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Module 1 Small TalkHow Good Are Your Social Skills?Have you ever crossed the road to avoid talking to someone you recognize? Would you love to go to a party and talk confidently to every guest? Do you want to make more friends but lack the confidence to talk to people you dont know? And are you nervous about the idea of being at a social event in another country? Dont worry we can help you!You neednt worry about situations like these if you have good social skills. And they are easy to learn. People with good social skills communicate well and know how to have a conversation. It helps if you do a little advance planning. Here are a few ideas to help you.Learn how to do small talkSmall talk is very important and prepares you for more serious conversations. Be prepared! Have some low-risk conversation openers ready. For example:Think of a recent news story not to serious, e.g. a story about a film star or sports star.Think of things to tell people about your studies. Think of “safe” things you can ask peoples opinions about music, sport, films, etc.Think of topics that you would avoid if you were talking to strangers and avoid talking about them! That way, you dont damage your confidence!Develop your listening skillsListening is a skill which most people lack, but communication is a two-way process it involves speaking AND listening. Always remember you wont impress people if you talk too much. Here are some ideas to make you a better listener:DoShow that you are listening by using encouraging noises and gestures smiling, nodding, saying “uh-huh” and “OK”, etc.Keep good eye contactUse positive body languageAsk for more information to show your interestDontLook at your watchYawnSignLook away from the person whos talking to youChange the subjectFinish other peoples sentences for themAlways remember the words of Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister in the 19th century: “Talk to a man about himself, and he will speak to you for hours!”Learn the rulesIf you go to a social occasion in another country, remember that social rules can be different. In some countries, for example, you have to arrive on time at a party; in other countries, you dont need to. In addition, you need to know how long you should stay, and when you have to leave. Some hosts expect flowers or a small gift, but in other places, you can take things, but you neednt if you dont want t. remember also that in some countries, you mustnt take flowers of a certain colour, because theyre unlucky. In most places, you dont have to take a gift to a party but find our first!The Wrong Kind of Small TalkEsther Greenbaum was a saleswoman for a firm of fax machines and business supplies. But she was also the most outspoken human being in the world well, Westchester County, at least. Her motto was “Every time I open my mouth, I put my foot in it.”Esther Greenbaums major shortcoming was that she had a complete absence of small talk. No, that not quite true. She had small talk, but it was the wrong kind. In fact, she had never learnt the basic rules of social communication, and as a consequence, she made systematic mistakes every time she opened her mouth. It was no coincidence either that she wasnt a very good saleswoman.One day during a meeting, Esther was introduced to an important customer, a mature woman. “Nice to meet you,” she said. “How old are you?” The customer looked awkward.“Forty? Forty-five?” said Esther. “You look much older. And your friend shes older than you, but she looks much younger!”On another occasion, Esther teased a typist, “Hey! Whens your baby due?”The typist went red and contradicted Esther. “Actually, Im not pregnant,” she said.“Oh, sorry,” said Esther without any apology. “Just putting on a little weight, huh?”Esther was never cautious about other peoples feelings. One of her acquaintances, a salesman in the firm, was going through a very messy divorce and was very depressed. She tried to cheer him up.