“Zhoulan: ---Are you English?
David: ---No, I'm not.
Zhoulan: ---But you speak English.
David: ---That's correct.
Zhoulan: ---Where are you from then? Canada?
David: ---No, I'm from Britain.
Zhoulan: ---But I thought you said you weren't English.
David: ---Right, I'm British, but I'm not English.
Zhoulan: ---What are you then?
David: ---I’m Scottish, I'm from Scotland.
Zhoulan: ---Where's that?
David: ---It's to the north of England; It's part of Britain.
Zhoulan: ---Have you got a map to show me? I'm puzzled.” [11](p87)
Why does Zhoulan feel puzzled about this dialogue? Because Zhoulan does not understand the background knowledge of the Britain and England. Although England and Britain are same to England, strictly speaking, English refers to People of England. England is only a part of Britain. England is bounteous, the populations larger, but it cannot represent Scotland, Wales and Ireland after all. As these local people, they are usually not willing to be regarded as Scottish/Welsh/Irish rather than as English. As British (English), they are may accept as British. That is why David said: “I'm British, but I'm not English.”
In this dialogue, if the students grasp this background knowledge, it is easy for them to understand this dialogue. Therefore, carrying on the background knowledge in this dialogue to the students appears the extremely importance.
3.2 Improving the communication ability
The aim of the English teaching syllabus currently in China stresses the basic skills of listening, speaking, writing and translating, while the most important goal of English teaching should be to foster the ability of communication. [12](p80) However, the various countries have different custom. There are huge difference between China and the western. Therefore, to carry on effective communication properly with the foreigners, one should know about the cultural background of the western nation as exactly as possible, especially the differences with Chinese culture the background knowledge.
Here are three questions: (1) What’s your name? (2) How old are you? (3) Are you married? Any one who knows a little English can ask these questions in English. But if a student asks a young lady from a western country the above questions, he has made a serious mistake in terms of appropriacy. To avoid such silly mistakes, the teacher should help students realize that it isn’t polite to ask westerners questions concerning the age, salary, marriage and other private things, such as political inclination and religious belief, etc. For example, there is such a dialogue in Senior Student Book II Unit 22(SEFC)
---Would you like another piece of beancurd?
---Yes, please. It's delicious. Did you cook it yourself?
---Yes, of course. It's very easy. I'll teach you if you like.
---How about some more beef? There's plenty more.
---Well, just a little, please.
---Let me give you some more chicken. And have another pancake.
---They're
better when they are hot.
---No, thanks. I'd had enough.
---What about you, Bob? A bowl of soup?
---I'm full, thank you.
---What a delicious supper! Next time you must come to us. [13](p93)
Here requests student have a cultural background about the polite expression in dine time. China and the western culture have the difference in treating meal. The Chinese take pride in “modesty”, while the Americans in “straight forwardness”. An American hostess, who is complimented for her cooking skills, is likely to say, “Oh, I’m so glad that you liked it. I cooked it especially for you.” Not so a Chinese host or hostess, who will apologize for forgiving you “nothing” even slightly edible instead. The Chinese always like the visitors proposing a toast and the honored dishes, again and again, for fearing that the visitors have not eat enough. The westerners, especially the American, are different. The host or hostess usually offers the dishes for the visitors one time. He or she hopes the visitors help themselves not only cautiously. The visitors should understand the different dinner table for dialogue, communication Otherwise, they might be hungry or be very embarrassing. [14](p21)
3.3 Improving the quality of English teaching
Presentation of cultural background can not only help students’ awareness of cultural differences and help them get into a good study habit, but also helps students’ get into know politics, economy, thoughts and ideas of English-speaking countries and nationalities. With general cultural knowledge, they may get to understand the psychology and code of thinking of English-speaking people. This is good for cultivating students’ thinking.
Teachers should make good use of the motive to arouse students’ interest in English learning. Like in "ABRAHAM LINCOLN", teacher should introduce Lincoln to the student and let them know struggle course from the common people to the America President, letting the students feel a great personality the eternal charm. In "MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.", let the student peep the historical truth of the US racial discrimination and the present situations of a spot, and let the students understand until now US is how arbitrary and is laughable to make unwarranted criticisms to other national human rights conditions. [15](p32) In "THE NECKLACE", let the students understand the vanity of the upper class in the western society, and so on. In brief, in the teaching process, introducing some western culture in the cultural context knowledge to students at the right moment can cause the students’ curiosity to the ancient mystical western culture and the rich and colorful western society, thus stimulating their study interest.
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