Hello同学们，Hello Pter们， 我们在PTE考试的自我介绍（introduction）部分经常会说，我们来澳洲是为了experience different cultures and lifestyles. 那么，在你来澳洲的那几年，最让你震惊的差异是什么呢？

小编不才，希望可以抛砖引玉，童鞋们一起来吐槽吧～

小编刚刚来澳洲的时候住的是homestay，所以有幸感受了一把local的生活方式。现在就来跟大家分享十个令人印象深刻的差异（differences）。

早上洗澡的他们

每天当小编睁着迷糊的眼睛，顶着凌乱的头发（Messy hair）打开房门的时候，homestay一家早已经洗完澡，神采奕奕，在早餐桌上聊天了。这也太神奇了，那他们晚上不洗澡的吗？？？这是小编心里的疑问。

最后，得到的解释是，一天的工作太累了，他们只想go to bed immediately(立马上床睡觉). 然而，小编的生活方式并没有改变，但是偶尔起不来的时候，也会学习他们，先进浴室清醒（refresh）一下。

Baking 是澳洲家庭女主人必会的技能之一

恕我愚昧，我一直觉得蛋糕和面包大部分都是从外面买来的。而烘焙，最多只是我们日常的兴趣爱好（小编好歹也是做过雪媚娘和月饼（mooncake）的孩纸）。

可是，这每周都在进行的烤蛋糕烤饼干活动，加上这专业的点缀能力，妥妥的可以开店了啊。然而，当homestay一家和邻居们一起下午茶（afternoon tea）时，我才发现，baking并不是一项独特的才能（Unique talent）, 而是一项普遍性技能（Universal skill）。

直至今日，小编仍然是一个连烤箱（oven）都不怎么用的孩纸，但是我仍然活得很好。大家觉得我们应该学习烘培吗？

常年喝冰水

当小编每天拿出泡枸杞的保温壶（thermos bottle）时，别提homestay那个疑惑的眼神了。小编尝试过用中医说的那些大道理，去解释喝温水的好处。他们一开始也兴致勃勃想要尝试，甚至买了保温壶。但是好景不长，他们还是更爱用保温壶的保冷功能️。

但是他们也尊重我们喝热饮的习惯，以至于每一次他们喝冰可乐的时候，我总会得到一杯热可可（其实我也想喝可乐）。

晚餐是很重要的一餐

我们的文化告诉我们，早餐吃得好，中午吃的饱，晚餐吃得少，这是健康的生活方式（healthy lifestyle），至少是很多媒体杂志宣扬的。然而，local们的早餐千篇一律，基本上都是牛奶加上燕麦谷类（cereal）。

OK，这也算是高营养（nutritious）的搭配了（毕竟要入乡随俗，天天早起煮一人份的粥（porridge）有点不现实）。

我最讶异的是，local们中午只吃个三明治（sandwich）或者寿司卷（Sushi Roll）就对付过去了。但是晚上的餐桌，总是会有各种精致的食材（各种口味的意大利面（spaghetti），各种碳烤海鲜，各种牛排和沙拉），重点是份量都很大。

小编中午自己吃（中国胃），晚上和homestay一起吃（大份量美食），一年生生胖了十斤。晚餐桌上必说的词就是“too full”。

不吝啬于表达爱

大家可能会觉得，表达爱，是微信发个520的吗？NO NO NO，这里不是要说这个，而是和local每次见面都会做的拥抱和贴脸吻！我一开始也会被他们的热情吓到，但是后来也觉得是很好的表达想念和爱的方式。

Homestay五十多岁了，还是会在Facebook上面发亲吻的照片，并得到了大家的祝福和赞美。而我们受到的教育大多是含蓄地（Implicitly）表达爱，我们的父辈也基本不会在社交网站上对爱情友情有过多的表达（expression）。两种传统都有各种的独特之美，人们只需要选择让自己开心的生活方式就可以了。

出门不打伞

Local出门，最多涂个防晒霜（sunscreen）就完事了，他们更热衷于沐浴在阳光下。但是，小编就习惯于，涂完防晒霜，要带上墨镜帽子，夏天可能还是要撑把伞来抵抗毒辣的太阳。撑伞可能会让人觉得有点奇怪（小编就被homestay询问过这是怎么回事），大家也可能会为了不引来奇怪的目光而省略了这一步。

但是，没有斑点（spot），不被晒伤（Sunburn）的皮肤绝对是我们永远的追求！所以，墨镜帽子是必不可少的。

给小孩子治病的方式

你能想象让小孩子退烧的方式是把他泡在冷水里降温吗？我是一脸尴尬加疑惑地看完了这个全程。我知道拿冷帕子擦身体是正常的，但是完全把小朋友泡在冷水里并陪着玩水，我就一脸懵了。然而还真的起效果了，所以无论黑猫白猫，可以抓到老鼠就是好猫。

大型拆礼物现场

在国内，小编每次收到礼物，总是先收起来，之后自己单独拆开。而在澳洲，你会发现，当你收到礼物时，需要即时打开并且表达感激之情。Local们会很期待你打开礼物那一瞬间的反应，他们会跟你一起开心，偶尔还会说明他们送给你礼物的心理过程。

当然，小编记得最清楚的是圣诞节的大型拆礼物现场，所有人都在拆礼物，到处都是惊喜的声音，快乐好像也加倍了。

四处可见的酒文化

众所周知，澳洲人非常爱喝酒。基本上，我们在喝茶，他们在喝鸡尾酒（cocktail）；我们在喝热水，他们在喝啤酒（beer）；我们在喝橙汁，他们在喝威士忌（Whiskey）️。但是区别就是，在澳洲小编并没有被劝过酒，只要你手里有杯喝的，大家并不在意你喝的是什么。

