课前准备 Warm-up

Globalization has long been a hot topic as well as a problem in the world. Before you read the text, think about the following questions:

1) What have you read or heard about the effects of globalization?

2) What is your opinion of globalization?

3) How much does globalization change Chinese traditional holidays?

本章概览 An Overview

The article is written by Erla Zwingle, former National Geographic editor.

According to her, globalization is a historical process, starting before “the first camel caravan ventured afield.” It is now already a reality, not a choice. In other words, it is something you have to live with, whether you like it or not. She holds that the basic dynamic remains the same: goods move, people move, ideas move and cultures change.

In presenting her arguments, the author does not adopt a polemic tone, nor does she approach the issue from an international political or economic perspective. Her approach is a historical one, using incidents in everyday life, following a method of contrast, which makes for easy reading. Her choice of the example of the playing of mah-jongg on the Internet by Tom Sloper is a case in point.

学习目标 Objectives

Through textual analysis and learning, the students should

（1）Get the theme of the text

（2）Comprehend the social significance of the text

（3）Acquire relevant rhetorical devices used in the text

知识结构 Knowledge Structure

The text can be roughly divided into seven parts, which can be subdivided into several sections.

Part I (paras. 1-3)

Globalization is a reality but it is not something completely new. What is new is the speed and scope of changes.

Part II (paras. 4-6)

This part deals with different views on globalization.

Part III (paras. 7-9)

Three points are made in this part:

(1) Westernization is not a straight road to hell, or to paradise either.

(2) Cultures are as resourceful, resilient, and unpredictable as the people who compose them.

(3) Teenagers are one of the powerful engines of merging global cultures.

Part IV (paras. 10-13)

This part tells of the author’s experience with Amanda Freeman, a cool hunter.

Part V (paras. 14-19)

In order to prove fusion is the trend, the author used Tom Sloper and mah-jongg as an example.

Part VI (para. 20)

China has changed drastically.

Part VII (paras. 21-24)

This part describes the cultural trends in Shanghai.

Part VIII (paras. 25-28)

The author used the experience at Shanghai Theatre Academy to illustrate the point that the change is at the level of ideas.

Part IV (paras. 29-34)

The author in this part introduced Toffler’s view on conflict, change and world order.

Part X (para. 35)

The spread of global culture ultimately means linking.

Part XI (para. 36)

There will not be a uniform world culture in the future; the cultures will coexist and transform each other.

Part XII (paras. 37-39)

The author again used an example in Shanghai to illustrate the transformation of cultures.

Part XIII (para. 40)

The author points out the reason why globalization is inevitable.