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Here is a list of situations that characterize the relations of people in different fields of life. Please, ñarefully read each situation and choose an explination from the answers, which in your opinion is right.
Please, enjoy.
1. Alex comes to visit his friend Mark at work and finds that he knows how to do Marks job better. Then he says, "Mark, why don't you do this way:… It will make it easier for you. Please, let me show you…". Mark doesn't listen and says angrily that he can do it himself. Alex felt upset and didn't understand why Mark wouldn't listen to him. Please choose the answer which best explains this dilema.
2. Gena visits his new friends. Gena takes off his shoes at the door but no one offers him a pair or slippers to wear inside. He waits for slippers but receives only blank looks. How would you explain to him what is happening?
3. Russian girl Julia comes to Australia. One day she goes for a walk with her Australian friend Mark. She holds his hand and Mark looks surprised a bit but then smiles more and that evening he tries to kiss her. That surprised her because she didn't expect it. In a few days the situation repeats with another friend. Julia feels embarrased. Do all Australians have such bad manners or is she so attractive? Please, help her to understand why this is happening to her.
4. Julia who was Russian newcomer was invited by her Australian friend Susan to go to a nightclub. When the slow music sounded, Julia wanted to dance but not one Australian boy invited her and she did not yet know an Australian boy to ask. So she came to Susan asking her to dance with her. Susan said "No! I'd rather not." Julia feels sad at being refused and she asked Susan why. How do you think Susan would answer?
5. Alex parks his new Toyota outside the milkbar. When he comes out a parking warden is writing a ticket because Alex has parked incorrectly. Alex tries to explain that he was only gone for a few minutes to buy cigarettes. But officer doesn't even turn his head, ignoring Alex. Alex feels really confused. Why would a parking warden (policeman) behave in this way?
6. Katerina is smoking inside a bus stop and the other people waiting are annoyed, giving her nasty looks. Why does it happen?
7. A Russian lady of 40 years in Australia has an idea to start a new business selling flowers at the side of the road. Flowers which she grew herself on her balcony. She thinks it is good idea because nobody else seems to be doing it. But on her first day many of the people passing her don't buy them and even give her nasty looks. She feels dissappointed: "Why does this happen?" Can you help her to understand this situation.
8. Maria and Anna come from Russia to Australia to work. On the first day at work they made friends with some work mates. After work their new workmates asked the girls to join them for a drink. Communicating with them the girls thought they had found a good company. Saying goodbye at the end all smiled and were friendly, before leaving Maria and Anna kissed them on the cheek. The guys looked astounded and then smiled carefully. Maria and Anna felt lost not understanding what had happened. Can you explain to the girls why the guys reacted so strangely?
9. Natalia and Julia, Mother (45 y.o.) and daughter (22 y.o.) have immigrated to Australia. In the first week they decide to celebrate by going to the theatre. After the show Natalia and Julia gather their coats and leave very quickly to meet their friends and chat about the play and other things. But outside they find themselves alone even after 15 minutes. Natalia and Julia felt disappointed. Could you help them by explaining the situation.
10. A Russian immigrant Peter says to his work mate "Robert, open the window. It gets hot.", His mate looks begrudgingly back and slowly opens the window. Peter felt embarrased and wasn't sure what to think about his work mate's attitude. Could you help him to understand this situation.
11. Two Russian brothers Andrei and Sasha have their first day at school and make a friendship with Daniel one of students in the same class. In between classes brothers invite Daniel to stand at the door of the school yard to smoke a cigarette. Daniel is shocked. Not expecting such a reaction from Daniel the brothers feel unwelcome. Could you help boys understand what was wrong.
12. Marina, a beautiful woman from Russia, met Patrick over the internet. They liked each other and she was invited to come to Australia to meet him. They went out to a restaurant one night and everything went brilliantly. But after dinner when the waiter came to take the check Patrick asked her to pay for half and he would pay for himself. She paid but was really shocked with this request and began to regret comming to Australia. Help to Marina to realise why Patrick acted this way.
13. Anna who has just come from Russia to live finds herself near a new friend's house which she had visited last week. She calls to her friend by mobile phone "Claire, I suddenly found myself not too far from your home, remembering you. Can I come around in 10 minutes?" "No, you can't." replied Claire "Call me later and I'll tell you when it's better to visit." Anna feels rejected and wonders if Claire really was a friend. Please help her to understand what is wrong?
14. Svetlana is buying some Biomax at the health shop in Australia, she asked the manager who is in the shop at the time about it but just gets ignored. Svetlana finds a retail assistant who is far more helpful. Svetlana was disappointed at the managers behaviour. Can you tell her why this has happened?
15. On the one of the streets of Melbourne suddenly two friends met each other, Russian woman Olga and Australian woman Susan, who hadn't seen each other for a very long time. Olga was very glad to meet Susan and ran to hug and kiss her on the cheek. But Susan broke from Olga's embrace quickly. The girls still had a very cute conversation about everything that happened with them since the last time but Olga wondered why Susan met her so coldly after such a long separation. How would you explain behaviour of Susan? Please, choose right answer.
16. Sergey, a businessman, often visited Australia working on some international project and has made many contacts in Sydney. In his previous visit to this city he stayed at Steve's house but now not wishing to impose on this family again he stayed at David's place. But when Sergey met Steve at a conference he felt some coldness from Steve's side. If Sergey asked you about the reason for this coldness, which explanation could you give him?
17. Russian girl Diana comes to Australia for English courses in summer and lives with an Australian family. On the first day she spent the whole time in her room being too shy to look out and the host family didn't try to ask her to come out. Then she felt lost like the family was angry at her or too indifferent toward her. Please, help her to understand this situation.
