Body Language
When we communicate with others, we express our thoughts and Questions about the Text
feelings not only through the words we choose, but also through our
tone of voice, facial expression and body language. In fact, many
1- Identify, in the text, four different ways
communications experts believe that far more information is we can communicate.
communicated non-verbally (without words) than verbally (with
words). "Body language" is an important part of non-verbal
communication.
Body language includes many different aspects of our every day 2- What do the underlined words refer to in the
physical behaviour: the way we greet one another; how we stand, text?
how we sit or walk; the way we position our arms and legs or use our
a) it
hands and eyes are some of the most basic. b) who
c) whose
To learn another language is more than just learning words and d) they
grammar, it involves learning about another culture, too. We learn e) their
much of our own culture's body language before we learn to speak,
3- Say whether the following sentences are TRUE or
from the time we are children, usually without even being aware of it. FALSE. Quote from the text to justify your choice.
And that body language varies from culture to culture, so it's
something to which second language learners should pay attention. a) When we learn a new language we should only care about the
grammar and vocabulary.
So, how attuned are you to other people's body language? Try this
little experiment. Turn the volume on the television right down while b) Body language is the same all over the world.
you watch people interact on the screen. You may find it is more
difficult to understand what's happening between people from
unfamiliar cultures. Sometimes, cultural differences in appropriate c) Sometimes it's difficult to understand the body language from
body language can cause discomfort or misunderstandings too. For people from a different culture.
example, there are definite cultural differences in how much distance
should be kept between two people who are speaking together. If you d) Smiling doesn't mean the same thing in different countries.
are used to people keeping their distance, you will feel very
uncomfortable, and probably move away repeatedly, if someone
keeps trying to stand closer to you at a party! We call this the e) When you nod your head, people understand you agree with
"personal comfort zone". them.
Another common example of misunderstanding is the use of a smile. f) Speaking the same language doesn't mean using the same
In some Asian cultures, a smile can show embarrassment or body language.
apology. However, smiling back at a teacher who is unhappy with
you, or a stranger whose foot you accidentally stepped upon is 4- Find the synonyms of the following words in
probably not a good idea in most English speaking cultures! Also, the text.
you should not assume that nodding your head means "yes" or that
shaking your head means "no" or vice versa. Yes, you can even get a) changes
that wrong, with potentially disastrous consequences. b) shame
c) terrible
Even speakers of the same language, such as British, American, or d) get better
e) permit
Australian people, may not use the same body language and must
adapt if they wish to communicate successfully. British people are
said to be more reserved and formal, in general, and this is reflected 5- Complete the sentences with the following words.
in their body language. Americans are considered more open and humble selfish insensitive coward
outgoing, while Australians are seen as casual and relaxed. It's worth outgoing cheerful
learning, understanding any underlying cultural or regional attitudes a) Michael is very ________________. He always wants things
can help you learn how to understand and use body language to just for himself.
improve your communicative abilities.
b) You are such a ________________! This is just a spider.
c) She was very with his problem.
Just as you should not allow a fear of making language mistakes
prevent you from speaking, you should not be overly afraid of using d) I'm a shy person, not an ______________ one.
inappropriate body language in an unfamiliar culture. Most people will e) He is so _______________. He never mentions how rich he is.
understand that people from different cultures may not always use f) Kate is a very ________________person. She is always in a
body language in the same ways. All the same, it's definitely
good mood,
advisable to learn as much as possible about the body language of a
new culture, and to use careful observation to avoid making any
mistakes.
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