Text B The Definition of Culture
Pre-reading Activities:
What do you think culture is? Try to get as many definitions of culture as you can.
文化是一个国家、一个民族的灵魂。文化兴国运兴，文化强民族强。没有高度的文化自信，没有文化的繁荣昌盛，就没有中华民族伟大复兴。
Culture is a country and nation's soul. Our country will thrive only if our culture thrives, and our nation will be strong only if our culture is strong. Without full confidence in our culture, without a rich and prosperous culture, the Chinese nation will not be able to rejuvenate itself.
——十九大报告
文化自信，是更基础、更广泛、更深厚的自信，是更基本、更深沉、更持久的力量。坚定文化自信，是事关国运兴衰、事关文化安全、事关民族精神独立性的大问题。
Confidence in culture is basic, deep-rooted, and reaches far and wide; it is a force that is more fundamental, stable and persistent. Increasing confidence in our own culture is critical to the prospects of our country, to our cultural security, and to the indenpence of national character.
——习近平总书记2016年11月中国文联十大、
中国作协九大开幕式上的讲话
Text Study:
Read Text B through Page 12 to Page 13 to get the key idea of this text. The following is the text audio for your reference.
Find out the answers to the following questions:
1. What is the title of Text B? Why do we give the plural form of “definition” in the title?
2. How is culture defined according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary? From what perspective is this definition defined?
3. Which words are unfamiliar? Underline the key words that you think are very important.
4. How do you understand this definition of culture? Could you try to translate it\ninto Chinese?
5. Who are Arthur Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn? How do they define culture?
6. Which words are unfamiliar? Underline the key words that you think are very important.
7. How do you understand the definition of culture according to Arthur Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn?
8. Who is Geert Hofstede? How does he define culture?
9. Which words are unfamiliar? Underline the key words that you think are very important.
10. How do you understand the definition of culture according to Geert Hofstede?
11. Who is M. Singer? How does he define culture?
12. Which words are unfamiliar? Underline the key words that you think are very important.
13. How do you understand the definition of culture according to M. Singer?
14. Who are Daniel Bates and Fred Plog? How do they define culture?
15. Which words are unfamiliar? Underline the key words that you think are very important.
16. How do you understand the definition of culture according to Daniel Bates and Fred Plog?
17. How do we define culture?
18. Which words are unfamiliar? Underline the key words that you think are very important.
19. How do you understand our definition of culture?
Now please watch the mini-lecture which aims to help you better understand the key points in the text.
Now please have a try to translate the four items of definitions of culture on Page 13 into Chinese, and see how each of them is defined from certain perspective.
After-reading Check:
1. Diagram Filling:
2. Fill in the blanks:
3. Discussion: Discuss with your group members and report your group's views below.
拓展阅读：
Now you've finished studying Text B, have you mastered the key points in this text? If the answer is yes, then you are ready to study the next text. Congratulations!
