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lf_aristotle69
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 546
Location: HangZhou, China
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 Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:45 am Post subject: Countries, not cities... |
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| The Noodles wrote: |
i can't name much above London  |
They're called: Ireland, Scotland, and Wales...
Since we are only talking countries. No one is saying you have to name every city in any one country... just know most of your key allies and trading partners, in your own language.
LFA  |
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KWhitehead
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 78
Location: neither here nor there
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 8:34 am Post subject: Re: what to do |
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| lf_aristotle69 wrote: |
| KWhitehead wrote: |
| lf_aristotle69 wrote: |
| The Noodles wrote: |
Another thought Australia was in europe. Maybe thing are different in shanghai where it's more international.
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Are you American (USA?)? It's often been said that many/most Americans cannot find Australia on an unlabelled map either.
Are YOU aware there's a country in Europe called A U S T R I A? Perhaps your pronunciation confused them?
Did you try to ask if they knew where "MeiGuo" and "AoDaLiYa" were? Do you know? My question is if someone gives you names of countries in Chinese could you get all of them? Perhaps the kids haven't studied place names for a long time...
Sorry, I am just playing Devil's Advocate. Nevertheless, they are ideas worth considering.
In fact I saw a good video on one of those Video websites (e.g. YouTube), it was of some people who went outside suburban American shopping centres and acted as reporters pretending to get public feedback about international events, their 'prop' was a map, which had some country names misplaced. Of course, they probably edited out the people who spotted the fraud, but I'm not certain about that... .
E.g. The Australian mainland was marked as North Korea and Tasmania marked as South Korea. But, sincere comments such as; "I didn't realise North Korea was so big" are not a good sign of the state of American's geographical knowledge...
LFA |
not everything needs to be turned into an anti-USA rant. |
It was hardly a RANT...
And, I think I was clear that I was somewhat playing devil's advocate.
The OP said that some Chinese kids said that Australia was in Europe... I was giving some explanations as to why, and also saying, with supporting evidence, that many average US citizens wouldn't know where one of their top 5 or 10 strategic allies is on a map!
If Americans don't want to have fingers pointed at them they should clean up their own backyard first and tell their corrupt, fascist government and blind capitalist free enterprisers to get their size 50 Jack boots out of the door of every other country on Earth... including the ones they don't even know the locations of...
Your government wants hegemony... there's a price to pay!
I'm glad China is rising now! Warts and all, well I'm trying to apply lotion where I can on the warts, but they're big warts... In fact I'm here (in China) doing my bit so that hopefully American hegemony is challenged by China.
And, hopefully India, and the European Union, and a resurgent Russia... maybe a unified South America. Also, hopefully a more thoughtful middle-east, and eventually a progressive and cohesive Africa!
We've already seen how America imposes it's will on the little boys on the street... who has won out of that so far except Haliburton...?
It'll be interesting to see when they finally throw their so-called "holier than thow" "we're the good guys" "we're doing this for the betterment of the world" "if you're not with us, you're against us" democratic rulebook totally out the window (since they already break every rule in it anyway!) and take some pre-emptive unilateral action against China. You know, throw their (act first, think later) military weight around a bit. Probably a resources blockade I would surmise.
How can you let those crooks run your country like that? Shame!
LFA
PS. How many adulterers is the Republican Party putting up for ballot in the running for the next election? Have a look. They're only there to line their own pockets and that of their big business friends, and they're liers and HYPOCRITES!!!
PPS. THAT's a RANT!  |
all right, i'll agree that the second one was a rant. the first one was merely someone lashing out against a country which was, until that point, unmentioned in the thread.
and as for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, if you were truly geographically aware, you'd know that my original point was about counties, not nations, making up the UK.
yes, it's true that many studies have been done about what geography the people of the USA know. there are two points i'd like to add. one is how many of these studies have been done in other countries? you'd be shocked by the number of Germans i've met who didn't know where the Czech Republic was. the other is how many of these studies take smart-alecks into account. if someone were to ask me on the street where new york city was, i might very well point to uruguay. if someone gave me $50 to tell them where NYC was on a map, that would be a different story altogether! |
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lf_aristotle69
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 546
Location: HangZhou, China
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:52 am Post subject: Re: what to do |
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| KWhitehead wrote: |
all right, i'll agree that the second one was a rant. the first one was merely someone lashing out against a country which was, until that point, unmentioned in the thread.
