This module helps you to welcome clients or customers in a friendly, polite and professional manner. The reading activity focuses on the concept of small talk, those short interactions on everyday topics that allow you to establish rapport with the person you are dealing with. Practise reading comprehension strategies and skills and take a note of any words and expressions you are unfamiliar with. Also take a note of the advice presented in this text, as you will find it useful when interacting in a professional context. Four listening comprehension activities introduce a topic that often comes up in small talk, the weather. Take a note of any words and expressions that you are unfamiliar with; these are also presented in the vocabulary section at the end of the module. Listen to two dialogues and take a note of the ways in which the professionals engage with their clients, and some of the words and key expressions they use to do so. Small talk should be friendly, yet you should always remain polite and professional. The grammar component of this module reviews question forms. More specifically, it looks at question tags, which are an excellent strategy to encourage your speaking partner to voice their opinion on the topic you are discussing. Question words used in information questions help you to ask deeper questions and demonstrate a genuine interest in your client.
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