U 1

communication

• Communication is a process by which people exchange information or express their thoughts and feelings through a common system of symbols, signs and behavior.

• When we communicate with someone, it is not in isolation but within specific physical surroundings and under the rules of social contexts that govern the behavior of people.

How Do You Communicate?

• Work in groups to put forms of communication into different categories.

Cultural Barriers• Step One

• Listen to the dialog and note down the advice Li Na gives to Wang Hong as to what she ought to pay attention to when she’s in the United States. (P 1)

• 1. Don’t ever ask a woman how old she is.• 2. Never tell a woman that she is too fat and

should exercise more.• 3. If you are served soup, don’t make sucking

noises as you put it in your mouth.• 4. Don’t chew your food noisily.• 5. Don’t tell people that they look tired or ill.• 6. Never ask anyone how much money they

earn.

• Step Two• Work in groups to come up with more

advice that you can give to Wang Hong.

• 1. If other people are waiting in line to be served, join it and wait patiently.

• 2. Keep enough space between each other when you are in a crowd or stand in a line.

• 3. Don’t be surprised if you are greeted with a hug.• 4. Remember to leave a tip when you pay for the

dinner at a restaurant.• 5. Don’t speak too loudly in any public place.

California slang

• California slang is slang used in California English, or which originates in California. The slang heard in California originates from three different regions: Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Southern California.

Competition: Guess the meaning of the slang

• 1. ----How far are we from home?

• ----We'd be a (good) kay and a half, I reckon.

• a (good) kay and a half: One and a half kilometers; the distance to anywhere from anywhere else; a long way.

• 2. All I have is a fin and two dollars in change in my pocket.

• a fin: Five dollars. (Gamblers use it for $500.)

• 3. I don't know who came up with that fantastic idea, but whoever it was is a serious brainbag.

• brainbag: Someone who is really smart.

• 4. The pet store had a buck-buck sale on Tuesday.

• buck-buck: A cat.

• 5. Cheese and rice! Would you look at that?

• cheese and rice: Jesus Christ.

• 6. Bob was mountain biking in the bush, and after the last hill climb he was fagoogled.

• fagoogled: Absolutely exhausted

• 7. A: I'm just going over there.

• B: Fairynuff.

• fairynuff: Fair enough, meaning fine by me.

• 8. Denny said he'd be here by 5, but he ended up faking on us.

• fake: To say you're going to show up and then not show up.

• 9. What a fantabulous pizza that was!

• fantabulous: to exclaim when something is very good / wonderful / pleasurable

• 10. When I have too many thoughts circling in my head, my brain farkles and I can't think straight.

• farkle: To break down; to stop functioning properly.

• 11. Everybody in the car? All righty, we're G to G.

• G to G: Good to Go. Implies that you are ready.

• 12. I need a grit. Got a light?

• grit: Cigarette

.

• 13. Kelly was so half-cut the other night she hit on Kim.

• Half-cut: Drunk

• 14. (John is sick in hospital. Bob enters.) • Bob: How are ya? • John: Bob, I'm in the hospital. I'm sick!

Bob: Have an apple!• Have an apple.: Related to the saying, An app

le a day keeps the doctor away. This is said to sick people. So in saying Have an apple you are wishing that they recover soon.

• 15. Wow, I'm imprized at all the progress you've made!

• imprized: Impressed and surprised.

• Read the passage about California English (on page 2) and work in pairs to match the slang words and expressions with their definitions.

• Work with your neighbors to make five original sentences using these slang words and expressions.

In-Class Reading

• Discussion:• 1) Can you explain why

misunderstanding occurs in the following dialog?

• A: When are we leaving to see the movie?

• B: What movie?• A: Didn’t Mary tell you

about the movie?

• 2) What’s your own comprehension of the following advertisement in the London Underground for an employment agency:

• If you are looking for a good job, we’re offering a thousand a week.

Language Points

• (para. 1) virtually• 1. In fact or to all purposes; practically:

• The city was virtually paralyzed by the transit strike.

• 这个城市实际上已陷于交通运输罢工的瘫痪状态• 2. Almost but not quite; nearly:

• There's virtually none left.• 几乎没人留下• Virtually everyone gets a headache now and then.

• “ ”每个人几乎都要不时地头疼

• (para 1) Communication and understanding involve more than mere linguistic encoding and decoding.

• “Linguistic decoding” means “understanding the meaning of the words”.

• “Linguistic encoding” means “using words to form meaningful sentences”.

• 交流和理解不仅仅是语言表述和解读的过程。

• Ex. Choose an appropriate word from the given words to complete each of the following sentences:

• encode decode • 1) The secret documents were intercepted

and ________. • 2) The two parties ________ confidential

data in a form that is not directly readable by the other party.

• ---- 1) decoded • 2) encode

encode

• 1. turn a message into code 编码• e.g. The two parties encode confidential d

ata in a form that is not directly readable by the other party.

