Terminal Objectives • Identify the grammatical word

class known as conjunctions.

• develop and use a battery of

reading strategies such as scanning and
skimming.

Enabling Objective

While-Reading

Skim the passage 2-3 minutes, underline unknown words, and discuss the
main ideas in the class.

Body Language Across Cultures

Using words isn’t the only way we say things. By leaning forward, narrowing our eyes, and folding
our arms, we also communicate feelings. With as much as 70% of what we say coming from this
type of non-verbal communication, it’s clearly important to be aware of our body language. That’s
especially true when dealing with people from other cultures, since a smile in Baltimore may not
mean the same as a smile in Beijing. There are several types of body language. With gestures, we
use our arms and hands to show moods, ask questions, and share information. Our faces are very
expressive, with more than 90 muscles working to send messages of surprise, happiness, anger, and
so on. There’s also kinesic communication, which refers to our body shape. By walking in a slumped
position, we show we’re sad, while a straight posture displays confidence. Other types of body
language include our tone of voice, clothing, and proxemics (the physical distance between people).
Since body language differs greatly from place to place, it’s easy to misunderstand what someone
from another country means. For instance, smiling, one of the most common expressions, is used to
show happiness or friendliness in North America. Yet in East Asia, it can be a sign of discomfort or
embarrassment. Also, shaking one’s head may mean “no” in England, while carrying the opposite
meaning in Bulgaria. Many daily actions, from greeting people to shaking hands, vary around the
world. Culture has a strong influence on non-verbal communication. The simple act of looking
someone in the eye is not at all that straightforward. In the USA, people are encouraged to look
directly at people when speaking to them. It shows interest in what they’re saying and is thought to
carry a sense of honesty. However, in Japan and Korea, people avoid long periods of eye contact. It’s
considered more polite to look to the side during a conversation. The Lebanese, in contrast, stand
close together and look intensely into each other’s eyes. The action shows sincerity and gives people
a better sense of what their counterpart wants. Given such differences with even the most common
expressions, people traveling abroad and those in international business have a real need to learn
the other culture’s body language. One helpful method is watching movies or TV shows. Picture
books showing a sequence of events can also illustrate concepts like personal space. In face to face
contacts, if you can’t understand someone’s gestures or expressions, it’s a good idea to ask what he
or she means. Because body language is subconscious, people tend to be unaware of the messages
they’re sending to others. So, it’s helpful to consider your own body language before dealing with
people from other cultures. The last thing you want to do is anger a friend or lose a case over a
misunderstanding. Being knowledgeable about the body language of friends, clients, and colleagues
can go a long way towards improving understanding and avoiding miscommunication.
While-reading

Find the conjunctions in the text and then place the conjunctions you have found in the
correct sentences and in the correct position as given in the example.

Example: Mary(…….) wanted to go to the party (……)she had too much work to finish first.

Answer: Mary wanted to go to the party, but she had too much work to finish first.

Explanation: It is used to show two opposite information. We can use the conjunction "but"
to join two opposite words or groups of words.

1) Jack hasn't eaten anything(….) breakfast, so he's feeling quite hungry(….) now.

2) The weather(…….) forecast predicted sunshine(…...) it ended up raining all day.

3) David forgot his umbrella (…...) he got completely(….) soaked in the rain on his
way home.

4) In the city,(…..) there's always a lot of noise and activity (…..) the countryside is
peaceful and quiet.

5) Emily studied hard for the exam (….)she still didn't score as well as she had
hoped(….).