Over the last decade, businesses and governments have been giving increasing attention to the description, automation, and management of business processes using IT technologies. This interest grows o

Introduction : Among the passages I have read this semester , I’m interested in the aspect of family relationship . So I choose four passages about family relationship and make a comparison between America and China to learn more culture gap .The comparison refers to the family structure ,the marriage and the children education .

Family Relationships in the US (refers to textbook, unit 8 )

This passage says the generalization that family ties in the US are looser than those in China , and make a simple analysis about the porce and care of elderly parents . It is obviously that US people are more inpidual and independent than Chinese people from their high porce rate and they are not willing to live together with their parents .On the one hand we can say that they do not care so much about the marriage relationship. On the other hand maybe Americans  feel the marriage relationship is so important that they have overhigh expectations.About taking care of elderly parents, the reason why Americans usually don’t live with their children is various such as the family structure , children education ,social law ,religion and so on .

From the two aspects , we can clearly feel the culture difference between China and America . American’s living style is the typical representative of the western way of life . By cantrast , Chinese people appears to be more humane .

Besides the two aspects , there are many differences in family relationship as well as the reason of the different . So , I read the next paper about the famly structure .

Study of US-China cultures:Comparison of family structure between China and the U.S.( URL: http://www.linguist.org.cn/doc/uc200709/uc20070915.pdf)

Generally speaking , the difference between Chinese culture and American culture results from their different social structures. The basis of American social structure is inpidual while the basis of Chinese social structure is family . Therefore , the American society can be called “inpidual oriented society” and the Chinese society can be called the “ethnics oriented society” .First of all , the concept of family values between China and the U.S. are different. The ideal Chinese family is so called big family and the ideal form would be headed by a man who was older and/or of more senior generation than anybody else . However most Americans believe a typical family structure is nuclear family . Secondly , both China and America have undergone great changes from the last two decades . China’s family structure is much similar to the American nuclear family except the close family links still remain . From the demographic , we can also see the changes of Amerian famiy structure and also the unchanges . Acording to the paper,” American culture that incarnates inpidual freedom and persity is also palpable momentum behind this transformation .”

With the globalization of the world ,I believe the western and estern will become more and more similar . No matter how great changes they have , somethings are  stii bred-in-the-bone . In every external difference of family values, there is a deeper cultural influence and origin . Family education should be the most important one which has great influence to one’s whole life .

Therefore ,I read the third paper to discuss the family education.

The Differences of Family Education Between America and China(URL: http://210.40.132.153:8080/ uploadfile/20081120141245123.doc)

According to the passage ,”As children are the future of the country ,they considered family education as the base of a country. People provocated that it must have a good family education and circumstance, the sage can be under control and the country would be better.”

Based on the two different kinds of culture, family relationship in China differs from the west. In China, people high value their own family and parents have lots responsibility for their next generation. So Chinese people keep strictly to conformity. To the contrary , American advocate independence and freedom . They give children enough freedom and pay much attention to children's interest and independence . In history ,Chinese children are the all of parents, who give the greatest love and control to them . On the other hand , for the independence, the American people cost much and that is why the people cherish their independence and freedom so much .In culture , Confucianism is a key element in Chinese culture which attaches importance to their children’s education  environment . In contrast , the American family education are almost influenced by many American writers in the literary world who wrote a lot of famous works concering independence and equality . Except the two aspects , the influence of the religion is also very important .

The influence of family education lead to the Chinese education become a teacher-orientated as well as passive ,and American education overfree . I think it’s a good idea to combine the China’s responsibility and the west’s independence. It will be beneficial to the young generation’s development and the establishment of a harmonious, happy family .

For the family education is so important,the family environment can’t ignore. It’s no doubt that the foudation of a harmnious family is the happy marriage .

Cultural differences in marriage and family(URL:http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4b474ceb0100a1h0.html)

There are many cultural differences in marriage and family between Chinese and American .The first step , when looking for spouse we can see the dating advertisements have clearly distinction .Chinese people pay much attention to the material aspects .The situation they say  “I love you” , the meaning they kiss and the way they wedding are all different. The Chinese have a stronger sense of family honor and once they married they can share almost ererything together. According to the paper , “Chinese culture emphasizes the collective quality in the nature of  induvidual’s life and behavior .” Otherwise , the American are more inpidual and independent . Family members are regarded as friend and they should treated equality in dalily life .It is believed that the real happy , harmonious family should base on love and equality .

Actually , it’s hard to decide which one is good or bad . The difference between Chinese and Western cultures is inevitable ,the key is to look at how we treat such a difference . To learn the different cultures and the cultural gap will help us do a better communication with foriegners. In addition ,we will know how to learn English better .