• 2. express in a language 用语言表达• e.g. encode one’s anger / fear

• antonym ：• decode

decode• 1. understand the meaning of a word or sentenc

e 理解• e. g. Common sense helps us to decode senten

ces.• 常识帮助我们理解句子。• 2. discover the meaning of a message in a secre

t language 解码• e. g. We decoded the enemy’s telegram and wer

e able to win a famous victory.• 我们因破解了敌方的电报而大捷，名震一时。

• (para. 5) More generally ,our knowledge of the language will tell us the range of possible interpretations of a vague, ambiguous, or ambivalent utterance, but will not tell us which interpretation was actually intended on any given occasion.

• 一般来说，语言知识只能对一句含糊不清、模棱两可或是似是而非的话语提供一些可能的解释，却不能明确指出在某一特定的场合它表达的究竟是哪一种意思。

• Ex. Choose an appropriate word from the given words to complete each of the following sentences:

• vague ambiguous ambivalent• 1) Linda left a very ___________ message to

me yesterday.• 2) I couldn’t recognize the woman from your

___________ description of her.• 3) She remained ____________ about her

marriage. • ---- 1) ambiguous • 2)vague • 3) ambivalent

vague• vague: not clear in shape or form; not clea

rly described, expressed, felt or understood 模糊 ; 含糊 , 笼统

• e.g. • I couldn’t recognize the woman from the v

ague description of her that you gave me.• 那女人你描述得太笼统了 , 我认不出她来。• →(n.) :• vagueness

ambiguous• ambiguous: not clear, or can be understood in m

ore than one way ； having different meanings 模棱两可的；含混不清的

• e.g. an ambiguous reply • 含糊的答复• →(n.) :• ambiguity (C): His reply was full of ambiguities.• ambiguousness (U)• antonym ：• Unambiguous / clear

ambivalent• ambivalent: having opposing feelings or att

itudes (towards sth. or sb. ) 情绪矛盾的• e. g. • We are both very ambivalent about having

a baby this year. • 对于今年生不生孩子的问题，我们心里很

矛盾。• →(n.) :• ambivalence

• Given ：• e.g.

• 1. We can hardly survive on the given salary.

• 2. Given he’s a foreigner here, he possibly cannot get to the destination without trouble.

• 他是外国人，应该是不会顺利达到目的地的。

• (para. 8) Every utterance is seen as communicating a variety of messages, some explicitly, others implicitly.

• 每句话语都可以表达多种信息，这些信息有的是明示的，有的是暗示的。

explicit

• clear and fully expressed 清楚明确的• e.g. to give explicit directions

• 给予明确的指示• →(n.) :

• explicitness

implicit• 1. expressed in an indirect way 暗含的• e.g. an implicit threat• 不言而喻的威胁• Antonym:• explicit • 2. unquestioning and complete 无疑的，无保留

的• e.g. implicit trust• 绝对的信任• Synonym：• absolute

• Ex. Choose an appropriate word from the given words to complete the following sentence:

• explicit implicit

• Bryon says that it was his intention to make ________ in the film what was only ________ in the play.

• ---- explicit,

• implicit

• (Para 14) Perhaps she was merely being playful, encouraging her audience to entertain the stereotype without actually endorsing it?

• 也许她只是随口说说而已，有意让听众去考虑那种（关于英国人厨艺糟糕的）成见，而自己却未必真正认可？

entertain

• 1. to give a party; to provide food and drink in one’s house 款待，招待

• 2. to amuse and interest 娱乐，助兴• 3. to be ready and willing to think about

愿意考虑

endorse• 1. endorse a political candidate• 支持政治候选人 • ---- support or approve 赞同 , 认可 , 支持 ( 意见 ,

活动 , 某人等 ) • 2. Please endorse the check / bill. 

请在这张支票 / 帐单上签名。• ---- sign on the back of a check to show that it is

correct 背书，签字• 3. endorse one’s license• 注明交通违章记录• ----write a note on a driving license to say that th

e driver has broken the law

utter

• (a.)• ---- complete 十足的，完全的• e.g. You’re an utter fool.• 你是个大笨蛋。• (v.)• ---- speak 说出； ---- produce and spread (false money) 制

造（假钞）

Translation• 1. 他是外国人，应该是不会顺利到达目的地的。• 2. 在回家的路上我突然想到一个好主意。 • 3. These facts were deliberately exploited

by the advertisers in order to attract the audience’s attention.

• 4. Is she endorsing these messages or dissociating herself from them?

• 5. What is communicated generally goes well beyond what is linguistically encoded.

Key to Translation

1. 他是外国人，应该是不会顺利达到目的地的。 Given he’s a foreigner here, he possibly cann

ot get to the destination without trouble.

2. 在回家的路上我突然想到一个好主意。 On my way home, a good idea came to

my mind.

