Dialogue
Alice: Hey, Bob, you look deep in thought. What’s up?
Bob: Oh, Alice! I was just thinking about different cultures.
Alice: Cultures? Like, food cultures or dance cultures?
Bob: Exactly! Like, why do some cultures eat with chopsticks, and others with forks? It’s fascinating!
Alice: (chuckles) Well, it’s tradition, Bob. Every culture has its own customs.
Bob: Yeah! Like, in some countries, people take a nap after lunch. That sounds like a great custom to me!
Alice: (laughs) That’s a siesta! It’s part of their lifestyle. My culture just gives me more coffee.
Bob: Speaking of coffee, my friend visited Turkey. He said their coffee ceremony is a big deal. It’s a ritual!
Alice: Oh, interesting! So it’s not just about drinking coffee, but the way you drink it.
Bob: Exactly! It’s like a special event. And he also mentioned their famous bazaars. Lots of crafts and souvenirs.
Alice: Ah, a bazaar! That’s a type of market, right? Where local artisans sell their goods?
Bob: Yep! And the music! He said the traditional music was so different, but very beautiful.
Alice: Traditional music… I love how music tells a story about a culture. What about holidays?
Bob: Oh, holidays! My favorite! Like festivals with parades and special costumes.
Alice: Absolutely! Festivals are a huge part of cultural identity. My grandma always tells stories about old legends.
Bob: Legends! Cool! So, if I start a new culture where everyone naps after coffee and tells funny stories, will it catch on?
Alice: (smiles) Maybe, Bob. You’ll need some good traditions and rituals first!
Current Situation
In our increasingly connected world, understanding and appreciating different cultures has become more important than ever. From local traditions to global festivals, culture shapes who we are and how we interact. Learning vocabulary related to culture helps us describe unique practices, understand diverse perspectives, and communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. Whether you’re traveling, watching a movie, or meeting someone new, having these words at your fingertips enriches your experience and fosters global understanding.
Key Phrases
- Deep in thought: Thinking very carefully about something.
- Example: He was deep in thought, trying to solve the puzzle.
- What’s up?: A casual greeting, meaning “How are you?” or “What’s happening?”
- Example: Hey, what’s up? How are you doing today?
- Fascinating: Extremely interesting.
- Example: The history of ancient Egypt is absolutely fascinating.
- Customs: Traditional and widely accepted ways of behaving or doing something in a particular society, place, or time.
- Example: It’s a local custom to take off your shoes before entering a house.
- Lifestyle: The way in which a person or group lives.
- Example: His new job offers a healthier lifestyle with more outdoor activities.
- Big deal: Something very important or impressive.
- Example: Getting into that university is a big deal for many students.
- Ritual: A religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order; or a habitual procedure.
- Example: Drinking tea in the morning is a daily ritual for her.
- Bazaars: A market in a Middle Eastern country. Often an area of town where goods and services are exchanged.
- Example: We bought some spices and crafts at the bustling bazaar.
- Artisans: A skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand.
- Example: Local artisans displayed their handmade jewelry at the fair.
- Traditional music: Music that has been passed down through generations within a culture.
- Example: I love listening to traditional music from different countries.
- Cultural identity: The feeling of belonging to a group or culture.
- Example: Food and language are important parts of a country’s cultural identity.
- Legends: A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
- Example: My grandfather used to tell us legends about dragons and heroes.
Grammar Points
- Present Simple for General Truths/Habits
We use the present simple tense to talk about facts, routines, and things that are generally true. This is very useful when discussing cultural norms.
- Example from dialogue: “Every culture has its own customs.” (a general truth)
- Example: “Some cultures eat with chopsticks.” (a general fact)
- Example: “My culture just gives me more coffee.” (a habitual action/trait)
- “To be” + Adjective
The verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were) followed by an adjective is used to describe qualities, states, or characteristics of people, things, or ideas.
- Example from dialogue: “It is fascinating!” (describing a quality)
- Example: “The music was different.” (describing a state in the past)
- Example: “Festivals are a huge part of cultural identity.” (describing a characteristic)
- “Like” for Examples and Comparisons
The word “like” can be used in two main ways here: to introduce examples or to make a comparison.
- Example (introducing examples): “Cultures? Like, food cultures or dance cultures?”
- Example (making a comparison): “It’s like a special event.” (It is similar to a special event)
- Example: “Like festivals with parades and special costumes.” (giving examples of holidays)
- Possessive Pronouns/Adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their)
These words show ownership or relationship. They help us specify whose custom, friend, or culture we are talking about.
- Example from dialogue: “Every culture has its own customs.”
- Example: “My friend visited Turkey.”
- Example: “Their coffee ceremony is a big deal.”
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct culture vocabulary from the box.
(customs, ritual, fascinating, legends, artisans, lifestyle, traditional, festivals)
- It’s a local ______ to give flowers when you visit someone’s home.
- The ancient ______ tell stories of gods and goddesses.
- I found the history of Japanese samurai really ______.
- Many ______ sell their beautiful handmade goods at the market.
- His new job offers a healthier ______ with more outdoor activities.
- The town celebrates with colourful ______ every summer.
- Listening to ______ music helps me relax.
- Her morning coffee ______ includes grinding the beans herself.
Exercise 2: Match the question with the best answer.
- What’s a custom in your country?
- Do you enjoy traditional music?
- Why do people have different lifestyles?
- What does “fascinating” mean?
Answers:
a. It means very interesting.
b. Yes, I love folk songs and old melodies.
c. It’s common to say “hello” to neighbors.
d. Because of their personal choices, jobs, and cultures.
Answers to Practice Exercises
Exercise 1:
- custom
- legends
- fascinating
- artisans
- lifestyle
- festivals
- traditional
- ritual
Exercise 2:
- 1 – c
- 2 – b
- 3 – d
- 4 – a
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