Prefeitura de Balneario Camboriu 2019 — Questão 33 · Aspectos linguísticos | Linguistic aspects

Body Talk

To communicate well with people of other countries, you must learn to speak well. But speaking isn’t everything. Some experts say only thirty percent of communication comes from talking. Your gestures and other non-verbal actions matter, too.

But in different cultures, the same action can have different meanings. When you have to meet someone from a different culture, be prepared. Do you know what kind of gestures and customs are appropriate?

Let’s look at shaking hands. North Americans like a firm handshake. ............................ the French prefer a light, short handshake. If you shake a French person’s hand the North American way, he or she may not like it. People ............................ Eastern European countries and some Latino cultures prefer shorter handshakes, too. Hugging ............................ shaking hands is also a common introduction there. Don’t be surprised if a Brazilian gives you a hug. If you misinterpret gestures of introduction, your friendship may get off on the wrong foot.

Everyone around the world knows the “OK” hand gesture, don’t they? But in Spain, parts of South America, and Eastern Europe, the OK sign is considered rude.

Understanding even a few key gestures from different cultures can make you a better communicator. So next time you travel, try being culturally sensitive. Find out the local gesture and let your body talk.

Analyze the sentences according to structure and grammar use.

1. The word ‘better’ in: “Understanding even a few key gestures from different cultures can make you a better communicator.” is the comparative form of ‘good’.

2. In the sentence:” Understanding even a few key gestures from different cultures can make you a better communicator.” the underlined word is a noun.

3. The negative form of: “…if a Brazilian gives you a hug.” is: “…If a Brazilian doesn’t gives you a hug.”

4. The underlined word in: “If you shake a French person’s hand the North American way.”, indicates that the hand belongs to the person.

Choose the alternative which contains the correct affirmative: