Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the text according to the pragmatic model of communication.

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Ex. 4. Problem-solving. Think of any conflict situation you have experienced in your life (with a friend, a relative, a colleague etc.). Act the episode out. Analyse the situation trying to spot the unproductive moves that caused the problem. Do you think the problem might have been solved or even avoided if you had substituted these unproductive moves by more effective ones? Tell the group about your findings.

Task 9. Hazards

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “Hazards” by B. Christensen and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

Hazards

By B. Christensen

Over the years I have learned what harm can come from gossip or just talking about other people.

In my work place, gossip is a big problem, which is heightened by a couple of women who actually feel the need to stretch and twist certain bits of information, simply for the sake of turning staff against each other.

Having been on the receiving end of their back stabbing, I have become very aware of what I say and to whom. I have prayed to God for help in being straightforward with people, and not say anything that might get back to someone who could be hurt by my words.

One night, I was on the phone with my sister-in-law, Dawn. I had called her to let her know our husbands would have to work very late that Saturday night due to some machinery problems. She was carrying on about not getting anything done that day since they were due to move out of their apartment by that next Friday. I mentioned that sixteen hours at time-and-a-half pay would certainly make up for it. She was OK with that, but said it would not make much difference when they had to pay the whole next month’s rent if they were not out by the end of the week. I acknowledged her point, but figured either way, they wouldn’t really be out any expected money.

The next day, while my husband, Arlo, was helping his brother move, my dad called hoping to also enlist Arlo’s help.

I have 3-way calling on our phone, so I clicked over and called my brother-in-law’s house, leaving a message on the answering machine for Arlo to call my dad when he could.

I clicked back over to my Dad and began telling him about the long day Arlo and his brother had put in. We inadvertently got on the subject of Dawn, who was not so thrilled about the time they had lost for moving. Dad agreed that for the money they made, it was worth it. Then I mentioned that SHE should have “gotten off her butt and did something herself...”

Monday evening came along and Arlo walked in the house, looked at me, and began laughing as he headed into the next room. He did a sort of double take and said, “Brenda, next time you are talking bad about someone, make sure the three-way calling is disconnected.”

Almost immediately I knew what he was talking about. Dawn’s answering machine had picked up the entire conversation between Dad and me!

Arlo and his brother thought the situation was hysterical. Of course, men tend not to let things like that get to them. However, I know Dawn well enough to know she would be pretty upset, especially after both of our husbands spent the afternoon laughing at her and making cracks about her getting off her lazy butt.

Wondering how I was going to fix this one, I stopped by to apologize a couple of times, but Dawn wasn’t around. After a couple of weeks, I finally spoke to her. When she picked up the phone I tried to make a joke of it, but she did not see the humor in it.

After this incident, I got to thinking. Lately, I have become very comfortable with some people and have found myself slipping back into the gossip mode I had worked so hard to get myself out of. I sort of wonder if this was God’s way of washing my mouth out with soap. I certainly didn’t forget the taste when I was a kid.

I won’t forget it now.

http: //www.inspirationalstories.com/5/501.html

1. What is the purpose of people’s spreading gossip?

2. Can we call the story-teller’s case gossiping?

3. Compare the reaction of different people (the story-teller, Dawn, Arlo) to one and the same situation.

4. Did the story-teller choose the best strategy to apologise?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Dawn has overheard a conversation which she was not supposed to have listened to. Shouldn’t she have concealed this fact from the story-teller? Comment on the ethical aspect of her behavior.

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the text according to the pragmatic model of communication.

Ex. 4. Problem-solving. Work in groups of three. One of you is a communication counselor the other two are a married couple who are experiencing serious problems in their relationship. The husband and wife must explain to the therapist what their problem is. The task of the counselor is to ask questions (if necessary) to find out all the details and then try to help the spouses uncover the unproductive communication patterns. Together try to work out an effective set of moves that will help the married couple save their family. Act out the conversation for the whole group. Decide if the therapist has managed to help the family.

Task 10. Chancery Lane

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “Chancery Lane” by M. Binchy and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. How many participants are there in the communicative episode? What channel of communication have they chosen? What accounts for this choice?

2. In trying to persuade John to take up her case Jilly resorts to several communicative strategies. Identify these strategies and explain which one was the most successful and why. Why were the other strategies a flop?

3. Trace how the tone and manner of communication between Jilly and Jonh change throughout the story.

4. Why did Monica “misunderstand” John’s words? What was the reason that led to the communicative failure in this case?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express you opinion about the following. Why does Tom fail to talk John out of marrying? What strategy should he have chosen in order to succeed?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the text according to the pragmatic model of communication.

Task 11. The Quest

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “The Quest” by H.H. Munro and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. What is the speech community presented in the given communicative episode? Does Clovis belong to this community?

2. Mrs. Momeby was seeking comfort and counsel on Clovis’s part. Why didn’t she get any?

3. Do the Momebys and Rose-Marie Gilpet share the same beliefs, ideas, values etc.?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. First, Rose-Marie Gilpet was triumphant on having found the child. Later, she fell into discredit. Why did she fall into discredit? Did she get what she deserved?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the story according to Hymes’s modelof communication.

Task 12. Warren Street

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “Warren Street” by M. Binchy and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. What tactics and means did Shirley choose to persuade Nan to accept her as a client?

2. Why was Nan feeling protective about Shirley? How was this reflected in their conversations?

3. Do you think that Shirley overreacted, having read the inscription on the envelope?

4. What communicative mistakes on Nan’s part led to her row with Shirley?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Do you think it was Nan who pitied Shirley, or was it the other way round?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the story according to Hymes’ modelof communication.

Task 13. Notting Hill Gate

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “Notting Hill Gate” by M. Binchy and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. In what way was Rita’s behavior different from that of other employees?

2. Why didn’t the story-teller succeed in trying to conceal the fact she was prying into Rita’s life?

3. What is the role of the dress code in the communicative episode under consideration?

4. Why was Rita so sure that the story-teller didn’t understand her life story?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Rita answered all the questions. Still, the story-teller didn’t understand a single thing. What accounts for this fact and whose communicative failure was it?

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