Experiencing cultural differences

While I was working at a French school, I was often in the staff room preparing my work.Sometimes I would hear the school secretary talking.At first I assumed she was talking to me, as there was no one else in the room but me, so I tried to respond to her.However, I soon realized that, in fact, she was talking to herself.I noticed a lot of people do this in France.In the UK, people might think you're a bit strange if you talk to yourself at work, but over there it seemed quite normal.It really did confuse me at times, because I was never sure if people were talking to me or just talking to themselves!

Another area of confusion involved the French language.In French, there are two ways to say“you”： “Tu” is the informal form, while “vous” is the formal form.This is an aspect of French which,even now, I do not really understand.When I learnt French, I was taught to call everyone “vous”unless they were my family or friends.So I was surprised that virtually everyone in France used the informal “tu” all the time.School children used “tu” with their teachers and all the staff called the head teacher “tu”.But I continued to use “vous” because I didn't want people to think I was being impolite.

As you might know, school children in the UK traditionally wear school uniforms but in France pupils do not wear uniforms.It was a culture shock for me to see children wearing Spiderman T-shirts and baggy blue jeans while in the classroom.I found the differences puzzling at times, but I cannot deny what a great opportunity it was to live and work in another country.The UK and France are only separated by a small channel of the sea, but there are many differences between the two cultures.

Reading Check

1.In the staff room, what did the school secretary do?

A.She always chatted online.

B.She always interrupted the author.

C.She talked to herself often.

D.She did nothing every day.

2.What did the author show by using “vous” when talking to others?

A.He/She tried to be polite to others.

B.He/She couldn't tell “tu” from “vous” at all.

C.He/She couldn't understand French well.

D.He/She didn't have close friends in France.

3.Why was the author happy to live in France?

A.Probably because he/she could work out some secrets.

B.Probably because he/she could experience different cultures.

C.Probably because he/she could travel along the channel of the sea.

D.Probably because he/she could have a chance to make foreign friends.

4.What makes the author feel normal in the UK?

A.People talk a lot in daily life.

B.“Tu” is always used in the conversation.

C.The students wear uniforms at school.

D.People respond to other people in time.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

When I learnt French, I was taught to call everyone “vous” unless they were my family or friends.

【信息提取】句中unless引导条件状语从句，意义为“如果不；除非”。

【句式仿写】胜利是不会向我走来的，我必须自己走向胜利。