College Reading 6-Questions about “Different Words, Different Worlds”
Spring Quarter 2016
Instructor: Richard Alishio
Directions: Work together with your partners to answer the following comprehension questions
about the article we read.
1. What is the difference between how the writer and her husband responded to
questions about “how they stand it” regarding their living in different cities? How did
she view the question? How did he view the question? (p. 24 & 25)
2. Why did Linda get upset over how Josh handled his friend’s visit? How did this indicate a
conflict between independence and intimacy? (p. 26 & 27)
3. What does Howie sometimes do that upsets Louise? (p. 27)
4. What do the word “symmetry” and “asymmetry” mean? (Look it up if you don’t know).
5. How do symmetry and asymmetry reflect status, hierarchy, and connection and
closeness? (p. 28)
6. Using the key vocabulary words she uses to describe male and female styles of
communication, explain the incident involving the crab cakes in the restaurant. (p. 29)
7. What did the wife finally understand about why her husband didn’t ask his boss for a
raise? What did the sales woman realize about her associate when he became boss?
(p.30)
8. Why might women be labeled as “nags”? (what does “nag” mean? P. 31)
9. What is the paradox in asking for help? Use the words “message” and “metamessage”
(p. 32)
10. What is “framing”? How does “alignment” relate to framing? (p. 33)
11. Why does “chivalry” also imply dominance? Paraphrase the situation she describes.(p.
34)
12. How do “protective frames” differ between men and women? (p. 35)
13. How can status and connection be used to make an appointment? (p. 36)
14. What are the differences in how boys and girls play together? (p. 43 & 44)
15. How does understanding male and female communication styles benefit a person?