Listen for key words

- When I'm in a group of English-speaking colleagues, … especially if I'm new to the group … and they are talking about people and situations … I'm not familiar with, I'm often lost … and have difficulty following the conversation. … And that's even with the fact that I'm fluent in English. … But now I've learned some techniques … to improve my understanding of these kind of conversations, … and I want to share them with you. … My first suggestion is be prepared … with the context of the conversation you will have. … Mentally repeat the keywords … for that specific context that you will probably hear. … For example, one of my students was at a business meeting … in Germany some time ago. … He speaks English quite well … but doesn't speak any German, … while his Italian colleague is just the opposite. … He speaks German but no English. … The meeting was held mostly in German … since my student was the only non-German-speaking person. … But he was able to follow … because he knew the topics and the main keywords, …