english for sec and adm pers - teacher_s book

Englishfor SecretariesandAdministrativePersonnel

teacher’s

Marisela ToselliAna María Millán

book

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CD-Rom contents ............................................................................................................ 3

Student’s Book contents ................................................................................................ 4-5

Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 6-8

Objectives and teaching notes

Unit 1 Locating people ........................................................................................ 9-14

Unit 2 People at work ........................................................................................ 15-20

Unit 3 Dealing with numbers ............................................................................ 21-26

Unit 4 Taking and giving messages ................................................................ 27-32

Unit 5 Receiving visitors .................................................................................... 33-38

Unit 6 Forms, envelopes and letters .............................................................. 39-44

Unit 7 Requests .................................................................................................... 45-50

Unit 8 Quotations and orders .......................................................................... 51-56

Unit 9 CVs and application letters ................................................................ 57-62

Unit 10 Inter-office memos ................................................................................ 63-68

Unit 11 Reading skills ............................................................................................ 69-74

Unit 12 Describing qualities ................................................................................ 75-80

Unit 13 Office duties ............................................................................................ 81-86

Unit 14 Office equipment .................................................................................... 87-92

Unit 15 Working with computers .................................................................... 93-98

Worksheets ...................................................................................................................... 99-107

Worksheets answer key ................................................................................................ 108-110

Speaking evaluation chart ............................................................................................ 111

Workbook answer key .................................................................................................. 112-118

Transcripts

Student’s Book transcripts ...................................................................................... 119-124

Workbook transcripts .............................................................................................. 125-128

Teacher’s Book Contents

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Unit 1 Locating people 1 Making and receiving calls

2 Telephone expressions

Unit 2 People at work 1 Places in a company

2 Description of a company

Unit 3 Dealing with numbers 1 Understanding numbers

2 Number discrimination

Unit 4 Taking and giving messages 1 Taking a message

2 Taking a written message

Unit 5 Receiving visitors 1 A visitor arrives

2 Starting a conversation

Unit 6 Forms, envelopes and letters 1 Looking at formal letters

2 A letter from the bank

Unit 7 Requests 1 Formal and informal language

2 Completing a formal letter

Unit 8 Quotations and orders 1 Booking a hotel room over the phone

2 Confirming a reservation by fax

Unit 9 CVs and application letters 1 Introduction

2 Nora’s résumé (or Curriculum Vitae)

Unit 10 Inter-office memos 1 Read an e-mail

2 The e-mail

Unit 11 Reading skills 1 Talking about buildings

2 Talking about what companies do

Unit 12 Describing qualities 1 Advertising slogans

2 Words that sell

Unit 13 Office duties 1 A job vacancy

2 Asking questions

Unit 14 Office equipment 1 Prepositions of time

2 By

Unit 15 Working with computers 1 A mobile phone

2 Product analysis

CD-Rom Contents


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Student’s Book Contents

Module

Listening

Writing

Reading

Grammar and language reference 97-105

Glossary 106-112

Grammar

Future with will;Question words; to be

Present simple: ques-tions, for habit;Possessive adjectives

Past tense of to be

Past simple ; Verb +object pronoun

Review of grammar inmodule

Punctuation

Present continuous

Grammar in context

Past simple questions

Grammar in context

Grammatical structuresin context

Should

Relative clauses

The passive

Comparatives andsuperlatives

Vocabulary

When a person is notavailable; Spell it!

Company organigram;Frequency adverbs

Cardinal and ordinalnumbers; Numbers inMaths

Time expressions

Greetings; Introductions;Offering; Prepositions ofplace

Salutations and closings;British English vsAmerican English

Company advertising

Orders, payments andprices

Jobs

Requests

Types of text

Adjectives

Jobs; money

Office equipment

Computer terminology

123

567

101112131415

89

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Unit

unit one 7-12Locating people

unit two 13-18People at work

unit three 19-24Dealing with numbers

unit four 25-30Taking and giving messages

unit five 31-36Receiving visitors

unit six 37-42Forms, envelopes and letters

unit seven 43-48Requests

unit eight 49-54Quotations and orders

unit nine 55-60CVs and application letters

unit ten 61-66Inter-office memos

unit eleven 67-72Reading skills

unit twelve 73-78Describing qualities

unit thirteen 79-84Office duties

unit fourteen 85-90Office equipment

unit fifteen 91-96Working with computers


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Language

Polite requests

Asking about jobs

Telling the time

Polite questions

Small talk

Common phrases

Opening sentences;Inquiries; Closing respon-ses

Opening and closing sen-tences

Closing sentences inapplication letters

Referring to previouscommunication; Askingsomeone to do something

Using dictionaries

Descriptive words

Job interview strategies

Asking for help

Using comparisons

Focus

Pronunciation:the /i/ sound

Pronunciation:/i/ vs /i�/

Pronunciation:the /ɵ/ sound

Pronunciation:the –ed suffix

Stress and intonation

Punctuation

Gerunds

E-mail writing

Irregular verbs

Cognates

Grammatical structu-res in context

Connectors

Nominal groups

Prepositions and pre-positional phrases

Comparatives andsuperlatives

Cultural awareness

Social titles: Mr., Mrs. or Miss

Company hierarchy

Punctuality

Names and gender

Meeting and greeting in diffe-rent countries

Writing style

Internet abbreviations andacronyms

E-shopping

Body language

Emoticons

The English language

Stereotypes

Gender roles in the workplace

Technology and office jargon

Business and the Internet

Speaking

Survey: Social titles

Debate: Hierarchies

Debate: Punctuality

Debate: Maiden names

Survey: Greetings inother countries

Personal style in writing

Debate: Promotionaladvertisements

Debate: Shopping on the Net

Debate: Body language in different countries

Debate: Emoticons

Survey: The English lan-guage

Debate: Stereotypes

Debate: Jobs and gender

Debate: The use of officejargon

Survey: Favourite websi-tes


6

Introduction

English for Secretaries and Administrative Personnel is an English course for businessstudents or people working in business or office-related fields. It is suitable for businessschools, technical / vocational schools, as well as for in-company training programmes.

English for Secretaries and Administrative Personnel has been designed to meet theneeds of secretaries and other professionals who wish to undertake administrativetasks in English, both orally and in written form. The materials cover topics common totypical office activities, as well as to more personal areas related to office work, such associalising or receiving visitors and making them feel comfortable. The course also aimsto develop the students’ general knowledge of the social customs and attitudes of theEnglish-speaking world.

The basic aim of English for Secretaries and Administrative Personnel is to developlanguage skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading) in English, while at the sametime focusing on the central need of the secretary and office worker: to receive and totransmit information precisely and efficiently.

English for Secretaries and Administrative Personnel is a one-level course comprising of a Student’sBook and a Workbook, both with an audio component. The Student’s Book is accompanied by aCD-Rom of interactive business situations. The Teacher’s Book includes step-by-step instructions,reinforment actvities, answer keys to the Student’s Book and Workbook activities and evaluationmaterial in the form of photocopiable worksheets.

Course Components

Student’s Book Pack

Includes:

• Audio CD and CD-Rom• Integrated Grammar and language

reference and Glossary

Workbook

• Listening component available on Student’sBook Audio CD

Teacher’s Book

Includes:

• Audio CD and CD-Rom• Student’s Book and Workbook answer keys• Evaluation worksheets

Online Learning Centre


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Student’s Book

The Student’s Book is divided into three modules of fiveunits each, which cover the four principle learning skills:

• Listening & Speaking: Units 1-5• Writing: Units 6-10• Reading: Units 11-15

This organisation offers teachers the flexibility to choose theteaching style that best suits the needs of their students.Teachers can cover these three modules in different ways:

a In the order they appear in the Student’s Book: startingwith Unit 1 and continuing through to Unit 15.

b One unit per module: Unit 1, then Units 6 and 11,followed by Units 2, 7, and 12, etc.

c Integrating the three modules: using the Listening &Speaking module as the core of the course andintroducing material from the other modules.

How the modules work

• Listening and SpeakingThe aim of the Listening & Speaking module is to developthe skills that will enable office workers to understandand produce oral messages in English, thus allowing themto communicate effectively by telephone and in person.

The practice of oral skills is not restricted exclusively to theListening & Speaking module. Close attention is paidthroughout the course to pronunciation, spoken fluencyand overall comprehensibility.

• WritingThis module focuses on the production of written textsrelated to specific tasks. These include internal andexternal office correspondence, such as inter-officememorandum, quotations, faxes, e-mails, etc. Specialemphasis is placed on the typical structures found inbusiness letters and in formal and informal texts.

• ReadingThe main objective of this module is the development ofreading techniques. The reading texts are divided into twotypes: on the one hand, office-related materials such asletters, e-mails, CVs, advertisements and memos; on theother hand, information texts that offer students insightinto professional, technological, historical, or culturalaspects of the English-speaking world.

Student’s Book features

• OrganisationEach unit is made up of six pages. The opening pagestarts with a brief introduction to the topic, followed bythe main objectives to be studied. Two double-pagespreads present and practise the core language, throughtypical business situations. The unit ends with a culturalawareness text.

• Focus on GrammarThe Focus on Grammar and Focus on Language sectionshighlight important grammar or language points relatedto the unit topic. In turn, these are cross-referenced to theGrammar and language reference or to the Glossary atthe back of the Student’s Book.

• Key VocabularyThe Key Vocabulary boxes highlight essential vocabulary,give hints on usage and provide information such as thecontrast between British and American English, or theappropriate register for greetings, etc.

• Cultural awarenessCultural information, fundamental in learning anotherlanguage, is presented in the form of brief texts in theStudent’s Book. These allow students to become awareof cultural differences both inside and outside theworkplace. These texts provide knowledge of today’sworld, essential to modern business and overall success.

The Cultural awareness sections act as a springboard toclass discussion or surveys about stereotypes, bodylanguage, gender roles in the work place, etc.

• Pairwork and Group workThese activities give students the opportunity to work oneon one or in small groups with their classmates. Studentshelp each other practise important concepts or difficultlanguage.

• Grammar and language referenceThe Focus on Grammar and Focus on Language sectionsin the Student’s Book are cross-referenced to the nine-page Grammar and language reference at the back of theStudent’s Book. This provides a useful self-study tool forthose students who wish to find more detailed grammarexplanations or notes on language usage.

• Glossary The main vocabulary and language from the Student’sBook is grouped, by unit, at the back of the Student’sBook in the Glossary. Students should be encouraged tocopy the glossary words and phrases into their notebooksand translate them into their own language.

Workbook

The Workbook contains 15 units relating directly to theStudent’s Book units. It provides further listening, readingand, especially, writing practice of all the main languagepoints. The Workbook audio corresponding to thelistening module is provided on the Student’s Audio CD.The answer key to all the activities is in photocopiableform in the Teacher’s Book.


Audio CD

The Student’s Book and Workbook audio material fromthe Listening and Speaking module is available on theAudio CD. The audio component is intended to be usedin class, but may be used by the student at home forpersonal study.

CD-Rom

The CD-Rom that accompanies the Student’s Book providesadditional exposure to business-related situations. It offersthirty interactive exercises, two per unit, on a variety oftopics: letters, phone messages, CVs... These activities alsoprovide further practice on key grammar points and lexis,as well as activities that expand on the Student’s Book andWorkbook material.

The CD-Rom is easy to use. Students select a unit andactivity from the main menu on the CD-Rom interfaceand follow the activity instructions. Each activity providesa pop-up window with the answers, so students cancheck their work once they have completed each task.

Teacher’s Book

The Teacher’s Book reproduces the Student’s Book in fullcolour in an easy-to-use wrap-around format. It providesstep-by-step guidelines for each lesson, suggestions forreinforcement and expansion activities, evaluationmaterials in the form of photocopiable worksheets, andsuggestions on how to exploit the CD-Rom.

Teacher’s Book features

• Organisation The first page of every unit summarises the languagefocus, key vocabulary and structures. It also lists thespecific business tasks and skills the students will bepractising. Teachers can ask the Warm up questionsprovided to stimulate previous knowledge of the topic ofthe unit. Detailed lesson plans are provided for the otherpages of the Student’s Book, and include the Answer keyto all the activities.

• Teacher’s file Teachers with few teaching hours can concentrate on themain lesson plan activities. Teachers who have classeswith more hours, or who teach students at a higher level,can consult the Teacher’s file for each lesson where theywill find the following information:

– Suggestions for optional reinforcement or expansionactivities for the Student’s Book activities.

– The exploitation of the Workbook activities.

• Transcripts The Audio CD transcripts for the Listening & Speakingmodule of the Student’s Book and Workbook areprovided in the Teacher’s Book. See pages 119 to 128.

• Photocopiable Workbook Answer keyThe solutions to the Workbook activities are groupedtogether on photocopiable pages at the back of theTeacher’s Book. See pages 112 to 118.

• Student Evaluation The Teacher’s Book offers three different types of evaluation:

– Optional speaking evaluationsThese are a variety of speaking activities students cando as an individual evaluation or in pairs or smallgroups. They appear on the last page of every Teacher’sBook unit. They cover important structures, languageor concepts studied in the unit. When evaluating theseactivities, teachers can use the Speaking EvaluationChart in the Teacher’s Book, page 111.

– Continuous evaluation Teachers who prefer a more continued evaluation oftheir students throughout the year, can reuse selectedStudent’s Book and Workbook activities to chartprogress. These are identified in the Teacher’s Bookwith the following icon . These activities can beused as spoken or written evaluation.

– Formal evaluationWorksheetsThere is a photocopiable revision Worksheet everytwo units. Each worksheet covers the essentialmaterial from the two units in question and can beused as revision, or as a formal written evaluation.Answer keys are on pages 108 to 110.

At the end of each module there is a comprehensiveexam that covers the most important elements ofeach module. Each worksheet section gives asuggested score. See pages 99 to 107.

• Optional CD-Rom reviewThese are optional activities to review or test students ontheir work with the Student CD-Rom. These activitiesappear within the lesson notes on the last page of everyunit in the Teacher’s Book.

Online Learning Centre

The Online Learning Centre provides support for both theteacher and the student. More and more learners arebecoming autonomous and taking advantage of thisinstructional medium. Teachers will find a wealth ofmaterial to download and use in the classroom.

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1Locating people

unit one

One of the first, and probably one of the most frequent situations a secretary or office worker hasto face, is that of locating people within the office. This can take the form of direct face-to-facecontact or indirect conversations on the phone.In this unit, students will find examples of different types of conversations in the office. They willpractise pronunciation, sentence and word stress and intonation, as well as structures that showcourtesy towards the client.

Unit warm-up questionsIntroduce the unit by asking the class the following questions:

• Do you like talking on the telephone?

• How do you feel about talking to people you don’t know?

• How do you feel about meeting new people?

• Do you make friends easily?

1Locating people

unit one

• To talk to new people in the office

• To talk to clients on the phone

• To spell out words

• To make polite requests

• To practise the /i/ sound

• To learn common acronyms

Objectives

7

One of the first and probably one of the most frequent situations a secretary or an officeworker has to face is that of locating people. In this unit you will find examples of differenttypes of conversation that may take place in the office or on the phone.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To be able to understand the gist of aconversation

• To identify the use of will in listenings andreadings

• To practise pronunciation and intonation• To practise conversations with a partner

Language focus

• The alphabet: revision of pronunciation• Polite requests using modal verbs:

(Can, Could, May)• Will: resulting decisions, promises, offering /

asking for help• Use of question words• Present simple revision• Pronunciation of the short vowel /i/ sound

Key vocabulary

& structures

• not available; busy; away• leave / take a message• abbreviated; refer to• on holiday / vacation• Could you spell that, please?• Good morning / afternoon / evening• Excuse me...

Business tasks

• To answer the telephone• To ask people to spell their names• To talk to clients in a polite and courteous

manner• To understand and use acronyms• To address clients appropriately: Mr., Miss,

Mrs. or Ms.

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages97 and 104

• Glossary, page 106• Workbook, pages 3, 4 and 5• CD-Rom, Unit 1• Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,

page 14• Optional speaking evaluation, Teacher’s

Book, page 14

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Students concentrate on understanding thegist of each conversation.

Play CD 1.1 once all the way through.Then ask students to match each dialogue to a picture. Which one does not match?

2, 4, 1 (Picture 3 does not match.)

Focus on Grammar

Will is often used in these types of businesssituations:

a resulting decisions: It’s hot in here. I’ll turnon the air-conditioner.

b promises: I’ll call you next week.

c offering / asking for help: Shall I carry thatfor you? Will you give this to Mr. Stevens,please?

Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, page 97.

Repeat CD 1.1 without pausing. Studentscover the text and say which dialogues use will.Read these three sentences and studentsrepeat them without reading them. SeeTeacher’s file.

B: I’ll put you through. C: I’ll callback later. D: He’ll see you in a minute.

Give students a few minutes to practise theirdialogues. To suggest a “telephone” situation,ask them to sit back to back. Volunteer pairscome to the front of the class and act out theirdialogues. See Teacher’s file.

Revise different uses of the future tense. Readthe example, showing different situations inwhich the phrase could be used: We needsomeone to help us with this... I’ll call mymother. That’s not nice! I’ll call my mother! See Teacher’s file.

4

3e

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

2 Read these sentences and askstudents to explain if the sentencewith will represents a planned action:I need some help. I’ll call my mother.It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow. I’ll callmy mother.

3 In pairs, students create a newdialogue for the unmatched picture, 3.

This activity can be reused later toevaluate students’ progress.

Workbook, page 3Answer key, p. 112.

1 Students listen and complete thedialogues. (Transcript 1.1, p. 125.)

2 Students listen to the dialogue onceand try to answer as many questionsas they can. If done in class, repeatthe recording as many times asnecessary. Students compare theiranswers. (Transcript 1.2, p. 125.)

3 Students practise using the correctpreposition: in, on, at, through.

4 Students practise using will in thequestion form.

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Teacher’s file

Listening

Will

focus Grammaron

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1Locating people

unit one

Listening

Listen to the dialogues and match them tothe scenes above. Which one doesn’t match?

V = Visitor R = Receptionist C = Client

AV: Good morning. My name is Paul Phillips. May I speak

to Mr. William Smith?

R: I’m sorry, Sir. Mr. Smith isn’t in. What can I do for you?

BR: Collins Electronics. Good afternoon.

C: Good afternoon. Mrs. Doris Robinson, please.

R: Name, please?

C: Henry Higgins. I’m her lawyer.

R: Hold on a moment, Mr. Higgins. I’ll put you through.

CC: Good morning. May I speak to the Personnel

Manager?

R: Who’s calling, please?

C: It’s Tim Harrison from K & S Co.

R: Just a moment, please. I’ll see if he’s available at the

moment.

DV: Excuse me, could I see Mr. Johnson?

R: May I have your name, please?

V: Tom Blackburn, from New Instant Technology.

R: Please sit down. He’ll see you in a minute.

1.11

Cover the dialogues and listen again. Whichones use will?

Choose a dialogue and act it out with apartner.

Use will to say things you will do.Example: I’ll call my mother.

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3

2

Grammar reference, page 97.

Full form Short form NegativeI will I’ll will notyou will you’ll (won’t)we will we’llthey will they’llhe will he’llshe will she’llit will it’ll

1 2 3 4

Workbook, page 3.

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1Locating people

unit one

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In pairs or small groups, students take turns topractise formal and informal requests.

Focus on Grammar

Company policies will require office workers to becourteous and polite not only to clients and visitors,but to fellow workers as well.

Modal verbs are used for polite requests: can, will,or more formal could, would or may. For example:Can I see you for a moment?

