Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on socializing with strangers.
Traveling, whether for business or pleasure, will put you into all sorts of situations with people you don’t know. They could be sitting beside you on a train, in an airport lounge, or on a ferry ride. And what if you want to strike up a conversation with these people? What can you say to get the conversation going, and to keep it going?
Well, making conversation with strangers is a useful skill, and there are some great techniques you can learn for these situations. Today, we’ll look at how to start off a conversation by commenting on your surroundings, as well as how to ask about someone’s travel. We’ll also learn about reacting with interest, telling a personal story, and giving your name.
In the dialog, we’ll hear Scott and Joe, who find themselves sitting next to each other in an airport lounge waiting for their flights. Scott strikes up a conversation with Joe, and the two demonstrate a typical interaction that you might hear between two travelers.
Listening Questions
1. What is Joe and Scott’s first topic of conversation?
2. What does Joe mention that Scott shows interest in?
3. At what point in the conversation do Joe and Scott introduce themselves?
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