Tom and Mike work in a computer company. One day, a customer entered the office. She looked at Mike and Tom, and then she walked to Mike. Mike gave her a warm greeting (问候). Tom was sad and walked away.

“People always choose Mike, I don’t understand.” Tom said.

“It’s the way you communicate (交流)” Mrs. Smith said.

“How can that be?” Tom asked, don’t have a chance (机会) to speak.

“Communicating is more than just speaking. Your body language is important too,” Mrs Smith said.

“Body language?” Tom asked.

“It’s the way you stand and sit. It’s the expression on your face, you never smile and you don’t turn your head towards them.” Mrs Smith said. “Look at Mike. He’s holding his head up. He always smiles and looks friendly. His body language is making people feel comfortable, so they go to ask him for help.” Then Tom improved (改进) his body language. He started to sit up straight and try smiling at people.

When we communicate with others, we express our thoughts and feelings not only through the words, but also through our voices, expressions and body language.

Body language includes the way we greet each other, the way we stand, sit and walk, the way we use our hands and eyes and so on. Learning another language is more than just learning words and grammar. It also includes learning about another culture.

Body language varies from culture to culture. Sometimes, cultural differences in body language can lead to misunderstandings. For example, there are cultural differences in how much distance should be kept between two people. If you are used to people keeping their distance, you will feel uncomfortable when someone keeps trying to stand closer to you. Another example is the use of a smile. In some Asian cultures, a smile can show embarrassment (尴尬). However, smiling back at an angry teacher probably isn’t a good idea in most English-speaking cultures.

Even speakers of the same language, such as British, American and Australian people, may not use the same body language. Just as you shouldn’t allow the fear of making language mistakes to stop you from speaking, you shouldn’t be afraid of using inappropriate (不适当的) body language in a different culture. Most people will understand that people from different cultures may not always use body language in the same ways.

Knowing how to understand and use body language of different cultures can help improve your communication skills, so it’s always worth learning it.

In English classes, we spend a lot of time studying grammar and learning new words. We work hard to get better with our reading and listening skills. However, few of us pay enough attention to body language. So body language is not important, is it?

The answer is, “Yes!” As the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” Sometimes, we can communicate things even without a word. For example, shrug our shoulders (耸肩), and without a word, we mean “I don’t know.”

Body language can help us express (表达) our true inner feelings. For example, body language can help us find out if someone is lying. Often, people who are lying do not make eye contact (接触). They may turn away or raise their shoulders because they are uncomfortable with the conversation.

Body language is important in our personal lives, too. It can show if you really care about your friends. Leaning (倾斜) forward into the conversation, for example, means you are interested in what the speaker is saying. Listening without making eye contact means you are not paying attention but are waiting for your turn to speak.

Scientists have been studying body language for a long time. They say more than 70% of our messages are delivered through body language. Sometimes, body language is more accurate than the words we use. You can exactly understand the speaker’s message through body language even without listening to his words.

So, it is very important for us to learn body language. By understanding body language, we will find it easier to understand others. We will also have lasting friendships.