultures.

9. Globalization brings the cultures together. Meanwhile it is doubtful that they could achieve total understanding and thus, consensus. What obstacles can there be in cross-cultural communication, and how can they be tackled?

10. The representatives of different culture very often find it difficult to come to a consensus. Why is it and what can be done about it?

11. There should be a special course at school and university teaching every student cross-cultural issues. Are you for and against it? Back up your opinion with arguments.

12. Given the names of O’Donnel and MacKenzy, which part of the world do you think these people come from? Which problems might they have with the Belarusian culture? What might they miss from their own culture while living in our country?

13. Given the names of Asfar and Muhhammad, which part of the world do you think these people come from? Which problems might they have with the British culture? What might they miss from their own culture while living in the UK/the States?

14. Given the names of Tarasevich and Khvedchenya, which part of the world do you think these people come from? Which problems might they have with a foreign culture you are familiar with? What might they miss from their own culture while living in this country?

15. Stereotyping does more harm than good. Agree or disagree with this statement giving your arguments and examples.

16. There are stereotypes of stereotypes. In fact, stereotypes are much more reliable than the researchers in social anthropology claim. Discuss and express your point of view.

17. Jokes give a vivid and accurate descriptions of nationalities and their traits, they can be trusted to give a precise and objective mirror image of national propensities. Do you agree with this statement? Give an extensive answer.

18. Having an encounter with a new culture is like seeing just the tip of an iceberg. How can a Newby to a foreign country find out about the cultural aspects which are below the waterline, and thus avoid making a ‘faux pas’.