The imperative. We can use the imperative forpolite requests in English, but we need to “soften”the language by adding please. For example: Havea seat, please.


Play CD 1.2. Pause so students can repeatthe receptionist’s answers. See Teacher’s file.

Play CD 1.3. once and give students timeto answer as many of the questions as theycan. Play the CD a second time so they cancomplete their work. They can answer thequestions orally or in their notebooks.(Transcript 1.3, p. 119.)

Morris and Sons Co. Paul Smith.No, she isn’t. She’s busy.

Repeat CD 1.3. Students write or say thecaller’s part. See Teacher’s file.

Hello. My name’s Paul Smith. CouldI talk to Miss Johnson? No, thank you. I’ll callback later.

Play CD 1.4. Students write or say thereceiver’s part. (Transcript 1.4, p. 119.) SeeTeacher’s file.

International Airlines. Sheilaspeaking. Mr. Hall is away on business, sir.Who’s calling? Mr. Wells?

Key Vocabulary

There are many ways to answer when a person isnot available. Sometimes your boss might even askyou to screen calls . This means you might tellunwanted callers that he / she is away or in ameeting all morning.

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 106, by copying and translating thewords from the lesson.

Answers:

5

Answers:

4

Answers:

3

2

1

Student’s Book

2 Before playing the recording,students, in pairs, copy the sentenceson separate pieces of paper. Theyplace them all face up in front ofthem. Play the CD. The studentsmatch the sentence pairs.

Additional practice Students use phrases from the KeyVocabulary box to make similarconversations with a partner:

Can I speak to Mr. Smith? I’m sorry,sir. He’s not available. They can evenexplain why he / she isn’t available:He’s in Munich until Friday.

4 & 5 Conversation practiceBefore they write the missinginformation, students repeat themissing information orally.Students choose either dialogue 4 or 5 and practise with a partner.Volunteers can read them out infront of their classmates.


5 Students can complete this exercisein small groups.

6 In pairs, students fill out thetelephone conversation and practisereading the dialogue out loud. Referthem to the dialogues on pages 8and 9 for sample language.

Teacher’s file

Speaking

When a person is not available…

KEY VOCABULARY

Polite requests

focus Languageon

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1Locating people

unit one

Speaking

Listen to the following conversations. Pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation.

1 May I speak to Mr. William Johnson? 4 Excuse me, I’d like to talk to Mrs. Hamilton.

I’m sorry, sir. He isn’t in. Wait a moment, please. I’ll see if she’s in.

2 Excuse me, could I talk to Miss Robinson? 5 Good afternoon. May I speak to Mr. Johnson?

I’m afraid she’s busy right now. Just a moment, please. He’ll see you in a minute.

3 Good morning. Can I see Mr. Harrison? 6 This is Mary Smith. May I speak to Mrs. Hills?

I’m sorry, madam. He’s abroad on business. Hold on a moment, please. I’ll see if she’s available now.

1.22

Comprehension

Ask someone to do something. Be polite asin the example.

Example: • come back later

Could you come back later, please?

1 come back later

2 repeat that

3 call back later

4 call tomorrow morning

5 spell that again

6 wait a few seconds

7 speak a little louder

1

Listen to the dialogue. Then listen againand write down the receiver’s part in yournotebook.

Receiver: ________.

Caller: Hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Walter Halls,

please.

Receiver: ________.

Caller: Mr. Willis.

Receiver: ________.

No, Madam. Mr. Willis. W-I-L-L-I-S

1.45

Listen to the following telephoneconversation and answer these questions.

• What is the name of the company?

• Who’s calling?

• Is Miss Johnson available?

• Why?

Listen again and write down the caller’spart in your notebook.

Receiver: Morris & Sons Company. Good morning.

Caller: _______.

Receiver: I’m afraid she’s busy at this moment, sir.

Any message?

Caller: _______.

1.34

1.33

Can I see Mr... ?Will you call... ?Can you spell... ?Take a seat, please.Wait a moment.Hold on a moment.

More formalCould you wait... ?May I speak to Mr... ?Would you like to... ?

She’s out for lunch.He’s away on a business trip.He’s busy.He’s not available at the moment.She’s on holiday / vacation.He’s at / in a meeting.


Glossary, page 106.

Workbook, page 4, activities 5-6.

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1Locating people

unit one

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In order to spell misunderstood words, studentsneed to correctly pronounce and review theletters of the alphabet. Play CD 1.5, pausing sostudents can repeat the alphabet. Insist on thedifference between difficult pairs: G and J; Eand I; D and T; B and V. See Teacher’s file.

Play CD 1.6. Pause so students can writewhat they hear. (Transcript 1.6, page 119.)

1 Montreal; 2 Edinburgh; 3 SusanFinnley; 4 Paul Phillips; 5 Mahoney Road;6 Mel Gibson

Key Vocabulary

In pairs, students practise asking for names to bespelt out, using the different expressions in the box.

Group work

With their books closed, spell out the examplesin the book. Students open their books andcheck their answers. They repeat the sameactivity in groups of 4 or 5. Encourage them touse spelling questions from the Key Vocabularybox.

Focus on Grammar

A common phrase erroneously used by secondlanguage learners is Could you repeat that, please?If you are not specific about what it is that you donot understand, the speaker will most likely repeatthe entire phrase exactly as he / she had said itbefore. Ask students to spell a specific word fromthe Key Vocabulary box or to use question words:Who? Could you spell your boss’ surname please?Where? I’m afraid I don’t understand the name ofthe place. Could you spell it for me, please?

Students practise in pairs or as a large group.See Teacher’s file.

1 Where? Could you spell thatplease?; 2 Where? Spell it, please; 3 Who? Can you spell his name, please?; 4 Who? Canyou spell that?; 5 Where? Could you spell thecity please?

Pairwork

Students can spell their name, the name of adifferent classmate or the name of a famousperson. See Workbook, page 5, activity 4.

Answers:

3

Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Alphabet triangleWhen practising pronunciation,students can learn to group lettersaccording to their sounds:B C D E G P T V Z* (*Am.)

F L M N S X Z* (*Br.)A H J K

Q U W I Y

OR

3 Bad connectionAsk students to imagine they arespeaking on a mobile phone and thatthere is a bad connection. Do theactivity, but muffle the words initalics or replace them by imitatingstatic or background noise. Askstudents to think up other examplesand to “muffle them” to a partner.


1 Students ask questions using aquestion word that refers to thephrase in italics.

2 Students answer the questions firstorally with a partner or in smallgroups.

3 Students listen to WB CD 1.3 and fillin the missing information. Then,they decide which question wordbest represents the information theywrote down. (Transcript 1.3, p. 125.)

4 In pairs, students continue filling outthis chart as an extension of thepairwork activity in their Student’sBook.

Teacher’s file

Let’s practise!

Workbook, page 5.

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1Locating people

unit one

Let’s practise!

When answering the phone or receiving a message, the secretary or office worker may frequently have problemsunderstanding the name of a person, place or date. In English, spelling out a word is very common practice forsolving this problem.

Listen and repeat after the recording.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Listen and write in your notebook thewords the speaker is spelling out. Then,check your answers with a partner.

Group work

Choose a famous person or place and spellthe name to your group. Write in yournotebook the words your classmates spell.

Examples:

Claudia Schiffer Vancouver Pablo Picasso

1.62

1.51

Say the question word that corresponds tothe expressions in italics; then use differentexpressions to ask someone to spell it.

Example:

Mr. Rivas is arriving next June.

Who? Can you spell it please?

1 Helen is at a meeting in Kenya.

2 I’m staying at the Old Belize.

3 Rodney Hills is my boss.

4 Pauline will call you back.

5 The seminar is in Munich.

Pairwork

Say, then spell your name to a classmate.Then exchange roles.

3

Spelling

KEY VOCABULARY

When names, addresses or other information isnot clear when talking face to face or on thephone, ask the person to spell out the word. You can use the following expressions:PoliteSpell it, please.Spell that, please.Can you spell that?More formalCould you spell that, please?Could you spell that again, please?

Question words

focus Grammaron

“Wh” question UseWho? peopleWhere? placesWhat? thingsWhen? time

The meeting is in Bangladesh.Where? Could you spell that, please?Mr. Jentzend is arriving next Monday.Who? Can you spell it, please?I’ll be there on Thursday.When? Can you spell that, please?Did you get the jpeg files?The what? Can you spell that, please?

Glossary, page 106.


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unit one

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Explain to the class that each vowel inEnglish has a long sound (the name of theletter; in this case, /ai /) and a short sound (in this case, /i/). This pronunciation sectionexamines the short sound of the letter “I”. PlayCD 1.7. Insist on the closed /i / sound as theyrepeat.

Focus on Grammar

The verb to be in the present simple uses the shortsound of the letter “i” in its third person form. Askstudents to compare the sound of I’m not (long/ai /) versus he isn’t (short sound /i / in both is andthe contraction n’t).

Students listen to the recording CD 1.7again and write down five words as they hearthem. Then they check the spellings with apartner.

Pairwork

After writing their dialogues, students practiseand present their dialogues to the rest of theclass. See Teacher’s file.

AIDS and NAFTA are pronounced as words. EC and FOB are pronounced as individual letters.There is no specific rule as to how acronymsshould be said or read. As a rule of thumb, if anacronym is pronounceable, it is probably said asa single word. When writing, you should writeout the phrase or words in full first before usingthe acronym.

As a large group, discuss the different acronyms.Write a list on the board dividing the acronymsinto those that are the same, those that aresimilar and those that are completely different.Can they see any common traits among any ofthe groups? See Teacher’s file.

The following acronyms areprobably common in the students’ nativelanguage: WWW, CPU, ROM, as it is common touse anglicised words in everyday conversation,especially in the field of computers.

Certain acronyms may be similar to L1, butwith the letters switched around: AIDS, NAFTA,EC, DNA, because of the varying word order indifferent languages.

Students do the CD-Rom activities for Unit 1.See Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,page 14.

Answers:

4

3

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Ms.Although not included in the listening,tell students there is another title usedfor women (Ms.) that also uses the short/i/ sound. See Student’s Book, page 12about specific practice with thesedifferent titles (Mr., Miss, Mrs., Ms.).

PairworkThis can be turned into an informalevaluation. Evaluate students on thecorrect use of unit terms andphrases, pronunciation andintonation and body language. Tellstudents what you will be looking forahead of time so they can practisethese things, especially bodylanguage. To be an office worker,they must display courtesy andconfidence and you will be lookingfor this during their dialogues.

4 Internet workThere are many acronym web pageson the Internet. Students (alone or ingroups) can look up other acronymsthat may be of use to the class.


Acronyms

PairworkAs an extension of the Student’sBook activities, students can go backto page 4 and work on the acronymsection. They may need to look upthe meanings of some of theacronyms in a dictionary or on theInternet.

1 In pairs or small groups, studentsspell out the acronyms they havelooked up previously in a dictionaryor from the Internet work activity.

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

Workbook, page 4, Acronyms.

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1Locating people

unit one

Let’s focus on…

Pronunciation: the /i/ sound

Listen and repeat.

it his Miss It’s busy

in list big It’s on his list

Mr. Mrs. million It’s ringing

little sister minute It’s open

finish visit busy It’s a pity

office business this He isn’t in

Willis Phillips Miller He’s in his office

six sixty sixty-six His sister is in

fifth sixth give Mr. William Phillips

Sit down Mrs. Willis In a minute It’s sixty-six

1.71

Choose five words from the listening and write them in your notebook.

Pairwork

With a partner, write a dialogue about locating people. Use words and sentences from the unit.

Acronyms

2

Try the CD-Rom activities, Unit 1.

To be

focus Grammaron

Full form Short formI am (not) I’m (not)you you’re (not)we are (not) we’re (not)they they’re (not)he he’s (not) / he isn’tshe is (not) she’s (not) / she isn’tit it’s (not) / it isn’t

c NAFTA is an association of American countries.

d The price of the equipment was $2,000 FOB.

Acronyms are letters that represent the abbreviated form of names, places and objects. They can be formed from theinitial letters of a name, such as USA for United States of America, or parts of a series of words, such as radar:radio detecting and ranging.

Examples:

USA = The United States of America UK = The United Kindgom (of Great Britain)WWW = World Wide Web CPU = Central Processing UnitDNA = Deoxyribonucleic Acid ROM = Read-Only Memory

Read the following sentences after your teacher. Note that some acronyms are pronouncedletter by letter, others as one word.

a AIDS is a very serious disease.

b Spain joined the EC over twenty years ago.

Which of the acronyms in the examples are the same in your language?4

3


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1Locating people

unit one

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In English-speaking countries, men use the title Mr.before their surname. For women, however, thistopic is more complicated. This article deals withthe social and cultural meanings behind thedifferent titles Mrs., Miss, Ms. It also examines thesometimes “uncomfortable” situations that mayarise when trying to be “politically correct”.

Students reread the article. As a large group,discuss the follow-up questions.

Survey

Working in small groups, students ask each otherwhich title they prefer. Afterwards, they can presenttheir information on pie charts, bar graphs or linegraphs.

OPTIONAL SPEAKING EVALUATIONSpeaking evaluation chart, p. 111.

Describe to each student his or her roleindividually. Then ask students to act outthe scenario.

Student 1: You have just flown in from Miamiand are visiting a subsidiary overseas. It isdifficult for you to understand the persongreeting you, so you will have to ask him / herto repeat and spell names and places. You need to arrange a meeting tomorrowafternoon with the Sales Head from this office.

Student 2: You are greeting an importantperson from your subsidiary in Miami becauseMr. Sheridan, the head of the Sales departmentis in a meeting until 2:00 pm. You will behappy to take your visitor to the Four Shoreshotel where he / she will be staying.

Describe the role of each student in themock telephone conversation. The calleruses the information on the strip of paper.The receptionist answers the telephoneand takes the message.

Write the following information on stripsof paper:

a)Your name: Mr. / Mrs. ThompsonYour company: Morris and SonsWho you are calling: Mr. Alexander GaleYour message: Asking about last week’sinvoice. Have him call back.

b)Your name: Mr. / Ms. VachinskyYour company: K & S InsuranceWho you are calling: The Personnel Director(Don’t know his/her name...)Your message: You’ll call back later.

2

1

OPTIONAL CD-ROM REVIEW

Ask the following questions. Students answerthe questions with suitable responses.

1 Could you put me through to the Salesdepartment, please?

2 I’d like to speak to Ms. Parker.

3 Who’s calling?

4 Would you like to leave a message?

5 Is that (name of student)?

1 Hold on a moment,please. I´ll put you through. 2 I’m afraid she’snot available at the moment. 3 It’s (name ofstudent). 4 That’s O.K., I’ll call back later.5 Speaking.

Sample answers:

Cultural awareness

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1Locating people

unit one

Cultural awareness

The use of titles such as Mr., Mrs.(pronounced “misses”) and Miss hasexperienced some changes over thecenturies. These are contracted forms of thewords master and mistress, which wereoriginally titles of courtesy, but by themid-1600s, these abbreviated forms andtheir current pronunciation became sociallyaccepted titles. During the nineteenth century, the wordMrs. began to be used to refer to a married woman, andMiss to a single woman.

In English-speaking cultures, women traditionallybegin to use their husband’s last name when they getmarried. However, these days, not all women follow this

tradition — in some areas of work theyprefer to keep their single names. In thesecases the word Mrs. has to be replaced bythe word Ms. (the pronunciation isdifferent from ‘Miss’) since the social titleMrs. refers only to a married woman usingher husband’s last name. The term Ms. isalso very useful when writing if we don’t

know the marital status of the woman we are addressing.The word Ms. seems to be an abbreviation or blend of

both Miss and Mrs. and was first used by Mario Pei in TheStory of Language, written in 1949. However, be carefulbecause not all women use or prefer this title... so, use it tobe on the safe side, but take note if someone corrects you!

Mr., Mrs. or Miss?

Don’t forget!• Polite requests: Can I take a message?

• Spelling: Could you spell that, please?

• Simple future: He’ll see you in a minute. I’ll call tomorrow.

• The alphabet: E, I, G, J, W, Z...

• Pronunciation /i/: it, finish, busy

• Social titles: Mrs. (married woman using her husband’s name)

Miss (young girl or single woman)

Ms. (adult woman)

What is the customary use of titles in your country?

What are the advantages of this traditional practice in English-speaking countries?

What are the disadvantages?

Find out about the use of titles in three other countries abroad. ?Survey

Interview female classmates and see which social title is most popular.

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1Locating people

unit one

01 - Unidad 1 22/5/06 20:34 Página 14

2People at work

unit two

Secretarial or administrative jobs are found in almost any area of work: education, health,construction, government, sports, travel, commerce, etc. In one way or another, all these areas arerelated to business.In this unit, students will look at a company organigram and will define the activities of eachdepartment. They will ask about people’s jobs, as well as describe their jobs to people. They willalso practise pronunciation and intonation.


• What job would you like to have?

• What do you find most attractive about that job?

• What are the typical jobs within a modern company?

2People at work

unit two

• To learn how to address clients in a polite manner

• To talk about habitual actions at work

• To describe a daily work schedule

• To practise phone conversations

• To revise possessive adjectives, frequency adverbs and time expressions

• To learn vocabulary and expressions commonly used in conversations at work

• To contrast the /i/ and the /i�/ sounds

Objectives

13

Secretarial or administrative jobs are found in almost any area of work: education, health,construction, government, sports, travel, commerce, etc. In one way or another all these areasare related to business, which is a human activity found in all societies.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To listen for specific information• To identify the use of the present simple

tense in listenings and readings• To practise pronunciation and intonation• To practise conversations with a partner

Language focus

• Present simple revision: habits, jobdescriptions

• Frequency adverbs• Possessive adjectives• Pronunciation of the long vowel /i� / sound• Contrast the short /i / and long /i� / vowel

sounds

Key vocabulary

& structures

• Hold on a moment• I’ll put you through• an appointment• salary, benefits, job training, job title /

position, hierarchy• frequency adverbs: always, usually,

sometimes, often, rarely, never• everyday / daily, once / twice a fortnight

Business tasks

• Transferring callers to different departments• Understanding company structures and

hierarchies• Describing your job position to others• Talking to clients and co-workers in a

courteous and polite manner

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages 98 and 99

• Glossary, pages 106-107• Workbook, pages 6, 7 and 8• CD-Rom, Unit 2• Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,


Book, page 20

02 - Unidad 2 22/5/06 20:43 Página 15

The class looks at the organigram in theirbooks and describes the other fourdepartments in the company. Encourage themto use other expressions besides the one in theexample: In the Finance department, wecover...; The Human Resources departmentdeals with...See Teacher’s file.

Play CD 2.1. Pause after each dialogueand ask: What department does he / she need?Who does he / she need to talk to? Studentswrite in their notebooks the department andthe name of the person to speak to in eachcase.

Dialogue 1: Sales department; Mr. Phillips; Dialogue 2: Production andPurchasing department; Mr. Robert Rogers.Dialogue 3: Rental department; Mr. Simpson

Repeat CD 2.1. Students cover the textand say which dialogues use the presentsimple.

Dialogue B: I work for PrinterManufacturers, a Canadian company; You haveto ask his secretary, Miss Jones. She’s upstairs, in office number 6; It’s Mr. Rogers Dialogue C:Her extension is busy

Pairwork

Students look at the organigram and readthrough the example in the book. They taketurns as caller and receptionist. See Teacher’sfile.

my salary: Finance department;publicity: Marketing department; benefits:Human Resources department; manufacturingmy product: Production and Purchasingdepartment; market research: Marketingdepartment; training new people: Salesdepartment.

