American visitors to Eastern Asia are often surprised and puzzled by how Asian cultures and customs differ from those in the United States. (1)______________________ in one country may be regard as odd, improper or even rude in the other. For example, people from some Eastern Asian countries may begin a conversation with a stranger by asking personal questions about family, home or work.
Such questions are thought to be friendly, (2)____________________________. On the other hand, people in most Asian cultures are far more guarded about expressing their feelings publicly than most Americans are. (3)__________________________is considered ill-mannered in countries such as Japan.
