Yifan Shi

College Writing 9C
First Argument Paper final draft

Kluckhohns article, adapted from his book Mirror for Man, examines how culture
influences peoples behaviors and the relationship between culture and human biology. In
the passage, Kluckhohn focuses on the way culture shapes peoples acts. According to
him, people all over the world are different because they grow up in different cultures
which are formed by all the people living under the same cultural contexts; however, the
worlds people also share similarities in cultural forms, due to the similar biological
equipment they have. I agree with Kluckhohn on his points that the ways people think,
talk and behave are likely to be significantly determined by their cultures, while the
biological potentialities they possess serve as the basis, because multiple examples have
proved the relationship between culture and human biology. This is important for us to
understand the differences and similarities among the worlds people.

People from different cultures tend to hold various opinions and think differently. I
remember the first time I went to a restaurant in America. The weather that day was fairly
cold for me, and I was astonished when the waitress brought a glass of ice water for me.
It seemed that the waitress was also astonished, when I asked if I could have hot water. A
friend of mine once found himself in a restaurant in Japan, and he was completely
unaccustomed to the quiet atmosphere, since restaurants in China are generally noisy.

It is also noticeable that, when expressing their opinions, American people tend to be
very straightforward, but Chinese people may be more indirect. Being in the society,
American people are probably influenced by individualism and emphasize the diversity
of people, yet Chinese people usually attach more importance to collectivism. Relevant
examples are countless, ranging from daily routines to modes of thinking and
interpersonal relationships.

Such differences are not caused by the biological variations of different races, instead,
they have roots in the culture. Kluckhohn claims that culture is the total life way of a
people, the social legacy individuals acquire from their group. That is to say, a persons
way of acting is not only determined by his own personality, but also by the cultural
group that he grows up in. I have met many American born Chinese students since I came
to Berkeley. They have biological features of Chinese people, but their gestures, facial
expressions, thinking process, and the way they deals with people can be significantly in
American style. Growing up in American society, they interact mostly with American
people and are exposed to American culture, thus they acquire totally different features
from local Chinese people. Kluckhohn also presents a similar example, in which a man,
who had American biological heritage but Chinese cultural training, was obviously
unaccustomed to American ways. Both examples show that modes of thinking and
behavior appear to be acquired, and are not determined by blood.

However, there is a foundation on which culture is formed and shaped. That foundation is
the biological potentiality of human. Many features of human are defined by nature, such
as sexes, physical and mental abilities, lifespans and so on. The existence of nature also
restricts cultural forms so that culture will not develop beyond control. Because of the
shared life experiences, different cultures around the world are possible to have similar
patterns. For example, people need to sleep at night and generally have three meals a day,
so that they can survive; people wear clothes in the daytime instead of being naked; they
normally brush their teeth daily and take showers to maintain clean. These similarities of
people are based on the same culture they have, which is developed from human nature.
According to Kluckhohn, there is culture in general for mankind, while each human is
living in it and affected by it.

In conclusion, all humans are part of culture. They are influenced by culture on one hand,
and form the culture on the other hand. Culture is developed beyond human biology and
also limited by it. Kluckhohn argues that, because of culture, human behavior can be
somehow predictable. Cultures form regulations for people. The culture specific to a
country or a race may lead to special regulations for certain people, and there is also the
culture that is universal, which means that people around the world share something in
common.
Target Grammar Application Sheet (TGAS)
Filling out this sheet will help make visible your application of the target grammar for this assignment. For
each item, write three examples from your paper that show how you applied the target grammar. Include
this sheet with your final draft.

Assignment name: Argument Essay #1

Target Grammar: Hedging

Examples Explanation/ details

Hedging- write four phrases in which you used a
hedging strategy from class. Two should be modals and
two should use adjectives of possibility/probability
It is also noticeable that, when expressing their Use the modal may to show that there
opinions, American people tend to be very is a possibility, but is not absolute.
straightforward, but Chinese people may be
more indirect.
and the way they deals with people can be Hedge with the modal can.
significantly in American style.

I agree with Kluckhohn on his points that the Use be likely to + verb to hedge.
ways people think, talk and behave are likely
to be significantly determined by their
cultures,
Because of the shared life experiences, Use be possible to + verb to show the
different cultures around the world are possible possibility.
to have similar patterns.
Assignment 3:

Sentences with Errors Description of Error/ Explanation and Remarks Correction

Correction Symbol
example: after the thief transitive vs. intransitive 'to rob' takes an object After the thief robbed the
robbed, he ran himself away verbs woman,
quickly 'to run' in intransitive- no
object he ran away quickly.
Kluckhohns article, Word choice Should be adapted from Kluckhohns article,
adopted from his book adapted from his book
Mirror for Man, Mirror for Man,

however, the worlds Word form Culture is a noun. however, the worlds
people also share Cultural is an adjective. people also share
similarities in culture similarities in cultural
forms forms

Relevant examples are Singular or plural routine should be plural Relevant examples are
countless, ranging from countless, ranging from
daily routine to modes daily routines to modes
of thinking, to of thinking, to
interpersonal interpersonal
relationships. relationships.