早稲田理工2007 I

和訳はこちら

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Choose the best answer from a ―d for each question.

  

Every culture distinguishes itself from others by the specific solutions it chooses to certain problems. It is convenient to look at these problems under three groups: those which arise from our relationships with other people; those which come from the passage of time; and those which relate to the environment. From the solutions different cultures have chosen to these universal problems, we can further identify seven basic categories of culture, five of which come from the first group.

<Relationships with People>

Category One: Universalism versus Particularism. The universalist approach is roughly "What is good and right can be defined and always applies." In particularist cultures, far greater attention is given to the responsibilities of relationships and unique circumstances. For example, instead of assuming that the one good way must always be followed, the particularist reasoning is that friendship has special responsibilities and hence may come first.

Category Two: Individualism versus Communitarianism. Do people regard themselves as individuals or as part of a group? Furthermore, is it more important to focus on the individuals so that they can contribute to the community as they wish and if they wish, or is it more important to consider the community first since that is shared by many individuals?

Category Three: Neutral versus Affective. Should the nature of our interactions be reasonable and calm, or is expressing emotion acceptable? In neutral cultures, working relationships are usually business-like and all about achieving goals. The brain, checks emotions because these are believed to confuse the issues. The assumption is that people should resemble machines in order to operate more efficiently. But in other cultures, business is a human affair and all kinds of emotions are considered appropriate. Loud laughter, banging your fist on the table or leaving a conference room in anger during negotiation is all part of business.

Category Four: Specific versus Diffuse. In a specific culture, a business relationship is defined only by the contract. There is no need for any further personal involvement. In a diffuse culture, the whole person is involved in the relationship. There is a real and personal contact where the individuals are expected to get to know each other. In many countries, a diffuse relationship is not only preferred, but necessary before business can proceed.

Category Five: Achievement versus Ascription. Achievement means that you are judged on what you have recently accomplished. Ascription means that status is given to you by birth, kinship, gender or age, but also by your connections (who you know) and your educational record (a graduate of Cambridge or Harvard University). In an achievement culture, the first question is likely to be "What did you study?" while in a more ascriptive culture the question will more likely be "Where did you study?" Only if the answer was a low-level university or one they do not recognize will ascriptive people ask what you studied, and that will be to, enable you to save face.

<Attitude to Time>

Category Six: ( 4 ). The way in which societies look at time also differs. In some societies, what somebody has achieved in the past is not that important. It is more important to know what plan they have developed for the future. In other societies, you can make more of an impression with your past accomplishments than those of today. These are cultural differences that greatly influence company activities.

<Attitude to the Environment

Category Seven: Internal Control versus External Control. An important cultural difference can be found in the attitude to the environment. Some cultures see the major focus affecting their lives and a person's negative and positive characteristics as originating within the person. Here, motivations and values come from within. Other cultures see the world as more powerful than individuals. They see nature as something to be feared or competed against.

1. What does universal problems mean?

a. problems in universalist cultures

b. problems that are found in universities

c. problems which lie everywhere

d. problems which we do not understand

2. What is the best meaning of checks?

a. controls

b. examines

c. makes certain

d. marks

3. What will enable you to save face in an ascriptive culture?

a. Being asked questions about where you studied and what you studied.

b. Being asked "What did you study?" when the person does not recognize where you studied.

c. Being asked "Where did you study?" but not "What did you study?"

d. Studying at an American university.

4. Which of the following would best fill in blank ( 4 )?

a. Present-focused versus Future-focused

b. Past-focused versus Future-focused

c. Time versus Attitudes

d. Development versus Impression

5. Which of the cultural categories is the following paragraph an example of?

An American exchange student was involved in a traffic accident in the South American country of Venezuela. Her friend, a native of Venezuela, was driving 40 kilometers an hour in a small town where the speed limit was 20 kilometers an hour. He hit and injured someone who was walking on the side of the road. Later, when talking with his lawyer, she couldn't understand why the lawyer was recommending that she help him by lying to the police and say that her friend had only been driving at 20 kilometers an hour.

a. Universalism versus Particularism

b. Neutral versus Affective

c. Individualism versus Communitarianism

d. Internal Control versus External Control

6. Which of the cultural categories is the following paragraph an example of?

An Australian went to Korea to study at a university. During the entrance examination, an interviewer asked about the level of the high school the student went to. The student was confused by the question, and answered that he thought the high school he went to wasn't important, but the fact that he got good grades in all the courses he took was. The Korean interviewer wondered why the Australian thought his grades were more important than the school he went to.

a. Universalism versus Particularism

b. Specific versus Diffuse

c. Achievement versus Ascription

d. Internal Control versus External Control

7. Which of the cultural categories is the following paragraph an example of?

An American company made an excellent well-thought-out presentation to a South American customer, which it thought clearly demonstrated its superior product and lower price. A Swedish company took a week to get to know the customer. For five days the Swedes spoke about everything except the product. On the last day the product was introduced. Though somewhat less attractive and slightly higher priced, the Swedish company got the order.

a. Universalism versus Particularism

b. Individualism versus Communitarianism

c. Neutral versus Affective

d. Specific versus Diffuse

8. Which of the following matches 'Particularism' in Category One?

a. Focus is more on rules than on relationships.

b. Focus is more on relationships than on rules.

c. Precise, blunt, definitive, clear.

d. Evasive, tactful, uncertain, unclear.

9. Which of the following matches 'Individualism' in Category Two?

a. Focus is on group function and/or organization function.

b. Focus is on others, that is, customers, partners and schoolmates.

c. People ideally achieve in groups and assume responsibility together.

d. People ideally achieve independently and assume responsibility alone.

10. Which of the following matches 'Diffuse' in Category Four?

a. Focus is on establishing relationship first.

b. Focus is on getting down to business first.

e. Focus is on self, own group and own organization.

d. Focus is on others, that is, customers, partners and schoolmates.

11. Which of the following matches 'External Control' in Category Seven?

a. Focus is more on rules than on relationships.

b. Focus is more on relationships than on rules.

c. Focus is on self, own group and own organization.

d. Focus is on others, that is, world, environment and luck.

12. Give advice to a 'Universalist' student trying to make friends with a student from a 'Particularist' culture.

a. Be quick, to the point and efficient.

b. Take time and remember there are many ways to achieve your goals.

c. Don't worry too much if your friend cancels a date hours before the meeting time.

d. Don't get upset when your friend seems to take a very long time to make a decision.

13. Give advice to an 'Affective' student trying to make friends with a student from a 'Neutral' culture.

a. Emphasize your tradition and rich cultural heritage when you introduce yourself.

b. Emphasize your opportunity and unlimited scope when you introduce yourself.

c. Your friend's lack of emotional tone does not mean that he is not interested in you.

d. Your friend's strong expression of disagreement does not mean he dislikes you.

14. Give advice to a 'Diffuse' student trying to make friends with a student from a 'Specific' culture.

a. When your friend calls you on the phone, don't worry if she gets down to business immediately.

b. Expect people to take time to get to know you, including asking what seem to be personal

questions.

c. Emphasize your tradition and rich cultural heritage when you introduce yourself.

d. Emphasize your opportunity and unlimited scope when you introduce yourself.

15. Give advice to an 'Internally Controlled' student trying to make friends with an 'Externally Controlled' student.

a. When someone calls you on the phone, don't worry if he gets down to business immediately.

b. Expect people to take time to get to know you, including asking what seem to be personal questions.

c. Certain things are beyond your ability.

d. Certain things are within your ability.