Anotherculturalaspectofnonverbalcommunicationisonethatyoumightnotthinkabout:space.Everypersonfeelshimselfhaveasortofinvisibleprotectionsurroundinghisphysicalbody.Whensomeonecomestooclosehefeelsuncomfortable.Wh

Question

Another cultural aspect of nonverbal communication is one that you might not think about: space. Every person feels himself have a sort of invisible protection surrounding his physical body. When someone comes too close he feels uncomfortable. When he bumps onto someone he feels obliged to apologize. But the size of a person’s “comfort zone” depends on his cultural ethnic origin. For example in casual conversation many Americans stand about four feet apart. In other words they like to keep each other “at an arm’s length”. People in Latin or Arab cultures in contrast stand very close to each other and touch each other often. If someone from one of those cultures stands too close to an American while in conversation the Americans may feel uncomfortable and back away.

When Americans are talking they expect others to respond to what they are saying. To Americans polite conversationalists understand by showing expressions of excitement or dislike shock or sadness. People with a “poker face” whose emotions are hidden by a deadpan（无表情的） expression are looked upon with suspicion. Americans also show their attentiveness in a conversation by raising their eyebrows nodding smiling politely and maintaining good eye contact. However some cultures view direct eye contact as impolite or threatening. Americans see it as a sign of genuineness and honesty. If a person doesn’t look you in the eye American might say: you should question his motives---or suppose that he doesn’t like you. Yet with all the concern for eye contact Americans still consider staring---especially at strangers---to be rude.

58. What the author discussed in the previous section is most probably about _______.

  A. classification of nonverbal communication

  B. the reasons why people should think about space

  C. the relationship between communication and space

  D. some other cultural aspects of nonverbal communication

59. How far people keep to each other while talking is closely associated with their _______.

  A. race             B. culture                    C. custom            D. nationality

60. When a person from Latin America talks to an Arabian on informal occasions _______.

  A. he stands about four feet away                            B. “comfort zone” does not exist

  C. keeping close enough is preferred                      D. communication barriers (障碍) may appear

61. In a conversation between friends Americans regard it as honest and truthful to _______.

  A. maintain direct eye contact                                  B. hide emotions with a deadpan expression

  C. display excitement or dislike shock or sadness   D. raise their eyebrows nod and smile politely

Answer 1

D B C A