“Forget her! She was a complete fool. No one liked her anyway.”Much of the time, Esther said the first thing to come into her head. One day at work, a clerk came into the office with a new hairstyle.“Nice haircut,” said Esther. “How much did it cost?”The woman replied, “Id rather not say.”Esther replied, “Well, anyhow, either you paid too much or you paid too little.”She met a very famous writer once. “Hey, what a coincidence!” she said. “Youre writing a book and Im reading one!”The trouble with Esther was she said what she thought, and didnt think about what she said. A young man was trying to modest about his new job many miles away.“I guess the company chose me so theyd get some peace in the office,” he smiled.“No, I guess they chose you to discourage you from spending your whole career with us,” Esther replied sweetly.Once, Esther went to a brunch party to meet some old school friends on the anniversary of their graduation. She greeted the hostess.“Do you remember that guy you were dating? What happened to him?” she asked. “You know, the ugly one.”At the moment, a man came up and stood by her friend. “Esther, Id like you to meet my husband,” she said, “Charles, this is”Esther interrupted her, “Hey, so you married him!”Making Friends in the USAIn the USA, conversation is less lively than in many other cultures, where everyone talks at the same time. When someone talks, everyone is expected to listen, no matter how dull the persons speaking may be.If youre not sure what to talk about, you can ask what people do. Were defined by our jobs and were usually happy to talk about them, unless youre spy!Some people say that Americans talk about their feelings more than Asians, but are more secretive about factual matters. You can safely ask questions about families, where you come from, leisure interests, as well as the latest movies. Were interested in peoples ethnic background too. But its best to avoid politics, religion and other sensitive topics.A highly personal conversation can take place after a very short period of knowing someone, but this doesnt mean that youre close friends, or the relationship is very deep. But a lot of people are very friendly and hospitable, and the famous invitation “If youre ever in Minneapolis / San Diego / Poughkeepsie, do call by and see us!” is never made without a genuine desire to meet again.But while few Americans will worry about the questions you may ask, particularly if you clearly show youre aware of cultural differences, they may hesitate before they ask you similar questions. In fact, its a sign that they dont wish to violate your private life. So, many Americans will talk about safe topics because they dont dare to be too curious or personal, but will happily talk about more private matters if you take the lead.Generally we dislike arguments, and we avoid topics which lead to disagreement. Its easy to return to discussing the weather: “Do you like the USA?” How do you like the weather?” or making compliments: ”What lovely flowers and what a beautiful vase!” “Thats fabulous dress youre wearing.” You should accept compliments graciously and say “Thank you!”There are a couple of dangerous topics of conversation: age and money. Age is not treated as something very special, unless someone is very old: “Isnt she wonderful for her age!” and there are no special rules or signs of extra respect for elderly people. Anyway, Americans always want to look younger than they really are, so dont expect an accurate reply!Income is a very private matter, and youd do well to avoid asking how much people earn, although some people may not only be open about it, but show off their wealth. We dont ask how much things cost, either.But what we dont like is