Do you think it is a good plan to “deliver lectures on history and culture” on a bus not “to waste precious minutes” spent on taking photographs (Osnos par. 9)? Why or why not?
It can be a good idea to give some facts while tourists are on a bus. However, this does not mean that at the sights, tourists should focus on taking pictures as the tour guide has to pay people’s attention to certain objects to make the tourists associate certain facts with real objects. Otherwise, tourists can simply forget the facts and will not feel the significance of the places they visit.
Why did not Chinese officials let people “go abroad” and “cleared the way for travelers to venture to other countries in a “planned, organized, and controlled manner” in the 1990s (Osnos par. 19)?
Chinese officials were likely to be afraid that Chinese travelers could see that other nations lived in free countries where they had numerous opportunities. Besides, life in China was much more difficult for many people than life in Europe or America. Thus, Chinese officials were afraid that many people can want to leave their homeland to start a new life abroad.
Compare the articles by Osnos and Theroux and consider arguments Osnos and Theroux provide to show that travel is often associated with stressful situations and anxiety.
According to both writings, travel is often seen as something potentially risky. For instance, travel is hazardous by Confucian beliefs (Osnos par. 18). However, Theroux provides specific illustrations to Confucian beliefs stating that mobs, natural disasters, and unrest can put a traveler in danger, so it is safer to stay home (par. 4-7).
What do Osnos and Theroux think about the importance of travel in people’s lives? Why do they think travel is important for people’s development?
Both writings reveal some negative sides of travel or possible hazards. However, the two authors strongly believe that travel broadens people’s minds and they stress that people should travel. At that, both writers think that a traveler should not stop after the first trip, but should explore new places all the time as this can help people develop.
What factors have affected the popularity of tours across Europe? Why are Chinese people eager to choose this traveling opportunity rather than go to the USA or any other single country?
Chinese people find it more reasonable to pay less and visit more and choose Europe as they have an opportunity to see several different cultures at comparatively low cost. This is a great option, especially for people whose income is not very big. More so, Europe has become more ‘Chinese-friendly’ as European hotels add Chinese television and some hotel staff speak Mandarin.
What prejudice is revealed in the text? What do Chinese people think about Europeans before and after their travels? Are Chinese tourists proud of their culture?
Of course, there is a lot of prejudice as Chinese people see Europeans as strange people who think they are superior. Interestingly, the image of Europe as the cradle of western civilization makes people believe that this superiority can be justified. However, after Chinese people have visited the sites, they understand that Chinese culture is as ancient as the culture of ancient Greece or Rome.
Works Cited
Osnos, Evan. “The Grand Tour.” The New Yorker 2011. Web.
Theroux, Paul. “Why We Travel.” The New York Times 2011. Web.