新标准大学英语综合教程1 Unit 4 summary

1.Can we live without our mobile phones?

Mobile phones have been the biggest factor of change in everyday behavior. An increasing number of subscribers make more calls and take decisions more quickly that make an impact on our lifestyle. At the same time, the world has become smaller due to the wide use of mobile phones. In order to test whether people can live without mobile phones, the researchers ask three people to switch off their mobile phones for three days.

The businessman loses his social life,but he is less likely to act on an impulse.Moreover,not having a phone creates more time for him to think.The schoolgirl cant’t speak to her friends or make arrangements for her social life without her mobile phone,but she feels more independent.The working mother,switching off her phone,feels anxious at first,but later on she finds that life can be solitary without anyone distracting her or interfering with her daily routine,so she feels it’s like therapy for the soul.

2. Thank you for inviting us,when can we leave?

The passage describes some nonverbal and verbal cultural bump about different countries.These phenomna reflect that there may be cross-cultural problems which cause misunderstanding,even you speak a language well. It’s impossible to collect all the information you might need to be relaxed in the many different cultures around the world, but you need to be tolerant and aware of the possibility of differences.