而且在澳洲卖酒除了需要执照（license）之外，也不会卖酒给未成年人。哎，小编都快30了还次次被查。嗯，一开始我还很得意自己长得年轻，直到我母上大人去买酒也被查了ID。。。。。。

孩子独立人格的培养

小编基本上很经常收到来自国内亲戚朋友的忧思：我怀孕了，幼儿园怎么选啊？怎么才能让孩子上更好的学校？怎么样让孩子保持住班级前三？这些“焦虑”性掌控欲发生在很多望子成龙的父母身上，他们一般以“要求”为主。

但是澳洲的孩子们更多的是自我选择（Self-selection），父母很少干涉（intervene）子女的学业、事业甚至是婚姻的发展选择，他们一般以“鼓励”为主。这一点有助于孩子独立人格（Independent personality）的培养，为自己的决定及人生负责。

在这一段旅程中，我们通过我们的眼睛，我们的思考，去亲身经历不同的文化和生活方式。

存在即合理，小编觉得对于不同的文化，我们应该理解与尊重。对于好的方式，我们也可以学习。不一味的赞美，也不一味的抗拒。

套用我们高中所学习的那个观点：和而不同，求同存异。

关于不同的文化，PTE里面有哪些相关题目呢？

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SPEAKING

RA部分

010142Studying abroad is a very popular option for students who come from a wealthy family. Most people believe that overseas experience provides a deeper understanding of cultures and develops communication skills. While this may be true, not all of these new experience are useful for finding a job. Employers tend to value interpersonal skills and industry knowledge more than cultural background.

RS部分

020691People with active lifestyles are less likely to die early or have major illnesses.

READINGFIB部分120059Over the past ten years, Australian overseas departures have grown from 1.7 million to 3.2 million. This represents strong average, annual growth of 6.5 per cent. This paper analysesoutbound travel demand to each destination country using the travel demand models of short-term resident departures. The models are specified in terms of a double logarithmic linear functional form, with overseas departures as the dependent variable and real household disposable income prices of travel and accommodation in Australia, and overseas and the exchange rate as independentvariables.

The models were estimated using historical time series data from 1973 to 1998. The data were obtained from several sourcessuch as the World Tourism Organization, Australian Bureau of Statistics, World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The results suggest that the estimated elasticity parameters are consistent with standard economic theory. The number of short-term resident departures is positively influenced by per capita real household disposable income; and the price of domestic travel and accommodation, and negativelyinfluenced by the price of travel and accommodation overseas.The estimated demand models were used to develop the Tourism Forecasting Council’s long run forecasts. The forecasts suggest that the number of short-term resident departures will increase strongly over the next ten years, largely due to the strength of the Australian economy, competitive trove prices, and Australians’ interest in experiencingdifferent cultures and lifestyles.

110069Many people today think of culture in the way that it was thought of in Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This concept of culture reflected inequalities within European societies and their colonies around the world. This understanding of culture equates culture with civilization and contrasts both with nature or non-civilization. According to this understanding of culture, some countries are more civilized than others, and some people are more cultured than others. Anything that doesn’t FIT into this category is labeled as chaos or anarchy. From this perspective, culture is closely tied to cultivation, which is the progressive refinement of human behavior.In practice, culture referred to elite goods and activities such as haute cuisine, high fashion or haute couture, museum-caliber art and classical music. The word cultured referred to people who knew about and took part in these activities. For example, someone who used culture in this sense might argue that classical music is more refined than music by working-class people, such as jazz or the indigenous music traditions of aboriginal peoples.

110066Australia is a dynamic multi-cultural society, viewed by many as the world's most desirable place to live. Here Frank Welsh traces Australia’s intriguing and varied history toexamine how this society emerged, from its ancient Aborigine tribes and earliest British convict settlements to today’s modern nation - one that retains strong links with its colonial past but is increasingly independent and diverse.LISTENINGWFD部分201026All writers are consciously or unconsciously representing their own culture.

WRITINGSWT部分

060014Some people think it’s a good idea to exchange a terrace for a farm cottage. Born and reared on a farm, the author claimed that there were some minor disadvantages of country living, but there still has many advantages. However, it is difficult to persuade his town born pregnant wife to live in a farm cottage where has lower income. (62 words)

Write essay

Some people argue that young people should concentrate on study or work. Some people think it is better to put energy in activities designed to broaden their experience, such as international travel and volunteering. Support with examples or cases.

Nowadays, whether young people should focus on study and work or not has attracted controversies. Some people believe that study has beneficial effects on future employment, while others are in favor of putting energy in activities. As far as I am concerned, students should highlight the importance of activities due to social network development reasons. It is paramount for students to concentrate on study or work in order to have a prosper future. Firstly, if students put effort into study and work, they are more likely to lay a solid foundation for future development. For example, the student with a high GPA always has more job opportunities than those who have moderate academic performance. Moreover, with more working experience, students can improve competitiveness for job hunting, and delivery proper interview performance. However, the advantage of various activities can not be ignored. First and foremost, young people can be exposed to a different culture, and adapt to globalization. For example, those who participate in international volunteer programs are more likely to have a better understanding of local cultures. Besides this, extracurricular activities enable students to broaden their horizons, enrich the experience and have more friends, leading to a more balanced life and more social connections. To sum, up, I am more inclined to the view that students should pay attention to activities to enrich their experience, even though focusing on study or work makes them more likely to find desirable jobs.(240words)