No man is an island, but sometimes when you're traveling, it can feel like it. Man
nerisms, timing and dress can set you apart from the local population, making it difficult to successfully immerse yourself in a new place. Yet with a bit of research and some strategic adjustments, you can easily find ways to blend in, rub shoulders with locals, and become a true piece of the continent you're exploring. Adjust your volume Americans tend to be loud talkers. Maybe it's all our wide-open spaces or our general exuberance; whatever the reason, our volume tends to distinguish us from the locals in many destinations. Turning it down a notch when you speak not only allows you to blend better but also limits the distance at which locals can identify that you're speaking a foreign language. Loud and proud but still yearning to blend in? Take heart—there are plenty of countries where loud talking is the norm. Find the right country and you can turn it up to 11 without drawing sidelong glances from locals. Read up on the customs Whatever you do, don't point with your index finger in the Philippines. Or give a thumbs-up in Greece. Or touch anyone on the head in Thailand. There's no faster way to call attention to yourself as a clueless foreigner than by stumbling into a cultural faux pas you could have easily avoided by reading up on local customs. Not only can a quick primer on body language, hand gestures and greetings keep you from unwittingly offending those around you, it's also a perfect window into your host culture. Go at the pace of your destination As a long-time fast walker who has spent time in some pretty relaxed destinations, I can attest that moving at a different speed than the population you're surrounded by can make you look not just out of place but downright crazy. As you get a feel for a new place, take time to notice the speed at which life is conducted. You may need to speed up or slow down, but the payoff is big. Because it's only when you're walking, talking and living at the speed of the culture that you can properly appreciate its unique rhythms.
(1)Which of the following is NOT MENTIONED as the factor to distinguish travellers from locals?
A. mannerism
B. dress
C. timing
D. language
(2)According to the writer, American travelers should .
A. speak loudly
B. adjust their volume according to the locals
C. lower their voice
D. speak local accent
(3)Which of the following taboo is NOT MENTIONED?
A. Give a thumbs-up in Greece.
B. Touch anyone on the head in Thailand.
C. Be late for the appointment in Australia.
D. Point with your index finger in the Philippines.
(4)In order to get to know the host culture, travellers should know .
A. body language
B. hand gestures
C. greetings
D. all of the above
(5)What is the tone of the passage?
A. Instructive.
B. Skeptical.
C. Neutral.
D. Approval.