Activity 2: read the passage and answer the questions.
1.What did Esther often do when she spoke to others?
Every time she open her month, she put her foot in
Activity 4: Work in pairs. The style of this passage is meant to be humourous and exaggerated.
Example: “You look much older. And your friend , she’s older than you, but she looks much younger!”
She didn’t realize what she said hurt the salesman.
6. What did Esther think of the clerk’s haircut?
She wanted to know how much it cost.
7. Why did the young man think the company gave
1. Is small talk important in your society?
2. Is it as important as “real” conversation?
3. Do you think small talk is more or less important
in English than in your language?
him a new job miles away?
He said the office would be quieter without him.
8. What did Esther think of her old school friend’s husband?
She thought he was ugly.
Look for more examples of humour and exaggeration in the passage.
Do exercises 5-6 in you book.
Activity 7: Work in groups. Discuss the questions and give reasons for your answers.
高中英语课件
（madeofdingshangtuwen）
The Wrong Kind of Small Talk
Activity 1: Work in pairs. You are going to read a story about a saleswoman. Discuss what kind of small talk you need as a salesperson.
Activity 3: Read the passage again and find:
1.three things you can say when you make small talk
2. two things you should not say
3. one way of replying to questions which you don’t wish to answer
it.
2.What do you think are “the basic rules of social communication”?
To be polite and not to embarrass people.
3. Why did the customer look awkward when she was
asked now old she was?
Because she did not want to say her age.
4. HoShe said she wasn’t pregnant.
5. What was wrong about Esther’s advice to the salesman?