Exercise 2 — The art of conversation

THE ART OF CONVERSATION In an age of constant digital messaging, the simple skill of holding a face-to-face ¹CONVERSE is becoming increasingly rare. According to ²RESEARCH, most adults today struggle to maintain a meaningful exchange that lasts longer than a few minutes. There are several reasons for this ³WORRY trend. Many of us are simply too used to communicating through screens, where it is ⁴POSSIBLE to think carefully before responding. Real-time talking, by contrast, can feel ⁵EXHAUST. The good news is that conversational skills are open to ⁶IMPROVE with practice. Experts suggest asking open questions, listening ⁷CAREFUL and showing genuine interest in the other person. ⁸SURPRISE, most people find that a good chat is one of the most satisfying experiences of their day.