听力填空
Certain phrases one commonly hears amongAmericans capture their devotion to individualism." Do you ownthing?" "I did it my way." "You’ll have to decide that foryourself?" "You made your bed, now lie in it." "If youdon't look out for yourself, no one else will." "Look out for numberone."
Closely associated with the value theyplace on individualism, is the importance American's assign to privacy. Americansassume that people need some time to themselves or some time alone to thinkabout things or to recover their spent psychological energy. Americans havegreat difficulty understanding foreigners who always want to be with anotherperson who dislike being alone.
If the parents can afford it, each childwill have his or her own bedroom. Having one's own bedroom even as an infant,fixes in a person the notion that she is entitled to a place of her own whereshe can be by herself, and keep her possessions. She will have her clothes, hertoys, her books, and so on .These things will be hers, no one else's.
Americans assume that people will havetheir private thoughts that might never be shared with anyone. Doctors,lawyers, psychologists and others have rules governing confidentiality that areintended to prevent information about their clients' personal situations frombeing known to others .
American's attitudes about privacy can behard for foreigners to understand. American's houses, yards and even theiroffices can seem open and inviting. Yet, in the minds of Americans, there areboundaries that other people are simply not supposed to cross. When thoseboundaries are crossed, an American's body will visibly stiffen and his mannerwill be cool and aloof.