1 Do you know rules of introduction? Fill in ‘your opinion’ column.

	Your opinion	Basic rules
1. A woman is always introduced to a man		
2. The young are presented to the old.		
3. Being introduced say: ‘How are you?’		
4. You stand only in case you are introduced to a woman.		
5. Being introduced say: ‘Glad to see you’.		
6 Take each new guest on introduction tour of the room		

2 Read the text below and verify your answers. Fill in ‘basic rules’ column Text 1. Do you know the basic rules of introductions?

When introducing people to each other just remember that:

• A man is always introduced to a woman, not a woman to a man.

• The honoured one’s name is said first; the name of the person being presented follows ‘May I present Professor Carter?’, ‘I have the honour to introduce the Dean of our faculty.’ ‘Later on I’d like to present you to the head of the Department.’ – They are all correct, but very formal and a bit stiff for modern usage. In most situations a plain and simple ‘Professor Carter, Mr. Crown’ is enough – or, if you like ‘Professor Carter, this is Mr. Crown’.

• Present the young to the old.

• When you are introduced you stand, whether being introduced to a man or a woman.

• When more than two people are involved in your introduction, forget about rank or sex (for the moment). Mention the newcomer’s name, then the names of the others in the order in which they happen to be sitting or standing at the time.

• At large informal parties in your own house it is a nuisance to everyone to take each new guest on an introduction tour of the room.

• In public places when the meeting is to be brief an introduction is unnecessary.

• If you are on first-name terms with a person you are introducing to a friend, you may say, ‘Bill Carter, Kelly Crown’ or ‘Bill, this is Kelly’.

• Being introduced do not say, ‘How are you?’ Do say, ‘How do you do?’ (formal) or ‘Hello!’ (informal). Only after this routine you can say, ‘Pleased to meet you’, or ‘Nice to meet you’.

 3 Discuss in small groups the value of knowledge how to communicate.

 Suggesting ideas on safe subjects for talk and verifying them

1 Do you know what safe and unsafe subjects for talk are? Discuss with your friends what should be avoided in a talk with people you don’t know very well. The following questions will help you to organize a discussion.

• What are safe subjects to discuss when you talk to people you don’t know very well?

• What subjects are recommended to avoid in ‘small talk’?

• Do you think that cultural gap between etiquette norms accepted in Belarus and in the USA differ greatly?

• What recommendations would you give to your American friends on choosing subjects for small talk with Belarusian people?