Unit 8 Body Language In Communication

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Unit 8 Body Language In Communication

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Title: Unit 8 Body Language In Communication

1
Unit 8 Body Language In Communication
2

Main Points
?. Leading In
?. Text A
?. Text B
? Vocabulary Practice
V. Practical Writing

Leading in Introduction about the topic
I. Group Discussion
1) what is body language?
2) Is body language, in your opinion, as
important as written and spoken language or in
some way more important? Why?
3) Do all the body language mean the same thing
in the world? Please give more examples

2. Some gestures used in sports, look at the
following pictures, find the meaning of each
gesture

Body language
Even body language has a cultural accent.
Chinese stamp their feet (??) to show anger
Americans interpret this as impatience. Chinese
clap (??)for themselves after a speech. Americans
may see this as immodest. When giving or
receiving a gift, Chinese use two hands to show
respect. Americans never even notice.Americans
may pat other adults on the head to show
sympathy, affection(??)or encouragement. This
behavior could insult(??)Chinese.

Americans point to their chest to signify
me, but think it is funny when Chinese point to
their nose. Even laughter has the potential
either to communicate or miscommunicate. An
American who fell off his bike was very angry
when on-looking Chinese laughed at him. I myself
was angered when my son fell down and bystanders
(???)laughed. but I learned later that their
laughter conveyed sympathy or understanding, not
ridicule (??). when east meets west, how often is
offense taken when none is given?

7
Everyone uses body language People can not live
without each other, we are social beings. As soon
as we are in contact with others we are
communicating. For this we can make use of spoken
and written language. In these ways we make the
content of a message clear to each other. However
we can also communicate without words. This kind
of communication tells us something about the
relationship between people.
8

Often this is more important than getting the
content of the message across. The communication
about this non spoken communication, which tells
us something about the relationship between
people, is called Meta-Communication.
Communicating about communication!
Words are inadequate
When we connect with a person, we also have to
make it clear to each other how the content of a
spoken message needs to be interpreted

How we do this says something about the
relationship we have with the other person, or
think we have anyway. Often words are inadequate
for this purpose. For instance we do not tell
each other that easily how we feel about each
other, or how the words of a message need to be
interpreted. To make the meaning of our words
clear we use body language.

10
Usually body language occurs unconsciously. Yet
the body language we use decides to a large
extent the quality of our communication. It
follows that therefore it would be good to become
conscious of our own and others' body language.
We can learn to use our body language for a
purpose. As well as learn to understand and
interpret body language of others. It is
important to note that body language has
different meanings in different cultures.
11

How we can interpret body language depends on
the situation, the culture, the relationship we
have with the person as well as the gender of the
other. This means that there is not one signal
that has the same meaning all over the world. If
you do not take this into account you may get
yourself in some serious trouble! Body language
is also interlinked with spoken language and a
whole pattern of behavior from a person.

Body language is used especially to express
feelings. For instance if we do not like someone,
it is often difficult to say that directly to the
person. However we can make it clear either
intentionally or unintentionally through body
language. The opposite is also true. We may say
that we ARE angry through words yet our body
language may be saying loud and clear that we are
NOT. This can be very confusing for the receiver.
This is usually described as giving out double
messages - one message in words and an opposite
message in body language.

It is also difficult to lie or cover up our
feelings through body language. People may give
their true feelings away by not being aware of
their body language. Research has shown that most
people pay more attention to, and believe more
readily, their impression of how a person acts
through body language than what is said through
words. As a consequence we tend to doubt, or put
a question mark behind, the spoken words if they
do not correspond with the language of the body .

Text A
Body language in Daily Use
I. Pre-reading activities
1. When we talk to each other, do we send
messages only by words? What other ways do we
use?
2. Can you give examples of body language you use
every day?
( Ask some students to come to the front to
give performances, others try to guess the
meaning)

II. While-reading activities
1) Read the text through and try to answer
the questions on page 132, then find the main
idea.
2) Read the text paragraph by paragraph and
try to find the topic sentence in each paragraph.
3) Language Points
1.daily adj. happening every day
daily work lives morning paper
adv. every day
The patient was told to take the medicine
daily so as to keep his blood pressure at a
normal level.

2. verbal adj. We need not only the pictures,
but also the verbal instructions from you.
nonverbal nonverbal means of expression
prefix non nonstop nonstandard
nonsmoker
3.gesture v. The traffic police gestured the
driver over with a movement of his head.
n. He made a gesture to the left with his
hand to show me the direction of the bookstore.
4. random adj. a random choice
Random rain showers will pass through this
area tomorrow.
5.along with together with
She went downstairs to get the newspaper
along with a letter in the mailbox.

