案例分析 Directions: In this section you are supposed to analyze the following cases from the perspective of intercultural communication. Then write an analysis about 100 words on the cultural differences and cultural understanding in the case. Dinner with Friends Janice is a young American engineer working for a manufacturing joint venture near Nanjing. She and her husband George, who is teaching English at a university, are learning Chinese and enjoying their new life. They have been eager to get to know Chinese people better so were pleased when Liu Ling, Janice’s young co-worker invited them to her home for dinner. When Janice and George arrived, Liu Ling introduced them to her husband Yang Feng, asked them to sit down at a table containing 8 plates of various cold dishes, served them tea and then disappeared with her husband into the kitchen. After a few minutes Liu Ling came back and added water to their tea. Janice offered to help in the kitchen but Liu Ling said she didn’t need help. She invited the couple to look at their new CD player and their color TV and then disappeared again. A half-hour later she came back and sat down and the three began to eat. Yang Feng came in from time to time to put dish after hot dish on the table. Most of the food was wonderful but neither George nor Janice could eat the fatty pork in pepper sauce or the sea cucumbers, and there was much more than they could eat. They kept wishing Yang Feng would sit down so they could talk to him. Finally he did sit down to eat a bit, but quickly turned on the TV to show them all its high tech features. Soon it was time to go home. George and Janice felt slightly depressed by this experience, but returned the invitation two weeks later. They decided to make a nice American meal and felt lucky to find olives, tomato juice, crackers and even some cheese in the hotel shops. They put these out as appetizers. For the main course they prepared spaghetti and a salad with dressing made from oil, vinegar and some spices they found in the market. When Liu Ling and Yang Feng arrived they were impressed by the apartment and asked the price of the TV, video player, vacuum cleaner and other things. Janice politely refused to answer their questions. They took small tastes of the appetizers and seemed surprised when both George and Janice sat down with them. They ate only a little spaghetti and did not finish the salad on their plates. George urged them to eat more but they refused and looked around expectantly. Janice and George talked about their families and jobs and asked the Chinese couple about theirs. After a while, George cleaned the table and served coffee and pastries. Yang Feng and Liu Ling each put four spoons of sugar into their coffee but did not drink much of it and ate only a bite or two of pastry. Questions: What differences in food culture, do you think, contribute to the communication difficulties?