YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION
When two people meet for the first time, physical impressions are immediate. Before they have a chance to say a word, their senses are in overdrive; they are picking up stories and storing information about each other. They register looks, smell and body language. They use eye contact to support the process and establish a relationship. Within a few seconds, they have made a mental picture of each other. Based on the tiny amount of data, they form opinions, which they use in the future.
However, just how reliable are first impressions? Take the story of Jake and Caroline. Jake did not like Caroline when he first met her. “She seemed cold and distant. She made almost no eye contact and she didn’t seem to listen to me”. Six months later, they met again. “Caroline was a completely different person. She was warm, friendly and smiled a lot. When she told me that her father had died two days before we first met, that explained everything. It taught me to be more careful about making assumptions about people based on first impressions.”
However wrong they can be, first impressions are a necessary survival mechanism. Thousands of years ago, they helped people decide how to react in potential dangerous situations. That is still true today, although in most cases it is not a question of the life and death. According to some, we can learn to read first impressions better. We can also learn to create more powerful first impressions. Professor Helen Trent, a specialist in interpersonal relations, has studied the practice of good communicators. “Research shows that people who can make others feel good about themselves are excellent at creating positive first impressions. We call these people Power Communicators or PCs. You can tell when you meet one; you feel good afterwards and think «What a nice person!».
PCs immediately get in sync with the other person; they coordinate their body language and smiles with their partner. They also maintain eye contact and sound and look as if they are interested, although sometimes they are not. These actions make the other person feel good about the experience.”
PCs are winners in the first impressions race. Therefore, if you want to be a PC, start training and remember, you only get one chance to make a great first impression!
*3.Prepare a short summary of the text above using the framework:
| I’d like to tell you about an article that was in… Its title is…and it’s about… In summary, the article says… What I found particularly interesting was… What surprised me was… What I never realized was… From reading the article I’ve learnt … What I’d like to know more about is… Some of the interesting vocabulary from the article is… |
ENTERTAIN YOURSELF
If you don’t want to converse, what to do? Listen to some advice given in a video clip “How to avoid a conversation”.
| MODULE 1 | THE WORLD AROUND US |
| UNIT 2 | SO MANY COUNTRIES, SO MANY CUSTOMS |
| LESSON 1 | COUNTRIES AND NATIONALITIES |
WARMING UP
1.One reason for learning foreign languages is getting to know new people. Everyone needs to be noticed and admitted favourably in various situations.
How are you going to make a positive impression if
- you are going out on the first date;
- you are applying for a job.
* 2.People say:
· First impressions are the most lasting.
· You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
· Greet him according to his clothes, take leave according to what he knows.
Do you agree? Why / Why not?
VOCABULARY & SPEAKING
3. People like travelling. They are fond of visiting different countries and places of interest. Some countries and cities can be recognized by their landmarks, can’t they?
a) Look at the objects below and read the names of the countries they belong to.
The Kingdom of Spain/ Spain The People’s Republic of China
The United Kingdom of The Russian Federation
Great Britain and Northen Ireland
The Federative Republic of Brazil Japan
The Republic of Indonesia The Italian Republic / Italy
The French Republic / France The Commonwealth of Australia
The United States of America/The USA The Arab Republic of Egypt / Egypt
b) Talk over with your partner what continents these countries occupy – Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, or South America.
4. Which country are the following cities in? Are they capital cities?
E.g. 1. I’m sure Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation.
2. I know exactly that Venice is in Italy. But it’s not the capital of Italy. Rome is the capital.
Moscow
Venice
Los Angeles
Shanghai
Manchester
Cairo
Jakarta
Tokyo
Madrid
Sydney
Rio de Janeiro
Paris
5. Do you remember what countries do these people live in?
Match nationalities with appropriate countries.
| Country | Flag | Nationality |
| 1._______ | | (The) Argentineans |
| 2._______ | | (The) Australians |
| 3. _______ | | (The) Brazilians |
| 4. _______ | | The British |
| 5. _______ | 
| The Chinese |
| 6. _______ | | The French |
| 7. ______ | | (The) German |
| 8. _______ | | The Japanese |
| 9. _______ | | (The) Russians |
| 10. _______ | | The Spanish |
| 11. _______ | | (The) Americans |
6. Some linguists consider that there are about 3000 languages in the world,
other think that there are more than 6000.
What languages do people from the countries mentioned above speak?
