Global View - Nationalities (C0263)

A: Hey! How was your first day of class? I'm in level two and I'm loving my class this semester! It's great being in a class of international students!
B: Mine was ok, except that no one in my class speaks English. I guess it will force me to converse in Chinese more in class so at least I should improve a lot this semester.
A: That's both fortunate and unfortunate. It's the United Nations in my class! We have people from all over the world! There are three Germans, a Pole, a Scottish, two French, an American, a Brazilian, a Chilean, a New Zealander, though he prefers to call himself a Kiwi. Who else do we have? Oh, we also have a Moroccan, a Togolese, a Pakistani, and two Indonesians!
B: That's quite the array of nationalities. Everyone in my class is from Asia, except me. There are a few South Koreans, several Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Singaporean, Filipino, Kazakhstani, and one Russian.
A: Well, I think you're pretty lucky actually. You'll have the opportunity to learn so much about Asian culture.
B: I guess so, but I think it's going to be hard to relate to my classmates, especially with the language barrier. I think I might change classes.
A: Don't! Stay the course! Your spoken Chinese will be eternally grateful. I bet you it will even surpass mine with all that practice.
B: I highly doubt it. Your girlfriend is Chinese.
A: Well, there is that, yes.

Key Vocabulary

United Nations an international political organization
array a large group or quantity of people or things
opportunity chance
language barrier trouble communicating because speak different languages
stay the course remain or persevere to the end

Supplementary Vocabulary

Dutch relating to the people of Netherlands
Finn A person from Finland
Dane A person from Denmark
naturalize process by which a person becomes a citizen of another country
ethnic relating to groups of people that have common racial, tribal or religious traits

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