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Instructions: Discuss the following questions with the members of your group. 1. What is etiquette? 3. What is your opinion of cell phones? 4. Have you ever had an invasive experience with a cell phone? 5. In your opinion, should restaurants have a cell phone user section? Why or Instructions: Complete the following vocabulary development chart (The first one has been provided as an example).
Instructions: Read the text and complete the comprehension and writing questions that follow. This past weekend I had the “pleasure” of experiencing firsthand how invasive cell phones are in every sphere of our life. After a difficult week at work, my wife and I decided to take in a late matinee movie at our favorite downtown cinema. A On our way to the show, we stopped off to pick up a coffee and a treat. Living in a bustling metropolis, we are used to waiting in long lines to purchase just about everything, including a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, while waiting in line, we had to endure listening to the customer in front of us chatting away in a very loud voice on her cell. We tried our best not to listen in on her conversation, but her excessive volume made it next to impossible. B Ten minutes into the movie, someone’s cell phone went off much to the dismay of the movie patrons. To make matters worse, throughout the movie we could hear the faint rumbling of various cell phones vibrating away in purses and pockets throughout the cinema. To add insult to injury, I was almost blinded when the man sitting next to me decided to check his call display on an incoming call. He flipped open his phone and the entire row was filled with this eerie neon glow emanating from his cellular. Finally, the movie was over and my wife and I jumped into a cab to make our way to a quaint Italian restaurant for a much deserved romantic meal. The waiter showed us to our table and we immediately engrossed ourselves in the extensive menu of exotic cuisine. C When I finally pulled my head out of the menu, I glanced around at the romantic ambiance: soft, low-key lighting, subtle yet inspiring artwork on the walls, elegant linens adorning each table, and a flickering candle illuminating each romantic liaison. There was only one thing wrong with this picture: nestled on the corner of many of the tables was a cell phone waiting to intrude on our “perfect evening”. I guess there is just no respite from modern technology! D There is a fair chance that anyone reading this article has been bothered by “cellular intrusion” at some point in the past week. I for one believe that technology and manners are compatible. For instance, most people will turn off their television when company arrives. Cell phones are no longer a novelty; their predominance is as ubiquitous as the Internet. Notwithstanding, there are a few individuals who have license to answer their cell phone under any circumstance. These “special” people include: heads of state, doctors on call, U.N. weapons inspectors and last but not least, expectant fathers. We all agree that it’s impossible to put the genie back in the bottle, so we had better learn to cope with this new technology. I suggest a little cellular etiquette might help to alleviate some of the discomfort. FIVE DON’Ts OF CELL PHONE USAGE: 1. When speaking to someone in person, do not interrupt your conversation to take an incoming cell call. 2. Leave your phone set on “off” or “vibrate” during business meetings, meals and class lectures/lessons. 3. If you must take a call, leave the room before beginning the conversation. Remember when you are talking on a cell phone, there is no need to raise your voice. Talk in a normal volume; no one else wants to hear your private conversation. 4. Avoid cell phone use entirely in the following public places: theatres, restaurants, doctor’s waiting rooms, public transportation, places of worship, hospitals. 5. If possible, avoid loud and annoying ring tones. FIVE DOs OF CELL PHONE USAGE: 1. Keep your cell calls brief. 2. When driving, pull over when talking on your cell phone. Driving requires our complete attention. 3. Remember that family time means “family time”, avoid unwanted cellular intrusions. Do you really need to take your cell phone with you when you take your children to the park? 4. Set up “caller ID” on your account so you know which calls require your immediate attention. 5. Arrange one “cell-free” day every week. This is a day in which you are free from cellular intrusions.
1. The word “sphere” (in the 1st paragraph) is: (a) an adjective (b) a verb (c) a noun (d) an adverb 2. Find a synonym in the article for the word “atmosphere”. ___________________ 3. The word “license” (in the 2nd paragraph) could be replaced by all of the following EXCEPT: (a) authorization (b) permission (c) law (d) go-ahead 4. What does the author mean when he says: “to add insult to injury.”? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 5. What does the author mean when he says: “their predominance is as ubiquitous as the Internet.”? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
6. The author has removed the following sentence from the article: Next, we trundled off to the theatre to kick back and relax in front of another Hollywood blockbuster. Indicate where this sentence logically belongs by circling the square # to add the sentence to the paragraph.
7. The author states that he feels “technology and manners are compatible”. Do you agree or disagree with this statement. [Answer the question using sentence format.] ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ? Extension Questions for Writing top 8. Many teenagers today want to have their own cell phone. In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of giving a teenager a cell phone? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
9. If you were a teacher, how would you deal with the issue of cell phones in a classroom? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Working with Modal Verbs: “Requests & Obligations” Modal verbs are verbs which “assist” other verbs to express a meaning: consequently, "modal verbs" have no meaning by themselves. The meanings are usually connected with ideas of DOUBT, CERTAINTY, POSSIBILITY, PROBABILITY, OBLIGATION and PERMISSION (or lack of these). There are a few basic rules that apply to modal verbs. Modal verbs are NEVER used with other auxiliary verbs such as do, does, did etc. The negative is formed simply by adding "not" after the verb and questions are formed by inverting the verb and subject. Modals never change form, so you can not add “-s” or “-ed”. Finally, modal verbs are never followed by “to”, with the exception of “ought to”. Today we are focusing on “making polite requests” using modal verbs. Here is a list of expressions which you can use when making a request. Would you mind…? Could you…? Can you…please? I’d like you to… Would you mind if I….? Do you mind if I…? May I…? Is it all right if I….? Could I…?
Instructions: Make a polite request for the given situations. 1. You board a bus and you’re not sure if this bus goes downtown. Ask the driver for some information. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. You arrive late to class and you see that there is an empty seat in the middle of the front row but there is a knapsack on it. Approach the person sitting beside this seat and ask a question. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3. You won’t be able to attend class in the afternoon. You need to speak with your instructor/teacher before you leave. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 4. You are working in a restaurant and one of the patrons is smoking in a designated non-smoking section. You need to speak to this patron. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Instructions: Make a polite request for the given situations using the prompts provided. 1. [A cell phone goes off in the middle of your English class.] Would you mind
2. [You have a dentist appointment and need to leave work early.] Is it all right if I
3. [You didn’t understand what someone just told you.] Could you ___________________________________________________________ |
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