silence, and almost anything is better than the embarrassment for a quiet party and silent guests.The AAAIt is estimated that 80% of all conversation in English is small talk. A very important function of small talk is to establish a relationship between people who dont know each other very well, or dont know each other at all.Psychologists say that the most successful formula for small talk between people like this is the AAA model. AAA = answer, add and ask. This is how it works.Imagine a situation where two strangers are talking to each other after someone they both know has left the room, or the caf or party, etc. the first person asks a question:A: Do you live near here?The second person replies by answering the question, adding some extra information and then asking another question:B: (Answer) Yes, I do.(Add) In an apartment on Brown Street.(Ask) Do you live nearby too?The first person does the same, answer, add and ask:A: (Answer) No, I live in Bristol.(Add) Im just visiting London.(Ask) Have you lived here long?B: (Answer) Not so long.(Add) I moved here three years ago.(Ask) Whats the purpose of you visit to London?The speakers may have difficulty at first, but they soon realize that the important thing is that they are saying something. By continuing with the AAA model, the conversation continues. Because the thing they both want to avoid is an embarrassing silence.The conversation can continue in this way for a long time. However, something can happen that completely changes the atmosphere.B: Why do you live in Bristol?A: Im studying there. History. Are you a student?B: Yes. And I know some people who are studying at Bristol. Do you know a girl called Helen Brown?A: Helen Brown? Yes! Shes one of my best friends! How do you know her?B: Shes my cousin.At this point, the AAA model stops. Because they used this very useful technique, they found something they have in common at last.Module 1 Small Talk你的社交技能有多高？你是否看见认识的人以后，故意过马路以避免与其说话？你愿意参加聚会并自信的和每位来宾交谈吗？你想结交更多的朋友，但是又缺乏与陌生人交谈的信心吗？你是否一想到要在别的国家参加社交活动就觉得忐忑不安？别担心我们能帮助你！如果你具备了良好的社交技能，你就不用担心这样的情景。而这些技能是很容易学习的。具有良好社交技能的人能很好的和别人交流并且知道该怎么样说话。要是预先做点准备，将会对你有所帮助。下面为你出些主意。学会怎样聊天聊天时很重要的，并能帮助你为一些更严肃的谈话做准备。准备好！准备一些不太会出错的开场白。例如：想出一个最近的新闻故事不要太严肃，譬如，一个有关于电影明星或体育明星的故事想出一些有关于你的学习的事情告诉人们想出一些“不会出错”的事情询问别人的意见音乐，体育，电影等想出一些和陌生人谈话时要回避的话题并且要避免谈论这些话题！那样，你的信心就不会被伤害了！提高倾听的技能倾听是大多数人所缺乏的技巧，而交流时双向的过程它涉及说和听两个方面。永远记住话太多并不会给人留下怎样的印象。下面是一些使你成为更好的倾听者的建议：做下面的事情用一些鼓励的声音或姿势表示你正在倾听微笑，点头，说一些“嗯”或“对啊”之类的话等等保持得体的目光接触使用积极肯定的肢体语言询问更多的信息表示你的兴趣不要做下面的事情看自己的手表打哈欠叹气把目光从正跟你说话的人身上移开改变话题替别人把话说完要牢记19世纪英国首相本杰明迪斯累里的话：“和一个人谈论他自己，他会和你说上几个小时！”学习规则如果你在另一个国家去参加一个社交场合，要记住会有不同的社交规则。例如，在一些国家，你得准时参加聚会；而在另一些国家就不需要。另外，你需要知道该待多久，该在何时离开。有的主人希望能得到鲜花或小礼品，而在另一些地方你可以给主人送东西，但如果你不想送就没有必要送。还有，要记住在有的国家你不能带某种颜色的鲜花，因为那是不吉利的。在大多数地方，参加聚会不必带礼物但你得事先弄清楚！不合时宜的闲聊埃斯特戈林鲍姆是一家传真机公司的女推销员和业务代理。但她也是世界上最口无遮拦的人当然，至少在韦切斯特县是这样的。她的座右铭是“每当我张口，就会讲错话”。埃斯特戈林鲍姆的主要缺点是她根本不会闲聊。不，也不完全如此。尽管她闲聊，但不合时宜。实际上，她从来就没有学过社交的基本规则，因此每次开口说话她都会犯经常性的错误。她不是一个好的女推销员绝非偶然。一天在一次会议上，埃斯特被介绍给一位重要的客户，一位成熟的女士。她说：“很高兴见到你！你多少岁啦？”这位客户看起来是尴尬的。“四十？四十五？” 埃斯特说道，“你看起来更老。而且你的朋友，她比你年龄大，但看起来年轻得多！”在另一个场合，埃斯特跟一位打字员打趣说：“嗨！你的宝宝什么时候出生啊？”那位打字员一下变得面红耳赤，并反驳埃斯特说：“实际上，我还没有怀孕呢。”“噢，对不起，” 埃斯特毫无歉意地说，“只是略微有点发福，是吗？”埃斯特从来不注意他人的感受。和她在同一家公司做推销员的一个熟人正遭受离婚的窘境，为此非常沮丧。埃斯特试图让他高兴起来。“忘掉她！她是一个十足的傻瓜。没有人会再喜欢她的。”大多数时间，埃斯特想到了什么就说什么。有一天工作的时，一位刚换了新发型的职员走进办公室。埃斯特说：“发型很漂亮，花了多少钱？”这位女士回答道：“我宁愿不说。”埃斯特答道：“喔，不管怎么样，要么你花多了，要么你花少了。”有一次她遇见一位非常著名的作家。“嗨，多么巧啊！你正在写一本书，我正在看一本书！”她说。埃斯特的问题是她想到什么就说什么，而且从不考虑她说的话。一位年轻的男士尽量谦逊地谈论他几英里外的新工作。“我想公司选择我是为了他们在办公室里可以得到一些平和。”他微笑着说。“不，我猜测他们选择你是不想你一辈子都跟着我们工作。” 埃斯特甜美的答道。有一次，埃斯特参加毕业周年聚餐，去见一些老校友。她向女主人打招呼。“还记得和你约会的那个家伙吗？他怎么样了？”她问道：“你知道的，就是那个长得丑的。”正在那时，一个男人走过来，站在她朋友的旁边。“埃斯特，我想让见见我丈夫，”她说，“查尔斯，这是”埃斯特打断她，“哦，原来你和她结婚了啊！”在美国交朋友在美国，交谈比在许多别的国家沉闷得多，在别的国家大家都一起聊天。而在美国，当每个人发表见解时，不管他说的多磨无聊，每个人都应该倾听。如果你不确定谈论什么，你可以问一下别人是做什么的。工作体现着我们的特质，而且我们通常乐意去谈他们，除非你是个间谍！有些人说美国人谈论感情要比亚洲人多，但他们对现实的事情却避而不谈。你可以喊坦然的问家庭，对方籍贯，业余爱好及最新电影等相关问题。我们对人们的民族背景也感兴趣。