TAR 1
Name: __________________
Talk to a Stranger
… and …
Take a Risk!
This homework will help build your confidence AND your English skills!
From now on, every weekend I will ask you to start a conversation with an American (a stranger, not
a friend or a teacher that you know!)
Starting a conversation with an American you don’t know can be a little scary, so this exercise is called
“Take a Risk.” When you do something new, you might make a mistake or feel uncomfortable. Maybe
you will do or say something wrong. This is OKAY. Making mistakes is part of learning. And taking
risks often gets you rewards!
Directions: Before MONDAY, I want you to talk to someone you don't know who is a NATIVE
ENGLISH SPEAKER. Talk for a few minutes (or longer, if you are comfortable). The important thing is
that you practice your English. Here are some ideas:
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Introduce yourself to someone at the bus stop.
Talk to another student (an American, a stranger) at NSC.
Meet someone new at a park, a church, a library – anywhere!
Can you think of other places to meet people?
Tips:
 First, make eye contact and say hello. A lot of people begin conversations by talking about the
weather. (Especially if it’s sunny in Seattle!)
 Tell the person you are an ESL student and part of your homework is to talk to a stranger. Ask if
it’s okay if you talk to them.
 If they say yes, introduce yourself and ask questions about the topic of the week.
 If they say no, don’t be embarrassed! Sometimes people are in a hurry or are shy. It’s okay. Just
ask someone different.
Topic:
Ask the person if he or she has any advice for a student who is studying English in Seattle.
 Ask him where you should go to practice listening.
 Ask her where you should go to practice speaking.
 Ask him or her what you should do at home to get more practice.
 Ask him or her if he/she has any ideas about how you can improve and grow your
vocabulary.
 MORE 
TAR 1
Write IN COMPLETE & CORRECT SENTENCES about your conversation
here. You will give me this paper, for points, on Monday (no late homework).
1. Who did you start a conversation with this past weekend? What was this person’s name?
Ex. I started a conversation with a woman. Her name was Lidia.
2. Where were you?
Ex. We were at the library.
3. Why did you choose this person?
Ex. I chose her because she asked me a question and she looked nice.
4. What are 3 things this stranger suggested to you about learning English?
Ex. First, she suggested that I…
5. How much could you understand your stranger’s English?
Ex. I could understand about 75% of Lidia’s English.
6. How much could your stranger understand your English?
Ex. I think she could understand about 85% of my English.
7. How did you feel before the conversation?
Ex. Before the conversation I felt …
8. How did you feel after the conversation?
Ex. After the conversation I felt…
9. What is one new thing you learned from this experience?
Ex. I learned that…