6. end with bring something to an end with
something or doing something.
He ended his letter with good wishes to the
family.
7. lower v. She felt a little shy and lowered
her eyelids when the man talked to her.
Lower oneself
adj. Although he comes from a lower-class
family, he is well educated.
8. finish up be in the end
Having no children or relatives, the old
couple thought they would finish up in
loneliness.
9.widen v. A student should read more to
widen his knowledge.
adj. en ---v. strengthen broaden
worsen

10.whats more also, and more importantly
The price they charged was reasonable, and
whats more, the service was good.
11.pick out She picked out the suspect in the
crowd.
12.dub give new or different sound effects
to, or change the original spoken language of
The voices in this Chinese action movie were
dubbed into English.
13. flat adj. Everything seems so flat after
the Christmas and New Year celebrations are over.
14. put across communicate, cause( ones
ideas, feelings, etc.) to be understood
The teacher knows how to put his thoughts
across.
15. efficient adj. he is very efficient in
doing his homework.
efficiently adv. He tells us that the
secret to his success is to study efficiently.

16. total adj. The total number of the
textbooks is 50.
Vt. The cashier totaled the bill at the
counter.
n. How much should I pay in total.
17. spell out explain in the most detailed way
I dont understand the process, would you
please spill it out for me?
18. in conversation with talking with
I saw her in conversation with a young man
in the meeting room.
19. challenge n. One of the challenges facing
her is that whether she should accept this new
job.
vt. He challenged me to play another
computer game.
20. authority n. Mr. Li is an authority on
bridge designing.

20
Text B Using Gestures to Communicate
21
Look at these pictures, try to guess the meaning
of the gestures in different cultures
22

Answers for these pictures
The ring gesture (Figure 1), where you form an
O by holding the tip of your fore finger to the
tip of your thumb, means in Britain and America
that you think something is good something is
OK. Take a trip through the Channel Tunnel from
England to France, however, and you may find that
you fail to impress your French host when you use
it to tell him your opinion of his new car. For
in France it means zero or worthless. Travel
further south and you are in even greater
trouble, for in Tunisia it means "I'll kill
you"!When a British or an American businessperson
shows the ring gesture to a Japanese, the
Japanese might say to himself Oh!He's giving me
the sign for money Is he asking for a bribe?
In Japan, the thumb and forefinger making a
circle is used as a symbol for money.

The single finger beckon (Figure 2), where using
the index finger to beckon some- one to come to
you may be acceptable in America, but would be
impolite in Malaysia or Yugoslavia where it is
only used for calling animals. In Indonesia and
Australia it is also used for beckoning ladies
of the night.
Holding up the palm of your hand towards
someone's face (Figure 3)is a signal for Stop!
or That's enough. in Britain and the US. In
Greece the same gesture is known as the moutza,
which dates back to ancient times when facial
matter and dirt was pushed into the faces of
defeated enemies, now meaning the greatest
insult. In West Africa this gesture means You
could have any one of five fathers! which is
another way of calling a person a bastard

pulling down the lower lid of your eye with
one finger (Figure 4)is usually used to indicate
alertness. In France and Greece it means much the
same as when British people say "My eye!" in
England, meaning Don't you think I can see it?
You can't fool me. In Spain and Italy it is also
related to being alert, but here it is used as a
warning, Keep your eyes open. In South America
it means you think that a woman is an eyeful,
very attractive.
The ear-tug gesture (Figure 5) means as many
as four different things in different
Mediterranean countries. In Spain it accuses
someone of being a sponger , in Greece it is a
warning, in Malta it says someone is a sneak, and
in Italy it insults someone for being a homosexual

Patting a child's head (Figure 6) shows
affection in China, yet a Chinese seldom pats the
head of a teenage or adult. This is because it
may displease the teenager or the adult, as they
may resent being treated like a child. Patting
the head, in Britain or America, also means
giving comfort, consolation or encouragement, and
is occasionally used between close friends.
However, in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand,
patting a child on the head would be shocking and
offensive because the head is believed to be the
seat of the soul.

While Reading of Text B
I. Read the text through and answer the questions
on page 141
II. Group discussion on the details of the
text and the teacher give the answer to their
questions.
III. Language points
offend vt. I hope what I said did not offend
you and I beg for your forgiveness if I really
did.
Be offended at sth.
I really felt offended with him for
his behavior.
2. upset vt. It upset him to know that his
classmates would not support him.
3. conclude v. we concluded after careful
search that there was no one in this house
To conclude, I wish you all good health
and a long life.