但最好避免政治，宗教等敏感话题。两人认识很短一段时间后，可能会有一些亲密的交谈，这并不意味着你们是亲密的朋友或关系非常好。但许多人非常友好好客，而且如果无意再相见，他们是不会做出“如果你有机会到明尼阿波利斯圣地亚哥波及普西，无比混都来看看我们！”这种人们所见惯的邀请的。但是尽管极少数美国人会担心你可能提出的问题，尤其是你明显表现出你了解文化差异时，再问你相似的文字之前，他们会犹豫。事实上，这表明他们不希望侵犯你的私人生活。因此他们不敢（表现得）太好奇或太冒昧，但如果你首先引入私人话题，他们会高兴地谈论更多关于私人的事情。一般来说我们不喜欢争论，并避开那些（可能）导致分歧的话题。很容易回到天气的讨论中：“你喜欢美国吗？你觉得这儿的天气怎么样？”或者说些称赞的话：“多么可爱的花，多么漂亮的花瓶啊！”“你穿的这件连衣裙真漂亮。”你应该欣然接受赞美并说“谢谢！”会话中有两个敏感的话题：年龄和钱。年龄并没有被当作特殊的话题，除非某人年事已高：“以她的年龄而言，难道她活得不精彩吗？”而且没有格外尊敬老人的规定或迹象。不管怎样，美国人总是想让自己看起来比他们的真实年龄年轻些，因此别指望他们给出确切的回答！收入是很私人的事情，你最好避免问别人挣多少钱，尽管有些人对此不仅不加隐瞒，而且还有炫耀之意。我们通常也不问东西值多少钱。但是我们不喜欢沉默不语，几乎任何事情都比宴会冷清、宾客沉默所带来的尴尬要好。 AAA模式据估计，所有英语会话中80是闲聊。闲聊的一个非常重要的作用就是在不太熟悉的人之间或根本不认识的人之间建立一种联系。心理学家说像这样的人之间闲聊的最成功的模式便是AAA模式。AAA模式即：回答、补充和提问。一下就是该模式实际运作的方式。设想一种情形，两个陌生人在她们都认识的那个人离开房间、咖啡或聚会等之后进行交谈。第一个人问了一个问题;A:你住在这附近吗？第二个人回答这个问题并补充了一些额外的信息，接着问另一个问题：B：（回答）是的，我住在附近。（补充）住在布朗街的一套公寓里。（提问）你也住在附近吗？第一个人做相同的事情，回答、补充和提问：A：（回答）不，我住在布里斯托尔。（补充）我只是到伦敦来游玩。（提问）你在这儿住长时间了吗？B：（回答）并不是太久。（补充）我三年前搬到这儿。（提问）你参观伦敦的目的是什么？谈话人起初可能会有困难，但他们很快就意识到重要的是他们在谈话。通过继续AAA漠视，谈话得以持续。因为他们都像避开令人尴尬的沉默。谈话可以以这种方式持续很长时间。然而，可以完全改变气氛的事情可能会发生。B：你为什么住在布里斯托尔？A：我在那里学习历史。你是一个学生吗？B：是的。我认识一些在布里斯托尔学习的人。你认识一个名叫海伦布朗的女孩儿吗？A：海伦布朗！是的！她是我最好的朋友之一！你怎么会人认识她？B：她是我堂妹。AAA模式到此结束。因为他们运用了这种非常有用的社交技巧，最后他们找到了他们有共同的语言的话题。Module 2 Fantasy LiteratureThe Cat That VanishedWill was stupefied with exhaustion, and he might have gone on to the north, or he might have laid his head on the grass under one of those trees and slept; but as he stood trying to clear his head, he saw a cat.She was a tabby, like Moxie. She padded out of a garden on the Oxford side of the road, where Will was standing. Will put down his shopping bag and held out his hand, and the cat came up to rub her head against his knuckles, just as Moxie did. Of course, every cat behaved like that, but all the same Will felt such a longing to turn for home that tears scalded his eyes.Eventually this cat turned away. This was night, and there was a territory to patrol, there were mice to hunt. She padded across the road and towards the bushes just beyond the hornbeam trees, and there she stopped. Will still watching, saw the cat behave curiously. She reached out a paw to pat something in the air in front of her, something quite invisible to Will. Then she leapt backwards, back arched and fur on end, tail held out stiffly. Will knew cat-behaviour. He watched more alertly as the cat approached the spot again, just an empty patch of grass between the hornbeams and the bushes of a garden hedge, and patted the air once more.Again she leapt back, but less far and with less alarm this time. After another few seconds of sniffing, touching, whisker-twitching, curiosity overcame wariness.The cat stepped forward, and vanished.Will blinked. Then he stood still, close to the trunk of the nearest tree, as a truck came round the circle and swept its lights over him. When it had gone past he crossed the road, keeping his eyes on the spot where the cat had been investigating. It wasnt easy, because there was nothing to fix on, but when he came to the place and cast about to look closely, he saw it.At least, he saw it from some angles. It looked as if someone had cut a patch out of the air, about two metres from the edge of the road, a patch roughly square in shape and less than a metre across. If you were level with the patch so that it was edge-on, it was nearly invisible, and it was completely invisible from behind. You could only see it from the side nearest the road, and you couldnt see it easily even from there, because all you could see through it was exactly the same kind of thing that lay in front of it on this side: a patch of grass lit by a street light.But Will knew without the slightest doubt that that patch of grass on the other side was in a different world. He couldnt possibly have said why. He knew it at once, as strongly as he knew that fire burned and kindness was good. He was