and as for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, if you were truly geographically aware, you'd know that my original point was about counties, not nations, making up the UK.
yes, it's true that many studies have been done about what geography the people of the USA know. there are two points i'd like to add. one is how many of these studies have been done in other countries? you'd be shocked by the number of Germans i've met who didn't know where the Czech Republic was. the other is how many of these studies take smart-alecks into account. if someone were to ask me on the street where new york city was, i might very well point to uruguay. if someone gave me $50 to tell them where NYC was on a map, that would be a different story altogether! |
The first one wasn't "lashing out", it made valid points.
<crosses arms, looks sullen>
Oh, have a look at the very first post... you'll see that America is very definitely, and significantly, mentioned.
Sorry, I did consider you may mean counties, but since every other post refers to countries (and not sub-units thereof) I assumed you were just delineating England from the rest of the UK.
Yes, I agree, I'm sure many people in many countries are lame at geography.
But, Americans are trying to rule the world and most of them don't even know where any of the other countries are! I've even read reports (a few years back in American newspapers) that a high percentage of high school graduates couldn't even identify Canada on a map! Now that's just sad.
Not trying to start a war here K, so you can have the last word now.
LFA |
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KWhitehead
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 78
Location: neither here nor there
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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The Last Word:
Yes, there are many statistics that students from the USA cannot identify Canada on a map. In an article I recently read in the Guardian, most of them couldn't identify Canada, but most of them could find Pakistan! Do not underestimate the insult that "Can you find Canada on a map?" would imply to most people. Those studies are junk.
Also, I think you'll find the people of the USA an agreeable if sometimes ignorant bunch. It's the government that's hegemonic. More non-Western European cultures are aware of the difference between government and people than Western European cultures are... but that's another topic entirely.
That's all, folks. |
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Lobster
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 2040
Location: Somewhere under the Sea
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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Mmmmm, is Ireland really part of the UK? I mean Eire, not Northern Ireland. And isn't Wales to the west of England, not the north? Have these places shifted around since I studied geography in high school?
RED |
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Teababy
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Posts: 514
Location: Wuhan
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Roger wrote: |
Hi noodles,
long time no see ya! You have been around quite a while so I am a little surprised to see your despondency.
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Wrong "Noodle", Mr. A-little-slow-on-the-uptake. |
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lf_aristotle69
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 546
Location: HangZhou, China
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Lobster wrote: |
Mmmmm, is Ireland really part of the UK? I mean Eire, not Northern Ireland. And isn't Wales to the west of England, not the north? Have these places shifted around since I studied geography in high school?
RED |
Well, in one sense... yes.
But, in another sense... no.
Ahhh, I was thinking in terms of north of the line of latitude that passes through Yorkshire.
Sir Humphrey Appelby at your service...
LFA |
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Ariadne
Joined: 16 Jul 2004
Posts: 960
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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Re Chinese university students and geography... I usually use a map of China in my first meeting with a class. I get to know a bit about the students and they learn a little more about each other. Each student has an opportunity to tell the class where they are from and to point out the province and town on the map. Many of the kids have to really search to find their province, and if they are from a small town it's hard for them to indicate a general idea of its location. So, although I can sort of understand how they get confused about Austria and Australia, I'm surprised at their lack of awareness about the geography of China. North, south, east, and west are necessary concepts/vocabulary to have, but many students do not have a clue about them. That lack does open up the possibility of quite a few different lesson plans related to location and travel and maps.
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KES
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 722
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:22 am Post subject: |
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| If Americans don't want to have fingers pointed at them they should clean up their own backyard first and tell their corrupt, fascist government and blind capitalist free enterprisers to get their size 50 Jack boots out of the door of every other country on Earth... including the ones they don't even know the locations of... |
Okay. So why don't you name all those countries?
Really, learn some history, politics, grow up and come back when you can do more than parrot the politically correct party line.
