National Geographic. February 2007

1. Identify the target audience of the article. What background knowledge is expected from the reader?

2. Analyse the verbal means the author uses. Classify them.

3. What methods and means are used to grab the attention of the reader, ensure comprehension, acceptance, retention and retrieval?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Does the author of the text succeed in making the article understandable for laymen?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the following components of communication situation: sender and receiver, code, channel, message, noise. Take into account the communicative context.

Task 6. Here’s What He’s Hiding from You

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the article and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode under consideration.

Here’s What He’s Hiding from You

There are facts even honest dudes hate to reveal. Cosmo thought you should know.

By M. Christensen

Your man may give you TMI about his biological functions, but there are some areas of his life that he keeps under wraps because he’s ashamed, shy, or just plain afraid of how you’ll react. Here are four of them.

His Friends Are Dogs

You probably suspect that your man turns into a different person around his pals. He knows you think this, so if his friends are a bunch of booze-chugging, skirt-chasing delinquents, he has absolutely no incentive to reveal it to you. “I love my friends despite their faults, ” says John, 27. “I also love hanging out with them, but that doesn’t mean I engage in all their less-than- wholesome behavior.” If you trust him to behave – you don’t interrogate him about his nights out and avoid bad-mouthing his buddies – he’ll trust you enough to explain how Tijuana Tom got his nickname.
He Just Got Chewed Out by His Boss

Few things can completely destroy a man’s self-image like poor performance on the job. So when things go south at work, he’ll do whatever he can to avoid bringing it up. “I really do like talking to my girlfriend when stuff bothers me, but no matter how lousy I feel about getting reamed at work, it’s one thing I never tell her about, ” admits Chris, 33. “I feel like I still need her to think highly of me when other people don’t.”

He Fears You’re Out of His League

Men obviously go after hot girls, and actually getting one can be a huge ego boost. But for some guys, it becomes an ego bust when they question whether they actually deserve you. “My ex was a part-time model, and she turned so many heads, it was impossible not to be insecure about my own looks, ” explains Jeremy, 35. Your guy would never admit to a similar crisis of confidence, so reassure him by repaying a few of the compliments he no doubt lavishes on you.

His Family Is Crazy

Unfortunately, dysfunctional families are far less funny in real life than they are in prime-time sitcoms. Guys figure they’re a huge relationship red flag for women, so they do their best to keep screwy relatives hidden. “My mom and dad had a horrible divorce, and my brother spent two years in jail, ” admits Steve, 30. “But I definitely do not broadcast that, because I don’t want girls to think it’s what my eventual family life will resemble.” And since he can’t keep his family hidden forever, remember: The nut can fall far from the tree.

Cosmopolitan. April 2009

What function does the article perform?

Say who belongs to the target audience.

Analyse the verbal means used by the author, paying special attention to figurative language.

What is peculiar of the structure of the text?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Do men ever read articles of the kind? What article do they usually read?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the following components of communication situation: sender and receiver, code, channel, message, noise. Take into account the communicative context.

UNIT 9

The Role of Communication Strategies

In Interaction

Recap the following theoretical issues. 1. Define a communication strategy. What’s the difference between a strategy and a tactics? 2. Recall typical communicative strategies and tactics used in public speeches and printed media. 3. What tactics are typically used in conversation?

Task 1. Louise

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “Louise” by W.S. Maugham and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. Did the story-teller and Louise have similar mental sets? How did this affect their communication?

2. Analyse Louise’s verbal behavior. Does she mean what she says?

3. Apply the Coordinated Management of Meaning theory to the analysis of the author’s and Louise’s behavior (identify speech acts, episodes, relationship, life script, cultural pattern).

4. What communicative goals do the participants pursue? What means do they use to achieve them?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Why didn’t the author succeed in persuading Louise to change her behavior on account of Iris?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the communication in the story from the point of view of the communicative strategies, tactics and means the participants use to achieve their goals.

Task 2. The Perfect Murder

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “The Perfect Murder” by J. Archer and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. Did the story-teller envisage the consequences of his communicative behavior? Can we call it “mindless processing” or was it something else? Give your reasons.

2. How did the story-teller change his behavior to conceal the truth?

3. Did he manage to take in his wife, the police, the judge and the jury? What helped him?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Why couldn’t Mr. Menzies prove that he was innocent? What caused his communicative failure?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the communication in the story from the point of view of the communicative strategies and tactics the participants use to achieve their communicative goals.

Task 3. The Lumber Room

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

1. Did Nicholas’ disgraceful behavior at breakfast table lead to the consequences he had envisaged?

2. How did the grown-ups explain to Nicholas that he was being punished? Did the older people succeed in communicating this idea to Nicolas?

3. Why didn’t the aunt manage to persuade Nicolas to disobey the rules just for once?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. Nicolas says that his aunt often didn’t listen when the children told her important things. How can you comment on her behavior?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the communication in the story from the point of view of the communicative strategies and tactics the participants use to achieve their communicative goals.

Task 4. Clean Sweep Ignatius

Ex. 1. Identifying aspects of communication. Read the story “Clean Sweep Ignatius” by J. Archer Munro and get ready to dwell on the main elements of the communicative episode described in the text.

1. Describe Ignatius Agarbi’s mental set.

2. What accounts for Ignatius’ communicative success?

3. What communicative goal did Ignatius Agarbi try to achieve during his conversation with a banker? What communicative strategy did he implement to realize his plan?

Ex. 2. Discussion. Express your opinion about the following. What type of discourse does the conversation at the bank represent? What are the main characteristics of the given type of discourse?

Ex. 3. Follow-up. Analyse the communication in the story from the point of view of the communicative strategies and tactics the participants use to achieve their communicative goals.

Task 5. Cheap at Half the Price

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