9. Group Discussion

Interview two or three students in your group to find out their answers to the following questions. Note down the individual speakers' answers:

1. When introducing yourself to someone you don't know at a party, what do you usually say?

2. When you are introduced to a man of your age or younger/ what do you usually say?

3. When you are introduced to a woman of your age or younger/ what do you usually say?

4. When you are being introduced to someone, do you usually shake hands?

5. What are some topics you might talk about immediately after an introduction?

6. Do you prefer going out with a group of friends rather than with one or two friends?

Lead a short discussion and focus on the following questions: — In which situations is behaviour in your own country similar or different from behaviour in the UK, the US, in your own country?

What Can Help You to Overcome Problems of Separation in Crosscultural Interaction

1. According to Dr. Leonard Zunin during the first four minutes together people decide whether or not they want to become friends:'Every time you meet someone in a social situation, give him your undivided attention for four minutes.A lot of people's whole lives would change if they did just that».

When we are introduced to new people, the author suggests, we should try to appear friendly and self-confident(l). In general,'people like people who are like themselves'. On the other hand, we should not make the other person think we are too sure of ourselves(2).It is important to appear interested and sympathetic, realise that the other person has his own needs,fears and hopes(3). That is not the time to complain about one's health or mention faults one finds in other people (4). It is not the time to tell the whole truth about one's opinions and impressions (5).

These first four minutes together should be treated with care. If there are unpleasant matters to be discussed they should be dealt with care (6).

2. Studying a foreign language can help you to overcome problems of separation in international business. First, it gives one a skill to practical use when travelling, reading or working at a job that requires translating. Such a situation may happen to you. If you went to Britain, for example, you would want to be able to order food and read signs.

Second, it introduces you to another culture — not just to external customs but also to the forms a culture thinks in. The structure of language and the way it names things reveal much about national character. Language mistakes can cause problems when we're doing business with people from other countries. But communication can also break down when we misunderstand the way another culture works.

The third thing language study does for you is improving your logical thought processes. As in a few other kinds of study (math, logic or computer science), it gives your brain invaluable exercise in analysis and classification, permanently changing the very way you think.

The fourth benefit naturally follows — unproved ability in English grammar and in learning other languages in the future. Obviously, then, everybody should sign up at once for a language of his or her choice. The world is ready to applaud your joining the «international set».