It's so tedious and sophmoric. |
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OGFT
Joined: 24 Jun 2006
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:31 am Post subject: |
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| get their size 50 Jack boots out of the door of every other country on Earth... including the ones they don't even know the locations of... |
jack Boot just don't come equipped with GPS indicators but surprisingly enough Americans seem to always find their way to "Bar Street' in any country on Earth. |
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lf_aristotle69
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 546
Location: HangZhou, China
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:18 am Post subject: American citizens apathy??? |
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| KES wrote: |
| Quote: |
| If Americans don't want to have fingers pointed at them they should clean up their own backyard first and tell their corrupt, fascist government and blind capitalist free enterprisers to get their size 50 Jack boots out of the door of every other country on Earth... including the ones they don't even know the locations of... |
Okay. So why don't you name all those countries?
Really, learn some history, politics, grow up and come back when you can do more than parrot the politically correct party line.
It's so tedious and sophmoric. |
Politically correct?
What drugs are you on?
What did I say that was "politically correct"?
So, discussion of any situation is limited to people who have obtained some externally moderated level of expertise, is it?
I'm sorry I have not reached your 'standard'... but I'm sure we could have a good discussion anyway.
The point is that Americans are trying to export their systems of government, business practice, and lifestyle to the rest of the world, most of whom don't want it, at least not in the forms that are forced on them. And, besides if American's paused for a moment and turned the microscope on their own country they'd very quickly see all the problems inherent in those systems. Or, at least inherent in the way they've been perverted by those in power, and perpetuated by the apathy of the American public!
LFA
PS. I say all this in terms of socio-polical debate, I don't dislike American people per se. I have many American friends, who I respect and admire... or I did anyway...  |
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no_exit
Joined: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 565
Location: Kunming
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| KWhitehead wrote: |
| no_exit wrote: |
(they can name all of the provinces, I'd wager, which is more than lots of kids back in the States could do with their own country's geography).
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seriously, it's not necessary to take pot shots at the USA. most people in england can't name much beyond yorkshire. |
A bit sensitive? I am from the USA, I would hardly take potshots against my own country. I was simply referring to what I know from my own experience. Most kids in the US can't name all 50 states. If I made a comment about British kids it would be complete speculation, because I'm not British and have no place to comment on their educational system. It was one sentence, in parentheses, not an anti-US rant. Simma down. |
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The Noodles
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 202
Location: China, Chengdu
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:41 am Post subject: |
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I've created a monster!  |
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frank d
Joined: 07 Dec 2005
Posts: 155
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Yes, The Noodles, I'm afraid I agree with you, but I'm not at all surprised...
The old proverb, "The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions" is often applicable at the China Job-related discussion forum.
Many "monsters" are roaming around these parts... |
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KWhitehead
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 78
Location: neither here nor there
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| Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:44 am Post subject: Re: American citizens apathy??? |
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| lf_aristotle69 wrote: |
| KES wrote: |
| Quote: |
| If Americans don't want to have fingers pointed at them they should clean up their own backyard first and tell their corrupt, fascist government and blind capitalist free enterprisers to get their size 50 Jack boots out of the door of every other country on Earth... including the ones they don't even know the locations of... |
Okay. So why don't you name all those countries?
Really, learn some history, politics, grow up and come back when you can do more than parrot the politically correct party line.
It's so tedious and sophmoric. |
Politically correct?
What drugs are you on?
What did I say that was "politically correct"?
So, discussion of any situation is limited to people who have obtained some externally moderated level of expertise, is it?
I'm sorry I have not reached your 'standard'... but I'm sure we could have a good discussion anyway.
The point is that Americans are trying to export their systems of government, business practice, and lifestyle to the rest of the world, most of whom don't want it, at least not in the forms that are forced on them. And, besides if American's paused for a moment and turned the microscope on their own country they'd very quickly see all the problems inherent in those systems. Or, at least inherent in the way they've been perverted by those in power, and perpetuated by the apathy of the American public!
LFA
PS. I say all this in terms of socio-polical debate, I don't dislike American people per se. I have many American friends, who I respect and admire... or I did anyway... |
i think the poster meant "popular" or "en vogue" instead of "politically correct". |
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