Progress test 9 (part 1)

1. Explain what is meant by:

‘cash for clunkers’ scheme; bunker mentality; IMF bailouts; Long Depression; product recall; property portfolio; retail banking; SWAT team

2. Review the communication strategy of Supporting the View:

1) The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger – but recognize the opportunity (J.F. Kennedy)

2) The measure of a country's greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis (T. Marshall).

3) A leader or a man of action in a crisis almost always acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for his action (J. Nehru).

4) Close scrutiny will show that most ‘crisis situations’ are opportunities to either advance, or stay where you are (Dr. M. Maltz).

 

3. Review Voicing Belief / Disbelief communication strategy in the settings to follow:

Semi-formal

a trainer at a workshop is voicing his disbelief in the advice not to discuss risk-factor details with the boss until moments before the lunch (tips: if you launch your marketing strategy with the ultimate goal minimize the risk, you are starting from a point of weakness, e.g. Nike recognizes that unless it takes risks, it is not going to be the brand of choice)

Formal

a professor, responding to a student’s idea to focus on a well-defined target group and gain genuine insight into that target’s idiosyncrasies

PROGRESS TEST 9 (part 2)

Topic 10. Evading & Being Vague

I. General

Practicum 10.1

Study the communication strategy of Evading & Being Vague

Step1	Start with space fillers to buy time
Step 2	Insist that the issue is controversial / arguable or the situation as unworkable
Step 3	Find plausible grounds to evade from decision-making (e.g. I’m afraid I am not entitled to decision-making)

Practicum 10.2

When practicing Evading & Being Vague strategy you may need the word combinations to follow. Try and explain what they mean

to beg the question, to be vague; to offer a vaguely-worded reply to an awkward / embarrassing / tough / hard question; to get out of replying; evasive talk; round-about way, to stretch / buy time; to be on the defensive; to handle / avoid awkward questions; to avoid / evade – tax avoidance / evasion

Practicum 10.3

Arrange Evading & Being Vague vocabulary in 3 groups relating to 3 steps of communication strategy

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
Actually	It is rather a controversial issue	I would rather wait before I commit myself

This move involves the following side effects

The downside is

There can be two ways of dealing with

That is a gut issue, still before going into that I would like to discuss

The matter has been a public concern for some decades

I find it difficult to put the ideas into words / to word / to convey the idea

Generally / basically / virtually / in fact / practically / traditionally

It is not as easy as it might seem

It needs further investigation

The research does not seem to be completed yet

I would like to focus on how we could benefit from

That’s a provoking / complicated / arguable issue

There is still no agreement on 

It seems to be an unworkable situation

II. Evading & Being Vague Practice

Practicum 10.4

Account for the most natural pattern of communicative behaviour in the suggested settings, rely on Evading & Being Vague strategy:

1.one of the developers of Google search engine tells about his career path to the biographers; sounds evasive when asked about

-the reasons for his withdrawal from Google,

-accusations of copyright violation and

-lack of censorship,

-his current software designs

2.a spokesperson for the President’s Administration tries to evade the issue of treating the homeless in the US at the backdrop of recession

Text 10a

The text to follow deals in talking economics. Study the text and use it as a starting point for communication