module 1 the wrong kind of small talk. q1: what are the features( 特点 ) of small talk ? informal,...

Module 1 The Wrong Kind of Small Talk

Q1: What are the features(特点 ) of small talk ?

Informal, unimportant light, ordinary, polite, friendly

Informal

Q2: What’s the use of small talk in our life?

Small talk is considered as a way for people to know each other when they are not so familiar with each other.

Small talk is considered as a way for people to know each other when they are not so familiar with each other.

Proper small talk can make strangers become friends, while the wrong kind of small talk may make friends become strangers!

Attention

• Q3: What kind of small talk can be called the wrong kind?

The one that make others

embarrassed / angry / upset

Please turn to page 8, and read the passage quickly. While reading, please think about the following two questions.

1. What do you think of the style of this passage?

2. How many examples (conversations) are given in this passage to show Esther's character? What are they?

The Wrong Kind of Small Talk

The Wrong Kind of Small Talk

What do you think of the style of this article?

Serious and realistic （现实的）

Humorous and exaggerated

夸张的

Q2: How many examples are given to show Esther's character? What are they?

seven.

a customera typista salesmana clerka writera young manan old friend

Esther

Dialogue 1

Esther: Nice to meet you. How old are you ?Customer: ...(the customer looked awkward)E: Forty? Forty-five? You look much older. And your friend... she's older than you, but she looks much younger.

1. Why did the customer look awkward?

2.If you were Esther, you met your old customer, what should you say to her?

Because she didn’t want to say her age.

You look nice in this red coat.

A nice haircut, isn’t it? …

3-3-55

Dialogue 2

Esther: Hey! When's your baby due?Typist: Actually, I'm not pregnant.Esther: Oh, sorry, Just putting on a little weight, huh?

到期的，临期的

1.Guess the meaning of “when is your baby due?”

2.Did Esther really feel sorry when she knew the typist wasn’t pregnant?

No. Without any apology

6-6-88

“when will your baby be born?”

Dialogue 3

Esther: Forget her! She was a complete fool. Noone liked her anyway.Salesman: ...

1. What happened to the salesman?

2. What was wrong about Esther’s advice to the salesman?

He was going through a very messy divorce and was very depressed.

She was never cautious about other people’s feelings. She shouldn’t speak ill of his wife in the face of the salesman.

9-9-1010

3. If you were Esther, what would you say to the salesman?

9-9-1010

Some suggested answers:• Everything’s gonna be fine! Life is always better

than before!• Cheer up! There are other fish in the sea.• Don’t be sad! Let’s go out to have a drink, OK?

Dialogue 4

Esther: Nice haircut, How much did it cost?Clerk: I'd rather not say.E: Well, anyhow, either you paid too much or you paid too little.

要么是你花了很多钱，要么就是你花得太少了

Dialogue 5

Esther: Hey, what a coincidence! You're writting a book and I'm reading one!

你在写一本书，而我恰恰也在读一本。

The book you are writing is similar to the one I’m reading. Maybe you’re copying…

Dialogue 6

Youngman:I guess the company chose me so they'dget some peace in the office.Esther: No, I guess they chose you to discourage you from spending your whole career with us.

discourage sb from doing sth 劝阻某人做某事 ; 打消某人做某事的念头 ...

他笑着说：“公司选择我是为了他们能在公司里得到一点安宁。”埃斯特亲切地回答 :“ 不是的 , 我想他们之所以选中你是因为不想让你一辈子都跟着我们干。

Dialogue 7

Esther: Do you remember that guy you were dating? What happened to him?Esther: You know, the ugly one.Friend: Esther, I'd like you to meet my husband. Charles, this is...Esther: Hey, so you married him.

约会

What did Esther think of her old school friend’s husband?

She thought he was ugly.She thought he was ugly.

Look at the new words in the box.

absence acquaintance anniversary apology awkward brunch cautious clerk customer fax firm fool haircut hostess human being interrupt mature messy motto outspoken pregnant saleswoman shortcoming tease typist

5

1 a place of work

2 people or jobs

acquaintance, clerk, customer, fool, hostess, human being, saleswoman, typist

3 things you say or write

4 personal characteristics/ appearance

awkward, cautious, mature, messy, outspoken

5 a physical state

6 a meal

firm

apology, motto

pregnant

brunch

To avoid such wrong kind of small talk, what should we do and what shouldn’t we do? Please give some advice.

• To pay attention to the way of speaking.

• To avoid some personal or sensitive topics, such as, personal information, religion, politics, salaries, recent divorce…

• To choose safe topics, such as weather, music, film, sports…

• To learn about some basic rules of social communication.

Free talk