Definitions of “culture” are multiple, broad, and notably ambiguous. While there is no agreed-upon definition of culture, the classic definition by E. B. Tylor in 1871 is widely cited: “culture... is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Most definitions of culture emphasize that it is complex and dynamic, comprised of the shared solutions to problems faced by the group. These solutions include technologies, beliefs, and behaviors.
Culture does not determine behavior, but affords group members a repertoire of ideas and possible actions, providing the framework through which they understand themselves, their environment, and their experiences. Culture is a complex set of relationships, responses, and interpretations that must be understood, not as a body of discrete traits, but as an integrated system of orientations and practices generated within a specific socioeconomic context. Culture is ever changing and always being revised within the dynamic context of its enactment.
Culture is neither a blueprint nor an identity; individuals choose between various cultural options, and in our multicultural society, many times choose widely between the options offered by a variety of cultural traditions. It is not possible to predict the beliefs and behaviors of individuals based on their race, ethnicity, or national origin. Individuals’ group membership cannot be assumed to indicate their culture because those who share a group label may variously enact culture.
In its zeal to encourage respect for cultural differences, the cultural competency movement has sometimes lost sight of these important features of the concept of culture. Instead it has too often represented culture as a decontextualized set of traits providing a template for the perceptions and behaviors of group members. A burgeoning literature on cultural diversity presents the reader with veritable laundry lists of traditional beliefs and practices ostensibly characteristic of particular ethnic groups. This approach encourages the questionable notion that immigrants and certain ethnic and racial minorities are particularly driven by traditionalism. The emphasis in this genre is on difference, pitting the exotic and esoteric against mainstream or conventional beliefs that remain unnamed and unexplored.
The misconception, common in clinical settings, that culture can be understood as a set of discrete traits, has led some mistakenly to treat culture as an explanatory variable, subject to prediction and control. In such applications, specific ethnic cultures are represented as a codified body of characteristics that can be identified and then either modified or manipulated to facilitate clinical goals.
Paradoxically, in such approaches, what originated in a desire to promote respect for individual differences may instead promote stereotyping and essentializing. This process of reifying presumed difference may have the unintended consequence of bolstering a sense of group boundaries. It may also reinforce the belief that culture can be diagnosed and treated, that exotic or unfamiliar beliefs and behaviors of members of already disempowered subgroups should be controlled and adjusted to resemble norms of the dominant group.
1.Which statement is NOT true according to this passage?
2.Culture is not an identity because culture( ) .
3.Emphasizing cultural differences too much would ( ).
4.Which of the following is the author’s viewpoint?
问题1选项
A.Definitions of culture are usually difficult, varied and ambiguous.
B.There is no agreed-upon definition of culture so far.
C.There is no common ground in different definitions of culture.
D.Most definitions of culture emphasize that it is complex and dynamic.
问题2选项
A.does determine behavior
B.does not provide possible actions
C.can predict the beliefs and behaviors of individuals
D.is optional and ever changing within the dynamic context
问题3选项
A.help grasp the most important features of the concept of culture
B.treat culture as a contextualized set of traits
C.respect the traditions of immigrants and certain ethnic and racial minorities
D.lead to regarding the exotic and esoteric against mainstream or conventional beliefs
问题4选项
A.Culture can be understood not as a set of discrete traits but as an integrated system of orientations and practices generated within a specific socioeconomic context.
B.Culture can be treated as an explanatory variable, subject to prediction and control.
C.Culture can be represented as a codified body of characteristics that can be identified and then either modified or manipulated.
D.Culture can be diagnosed and treated and the exotic or unfamiliar beliefs and behaviors should be controlled and adjusted to resemble norms of the dominant group.
第1题:
