Surprising Customs: Reading Text and Exercise of Grade – Nine

Surprising Customs

One thing that sets humans apart from other members of the animal kingdom is our propensity to develop customs and traditions around everything from beauty rituals to death customs. In fact, humans love doing this so much that the world has been enriched with thousands of different cultures since the dawn of civilization. No doubt, one important aspect of just about any given culture is its code of etiquette and a sense of identity. 

Here are some astonishing customs from around the world. Pointing with lips While gestures of the hand are often subject to customary variation across cultures, few can claim this wonder extends to expressions of the mouth. In Nicaragua, it is common to point with the lips instead of the thumb or index finger like the majority of the world. Wondering just how exactly a person points with their lips? It all starts by puckering up. The lip point is typically used in conversation to indicate something that is happening nearby. 

Tipping Another odd custom associated with the United States is its tipping culture. Unlike many other countries that don’t tip at all or who only tip in small amounts when the English 9 71 food was particularly good, tipping is rather mandatory at most restaurants in the U.S. In fact, it is expected that patrons leave between 10-20 percent of the bill in tips. 

Further, there are rules for tipping bartenders, delivery people and other service personnel. While some criticize this practice as irrational, there’s no doubt that tipping culture in the US gives an incentive for waiters and waitresses to provide better service. Slurping Most societies around the world have rules about table etiquette. 

For western cultures, noisily consuming food is considered rude. In Japan, however, making slurping sounds while eating has an entirely different meaning. This might have something to do with the fact that in western countries, noodles are properly consumed by twirling them on a spoon before putting them in the mouth. Meanwhile, the Japanese simply slurp up their noodles without contorting them first, an act that is naturally noisier than the former. 

Making slurping sounds when eating noodles in Japan is a way of indicating that you’re really enjoying them. Some scientists even argue slurping invites air into the palate and actually enhances the noodles’ flavour. Kneeling or lying prostrate as greeting For members of the Yoruba people, an ethnic group that largely resides in Nigeria, greeting rituals are taken quite seriously. This is especially true in regards to greeting elders. When an adult approaches, Yoruba youths are expected to drop to their knees in greeting. More specifically, women kneel when greeting, and men typically lie prostrate. These gestures are a sign of respect and deference for the elders of the community. Interestingly, this custom is one that distinguishes Yoruba peoples from other ethnic groups in Nigeria, including the Bini and the Kalabari.

A. Find the words from the text that match the following meanings. 

a. ………………. a natural desire 

b. ………………. the rules of correct or polite behaviour in society 

c. ………………. people who work in a bar, serving drinks 

d. ………………. to become twisted 

B. Write ‘True’ for true and ‘False’ for false statements. 

a. Culture gives a sense of identity. 

b. In Nicaragua, people prefer to point with the thumb finger. 

c. Tipping is mandatory at most restaurants in the US. 

d. People from the West take noodles by twisting them on a spoon. 

e. The Bini and the Kalabari are the ethnic groups of Nigeria. 

C. Answer the following questions. 

a. What is the unique tradition of Nicaragua? 

b. What is a positive aspect of tipping culture? 

c. Why do Japanese people make slurping sounds while eating noodles? 

d. Where do Yoruba ethnic communities live? 

e. How do Yoruba people greet their elders? 

D. Which of the above customs did you find more interesting? Is there any interesting custom in your culture? Share it with your friends.

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