这是一个省略句,补充完整应该是Non-verbal communication is called NVC for short.
(非语言交际被简称为/缩写为NVC.)
for short是个常用短语,意思是“简称;缩写”。如:
1)Unidentified flying object is called UFO for short. (不明飞行物被简称为UFO)
2)People's Republic of China is ften written as P.R.C. for short. (中华人民共和国常被缩写为P.R.C.)
4. …the average European will smile and nod approval.
在第三单元中我们已经学过average这个词。average可以做形容词、名词和动词用。如:
1)The average driver thinks that accidents only happen to other people.
(司机一般都认为事故只发生在其他人身人。)
2) We averaged 70 miles an hour. (我们平均每小时行70公里。)
3)His performance is above the average. (他的成绩在一般水平之上。)
在本课文的这个句子中,average做形容词用,意思是“普通的”。
nod可以用作及物动词、不及物动词和名词。如:
1)They nodded agreement. (他们点头表示同意。)
2)He nodded me a welcome when I went in. (我进去时,他向我点头表示欢迎。)
3)I nodded to him in greeting. (我向他点头打招呼。)
4)Father nodded in approval when he listened. (父亲听着时点头表示赞同。)
5)Homer sometimes nods. (智者千虑,必有一失。)
6)He didn't give our plan the nod. (他没有同意我们的计划。)
5. …because body language is very much tied to culture…
本句中的be tied to sth.意思是be related to, have to do with (与…有关),如:
1)Many diseases are tied to smoking. (许多疾病与吸烟有关。)
2) The misunderstanding was tied to cultural differences. (这个误会与文化差异有关。)
be tied to 也可以表示be restricted by (受…约束),如:
1)She was tied to housework and wouldn't be able to come. (她被家务事束缚,无法前来。)
2)If you have small children, you will be tied to your home. (如果你有小孩子,你就会被束缚在家了。)
6. Quite a lot of work is now being done on the subject of NVC, which is obviously important, for instance, to managers, who have to deal every day with their staff, and have to understand what other people are feeling if they are to create good working conditions.