Answers:

Answers:

3

Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Divide the class into small groups.Ask students to imagine they haveset up a small company. They need to make a company organigram andassign jobs to each group member.

Additional practiceTell students that they have to give a presentation about their newdepartment. They need to describetheir department and elaborate onthe different areas it covers.

PairworkIn pairs, students choose one of theexchanges from the pairwork activityand think up a short dialogue, usingactivity 2 as a model. Volunteer pairsread their dialogues to the class.

Teacher’s file

Listening

FINANCECredit Computing

Accounts BankingSalaries Foreign Trade

HUMAN RESOURCESPersonnel AffairsBenefits TrainingUnions Entertainment

PRODUCTION & PURCHASINGPurchasing

ManufacturingTransport

MARKETINGPublicity

Market ResearchMarketing PoliciesMarketing Planning

SALESTraining ManagerDistrict Managers

Sales Representatives

14

2People at work

unit two

Listening

Listen to the dialogues and write thename of the person to speak to in each case.

R = Receptionist C = Client V = Visitor

AR: Thornton and Thiennes Associated. Good morning.

C: Good morning. I’d like to speak to someone about

the MCM machine, please.

R: Hold on a moment, sir. I’ll put you through to the

Sales Department.

C: Could I have the name of the Sales Manager?

R: It’s Mr. Phillips.

BR: Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?

V: Good morning. I work for Printer Manufacturers, a

Canadian company. Could I have an appointment

with the Purchasing Manager?

R: You have to ask his secretary, Miss Jones. She’s

upstairs, in office number 6.

V: May I have the name of the Manager, please?

R: Certainly. It’s Mr. Rogers. Robert Rogers.

V: Thank you very much.

2.12 CR: Computer Service. Good afternoon.

C: I’m interested in renting some equipment. Who may

I speak to, madam?

R: Mr. Simpson, from the Rental Department. I’ll put

you through to his secretary. Her extension is busy.

Can you hold on a moment?

R: Yes, I’ll hold on.

Look at the organigram. Define the activities of each department.

Example: The Marketing department involves publicity, market research...

1

Cover the dialogues and listen again. Whichones use the present simple?

Pairwork

Look at the organigram again and ask andanswer about the correct department.

Example:

Student A: I’d like to speak to someone about mysalary, please.

Student B: I’ll put you through to the FinanceDepartment.

• my salary • publicity

• benefits • manufacturing my product

• market research • training new people

3

Thornton & Thiennes Associated

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

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2People at work

unit two

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Play CD 2.2. Students repeat, reproducingthe speakers’ pronunciation and intonation. Asthey practise with a partner, walk aroundcorrecting problem areas in pronunciation.

Group work

Students choose a job from activity 1. Theytake turns asking each other about theirfictitious jobs.

Key Vocabulary

Because the present simple refers to habitualactions, we use it when asking about someone’sjob.

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 106, by copying and translating thewords from the lesson.

Focus on Grammar

Quickly revise the present simple with the class.Remind them that the verb for the third personsingular takes an -s.


Play CD 2.3. Students answer the speakeras in the example. (Transcript 2.3, page 120.)

I’m a typist; He’s an engineer;They’re doctors; She’s an air traffic controller;They’re clerks; She’s a Union leader

Play the second part of CD 2.3. Studentsask questions like the one in the example. See Teacher’s file.

What do you do? What does Mr.Freeman do? What do Mr. and Mrs. Reed do?What does Miss Lee do? What do thosepeople do? What does Mrs. Newman do?

Pairwork

Students choose a dialogue to practise.Volunteer pairs act out their new dialogues infront of their classmates.

Answers:

Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

2 Students ask each other questionsand make up the answers.

Workbook, pages 6 & 7Answer key, p. 112.

Jobs1 Students match the jobs and their

descriptions.

2 Play WB CD 2.1 without pausing.Students try to answer as manyquestions as possible. Play the CDagain so they can complete their work.

Indefinite articlesFocus on GrammarWords beginning with a vowel take“an” unless it is a long /ju�/ sound as in uniform, universe, use.Words beginning with a consonanttake “a” unless the word starts with a vowel sound as in MA or X-Ray.

PairworkStudents follow the example andtake turns asking and answeringeach other’s questions.

1 Students circle the correct article.

Present simple1 Students first read through the

summary in their workbooks. Thenstudents play WB CD 2.2 and fill inthe blanks.

2 Students complete the sentenceswith the correct form of the presentsimple.


DebateStudents discuss the questions first in pairs. After a few minutes, join 2 or 3 pairs together to continue the discussion.

e

Teacher’s file

Speaking

Asking about someone’s job

KEY VOCABULARY

Present simple for habit

focus Grammaron

15

2People at work

unit two

Speaking

Listen and answer the followingquestions after the speaker.

Example:

• an auditor

What does your boss do?

He’s an auditor.

a a typist d an air traffic controller

b an engineer e clerks

c doctors f a union leader

Now ask questions.

Example:

• your boss

What does your boss do?

a you d Miss Lee

b Mr. Freeman e those people

c Mr. and Mrs. Reed f Mrs. Newman

Pairwork


Then, in pairs make up a new dialogueusing the organigram and fictitious names.

2.32

Listen and repeat. Then practise with a partner.

1 What do you do? I’m Mr. Thornton’s secretary. I work in the Finance Department.

2 What does Miss Hill do? She’s a receptionist. She greets visitors and answers the phone.

3 What do they do? They’re sales representatives. They have to travel a lot.

4 What do you do? We’re clerks. We work in the Credit Department.

5 What does Mr. Lee do? He’s an accountant. He deals with accounts and taxes.

6 What does he do? He’s an engineer. He supervises the Production Department.

7 What position does Elaine hold in the company? She’s a lawyer. She represents the company in court.

2.21

Group work

Now choose a job from activity 1. Answerquestions from your group.

Example:

What position do you hold?

I’m a receptionist. I greet visitors.

Workbook, pages 6-7.

I youwe work / have / go

they

heshe works / has / goesit

What do you do?What position do you hold?What’s your job title?

What does he / she do?What position does he / she hold?What’s his / her job title?


Glossary, page 106.

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2People at work

unit two

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Intonation in questions is sometimesdifficult for students. Play CD 2.4, pausing ifnecessary. Students repeat with the correctintonation.

Focus on Grammar

Remind students that in questions, they need to usethe auxiliary verb “does” for the third personsingular.

Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, pages 98-99.

Students read the first question out loud.Play CD 2.5 to compare their intonation. Pausethe CD to give students time to read the nextquestion before resuming the recording.

Pairwork

Revise the meaning of the adverbs in the KeyVocabulary box and the habitual timeexpressions before they begin this exercise.Students take turns asking each otherquestions and answering using frequencyadverbs.

Key Vocabulary

Students can personalise these words in theirglossary by marking them with a “percentage offrequency”. For example: always (100%);sometimes (50%)

Habitual time expressions

Bring their attention to difficult words: once, twice(versus one time / two times); everyday (writtenaltogether); fortnight (versus two weeks / 14 days).

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 107 by copying and translating thewords from the lesson in their notebooks. SeeTeacher’s file.

2

1

Student’s Book

Time expressionsIn small groups, students make 3 truesentences and 1 false one usinghabitual time expressions. Then theyread them to their classmates who tryand guess which one is the falsestatement.


Present simple3 Students use time expressions

to answer the questions. Then playCD 2.3, pausing if necessary.Students compare their answers withthe listening.

Talking about frequency &frequency adverbs 1 Play CD 2.4. Students do the

activity orally first. Then they fill inthe exercise.

2 Play CD 2.5. Students answer thequestions they wrote in activity 1.

3 Students complete the sentenceswith adverbs. Refer them to the KeyVocabulary box on Student’s Book,page 16 for a list of adverbs.


4 Students complete the sentencesusing the phrases in the box. In pairs,they compare their sentences.

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s practise

?Frequency adverbs

KEY VOCABULARY

Present simple questions

focus Grammaron

16

2People at work

unit two

Let’s practise!

Asking questions

Listen and repeat to practise intonation in questions.

• May I talk to Mr. Willis?

• Could I speak to Mr Smith?

• Can I see the General Manager, please?

• Could you spell that, please?

• Would you like to wait?

• Will you call back?

• Will they arrive tomorrow morning?

2.41

Ask questions using Do or Does. Then,compare with the recording.

1 Does your office close on Saturdays?

2 Do you have to type letters everyday?

3 …you practise English with your classmates?

4 …Mr. Smith travel abroad every month?

5 …they send the invoices by post?

6 …we have to type in the numbers in the computer?

7 …the order specify the delivery date?

Now answer these questions in yournotebook.

2.52

• Is your boss in?

• Are the letters ready?

• Is she available now?

• Are you busy?

• Who’s at reception?

• What’s his name?

• Where’s the meeting?

Pairwork

Student A: Ask questions. Choose a questionfrom below.

Student B: Answer using frequency adverbsfrom the box below.

Example:

A: How often do you type letters in English?

B: I often type letters in English.

...flights arrive at Middle West Airport?

How often do......you type letters in English?

Does......your boss ever travel abroad?

Do you ever......you use a fax machine?

...wear a uniform?

...the bank ever open on Saturdays?

Workbook, page 8.

AffirmativeI work?you go?Do we speak?they have to?

he like?Does she travel?

it practise?

Negative

do not(don’t)

does not(doesn’t)

alwaysusuallyoften

sometimesrarelynever

Habitual time expressions

every day daily

every Monday once a fortnight

every week / month twice a year

every two years four times a year


Glossary, page 107.

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2People at work

unit two

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Give students 5 minutes to write down asmany words as they can remember from unit 1.Then ask them to read out their lists. If anyoneelse has the same word, they cross it off thelist. Did anyone think of words that no one elsehad on their lists?

Read examples to the students of wordsthat have the long /i�/ sound. Compare this tothe sound studied in Unit 1: /i/. Play CD 2.6.Pause so students can concentrate on theirpronunciation as they repeat. See Teacher’s file.

Pairwork

Students use expressions from activity 2 andmake up a short dialogue with a partner. Thenthey change partners and practise each other’sdialogue.

Students read out the words and decide if theyuse the /i / or the /i / sound. This activity can bedone as a large group, in small groups or inpairs. Some words have more than one ofthese sounds.

/i�/ sound: miss, minute, simple,delivery; /i�/ sound: thirteen; combinedsounds: meeting, receive, receipt.

Focus on Grammar

Possessive adjectives describe who somethingbelongs to. Remind students that the adjective its does not have an apostrophe like It’s (article + verb).


Students choose 5 words from the box andwrite sentences in their notebooks that includepossessive adjectives. They can use words fromactivity 2. See Teacher’s file.

Group work

In small groups, students exchange theirnotebooks and think how they can combinetwo sentences from each of their notebooks tocreate a dialogue. Once they have finished,each group will read their dialogues to the restof the class.

Students do the CD-Rom activities for Unit 2.See optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book, page 20.

4e

Answers:

3

2

1

Student’s Book

2 Write the following pairs of words onthe board:

feel / fill, sheep / ship, been / bin,seen / sin, fourteen / forty

Explain to students that sometimes,the vowel sounds /i/ and /i�/ areessential to differentiate words andthat mispronouncing a word can leadto misunderstandings.

With a partner, students practise thepronunciation of the pairs.

Additional practiceWith the same partner, each studentchooses one word from each pair.One student reads the word and theother student writes it downcorrectly.

This activity can be reused later toevaluate students’ progress.e

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

17

2People at work

unit two

Let’s focus on…

Pronunciation: the /i/ and the /i�/ sound

Do you remember the sound we practised in Unit 1?Write down as many words as you can remember from unit 1 that take the /i/ sound.

Example: sit, busy...

Listen to the /i�/ sound and repeat after the speaker.

repeat overseas

seat beeper

three increase

fourteen colleague

deal brief

speak achieve

Dean Leeds

see Tennessee

free New Zealand

receive believe

meeting employee

leader e-mail

keep cheap

leave read

we East

2.62

1

Could you repeat that, please?

Mr. Reed is on his leave.

Take a seat, please.

What do you mean?

The meeting is at three.

I see!

Are you free?

Our deals with the East increased.

Who’s the leader of the team?

Let’s meet in New Zealand.

My colleagues are in Leeds.

We’ll see them in Tennessee.

Pairwork

Make up a dialogue with expressions from thelists in 2. Practise it with different partners.

Practise saying these words and decide ifthey use the /i/ or the /i�/ sound.

Miss thirteen

minute receive

meeting simple

delivery receipt

3

Possessive adjectives

Possessive adjectives + noun

focus Grammaron

Choose 5 words from the box and writesentences in your notebook that includepossessive adjectives.

Example: Tell me about your job.

Group work

Write a dialogue using two sentences fromeach of your notebooks.

4

my name / officeyour department / jobhis signature / ageher extension / bossits monitor / discour computer / officeyour salary / decisiontheir project/employer



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2People at work

unit two

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This article deals with the importance of companyhierarchy in certain countries like Japan. Westerncompanies place less stress between directorial andsubordinate relations as opposed to companies inthe East or Middle East. Likewise, larger companieswould have more “formal” relations betweenworkers (particularly managerial versus entry-levelor mid-level employees) than smaller companies.

Students reread the article. As a large group,discuss the follow-up questions.

Debate

Divide the class into small groups and assign each a“side” to defend (pro or con). Give them a fewminutes to write a short list of reasons why theydefend their position. Then, bring the smallergroups together so as to form two debating teams(for and against).Give them a few minutes tocompile their lists into one list of arguments andcounter-arguments. One of the sides presents oneof their arguments and explains why or givesexamples. Then the next team has the opportunityto present their counter-argument.


Describe the role play to the students.Write important information for each roleon the board or on strips of paper.

Student 1: You are an entry-level receptionistwho needs to find out who is in charge ofwhich department and what that departmentdoes. Write a three-column chart in yournotebook: Manager / Department / Functions.

Student 2: You are training a new receptionist.Answer his / her questions about people in thecompany. Choose four departments from theorganigram on Student’s Book, page 14 andinvent names for the heads of eachdepartment.

Interview students about:

a) Office work: Do you think you would makea good secretary or office worker? Why? Isthere any other job that you find attractive?Why? Is there any difference between menand women in relation to these other typesof jobs?

b) Retirement: At what age do most peopleretire in this country? At what age wouldyou like to retire? Why? What would youlike to do after you retire? Is there anydifference between men and women inrelation to retirement?

2

1


Ask students to spell these words:

accounts department, reception, recordingstudio, stock warehouse, loading bay, meetingspace, archives.

Read these definitions of places in acompany. Students guess the word.

1 A place for keeping papers, reports, recordsand documents

2 A collection of materials or products to usein the future

3 A building or place for keeping products ormaterials

1 archive; 2 stock; 3 warehouseAnswers:

2

1

Cultural awareness

18

2People at work

unit two

Cultural awareness

Think about the organisational structure of any company and

there is always a hierarchy of some description. The Managing

Director is above the Divisional Managers; these are above the

Departmental Managers, who are above the workers.

In some cultures, the emphasis on status within a company is

extremely important. Take Japan as an example. Businesses in Japan

tend to have a more vertical structure than companies in the West,

where status and position play a less important role in working

relationships. In a Japanese company behaviour and language are

modified according to the job position of the person you are talking

to. However, Japanese organisations give a lot of importance to

group goals and every person tries to do what is best for the

common good.

C o m p a n y h i e r a r c h y

Don’t forget!• Company organigrams: Human Resources.

• Position hierarchies: The Managing Director.

• Asking about people’s jobs: What do you do?,

What position do you hold in your company?

• Asking about frecuency: How often? Do you ever?

• Present simple for habitual actions: He works every Monday.

She doesn’t work on Saturdays. They work every day.

• Pronunciation /i�/: repeat, keep, brief.

Debate

Are you for or against highly marked hierarchies within an organisation? Defend your position.

Find out about business culture in another country and share your information with the class.

How does your information compare with business culture in your own country?

In your opinion, should higher status positions keep their distance from lower status positions?

In your country, is language modified according to the person you are talking to? ?

20

2People at work

unit two

02 - Unidad 2 22/5/06 20:43 Página 20

3Dealing with numbers

unit three

Numbers are always present in our daily activities, either in oral or written form. They can facilitatecommunication, or they may lead to serious misunderstandings. They have more or less the sameform in different languages; however, there are slight differences in the way they are used.In this unit, students will find examples of numbers used in different contexts. They will revise thepast of the verb to be and they will learn expressions used in daily work conversations. They willalso practise pronunciation and intonation.


• What numbers do you usually use everyday?

• Could you express these numbers in English?

• What kind of information is given in numbers?

• How many languages can you count in?


unit three

• To talk about dates, phone numbers and different currencies

• To use ordinal and cardinal numbers

• To talk about time and schedules

• To look at numbers in Maths

• To revise the past of the verb “to be”

• To learn vocabulary and expressions used in daily work conversations

• To practise the /ɵ/ sound

Objectives

19

Numbers are always present in our daily activities, either in oral or written form. They can facilitatecommunication, or they may lead to serious misunderstandings. They have more or less the sameform in different languages; however, there are slight differences in the way they are used.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To listen for specific information• To identify numbers and time expressions in

listenings and readings• To practise pronunciation and intonation• To practise one-on-one conversations with

a partner• To lead group discussions

Language focus

• How to read numbers in English• Cultural differences in the use of commas

and periods in numbers• Review asking about numbers• Revise the past tense of the verb “to be”• Pronunciation of the consonant /ɵ/ sound

Key vocabulary

& structures

• thirteen, thirty, twentieth, XIX• fee, wages, fringe benefits, by check / cash• How much / many...?; How often...?; How

far...?; How long..?• half past; quarter past / to; at

Business tasks

• Identifying different currencies• Talking about flights, schedules and

timetables• Telling time• Discussing the importance of punctuality

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages 98 and 100

• Workbook, pages 9, 10 and 11• CD-Rom, Unit 3• Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,


Book, page 26

03 - Unidad 3 22/5/06 20:45 Página 21

Students look at the numbers and name whatthey refer to. This task can be done either insmall groups or with the entire class. SeeTeacher’s file.

page number (P. 24); hotel room(Room 36); dates ( October 18, 1976 / 31stAugust / VII B.C.); temperatures (14º F / 15º C);postal code (Zip 12244); address (1738Lorraine St.); ID number (ID 4.876.665);intelligence quotient (IQ 140); currency($5,850 / $4567 / £200); percentage (78%);fractions (3/4 / 1/2); flight numbers (BA 707 /BA 915); serial number (01-35-887660); time(4:30 / 17.58); telephone numbers (373-44-60/ 737 58 92 / 3480912); decimals (5.8);addition (55 + 58 = 113); a list (1. / 2. / 3. / 4.);ordinal numbers (17th / 2nd); interstate sign(EXIT 25 A); extension number (Ext. 2266).

Students cover the dialogues. Play CD 3.1,pausing after each dialogue. Ask the class torepeat the numbers they hear. See Teacher’s file.

Dialogue 1: 3734460; Dialogue 2:2266; Dialogue 3: 3480912, Ext. 506.

Students choose four numbers from the boxand write sentences in their notebooks toillustrate their meaning. Ask volunteers to readsome of their sentences. See Teacher’s file.

My brother was born on31st August; Drive on the motorway for 15miles and take EXIT 25 A; The meeting is at4:30; I am staying at the Plaza Hotel, room 36.

Sample answers:

3e

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Fast number game: Ask students todraw a 9-square grid in their notebooks.Then they write one number fromactivity 1 in each square. In pairs, oneof the students points to the numbersin his / her grid at random and theother student has to say them as fastas possible. Then they exchange roles.

