57 Do you agree or disagree with the followingstatement? Face-to-face communication is better thanother types of communication, such as letters, email, ortelephone calls. Use specific reasons and details tosupport your answer.

I would have to agree that face-to-face communication is thebest type of communication. Face-to-face communication caneliminate misunderstandings immediately, cement relationships, and encourage continuedinteraction.

If you are talking to someone directly, you can see right away if they don’t understand you. Aperson’s body language will tell you they disagree or don’t follow your line of thought. You canrepeat yourself or paraphrase your argument. If you had sent an e-mail, the person may havemisinterpreted what you wanted to say. He or she could be insulted and you would have to wastetime explaining yourself in another e-mail.

When you talk face-to-face, you communicate with more than words. You communicate withyour eyes and your hands. You communicate with your whole body. People can sense that youreally want to communicate with them. This energy bonds people together. Your relationship witha person can grow much stronger when you communicate in person.

Face-to-face encounters tend to go on longer than other forms of communication. An e-mail lastsa second; a telephone call, a few minutes. However, when you meet face-to-face, you’ve made aneffort to meet with the person, and the person has made an effort to meet with you. You willprobably spend longer together talking. The longer you talk, the more you say. The more yousay, the stronger your relationship will be.

In summary, if you want to establish a relationship with another human being, the best way istalking face-to-face. When you communicate directly, you can avoid misunderstandings that mayoccur in writing. You can communicate on levels other than just words and you can spend moretime doing it.

58 Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to trynew things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples tosupport your choice.

I am not a risk taker. I like to do just those that I am proficient at. I have learned that it is better tofocus my attention, do one thing and do it well, and not try anything new.

When I was younger, I was always experimenting with a lot of different things. First I wanted to bea dress designer so I studied drawing. I couldn’t’t draw so I decided to be a historian. That suitedme perfectly since all I had to do was sit in a library and read. I learned to focus my attention onone subject.

I am a very good reader and history is very interesting to me. I decided not to read any othersubject. I only read history books. I even focused my attention on Chinese history. I only readhistory books on Chinese history. I do one thing and I do it well.

I don’t like to try anything new. If I read things in another area, I don’t do well. I don’t understandAmerican history or English history. The names are confusing and the stories not interesting to me. I don’t want to learn about anything else. Chinese history is my subject.

I may seem a bit stubborn, but I have learned what makes me happy. I don’t like to take a riskwith new things. I like to focus my attention on one subject, do it well, and not try anything new.