- •Unit 1. Breaking the ice
- •1. Read the following words of wisdom. What do they mean?
- •A Short Course in Human Relations
- •Vocabulary
- •2. Say how the prefixes dis-, un-, in-, im- change the meaning of the words (a–h).
- •3. Translate the derivatives; say to what part of speech they belong.
- •4. Match the parts of speech (a–d) with the lists of typical suffixes (1–4).
- •5. Choose the corresponding English word.
- •6. Match the words of similar meaning.
- •7. Match the words to their opposites.
- •8. Express the following in one word.
- •9. Read and translate the sentences.
- •10. Fill in the correct word from the list below. Some words may be used more than once.
- •11. Complete the sentences with the prepositions in the box.
- •12. Match the sentence beginnings (a-g) with their endings (1-7).
- •Verb to be
- •17. Put these words into three groups according to the pronunciation of the -s/-es endings.
- •28. Complete the following tag questions.
- •29. Work with a partner. Complete the tag questions; act out the following dialogue.
- •30. Work with your partner. Imagine you are going to get a new job and you are being interviewed by a hiring manager (hm). Complete the conversation.
- •31. Complete the sentences. Use in, with, at, about, on.
- •32. Write questions that match the answers.
- •33. Write the words in order to complete the questions. Then answer the questions.
- •34. Read the text and do the tasks below.
- •35. Are the following sentences true or false? If false, say why.
- •36. Here are the answers to some questions about the text. Ask the questions.
- •37. “Breaking the ice” is an idiom that means getting to know someone. An atmosphere that was cold becomes warm. Now we will break the ice by introducing ourselves.
- •38. Read through the following paragraph and practise introducing yourself to a roomful of people.
- •39. Make notes about yourself under the headings, then talk about yourself.
- •40. Work in pairs following the instruction:
- •41. Read and learn how “social language rules” work in English.
- •Politeness Conventions
- •How to Be a Good Listener?
- •42. Answer the following questions.
- •43. Express the following in one word.
- •44. Find a synonym in the box for each underlined word or phrase.
- •45. Choose a word from the box to complete each sentence. Some words may be used more than once.
- •46. Read and learn how different nations behave in the same situations. Think about whether this is different in your culture.
- •Saying it without words
- •47. Read the text again, then ask and answer questions based on it.
- •48. In groups collect information about cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication. Use the Internet or other sources. Prepare a quiz for your groupmates.
46. Read and learn how different nations behave in the same situations. Think about whether this is different in your culture.
Saying it without words
Good manners are manifested not only in the way we speak but also in the way we move. Mind your mimics and your body language, don’t gesticulate too much. These are the general rules, but much depends on national traditions. Say, handshaking in Great Britain is not so widely used as in Europe. Older people in Britain usually shake hands when they meet for the first time, but young people don’t do this very often. In France, many people of all ages shake hands every time they see each other – they say the French spend 20 minutes a day shaking hands! In Britain, men often kiss women friends once or twice on the cheek and women sometimes kiss each other too, but men don’t usually kiss each other. However, men in the Arab world often hug and kiss each other on the cheek. Meanwhile, in Japan, people bow when they meet each other; neither men nor women kiss in public.
When Americans meet and speak, there is about a 2–4 feet distance between them. However, if you watch a Japanese speaking to an American you will see him moving towards the American, trying to shorten the distance between them, which makes the American move backwards. Video recordings of this phenomenon give an impression that both men are dancing around the conference room. It partly explains why, when negotiating business, Asians and Americans sometimes misunderstand each other, the Americans thinking of the Asians as “too familiar” and the Asians regarding the Americans as “too cold” and “too official”.
Americans like people who smile and agree with them, but Australians are more interested in people who disagree with them. So sometimes Americans think Australians are rude and unfriendly, and Australians think polite friendly Americans are boring! In Europe, it’s friendly to smile at strangers, but in many Asian countries it isn’t polite. And in Japan you must cover your mouth when you smile or laugh.
In Western cultures, young people and adults look each other in the eye during a conversation to show interest and trust, but in many Asian countries, it’s rude to look people in the eye, especially a superior such as a teacher. In Britain and the United States it isn’t polite to stare at strangers, but Indians often look long and thoughtfully at people they don’t know.
In Britain, it’s polite to respond during conversations and to make comments to show that you’re interested. But in parts of Northern Europe and in Japan, it’s quite common for people to stay silent when someone is talking to them. In China, Japan, and Korea, young people don’t usually start conversations with adults and only speak if an adult speaks to them. In contrast, Americans encourage young people to start conversations.
47. Read the text again, then ask and answer questions based on it.
48. In groups collect information about cultural differences in verbal and nonverbal communication. Use the Internet or other sources. Prepare a quiz for your groupmates.