4. observe v. Did you observe anything
unusual?
Its our responsibility to observe
traffic rules.
5. worthless adj. Nobody likes to be with a
worthless member of society.
This is a worthless necklace, because
it is just an imitation
6. confusion n. There was confusion as to
which classroom we should go to have the music
class.
The sudden death of the president
caused confusion in that country.
7. incidentally adv. I must get in touch with
Tom. Incidentally, do you have his e-mail
address?
8. hitchhike vi. As his car couldnt start,
he had to go hitchhiking to the nearest garage to
get a mechanic.

9. fortunate adj. He was fortunate enough to
escape the accident without injury.
Unfortunate adj. Many unfortunate people
were left without food and houses after the
natural disaster.
10.mean adj. It was mean of you not to let the
children play in the snow.
Hes very mean with his money.
11.direct vt. I dont think what he said is
directed at you.
Adj. He is a direct, open and
honest young man.
12.horrify vt. Everyone was horrified to hear
that his father was murdered.
13.hell n. Go to hell! I want to be with
myself here!
The troops at the front went through
hell.
14. thanks to thanks to your help, we were able
to complete our work ahead of the deadline.
15. hold back from The firefighters held the
man back from rushing into the burning house.
16. instant Can you give us an instant reply to
our mail?

29
Vocabulary Practice
30

I. Complete each sentence with the correct form
of the word given.
1.They had a (verb) ________ agreement for her to
receive 2,000 a month.
2.Researchers have discovered in their study that
boys and girls may behave (different)__________.
3.Much as she (like) _________ going to the
party, she knew had to be there.
4. I think USA Today is a national newspaper, not
a (region)________ one,
5.Do you know his (race) ________ origin?
6.It would be very (interest)_________ to compare
the two cultures.
7. Loose clothing gives you greater freedom of
(move) __________.
8. She (cheer)__________ admitted that she had no
experience at all.
9. Most of the people in the town were (horrify)
________ at the bad news.
10.There are no (significance) __________differenc
es between the two groups of students.

II. Choose the best item to complete each of the
following sentences.
1. People now have different views about who
first________ America.
A. invented B. discovered C. found
D. learnt
2. I couldnt __________what the word meant as it
wasnt in my dictionary, but John told me, so now
I know it.
A. find out B. put across C.
communicate with D. pick out
3. Dont get __________ about it --- Lets just
forget it.
A. Influence B. emphasize C.
dislike D. upset
4. He ______from their remarks that they were not
in favor of the plan.
A. concluded B. said C. answered
D. replied
5. In our company only the manager has the ______
to sign checks.
A. control B. rule C. authority
D. knowledge

6. His facial___________ told us that he was
angry.
A. gesture B. expression C. sign
D. symbol
7. She does not like anyone_____________ her
authority.
A. Influencing B. directing C. finishing
D. challenging
8. He was eager to _________ his ideas to the
group.
A. direct B. remind C. communicate
D. observe
9. Television can be a useful way of
putting__________ health messages.
A. away B. across C. in
D. on
10. The man was killed in the traffic accident
along __________ three other men.
A. On B. down C. with
D. at.

33
?. Practical Writing
34

The most important items in taking a telephone
message
a. the date, the exact time
b. the callers name
c. the content of the phone call
d. the callers telephone number
e. the name of the message taker

Match the following expressions with their
Chinese equivalents, then do tasks that follow.
A
B
1. Called You a.
??
2. Returned Your Call b.
?????
3. Will Call Again c.
??
4. Please Call d.
??
5. Wants to See You e.
??????
6. Was Here to See You f.
????
7. Urgent g.
??????
8. Area Code h.
???
9. Phone Number i.
???
10. Extension j.
????

Suppose you are a secretary and youve just
received a phone call from Mr. George Smith of
the English Department of ABC University, who
wanted to speak to Mr. John Brown. Mr. Brown Was
not in at the moment. So Mr. Smith left a
message. Now put the following message into the
message form.
Tell Mr. Brown I called. I would
like to talk to him about the possible exchange
of our students. I am the head of the English
Department and Id like to talk with Mr. Brown
about the details of the exchange. Im afraid he
cant contact me by telephone, as Ill be
traveling around. Id like to arrange a meeting
with him urgently. The most convenient time is
330 tomorrow afternoon. Could you ask Mr. Brown
if he is free around 930 tomorrow morning? Id
like to phone him then and confirm the meeting
time and the place. Have you got all that?

37
(No Transcript)
38

You work for Blue Circle. Mr. Horner, your
manager, is not in this afternoon. You received a
phone call for him. The callers name is Mrs.
Hill. She works at Cambridge University. She
asked Mr. Horner to call her back tomorrow
morning. Her number is 071-4871. Use todays date.