2 Repeat CD 3.1 Students read thedialogues while they listen. In pairs,they practise the pronunciation andintonation. Correct any problemareas with individuals.

Additional practiceAsk students to write 5 questions intheir notebooks. Explain that theanswers have to include a number.(Eg. How old are you?). In pairs,students take turns asking andanswering each other’s questions.

(Sample questions: How tall areyou?; What’s the temperaturetoday?; Do you remember a friend’stelephone number?; What is 12 X6?; What’s your date of birth?)

3 Students compare their sentences insmall groups. Then they create shortdialogues like the ones in theirStudent’s Book, using some of theirsentences.


Additional practiceStudents write ten numbers in theirnotebooks. In pairs, one studentreads the numbers and the otherwrites them down. Then theyexchange roles.

e

Teacher’s file

Listening

20


unit three

Listening

Cover the dialogues and listen. What numbers can you hear?3.12C = Client R = Recepcionist

AC: Is this 3734460?

R: Yes, madam.

C: Can I speak to Mr. Freeman?

R: I’m sorry, madam. There isn’t a Mr. Freeman here.

BR: Sanders & Sanders Ltd. Good morning.

C: May I speak to Miss Patricia Lee, please?

R: Do you know her extension number?

C: I think it’s 2266.

R: Hold on, please, I’ll put you through.

CR: Whiett Corporation. Good afternoon.

C: Mrs. Rose Adams, please.

R: I’m afraid she isn’t in. Do you want to leave a

message?

C: Yes, please. Tell her to call Mr. John Matthews, at

3480912, extension 506, as soon as she gets in.

R: Could you repeat the number, please?

C: 3480912, extension 506.

R: Thank you sir. I’ll give her your message.

Look at the numbers below. What do they refer to?

Example:

• Pg. 24 = page 24• BA915 = a flight number

1

Choose four numbers from the box and write sentences in your notebook to illustrate theirmeaning.

Example:

She lives at number 1738, Lorraine Street.

3

Pg. 24

17th

Room 36

4:30

5.8 17.581738 Lorraine St.

01-35-887660 October 18, 1976

ID 4.876.665 EXIT 25 A

3/4

31st August

78%$4567

2nd

14º F737 58 92

Ex. 2266

3480912

£20015º C

55 + 58 = 113

1/2 BA 915373 - 44 - 60

VII B.C. BA 707 1.2.3.4.

ZIP 12244$5,850 IQ 140

22


unit three

03 - Unidad 3 22/5/06 20:45 Página 22

Quickly revise the differences and special uses ofcardinal, ordinal and Roman numbers. Referstudents to the Grammar and language reference,Student’s Book, page 98.

Play CD 3.2. Students repeat the cardinalnumbers, matching the speakers’ intonationand pronunciation. Walk around correctingproblem areas in pronunciation. (Transcript 3.2,page 121.) See Teacher’s file.

Play CD 3.3. Students repeat the ordinalnumbers, matching the speakers’ intonationand pronunciation. (Transcript 3.3, page 121.)See Teacher’s file.

Pairwork

Students take turns reading a few sentences astheir partner writes down the numbers he / shehears.

a 3456; b 289; c 3000000; d 1492; e 3.8; f £55.40; g 8614; h 30506;Ext. 7732; i 0.5.

Focus on Grammar(Workbook, p. 9)

We use these question words when askingquestions about different types of numbers:How often: frequency (How often do you takeholidays?); How many: countable nouns(How many employees work in yourcompany?); How much: uncountable nouns(How much money does he earn?); How far:distances (How far is your office from here?);How long: measurements (longitude or time)(How long is the meeting?); What time: time(What time does your office close?)

Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

1 & 2 Peer teachingPhotocopy the scripts for the listeningson page 121. In small groups,students randomly read numbersfrom the scripts. The others write thenumbers they hear and comparetheir notes afterwards. If there are anydiscrepancies, students discuss whatthey understood and how the otherstudent can improve his / herpronunciation. Remind students howto give constructive criticism: I thinkif you said this... ; This sounds morelike... ; Why not try...?


Listening for numbers

1 Play WB CD 3.1. Pause sostudents can write the informationrequested. (Transcript 3.1, p. 126.)

2 Play WB CD 3.2 all the waythrough without pausing. Studentstry to fill in as much information asthey can the first time around.

Repeat WB CD 3.2 and pause so theycan complete their unfinishedanswers. (Transcript 3.2, p. 126.)

Asking for numbers 1 Students fill out the exercise

individually or in small groups.


2 Students write similar questions intheir notebooks. Then they exchangenotebooks with a partner andanswer his / her questions.

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s practise...

Cardinal numbersCardinal numbers simply show quantity.

• Numbers usually function as adjectives, so they

don’t take the plural form. They are used in

figures, percentages, years, time, schedules...

three hundred and twenty-five

six thousand four hundred

• We usually read years and address numbers as

two separate numbers.

1358 thirteen fifty-eight

1995 nineteen ninety-five

but:2006 two thousand and six

2010 two thousand and ten

2940, Willow Street twenty-nine forty Willow Street

• Repeated numbers in a telephone number are

simplified by preceding them with the word double.

958- 4423 nine five eight double four two three

When spelling, we do the same with double letters.

MISSISSIPPI M- I- double S- I- double S- I- double P- I

Ordinal numbersOrdinal numbers express order. We use themmainly for dates, centuries and aristocratic names.September 12th

The 16th centuryHenry VIII

Roman numbersCan you decipher these Roman numerals? Lookthem up in a dictionary to check.II VI CIV X DV L M

21


unit three

Let’s practise numbers

We can classify numbers into two groups: Cardinal and Ordinal. We can express them with words (five), Arabicsymbols (5) or Roman symbols (V).

Listen carefully to the pronunciation of these cardinal numbers.

Now listen to the pronunciation of these ordinal numbers.

Pairwork

Read these sentences aloud. Then, write down the numbers in your notebook.

a The computer was three thousand four hundred and

fifty six dollars.

b The ticket to Wales is two hundred and eighty nine pounds.

c The profit was three million last year.

d America was discovered in fourteen ninety two.

e The interest rate was three point eight.

3.32

3.21

f The repair service is fifty five pounds and forty pence.

g Our new address is eighty six fourteen Oak Avenue.

h Call us on three O five O six, extension double seven three

two.

i The percentage is point five.

Workbook, page 9.

23


unit three

03 - Unidad 3 22/5/06 20:45 Página 23

English speakers stress important informationin a sentence, especially when relating tonumbers. Read the first two sentences.Students underline the words they hearstressed. Then ask the class to underline thewords they feel important in the last twosentences. Read sentences 3 and 4. Studentscompare the words they underlined to the onesthey hear stressed. See Teacher’s file.

1 The meeting starts at 9:05 a.m.;2 The flight to New Orleans leaves at a quarterto twelve; 3 The Post Office opens at a quarterpast eight; 4 Tell him to meet me at theInstitute at 5:30 p.m.

Revise the way to tell the time before the classbegins the activity. Read the example questionsto the class and ask volunteers to answer.Students work with a partner and take turnsasking each other questions about theschedule. See Teacher’s file.

Students copy the chart into theirnotebooks. Play CD 3.4. once all the waythrough without pausing. Students try to fill inas much information as they can the first timearound. Repeat CD 3.4. and pause so they cancomplete their unfinished answers. (Transcript3.4, p. 121.)

Focus on Grammar

Remind students that in the past tense, the verbform for first person and third person singular is thesame.


Students change the sentences into the pasttense. This activity can be done orally or in theirnotebooks.

1 was; 2 was; 3 wasn’t; 4 was; 5 were.

Pairwork

Give students a few minutes to preparequestions they would like to ask their partners.Refer them to the Focus on Grammar box,Workbook, page 9 as an aid. Walk aroundchecking their questions and correctingproblem areas in pronunciation. Once theyhave finished their questions, they can taketurns interviewing each other.

Answers:

4

3

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Peer teaching

In small groups, each student thinksof a similar sentence and reads it totheir classmates. The other studentshelp their classmate with his / herpronunciation, stress and intonation.Remind students how to giveconstructive criticism: I think if yousaid this...; It would be better if yousaid it like this...; This sounds morelike...; Why not try...?

2 Many European countries use a 24-hour clock (military time). Somecountries use a comma (18,30), aperiod (18.30) or an apostrophe(18’30). In English business, we use acolon and the words a.m. or p.m. todistinguish between morning andevening schedules.


1 Students write the questions usingappropriate question words.

2 Play WB CD 3.3. Pause after thecaller speaks. Students write down as much as they can. Replay thelistening again and pause so they canfinish any incomplete sentences.

Group workStudents answer the questionsindividually or in small groups. Thenthey ask the other students similarquestions.

Teacher’s file

Telling the time

Past tense of to be

focus Grammaron

22


unit three

Telling the time

you we werethey

Ihe

wassheit

NegativeFull Form Short Formwere not weren’twas not wasn’t

It is difficult to think of an office activity that is not in one way or another related to time. A secretary or officeworker will have to deal with different time expressions on a day to day basis.

You can also tell the time using the prepositions to andpast.Examples:

• Your seminar begins at 11:45 a.m.Your seminar begins at a quarter to eleven.

• It was 6:40 p.m.It was twenty minutes to seven.

• She starts work at 8:30.She starts work at half past eight.

• Were you in her office at 9:15?Were you in her office at a quarter past nine?

Read the following sentences after yourteacher.

1 The meeting starts at 9:05 a.m.

2 The flight to New Orleans leaves at 11:45 p.m.

3 The Post Office opens at 8:15 a.m.

4 Tell him to meet me at the Institute at 5:30 p.m.

Ask your partner questions about theschedule.

2

1

Rewrite the following sentences in the pasttense.

1 The meeting is at 5:00 p.m.

2 It is at 8:30 a.m.

3 The manager isn’t in his office.

4 The last flight is at 10:30 p.m.

5 They are happy with the new price.

Pairwork

Tell a partner where you were at theweekend.

4

B A AI I9 1 1 1 1 0 0 06 33 M M-DEPT. ARR.

: :

S E S R OI7 1 0 8 5 0 1 02 57 - : :

I B E D DR IA8 3 0 7 3 0 2 02 32 - : :MC A N E CB EUQ5 1 0 4 4 0 2 03 05 - : :

D D A A ..L8 2 1 2 2 0 0 58 23 - : :

A F L Y O R K.N9 0 1 0 3 0 0 59 10 - : :

Example:

What time does the flight to L.A. leave?

What time does the SES 717 arrive in Rio?

Draw a chart in your notebook. Listen tothe speakers and fill out the schedule times.

3.43

Flight number City Gate Time

to Miami 23

Workbook, page 10.


24


unit three

03 - Unidad 3 22/5/06 20:45 Página 24

Play CD 3.5. Students repeat the speaker’spronunciation, intonation and word stress.

Students read the sentences out in pairs orsmall groups. Walk around giving advice onhow to improve pronunciation and intonation.See Teacher’s file.

Students choose 5 words from listening 3.5 inactivity 1 and write sentences that illustratetheir meaning.

Numbers in Maths

Point out that in English, the use of the comma andperiod in numbers might be different to othercountries. Ask students to think how they usecommas and periods in their own language. Theymight check their calculators. Does it use a commaor a decimal point for marking decimals?

Play CD 3.6. Students write the numbersthey hear in their notebooks. (Transcript 3.6,page 122.)

Group work

Students take a few minutes to write a list offive numbers. Then they read them to theothers in their group who write them down intheir notebooks.

Pairwork

A billion represents a one followed by 9 zeros(a thousand million). As an older British usage,a billion used to represent a one followed by12 zeros (one million million).

Student’s do the CD-Rom activities for Unit 3.See Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,page 26.

4

3

2

1

Student’s Book

2 The /ð/ sound is similar to the /ɵ/sound, but it is voiced: the, their, this,those. In small groups, students makea list of words with the /ð/ sound, andanother list of words with the /ɵ/sound. Then students write a tonguetwister combining the two sounds, forexample: They both thought that Bathwasn’t that bad.


3 Students read the paragraph first.Then play WB CD 3.4. Studentscomplete the paragraph with thecorrect information.

PairworkGive students a few minutes to thinkof three questions dealing withtimes, prices or places in the text.

Key VocabularyBills, cents, dimes and quarters are allcurrency in the United States. Notes, penceand pennies are used in Great Britain.

1 Students fill in the blanks with theappropriate verb.

2 Revise the vocabulary in the activityand in the Key Vocabulary box beforethey fill in the sentences.

3 Students match the countries to theircurrencies and then write anaffirmative sentence, a negativesentence and a question.

Group workSet up discussion tables in theclassroom. Students talk in small groupsabout the first question for 5 minutes.Afterwards, all the students move to different tables so that they arespeaking to new groups of students.

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

23


unit three

Let’s focus on…

Pronunciation: the /ɵ/ sound

Listen and repeat.

three thirteenth throw Is that Matthew Thornton?

thirteen fifth Thanksgiving When’s your birthday?

thirty think birthday Thankgiving is a holiday.

three hundred thought truth He wasn’t very enthusiastic about it.

three thousand thing thriller Classes start on Thursday.

thank you twentieth Agatha It’s three hundred and three.

Thursday theater parenthesis Thank you, sir.

thirsty unthinkable Heathrow Airport Could you put me through to Mr. Thiennes?

through Matthew Thornton therapy Have you ever read Agatha Christie?

third enthusiastic thorough The price is three thousand dollars.

Read out the following sentences.

1 The meeting is on Thursday 5th.

2 What do you think about Arthur?

3 This is the third time he has called.

4 The price is $3,333.

5 Thursday is Okay by me. Thank you.

6 Put me through to Mr. Thornton.

2

3.51

Workbook, page 11. Try the CD-Rom activities, Unit 3.

In English it is important to remember:

• Thousands take a comma (,)

4,985 3,900

• Decimals take a dot (.) on the left.

0.75 point seventy five

6.90 six point ninety

Is this the same in your language?

Numbers in Maths

Listen and write the numbers you hearin your notebook.

Group work

Write numbers with thousand and decimals.The group practises saying them.

3.64

Choose 5 words from the listening and write sentences in your notebook.

3

Pairwork

Look up the word “billion” in a gooddictionary. Is there a difference betweenAmerican and British English?

I’ve told you a

billion times not

to exaggerate!

25


unit three

03 - Unidad 3 22/5/06 20:45 Página 25

This article deals with the importance of time andpunctuality in English-speaking countries. Theconcept of “fast-food” was designed because ofcustomers’ constant demand for more promptservice. Many restaurants offer reduced or even freemeals if their home delivery service is late. CommonEnglish quotes about time reflect their importance:“Time is money; Punctuality is the soul of business;Punctuality is politeness.”

Give students a few minutes of class time to rereadthe article. As a large group, discuss the follow-upquestions.

Debate

Divide the class into small groups and assign each aquestion. Give them a few minutes to gather theirideas and reasons to defend them. Then, bring thesmaller groups together as one large group. Eachsmall group puts forward their question and ideas,leading the class discussion. After a few minutes,the next group presents their question.


Describe the role play to the students.Write important information on the board.

Student 1: You are phoning the InformationTechnology Centre and want to talk to theperson in charge of the computer trainingcourses. Find out the dates and costs of thecourses.

Student 2: You are a receptionist at theInformation Technology Centre. Mrs. Hickmanis in charge of the computer training courses.She’s out but has left you information aboutthe courses: starts Aug 22-Oct 14. It costs$750. There is also an application fee. It costs$35.

Students read the following text:

Henry VIII was born in 1491. He was the 2ndson of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Hisreign during the 16th century is oftenovershadowed by his 6 marriages. He wasmarried to Catherine of Aragon from 1509to1533. His second wife, Anne Boleyn wasexecuted for infidelity in May 1536. He marriedJane Seymour who died during childbirth inOctober 1536. In 1540, Henry was marriedtwice, the second being executed for infidelityon 12 March, 1542. Catherine Parr became hislast wife, until his death in 1547.

2

1


Prepare flash cards with the following numbers.Show the numbers to the class one by one. Inturns, students read out the numbers and saywhat they refer to.

1 (001) 652 596363 2 17º C 3 2.5 4 100% 5 IB 754 6 17:35 7 WX8 6JY 8 $70 plus 12%tax 9 C-45736 10 March 21, 2007

1 telephone number (area code);2 temperature; 3 decimal number; 4 percentage;5 flight number; 6 time; 7 post code; 8 price;9 serial number; 10 date.

Answers:

Cultural awareness

24


unit three

Cultural awareness

T i m e

Don’t forget!• Schedules and times: What time does the plane arrive?

It arrives at quarter to nine in the morning.

• Dates and phone numbers: She was born in 1898.

My number is 4-5-double 0- 6.

• Ordinal and cardinal numbers: He was Henry VIII.

It costs $698.

• The past of the verb to be: I was there at 8:00 pm.

They weren’t happy with the estimated cost.

How punctual are you for appointments, dates, school or work? Give reasons for being late.

What is your attitude with respect to deadlines?

Are appointments set in advance usually kept in your country? ?Debate

In your country, is it acceptable to arrive late? In what circumstances? Is it the same for businessand personal appointments? How late is “acceptable”?

The concept of time is an important cultural aspect that is worth noting to avoid

misunderstandings when people from different cultural backgrounds work together.

The attitude of English speakers towards time schedules is usually one of respect.

Time schedules are kept, so if there is a meeting, an interview, or a social event, they

expect it to begin and end at the scheduled time. No matter how much time in advance they

have been arranged, they are supposed to be kept. Consequently it is not necessary to confirm

a meeting or a deadline previously set. Other cultures are far more flexible in this respect.

English speakers plan their activities carefully in advance, so they also expect appointments to be kept.

Therefore, a last minute cancellation is “unthinkable”.

26


unit three

03 - Unidad 3 22/5/06 20:45 Página 26

4Taking and giving messages

unit four

A common situation for secretaries or office workers is to leave messages or take a message andpass it on to someone else.Politeness is very important when taking messages and office workers should know how to askpeople to repeat any information they do not understand politely. In this unit, students will findexamples of common structures used in taking and giving messages.


• What would you do if someone called and your boss was not available?

• What information would you ask for?

• What do you do if you don’t understand the speaker or the message?

• What are crucial elements when taking or giving a message?


unit four

• To listen for important details

• To take notes while listening

• To ask for important information

• To revise the past simple

• To learn vocabulary and expressions used when taking and giving messages

• To practise the different sounds of the past simple -ed suffix

Objectives

25

There are different ways of taking or passing messages on to somebody else, but one thing is clear:you must write them down at the very moment you take them; otherwise, they may never reachthe addressee. Besides, a message is not only the subject itself, other essential parts of it are thenames of the people and companies involved, the date and time and the phone or fax numbers.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To listen for important details• To take notes while listening• To practise pronunciation and intonation• To practise one-on-one conversations with

a partner• To summarise group discussions

Language focus

• Asking polite questions• Object pronouns• Revise the past simple of regular and

irregular verbs• Pronunciation of the past simple• Using common language and structures

used in taking messages

Key vocabulary

& structures

• Passing on messages: He / She wants you to...

• Polite questions: Would it be possible, ShallI... ? Is that all right with you?

• Object pronouns: Take him; Call me; Sendthem...

Business tasks

• Leaving messages with a person or on ananswering machine

• Taking messages and passing on theinformation to a third person

• Using polite questions to ask people theiropinions or to have them do something

• Recognising different English names

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages99, 101 and 104



Book, page 32

04 - Unidad 4 22/5/06 20:49 Página 27

Play CD 4.1, pausing so students canmatch the dialogues to their pictures.

