Topic 1: Does increasing travels between countries enable people to learn different cultures or to

Topic 5: Some people argue that immigrants should adopt the local culture when 
immigrating to a new country. An alternative view is that they can adapt to a new 
environment by establishing a minority community. Discuss these two views and give 
your opinion.
 
(Contradictory or conflicting), (coexistent), (realize betterment) (dual approaches)
(merge into the new culture), (integrate into the new society); (dominant language), (a fair chance 
to succeed) ;
(mutual understanding), (hostility and xenophobia), (perceptions of threat), (favorable attitudes 
toward immigrants ); (positive perceptions of migrant groups)
(sense of identity), (preservation of one's own festivals and cultural heritage), (religion and cultural 
groups ) (satisfy most peoples' needs) ;
(unable to comprehend simple tasks in their new life), ( old country of residence ), (longing for 
family), ( feel lost ) 
The world in the 21st century is marked by high population mobility. When an increasing 
number of people have chosen to leave their motherlands and resettle in a new country, they 
are at crossroads whether to blend in with the local culture or to cherish their own cultural 
heritages by establishing a minority community. In my opinion, the convergence of different 
cultures does not require one culture to yield to another. Instead, it can be achieved by 
building minority communities.
Most immigrants, at the first stage of their life in a new country, are faced with merging 
into the new culture and integrating into the new society. Accepting the local culture by 
observing the local traditions is a good starting point. Doing so enables immigrants to 
interact with locals, especially in the workplace, where locals predominantly work. For 
example, in Western culture, people customarily keep a certain distance from each other 
when having a conversation, whereas in some other cultures, the closeness of physical 
distance is taken as a sign of mutual trust. Examples of this kind are many. A migrant to a 
new country should recognize the differences and observe local conventions. It will help 
avoid embarrassment and bring a sense of comfort.
While adopting local customs and blending into the local culture, migrants can follow 
their individual cultural traditions. The coexistence of different minority communities in a 
country benefits both immigrants and locals. On the one hand, it enables immigrants to 
counteract the stress that results from culture shock and to increase confidence in their 
residence in a new country. On the other, the flourishing of different cultures contributes to 
the establishment of a multi-cultural environment, a prerequisite for attracting skilled 
workforce from all over the world to settle.
By comparing the immigration options above, one can conclude that immigrants can 
adopt local conventions and cherish their own cultures simultaneously. This allows both 
locals and immigrants to co-build a harmonious multi-cultural community.
1. Motherland= native country
2. Resettle=relocate
3. Convergence=union=junction=meeting 
4. Merge into=blend into=integrate into
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5. Starting point=basis
6. Customarily=routinely=habitually=regularly=usually
7. Closeness=nearness=proximity 
8. Counteract=offset=neutralize=counter
9. Flourishing=blooming=budding
10. Prerequisite=requirement=condition=must=precondition 
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