MODULE 4: ESP Reading: Understanding Communication & Change.

Thanks for joining me today in our reading on Understanding Communication & Change. If you're interested in speed reading exercises, please go to the bottom of the page.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
These questions relate to the entire document (p28-39):

True or False:

1) People generally think of communication as being a complicated thing. (p29)
2) Heath and Bryant believe that communication is a process. (p29)
3) Current theory on communication supports the idea that we are always checking the other person during an interaction. (p30)
4)Modern communication models place greater importance on reception rather than interaction. (p31)
5) Active listening is the singular task of hearing what the other person is saying. (p32)
6) Language is used to evaluate experiences and helps people to survive. (p33)
7) Bluebond-Langner's (1978) research on sick children showed that children didn't completely understand their illness and the fact that they were dying. (p33)
8) Some of the differences in verbal styles can be accounted for by the variations that different people have in expressing their emotions. (p34)
9) A number of individuals experience difficulty in talking about grief or trauma, according to Reiter (2000). (p34)
10)Some researchers state that it is impossible to be competent in cross-cultural communication. (p35)
11)Silence is regarded as a non-verbal skill. (p36)
12)Non verbal process are connected to both actions that we intend to make and actions that we don't intend to make. (p37)
13) Morris (2006) argues that there isn't a great deal of difference between male and female, or between cultures in regards to communication cues. (p38)
14) The "o" in SOLER stands for "Open posture". (p39)

ANSWERS:
1) People generally think of communication as being a complicated thing. (p29) =F ["Communication is so fundamental to our survival and our well-being that we tend not to think about it as a complex skill..." - top of page]
2) Heath and Bryant believe that communication is a process. (p29) =T ["More recent understandings of the anatomy of communication highlight that communication is a process..." see last paragraph on page]
3) Current theory on communication supports the idea that we are always checking the other person during an interaction. (p30) = T [" ...it is now acknowledged that we constantly monitor the other person and adapt verbal and non-verbal responses...in that exchange" - 2nd paragraph]
4)Modern communication models place greater importance on reception rather than interaction. (p31) =F ["Current communication models are emphasising interction rather than transmission & reception" - see last paragraph on page]
5) Active listening is the singular task of hearing what the other person is saying. (p32) = F ["When we listen actively, we are both hearing what is being said, and communicating back to the other person that they are being heard." - the last paragraph before verbal communication processes]
6) Language is used to evaluate experiences and helps people to survive. (p33) = T [see the first paragraph under "social variations.]
7) Bluebond-Langner's (1978) research on sick children showed that children didn't completely understand their illness and the fact that they were dying. (p33) = F [...chilcren did not lack an understanding and a language about their illness and their dying... - last paragraph.]
8) Some of the differences in verbal styles can be accounted for by the variations that different people have in expressing their emotions. (p34) = T [ Other variations in verbal styles....experiences... - see the first sentence under "emotional variation"]
9) A number of individuals experience difficulty in talking about grief or trauma, according to Reiter (2000). (p34) - T [see the paragraph at the bottom of the page starting with "Many people..."]
10)Some researchers state that it is impossible to be competent in cross-cultural communication. (p35) = T [...some authors suggesting it is actually impossible to be a culturally competent practitioner... - last paragraph on page]
11)Silence is regarded as a non-verbal skill. (p36) - F [ Silence can be regarded as a verbal skill... - see the second-to-last paragraph at the bottom of the page]
12)Non verbal process are connected to both actions that we intend to make and actions that we don't intend to make. (p37) = T ["...non-verbal cues relate to both the voluntary and involuntary physical reactions and responses... - see the 2nd to last paragraph on page]
13) Morris (2006) argues that there isn't a great deal of difference between male and female, or between cultures in regards to communication cues. (p38) = F [ ...these cues are recognised as being highly culturally and gender specific... - see the last paragraph on the page]
14) The "o" in SOLER stands for "Open posture". (p39) = T [See the paragrph under the text box]

Please ask me if you have any questions regarding this text. You can find me in the teacher's room most afternoons until 2.30pm. My workshops are generally on Mon 2.30pm, Tues 2:30pm & Thurs 2.30pm, so I'm often available in the teacher's room after them.

SPEED READING
As mentioned in class today, it's important to improve your reading speed in order to be able to handle longer texts like those you get at university.

There are some basic principles of speed reading technique when reading test papers and text books.

Here are some speed reading tests. Module 4 students should be aiming to read at the speed of 300 words/minute at a minimum level of 8. If you find you're not comprehending texts adequately (you should be getting close to 100%), choose a lower level but keep your speed up. Regarding the answers, please note that correct answers are marked with green crosses "x" and that incorrect answers are given as a red "x" - just in case this causes confusion.

Youtube also has some valid information and tips on speed reading, if you prefer visual media.