A 3; B 1; C 4; D 2

Students cover the dialogues. Play CD 4.1once all the way through. Students try to writedown as much information as possible.

Play CD 4.1 a second time so they cancomplete their work. See Teacher’s file.

Dialogue A: Paula Kleiner, callback at 737 22 505; Dialogue B: AlanHamilton, he called; Dialogue C: Johnsonand Johnson Ltd, sent the invoice by mail;Dialogue D: Mr. Hutchinson, received thesample.

Focus on Grammar

Quickly revise the past simple (regular and irregularverbs). Remind students that the past tense form isthe same for every subject. Also, examine the useand placement of object pronouns. Refer studentsto the Grammar and language reference, Student’sBook, pages 99-101.

Focus on Grammar activities

The past simple

In groups of three or four, students prepare flashcards with regular and irregular verbs in their baseform. One group shows their cards to anothergroup, who say the past form of the verb in theflash card and make up a sentence with it.

Object pronouns

Write the following sentences on the board.Students, as a large group, identify the verbobject in the sentences. Then, individually, theyreplace the objects with the appropriatepronoun.

1 Mrs. Parker told Lisa to send the fax as soonas possible.

2 Will you give Mr. Hamilton our phonenumber?

3 Could you take Mr. Hamilton and me to theairport?

4 Tell Miss Hobson and Mrs. Robbie I’ll be outof the office tomorrow.

1 Mrs. Parker told her to send thefax as soon as possible. 2 Will you give himour phone number? 3 Could you take us tothe airport? 4 Tell them I’ll be out of the officetomorrow.

Answers:

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

2 Volunteer students read thedialogues instead of playing the CD.The rest of the class takes notes intheir notebooks.


1 Play WB CD 4.1. Pause sostudents can write the informationrequested. (Transcript 4.1, p. 126.)

2 Play WB CD 4.2. Pause sostudents can fill in the messageforms. (Transcript 4.2, p. 127.)

PairworkStudents replace some of theinformation from one of thedialogues in activity 1 to create anew conversation. Give them 5minutes to practise.

Teacher’s file

Listening

The past simple tense

focus Grammaron

26


unit four

Listening

R = Receptionist C = Caller

AR: Miss Jones is out for lunch, madam. Would you like

to leave a message?

C: Could you tell her to ring me back when she gets

back?

R: May I have your name and phone number, please?

C: Paula Kleiner, my phone number is 737 22 505.

BR: Mr. Costner isn’t in, I’m afraid. Can I take a message?

C: Would you tell him I called?

R: Certainly. Your name, please?

C: Alan Hamilton, from Georgia.

CR: The Manager is busy at the moment. May I take a

message?

C: Tell him I sent the invoice by mail, please.

R: Where are you calling from, sir?

C: From Johnson and Johnson Ltd.

DR: Mrs. Moore’s at a meeting now. Do you want to

leave a message, sir?

C: This is Mr. Hutchinson. Tell her I received the samples

she sent me.

R: Sorry, could you spell your name, please?

C: H-U-T-C-H-I-N-S-O-N.

Cover the dialogues. Listen again and writedown the caller’s name and message in yournotebook.

2

Listen to the conversations and match them to the pictures. 4.11

Irregular verbscome camehave hadleave leftring rang say said think thought

Regular verbsaccept acceptedbook bookedcall calledlike likedphone phonedwant wanted


1 2 3 4

Verb + object pronoun

meyouhimheritusyouthem

Call me on Monday.

Give him the phone number.

Send it tomorrow.

Take them to the airport.



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04 - Unidad 4 22/5/06 20:50 Página 28

Students ask polite requests as in the examples.Ask them to put the verb in parentheses intothe past or future form. They can complete thisin pairs, in small groups or as a large group.

Could you tell him I rang? / Couldyou tell him I’ll ring again this afternoon?;Could you tell him I came? / Could you tell himI’ll come again next week?; Could you tell himthat I phoned? / Could you tell him I’ll phoneagain tomorrow?; Could you tell her I bookedthe restaurant? / Could you tell her I’ll book therestaurant next Friday?; Could you tell her Iaccepted the deal? / Could you tell her I’llaccept the deal next week?

Play CD 4.2. Students listen and completethe message about a past action.

Play CD 4.3. Students listen and completethe message about a future action. SeeTeacher’s file.

Revise the structure used in the activity.Play CD 4.4. Students use the information theyhear to report back the messages.

Group work

Based on the structure from the listening,students report messages to the others in theirgroup using the structure model in their books.See Teacher’s file.

Focus on Grammar

(Workbook, p. 13.)Remind students that the past tense form in Englishis the same for all persons. Refer students to theGrammar and language reference, Student’s Book,pages 99-100.

4

3

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

3 Students write the messagesabout future actions in theirnotebooks. Play CD 4.3. Studentscheck their answers.

Group workChain message: Working in groupsof three, students combine all theactivities on the page. Student 1gives student 2 a past or futuremessage. Student 2 relays themessage to the third student usingthe structures they had practisedearlier in the group work activity.


PairworkThis is a revision of the group workactivity in the Student’s Book.Students complete the sentenceswith a suitable verb.

1 Students cover the dialogue. PlayWB CD 4.3. Students write in theirnotebooks the verbs they hear in thepast. (Transcript 4.3, p. 127)

2 Students fill out the exerciseindividually and compare theiranswers in small groups.

3 Students write 6 sentences usingverbs from the grammar box.

Additional practiceStudents omit the verb in thesentences and exchange notebookswith a partner. Students completetheir partner’s sentences. Then theycheck each other’s answers.

Teacher’s file

Giving Messages

27


unit four

Giving messages

Listen and leave a message about afuture action.

Example:

Mr. Clifton is busy at the moment.

• Call back / this afternoon.

Could you tell him I’ll call him back thisafternoon ?

1 ring / tomorrow morning

2 arrange another meeting / next week

3 meet / at the bank at 11:15 a.m.

4 see / the Director / on Friday

5 interview / again next week

6 confirm / the prices

Passing on messages

Messages often take the following structure:Mr. X / wants / you / to do something.

Listen and report back a message.

Example: Miss Lee / the Production Manager /

ring him tomorrow morning.

Miss Lee, the Production Managerwants you to ring him tomorrow morning.

1 Mr. Burrows / the firm lawyer / ring him tomorrow

morning.

2 Dr. Lawrence / Mr. Maugham / arrange another

appointment for next week.

3 Miss Marshall / your husband / meet him at the bank

at 11:15 a.m.

4 Mr. Duffy / Mr. Berkeley / see the Director on Friday.

5 Mrs. Frazier / the Personnel Manager / interview the

applicant again next week.

6 Miss Nicholls / the Chief Buyer / confirm the prices.

4.44

4.33Look at the examples below and askquestions by putting the verb in parenthesesinto the past or future form.

Examples:

• (ring) Could you tell him I rang?Could you tell him I’ll ring again thisafternoon?

• (come)

(come) next week

• (phone)

(phone) tomorrow

• (book)

(book) next Friday

• (accept)

(accept) next week

Listen and leave a message about a pastaction.

Example:

Would you like to leave a message?

• Mr. Clifton / Mr. Harris / call

Tell Mr. Clifton Mr. Harris called, please.

1 Miss Jackson / Mr. Brown / call

2 Mrs. Jones / Mr. Hall / sign the contract

3 him / I / pick up the documents yesterday evening

4 her / Mr. Thomas / leave for Paris this morning

5 Dr. Lane / we / postpone the meeting

6 Mr. Dawson / the lawyer / accept our offer

4.22

1

Workbook, page 13.

Groupwork

Use the information below to pass on messages to your classmates.

The Director

Mr. Lang

The engineer

My boss

wants

wanted

would like

asked

you

the lawyer

the accountant

us

to pick him up.

to set a new date.

to pay the client.

to sign the contract.

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04 - Unidad 4 22/5/06 20:50 Página 29

Focus on Language

Polite questions let us show others we areinterested in their opinion. It makes conversationscivil and courteous. They are sometimes used as apolite form of imperative: Would it be possible tophotocopy these by 2 o’clock? instead ofPhotocopy these by 2 o’clock.

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 107, by copying and translating politequestions from the lesson in their notebooks.

Play CD 4.5. Students listen for thespeakers’ pronunciation and intonation. Howdo polite questions affect the tone of theconversations? See Teacher’s file.

Pairwork

Students put the phrases of the two dialoguesin order with the help of a partner. Then theytake turns reading dialogues with another pairof students to compare their work. SeeTeacher’s file.

1 A: Mr. Drysdale wants to talk to you rightaway, sir.

B: Is he on the line?

A: Yes, sir, he’s waiting.

B: Pass me through to him, please.

2 A: Mr. Dreyfuss wants you to phone him assoon as you get here. Shall I call him back?

B: What is it about?

A: It’s about the balance sheet. He says it’surgent.

B: Yes, call him back, please.

Students make up similar dialogues using politequestions from the Focus on Language box.This activity can be done in pairs or smallgroups. See Teacher’s file.

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Replay CD 4.5. and askcomprehension questions.Dialogue A: Who’s calling? Whatdoes he want? Where will they meet?Dialogue B: Who does the bossneed to speak to first? What do theyneed to talk about?Dialogue C: Who signed the PurchaseOrder this morning? Why can’t theycancel it?Dialogue D: Where does Mr. Stuartwork? What time is it? What timecould they meet?

Pairwork

Dialogue search. Turn this task into agroup activity. Two groups of 4 eachcopy a dialogue onto a sheet of paper.They cut each sentence strip. Eachstudent walks around the classroomlooking for their sentence “partner”.

Then, they search for the othersentence pair in order to form theircomplete dialogue.



1 Answering machines recordoutgoing and incoming messages.Outgoing messages are those yourecord for others to hear when theycall. Play WB CD 4.4. Students listenand read the outgoing messages.(Transcript 4.4, p. 127.)

2 Play WB CD 4.5. Pause aftereach caller speaks. Students writedown as much as they can. Replaythe listening and pause so they canfinish any incomplete information.(Transcript 4.5, p. 127.)

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s practise!

Polite questions

focus Languageon

28


unit four

Let’s practise!

Polite questionsWhen asking somebody to do something it is frequent to add a polite comment or question to confirm the requestor to elicit some kind of answer from the speaker.

S = Secretary B = Boss

AS: Mr. Hamilton is on the line, sir. He’d like you to

attend a meeting in Brussels next Tuesday. Is that all

right with you?

B: Could you check my diary? Am I free on Tuesday

next week?

S: Yes, sir. Tuesday’s fine.

B: O.K. Tell him I’ll be there at 8 o’clock.

BS: Mr. Hussein’s secretary called this morning, sir. Mr.

Hussein wants us to give him a 5% discount on his

last quotation. Do you want me to call him back?

B: Let me talk to the Sales Manager first.

S: Yes, sir. Do you want me to put you through to him?

B: Yes, please.

Listen to the following dialogues. Pay attention to the speakers’ pronunciation and intonation.How do the polite questions affect the tone of the conversations?

4.51

CS: The General Manager called. He wants you to cancel the

Purchase Order he signed this morning. Would that be

possible?

B: I don’t think so. I sent it by fax this morning.

S: Shall I call him back and let him know?

B: No, no, I’ll do it. Pass me through to him, please.

DS: Mr. Stuart is calling from MacPherson’s. He’d like you to

join them for a meeting. Would it be possible?

B: Let’s see. What time is it?

S: It’s ten past twelve, sir.

B: O.K. Tell him I’ll be there in twenty minutes.

Pairwork

Put the following conversations in the correct order.

1 -Pass me through to him, please.

-Is he on the line?

-Yes, sir, he’s waiting.

-Mr. Drysdale wants to talk to you right away, sir.

Make up your own conversations using the phrases in the language box. 2

2 -It’s about the balance sheet. He says it’s urgent.

-What is it about?

-Mr. Dreyfuss wants you to phone him as soon as you get

here. Shall I call him back?

-Yes, call him back, please.

Is that possible? Is that all right with you?Would it be possible? Shall I call him back?Would that be possible? Do you want me to call him/her back?

Workbook, page 14.


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04 - Unidad 4 22/5/06 20:50 Página 30

The pronunciation of the –ed suffix inverbs is very important in English since there ismerely a slight difference between the past andpresent tense of regular verbs. Play CD 4.6 andask students to listen closely to thepronunciation of the final consonant. SeeTeacher’s file.

Group work

Play CD 4.7. Students listen and repeat.Then, in groups of 4, students practise on theirown, taking turns reading the questions andanswers.

Students work in small groups of 3 or 4 andcreate a new dialogue using questions from thegroup work activity. Give them a few minutesto practise. Then they act out their dialogues infront of their classmates.

Keep in mind

Remind students that the interrogative and negativeform of the past simple tense need the auxiliaryverb did. Refer students to the Grammar andlanguage reference, Student’s Book, pages 99 and100.

Keep in mind activities

Write the following sentences on the board.Students turn the sentences into the interrogativeand negative form.

1 I booked the hotel for Mr. Drysdale yesterday.

2 Ms. Hamilton came to see you this morning.

3 The employees wanted a salary raise.

4 They delivered the goods last week.

5 I wrote the report two days ago.

1 Did you book the hotel for Mr.Drysdale? / I didn’t book the hotel for Mr.Drysdale; 2 Did Ms. Hamilton come to see youthis morning? / Ms. Hamilton didn’t come tosee you this morning; 3 Did the employeeswant a salary raise? / The employees didn’twant a salary raise; 4 Did they deliver thegoods last week? / They didn’t deliver thegoods last week; 5 Did you write the reporttwo days ago? / I didn’t write the report twodays ago.


Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Pronunciation of the -s / -essuffix: The pronunciation of the –s /-es suffixes for the present simple hassimilar rules. In groups, studentsclassify the words in the listening intothe following categories: /s/; /z/; /iz/.

/s/: ask, work, laugh,like, rent, interrupt, want; /z/: try,prepare, call, deliver, phone, end,attend, recommend; /iz/ pass, finish,propose.

Additional practiceStudents write 5 sentences in thepast simple, explaining what they didthe day / weekend before. Studentsread their sentences to the class.

Group workFind someone who… Studentstake the sentences they wrote in theactivity above and turn them intoquestions. Then they walk aroundthe class asking the questions to theirpartners. If the answer to thequestion is “yes” they write down his / her name next to the question.They need to write one name downfor each question.

Answers:

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

29


unit four

Let’s focus on…

Pronunciation: the -ed suffix

Listen and repeat.4.61

Groupwork

Now listen to the words used in context. Then, practise the dialogues with your classmates.

A1 Did you pass the call on to Mr. Spencer? I passed it on a few minutes ago, sir.

2 Did he like the new furniture? Yes, he liked it very much.

3 When did you finish? I finished yesterday morning.

4 What did he ask for? He asked for the new price list.

B1 When did they deliver the goods? They delivered them last Friday.

2 Who did you call? I called the Manager.

3 Who did he phone? He phoned the safety equipment supplier.

4 What did she prepare? She prepared the annual budget.

C1 What did they want? They wanted a salary raise.

2 When did it end? It ended last semester.

3 What did you attend? We attended a seminar.

4 What did you rent? I rented a car.

4.7

If the verb ends in sounds suchas: /s/ / f/, /k/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /p/ the ‘-ed’ is pronounced as…

/ t /pass passedask askedwork workedlaugh laughedlike likedfinish finished

Pronunciation of the pastIf the verb ends in vowel soundsor in sounds such as: /z/, /m/, /l/,/r/, /n/ the ‘-ed’ is pronounced as…

/ d /try triedprepare preparedpropose proposedcall calleddeliver deliveredphone phoned

If the verb ends in /d/ or in /t/the ‘-ed’ is pronounced as…

/ id /end endedattend attendedrecomend recommendedrent rentedinterrupt interruptedwant wanted

Keep in mind

The interrogative and the negative form of the past tense

do not use the ‘-ed’ suffix. The verb stays in the infinitive

form and the past is applied to the auxiliary verb.

Invent a short dialogue with yourgroup. Act it out for the rest of theclass.

2


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04 - Unidad 4 22/5/06 20:50 Página 31

This article deals with peculiarities of English names.There are many first names that are unisex. Middlenames or middle initials can be a second first nameor the mother’s maiden name. Many women inEnglish-speaking cultures still take their husband’slast name when they get married. When divorced, awoman can choose to keep her husband’s lastname or take back her maiden name.


Debate

Divide the class into small discussion groups. Givethem a few minutes to discuss the questions. After afew minutes, bring the smaller groups together asone large group. Each small group summarises whatthey discussed and any important points that arose.


Write these messages on the board.Students use the information from themessages to recreate one of theconversations between the receptionistand the caller.

Message 1: To: Brian HallFrom: Harry ScottMessage: The tickets to Berlin are available inhis office. Please call him.

Message 2: To: Debbie MorrisonFrom: Adam SmithMessage: Came to see you. Urgent matter.

Message 3: To: Tim StanfieldFrom: Carlos RomeroMessage: Called at noon. Out till Thursday. E-mail him the results of last month’s inventory.

In pairs, students relay messages to eachother. Student 1 uses verbs like: tell, ask or remind. Student 2 uses expressions like:wants, would like...

(Eg: T: Send the package regular freight.S1: Tell ... to send the package regular freight.S2: ... would like you to send the packageregular freight.)

a) Take her to the airport.b) Deliver the goods by January 1st.c) Sign the contract with the supplier.d) Postpone the meeting until 12:00.e) Set a new date for the presentation.f) E-mail everyone in Personnel.

2

1


Write the following message from CD-Romactivity 2 on the board. In pairs, students try toreconstruct the conversation that led to themessage. Then a volunteer pair performs theconversation in front of the class.

12:30 p.m.

Kevin- James Wood from Limatec called

-can’t make meeting on Thursday

Is Friday morning at 11:30 O.K.?

Cultural awareness

30


unit four

Cultural awareness

In English, it is not always possible toknow the gender of a person from his orher name. This is because there arenames that are used by both men andwomen, for example, Robin, Kelly,Leslie...

A peculiarity of names inEnglish–speaking countries is the initialafter the name of a person. It mayrepresent a middle name, as in Frank L.Taylor (Frank Leonard Taylor) or the

mother’s maiden name such as in JohnF. Kennedy (John Fitzgerald Kennedy).Middle names and initials are verycommon in the US and in fact they aresometimes required for official forms.

When women get married, they droptheir family name (maiden name) andtake on their husband’s family name.However, this is changing. Women nowoften choose to keep their maiden namefor professional or personal reasons.

Don’t forget!• Leaving messages: I’m calling from Hamilton Inc.

• Giving messages: Ask her to call me back when she can.

Tell her we sent the goods by post.

• Asking polite questions:What do you think?

Shall I send them a fax?

• Past simple: Could you tell him I rang?

He cancelled the meeting.

Do you know any names that can be used for both men and women?

What is the tradition in your country in relation to names?

Is the mother’s maiden name represented by an initial? If not, how is it represented? ?Debate

Do women in your country keep their maiden name after they marry? In your opinion, shouldwomen keep their maiden name or not? Do you think this custom is sexist?

Hello, my name’s Robin.

Hi, I’m Robin, too.

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04 - Unidad 4 22/5/06 20:50 Página 32

5Receiving visitors

unit five

Sometimes when receiving visitors, you must act as host / hostess in order to make the visitor feelwelcome and comfortable. You may offer them something to eat or drink as well as strike up apolite conversation. This informal small talk or chit-chat deals with basic, non-personal topics. Inthese situations, intonation and word stress are crucial to make your message clear, sociable andcourteous.In this unit, students will find examples of common structures and topics used in small talk.