E.g.I know exactly that in Russia people speak Russian *although not only the Russians live there. The Russian language is the eighth most spoken language in the world by number of native speakers and the seventh by total number of speakers.
LANGUAGE NOTE
Countries, languages, nationalities always start with capital letters.
E.g. I am from Russia. I’m Russian. I speak Russian.
Most countries have no article. E.g. I am from France.
BUTwe say: The USA The Russian FederationThe United Kingdom
Some nationalities have nouns for referring to people,
e.g. a Finn, a Swede, a Turk, a Dane, a Briton, an Arab, a Spaniard.
For most nationalities the adjectives as a noun are used,
e.g. a German, a Catalan, an African.
Some need woman/man/person added to the adjectives,
e.g. a Dutch man, a French woman, an Irish person.
The is used with plural nationalities ending in –sh,-ch,-ess,
e.g. the French, the Scottish, the Japanese.
Other plural nationalitiesare usedwithorwithout the,
e.g. (the) Americans,(the) Greeks.
| Read more about Articles in Grammar-mania on http://el.istu.edu |
Read more about questions
LISTENING
7. You will hear the descriptions of some countries.
Be attentive and
a) circle the country mentioned in the description:
a. Morocco / Portugal
b. Brazil / Mexico
c. China / Korea
d. Brazil / Portugal
e. Egypt / Morocco
*b)say what you know about these countries
(location, capital, people, language, etc.).
WRITING
8. Here is a piece of information about world languages with the highest number of first-language speakers. Fill in the gaps in the summary of the bar chart below. NB will help you.
| French |
| Japanese |
| Portuguese |
| Arabic |
| Bengali |
| Russian |
| Spanish |
| Hindi |
| English |
| Chinese |
| World languages with the highest numbers of first |
| - |
| language speakers |
| (million of speakers) |
According to the chart, Chinese is by far the 1___________________ widely spoken first language, with 1.123 million speakers. This is more than
2____________ the number of speakers of any other language. English has the
3_______________(high) number of speakers, with a total of 4 ____________, closely followed by Hindi, which is spoken by the 5 ______________ (large) number of people.
Further, down the list, it is interesting that Bengali has6______________ number of speakers 7_______________ Arabic: 235 million.
Of the top ten languages in the bar chart, the 8 __________________ widely spoken is French, with 124 million speakers, which is only slightly 9__________________ than Japanese, which has 125 million.
NB !
| To identify what the visual aids represent use the following phrases: This graph/table/chart shows/indicates/illustrates/reveals/represents… It is clear from the graph/table/chart … As the graph/table/chart shows/indicates/illustrates/reveals/represents… As is shown/illustrated by graph/table/chart… From the graph/table/chart is clear…. According to the graph/table/chart…. To make some factual statements about data use the following structures. Number Five of ten Percent Fifty percent of people enjoy… Fraction A third of the To make some general observations use the same data. For example: the most the second most widely spoken first language is… the third most the least The majority of A large number of Most Very few people speak… Hardly any more/less…than (twice, three times, etc.) the same as … as….as |
| Read more about Degrees of Comparison in Grammar-mania on http://el.istu.edu |
*9.English is the main language in more than 60 countries. They include:
Ireland New Zealand Singapore Jamaica South Africa
What other English-speaking countries do you know?
**Is it necessary for any specialist to speak foreign languages or there should be one universal language?
DIY
1. Read the information below and create a bar chart comparing and presenting facts about the most used languages in the Russian Federation.
Russia’s 160 ethnic groups speak some 100 languages. According to the 2002 Census, 142.6 million people speak Russian, followed by Tatar with 5.3 million and Ukrainian with 1.8 million speakers.
*Add your own data on any used languages in Russia and write comment.
2. Choose a country and give a description of its landmarks (1/*3/**5). Search the Internet. Write a descriptive essay (180 – 200 words).
The plan below will help you:
Introduction (Paragraph 1)
Name/location/population of the place, reason for choosing the place
Main Body (Paragraphs 2–3)
General features and particular details
(Place: surroundings, landmarks, facilities
Building: surroundings, detailed description of exterior / interior)
Conclusion (Final Paragraph)
Comments / feelings and / or recommendation
Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence summarizing the paragraph.
*3.Get ready to quiz your group mates about interesting facts connected with
English speaking countries and their landmarks. Be ready to be quizzed.
