Eye Contact

In many Western societies, including the United States, a person who does not maintain ‘good eye contact’ is regarded as being slightly suspicious, or a ‘shifty’ character. Americans unconsciously consider people who avoid eye contact as unfriendly, insecure, untrustworthy, inattentive and impersonal. However, in contrast, Japanese children are taught at school to direct their gaze at the region of their teacher’s Adam’s apple or tie knot, and, as adults, Japanese lower their eyes when speaking to a superior, a gesture of respect.

Latin American cultures, as well as some African cultures, such as Nigeria, have longer looking time, but prolonged eye contact from an individual of lower status is considered disrespectful. In the US, it is considered rude to stare – regardless of who is looking at whom. In contrast, the polite Englishman is taught to pay strict attention to a speaker, to listen carefully, and to blink his eyes to let the speaker know he or she has been understood as well as heard. Americans signal interest and comprehension by bobbing their heads or grunting.

A widening of the eyes can also be interpreted differently, depending on circumstances and culture. Take, for instance, the case of an American and a Chinese discussing the terms of an offered contract. Regardless of the language in which the suggested contract is carried out, the US negotiator may interpret a Chinese person’s widened eyes as an expression of astonishment instead of as a danger signal (its true meaning) of politely expressed anger.

Прокоментуйте такі теми.

1. Observations about many people from the United States. 2. Observations about the English. 3. An observation about Japanese children. 4. The meaning of lowering one’s eyes in Japan.

Письмові завдання

Вправа 1. Запишіть ваші міркування з однієї з тем.

1. Do you agree with the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”? Do you have a similar saying in your native language? 2. What are the “rules” about greeting people in your country? When do you shake hands? When do you kiss? What about saying goodbye? 3. Think of one or two examples of bad manners. For example, in Britain it is considered impolite to ask people how much they earn.

Граматика. Повторення часових форм дієслова.

Вправа 2. Розкрийте дужки, використовуючи дієслова у потрібній формі.

1. What you (to do) when I (to come) in? 2. When I (to come) to his house, they (to tell) me that he (to leave) an hour before. 3. On checking up his answers he (to find) out that he (to make) several mistakes. 4. When I (to leave) home, the snow already (to stop), but a strong wind (to blow). 5. You (to read) this book? – Yes, I (to read) it. I (to think) it (to be) very interesting. 6. What the children (to do) now? – Oh, they (to play) the new table game which I (to buy) for them the day before yesterday. 7. They (to reach) the corner of the street by now and (to stand) at the bus stop. 8. After we (to walk) about two hours, we arrived at a picturesque glade covered with fresh grass. 9. We could not go out because it (to rain) hard since early morning. 10. She (to teach) at our school for twenty years now. 11. I (to ring) you up tomorrow. 12. He (to begin) to write his composition at three o’clock. It is already eleven, and he still (to write) it. He says he (to finish) it by twelve. 13. We (to help) our librarian to put the books in the right order for already three days, but we (to arrange) only half the books. 14. How long you (to wait) for me? I am really very sorry. 15. When I (to come) home yesterday, my sister already (to return) and (to sit) at the fireplace looking through some old photographs. 16. When I (to come) to Pete’s house last Sunday, he (to read) a new magazine. 17. Yesterday by eight o’clock he (to finish) all his homework, and when I (to come) to his place at nine, he (to watch) TV. 18. Light (to travel) more quickly than sound. 19. Here you (to be) at last! I (to wait) for you for twenty minutes.

Домашнє завдання

Вправа 3. Поставте дієслова в дужках у потрібну форму.

1. Yesterday Tom (not / to wake up) very early. 2. We (know) our examination results the day after tomorrow. 3. Look! Somebody (to climb) up that tree over there. 4. I (to lose) my key! Can you help me to find it? 5. The Moon (to go) round the Earth. 6. Ann (to wait) for me when I (to arrive) 7. Jim (to play) tennis since 2 o’clock. 8. Before the train came we (to wait) for 2 hours. 9. By this time tomorrow you (to receive) the answer. 10. This supermarket (to work) 24 hours. 11. Jane (to cook) a cake for the dinner when we came. 12. They (to paint) the wall since the morning. 13. It (to rain) now. 14. He (to study) the whole day tomorrow. 15. She always (to read) at mealtime. 16. Before we came, the film (to finish). 17. There (to be) many people at the last party. 18. Please, don’t make noise. He (to write) an important document. 19. He never (to be) to London. 20. When we came Tom (to watch) TV. 21. Tomorrow I (to send) you the letter by E-mail. 22. What (to do) you tonight? 23. The whole evening yesterday they (to play) checkers. 24. What you (to do) here since the morning? 25. What he (to do) now? – He (to play) volleyball with his friends. 26. My father (to work) at this factory for 3 years. 27. You (to find) your notebook yet? 28. Every day I (to water) my flowers. 29. I (not to write) yet the letter. 30. I (to think) about it for 3 days already. 31. He (to leave) 5 minutes ago.

Вправа 4. Поставте запитання до виділених фрагментів речень.

1. He is going to Paris next week. 2. This supermarket works 24 hours. (general question) 3. Tom was cooking a cake for the dinner. 4. They have been painting the wall since the morning. 5. Einstein developed the theory of relativity. 6. When we arrived to Italy the weather was awful. 7. There were three red roses in the vase. 8. He went to his office in the morning. 9. He will arrive at the station at 6 p.m. 10. The scientists are studying the behavior of elementary particles. 11. There were some problems when they were going through the customs. (general question)

Вправа 5. Знайдіть три англійських прислів’я, що характеризують національні традиції та звички.