Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

How important is politeness? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

BBC Learning English

167K views 1 year ago

Warm-up Questions

In your culture, what does it mean to be “polite”?
When do you say “please” and “thank you” in English?
Do you think people are becoming less polite today? Why / why not?

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How important is politeness? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Introductions and a politeness quiz (00:00 – 02:06)

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1. What example do the presenters use to show a more polite way to ask for something?

Asking someone to pass a pen
Asking someone to lend money
Asking someone to open a window

2. What happened to Michael Rosen according to the introduction?

He gave a formal speech to a school
A boy recognised him in the street and spoke to him
He complained that people never say thank you

3. What is the quiz question asking about?

A rule about writing emails politely
An idiom used to remind someone to be especially polite
A proverb about children and manners

How important is politeness? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Is politeness subjective? (02:06 – 03:28)

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1. Why did the boy use the word “thingy”?

He was trying to be funny on purpose
He was calling Michael by a nickname
He couldn’t remember Michael Rosen’s name

2. According to Professor Mullany, what is the crucial factor in judging politeness in this situation?

Whether the speaker is older than the listener
How the listener has perceived it
Whether the speaker uses formal grammar

3. How did Michael Rosen interpret the boy’s comment?

As non-threatening and quite civil
As offensive or aggressive
As a serious insult

How important is politeness? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Why teach politeness? Embarrassment and vocabulary recap (03:28 – 06:16)

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1. According to Professor Mullany, why do we teach children to be polite?

So they can speak more loudly and clearly
So they can win arguments more easily
So they can enjoy the benefits of being accepted in society

2. What did Louise do when her daughter refused to say hello?

She laughed and took a photo
She immediately punished her daughter
She made excuses like “she’s tired” or “she’s teething”

3. Which idiom is the correct answer to the quiz question?

Mind your Ps and Qs
Mind your As and Bs
Mind your Xs and Ys

How important is politeness? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

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1. What main idea about politeness does the programme emphasise?

Politeness is only about using the words “please” and “thank you”
Politeness depends partly on how the listener interprets what was said
Politeness is the same in every culture and situation

2. In the programme, why can informal language sometimes be acceptable?

Because it is always more correct than formal language
Because it guarantees people will obey you
Because it can be interpreted as friendly rather than insulting

3. What social purpose of politeness is mentioned?

It helps people avoid learning new vocabulary
It helps people become famous
It helps people be accepted by others in society

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

How important is politeness? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Do you agree that politeness is “subjective”? Can you think of an example where one person feels offended and another person wouldn’t?
Is it better to teach children strict politeness rules, or to teach them to read the situation? Why?
What informal words (like “thingy”) exist in your language, and when is it acceptable to use them?
Have you ever felt embarrassed by someone else’s behaviour in public? What happened, and how did you react?