Unit 21 – Same Thing, Different Meaning
Warm-up and Vocabulary
Hello, Class! Welcome to Unit 5. Have you ever waved your hand to say ‘hello,’ but someone thought you were saying ‘no’? Or maybe you smiled to be polite, but someone thought you were laughing at them? Today, we are exploring how the same action can have very different meanings in different cultures. In Listening, we will learn how to separate the Main Point (the big idea) from the Examples (the small details). Open your ears and let’s learn!
Vocabulary List
Read the list below carefully. You will need these words to understand the listening passages.
- Gesture: A movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea.
- Offensive: Rude; causing someone to feel angry or upset.
- Universal: True or used everywhere in the world.
- Clarify: To make something clear or easier to understand.
- Illustrate: To explain something by giving an example.
- Polite: Having good manners; respectful.
- Concept: An abstract idea or general notion (The Main Idea).
- Instance: An example or single occurrence of something.
- Misunderstanding: A failure to understand something correctly.
- Signal: A sound or word that gives notice/warning (e.g., “For example” is a signal word).
Activity 1: Let’s Discuss
Look at the questions below. Think about your answers or discuss them with a partner.
- In Indonesia, we usually eat with our right hand. What would happen if you ate with your left hand at a formal dinner?
- The “OK” sign (making a circle with thumb and index finger) means “Good” in movies. Do you know what it means in other countries (like Brazil or France)?
- Have you ever been confused by a word or gesture from a friend who comes from a different island or country?
Activity 2: Check Your Vocabulary
Main Idea vs. Examples
The Table and The Legs
When listening to a lecture or a story, you cannot remember every single word. You must separate the Big Idea from the Small Examples. Think of a table:
1. The Table Top (The Main Point)
- This is the general statement or the rule.
- It is the most important part.
- Signal Phrases: “Generally…”, “The main point is…”, “In most cultures…”, “There are two reasons…”
2. The Legs (The Examples)
- These support the table top. They are specific stories, countries, or names used to prove the main point.
- Signal Phrases: “For example…”, “For instance…”, “Such as…”, “Like…”, “Take [Country] as a case…”
Model Analysis:
- Speaker says: “Gestures are not universal. (Signal) For example, in Bulgaria, nodding your head means ‘No’, but in most other places, it means ‘Yes’.”
- Main Point: Gestures are not universal (Not the same everywhere).
- Example: Bulgaria’s nodding rule.
- Note: If a question asks “What is the main topic?”, do NOT choose “Bulgaria.” Choose “Gestures are not universal.”
Skill Practice
Complete the following 4 exercises.
Exercise 1: Word Search
Exercise 2: Sorting Signals
Is the phrase used to introduce a Main Point or an Example? Sort them into the table.
Exercise 3: Listening for Categories
Listen to the sentence. Identify if the speaker is stating a Main Point or giving an Example.