• Do you like meeting new people? Why?

• What are some common topics of conversation when first meeting someone?

• Do you find it easy or difficult to start a conversation with someone you’ve just met?

• What should you do when you have to attend to a visitor who’s waiting in your office?

5Receiving visitors

unit five

• To greet visitors

• To give directions

• To learn ways to be hospitable

• To make polite conversation

• To practise sentence stress and intonation

Objectives

31

Office work not only implies being efficient and qualified in specific functions but also beinghelpful and polite when dealing with people, especially visitors.When receiving visitors, the first important step is greeting them and introducing yourself.Sometimes it’s necessary to offer them a seat, or a cup of coffee. And many times, visitorsneed accurate directions to find their way around the office. Finally, small talk also plays animportant role: short conversations about the flight, the weather or other common topics thatputs the visitor at ease.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To listen for important details• To start and lead a conversation with

visitors• To practise pronunciation, intonation and

sentence stress

Language focus

• Using common language and structures forsmall talk

• Giving directions around the office• Sentence intonation and word stress

Key vocabulary

& structures

• Greetings: How do you do? Nice to meetyou. May I take your coat?

• Small talk: How was your flight? What wasthe weather like when you left? What’syour hotel like?

• Prepositions of place: near, behind, in frontof, next to, opposite, between

Business tasks

• Starting and leading simple informalconversations (small talk)

• Recognising the greeting customs ofdifferent cultures

• Respecting the concepts of personal spacein different cultures

• Reception tasks: guiding a visitor aroundthe office

Additional material

• Glossary, pages 107 and 108• Workbook pages 15, 16 and 17• CD-Rom, Unit 5• Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,


Book, page 38

05 - Unidad 5 22/5/06 20:51 Página 33

Play CD 5.1, pausing if necessary sostudents can match the dialogues to thepictures.

A 2; B 3; C 4; D 1

Key Vocabulary

When greeting, it is customary to repeat the samegreeting as the person speaking: How do you do? /How do you do?; It’s nice to meet you. / (It’s) niceto meet you. As an office worker, you shouldalways use the more formal version even if thevisitor uses a more informal one. Quickly revise theexample phrases in the Key Vocabulary box.Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, pages107-108, by copying and translatingthe words from the lesson in their notebooks.

Key Vocabulary activities

Write the following information on different strips ofpaper and make copies for each student in theclassroom:

Mr. Parker, client, formal; Miss Hudson, head ofdepartment, informal but polite; Mrs. Lee,receptionist, formal; Mr. Hamilton, visitor, informal

In groups, students role play different greetingsaccording to the information they have on theirstrips of paper.

Students cover the dialogues. Replay CD 5.1, pausing after each dialogue. Did theyuse formal or informal greetings?

Dialogue A: formal; Dialogue B:informal (visitor); formal (secretary); DialogueC: informal; Dialogue 4: informal.

Pairwork

Students choose one of the dialogues and actit out in front of the class. Give them a fewminutes to practise the dialogue if necessary.See Teacher’s file.

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Listening

32

5Receiving visitors

unit five

Listening

Listen to the following dialogues andmatch them to the correct pictures. Nowname the characters in each scene.

V = Visitor S = Secretary M = Mr. Norton

AV: Good morning. My name’s Richard Dale.

S: Mr. Dale? How do you do? I’m Mr. Jensen’s secretary.

V: How do you do?

S: Could you wait a few seconds, please? I’ll tell Mr.

Jensen you’re here.

BV: Good morning. I’m Marcelo Simone. I have an

appointment with Mr. Norton.

S: It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Simone. I’m Mr.

Norton’s secretary.

V: Nice to meet you, too.

S: Come on in, please. Mr. Norton, this is Mr. Simone.

M: How do you do?

V: How do you do?

CV: Good afternoon. I’m Pamela Harrison. I have an

appointment with Mr. Hall.

S: Good afternoon, Miss Harrison. Mr Hall will see you

in a minute. Can I take your coat?

V: Yes, please. Thank you.

5.11 DV: Good morning. I’m Paul Fitzgerald. Mr. Hall is

waiting for me.

S: I’m afraid Mr Hall is in a meeting at this moment,

but it won’t take long. Take a seat, please.

V: Thank you.

S: Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?

V: I’d love one! Thank you.

Cover the dialogues and listen again. Havethey used formal or informal greetings?

Pairwork


2

Workbook, page 15.

Formal greetings

KEY VOCABULARY

How do you do?I’m delighted to meet you.I’m (very pleased to meet you.It’s (very) nice to meet you.It’s (very) good to meet you.

Informal greetingsPleased / Nice / Good to meet you.HelloHi

IntroductionsI’m Mary Simpson.My name’s Mary Simpson.

1 2 3 4

Glossary, page 107.

34

5Receiving visitors

unit five

Student’s Book

Pairwork Students can change the names andlanguage used in the dialogue chosenfor a more informal or formal style.


1 Students write the correctresponse to the greetings. Play WBCD 5.1. so students can check theiranswers. (Transcript 5.1, p. 127.)


2 Students match the questions andanswers.

Additional practiceStudents complete the task in pairs.They take turns asking a question andsearching for an answer that matches.

3 Play WB CD 5.2. Students readthe questions first so they know whatinformation to listen for. Play the firstdialogue all the way through andpause. Students answer as manyquestions as possible. Play the seconddialogue. Students answer thequestions for the second dialogue.

Replay WB CD 5.2, pausing toallow students time to checkincorrect or unfinished answers.(Transcript 5.2, p. 127.)

e

Teacher’s file

05 - Unidad 5 22/5/06 20:51 Página 34

Key Vocabulary

Small talk is a light informal conversation you mighthave with a client or visitor. The topics can bevaried, but not personal: offering refreshments,talking about the trip, accommodation or theweather. To avoid any possible misunderstandings,never invite conversation about politics, religion orstereotypical cultural differences. Students canpersonalise the Glossary, Student’s Book, page 108,by copying and translating the words from thelesson in their notebooks.

Play CD 5.2. Students listen to thequestions and choose the answer they hear.

1 A cup of tea, please; 2 A cup of coffee for me, please with a dash of milk; 3 Only if it’s not too much trouble for you; 4 I’d love one; 5 No, thank you.

Play CD 5.3. Students listen to thespeakers’ intonation and pronunciation. PlayCD 5.3 again. Students repeat what they hear.See Teacher’s file.

Pairwork

Using the structure of the listening, studentsreplace the information highlighted in bluefrom the dialogue with the phrases in the KeyVocabulary boxes.

S: How do you do, Miss Lane? Didyou have a good trip?; V: Too long, I’m afraid;S: Was it a direct flight?; V: No, it stopped inBrussels.

Revise the basic prepositions in the illustrations.Students imagine they work at a reception deskin the building they are in. They have to tellvisitors how to get to certain places.

3e

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

2 Divide the class into two groups.Replay CD 5.3 and pause after eachspeaker. One group repeats thesecretary’s dialogue and the othergroup repeats the visitor’s dialogue.Then students choose a partner fromtheir opposite group and practisetheir roles without the CD.



1 Play WB CD 5.3. Students payattention to the speakers’ intonationand pronunciation. Give them a fewminutes afterwards to practise with a

partner. Walk around the classcorrecting problem areas inpronunciation.

Key Vocabulary You’re welcome is more common inAmerican English. Not at all is commonin British English. Don’t mention it isinformal.

2 Students answer the questionsaccording to the floor plans on thepage. This task can be completedindividually or in pairs.


Additional practiceIn pairs, students’ take turns askingfor other places on the floor plans.

e

e

Teacher’s file

Speaking

Offering

KEY VOCABULARY

33

5Receiving visitors

unit five

Speaking

Listen and select the answer from below.

A cup of coffee for me, please.

With a dash of milk. A cup of tea, please.

No, thank you. I’d love one.

Only if it’s not too much trouble for you.

1 What would you like to drink?

2 May I offer you something to drink?

3 How about a cup of tea while you wait?

4 Would you like a cup of coffee?

5 Can I get you something to drink?

5.21

Small talk

Offering

Listen to the conversation. Pay attentionto the pronunciation and intonation.

S = Secretary V = Visitor

S: How do you do, Miss Lane? How was the flight?

V: Fine.

S: Was it a direct flight?

V: Yes, I usually travel direct.

Pairwork

Substitute the phrases in blue above withquestions and answers from below. Then,practice with a partner.

Did you have a good trip?

How long did it take you to get here?

About two and a half hours. I usually like flying.

Too long, I’m afraid. No, it stopped in Brussels.

Look at the pictures. Then say where to findplaces in the building you are in now.Example: The bathroom is next to the classroom

3

5.32

Flights

Around the building

After greetings and introductions, start short conversations with visitors. The topics should be of general interest,nothing too personal. You can offer something to eat or drink, talk about the trip, accommodation, the weather, etc.

Workbook, page 16.

May I ...take your coat? ...help you?...offer you something?

Can I get you something?Would you like a… ?What would you like to… ?How about a… ?

FlightsHow was the flight?It was fine. / rather long. / too long as usual.There was an awful thunderstorm.There was a very long stop in...I had to change planes twice.The flight was delayed.

behind next to

betweenin front ofopposite

near

Glossary, page 108.

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Play CD 5.4 and ask: Where do you thinkthe visitors come from?

Dialogue A: sunny, windybut cold (Spain in the winter); Dialogue B:very cold in the winter, snows a lot (NorthernEurope, Canada...)

Students put the dialogue in order. Then theycompare their work with a partner and practisethe dialogue together.

Where are you staying? / At theMichelangelo’s. / Is it far from here? / It’s veryfar from here actually. It’s downtown. / Andwhat’s it like? / It’s very comfortable. / Do youhave everything you need? / Yes, I think so. Theroom service is very good.

Pairwork

Students use the picture and dialogue cues tocreate their own conversation. Then they taketurns reading their dialogues to another pair ofstudents. See Teacher’s file.

What’s the weather / hotel like?

A common conversational phrase we use duringsmall talk is the structure: What is / was ... like? Theanswers that appear in the language boxes areoften used to describe hotels or the weather.

Small talk

Students create a short “small talk”conversation using some of the phrases thatappear on Student’s Book, pages 33 and 34.Give them a few minutes to practise and thenpresent their conversations to their classmates.After each, ask the rest of the class a couple ofcomprehensive questions: Where is the visitorfrom? What is / was the weather like? What isthe visitor’s hotel like?

Group work

Play CD 5.5. Pause after each speaker sostudents have time to write their answers intheir notebooks. Replay CD 5.5, pausing sovolunteers can read their answers to the class.

e

Answers:

2

Sample answers:

1

Student’s Book



1 Play WB CD 5.4, pausing aftereach question. Students answer thequestions. Repeat WB CD 5.4 andpause so that volunteers can readtheir answers. (Transcript 5.4, p. 128.)

2 Students write questions for theanswers in the activity. This can becompleted individually, in pairs or insmall groups.

3 Play WB CD 5.4 all the waythrough without pausing. Repeat therecording again if necessary. Studentswrite four questions about thedialogue. Then in small groups, theytake turns asking and answeringeach others’ questions. (Transcript 5.5, p. 128.)

Pairwork Students recreate the dialogue.

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s practise!

What is the weather like...in spring / summer?cold and cloudy / pretty warm.

rainy / wet and humid.

hot during the day, cool in the evening

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Let’s practise!

The weather Talking about countries

Listen to the following conversations.Where are the visitors from?


AS: And what was the weather like when you left?

V: Sunny, but windy.

S: Was it cold?

V: Yes, a bit colder than here.

BS: Are you in mid winter there?

V: Yes. And this winter has been extremely cold.

S: Does it snow?

V: Quite a lot!

The hotel

Put the sentences in order. Then checkyour dialogue with a partner.

a Where are you staying?

b Yes, I think so. The room service is very good.

c It’s very far from here actually. It’s downtown.

d Is it far from here?

e At the Michelangelo’s.

f It’s very comfortable.

g And what is it like?

h Do you have everything you need?

2

5.41

Workbook, page 17.

Pairwork

Read the questions below. Then, in pairs, createa dialogue by choosing from the visitor’s replies.

What is the hotel like?

It’s a bit too noisy. It’s overlooking a beautiful park.

The rooms are nice and comfortable.

The food is really great.

There are plenty of facilities.

It has everything I need.

It’s too far from downtown.

Visitor

No, this is my first visit here.

It’s beautiful. I like the weather and it’s the largest city in

Australia.

Only for a couple of days.

From Sydney.

No, it isn’t. I was here in 2003.

They are very friendly. They like sports and outdoor life.

Group work

Listen to the speakers and answer them inyour notebook. Check with the recording.

5.5

What was the weather like when you left?getting cold / about to snow / cold as usual raining heavily / nice and bright / fairly mild

Which part of Australia are you from?

What is it like?

And what about the people?

How long are you going to be here?

Is this your first visit to Spain?

Have you ever been to Granada before?

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The correct sentence stress makes yourideas clearer to the listener. Names, verbs orthe last word of the sentence are usuallystressed. Play CD 5.6 and ask students to listenclosely to the intonation of the sentences. SeeTeacher’s file.

Play CD 5.7. Students listen to the stressand intonation of the sentences. Repeat thelistening more than once if necessary. Studentscan complete this task either individually, inpairs or in small groups.

1 I’m Maureen. How do you do? /How do you do?; 2 Nice to meet you / Nice tomeet you, too; 3 Can I take your coat? / Yes,please; 4 What would you like to drink? / Acup of coffee, please; 5 Can I get yousomething to drink? / Only if it’s not too muchtrouble; 6 How was the flight? / Fine, thankyou; 7 Where are you from? / From Salzburg;8 What is it like? / It’s a beautiful city; 9 Whereare you staying? / At the Plaza’s; 10 Are youplanning to stay here long? / No, I’m leavingtomorrow.

Pairwork

Play CD 5.8. Students listen and say thewords that are stressed. Then they practise inpairs, taking turns reading the questions withthe correct word stress and intonation.See Teacher’s file.

1 come 2 Excuse; Manager’s3 season; city 4 Pamela; do? 5 country; year6 coffee


Answers:

Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Word stress: Ask students to draw 3 columns in their notebooks andwrite the following headings: Stresson 1st syllable; Stress on innersyllable; Stress on last syllable

Read the list of words below. Studentslisten carefully to the stress withinindividual words and place the wordsunder the appropriate heading.

You can provide students with thefollowing words as an example:thousand (1st syllable); departure (innersyllable); seventeen (last syllable)

PairworkAs an extension activity, students cancreate a short dialogue with thequestions in the activity byrearranging their order and makingup answers for them. They practisetheir dialogue for a few minutes andread it to another pair of students.

7 eighteenth9 thirty 11 seventy 13 eleventh 15 available 17 twentieth 19 minutes

8 thirtieth 10 thirteen12 century 14 arrival 16 schedule 18 application 20 kilometers

1 thousand3 departure 5 fortieth

2 seventeen4 manager6 decimals

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

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5Receiving visitors

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Let’s focus on…

Stress and Intonation

The production and understanding of a foreign language not only implies the correct pronunciation of the soundsbut also the correct stress and intonation of words and sentences. Sentence stress refers to special emphasis given tocertain syllables within the sentence.

Listen to the following conversations.Pay attention to the pronunciation andsentence stress.


A

V: Good morning. I’m Alexis Mouskuori. How do you do?

S: How do you do?

B

V: My name’s Harold Hackman, from Montreal.

S: Mr. Hackman. Nice to meet you.

V: Nice to meet you, too.

C

V: Good morning. I’m Patricia Nichols.

S: Miss Nichols. Oh, we’ve talked on the phone so

many times. Pleased to meet you. l’m Sarah Lee.

V: Pleased to meet you too, Miss Lee.

5.61 Listen to the stress and intonation ofthese sentences. Write the stressed words inyour notebook.

1 I’m Maureen. How do you do?

How do you do?

2 Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

3 Can I take your coat?

Yes, please.

4 What would you like to drink?

A cup of coffee, please.

5 Can I get you something to drink?

Only if it’s not too much trouble.

6 How was the flight?

Fine, thank you.

7 Where are you from?

From Salzburg.

8 What is it like?

It’s a beautiful city.

9 Where are you staying?

At the Plaza’s.

10 Are you planning to stay here long?

No, I’m leaving tomorrow.

5.72

Pairwork

Listen and say the stressed words in the questions. Practise asking and answering them with apartner.

a Where do you come from?

b Excuse me. Where’s the General Manager’s office?

c What’s the best season to visit your city?

5.8

d I’m Pamela. How do you do?

e What is your country like at this time of the year?

f Would you like a cup of coffee?


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This article deals with greeting customs in differentcountries. Many European, Latin American andArabian countries kiss on the cheek when greeting.These countries also tend to have a concept ofpersonal space that is much closer than that ofEnglish-speaking countries.

Personal space deals with that physical area a personconsiders his / her territory. It is the distance atwhich one feels comfortable when talking to otherpeople. Too great a distance may be considered“cold” and being too close to the person may beconsidered “rude” This amount of space dependson culture, but it may also depend on the person’sposition in society. The higher the position, thelarger space it demands. English speakers usuallystand at a greater distance when speaking than, forexample, Arabs or Latin Americans.

Give students a few minutes of class time to reread thearticle. As a large group, discuss the follow-up questions.

Survey

Divide the class into pairs or small groups. They lookup other countries on the Internet and then summarisewhat they have found with their classmates.


Students role-play talking to a foreignvisitor. Describe their roles and writeimportant information as cues for themeither on the board or on sheets of paper.

Student 1: You are a visitor from abroad.Think of your name, nationality, job title, andthe hotel you are staying at.

Student 2: Introduce yourself and others in thecompany. Make small talk as your visitor waitsto enter a meeting. Talk about the weather,flights or hotels.

Make up a conversation putting intopractice what you have learned. Be politeand helpful. Take turns talking about oneof the following topics.

a)A foreign country or city you are familiar with

b) The weather

c) A book you read / A film you saw

d) Vacations and holidays

2

1


Ask students the following questions about theconversation in the CD-Rom activities:

1 Who is Mr. Duncan?

2 Who is Kara Thompson?

3 Why is Mr. Duncan in the office?

4 What places do they mention in theirconversation?

5 Name two topics from the conversation

6 Are they from the same country?

7 Is the conversation formal or informal?Explain your answer.

a visitor; 2 a secretary; 3 He wantsto talk business; 4 Wales, Brighton, Sydney,Brisbane, Australia; 5 the weather, where theywere born, where they live now and holidays; 6 No, they aren’t. She is from Australia and he isfrom Wales; 7 informal, but courteous.

Answers:

Cultural awareness

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5Receiving visitors

unit five

Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• Greeting visitors: How do you do?

It’s nice to meet you.

• Being hospitable: Would you like a cup of coffee?

Can I take your coat?

• Making polite conversation: How was your flight?

What’s the weather like there?

What is your hotel like?

Are you planning to go sightseeing?

How do people greet each other in your country?

Is it different in work situations?

Are there any differences between men and women when greeting?

In what country do people kiss on the mouth when greeting each other??Survey

In pairs or small groups, choose a country and find out how people greet each other there.

When meeting and greeting people we generallyuse certain fixed expressions that go with certaingestures, such as shaking hands or kissing. SomeEuropeans, for example, kiss on both cheekswhen they meet. Brazilians kiss three times and insome other Latin American countries peopleusually kiss on one cheek when they meet. InEnglish-speaking countries people shake handsonly when they meet for the first time, and theydon’t usually kiss when they greet.