3. These facts were deliberately exploited by the advertisers in order to attract the audience’s attention.

这些都是广告商特意而为，用以吸引读者的注意。

4. Is she endorsing these messages or dissociating herself from them?

她对这些信息是赞成，还是反对？5. What is communicated generally goes wel

l beyond what is linguistically encoded. 交流中传达的意思往往会远远超出语言所

能表达的。

Part Three

• Further Development

Does it always mean the same?• Step One• Work in pairs to make some

dialogs in which the sentence “ My mother will come back in a minute” is used. Then decide whether the same sentence has the same meaning and implication in different contexts. (Ex.1 on P38)

• For example:• A: It’s 12 o’clock. Have you

had your lunch?• B: No, not yet. But my mother

will come back in a minute.• ----(So I don’t have to worry.)

• Step Two• Work in pairs to think

of a number of situations where the sentence “It’s hot here” is used with different implications.

• For example:• Many people are in a

room and it is hot there.

• ---- When a person says, “It’s hot here”, probably he wants to leave the room, or she is simply stating the fact that it is hot.

Ambiguous but Effective• Work in groups to find some

instances of communication in which vague or ambiguous utterances are deliberately used. (Ex.2 on P38)

• For example:• Everyone who buys this

wonderful software will have a chance to tour the Mediterranean Sea for a holiday.

• ----Maybe there will be only one chance to be given to one of those who buy the software.

Don’t You Get the Joke?

• Work in groups to try to interpret the jokes in Ex.3 on P38.

• 1. Passenger: (on a long-distance coach) Could you tell me when we get to Birmingham, please?

• Driver: Don’t worry, love, it’s a big place---- I don’t think it’s possible to miss it.

• 2. My mother always told me I wouldn’t amount to anything because I was lazy and always put off doing things. And I said to her, “Just wait.”

• 3. A teacher was giving her pupils a lesson in logic. “Here is the situation,” she said. “A man is standing in a boat in the middle of a river, fishing. He loses his balance, falls in, and begins splashing and yelling for help. His wife hears him, knows he can’t swim, and runs down to the bank. Why do you think she ran to the bank?” A girl raised her hand and asked, “To draw out all of his savings?”

Nonverbal Communication• Read the table on P39 and then work in

pairs to answer those questions.

What’s Funny?

• Work in groups to figure out what makes each card funny (P40-41).

Cartoon Caption Contest

• Look at the cartoons in Ex.6 from P42 to P43. Work in groups to explain why the cartoons are humorous and write a caption for each cartoon.

Part Four

•Writing

How to write a resume

Tips for writing a resume• 1.   A resume should be: • Original • Informative at a glance • Geared toward the industry/company

targeted • One page in length (preferred) or 2 pages

(acceptable) • Free from error, visibly crisp and clear • Brief and clear in content

2.  Common sense rules:Do not: • Use the word “I” • Abuse the word “all” • Present meaningless information • Use the phrase “same as above” • Show frequent changes in employment (for fresh

graduates, social activities, like participation in Students Union, community services shouldn’t be forgotten. They can be regarded as a crucial credential in your successful capture of first job opportunity)

• Expect a cover letter to replace a resume

How to write a resume

• §Begin resume by writing your full name, address, telephone number, fax and email at the top of the resume. ---- PERSONAL DATA

• §Write an objective. The objective is a short sentence describing what type of work you hope to obtain. ---- OBJECTIVE

• Expressions for Reference:• To employ my professional training in the

area of …• Major interest in a position in… with opport

unity for further specialization.• Seeking … position where my expertise in

… will be employed.

• §Then begin work experience with your most recent job. Include the company specifics and your responsibilities - focus on the skills you have identified as transferable. -----WORK EXPERIENCE

• §Continue to list all of your work experience job by job progressing backwards in time. Remember to focus on skills that are transferable.

• Expressions for Reference:• Served as an expert in…• Extensively engaged in…• Participated in …• Appointed director of…

• §Summarize your education, including important facts (degree type, specific courses studied) that are applicable to the job you are applying for. ---- EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND / EDUCATION

• Expressions for Reference:

• Received certificate in…

• Advanced study in…

• Received … Award.

• §Include other relevant information such as languages spoken, computer programming knowledge etc. under the heading: ---- ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Expressions for Reference:• Languages: • Fluent in…• Good conversational / reading / writing ability of

…• Computer:• Microsoft Office Suite• CAD (computer assisted design)• CG (Computer graphics)

• §Finish with the phrase: References Available upon request

• RESUME

• Wang Hai• (0571)88XXXX20 wh1985@163.com

• OBJECTIVE: To put into use what I have learned at school and to gain experience for my future career.

• EDUCATION:• Zhejiang University, Hangzhou • Master in Computer Science Expected June, 2006• Bachelor in Computer Science June, 2004• Hangzhou Foreign Languages School, Hangzhou 1994-2000

• COMPUTER SKILLS: CAD&CG (computer assisted design and computer graphics)

• PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:• *Participated in two projects during graduate studies: on

e addressing the phase transition of network traffic and the other observing the small-world effect in net work 2005

• *Built a traffic monitoring system for Ningbo Transportation Bureau 2003

• *Developed an application software for Jingzhong Software Company 2002

• INTERESTS: Travel, swimming, running, basketball, football

• REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST