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I’ve had the good fortune of spending a lot of time working in London over the years. I’m a typical American, _________ to making eye contact and smiling when speaking to others. But until I spent time abroad, I was never quite _________ of what my facial expressions could convey.

In the UK, I _________ not everyone made as much eye contact on the street as I did. And it was _________ to hold eye contact during a business meeting. My _________ smile could be considered as flirtatious (轻浮的). But my British colleagues _________: I was American. This forward attitude was not _________, but it was just my culture. _________, being expressively cheerful among those who keep _________ closer to their vest (背心 ) was accepted in the UK.

____________, in other countries a cultural misunderstanding of smiling can have serious results. While it’s unlikely that a mistimed smile will ____________ you a contract (合同),____________ interactions can make it much more difficult to build effective business relationships.

Different cultures ____________ smiling in different ways. In Russia, people do not smile because it ____________ that you are at best foolish or at worst, sneaky (卑劣的). Even in family photos, adults ____________ with stony faces. In Japan, smiling is a way to ____________ your feeling that you don’t want others to know. Australians have smiling cultures. While they might not have the same ____________ for giant white smiles as Americans, they smile more than our peers in Russia, Japan, Switzerland, and the UK.

If Americans have to work abroad, my ____________ is to make sure you do some research. It is ____________ to be yourself, but you should also learn about the culture you are going to visit. This will help you communicate ____________ and effectively with your peers.