Meeting andgreeting

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6Forms, envelopes and letters

unit six

Common office tasks include filling in forms, addressing envelopes and writing letters and e-mails. In this unit, students will learn how to write clear and concise letters using common letterstructure, as well as standard business-letter formats and envelope-addressing styles. They will alsolearn how to fill in application forms correctly.


• Do you write letters?

• What type of letters do you usually write?

• Have you ever written a business letter? What was it for?

• What did you have to keep in mind when writing the letter? (style, tone, neatness...)


unit six

• To fill in forms

• To address envelopes

• To write business letters

• To distinguish between American and British English

• To learn some abbreviations used in business English

• To focus on punctuation: the period in abbreviations

Objectives

37

A large part of office work involves written communications. Some of these writing activitiesinvolve filling in forms, addressing envelopes and writing letters. The purpose of filling in formsis to provide information for companies and institutions in an orderly and easy-to-read format.Letters should always be as clear and simple as possible.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To read for important details• To organise the information of a letter

correctly• To interpret style and tone of a letter• To practise letter-writing

Language focus

• Using common language and structuresused in letter-writing

• Abbreviations in formal and informalwriting

• Formal and informal salutations andclosings

Key vocabulary

& structures

• Forename, surname, marital status• Thank you for your letter..., We would be

grateful...• Messrs., Av., Ms.

Business tasks

• Recognise parts of a letter: salutation; linesof reference, purpose and closing

• Know how to fill in a form correctly• Formal and informal writing styles • Address envelopes correctly• Use appropriate abbreviations

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, page 105

• Glossary, pages 108 and 109• Workbook, pages 18, 19 and 20• CD-Rom, Unit 6• Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,


Book, page 44

06 - Unidad 6 22/5/06 20:53 Página 39

Business letters use short and direct sentences andfollow a standard format.

Essential parts must appear in a standard businessletter. Addresses and dates always appear in thesame place, giving business letters a standardformat that is easy to read.

The sender’s address is either on the top right-hand corner or centred.

The date is written under the sender’s address andmay be expressed in different ways. (See Britishversus American English, Student’s Book, page 40.)

The inside address includes either the name of theaddressee or his / her position or both if you knowthem.

Optional parts like the reference or subject lines,copy notations or the initials of the typist appear onmore formal corporate letters.

A reference refers back to a previous letter, fax,quotation, order No. or file this letter is answering.

A subject line describes the theme or subject ofthe letter. It is very short and concise.

Copy notations include the names of people whowill receive a copy of the letter.

Typist’s initials include the initials of the person whosigns the letter (in capitals) and the person who typedit (in small case letters). If the letter is accompanyingany enclosures, we include this information directlyafter these initials. For example: KW / pa

Enclosures: 2

Examine the different parts of the letter. Thenstudents answer the questions as a group.

1 Ken Wood (The Sales Manager);2 air conditioning systems; 3 Martin Elliot andLuisa Talbot; 4 p.a. (Ken Wood’s secretary).

Salutations and closings

The salutation is the way you greet the person youare writing to. A formal style addresses them as Siror Madam. A polite yet less formal style uses theperson’s actual name (Dear Mr. or Ms. Smith,). Thisstyle is not necessarily considered informal, but it iscommon in business when we wish to give ourreader a certain sense of “closeness” to thecompany.

The closing is what most reflects the letter’s overallstyle. Less formal closings try to end the letter on amore “personal” note; whereas formal closingsstress you are ready to do business. For this reason,the more personal style of informal closings wouldnot be appropriate when we do not know theperson we are writing to.

Answers:

1

Workbook, page 18

Addressing envelopes

Examine the essential and optionalparts of the envelopes with the class.Call their attention to the differences inAmerican and British styles.

• When we address a businessenvelope, we must be sure toinclude all the necessary informationall on the same side of the envelope.They must never be hand-writtenand should follow the same style orfont as the actual letter. All essentialparts must be included. The optionalparts are information for the postalworkers or the receptionists handlingthe office mail.

• Different countries have differentstyles of writing their addresses. It isbest to copy the address as it appearson their website or previous letter. In

order to understand these addressesbetter, it is best to recognise certaincharacteristics. The last line ofAmerican addresses includes the city,a two-letter abbreviation of the stateand a 5 to 9-digit zip code (SanDiego, CA 91122). British addressesinclude the city and a postal codethat includes letters and numbers(Oxford OX1 1DZ).

Additional practiceAddresses: There are many Internetsites that allow you to look up worldpostal codes. Assign differentcountries to groups or pairs ofstudents. They look up examplepostal codes for different countriesand write imaginary addresses forthem.

Teacher’s file

Writing letters

38


unit six

Writing letters

Salutations and closings

The salutation is the way you greet the person you are writing to. There are two styles, formal or informal. The mostcommon punctuation style is with a comma (, ); but many American companies still use the colon (:).Formal salutation: Less formal salutation:Dear Sir, / Madam, Dear Sir: / Madam: (Am.) Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Miss Morris, Dear Mr. / Miss Stanfield:

• When writing to a company in general, use: Dear Sir or Madam followed by (,) or (:).

• Close your letter in the same style you used in the salutation:Formal closing:Yours sincerely, (addressee’s name is known)Yours faithfully, (addressee’s name is not known)

Workbook, page 18.

Business English letters are usually brief and precise. The purpose is clearly stated and there is no room forirrelevant information. Though there are different types of letters (applications, orders, circulars, letters of complaint,letters of request) they all look alike because their form or layout contains similar parts.

Read the letter and answer the following questions in your notebook.

1 Who signed this letter?

3 Who has a copy of this letter?

12 What is this letter about?

4 Who typed up this letter?

Less formal closing:Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Kind regards,Cordial wishes, Best regards,

501 Oak DriveWashington, DC 22063

Sept. 24, 2006Your Ref.:

Our Ref.:

Home Services Inc.19, Henderson St.Detroit, Michigan, 31720

Dear sir or madam:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Best regards,

CC:Martin ElliotLuisa Talbot Ken Wood

Sales Manager

KW/pa

Air-conditioning systems

ESSENTIALPARTS

a Printed letter-head,sender’s address

e Body (content: i.e. purposeand details)

bDate

c Inside address(name / job title)company namestreet addresscity, state / province, postal code

f Closing

gSignature

i Job title

dSalutation

hWriter’s name

OPTIONALPARTS

2 Reference

1 Subject line

3 Copy notation

4 Typist’s initials

40


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06 - Unidad 6 22/5/06 20:53 Página 40

Focus on Language

The body of the letter is the main part of theletter. It usually starts with a reference line if theletter is answering some previous correspondence.Otherwise, it would just start with a purpose line.Finally, all letters have a closing sentence. Presentcontinuous is often considered less formal style.Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, pages 108-109 by copying and translatingthe words from the lesson in their notebooks.

Students compare the salutations and closingsto see if they are both in formal or informalstyle. See Teacher’s file.

1 less formal salutation and formalclosing; 2 formal salutation and less formalclosing; 3 formal salutation and closing; 4 informal salutation and formal closing; 5 formal salutation and informal closing; 6 formal salutation and closing; 7 informalsalutation and closing; 8 formal salutation and informal closing.

Students correct the salutations and closingswhich are wrong.

1 Dear Sir, / Yours sincerelyOR Dear Mr. Wells, / Best regards; 2 Gentlemen:/ Yours faithfully OR Dear Mr. / Kind regards; 3 correct; 4 Dear Sir or Madam / Yours sincerelyOR The Finance Manager / Cordial wishes; 5 Messrs. Jones & Co., / Yours sincerely OR DearMr. Jones & Co., / Sincerely; 6 correct; 7 correct;8 Madam: / Yours sincerely OR Dear Mrs. / Miss /Ms., / Yours truly.

Group work

Students correct the mistakes in small groups.

1 Dear Mrs. Smith; 2 April 10,2006 or 10 April, 2006; 3 Lewis and Co., 13West Road, Bristol BR 3 8HG; 4 Messrs. Sinclairand Hughes (UK) / Sinclair and Hughes (US); 5 Mr. Keith Morgan; Sales Manager; 2 ElmStreet; Santa Barbara, CA 93106

Answers:

Sample answers:

Answers:

2e

Student’s Book

2 Students choose one of thesalutation / closing pairs and write aletter for it. They need to make surethe body of the letter also matchesthe formal or informal style of thesalutation and closing.

Additional practicePeer teaching: Students exchangethe letters and evaluate their style. Isit formal or informal? Does it matchthe style of the salutation / closingpair? Remind students how to giveconstructive criticism: I think if youwrote this…, Do you think this is tooinformal?, why not try…?



Business envelopes and letters

1 Students organise the informationand use it to address the envelopescorrectly.


2 Students read the advertisement andwrite a letter of application on aseparate sheet of paper. They needto request an application form and ajob interview.

e

e

Teacher’s file

Writing letters

39


unit six

The body of the letter

The body of the letter is the main content. It may start with a reference to another letter or fax previously receivedor sent. Then it must include a statement of purpose of the present letter. Finally, it usually includes closing lines toexpress a more personal wish or comment related to the aim of the letter.

Say if these salutations and closings match.Correct those which are wrong.

1 Dear Mr. Wells, / Yours sincerely

2 Gentlemen: / Best regards

3 Dear Sir or Madam: / Kind regards

4 The Finance Manager, / Yours sincerely

5 Messrs. Jones & Co., / Sincerely

6 Dear Sir, / Yours faithfully

7 Dear Ms. Black: / Cordial wishes

8 Madam: / Yours truly

2

Workbook, page 19.

Group work

In small groups, identify the mistake in each sentence. Then, individually, write the corrections inyour notebook.

1 Dear Mrs.

2 April the 10, 2006

3 Lewis and Co., West Road 13, Bristol BR3 8HG.

4 Sirs. Sinclair and Hughes.

5 Sales Manager

Mr. Keith Morgan

2 Elm Street

Santa Barbara

CA 93106

Common phrases

ReferenceThank you for your letter of June 16th.We refer to your fax dated... With reference to your letter dated...

PurposeI am writing to apply for the vacancy of... We would like to order the following items...

ClosingI / We would be very grateful ... to receive a trialorder.I / We look forward to hearing from you. I’m looking forward to... (informal)


focus Languageon

41


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Students look at the form and answer thequestions. Discuss the different sections on theform with the class: name, sex and age, maritalstatus, addresses (permanent and temporary)and work (profession, present position...). SeeTeacher’s file.

1 In the USA; 2 He’s not workingat present; 3 No, he’s single; 4 He’s 21 yearsold; 5 September; 6 He’s got a phone / fax.

Key Vocabulary

Revise the differences between British andAmerican styles. American dates have the monthfollowed by the day in ordinal numbers. Britishdates have the day first and then the month. Theday is written in cardinal numbers, although it isalways read as an ordinal number followed by thepreposition of. American business salutations use acolon and British salutations use a comma. Whenreferring to names, Americans have a first name,middle name and last name or surname. The Britishhave a forename or Christian name and a surname.Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 109 by copying and translating thewords from the lesson in their notebooks.

Pairwork

Students practise writing and saying the datesin American and British style. Remind themthat even though the British style writes thecardinal number, it is still read as an ordinalnumber.

(American dates shown first) 1 January 30th, 1993; 30 January, 1993;2 September 5th, 1994; 5 September 1994;3 July 21st, 1992; 21 July 1992; 4 April 23rd,2003; 23 April 2003; 5 February 9th, 2000; 9February 2000; 6 March 10th, 2010; 10 March2010; 7 December 8th, 2005; 8 December2005; 8 October 4th, 2001; 4 October 2001.

Answers:

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Download different types of formsfrom the Internet. Ask students whatthe different forms are for (creditcard application, universityapplication, seminar application, jobapplication...).


Filling in forms 1 Students write what section the

information belongs to.

PairworkIn pairs, they take turns asking eachother information in order to fill intheir partner’s form: What’s your firstname? Where were you born? Couldyou spell that, please?


Teacher’s file

Filling in forms

British versus American English

KEY VOCABULARY

40


unit six

Filling in forms

Form-filling

Workbook, page 20.

There are some similarities and some differences in Americanand British letter-writing and form-filling styles.

USA BritishLetters February 4th, 2006 4th February, 2006

Dear Sir: Dear Sir,Forms 2-4-2005 4-2-2005

2/4/2005 4/2/20054 Feb., 2005

first name forename / christian namelast name surnamefull name (forename + surname)maiden name (woman’s surname before marrying)

The purpose of filling in forms is to provide information for companies, agencies and institutions in an orderly andeasy-to-read format.

Look at the form andanswer the questions.

1 Is Mr. James in the USA

or in Great Britain?

2 What is his current job?

3 Is he married?

4 How old is he?

5 What month is his

birthday?

6 What kind of phone has

he got at home?

1NAMES

WORK

ADDRESSES

SEX & AGE

MARITALSTATUS

Pairwork

Write these dates in Americanand British style. Then practisereading them to your partner.

Example: 17/8/2006

August 17th,2006 (Am.)17 August 2006 (Br.)

1 30/1/93

2 5/9/94

3 21/7/92

4 23/4/03

5 9/2/2000

6 10/3/2010

7 8/12/05

8 4/10/01

First name Richard

Surname James

Sex Male Date of Birth 9-2-85Place of Birth Platteville, Wisconsin, USA

Married Single Divorced Widowed

Permanent 1540 King Street; Janesburg, WI 53548TemporaryWork

e-mail

Profession Electrician Occupation

Present Position Unemployed

Tel. No. 754-5978 Fax No. 754-5978

Signature Date 25-10-2006

Glossary, page 109.

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PunctuationRemind students of the need to use periods whenusing common abbreviations. Some abbreviations,like states in American addresses, no longer use aperiod.

Students find the words that can be shortened.They can complete this task in small groups orin pairs. See Teacher’s file.

Mr. Thomas Moore; Oil Ltd. Co.; 12N. East Rd.; Quad Blvd; Stratford, VA 54452.

Dr. Henry Burns; 705 West Avenue; Apple Sq.;Athens, VA 01994.

Students create lists of abbreviations they findin an English dictionary. In pairs or smallgroups, students read the abbreviations theyfound. The others write the abbreviations intheir notebooks. As a large group, studentsshare some of the more interesting orimportant abbreviations they came up with.See Teacher’s file.

List of common abbreviations

Letters and correspondence: eg. (exempligratia / for example); f.o.a. (for the attentionof); fyi (for your information); i.e. (id est / thatis); inc. (included); n/a (not applicable); re(regarding); ref. (reference)

In the office: admin. (administration); AGM(Annual General Meeting); CEO (ChiefExecutive Officer); assoc. (association); exec.(executive); hdw (hardware); H.Q.(headquarters); Man. Dir. (Managing Director);pt-tm (part-time); R&D (Research andDevelopment); rep. (representative); WP(Word Processor); HoD (Head of department).

Finance and banking: a/c (current account);f.o.t. (free of tax); GDP (Gross DomesticProduct); B/P (Bills Payable); B/S (Bills of sale);c.o.d (cash on delivery); f.o.c. (free of charge);S/R (Sale or Return); t.b.a. (to be arranged);VAT (Valued Added tax).

Deliveries: C/O (Certificate of Origin); d/o(delivery order); ETA (Estimated Time ofArrival); ToD (Time of Delivery); mdse(merchandise); p&p (postage and packing);p.p.i. (parcel post insured); gtd (guaranteed).

Students do the CD-Rom activities for Unit 6.See Optional CD-Rom Review, Teacher’s Book,page 44.

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Students complete the letter to Mr.Thomas Moore. They must think ofappropriate reference, purpose andclosing lines.

2 Prepare some flash cards with anabbreviation on one side and theword that can be abbreviated onthe other. Show the flash cards tothe class one by one. If the flashcard has an abbreviation, studentssay the full word. If the flash card

shows a full word, students say theabbreviation.This activity can be reused later to

evaluate students’ progress.

Additional practiceStudents make a list in theirnotebooks of the abbreviationsthey found in the dictionary. Inpairs, one student reads theabbreviation and the other studentsays the full word. Then theyexchange roles.

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

MonthsJan. January Sept. SeptemberFeb. February Oct. OctoberMar. March Nov. NovemberApr. April Dec. DecemberAug. August

AddresseesMr. Mister Messrs. plural of MisterMrs. Mistress Dr. DoctorMs. Miss or Mrs. Prof. Professor

AddressesSt. Street Dr. Drive N NorthAve. Avenue Sq. Square S SouthRd. Road Hwy. Highway E EastPl. Place Blvd. Boulevard W West

41


unit six

Let’s focus on…

Punctuation

Observe how the period is used with abbreviations.

Find the words that can be shortened in theletter and write their abbreviations in yournotebook.

Look up lists of abbreviations in an Englishdictionary. Read words to a partner whowrites down the abbreviations.

2

1

• The period is used with abbreviations to indicate that some letters have been omitted from the full word. Some commonly used abbreviations in business writing are:

• We use a period after initials of middle namesJohn F. Kennedy Dr. J. L. Robertson

DaysMon. Monday Thurs.Thursday Sat. SaturdayTues. Tuesday Fri. Friday Sun. SundayWed. Wednesday

September 10th, 2005

Mister Thomas Moore

Oil Limited Company

12 North East Road

Quad Bouleverd

Stratford, VA 54452

..................................................................................

...........................

..................................................................................

...........................

..................................................................................

...........................

..................................................................................

...........................

Henry Burns

Doctor Henry Burns

705 West Avenue

Apple Square

Athens, VA 01994

Business enterprisesLTD. Limited Corp. CorporationCO. Company Inc. Incorporated

Othersa.m. Acc Ext. encl.p.m. Attn. Tel Washington DC.


43


unit six

06 - Unidad 6 22/5/06 20:53 Página 43

This article discusses how attitudes are reflected inwriting styles. English writing style is always shortand direct. It shouldn’t be interpreted as a rudeattitude, but rather a professional writing style.

Give students a few minutes to reread the article.As a large group, discuss the follow-up questions.


Students look for the addresses of threecompanies on the Internet or in the phonebook, to include: a large department store, alaw firm, a university, or other organisation.Then they label three envelopes, at least oneshould be formal and another informal (usingan imaginary addressee’s name). In small groupsof four, they exchange their envelopes withtheir group members. Each student writessuitable salutations and complementary closesfor letters for his / her three envelopes. Theymake sure that the style of the letter (formal orinformal) matches that of the envelope.Afterwards, they put the letters inside theenvelopes and return them to their originalauthors. The students discuss if their classmates’letters match their envelopes or not.

Write out the following scrambled letteron the board or on strips of paper. In pairs,the students arrange the letter correctly,discussing how every piece should fit theproper layout of a formal letter:

31st Street 21 July 1992 New York NY 17.Very truly yours. I am writing to apply for thevacancy of Assistant Director. I am referring toyour advertisement dated 18 July 1994. DearSirs. I believe I have qualifications for thatposition. Sinclair Hughes InternationalConsultant Office. My name is Donna Foster.P.O. Box 744102, Cincinnati, OH 22872.

Consultant Office / Sinclair HughesInternational / PO Box 744102 / Cincinnati, OH22872 / 31st Street / New York / NY 17 / 21July 1992 / Dear Sirs / My name is Donna Foster/ I'm writing to apply for the vacancy ofAssistant Director / I'm referring to the jobadvertisement dated 18 July 1994 / I believe Ihave qualifications for that position / Very trulyyours

Answers:

2

1


Read the following definitions and cues.Students guess the word.

