【Abstract】With the rapid development of economic globalization, international exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent, which leads to a pressing social need for talented personnel who have a strong intercultural communication competence. Compound and high-quality talents with solid basic professional knowledge are conducive to the development of foreign-related enterprises. As a college English teacher who is teaching in an application-oriented university, I always think how I can help the students of business English majoy get their intercultural communicative competence? After three years of observing and teaching, I’ve found 4 problems hinderring on the way. Solving these problems can help students’ intercultural communication competence. In this paper, the 4 problems are stated. Although they are not completely solved, I believe as more and more people emphasize these problems, in no time, they will become a cup of lemonade.
　　【Key words】business English; intercultural English; communication competence; application-oriented universities
　　【作者簡介】霍鑫红，大连财经学院。
　　According to a 2019 Chinses Govermental Report, President Xi Jinping said, “We will increase support for basic reseach and application-oriented basic research.” In 2015, Chinese Ministry of Education and National Development and Reform Commission began to mention the task of colleges and universities transforming into application-oriented ones. By year of 2018, 300 local undergraduate universities attended this pilot program of reformation. By year of 2022, a great number of undergraduate universities will have been in this trend. So during this long period of time, there are many jobs to do, many innovations, changes and adjustment. Unevitably, there are some mistakes , hardship and challenges.
　　1. Problems in Intercultural Communication Ability Training in Class in English Business Major of Application-oriented Universities
　　1.1 There Are not Enough Efficient and Good Teaching Methods to Help Students Involve in the Different Cultures in Class
　　Business English majors and general English majors have the same cultural teaching. Cultural teaching includes five aspects: verbal communication, non-verbal communication, custom and etiquette, social structure, interpersonal relationship and values. In academic teaching, teachers usually choose some cultural contents that are related to language and language usage closely, which means traditional teachers still focus on language teacheing instead of culture teaching or letting students involve in the stimulate intercultural atmosphere. However, the teaching aim of application-oriented universities is to train the students’ practical ability by engaging in international business activities, rather than merely the ability of academic communication and research. Therefore, more efficient and good teaching methods are welcome, which can truely help business major students master the ability. 　　1.2 The Universal View, Values Cannot be Embodied in class
　　The cultural teaching for business English majors is recognized as the general situation, universal view, values and conventionalization of the target language. Along with people’s conscious of intercultural communication ability strengthens increasingly, many universities domestic and abroad, especially for trade professional, have provided the courses, such as the British and American Country Profiles, Intercultural Communication, Intercultural Business Communication and intercultural communication and so on. The most of teaching content is given priority to the target language country profiles and communicative theory interpretation.
　　Firstly, the differences between Chinese and western cultures in international business activities are reflected in the differences in language and language culture. Secondly, the differences are reflected in operating mode, management mode, contract mode and other institutional levels. However, the levels of the differences lie in the deep-rooted cultures, such as world outlook and values. But it is difficult for the college students who lack of intercultural communication experience, and it is even harder to master and experience the principles and skills of intercultural communication, so students are also difficult to apply the knowledge has learned by them to practice.
　　1.3 Teaching Methods are Traditional and Monotonous
　　It is difficult to achieve the effect for intercultural communication skills training. Culture needs not only to be transfered easily to students in class, but also to be learned in a specific context. However, in actual teaching, students lack of real language environment to practice, and what’s more, the target language also lacks of the real cultural environment to exercise. In general, teaching methods are traditional and monotonous.
　　2. Main Problems of Business English Majors in Application-oriented Universities
　　2.1 Differences inThinking Modes
　　Cultures differ thinking modes, so people have different thinking modes in different social cultures. In western culture, individuality are respected by people in Britain and the United States. However, in the Eastern culture, represented by China, the thinking mode is the typical collectivism. Some obstacles can be cleared in intercultural communication if these different characteristics can be recognized, for example, different concepts about privacy. British and American people do not discuss personal matters and do not like to let others intervene in their own affairs, because they attach great importance to their privacy. So they feel uncomfortable when they are asked about their marital status, income and age. However, Chinese don’t regard as taboo subject. 　　2.2 Barriers in Language and Pragmatic
　　Language is an important tool for communication, so it is essential for intercultural communication