b
1
stoneage, escalator, meet
with terror/suspicion, lift,
revolving door, gasp of
wonder, invisible, spear,
the elderly
Check these words
10
Culture shock
2
a) Look at the person in the photograph.
What do you think his lifestyle could
be? How could he feel if he visited a
big city? Discuss in pairs.
b)
Listen and read the text and check
your answers.
3
Mark the sentences
T
(true),
F
(false) or
NS
(not stated). Give reasons for your answers.
1
The Insect Tribe of Papua are very
hospitable.
.......
2
The trip back home was very long.
.......
3
Swagup is difficult to reach.
.......
4
The tribe adjusted to the new way of life. .......
5
They enjoyed using escalators.
.......
6
The chief was impressed by the London Eye. .......
7
The underground trip was very expensive. .......
8
The tribe respects old people deeply.
.......
9
The air in London is not clean.
.......
10
The tribe was happy to go back home.
.......
V
ocabulary &
R
eading
1
Which of these phrases best describe your
lifestyle? Tell your partner:
live in a busy
town/a secluded village
,
live in a modern flat/
wooden shelter
,
work in an office/study
,
use public transport/walk to work/college/
ride a bicycle
,
cook your own food/order
takeaway
,
surf the Net/read magazines/
newspapers
,
go to the gym/eat out
.
I
first met the Insect Tribe of Papua New Guinea as I
travelled the world to observe how ancient cultures
and tribes were
adapting
to the modern world. I lived in
their
secluded
village, Swagup, ate their food and shared
their wooden shelters. I knew my stay was a
rare
exception to their rules and wanted to return the
overwhelming hospitality that they had shown me, so
I invited the chief and his family to experience my
everyday life in South London.
Before I knew it, we were making the 12,000-mile trip back
to my home. Being two days’ trip by boat from the nearest
road, Swagup is completely isolated so naturally I was a little
nervous about taking six stoneage travellers into my world.
However, on arrival, my doubts eased as I watched them
getting used to modern technology. At first, every
escalator was met with terror and every lift with
suspicion
. A
revolving door created gasps of wonder. “It is an invisible
hand that moves this. I can’t believe it!” exclaimed the chief.
Over the next few days, with spears on their backs and
bows over their shoulders, they explored our world.
They were fascinated by everyday scenes and situations
that we would not give a second thought to.
Some of the capital's tourist spots proved a challenge. At
the London Eye, the tribe stopped in the shadow of the
huge wheel. “It is not meant for humans,” they said.
Eventually the chief decided that they should try it. “I
couldn’t believe I was so high above the land. There's no
end, no mountain, only buildings. I was wondering how the
wheel goes round, what makes this turn,” he said. The
underground was another great source of delight. The tribe
was fascinated by the size of the underground network. The
chief was
convinced
the underground was built first and the
rest of London was built on top later! It wasn't all fun and
games, though. When they visited an apartment block built
for the elderly, they were shocked that their children didn’t
look after
their ‘elders’. “It is not right,” the chief said,
shaking his head. “They brought you up, they cared for you
and when they are old you must care for them.”
The goodbyes at Heathrow were
emotional
. Much of
what the tribespeople said made me pause for thought.
I don't think they would swap our world for their own, a
world where everything they need is free and plentiful, a
world where everything is shared and where the only
things
treasured
are family values and community.
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