Read the passage.
Globalization and Cultural Identity
You walk into a café in Moscow and, instead of ordering mors, a traditional Russian fruit drink made from boiled berries, fruits, sugar and water, you decide to order a popular American soda. Instead of dining out on a meal of seafood sausage, crusty bread, and cheese, you walk over to a well-known fast-food restaurant for a hamburger. For many tourists, the sight of familiar logos and menus from home are in enough locations that they might even forget they are in a different country!
When people speak of globalization, they are referring to the “movement and integration of people and goods from different countries.” In an ideal world, globalization is good for sharing ideas, building economies, and helping countries discuss ways to work together. Globalization has been held up as the solution to many world problems—from overcoming poverty to better treatment of workers.
There are other areas in which globalization is easy to see, such as in music, television, and movies. Social apps used for communication are also in use around the world. This brings another level of influence from the country creating them.
However, there is one disadvantage that accompanies this globalization. Quite simply, globalization kills cultures. And when cultures become lost, so can the national identities of a group and a people.
Why?
Corporations and large businesses have brands to sell. When one city after the next brings only a handful of these companies into their country, it turns cities into clones of each other. In the race of some countries to take over markets in other countries, the unique aspects of cultural identity get left behind. Those fast-food restaurants and coffee shops are great for business and the economy—but at what price?
While different languages might distinguish Paris, London, Milan, and Berlin, it is hard to ignore the rapidly increasing sight of American influence. Restaurants, stores, and even theme parks have found their way into various locations in Europe. A person may feel comforted by the sight of a sandwich chain and may even know exactly what item on the menu they want to order. But the restaurant’s presence in a foreign country is symbolic of something much bigger; the values of a dominating culture have seeped into many other cultures. And because of the promise of financial success in a region that has possibly struggled for profitable business, that culture dismisses their own values and identity for something that appears to be more valuable.
What effect does this have on a culture’s ability to remain important, especially in the lives of young people? Advertising, created by the influence of western culture, now heavily influences them. Much of what is put forth as desirable is in an effort to sell something and make money. Unfortunately, what is popular at the time will change very quickly. With slick advertising that is seen repeatedly, people are persuaded to part with their hard-earned money in a never-ending quest to buy products that they are convinced will improve their lives.
Another area that shows the impact of globalization is fashion. T-shirts and jeans are normal for casual wear. Business suits are worn for professional purposes. Traditional clothing from various countries has not disappeared altogether, as it is worn generally for special occasions such as festivals or performances. But there remains the risk of these celebrations becoming less important as the culture’s values keep changing.
Gone is the traditional clothing created generations ago. Gone is the music one may have heard as a child. Gone is the heritage of a people in favor of buying the latest digital technology or clothing. Stories, history, and connection have been sacrificed.
How will the young people know who they are without the rich and meaningful traditions of their ancestors? What happens to cultures not rooted in financial success?
Here is a scenario: Think of a grandmother in the United States out with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild. Maybe they are eating at a fast-food restaurant—something which the grandmother has never done except in the last 20 years. The television is blaring overhead with graphic music videos and commercials selling sports cars. Her children are staring at their mobile phones. Her grandson is playing with a computer tablet. The bright lights of the computers and thumping beat of music drown out the possibility of having a meaningful conversation.
How does this grandmother communicate the importance of their family’s culture and traditions to younger family members? How does she convey the way her grandmother sang while weaving intricate blankets, or how her grandfather explained the meaning of her name?
Sadly, with increasing difficulty.
Question 1
Part A
What is a claim the author makes in "Globalization and Cultural Identity"?
A) Globalization jeopardizes cultural identity.
B) Cultural identity and globalization are flourishing.
C) Globalization promotes cultural identity.
D) Cultural identity and globalization are at risk.
Question 2
Part B
The author supports the claim in Part A by stating that although fast-food restaurants are good for the economy, there is a "price" to pay for them.
How well does this reason support the author's claim in Part A?
A) It fails to explain how globalization impacts most parts of society, but not food.
B) It effectively explains that local ethnic restaurants are being replaced by national chains that do not represent any culture.
C) It is ineffective because it explains why diverse restaurants, such as fast-food restaurants, should be celebrated.
D) It clearly demonstrates how fast-food restaurants help a culture's identity and the economy.
helpppp..
a and b
To answer question 1, you need to identify the claim the author makes in the passage "Globalization and Cultural Identity." To do this, you should look for a statement that expresses the author's position or opinion on how globalization affects cultural identity. Reading through the passage, you can find the claim in the sentence: "Quite simply, globalization kills cultures." This statement clearly expresses the author's view that globalization jeopardizes cultural identity. Therefore, the answer to question 1 is A) Globalization jeopardizes cultural identity.
To answer question 2, you need to evaluate how well the author's reasoning supports the claim made in Part A. Specifically, you are looking for how the author's mention of fast-food restaurants being good for the economy but having a "price" supports the claim that globalization jeopardizes cultural identity. Reading the relevant portion of the passage, you can see that the author suggests that fast-food restaurants and other international chains, although beneficial for the economy, contribute to a loss of cultural identity. The mention of the "price" indicates that there are negative consequences to cultural identity, as it becomes overshadowed or replaced by these globalized establishments. Therefore, the answer to question 2 is B) It effectively explains that local ethnic restaurants are being replaced by national chains that do not represent any culture.