ENTERTAIN YOURSELF
Listen to the Rap and try to repeat.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN?
| Have you ever been to Moscow Milan or Madrid? Have you ever watched the sun set Or the Great Pyramid? Have you ever swum with dolphins Have you ever touched a snake Have you been down a volcano? Have you felt an earthquake? I have I’m a traveler, you see I’ve crossed all five continents And sailed the seven seas I’ve spent five months in Malaysia And two years in Japan I’ve walked from France to Finland; Portugal to Pakistan | Have you ever been to Boston Bombay or Berlin? Have you ever slept beneath the stars With the Bedouin? Have you ever trekked the desert On a camel’s back? Have you ever climbed a mountain? Have you ever seen a yak? I have I’m a traveler, you see I’ve crossed all five continents And sailed the seven seas I’ve spent five months in Malaysia And two years in Japan I’ve walked from France to Finland; Portugal to Pakistan |
| MODULE 1 | THE WORLD AROUND US |
| UNIT 2 | SO MANY COUNTRIES, SO MANY CUSTOMS |
| LESSON 2 | WHEN IN ROME DO AS THE ROMANS DO |
WARMING UP
1. People learn languages to communicate abroad.
Have you ever been abroad?
What country would you like to visit? Why?
*2.Quiz your group mates about interesting facts connected with English speaking countries and their landmarks.
3. Can you rap about countries and city’s names?
VOCABULARY & READING
4. A greeting gesture is something friendly that you do when you meet someone. It can consist of a simple kiss, a hand shake or a hug.
a) What do people do in the pictures below?
Match the words with the pictures and answer the question above.
a)smile and wave b)hug c)bow d)kiss e)shake hand g)clasp hands
1 2 3
4 5 6
b) Read the text and get some information about greetings.
Pay attention to the words and phrases that describe gestures.
There are different ways people greet each other in different cultures. Some belong to cultures where it’s acceptable to touch others while greeting. Latin America, southern Europe and the Arab World are close-contact cultures. Other people, such as North Americans, North Europeans and East and South-East Asians prefer to keep their distance.
In Arab countries, a gesture of greeting or saying goodbye would be to shake hands and then touch your heart with the palm of your right hand.
The traditional greeting in Asia is a bow. In fact there are different ways of bows used in greetings troughout Asia. For example, in Japan, Korea and China people bow but in Japan the bow are usually lower. In India and nearby countries in South Asia most people put their hands together and bow just a little. While each Asian culture has its own traditional special greeting, these days, don’t be surprise if people in Asia just shake your hand.
c) Ask your classmates to show gestures described by the words in italics.
d) Look through the text again and answer the following questions:
· How do people in close-contact cultures greet each other?
· What do people do in salutation in North America or in East Asia?
· Where do people greet each other with a bow?
5. To express emotions or provide information, people make some movements with a part of their body, especially their hands
a) Look at the picture. Read the words and name the fingers on your palm.
b) Read the article about gestures in some countries and underline words and expressions that describe finger gestures.
Sometimes an innocent gesture in one culture may be rude in another. For example, an American might suggest everything is OK by making a ring with histhumb and index finger, in other cultures, these are rude gestures. In most western countries thumbs up means we are stating that everything is OK.
This gesture goes back to Ancient Roman times. It is believed that thumbs up was used in gladiator combats to express that the defeated gladiator should be saved in opposition to thumbs down which expressed the desire to execute the gladiator.This gesture has survived many years. However, this gesture does not mean the same thing everywhere. In some countries like Germany or France it is also commonly used to express number one. It isn’t possible to learn the meaning of all gestures in different cultures, but the most important thing is to be aware that the meaning might be different.
c) Give a title to the text.
*d)Are these gestures common in your culture? What do they mean?
LISTENING
6. Some culture customs might surprise foreignors.
What are the customs for visiting someone’s home?
a) Listen and check (Ö) the things Jean-Pierre says about behavioral states in France.
| Customs | France | The USA |
| Take flowers or chocolates as a gift. | ||
| Arrive a little late. | ||
| Arrive a little early. | ||
| Kiss your host on one check. | ||
| Kiss your host on both check. | ||
| Kiss your hostess on one check. | ||
| Kiss your hostess on both checks. | ||
| Shake hands with all guests. | ||
| Look people in the eye during conversations. | ||
| Use first names with all guests. |
b) Listen once more and check (Ö) the things Amy says about the USA.
c) Listen to Raj Varma, an Indian businessman, talking about greetings.