18. Russian student Lena who has just come to Australia sits on the bench in a city park. A stranger sits down near her for à rest. Soon they begin spontainiously talking, he asks her where she is from, how old she is and other usual questions charateristic of a first acquaintance. He talked also about himself, saying his name was Allan, he liked walking and that he lived not too far from there. They really enjoyed the conversation and in the end he said "Well, I'm sorry I have to go. It was nice to meet you. Good bye." But went away without leaving her a phone number or something to continue the acquaintance. Lena felt lost. If she asked you how to explain the behavior of Allan, what would you say?
19. Nikolai and his 19 year old son Sasha came to Australia only couple of days ago and have made some friends amongst the people who lived in the same neighbourhood. One of them Jason spent a wonderful time with them as a guide and even was so kind as to invite them to a family barbecue that weekend. All the next day Sasha felt a bit sick and spent it in his flat near the air conditioner trying to adapt to the hot climate. That evening he had a wish to go out for a walk. Actually it was pretty late (about midnight) but he had no fear because he had heard that Australia is a very safe country. In the street he noticed Jason who was comming from a shop. Sasha waved to him but the look he received from Jason was very strange indeed, like curious disappointment or even anger. Sasha felt lost. If he asked you why it had happened what explanation you could give him?
20. An Australian company invited a specialist Sergey from Russia to teach their managers information and experience about new technologies in their business. Sergey was glad of the invitation and on the second day after flight he came to the work to meet with his new colleagues. Everybody who he met seemed pleasant. They gave him a tour through the company, showed technologies were already using and provided refreshments at the end. A few days later he went to the company to work and really enjoyed it noticing his students were quick in learning. After a lecture some female managers came to him to ask questions. While answering them he gave them some compliments about their professionalism and also about their beauty saying that it will be always their advantage over men in business. But at this point the ladies expressed indignation on their faces and that made Sergey feel confused like he had done something wrong. If Sergey asked you about this situation how would you explain it?
21. Meeting new school friends Sergey wanted to impress them and said "I'm a child of a great russian business man who can influence the head master of our school." His new friends laughed and laughed at him. His chance and attempt to impress them had not worked and that upset him. If Sergey asked you why has that happen what would you say to him?
22. Russian Alex meet his new friend in the bar. During the conversation Alex was asked where he works and provided the answer "at a shop". John the Australian seems puzzled and it is shown on his face. Alex wonders why?
23. Nastya's birthday is during the summer holidays in Australia and she decides to have a party. She invited her new friends to her house and they have a really fun time. After the party some guests helped her with cleaning the house but when she asked them to take the rubbish away her new Australian friends looked offended. She felt offended by their reaction. Feeling lost she couldn't understand what to think about her friends. Could you help her to find right explanation of their behaviour.
24. A Russian Oleg is walking in the park in Australia with his friends, they are eating meat pies. Oleg drops his meat pie wrapper on the ground when he has finished with it. The other two boys get angry, calling him a litter-bug. Oleg doesn't understand and feels like he has done something wrong. Could you explain him why the boys reacted this way to help him understand this situation.
25. Natalya wants to wear her favourite miniskirt on her first day in Australia. Boys smile and call her rude names, girls give her dirty looks! What is happening?.
26. Russian man Grisha and his Australian friend Jack are going to visit another friend Lee whose parents were Asian. There they had a meal. Grisha was wondering why they didn't have any spoons there and they began to eat with chopsticks. Grisha felt confused because didn't know how to use chopsticks and didn't know would it be polite to ask for spoon or not? Could you help him to find right guess about this situation and make decision.
27. A Russian boy Anton doesn't feel confident during a test and asks another boy to show him the answers. But his request was rejected and the other child quietly continues with the test. Anton is at a loss at being ignored like this and feels this mate will never become a friend to him. Can you help Anton to find the right reason for not getting help?
28. Philip, an emigrant from Russia, has been successfully working in Australian company for a year. At the end of year the head of the firm receives a letter saying a project which they had developed won a prize and the prize money was to be given out as a bonus. Philip who was part of this project, was not on the list of positions expected to receive the bonus and finds out that the boss will give it only to the managers who were leading the project. The boss let the others have a party in honor of this award. Philip feels offended at this unfairness but doubts if he is right. If he asked you how could you explain why boss acted in this way?
29. Russian girl Valeria comes to Australia to summer English courses. She lives with the Smith's family. Valeria really enjoyed the time she spent with the Smiths and their daughter Rose who is the same age. One day when girls are going for a walk Valeria found that Rose had changed into a dress which was too light for the weather which Valeria saw through the window. She tried to say the weather was cold but Rose seemed annoyed. Valeria could not understand why that was and continued: "But look outside everybody is in warm jackets! I think you should change into something like that" and had an answer "No, thank you, I like this dress." Valeria felt disappointed: yesterday they were best friends and today she does not listen to her at all. How could you explain the cause of this problem.
30. Olga is in Australia visiting her boyfriend Luke. One day she was pointing out things which she liked about Australia, flowers, animals, the Sydney Harbour Bridge etc. While passing a market at another time, Luke saw a picture of Sydney Harbour Bridge and wanted to buy it for Olga. During their next romantic evening they were exchanging gifts and Luke gave a picture which he bought telling her he had seen one of Sydney Harbour Bridge but it was too expensive. Olga liked the picture he chose but was secretly saddened by his mentioning of price. After that she didn't think she could expect gestures of generosity from Luke. Can you explain to her why he acted in this way?
