The increase in international business and in foreign investment has created a need f

or executives with knowledge of foreign languages and skills in cross-cultural communication. Americans, however, have not been well trained in either area and, consequently, have not enjoyed the same level of success in negotiation in an international arena as have their foreign counterparts.

Negotiating is the process of communicating back and forth for the purpose of reaching an agreement. It involves persuasion and compromise, but in order to participate in either one, the negotiators must understand the ways in which people are persuaded and how compromise is reached within the culture of the negotiation.

In many international business negotiations abroad, Americans are perceived as wealthy and impersonal. It often appears to the foreign negotiator that the American represents a large multi-million-dollar corporation that can afford to pay the price without bargaining further. The American negotiator's role becomes that of an impersonal supplier of information and cash.

In studies of American negotiators abroad, several traits have been identified that may serve to confirm this stereotypical perception, while undermining the negotiator's position. Two traits in particular that cause cross-cultural misunderst anding are directness and impatience on the part of the American negotiator. Furthermore, American negotiators often insist on realizing short-term goals. Foreign negotiators, on the other hand, may value the relationship established between negotiators and may be willing to invest time in it for long-term benefits. In order to solidify the relationship, they may opt for indirect interactions without regard for the time involved in getting to know the other negotiator.

Clearly, perceptions and differences in values affect the outcomes of negotiations and the success of negotiators. For Americans to play a more effective role in international business negotiations, they must put forth more effort to improve cross-cultural understanding.

(1) What kind of manager is needed in present international business and foreign investment？

A、The man who represents a large multi-million-dollar corporation.

B、The man with knowledge of foreign languages and skills in cross-cultural communication.

C、The man who is wealthy and impersonal.

D、The man who can negotiate with his foreign counterparts.

(2) According to the passage, international business negotiation involves.

A、short-term goals

B、long-term benefits

C、information and cash

D、persuasion and compromise

(3) In the foreign negotiators’eyes their American counterparts are.

A、impersonal suppliers of information and cash

B、skillful in negotiation

C、good at establishing relationship between negotiators

D、indirect and impatient

(4) Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage？

A、Foreign negotiators are willing to invest time in relationship between negotiators.

B、American negotiator's directness and impatience cause cross-cultural misunderstanding.

C、Americans has played a more effective role in international business negotiations.

D、Foreign negotiators think that American can afford to pay the price without bargaining

(5) What is the topic of this passage？

A、The differences between American negotiators and foreign negotiators

B、Negotiation skills

C、International business and cross-cultural communication

D、Cross-cultural understanding