Number the questions in order he answers them.
A. How do you greet members of your family?
/ F4Zf/IAOZWCq7czaiQEhW6cB3SMkcQIiBLJNugFRI6TxFmRZyP8Pyh8AAAD//wMAUEsBAi0AFAAG AAgAAAAhALaDOJL+AAAA4QEAABMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFtDb250ZW50X1R5cGVzXS54bWxQ SwECLQAUAAYACAAAACEAOP0h/9YAAACUAQAACwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAvAQAAX3JlbHMvLnJlbHNQ SwECLQAUAAYACAAAACEAd65iWiICAAA/BAAADgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAuAgAAZHJzL2Uyb0RvYy54 bWxQSwECLQAUAAYACAAAACEAFOuXft8AAAAJAQAADwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB8BAAAZHJzL2Rvd25y ZXYueG1sUEsFBgAAAAAEAAQA8wAAAIgFAAAAAA== "/> B. Are the customs the same all over your country?
C. How do you greet people who are important in society?
D. Do people greet people of the opposite sex in a different way?
E. How do people greet someone they’ve just met?
F. Do you hug member of your family?
d) Answer the following questions:
· Which customs from the listed above are the same in your culture?
· What other things do you do when you visit someone’s home?
SPEAKING
7.Culture clash is a conflict arising from the interaction of people with different cultural values. To avoid this one should be acquainted with customs and traditions of a country he/she is on a visit.
a) Look at these situations. Then talk over the questions below.
· What do you think the people on the left are “doing wrong”?
· What would you offer them?
· What do you think the people on the right are “doing wrong”?
· What would you say to them?
b) Work with your partner. Discuss the following questions and be ready to present the results of your discussion to the audience.
What things can be considered «wrong» in your community?
*Have you ever had a visitor from abroad in your home?
Did he or she break any rules?
WRITING
8. In a social net young people from different countries exchange messages about gestures and customs common in their cultures. Join the chat and advise how to behave in different situations in Russia.
DIY
1. You are going to make a presentation about any country of Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia or Australia.The title is «SO MANY COUNTRIES, SO MANY CUSTOMS».
a) Choose the country you like.
b) Search the Internet, look for some information and make notes about:
- its location;
- main cities & landmarks;
- language;
- greeting gestures;
- cultural values;
- traditions towards clothing;
- other customs, etc.
c) Make an outline of your presentation.
d) Select the vocabulary to each point of your outline.
3. Look through the information about making presentations in the following sources:
1) Лазарев Д. Презентация: лучше один раз увидеть. М.: Альпина Бизнес Бук, 2009. 126 c.
2) Jeremy Comfort. Effective presentation. Oxford University Press, 1995.
3) Duigi Gaubi. Visuals. Writing about Graphs, Tables and Diagrams / G.Duigi. Australia: Academic English Press, 2001. 64 p.
4) Wanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell. New Insight into IELTS. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
5) http://engblog.ru/presentation
| MODULE 1 | THE WORLD AROUND US |
| UNIT 2 | SO MANY COUNTRIES, SO MANY CUSTOMS |
| LESSON 3 | LET’S CREATE A PROPER PRESENTATION |
WARMING UP
1. While summarizing the information on the topic “So many countries, so many customs” what ideas seem to be the main?
*2. Whose region, his religion. Can you guess what it means?
READING
3. You can present any information by any means. One of them is a presentation.
A presentation is the process of presenting a topic to an audience.
It is typically a demonstration and a speech meant to inform, persuade, or build good will.
a) Revise some rules of making presentation.
It is wrong to prepare a presentation at once on the computer. You waste too much time not on creativity, but for technical moments: preservation of files, change of font sizes and color of lines. It is better to do the spadework on a list of paper. Switch off the computer and take felt-tip pens: the man-made storyboard becomes faster and more effectively. Creating a storyboard manually, we help ourselves to simplify and structure own ideas in a head.
Presentation process includes the following stages:
1. Generation of ideas
2. Grouping and definition of the central idea
3. The Break
4. The Preliminary storyboard on a paper
5. The Storyboard on the computer
Try to remember:
| Guidelines for Slides · 1-2 slides per minute of presentation · Information in points, not complete sentences · Maximum six points per slide · Reduce to key words and phrases · Maximum six words per each point · Graphs and visuals wherever possible · Use dark coloured backgrounds and large light font |
b) Sum up the information about creating a presentation.
