International Negotiations

Extension activity

Trainees read the quote again to find two examples of when to use small talk and two of 

when it might be best to avoid it.

Answers

Use small talk when you are offered coffee and when a genuine coincidence is likely 

to forge a connection; it might be best to avoid small talk when you are directed to 

your chair and when you have nothing more to talk about than your counterpart’s 

beautiful family.

5 

Trainees work in pairs to brainstorm a list of seven possible rules. Elicit some examples from 

the class and write them on the board. Then tell trainees to read the text, ignoring the 

gapped phrases, to compare it with the ideas on the board. Trainees then work in pairs to 

complete the gapped phrases. Remind them to use the audio scripts on page 47 to help 

them.