Before you read: some questions to help you think about the topic and the words you might need.
How do you feel about people using cell phones when talking making an order in a shop?
What do you think are good cell phone manners?
Darren Groom, 36, said he was "fed up" with people expecting him to "lip read" their order at his shop in Norwich. He has now put up signs telling customers they will not be served while using a mobile phone. Etiquette experts Debrett's said Mr Groom was "performing a public service.” Mr Groom, who sells coffee at his city centre shop and market stall, said the reaction to the signs had been very positive.
'Basic manners'
"We've had lots and lots of comments," he said. "People are saying how much they agree with it." A couple of years ago it became a real problem with people trying to lip read their order to us.
Start Quote
They should have the basic manners to converse with us.”
"In the shop we need to ask a few questions, like whether they are having it in or taking it away, whether they want whole milk or not, sugar or not." Also, when people come in we like to say 'hello'. It's nice if people respond to that." They should have the basic manners to converse with us." Mr Groom runs his Little Red Roaster business with his wife, Kate, 29. He has had a coffee stall on Norwich Market for 10 years and opened the shop five years ago. He said he understood people needed to use their mobile phones in modern life. "We don't mind people having phones in the shop," he said.
'One man's battle'
Coffee trader Darren Groom refuses to serve anyone who places an order while talking on a mobile phone
"I have to answer my phone in the shop sometimes. It's a small business and we all need to take calls. "It's just a case of common sense really. We wanted to strike a blow for basic manners." We just got a little bit fed up with how it made us feel. We feel it's basic manners to not be talking to someone when you are ordering from us." The printed sign has been placed at both the coffee shop, in Grove Road, and on the market stall. It states: "Sorry we are unable to serve you if you are on the phone. Thank you."
Liz Wyse, of etiquette experts Debrett's, praised the "brave stand" taken by Mr Groom."This is one man battling against something that's happening everywhere," she said." It's rude to place an order while talking on a mobile phone. There's no doubt about it. "You see it all the time. It's like saying to the person who you are dealing with that they are not as important as the person you are talking to on the phone." He is making quite a brave stand and I think he's performing a public service in teaching people about manners."
Guessing meaning from context (the words around that word).
Try to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest meaning from the choices in the right. The answers are below the table.
|
striking a blow |
A |
1 |
Reducing, cause damage, |
|
fed up |
B |
2 |
Know what someone is saying from how their lips move and not from the sound of their voice |
|
lip read |
C |
3 |
Fighting against some problem |
|
praised |
D |
4 |
Say that something is great/very good |
|
brave stand |
E |
5 |
Something is okay, not worried or concerned, acceptable, not bothering |
|
battling against |
F |
6 |
To work with |
|
We don't mind |
G |
7 |
Not fearing, a fighting attitude of spirit |
|
dealing with |
H |
8 |
Can’t tolerate any longer |
A=1, B=8, C=2, D=4, E=7, F=3, G=5, H=6
Some discussion questions using the new words to help you better understand the word meaning and how to use them correctly. Try to use the words in your answer.
1. Do you agree that this coffee shop owner’s actions would strike a blow for better manners where you live?
2. Are there some manners that you are fed up with? Why?
3. What do you think is meant by lip reading what someone is saying in this story? Can you imagine how someone looks when they do that?
4. Would you also praise this shop owner’s actions? Why or why not?
5. What public manners would you like to take a brave stand against?
6. What manners or other habits are being battled against in your culture?
7. Are there some things that some people find hard to deal with, but you don’t mind?
Some example sentences using the new words to help you to better understand their meaning.
1. Losing the game struck a blow to the confidence of our team.
2. The teacher was fed up with the student’s bad behavior.
3. Lip reading would be a good skill for a spy.
4. The teacher praised the students for their hard work.
5. The police are taking a brave stand against the drug organizations in Mexico as they battle against the drugs that are going from Mexico to the U.S.A.
6. I don’t mind people talking loudly on the subway, but other people get really fed up with it.
7. It is hard to deal with very cold weather in January.
ECK Education