What tips do you consider the most useful?
READING & SPEAKING
4. Experts say that the first few minutes of a presentation are the most important. If you are able to get the audience’s attention quickly, they will be interested in what you have to say. Below there are techniques you can use to start your talk.
a) Read them aloud and choose one or two the most appropriate for you.
| 1) Ask a rhetorical question. 2) Tell them a story or anecdote. 3) Start with an interesting fact. 4) Give them a problem to think about. |
b) Think over and say which sentences suit to each technique.
1. Is it important to have an idea about the country you are going to visit?
2. At a party with my friends, I was once asked the following question….
3. Do you know why in Australia to call a waiter in a restaurant you should raise your index finger?
4. Imagine you decided to study abroad. What difficulties will you face?
5. There is an idiom “Talk to England”, and it means “to talk a lot”.
6. Don’t let me talk to England, agreed?
7. I remember when I came to Beijing for the first time, …
8. When saluting each other the Chinese say, “Have you eaten your rice?”
9. Cultures do not develop identically.
10. What are some examples of culture clash?
c) According to the techniques above, choose some sentences you might use in your would-be presentation. Voice them.
WRITING
5. Use the outline of your presentation and the techniques above and
a) write the introduction of your talk. Stick to the plan.
| Introduction | |
| Introducing yourself | Greeting, name, position |
| Introducing your talk: title / subject | I’m going to talk about … I’d like to talk about … My topic / my subject is … The subject of this talk / my talk is … I’d like to talk to you about … I’m going to present the recent… / explain our position on … / inform you about … / describe … |
| Purpose∕ objective | We are here today to learn about … The purpose of this talk is to show / take a look at / report on / outline / give an overview / discuss / review |
| Length | I shall take (…) minutes of your time I plan to be brief This should last (…) minutes |
| Outline/ main parts | I’ve divided my presentation into (four) parts / sections. They are … The subject can be looked at under the following headings… Firstly / first of all / Secondly / then / next... Thirdly / and then we come to … Finally / lastly/ last of all … |
| Questions | I’d be glad to answer any questions at the end of my talk. If you have any questions, please feel free to interrupt. Otherwise, there’ll be time for discussion at the end. |
b) Voice it and listen to your partner’s opinion.
READING
6. Besides the techniques for good introductions there are some strategies for good conclusions. On his website, the American presentations guru Charlie F. Elroy talks about them.
a) Read them. Mark the most interesting and useful tips.
Make a good last impression!
I personally think the end of your talk is even more important than the beginning because people tend to remember most the last thing that they are told.
Make a lasting impression!
Your conclusion is the place to make sure that you have planted the key ideas of your talk in your listeners’ minds. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Here are some of my strategies for effective conclusions:
1. Summarize the main points
This is the most widely used method but borrrrrrring! However, sometimes you will find it’s the best strategy. Just some up the main points you have covered in the middle section.
2. Quote a famous person
Quote something from a famous person that fits the content of your talk and use it as a final statement. You can find lots of quotations on the Internet.
3. Ask a provocative question or make a surprising statement
Ask a question which surprises, shocks or provokes your audience – anything to make them think and to make a lasting impression.
4. Use the «sandwich» technique
Think of your presentation as a sandwich with two slices of bread (introduction + conclusion) and the cheese in the middle (the main part). The «sandwich» strategy means that you have a connection between the beginning and the end of your talk. If, for example, you start telling a joke or (funny) story in the introduction, stop at an exciting moment and move on to the main part. Then finish the joke/story in the conclusion.
5. Thank the audience
Forget standard phrases such as «Thank you very much for your attention» or «Thank you for listening». After a good presentation, it is the audience who should be thanking you!
b) Which tips have you found the most interesting and useful? Why?
WRITING
7. Write a proper conclusion to your presentation.
Voice it and listen to your partner’s opinion.
| Conclusion | |
| Conclusion | Let me just run over the key points again. I’ll briefly summarize the main issues. To sum up …. Briefly, …. In brief …. In short …. So, / In conclusion …/ We’ve seen that As you can see, there are some very good reasons… So, I would suggest that we … / In my opinion, the only way forward is … . |
| Questions | |
| An invitation for questions/to make comments, or start a discussion | I’d be glad to try and answer any questions. So, I’d now be glad to answer any questions. Any questions? |
| Checking the questioner is satisfied. | Does that answer your question? Is that clear? May we go on? |
| Close | |
| I hope you will have gained an insight into … |
DIY
1. Make a ten minutes presentation on the topic
«So many countries, so many customs».
