Activity+&+reading+about+universal+facial+expressions

Are you good at reading people’s facial expressions ? Do you think people’s facial expressions are the same all over the world? Are you good at hiding your true feelings?

BEFORE READING / LISTENING
The article
 * 1. TRUE / FALSE:** Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).
 * a. || Facial expressions are the same all over the world. || T / F ||
 * b. || People worldwide share the same way of reading facial expressions. || T / F ||
 * c. || People from East Asia focus more on people’s lips to read emotions. || T / F ||
 * d. || A study says East Asians don’t really look at other people’s mouths. || T / F ||
 * e. || The way we use emoticons is similar to how we read facial expressions. || T / F ||
 * f. || East Asians show emotions in emoticons using symbols for the eyes. || T / F ||
 * g. || Communication between cultures is easier than we thought it was. || T / F ||
 * h. || The study suggests translation problems among cultures will continue. || T / F ||
 * 2. SYNONYM MATCH:** Match the following synonyms from the article.
 * 1. || universal || a. || put into words ||
 * 2 || conclusion || b. || look at ||
 * 3. || interpret || c. || believed ||
 * 4. || scan || d. || ignore ||
 * 5. || neglect || e. || read ||
 * 6. || similarities || f. || difficult ||
 * 7. || clear || g. || likenesses ||
 * 8. || convey || h. || common ||
 * 9. || complicated || i. || understandable ||
 * 10. || thought || j. || judgment ||

Facial Expressions Are Not Universal
The reading of facial expressions may not be universal. This is the conclusion of researchers from Glasgow University in Scotland. They report that people from different cultures read facial expressions differently. In particular, they said there were big differences between the way Westerners and East Asians interpret facial expressions. The study suggests East Asians focus mostly on people’s eyes to read an emotion, but Europeans and Americans scan the whole face. Researcher Rachael Jack said: We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions. She added: "Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favour the eyes and neglect the mouth."

Ms. Jack suggested there are similarities in interpreting facial expressions and the use of emoticons. She said East Asians use the eyes in emoticons to show emotion, for example ^_^ means happy and ;_; is sad. Westerners, however, use the mouth. For example :) is for happy and :( is for sad. She added: “Interestingly, there are clear cultural differences in the formations of these icons. Emoticons are used to convey different emotions in cyberspace as they are the iconic representation of facial expressions.” The researchers said their findings showed intercultural communication is more complicated than we thought. They said: "When it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation."


 * print, listen or play quiz** []

WHILE READING / LISTENING
//features// //focus// //report// //favour// //scan// //universal// //way// //equal// || //comes// //use// //show// //cyberspace// //lost// //similarities// //findings// //clear// ||
 * GAP FILL:** Put the words into the gaps in the text.
 * The reading of facial expressions may not be --. This is the conclusion of researchers from Glasgow University in Scotland. They- that people from different cultures read facial expressions differently. In particular, they said there were big differences between the --Westerners and East Asians interpret facial expressions. The study suggests East Asians mostly on people’s eyes to read an emotion, but Europeans and Americans--- the whole face. Researcher Rachael Jack said: We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face --to read facial expressions. She added: "Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in--- measure, whereas Easterners the eyes and neglect the mouth." ||  ||
 * Ms. Jack suggested there are ---in interpreting facial expressions and the of emoticons. She said East Asians use the eyes in emoticons to ---emotion, for example ^_^ means happy and ;_; is sad. Westerners, however, use the mouth. For example :) is for happy and :( is for sad. She added: “Interestingly, there are --cultural differences in the formations of these icons. Emoticons are used to convey different emotions in-- as they are the iconic representation of facial expressions.” The researchers said their --showed intercultural communication is more complicated than we thought. They said: "When it ---to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves in translation." ||  ||

LANGUAGE – MULTIPLE CHOICE
The (1) of facial expressions may not be universal. This is the conclusion of researchers from Glasgow University in Scotland. They (2) that people from different cultures read facial expressions differently. In particular, they said there were big (3) between the way Westerners and East Asians interpret facial expressions. The study suggests East Asians focus mostly (4) people’s eyes to read an emotion, but Europeans and Americans scan the (5) face. Researcher Rachael Jack said: We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions. She added: "Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in (6) measure, whereas Easterners favour the eyes and neglect the mouth." Ms. Jack suggested there are similarities (7) interpreting facial expressions and the use of emoticons. She said East Asians use the eyes in emoticons to show emotion, for example ^_^ (8) happy and ;_; is sad. Westerners, however, use the mouth. For example :) is for happy and :( is for sad. She added: “Interestingly, there are clear cultural differences in the formations of (9) icons. Emoticons are used to (10) different emotions in cyberspace as they are the iconic representation of facial expressions.” The researchers said their findings showed intercultural communication is (11) complicated than we thought. They said: "When it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves (12) in translation."
 * Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.**
 * 1. || (a) || readings || (b) || read || (c) || readers || (d) || reading ||
 * 2. || (a) || reporters || (b) || report || (c) || reporting || (d) || reports ||
 * 3. || (a) || differences || (b) || different || (c) || difference || (d) || differently ||
 * 4. || (a) || in || (b) || to || (c) || on || (d) || at ||
 * 5. || (a) || all || (b) || every || (c) || whole || (d) || most ||
 * 6. || (a) || equals || (b) || equal || (c) || equally || (d) || equaled ||
 * 7. || (a) || in || (b) || on || (c) || to || (d) || at ||
 * 8. || (a) || meaning || (b) || meant || (c) || mean || (d) || means ||
 * 9. || (a) || them || (b) || these || (c) || they || (d) || that ||
 * 10. || (a) || convoy || (b) || convenient || (c) || convert || (d) || convey ||
 * 11. || (a) || most || (b) || many || (c) || more || (d) || much ||
 * 12. || (a) || lost || (b) || loss || (c) || losses || (d) || loses ||

use a search engine on the internet to find out more about this topic or follow the links below. Don't forget to use a + between words or '.....' to keep words together eg ' body language' or 'universal facial expressions' or non+ verbal+ communication

[]