Socializing is important because it is how business people establish relationships and earn trust from their partners.

1. BUSINESS ENGLISH CONVERSATION &
LISTENING
INSTRUCTOR: HSIN-HSIN CINDY LEE
Lesson 3
Socializing & Small Talk

2. Contents
 Basic Rules and Concepts
 Conversation and Listening
 Practices - Check Answers and Further Practice
 Writing Practice
 Checkpoint

3. INTRODUCTION
Basic Rules of Socializing

4. Basic Concepts of Socializing
Socializing means taking part in social activities or
interacting with others.
Socializing is important because it is how business
people establish relationships and earn trust from
their partners.
Within the company, socializing with colleagues is
also common .
Nowadays more and more companies recognize that
socialization among employees can promote
company coherence and harmony.

5. Various Forms of Socializing
Socialization may take place in many forms.
 Informal chats at (coffee/lunch) break during a working day
 Social activities (like parties, sport events, meals, entertainments,
etc.) after work.
In some cultures, socialization with clients at night or the
weekend is even regarded as extension of daily work, part
of the job.
While socializing, small talk (light informal conversation
for social activities) plays an important role.
Conducting good small talk make people sociable and
help create pleasant atmosphere in the social gathering.

6. Basic Rules of Small Talk
The first rule of small talk is to find ‘safe’ topics!
You don’t want to offend your business partners or
hurt their feelings!
 Any topics of sensitive matters involving strong
opinions or personal life are not appropriate for
small talk.
 (X) Sensitive matters:
politics, religions, human right…
 (X) Private matters:
income (money), marriage, body features…

7. Basic Rules of Small Talk
The second and the third rules are actually the
same: remain as ‘positive’ as possible.
There are just too many disadvantages of thinking
bad of and complaining about things.
Don’t be negative!
 Complaining or criticizing without constructive opinions
always hurt people’s feelings.
 It’s also hard to create rapport.
 What is worse, if people spread your negative comments
carelessly, your own words will go against you and make
you a mean person.

8. Basic Rules of Small Talk
Third, be positive!
 Think positively and look at the bright side of things will
help you a lot in your career life.
 You will not only deliver positive messages orally in
socialization, but feel confident mentally against
frustration.
 People who think positively tend to be more friendly,
brighter and warmer and thus more popular.
 Do you prefer a ‘sunny’ or ‘rainy’ person?
Finally, be polite!
 Always be polite to your business partners! It’s essential in
business communication!

9. Conversation & Listening
•FAMILIARIZE WITH THE COMMON
SITUATIONS
•STUDY THE MODEL CONVERSATIONS

10. Common Business Situations
Socialization can take place either within in the
company or outside.
There are various occasions when people socialize.
For example, people often:
 greet and socialize during the few minutes before a
meeting;
 talk to each another at a break;
 chat in a social gathering for purposes like celebration,
farewell and so on;
 entertain guests.
Can you think of other occasions?

11. Listening to Conversation 3-A
Topic:
Talking about jobs
Situation:
David Wang and his guest, Lisa Smiths from America are
having some drinks in a coffee shop near the company.
Task:
Listen to the following conversation and fill in the blanks.
Tip:
 Prepare some topics for small talks.
 If you are not very familiar with your counterpart, topics related to
jobs, companies or business environment can be a start.
 As long as you don’t get into any personal questions, those topics are
safe and can help you get to know each other.
 Remember to remain positive and polite. Never complain about your
jobs or company to your business partners!

12. Listening & Filling in the Blanks
Lisa: This café is (1)______. Thanks for bringing me here!
David: My (2)_______, Lisa. So, Steven told me you joined the company recently.
Lisa: That’s right. I was hired last (3)______.
David: What did you do before that?
Lisa: Before that I was a marketing specialist in a (4) _________ company.
David: Really? Now you are in a (5) _________ company. They don’t seem to have things in
common. Why did you (6) _______ that?
Lisa: Actually I quite liked that job, but after getting married, my husband and I moved to a
new apartment in another city. I found this company near where we are living.
David: So, do you enjoy your new job?
Lisa: Absolutely! The work I’m involved now is very (7) _________ and (8)________. I
really love the job of selling women things that can help them look great.
David: I see. What you have been interested in (9) ________ is for women’s head-to-toe
beauty!
Lisa: You can say that again!
Lisa: So, how about you? How (10)________ have you been in the textile industry?
David: I feel as if I had been in this business for ages……

13. Listening to Conversation 3-B
Topic:
Talking about interests and sports
Situation:
Michael Kipling and Lisa Smith talk about their interests
at a coffee break.
Task:
Listen to the following conversation and fill in the
blanks.
Tip:
 The topics on sports and common interests are often welcome
among acquaintances in business.
 Especially if you like the same sport or share the same interest
with your business partners, the relationship between you will
get close sooner and easier.

