Communicating—getting our message across—is the concern not only of second language teachers but of us all in our daily lives in whatever language we happen to use. Learning how to be better【A1】______ is important to all of us in both our private and public lives. Better communication means better understanding of 【A2】______ and others; less isolation【A3】______ those around us; and more productive happy lives.

We begin communicating【A4】______ birth by interacting with those around us to keep warm, dry and【A5】______. We soon learn that the success of a particular communication strategy depends【A6】______ the willingness of others to understand and on the interpretation they【A7】______ to our meaning.

As we grow up our needs grow【A8】______ complex and, along with them, so 【A9】______ our communication efforts. Different words, we discover, are appropriate in different【A10】______ The expressions we hear on the playground or through the bedroom door may or may not be【A11】______ at the supper table. Along with words we learn to use intonation, 【A12】______, facial expression, and many features of communication to convey our meaning,

Formal training in the classroom affords systematic practice in an even wider【A13】______ of communicative activities. A concern for communication extends 【A14】______ school years and into adult life. Assertiveness training, the development of strategies for conquering stage 【A15】______, and an awareness of body language are among the many avenues to improved adult communication.