2. The words and expressions below will help you
to make a main part of your oral report to support your slides.
| Ordering Points Changing topic | First / next / then / after that Let’s turn to … The / my next point is The next thing is… After all, Last of all … Finally, … Now let’s look at / move on/turn to … |
| Giving examples/ Introducing and commenting on visuals (graphs, charts, diagrams, tables, pictures, handouts) | For example / for instance / such as / One example of this is / Let’s look at / Take a look at … / Have a look at … Let’s take / have a look at I’d like you to look at … I’d like to focus your attention on … I’d like to draw you attention to … I’d like you to look at … in more details / In the picture we can see / As you can see from the picture The graph/ chart shows / presents |
NB!
Pay attention to reading the figures.
| ⅓ a third | ½ a half | ¾ three quarters | ⅔ two thirds |
| 0.05 nought [nɔːt] point O [əu] five | 6.25 six point two five | 15-20% fifteen to twenty percent | < 90% less than ninety percent |
| 60 x 3 sixty times three | 150 – 40 a hundred and fifty minus forty | 33 ÷ 3 thirty-three divided by three | 1 : 4 a ratio of one to four |
| 575 five hundred and seventy-five | 1,001 one thousand and one | 65,935 sixty-five thousand nine hundred and thirty-five | 7,896,324 seven million eight hundred and ninety-six thousand three hundred and twenty-four |
| MODULE 1 | THE WORLD AROUND US |
| UNIT 2 | SO MANY COUNTRIES, SO MANY CUSTOMS |
| LESSON 4 | PRESENTATION |
You have to present the country you have chosen, to tell about its landmarks and language, people and customs (10 minutes).
Your classmates will evaluate your performance.
PRESENTATION SCORE SHEET
Name(s) _______________ Group________________
Starting time_______ Finish time______ Elapsed time________
| CATEGORY | POINTS POSSIBLE | POINTS AWARDED | COMMENTS |
| 1. Slides organizing: · Catchy title slide · Slide of content · Slide of bibliographic list · Final slide · Background and font | 20: | ||
| 2. Number of informative slides: 8–10 | |||
| 3. Drawing up of a presentation: · Information in points (not complete sentences) · Maximum six points per slide · Graphs and visuals wherever possible | 25: | ||
| 4. Visual aids: · Sounds appropriate · Media appropriate · Slides change accurate · Supporting matter appropriate | 20: | ||
| 5. Content: · Introduction (6–7 sentences) · Purpose clearly outlined · Information practical · Appropriate to the audience · Conclusion | 25: | ||
| 6. Oral presentation skills · Smooth transition · Voice(s) clear and accurate · Eye contact with audience · Use of facial expressions · Work and talk coordinated · Body movement /gestures · Appearance neat and appropriate | 70: | ||
| 7. Questions: answered appropriately | |||
| 8. Summary · Major points emphasized · Introduction expectations fulfilled | 20: | ||
| max |
DIY
1. Create an illustrated leaflet with information about the country you have presented.
Best Booklets will be made special mention
2. Work with the dictionary. Be ready to explain what the following words and expressions mean:
individual, individual expression, society, responsibility toward society and family, state, culture, for the general good, in smb’s behalf, to express the rejection of social/cultural background /situation, to attach importance
| MODULE 1 | THE WORLD AROUND US |
| UNIT 3 | MAKE THE ROAD BY WALKING ON IT |
| LESSON 1 | THE INDIVIDUAL & SOCIETY |
WARMING UP
1. You have learned a lot about different countries and cultures.
But there is a proverb East or West home is best.
Do you know a Russian equivalent to this proverb? *Explain its meaning.
VOCABULARY
2.Worldwide there is a kind of relationship between the individual and the culture or the state they belong to.
a) Work in pairs and describe what you see in the pictures below.
Use the words and expressions from the box.
to get education (primary / secondary/ university-level) for the general good in behalf of smb / in smb’s behalf to cover walls with graffiti to express the rejection of social/cultural background/situation to express one’s individuality to attach importance to face a dilemma to do one’s duty to serve in the army
1 2
3. 4.
b) Decide which of these pictures show examples of individual expression and which of them are examples of responsibility toward society or family.
| Read more about Present Tenses in Grammar-mania on http://el.istu.edu |
READING & SPEAKING
3. “Make the road by walking on it” means that a person should decide how to express himself/herself.
a) Read these situations and think about the title you can give to each of them.
