CHAPTER 1

CULTURE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Able to comprehend the text about culture

2. Able to identify the vocabularies and its similar meaning
3. Able to make a self introduction and introducing other by using
pronoun
4. Able to identify the language function of invitation

Activity 1

Read the following text!

Greeting Custom Around the World

A guide through various interesting gestures and greeting cultures

The customs and rituals involved in greeting someone are often

different from country to country, and unfamiliar customs
can sometimes be confusing. Situations get even more
confusing when different greeting gestures are required
between male and female, female and female, male and
male. Travelers, especially when in unfamiliar cultures,
almost need a manual just to make sure not to offend
someone when meeting and greeting.

In the USA, it is normal for men to shake hands when they meet, but it is quite unusual for men
to kiss when they greet each other. Greetings are casual a handshake, a smile and a hello will
do just fine.
The British often simply say hello when they meet friends.
They usually shake hands only when they meet for the first
time. Social kissing, often just a peck on the cheek, is common
in an informal situation between men and women and also
between women who know each other very well.

French nationals, including children, shake hands with their friends and often kiss them on
both cheeks, both upon meeting and leaving.

In Japan, the common greeting for men and women as well is to bow when they greet someone,
as opposed to give a casual handshake or a hug.

In India, people greet with 'namaste' (na-mas-TAY) or placing both hands together with a slight
bow. These are appreciated and shows respect for Indian customs. Men do not touch women
when meeting or greeting. Western women may offer their hand to a westernized Indian man, but
not normally to others. Traditional Indian women may shake hands with foreign women but not
usually with men.

In Arab countries, close male friends or colleagues hug and kiss both cheeks. They shake hands
with the right hand only, for longer but less firmly than in the West. Contact between the
opposite genders in public is considered obscene. Do not offer to shake hands with the opposite
sex.

In Belgium, people kiss on one cheek when they meet, regardless of the gender or how well they
know each other.

Chinese tend to be more conservative. When meeting someone for the first time, they would
usually nod their heads and smile, or shake hands if in a formal situation.
In Russia, the typical greeting is a very firm handshake. Assume youre trying to crush each
others knuckles, all the while maintaining direct eye contact. When men shake hands with
women, the handshake is less industrial. It is considered gallant to kiss women three times while
alternating cheeks, and even to kiss hands.

A full list would be extensive, as each country differs just a little bit in the way people
greet each other. To add to the hapless travelers confusion are the different hand gestures
around the world. Before visiting a foreign country, it is recommended to check on the various
meaning of hand gestures, as a visitor may inadvertently find himself in a very unpleasant
situation. Here is why:

a. Waving your full arm side to side in many countries is recognized as saying hello or
goodbye. However, in East Asian countries it is considered overly demonstrative.
Additionally in some European countries, as well as Japan and Latin America, it can be
confused for a no or general negative response. In India, it means come here.

b. Counting with fingers starting with index finger toward the pinkie can make people
confused in Germany and Austria as forefinger held up means two instead of one,
especially when ordering a round of drinks. In Japan, the thumb alone means five. When
Hungarians count on their hand, they start with the thumb being number one.

c. Curling the index finger, or four fingers toward you as a gesture of inviting somebody
to come closer, can be mistaken for good bye in southern Europe. In Philippines and
East Asia, curling the index finger is used only to beckon dogs.

d. Pointing directly to someone or something using index finger in Europe is considered

impolite. In China, Japan, Latin America and Indonesia it has very rude connotations. In
many African countries, the index finger is used for pointing only at inanimate objects.

Gestures can say more than words, and just as we are usually very careful when using foreign
languages, we should consider carefully what hand gestures we should display whilst in different
cultures. The world is indeed full of diversities, so enjoy your learning.

https://www.moveoneinc.com/blog/relocations/greeting-customs-around-the-world/

After reading the passages above, share your understanding by these following questions.

1. What do you thing about the formal and informal greeting custom around the world?
2. What do you thing about the different way of greeting between Indian people and Arab?
3. What do you thing about the different way of greeting between Japan and Chinese?
4. Why do we need to consider the various meaning of hand gesture while traveling around the
world?
 5. What is the different way of using their fingers between Japan and Hungarians?
6. What do you thing about the greeting customs in your country? Which of the culture closer with
you?

Fill in the blank using the suitable pronouns!

1. Thomas is Canadian. . Lives with . Family in Canada. parents love

traveling to Bali
2. My husband bought .. a flower. is red rose. I put .. in . room.
3. The children ate all the cookies. I think .. like .. very much.
4. I cannot ride motocycle by . , because I am afraid to ride .
5. Wina and I typed . homework at my home. Suddently, Jeane came and helped . To
finish it. Finally, . did it by
6. Joko Widodo is . Precident. . Is a very talented leader. I promice to .. that someday
.. can be like .
7. You will hurt .. if you do not use the knife properly. Look at , . should be hold like
this.
8. I gave John the first eddition of this book. Then, . threated . a meal. Suddenly, I met
Martha. . have a meal together.
9. I have sister. . Is a high school students. My father always advice .. to be a good
person. Someday, . Hope that .. can reach . dream as well.
10. Mira, Suzi and Robert write final project. discuss it together by sharing
opinion. Therefor, that makes .. faster to finist it.

Read the text below!

