International Negotiations

2 

 2.04 

Play the recording for trainees to compare Professor Kennedy’s answer with their 

own ideas. They discuss Kennedy’s answer in pairs before feeding back to the class.

Extension activity

Play the recording again for trainees to identify the four other behaviours that are to 

be avoided, perhaps. Afterwards, discuss with the class how serious each of them is, 

and whether the official answer (Accept his first offer) is really worse than these four 

behaviours. Note that Kennedy is being deliberately provocative by choosing four very bad 

behaviours and using words like perhaps to suggest that they are less bad than they really 

are. He probably did not intend his comparison to be taken too seriously.

Answers

•  Insult him.

•  Get her annoyed.

•  Go over her head to the boss.

•  Make him look stupid.

3 

Trainees read the article to answer the questions. They discuss their answers in pairs before 

feeding back to the class. Make sure everyone also understands the basic meaning of the 

words haggle (= argue back and forth, typically over a price), curse (= something that brings 

bad luck, or causes bad things to happen, as if by magic) and remorse (= a powerful feeling of 

guilt and regret for your past actions).