Many cultures attach importance on the rights of the individual and their personal choice. Other cultures stress importance of society and collective responsibility over the individual. This cultural background has an effect both on the behavior, beliefs and responsibilities of the individual.
These six case studies describe situations in which the individual faced a dilemma between their personal responsibility and their duty toward their employer or their country.
1 “My company has offered me a better job for more money, but it means that I’ll have to work in a different part of the country and I’ll only be able to get home every month or so. What should I do?”
2“My son wants to join the army because he wants to travel. But I’d prefer him to continue his studies and pass some exams so that he gets a better job. What advice should I give him?”
3“I think our government makes us pay too many taxes and spends the money in which I disagree with. I’m planning to go to a demonstration with fellow students. My mother thinks I shouldn’t criticize the government. What do you think?”
4“We like to travel to foreign countries, and we usually take a package tour because it’s cheaper.
But we don’t always want to do what everyone else does. They don’t like us going to museums while they go shopping. What should we do?”
5“I need some money to buy a new car. Should I go to a bank and borrow some or
should I ask my family to help?”
6“I work for a company owned and managed by a family. I like my job, but sometimes the company feels too small and I don’t feel I’m getting enough experience.
Do you think I should work on my own or move to a larger company?”
b) Work in pairs and talk about what you would do in these situations.
*c) What is more appropriate to you: to attach more importance to the duty toward the society, your family or to your personal ambitions? Have you ever faced a dilemma? Tell about it.
LISTENING & SPEAKING
4. Here is Seb speaking. He is 19 and he is a student. Seb is from the UK.
a) Listen to him and find out what he would do in the situations mentioned above.
b) Read the statements below and think if they are true or false.
* Correct the statements if necessary.
1) He doesn’t mind to work in a different part of the country in behalf of the family.
2) He considers it’s obligatory for everyone to do the duty and to serve in the army.
3) He would borrow money from his mother if he wanted to buy a new car.
4) Seb prefers working on his own but not for a company.
5) He would probably go to a demonstration to protest against paying more for his studying.
6) He prefers to make his own arrangements while travelling.
c) Work in pairs and check your answers.
*5.What is more important for Seb: personal responsibility toward his family or his duty toward the employer and society?
Support your opinion with examples.
WRITING & SPEAKING
6. There are some statements in a chat.
a) Read them.
· It’s the state’s responsibility to look after my family and me.
· Society should provide work for university graduates.
· It’s companies’ responsibility to stimulate employees’ interest in working industriously and efficiently.
b) Work in pairs. Choose one of the statements and write at least three objective arguments for and three objective arguments against it.
c) Present the statement you have chosen and your for and against arguments.
DIY
1. Read the article about privacy in the United States and be ready to answer the questions:
Is your country similar? Better or worse? In what ways?
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
Ever find yourself watching the clock at work? Be careful, it may be watching you. A recent survey by the American Management Association reveals that 32 per cent of major US firms record and keep track of employees’ communications and activities while on the job. Today’s high-tech miniature cameras, for example, make it easy to keep an eye on you.“You can put them in a fan, a smoke detector, a light switch, you can put them almost anywhere,” said one private investigator.
What’s the benefit? “It keeps people honest,” said the director of security at a large retailer in Los Angeles. “And if a company finds employees cheating on them and they take action, they end up saving money.” And it doesn’t stop at video cameras. Monitoring employees’ use of the Internet and e-mail is now common practice. A company recently sacked more than 20 employees for sending e-mails, which the company called “inappropriate and offensive.”
The fact is our personal privacy is decreasing all the time. Credit rating companies monitor your personal financial history from the day you get your first credit card. Anyone who has ever used the Internet knows that their surfing habits are constantly being traced by “cookies”. Even where you are at any particular time will soon be easy to find out. Already, employee security cards record when people enter and leave the building. Discount supermarket programs track what people buy, where and when. Cell phones, handheld devices, even car navigation systems will soon have detailed tracking abilities, if they do not already have them. “It all seems like an infringement of our privacy,” said a representative of the American Right to Privacy League. “But in a way, we are the ones who open the doors and let these people in.”
2. Write an argumentative essay on a topic of your choice.
a) It’s the state’s responsibility to look after my family and me.
b) Society should provide work for university graduates.
c) It’s companies’ responsibility to stimulate employees’ interest in working industriously and efficiently.