looking at something profoundly alien. And for that reason alone, it enticed him to stoop and look further. What he saw made his head swim and his heart thump harder, but he didnt hesitate: he pushed his shopping bag through, and then scrambled through himself, through the hole in the fabric of this world and into another.He found himself standing under a row of trees. But not hornbeam trees: these were tall palms, and they were growing, like the trees in Oxford, in a line along the grass. But his was the centre of a broad boulevard, and at the side of the boulevard was a line of cafes and small shops, all brightly lit, all open, and all utterly silent and empty beneath a sky thick with stars. The hot night was laden with the scent of flowers and with the salt smell of the sea.Will looked around carefully. Behind him the full moon shone down over a distant prospect of great green hills, and on the slopes at the foot of the hills there were houses with rich gardens and an open parkland with groves of trees and the white gleam of a classical temple.Just beside him was that bare patch in the air, as hard to see from this side as from the other, but definitely there. He bent to look through and saw the road in Oxford, his own world. The turned away with a shudder: whatever this new world was, it had to be better than what hed just left. With a dawning light-headedness, the feeling that he was dreaming but awake at the same time, he stood up and looked around for the cat, his guide.The Story of J.K. Rowling and Harry PotterThe elder stateswoman of British fantasy literature is J.K. Rowling, the gifted creator of Harry Potter. Joanne Rowlings roots are in the southwest of England, where she grew up. But the idea for Harry Potter came to her while she was on a delayed train between Manchester and London. She wrote down her ideas on the back of an envelope. She then went to teach English in Portugal, where she continued to add flesh to the bones of the first Harry Potter story. But her name is forever associated with Edinburgh in Scotland, where she lived and developed the format for the whole series of seven books.There are many anecdotes about how, in 1990, J.K. Rowling began the first draft of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. She had the extra burden of looking after her baby daughter while she worked, and because she was too poor to own a typewriter, she wrote by hand. She spent many hours over a single cup of coffee in a warm cafeteria in Edinburgh because she had no money to pay for the heating at home.Success was not swift and Rowling might have given up. But she was stubborn and overcame all the difficulties. It was only in 1997 that she completed the first Harry Potter story, which, because the publishers in the USA requested an adjustment to the title, was also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.Rowling always intended that her output would be a book every year until she had finished the series. In fact, it took her about ten years to complete. But after the first book, the success of each of the following titles was automatic. The fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix sold about seven million copies the day it was published.Rowlings style has been a target for some criticism, but what makes the books so important is that, because they appeal to readers of all ages, they create a special literary bond between parents and children. In an age of computer games and television programmes, it is also claimed they are responsible for a renewed interest in reading. Harry Potter has even become part of the school curriculum, much to the pleasure of the schoolchildren.And the Harry Potter effect is not just restricted to the English-speaking world. Rowlings books have been translated into more than 55 languages,
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