Nonverbal Communication – Escape The Pitfalls
It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. By the
time the interviewer walks towards you, an opinion is already being
formed. There you sit waiting to answer questions, while you are already
being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or nervous look.
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A study done at UCLA a few years ago revealed that the impact of a
performance was based on 7 percent of the words used, 38 percent of
voice quality and 55 percent of nonverbal communication.
Look back at speakers you've listened to. Which ones stand out as
memorable? The ones who were more animated and entertaining or the
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ones who just gave out information? This is not to say that you have to
entertain the interviewer (no jokes, please) but it does mean the
conversation should be more interactive. If you say you are excited about
the prospect of working for this company but don't show any
enthusiasm, your message will probably fall flat. So smile, gesture once
15
in a while, show some energy.
Nonverbal Pitfalls to Watch For:
Your posture – Stand and sit erect. Show some energy and
enthusiasm. A slouching posture looks tired and uncaring.
Eye contact – Look the interviewer in the eye, but don't stare, as this
shows aggression. Occasionally, and nonchalantly, glance at the
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interviewer's hand as he is speaking. By constantly looking around
the room while you're talking, you convey discomfort with what is
being discussed.
Your hands – Gesturing or talking with your hands is very natural.
However, getting carried away with hand gestures can be distracting.
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Avoid touching your mouth while talking.
Fidgeting – Don't fidget. There is noting worse than someone playing
with his or her hair, clicking a pen top, or tapping a foot unconsciously.
Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you
will say it is imperative. The nonverbal message can speak louder than
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the verbal message you are sending.
Nonverbal Communication – Escape The Pitfalls
– Questions
Answer questions 1-7 according to the context of the passage.
Name:
Class:
1. Explain the importance of body language in an interview situation
according to the opening paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________ .
(8 POINTS)
2. fill in the chart below according to the context of the passage.
Form of Body Language
Message Conveyed
that the person is aggressive
Looking around the room
(8 POINTS)
3. a. According to line 8-15, what kind of speaker are we more likely to
remember?
______________________________________________________________
b. How can this affect a person's behavior an interview?
______________________________________________________________
(12 POINTS)
4. Why does the writer of the article advise readers to use gestures and to "show
some energy"?
______________________________________________________________
(8 POINTS)
5. What does the expression "getting carried away" (line 24) mean in this
context?
______________________________________________________________
(10 POINTS)
6. Mention three things a person should avoid doing at an interview.
a.____________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________
c.____________________________________________________________
(12 POINTS)
7. a. What two things should you prepare before an interview?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
b. In the writer's opinion, which one is more important?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
c. How do you know?
_____________________________________________________________________
(12 POINTS)
Stolen Heart, But Kidney, Too? - Spoken Texts
Access to Information from Spoken Texts
You are about to hear the text spoken twice.
Before the broadcast, you may look at the question.
You may start answering the question after the first reading.
Click here to listen to the spoken text (ctrl + click)
Answer the questions according to the context of the passage you have just
heard.
Fill in the correct answer or circle the number of the most suitable answer given.
1. Richard McNutt is
(i) a successful businessman.
(ii) a good-looking man.
(iii) an unlucky man.
(iv) all of the above.
2. What is the connection between Dorothy Zauhar and Richard McNutt?
(i) They are brother and sister.
(ii) They were supposed to get married.
(iii) She donated her kidney to help save his life.
(iv) They are both close friends of John Dahl.
3. Put an X next to the sentence which are NOT true about John Dahl.
_____ a. He is Zauhar's brother.
_____ b. He is Richard McNutt friend.
_____ c. He donated his kidney to Zauhar's husband-to-be.
_____ d. He was paid $5,000 for his kidney.
_____ e. He promised that he would always try to make his sister happy.
_____ f. He decided not to take Mr. McNutt to court.
4. The reason Mr. McNutt gave for postponing his marriage date for the
second time was that
(i) he had to go to Florida on business.
(ii) They hadn't even left the hospital driveway yet.
(iii) he didn't want to pay her brother for his lost wages.
(iv) he was supposed to take it easy after his surgery.
5. The real reason that he postponed their wedding date was that
(i) he considered the kidney a gift.
(ii) he didn't want to pay for the insurance and lost wages.
(iii) he was really in love with a different woman, not Dorothy Zauhar.
(iv) he was a wealthy businessman.
6. Tell whether the following are TRUE or FALSE
a. There are strict rules about who can get an organ if donor id dead. _____
b. If the donor is alive, there are no real ethical problems. ____