General English Level 6 Version 2.1 © 2004 acl Pty Ltd GELEV6 Unit 05 Topic 03.doc By body language we mean our posture, facial expressions and the way we move our arms, hands, legs and feet. Body language says a great deal about us. For example, we may begin a meeting with our boss feeling calm and well-prepared, but as the meeting progresses, we may start to feel threatened and become more uncomfortable. During this time our body language will change, too, giving out a lot of powerful clues about our emotional state at the time. In just one meeting, we may change from sitting up straight (showing alertness), to slouching (indicating boredom), smiling (demonstrating pleasure), fiddling with a pen (suggesting uneasiness), crossing our arms (showing defensiveness), or clenching our fists on the table (showing aggression). If we are aware of the importance of body language, it can help us to control our behaviour and help us to "read" the behaviour of others. It must be stressed that this article is written from a Western perspective. If you have any intention of travelling to another country, we advise you to do some research before you leave about appropriate body language for that country. The body language mentioned here may be interpreted quite differently in other cultures. Happy "people watching"!  DISCUSSION 06 Body language 1. Look at the questions. 2. Discuss them in your group, then share your ideas with the class. • Do you think body language matters? • In what kind of situations is body language important? • How does body language in your culture differ from that in Activity 05? • Have you ever got into an embarrassing situation over a misunderstanding about body language? Now’s your chance to tell your story! 160