Conducting a discussion of the papers given
Conducting a discussion involved the following functions of the chair:
– opening a discussion;
– inviting the audience to contribute; provoking arguments; stimulating the discussion;
– directing or reordering the discussion;
– keeping things moving;
– insisting on relevance (bringing the discussion back to the point);
– recognizing when agreement is impossible; stopping the argument.
Vocabulary
| Вопрос | question | ||
| задать вопрос | to ask a question | ||
| ответить на вопрос | to answer (to respond to) a question | ||
| Вопрос (проблема): | problem (question; matter): | ||
| неотложный рассматриваемый своевременный | urgent (pressing) under discussion; in question timely | ||
| комментировать обсуждать отклонить поднять разъяснять рассматривать решить | вопрос | to comment on to discuss to reject to raise to select to clarify to consider to solve | a problem |
| Дискуссия: | discussion: | ||||||
| неофициальная обстоятельная общая плодотворная | informal detailed general fruitful | ||||||
| предоставить время и место для неофициальной дискуссии | to provide time and space for informal discussion | ||||||
| дискуссия | в узком кругу по широкому кругу вопросов специалистов (по определенному вопросу) | private wide-ranging panel | discussion | ||||
| лицо, поддерживающее ход дискуссии | animator of a discussion | ||||||
| предмет дискуссии | subject of a discussion | ||||||
| результат/цель дискуссии | outcome/purpose (aim) of a discussion | ||||||
| вызвать закрыть направлять начать (открыть) отложить приостановить прервать проводить | дискуссию | to provoke to close to direct to initiate (to open) to postpone (to adjourn) to suspend to interrupt to hold | discussion | ||||
| объявить дискуссию открытой | to declare the discussion open | ||||||
| отводить время на дискуссию | to allow time for discussion | ||||||
| приступить к дискуссии | to proceed to (to take up, to come to) a discussion | ||||||
| Мнение: | opinion: | ||||||
| особое | dissenting | ||||||
| обмен мнениями | exchange of opinions | ||||||
| выразить свое мнение | to voice one’s opinion | ||||||
| разделить чье-л. мнение | to share smb’s opinion | ||||||
| по моему мнени | in my opinion | ||||||
| мотивировка | motivation | ||||||
| мотивировать | to motivate | ||||||
| предложение | motion | ||||||
| внести (выдвинуть) отклонить принять | предложение | to make (to propose, to move, to bring forward) to reject to adopt (to carry) | a motion | ||||
| регламент | time-limit | ||||||
| нарушить регламент придерживаться регламента установить регламент | to break to keep to (within) to set up (to fix) | the time-limit | |||||
| тема: | subject; topic: |
| основная | basic |
| тема (предмет) дискуссии | subject (topic) of the discussion |
| точка зрения: | point of view; viewpoint; views: |
| личная | personal |
| высказать точку зрения | to give one’s point of view |
Opening a discussion.
After the papers on the agenda are given the chair declares the discussion open. This is what he/she usually says:
Now I would like to open thediscussion. Please feel free to ask questions and make comments. I hope that by the end of the discussion we will achieve an understanding of several important questions.
Now let us proceed to the discussion. I would like everyone to be brief and keep to the point. Please identify yourselves before asking your questions.
Now we are going to discuss the papers presented. I wish you a useful exchange of ideas and opinions. The first thing we have to discuss is … .
Ex. 1. The audience has just heard papers on the following subjects:
1. Carbon Dioxide and the World Climate.
2. Possible Consequences of Global Warming.
3. Ozone Holes.
4. Methods of Nuclear Waste disposal.