Read the scenario of a formal discussion. Evan, Ben, and Violet are discussing a short story.[Ben sits up straight at his desk.]EVAN: On page 7, the text says, "the old man quickly changed his frown to a smile when he noticed his daughter had come to visit.” This shows that the man is hiding his true feelings of pain to protect his daughter’s feelings.[Ben raises his hand.]VIOLET: Ben, do you have a question for Evan?BEN: Yes. Evan, I can see how you would think that. But, later on page 7, the text says, "the old man’s best memories were of spending time with his daughter.” Do you think this indicates that the daughter’s presence actually changes the old man’s mood?EVAN: No. That’s a dumb idea. On page 8, the text describes how the old man continues to have negative thoughts even with his daughter there.
Answer
A
He needs to make connections with prior knowledge.
B
He needs to use body language to show engagement.
C
He needs to respectfully acknowledge the viewpoint of others.
D
He needs to take notes to summarize the speaker’s ideas.
Explanation
Evan disagrees with Ben, but calling Ben’s idea “dumb” dismisses his viewpoint instead of responding respectfully. Evan could acknowledge Ben’s interpretation before explaining how the later passage supports his own. The discussion skill he needs to improve is respectfully acknowledging the viewpoint of others.
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