1.【选项释义】
1. Which statement is NOT true according to this passage? 1. 根据这篇文章,哪个陈述是不正确的?
A. Definitions of culture are usually difficult, varied and ambiguous. A. 对文化的定义通常是困难的、多样的和模棱两可的。
B. There is no agreed-upon definition of culture so far. B. 到目前为止,对文化还没有统一的定义。
C. There is no common ground in different definitions of culture. C. 文化的不同定义是没有共同点的。
D. Most definitions of culture emphasize that it is complex and dynamic. D. 大多数对文化的定义都强调文化是复杂和动态的。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据原文第一段第三句“大多数对文化的定义都强调……(Most definitions of culture emphasize that...)”,可知,大多数文化的定义是有共同点的,C项“文化的不同定义是没有共同点的”与原文相反。故该题选择C项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A项“对文化的定义通常是困难的、多样的和模棱两可的”,原文第一段第一句提到“文化的定义是多种多样的、广泛的,而且明显含糊不清的”,可知该项正确,属于反向干扰;
B项“到目前为止,对文化还没有统一的定义”,原文第一段第二句提到“虽然对文化没有公认的定义……”,可知该项正确,属于反向干扰;
D项“大多数对文化的定义都强调文化是复杂和动态的”,原文第一段倒数第二句提到“大多数对文化的定义都强调文化是复杂的、动态的……”,可知该项正确,属于反向干扰。
第2题:
2.【选项释义】
2. Culture is not an identity because culture ______. 2. 文化不是一种身份因为文化______。
A. does determine behavior A. 决定行为
B. does not provide possible actions B. 不提供可能的行动
C. can predict the beliefs and behaviors of individuals C. 能预测个人的信念和行为
D. is optional and ever changing within the dynamic context D. 是可选的并且在动态环境中不断变化
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据第二段最后一句“文化是不断变化的,而且在不断变化的实施环境中修订”,可知文化不是一种身份是因为它不断变化,且在动态环境中不断改变,D项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A项“决定行为”,原文第二段第一句提到“文化并不决定行为,但为群体成员提供了一系列想法和可能的行动……”,该项与原文相反,属于反向干扰;
B项“不提供可能的行动”,原文第二段第一句提到“文化并不决定行为,但为群体成员提供了一系列想法和可能的行动……”,该项与原文相反,属于反向干扰;
C项“能预测个人的信念和行为”,原文第三段第二句提到“根据个人的种族、民族或国籍来预测他们的信仰和行为是不可能的”,该项与原文相反,属于反向干扰。
第3题:
3.【选项释义】
3. Emphasizing cultural differences too much would ______. 3. 过分强调文化差异会______。
A. help grasp the most important features of the concept of culture A. 帮助掌握文化概念的最重要特征
B. treat culture as a contextualized set of traits B. 将文化视为一组背景化的特征
C. respect the traditions of immigrants and certain ethnic and racial minorities C. 尊重移民和某些少数民族的传统
D. lead to regarding the exotic and esoteric against mainstream or conventional beliefs D. 导致将异域的和深奥的与主流或传统信仰对立起来
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据第四段最后一句“这一流派的重点在于差异,将外来的深奥的东西与主流的或传统的信仰对立起来,而这些信仰仍然是无名的和未被探索的”,可知过分强调文化差异会导致外来的深奥的东西与主流的或传统的信仰对立起来,D项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A项“帮助掌握文化概念的最重要特征”,根据第四段第一句“在积极鼓励尊重文化差异的过程中,文化能力运动有时忽视了文化概念的这些重要特征”,可知该项与原文相反,反向干扰;
B项“将文化视为一组背景化的特征”,根据第四段第二句“文化素质运动将文化视为脱离语境的一系列特征”,可知该项与原文不符合,曲解原文;
C项“尊重移民和某些少数民族的传统”在原文并未提及,无中生有。
第4题:
4.【选项释义】
4. Which of the following is the author’s viewpoint? 4. 以下哪项是作者的观点?
A. Culture can be understood not as a set of discrete traits but as an integrated system of orientations and practices generated within a specific socioeconomic context. A. 文化不能被理解为一组离散的特征,而是在特定的社会经济背景下产生的方向和实践的综合系统。
B. Culture can be treated as an explanatory variable, subject to prediction and control. B. 文化可以作为一个解释变量,受预测和控制。
C. Culture can be represented as a codified body of characteristics that can be identified and then either modified or manipulated. C. 文化可以表现为一种可识别、可修改或可操纵的特征的编纂体。
D. Culture can be diagnosed and treated and the exotic or unfamiliar beliefs and behaviors should be controlled and adjusted to resemble norms of the dominant group. D. 文化可以被诊断和治疗,外来的或不熟悉的信仰和行为应该被控制和调整,以符合占主导地位群体的规范。
【考查点】 事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据第二段第二句“文化是一组复杂的关系、反应和解读,它必须被理解,不是作为一系列互不关联的特征,而是作为一个在特定社会经济环境中产生的具有导向性和实践性的综合系统”,可知,文化是在特定的社会经济环境中产生的具有导向性和实践性的综合系统,要被理解为是一组复杂的关系反应和解读,A项“文化不能被理解为一组离散的特征,而是在特定的社会经济背景下产生的方向和实践的综合系统”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
B项“文化可以作为一个解释变量,受预测和控制”,第五段第一句提到“在临床环境中常见的误解是,文化可以被理解为一组离散的特征,这导致一些人错误地将文化视为一个解释性变量,受预测和控制”,从中可知,认为文化可以作为一个解释变量,受预测和控制是错误的,该项反向干扰;
C项“文化可以表现为一种可识别、可修改或可操纵的特征的编纂体”是原文第五段的内容,也属于误解,而不是作者的观点,该项反向干扰;
D项“文化可以被诊断和治疗,外来的或不熟悉的信仰和行为应该被控制和调整,以符合占主导地位群体的规范”在第六段有提到,而第六段开头提到一个Paradoxically(矛盾地),说明作者不支持这样的做法,该项也属于反向干扰。