Cambridge English Empower B1 READING PLUS

Unit 1 Communication
1 SPEAKING 3 READING
a Read the quiz questions. Answer the questions a Read the first paragraph of the magazine article about
with a partner. body language on page 2. Were your answers to 1a
correct? What information surprises you the most?

BETTER READING:
UNDERSTANDING WORDS FROM CONTEXT
You can sometimes guess the meaning of unknown words
in a text from the context. Read the other words in the
sentence before and after the new word. There are often
clues to help you understand.

QUIZ:
Look at the phrase from Section 1 of the article on page 2.
If you show the palms of your hands, …
How do we really communicate? 1 What are palms?
2 What other words in the sentence helped you
True or false?
understand? Underline them.
1 We understand 70% of a conversation from words. 
3 Read the rest of the article and guess the meaning of
these words. Then check in a dictionary or with your
2 We understand 25% of a conversation from a person’s
teacher.
voice. 
• facial • flare • crossed
3 We understand 5% of a conversation from people’s faces. 

4 We use about 250,000 different facial expressions when

we talk.  b Work in pairs. Look at photographs a–f again. What
does the body language mean, according to the article?
Is this the same in your country?
2 VOCABULARY
c Read the article again. Answer the questions.
a Look at the photographs of types of body language. 1 Why does Patricia say that the face is more important than
Match descriptions (1–6) with photographs (a–f). words?
1   blinking 2 Which three types of body language help to create good
2   mirroring relationships?
3   showing the palms of your hands 3 Which two types of body language can be viewed as
4   crossing your arms and legs aggressive?
5   flaring your nostrils 4 When you ‘mirror’ someone, should you do exactly what they
6   pointing do? Why/Why not?
b 5 Which type of body language can have a negative effect
on memory?
a d
c

e f

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 Unit 1

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Don’t Blink!
Body Language in the Business World
How do we understand someone in a conversation? 2 The face
People think we listen to language, but only 7% of Patricia says, ‘The face says more than words. In a business meeting
communication comes from words. In fact, 55% of or job interview, people watch the face more than any other part
the information we receive is visual – it comes from of the body. It’s important to remember that. Each small facial
the person’s face and body. Some experts believe expression can mean something.’ You should make eye contact
there are about 250,000 different facial expressions. because this means you’re listening. But you shouldn’t make too
Less information comes from the speaker’s tone of much eye contact. People might think you are angry or unhappy.
voice – 38%. We also talk with our hands and feet, Try not to blink too much either. People may think you’re nervous
and even with our arms and legs. or stressed. Some people also believe it means you’re not being
Body language expert Patricia Hive says, ‘In the honest. There are other things to avoid. For example, if you flare
business world, it’s very simple. Success depends your nostrils, people think you are angry or annoyed – so even your
on body language. And it is especially important nose can send negative signals!
in business meetings and job interviews, because ‘The face is different for men and women,’ Patricia says. ‘Women
everyone is watching everyone else.’ show their emotions through their faces more. They can use six
So, what is the right thing to do? And what shouldn’t different facial expressions during ten seconds of conversation,
you do? Here are Patricia’s top suggestions. while men can use just two. Women generally smile more than
men too.’
1 The hands
3 Mirroring
Your hands are very important in meetings and
interviews. If you show the palms of your hands, When you’re talking to someone in a meeting or interview, are they
people think that you are interested in what they are doing the same things as you? Do they smile when you do? Do they
saying – and you also appear open to their ideas. lean forward when you do? This is called ‘mirroring’, and it shows
If you don’t show your palms, they may think that that the person likes you, or agrees with you. It’s a good idea to try
you’re not interested. It’s also important not to point to mirror other people a little in meetings and interviews. But don’t
at people you are talking to. It can mean you want do it too much! First, watch the person’s facial expressions and body
an argument or that you are competitive. language, and then start to do the same. This can help to get on
together and create a good atmosphere in the room.
In their book, The Definitive Book of Body Language,
Barbara and Alan Pease describe their university 4 Body language and memory
research. In one experiment, a lecturer gave exactly Finally, your body language can help your memory. The Definitive
the same lecture to different groups of students. Book of Body Language describes an experiment at a university. Two
With the first group, the lecturer showed the groups of students attended the same lecture. In the first group, the
palms of her hands a lot, and 84% of students said students crossed their arms and crossed their legs. In the second,
afterwards they thought the lecture was ‘positive’. they didn’t. Both groups were tested on what they remembered
With the second group, she didn’t show the palms of from the lecture. The second group remembered 38% more than the
her hands, and only 54% of students said the lecture first!
was ‘positive’. When the same lecturer pointed a
lot with a third group, only 28% said the lecture Patricia says, ‘Remember every country is different. My suggestions
was ‘positive’. work in the USA. But the rules are different in other countries.’

4 SPEAKING
a Work in pairs. Answer the questions with a partner.
1 Which suggestions in the article do you think are useful? Why?
2 Patricia’s suggestions work in the USA, but the rules are different in other countries. Do her suggestions work
in your country, or other countries you know? Why / Why not?
3 Make a list of three or four other examples of body language you know. Do you and your partner agree about
what they mean?
4 What body language do you think you use a lot?

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