14. Listening and Filling in the Blanks
Lisa: Michael, you look quite (1)_______ today. What’s up?
Michael: Well, the basketball team I support won a great game
last night!
Lisa: Really? Are you a (2) ______ of Rockets?
Michael: Yes! Did you also watch the game? It was
unbelievable, wasn’t it? A (3)________ was called in the
last seconds of the game!
Lisa: I know! But finally David (4)________ on the penalty
shot to break the tie and won the game! He’s cool!
Michael: He is the hero. Are you also a Rockets fan? I didn’t
know you liked (5) _________.
Lisa: From last night, I guess so. I watched the game with my
brother.
Michael: Really! Welcome on board!

15. •CHECK YOUR ANSWERS
•FIND A PARTNER AND READ ALOUD THE
DIALOGUES
•PAY ATTENTION TO THE MANNERS
• Be positive
• Don’t complain
• Be polite
Practices

16. Conversation 3- A (page 1)
Lisa: This café is cozy. Thanks for bringing me here!
David: My pleasure, Lisa. So, Steven told me you joined the
company recently.
Lisa: That’s right. I was hired last April.
David: What did you do before that?
Lisa: Before that I was a marketing specialist in a cosmetics
company.
David: Really? Now you are in a textile company. They don’t
seem to have things in common. Why did you quit that?
Lisa: Actually I quite liked that job, but after getting married,
my husband and I moved to a new apartment in another
city. I found this company near where we are living.

17. Conversation 3-A (page 2)
David: So, do you enjoy your new job?
Lisa: Absolutely! The work I’m involved now is very
interesting and exciting. I really love the job of selling
women things that can help them look great.
David: I see. What you have been interested in
marketing is for women’s head-to-toe beauty!
Lisa: You can say that again!
Lisa: So, how about you? How long have you been in the
textile industry?
David: I feel as if I had been in this business for ages……

18. Conversation 3-B
Lisa: Michael, you look quite cheerful today. What’s up?
Michael: Well, the basketball team I support won a great game last
night!
Lisa: Really? Are you a fan of Rockets?
Michael: Yes! Did you also watch the game? It was unbelievable,
wasn’t it? A penalty was called in the last seconds of the game!
Lisa: I know! But finally David scored on the penalty shot to break
the tie and won the game! He’s cool!
Michael: He is the hero. Are you also a Rockets fan? I didn’t know
you liked basketball.
Lisa: From last night, I guess so. I watched the game with my
brother.
Michael: Really! Welcome on board!

19. Further Practice
Replace you and your partner’s names with the ones
provided in the script.
Read the script again by using your own names.
 Practice the different situations for socializing and
small talk with your own names without reading the
script.

20. WRITE DOWN YOUR OWN EXPRESSIONS.
Writing Practice

21. Hobbies Travel
 Film
 DVDs
 Drama
 Music
 Bands
 Singers
 Songs
 Food
 Restaurant
 Sports
 Weather
 A recent trip
 A local attraction
 Others
 Current business
environment
 Health and life style
Write a short paragraph of your own opinion, preference or
experience on the following small talk topics.

22. How to Prepare for Small Talk Topics
Find a proofreader or teaching assistant to check the
grammar of your paragraphs for you.
Exchange your paragraphs with your classmates.
Read other authors’ articles or books on the topics.
Read newspaper and magazine articles on the topics.
Enrich your life and reading experiences so that you
have interesting things to talk about!
Make yourself an ‘interesting’ person!

23. Checkpoint
1. Why is socialization important?
2. What is ‘small talk’?
3. Why is small talk important?
4. What aren’t good topics for small talk?
5. What kind of topics can you talk about for
socialization?

24. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
End