BRIDAL SHOWER
A bridal shower is a fun celebratory occasion that allows the brides close friends and
family members to spend time together before the big day, but it is also practical, as guests
shower the bride-to-be with gifts to help her establish a home with her future spouse. The
bridal shower is also as a pre-wedding ritual in which close female relatives and friends of the
bride gather together for a party in her honour, and traditionally bring gifts to prepare her for
married life. The tradition of the bridal shower dates back to the 16 th century when brides who
couldnt afford dowries were showered in gifts by relatives and friends, so she may have cash
and household items to help her set up her marital home.
A bridal shower can take place anywhere. Traditionally it is often hosted at the hosts
home, but any place works: a favorite restaurant, park, banquet hall, etc. Depending on the size
of the guest list, showers can also be held at a paint-your-own-pottery studio, beauty salon, or
gallery. A bridal shower can be held anywhere from six months to the week before a wedding. If
many guests are traveling from out of town, it may make sense to have it closer to the wedding
so they can attend. Otherwise four to eight weeks before the wedding works. It adds just enough
anticipation, without creating more stress for the bride. Any time of day is acceptable for a bridal
shower. Many bridal showers are held during the afternoon or early evening as a luncheon or
 dinner party. Most of the bridal shower will be spent eating,
laughing, telling stories and opening presents.
It is important to know who are/arent invited to the
wedding, and the only way to know that is to get the guest list.
Remember to invite close female relatives of both the bride and
groom, as well as all the women in the wedding party and the
brides close friends. While bridal showers guests are traditionally all
women, today many are coed affairs that celebrate both the bride and groom, known as Jack and
Jill showers.
http://weddings.about.com/od/theweddingparty/a/showerbasics.htm

After reading the passages above, share your understanding by these following questions.

1. Why is Bidal Shower be held?

2. When and where should the bridal shower be held?
3. What kind of activity can be done along Bridal Shower?
4. Who should be invited to a bridal shower?
5. In your opinion, what do you think about the bad and good impact of bridal shower?
6. Retell the text about Bridal Shower by your own words!

VOCABULARY
Find out the meaning of the following word in olumn A which are related to the text!

Table 1.4
NO Word/Phrase NO Meaning
1 Bridal Shower husband, next of kin, partner, significant other, other half
A (UK, informal)

2 Bride_to_be B Family member, next of kin

3 Spouse C a party given by friends, especially in honor of a woman

who is about to be married
4 Relative D Performance of formal act, the observance of actions or
procedures in a set, ordered, and ceremonial way befor
married
5 Household E A woman who is about to get married
6 Luncheon F An amount of money or property given in some societies by
a brides family to her bridegroom or his family when she
marries
7 Dowries G Home, family unit, family circle
 8 Pre-wedding H An organized gathering in the middle of the day, with
ritual invited guests form of entertainment, e.g. a guest speaker

Now, make a sentence by using the words in the table!

Read the text below!

Karva Chauth
This festival is very popular among married Hindu
women in the western and northern parts of India, primarily
in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
During the Karwa Chauth festival, married Hindu women
dedicate the day to their husbands. Normally, women who
observe this festival are called "Saubhagyavati" meaning
"joyous and happy status of wifehood." The festival was
emerged also as a day for celebrating autumn. Hindu married
women enjoy the company and companionship of relatives and friends. As of recently, the
celebration has been given a more religious touch.

Karwa Chauth is glorified and also widely solemnized by Hindus

and Sikh living in the northwestern part of India. Karva means clay pot
while chauth means fourth. Karwa chauth commemorates the fourth day
that follows the full moon in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar. This festival is typically
celebrated immediately after the autumn harvest. This is the best time to meet friends and
relatives and exchange gifts. During this festival parents send various gifts to their married
daughters. During this festival, jewelry, clothes and gifts are received from both the woman's
mother-in-law and mother.

All married women wear wedding day outfits once again and apply mehndi. Women
dress in special clothes during this festival. A pink or red sari with a gold woven pattern is worn
by many women as part their custom and is worn only in the evening. New brides will wear their
wedding costumes. The karwa chauth fast sets a merry tone of frolic and fun, feasting and
festivity and is amongst the biggest festivals celebrated by Hindus.

Karwa chauth is a very important as well as a difficult fast that all married Hindu women
observe. The festival begins just before sunrise and ends after worshiping the moon and doing
prayers at night. No water or food can be consumed once the sun rises. The fast is only broken
after seeing the moon and after all rituals of that particular day have been performed. When the
moon has appeared, women break the fast after they have offered water to the moon.
Answer the following questions!

1. What is the purpose of Karva Chauth?

2. Who involve in this celebration?

3. When does Karva Chauth celebrated?

4. How is the process of Karva Chauth?

5. Retell the text of Karva Chauth by your own words!

VOCABULARY
Match the word in column A to its meaning in collumn B!

Table 1.6
NO A NO B
1 Festival A
To treat somebody or something as divine and show
respect by engaging in acts of prayer and devotion
2 Joyous B
The company of friends and the relationship that
exists between them
3 Companionship C Program of cultural events, a program or series of
performances or other cultural events, usually held
at regular intervals, often in one place.
4 Glorify D Full of joy, especially of a fervent and unrestrained
nature
5 Solemnize E
To honor the memory of somebody or something in
a ceremony
6 Commemorates F Make something appear superior, to cause
something to seem more pleasant, important, or
desirable than is actually the case
7 Outfits G
To observe an event or occasion with ceremony or
formality
8 Worshiping H

A set of clothes worn together

Now, make a sentence by using the words in the table!

Find out the antonym of the following words!

1. Popular 6. Biggest
2. Happy 7. Women
3. Married 8. Begin
4. Important
5. Difficult