Body language online - 6 Minute English

The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of people worldwide to get used to meeting others only through a computer screen. But how can we make these meetings feel more natural? That's what Neil and Sam discuss, as they teach you related vocabulary.

This week's question
Erica Dhawan may be a communications expert now, but growing up in Pennsylvania she was a shy and quiet schoolgirl. So how did Erica beat her shyness and become the confident communicator she is today? Did she...
a) attend public speaking classes?
b) copy the body language of the cool kids at school?
c) raised her hand to answer the teacher’s questions, even if she didn’t know the answer?
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary
body language
communication though the movements and gestures of your body, rather than with words

eye contact
two people look at each other’s eyes at the same time

brainstorming
discussing suggestions with a group of people to come up new ideas or solve problems

to process
to understand information by thinking about it and reflecting on it carefully

in unison
happening together and at the same time

water cooler effect
informal conversations and chats between people in their office or workplace (US)

To download the audio and a transcript, go to:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-211209

[Cover: Getty Images]

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https://youtu.be/z2JsYmGmF8E

'I love my language!'
https://youtu.be/2z6A62BO2zc

Making sense of the census
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https://youtu.be/wMQjmpVgor8​​

Learn to talk about broken hearts in 6 minutes!
https://youtu.be/WBLuy_YU-Zw​​

Coronavirus vs other pandemics
https://youtu.be/kjVd228S-yQ​​

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