Exercises and Discussion

☆ Exercise to sensitize your questioning techniques.

1 Write on the board a list of 5 or 6 prominent people that everyone knows. Some of these people should be the subject of current controversy.

2 Write a question of each type (see reasons for asking questions at the beginning of this unit) and address each of your questions to one of the people you have listed.

3 Now grade their questions for levels of delicacy on a scale 1 - 5, with 5 being the most delicate.

4 Check their questions for the appropriateness of their style - are they open or closed; direct or indirect? Adjust the phrasing of the questions to suit the level of delicacy.

5 Lets discuss the results.

☆ Give examples of situations where open/closed types of questions are generally asked.

☆ Choose one of the following topics and make it into a seminar. Try to incorporate all the 15 elements mentioned in part II.

- How to boil an egg

- How to organize a picnic for your company

- Key factors consumers should be aware of when purchasing a DVD player

☆ Rewrite the conversation between John and Mary in Part five. Discuss on the possible outcomes of the conversation with your partner