*d)Monitoring people is good because «It keeps people honest».
NB!
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
A “for and against”/argumentative essay is a formal piece of writing in which a topic is considered from opposing points of view. You should present both sides in a fair way by discussing them objectively and in equal detail.
The plan below will help you:
Introduction
Paragraph 1
state topic (summary of the topic without giving your opinion)
Main Body
Paragraphs 2&3
arguments for and justifications, examples, and/or reasons
Paragraphs 4&5
arguments against and justification, examples, and/or reasons
Conclusion
Final paragraph
balanced consideration/your opinion directly or indirectly
LANGUAGE NOTE
| Useful Words & Phrases To introduce points:Firstly / To begin with / In the first place, One point in favour of / against is / One advantage of… is / One disadvantage of… is, etc. To add more points:Secondly / What is more / Furthermore / A further advantage of… is, etc. To make conclusion points:However / On the other hand / Although / In spite of, etc. To conclude:To sum up, In conclusion / On balance / All things considered |
| MODULE 1 | THE WORLD AROUND US |
| UNIT 3 | MAKE THE ROAD BY WALKING ON IT |
| LESSON 2 | IDEAL JOB |
WARMING UP
1. What do you think about privacy?
*How is it connected with the right to freedom?
**2.Job is a good way to do one’s duty towards the employer and society.
Climbing a career ladder is a good way to express one’s individuality. Do you agree with these statements? Support your opinion with some arguments.
VOCABULARY & SPEAKING
3. A person should find satisfaction in what he is doing.
What are the most important things for people who work?
a) Read the items below and try to guess what the expressions in italics mean.
· Interesting tasks
· Flexible hours
· Long holidays
· A chance to develop your skills
· A big salary
· A friendly boss
· A chance to be promoted
· Working for a big company
· Good relationships with other employees
· Opportunities to travel
· Good pension scheme
· Good working conditions
· Work for the general good
*b)Explain the meaning of the expressions in italics.
c) Number the items above in order of importance.
1 = very important. 13 = not important at all.
*Add your own ideas to the list.
d) Share your ideas with others using the expressions:
I (strongly) believe/ In my view/ In my opinion/ I feel that/ It seems to me that
4. Sometimes people are dissatisfied with their work.
a) Read some reasons for people being unhappy at their work and try to guess what the expressions in italics mean.
ü their jobs are repetitive and boring;
ü bad working conditions;
ü poor wages;
ü their workmates are unfriendly;
ü the nature of the job makes it difficult to contact other workers;
ü they are not treated as individuals at work;
ü a bad, unfair employer;
ü the job is not very secure;
ü the job is very hard physically and yet not productive.
*b)Explain the meaning of the expressions in italics.
c) Which reasons can/can’t you accept?
LISTENING
5. Different companies stimulate employees’ interest in working in various ways. Look at the pictures below. How do you think companies use the things shown in the pictures below to motivate staff?
a) Share your ideas with others.
b) Listen and check. While listening make notes which ideas they are talking about. Which ideas do you think are the best?
6. In the following conversation, three employees describe benefits they get from their companies.
a) Read the words discribing activities.
watching a film choosing a CD fishing studying making coffee
waiting for customer having a massage checking emails
b) Listen to their talk and tick (√) the activities people mention.
c) Listen again and be ready to tell others what you have learned from the conversation above.
The questions below will help you summarize the ideas.
What is the «agreement» between two shops?
What does the company pay for?
Why can the woman start work at 1 p.m.?
READING & SPEAKING
7. A good rest is half the work. Do you agree with this Slovenian Proverb?
a) Scan this paragraph and define a very interesting idea of how to help a worker relax.
The owner of a Denver-based software provider company is offering his employees $7,500 dollars to go on vacation. Bart Loran wants his staff to go on a trip with their families and get away from work completely. That means no emails, texting or phone calls. He had the idea when he saw a photo of himself on a Camel in Egypt, with his mobile phone in his hand, texting. He hopes his workers will come back recharged. Some of his staff have already taken advantage of the offer, although they said it was not easy to disconnect at first. Loran also hopes that the move will entice new talent to his company.
b) Would you like to work for this company. Why?
Is money the only reason?
READING & WRITING
8. Line graphs show how information or data change over time.
They highlight trends.
a) Read the words and phrases that help you describe trends.