1 A formal closing

2 As a result in a more formal style

3 A synonym for answer

4 The way you write your name on a letter isyour…

5 I’m sorry in a more formal style

6 Write your name on

7 Dear Mr. Thornby,

8 A synonym for follow, do

9 A piece of paper

1 I look forward to; 2 therefore; 3 response; 4 signature; 5 I’m afraid; 6 tosign; 7 salutation; 8 to carry out; 9 slip

Answers:

Cultural awareness

42


unit six

Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• How to start a business letter: Dear Sir:

Dear Mrs. White,Dear Madam,

• How to close a business letter: Sincerely yours,Yours faithfully,Best regards,

• How to address an envelope: Messrs. Brown and SonsP.O. Box 123London SE1 2TFEngland

T here are attitudes of speakers that are clearlyreflected in writing. It is said that Englishspeakers, in general, are far more ‘to the

point’ when writing than writers of other cultures.With regard to letter writing, sentences tend to beshorter and very precise. There is no room forunnecessary details or for ‘beating about the bush’.

Likewise, an English speaker will expect to reada letter or memo written in clear, direct and carefullanguage.

Writing style

Find some memos written in your native language and compare them with memos written in English.

State differences and similarities in style. Are they more / less formal? More / less elaborate?

Do you have a personal style for writing letters? How would you describe it?

Do you like writing? What do you usually write? ?

44


unit six

06 - Unidad 6 22/5/06 20:53 Página 44

7Requests

unit seven

Request letters are one of the most common types of business letters. We use them to ask formore information about courses or products, samples, quotations or brochures. They follow thesame format as any other business letter.In this unit, students will learn how to write clear and concise request letters and e-mails usingcommon structures. They will examine the use of the present continuous in letter writing and applythis and other structures to response letters they write in answer to requests and advertisements.


• Have you ever had to ask for information about something? (When?, where?, why?)

• What type of information did you request?

• Was your request successful?

7Requests

unit seven

• To ask for information

• To request catalogues or samples

• To send a written letter or an e-mail

• To respond to requests

• To examine company advertising

• To focus on the use of the gerund

• To look at e-mail abbreviations

Objectives

43

You write a request when you need information about goods and services and when you needgeneral information of some kind. A response letter answers someone’s request. It usuallyaccompanies the goods or service the other person has requested.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To look for the important details of arequest letter in order to respond correctly

• To correctly organise the information of aresponse letter

• To recognise the important details of anadvertisement

Language focus

• Using common language and structuresused in request and response letters

• Internet slang• Present continuous in letter writing

Key vocabulary

& structures

• brochure, price-list, catalogue, travelpackage

• subscribe, ask for an estimate, consideradvantages

• Thank you for your letter..., We havereceived...

• Internet slang and abbreviations: BBL, CYO, FYI

Business tasks

• Ask for information• Request catalogues or samples• Send a request letter or e-mail• Respond to requests and advertisements

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages101 and 105



Book, page 50

07-EFS-TB-Unit 7 22/5/06 21:57 Página 45

Give students a few minutes to read the letters.Ask them each of the questions. They answerthem as a large group.

1 a Peter Stephens is asking forshipping and delivery dates. He also requestsinformation about race car tyres. b MiguelMartín is asking about Crossbow Gift’s pricesfor executive pens. 2 a Mr. Svenson and Mr.Stephens have written to each other before. b This is Miguel Martín’s first e-mail. 3 a Mr.Stephens has used a more formal written stylefor a traditional business letter. b Even thoughMr. Martín didn’t know who he was writing to,he used a more informal writing style (typicalof e-mails).

Focus on Language

Request letters usually start with a reference line towhatever advertisement or catalogue you arerequesting further information from. This referenceline is then followed by a question or statementrequesting the details or products you need. Discussother possible opening sentences students coulduse. Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, page 105. Students canalso personalise the Glossary, Student’s Book, page109 by copying and translating the words from thelesson in their notebooks.

Pairwork

In pairs, students complete the followingsentences with expressions from the Focus onLanguage box. See Teacher’s file.

1 Could you please send mesamples of the products you advertised inSunday’s paper? 2 We are interested in moreinformation about the possibility of subscribingto your magazine. 3 I would be grateful if youcould inform me of shipping costs of textbooks. 4 Could you please send us an estimateof the large size jackets, please? 5 I saw youradvertisement in yesterday’s newspaper. 6 Could you please send us a brochure of yourtravel packages to Southern Asia?

Answers:

e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

PairworkStudents choose one of the completedsentences from the pairwork activityand write a request letter.



1 Students complete the requests withexpressions from the Focus onLanguage box in their Student’sBook.

2 Students use words from the Focuson Language box and pairworkactivities in their Student’s Books tocomplete the letter.

3 Students imagine they are secretariesfor a small upholstery company. Theyneed to write an e-mail to theSeashell Hotel to get informationabout the facilities they have.

Additional practice Students answer the request letter asif they were the Hotel Director of theSeashell Hotel.


e

Teacher’s file

Request letters

44

7Requests

unit seven

Request letters

Read the model request letters. Then answer these questions.

1 What is each letter requesting?

2 Have the sender and receiver corresponded before?

3 What differences in style are there between the two letters?

1

Workbook, page 21.

The purpose of a request letter is to ask for information, samples, quotations, catalogues, brochures...• Include the information that will help the receiver answer your questions satisfactorily.• Say why you are making the inquiry.• State your request as a question or statement.• Identify specifically what you want: catalogue, brochure, samples, information about an item or service...

Sept. 24/9/2006E. SvensonExport ManagerHaga Verktyg 52GöteborgSweden

Re: ORDER 25Dear Mr. Svenson,

We have received your letter of 6 June 2006 concerningour order for spare car parts. We would be grateful ifyou could confirm shipping and delivery dates.We would also like information about the XYZ tyres youare producing for race cars.

Yours faithfully,

Peter Stephens

Miguel Martín

Monday, 24 September 2006 10:29 a.m.

Crossbow Gifts

Executive pens

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are interested in your new line of Executivepens. Please send us an offer quoting your bestterms and discount for cash payment. Thankyou very much.

Cordially,Miguel Martín

focus LanguageonOpening sentencesI saw your advertisement in...We are interested in...

InquiryCould you please send me / us... ?I / We would like to know if / about...I would be grateful if you could inform me / usabout...I would also like information/details about...

Pairwork

Complete the following sentences with anexpression from the language box. Checkwith a partner.

1 ...samples of the products you advertised in Sunday’s

paper?

2 ...more information about the possibility of

subscribing to your magazine.

3 ...shipping costs of text books.

4 ...an estimate of the large size jackets, please?

5 ...yesterday’s newspaper.

6 ...a brochure of your travel packages to Southern

Asia?

a b


46

7Requests

unit seven


Focus on Language

Opening sentences and closing responses set thetone (polite, urgent) and style (formal or informal)of the letter you are writing. Students canpersonalise the Glossary, Student’s Book, page 109,by copying and translating the words from thelesson in their notebooks.

Focus on Language activities

In pairs, one of the students chooses and says anopening sentence to his / her partner, setting thetone of the response letter. The other student findsthe closing sentence that best matches the tone ofthe opening sentence. Then they exchange roles.

Give students a few minutes to read the twoletters. Students can answer the questions inpairs, small groups or as a large group.

1 Messrs Evans and Co; 2 Theyasked for a catalogue and current price list forprinters; 3 He is enclosing the materials theyasked for; 4 Because the Magna Senior modelis a faster printer; 5 Aldo Vito wrote a letter onOctober 21st; 6 The FCX has more functions, awider screen and it is programmable; 7 Heworks for the Sales department.

Answers:

1


Responding to requests

1 Students complete the sentencesusing the information in the Focus onLanguage boxes.

Informal business e-mailsPairwork

The Internet has changed businesscorrespondence. The quick andimmediate nature of e-mails leaveslittle time for unnecessary

“formalities”. Students rewrite the e-mail in a more informal, yet politestyle. Refer them to the Internetabbreviations on Student’s Book,page 48.

Additional practiceIndividually, students respond to Mr.Perez’s letter. They can choose toanswer with a traditional letter orwith an e-mail.


Teacher’s file

Response letters

45

7Requests

unit seven

Response letters

Always reply promptly to routine requests from a potentially interesting client or to large and regular orders.

Read the two letters and answer the questions in your notebook.1

Workbook, page 22.

11 June, 2006Messrs Evans & Co.212 Holborn RoadLondon S1

Dear Sirs,

I am enclosing a catalogue and current price-list forour Printers as requested in your letter of 11 February.The Magna Model that you mention is an excellentmachine but it is large in size and slow for your needs. Ifyou require a printer that works at a higher speed werecommend the Magna Senior Model. You will find a fulldescription of it on p.10 of the catalogue.

We will be pleased to send you any further informationyou may need.

Yours faithfully,

Gary FisherGary FisherSales Department

October 21st, 2006

Mr. Philip Page78 Columbus Ave.Kansas City, Kansas 96100

Dear Mr. Page:

Thank you for your letter dated 28 May, requestinginformation about our new line of financial calculators.

Our latest model is the FCX Special that has a widerrange of functions, wider screen capacity (10 digits), incomparison to the FC model, and it is programmable.

We can supply the FCX Special at $80, a veryreasonable price if you consider its advantages.

We look forward to receiving your order.

Very truly yours,

Aldo Vito

Aldo VitoSales Department

focus LanguageonOpening sentencesThank your for your e-mail / inquiry of...We have received your letter of...We were pleased to receive...

I am / We are enclosing... / are sending you a copy of...We can supply / offer...

Closing responseI will be pleased to send you any furtherinformation you may need.We look forward to receiving your order.We will deal promptly with any order yousend us.


1 Who wrote a letter on 11th February?

2 What did they request?

3 What is Gary Fisher’s response to the client’s request?

4 Why does Gary Fisher recommend the Magna Senior

Model?

5 Who wrote a letter on October 21st?

6 What is the difference between the FCX and FC

models?

7 What department does Aldo Vito work for?

47

7Requests

unit seven


Give students a few minutes to read theadverts. Students can answer the questionsindividually, in pairs or small groups. SeeTeacher’s file.

1 James O’ Connor and Co. Ltd.and Messrs Smith and Rogers; 2 ABC Rentals;3 Davis Travel Association; 4 It is aimed atyoung tourists; 5 No. They are looking forpeople who want to open their store in otherareas; 6 She works at Davis Travel Association.

Students read the extracts from the requestletters and decide which letter they areanswering.

a Davis Travel Association; b WorldFurniture, Inc.; c James O’ Connor and Co. Ltd.

Students complete the three extracts by addingthe best salutation and closing for each. Insmall groups, they can compare the letters theyhave written. See Teacher’s file.

a Dear Mrs. Dawson, …Yours sincerely; b Dear Ms Singer, I saw youradvertisement in the Norton paper and …Yours faithfully; c Messrs O’Connor & Co., Isaw your advertisement in the Norton paperand I would like some information about thelamps you offer. … Yours sincerely.

Debate

Which adverts did they like best? Whichpromoted their company better? Ask studentsto give reasons for their opinions.

e

Sample answers:

3

Answers:

2

Answers:

1e

Student’s Book

1 In small groups, students write 5other questions about the adverts.Encourage them to think of difficultquestions for the other group toanswer. They exchange questionswith another group. As a way tomake the activity fun, see who canbe the first to answer the othergroup’s questions.


Additional practice

Photocopy advertisements from anEnglish language newspaper. In pairs,students prepare questions for oneof them. Then, they exchange theadvertisement with another pair andanswer their questions.

3 Students choose one of theadvertisements used in the activityabove. Then they write a requestletter answering the advertisement.

e

Teacher’s file

46

7Requests

unit seven

Company advertising

Read the following advertisements, then answer the questions below.1

1 Which adverts are selling goods?

2 Which company is advertising a specific job?

3 Which advert offers services?

4 Who is the target audience for the travel ad?

5 Is World Furniture, Inc. hiring people for their Orlando office?

6 Where does Melanie Dawson work?

Now look at the extracts from the request letters below. Which ad are they answering?2

Seeking financial independence?World Furniture, Inc is looking for future franchisemembers.For more information on how you can start yourown business bringing the best quality furnitureto your area, please contact Eileen Singer at WorldFurniture, Inc., 256 Constitution Ave., Orlando FL, 32801, USA, orsend an e-mail to [email protected].

Davis Travel Association55, South West Chicago, Illinois 60688YOUNG TOURIST SPECIAL!!

Prepaid railway ticket plan covering July and August.

Includes flexible rates and travel schedules.

For further information write to:

Mrs. Melanie Dawson at

[email protected].

WANTEDSecretary with 2 years experience. Englishand Spanish required. Must know Excel andWord. Contact: [email protected].

James O’Connor & Co. Ltd. Desk Lamps

We are manufacturers and can supply a wide

choice of lamps from stock. Our lamps are

designed in different shapes and colours to match

traditional and modern environments. Write for

further details to:

Sales Manager

22 Riverside, San Diego

California 20162

Office equipmentQuality materials at record prices!

Request more information at:

Messrs. Smith and Rogers

PO. Box 375

London SE1 2TF

We have seen your advertisement in the Norton paper and

would be glad if you could inform us about the rail special

offered for young tourists.

Please send me a catalogue and a price list for Desk lampsand state what discount you allow for large orders.

I am interested in finding out more details about starting afranchise of your business in Dayton, Ohio. Please send meany necessary information or forms I may need.

Write the correct salutation and closing for each letter in your notebook.3

Debate

Which advertisements best promote their companies? Explain why.

a

c

b

48

7Requests

unit seven

Company advertising


Gerunds

The present continuous is common in letter-writingbecause it refers to actions we are doing at the timewe are writing the letter (I am enclosing...). It is alsooften characteristic of a more informal writing style.Many students confuse the present continuous withthe gerund. Remind them that the gerund alone isnot a tense, although it can be used as a noun oran adjective.

Focus on Grammar

Revise the present continuous with the students.Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, page 101.

Students look back at the letters on page 45 tosee which one uses the present continuous andwhich one uses the gerund.

The letter by Gary Fisher used thepresent continuous (I am enclosing...); AldoVito’s letter used the gerund (requestinginformation...).

Students complete the phrases with the verb inthe present continuous. Remind them theyneed to change the word order to makequestions and negative statements.

1 Is the boss reading a letter now?2 Are the students writing? 3 We are notproducing this line of cars in a series. 4 Ourcompany is offering these items below itsmarket price. 5 They are sending thedocuments by fax. 6 Is the secretary copyingthe form? 7 The new PC model is not sellingvery well. 8 Is the clerk answering thetelephone now? 9 I am enclosing a cheque for19.95 euros. 10 Are the lawyers listening tothe proposal at the moment?


Answers:

2

Answers:

1


1 Students complete the sentenceswith the correct form of the auxiliaryverb “to be”.

2 Students put the words in order tocreate sentences or questions in thepresent continuous.

Additional practiceIn groups of three, students answerthe questions from activities 1 and 2or write questions for thestatements. Each student canindividually do four each (answeringthe four questions or writing fourquestions) or they can do everythingtogether.

3 Students complete the letter byplacing the correct verb into thepresent continuous. Ask them if theyconsider the letter to be informal orformal. Does it seem friendly?


Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

47

7Requests

unit seven

Let’s focus on…

Gerunds

The present continuous is often used in letter writing because it refers to an action we are doing at the moment, orat least, at the moment of writing the letter. It is formed by the present tense of the verb (to be) and the gerund ofthe main verb (-ing suffix).

Examples:

I’m enclosing a cheque for t25.

We’re enjoying our holidays in France.

I’d like information about the books you are printing for young children.

You should not confuse this tense with other uses of the gerund (ing) form.• As a noun: I enjoy travelling and visiting friends.• As an adjective clause: We have received your letter concerning our order.

Look at the two letters on page 45 again.Which one uses the present continuous? Whichone uses only the gerund?

1 Complete each sentence with the correct formof the verb in parentheses.

Examples: George (study) a map now?

Mrs. Jones (not come) today.

Is George studying a map now?

Mrs. Jones isn’t coming today.

1 The boss (read) a letter now?

2 The students (writing)?

3 We (not produce) this line of cars in a series.

4 Our company (offer) these items below its market

price.

5 They (send) the documents by fax.

6 The secretary (photocopy) a form?

7 The new PC model (not sell) very well.

8 The clerk (answer) telephone now?

9 I (enclose) a cheque for 19.95 euros.

10 The lawyers (listen) to the proposal at the moment?

2

Present continuous

focus Grammaron

Full form Short formI am I’mYou You’reWe are + verb (-ing) We’re + verb (-ing)They They’reHe He’sShe is She’sIt It’s

Interrogative NegativeAm I I’m notAre you + verb (-ing)? You’re

we We’re not + verb (-ing)they They’re

Is he He’sshe She’s notit It’s

Workbook, page 23.



49

7Requests

unit seven


This article deals with the letter-writing revolutionbrought on by the Internet. It has changed the waybusinesses communicate with each other. Becauseit is such an immediate medium, abbreviations arecommon in informal e-mails.



Students choose a request letter to write eitherinside or outside of class. Then, they read theirletters to the teacher one-by-one or to theirclassmates in small groups or pairs. Write thefollowing list on the board for students tochoose from:

a a real company in your country asking forinformation or a brochure

b the Chamber of Commerce of a city, state orprovince in an English-speaking countryasking for brochures or information abouttheir city

c a university about a course or programmeyou are interested in

Students look up other Internet abbreviationsand, in small groups, share them with theirclassmates. Which do they like best? Which arethe cleverest? Which are funny?

2

1


Read out these informal requests one by one.Students change the style and make therequests formal.

1 Don’t forget…

2 After our phone call

3 Come into the bank

4 Can you stop using your credit card?

5 About the things you bought…

1 I’d like to remind you…; 2 Following our telephone conversation; 3 I would be grateful if you could come to thebank; 4 I’m afraid we have to ask you to stopusing your credit card; 5 About yourpurchases…

Answers:

Cultural awareness

48

7Requests

unit seven

Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• How to request information: - Could you please send me... ?

I would like to know about...• How to use e-mail abbreviations: ASAP, FYI, B/C• The difference between present continuous and the

gerund: English-speaking countries (gerund as an adj.)I’m writing to inquire about your new product.

• How to respond to requests: Thank you for your inquiry...We are enclosing...

D uring the last decade the Internet has become so powerful as ameans of communication that, little by little, it has created alanguage of its own. There are a tremendous amount of mailings

exchanged daily around the world as millions of people are writing andanswering personal messages, orders, complaints, reports, inquiries, etc.This implies a lot of time sitting at the computer and typing on a keyboard.In this world of almost instantaneous communication, abbreviations andacronyms have developed as spontaneous and useful shorthand. Needlessto say that there are thousands of these expressions circling the earth indifferent chat sites, newsgroups, messenger programs and the like. Here are some of the most typical ones used nowadays.

Can you guess the meaning and complete the following ones?

GL = Good...

HF = Have...

GFY = Good...

IOW = In other...

Now try to guess these ones. Say them aloud!

CU IC W8 4U RUOK? ?JAS = Just...

NM = Never...

AOB = Any other...

HTH = Hope that helpsIMO = In my opinionASAP = As soon as possibleBBL = Be back laterB/C = BecauseBFN = Bye for nowCYO = See you on lineFYI = For your informationGA = Go aheadGBH = Great big hug

»

50

7Requests

unit seven


8Quotations and orders

unit eight

A quotation is a letter in which a supplier or seller states which goods or services are available, atwhat price and under what terms. An order is when a client accepts a certain number of thesegoods or services at these terms. Because it is a type of informal contract between buyer andseller, the items and terms must be especially clear. In this unit, students will learn how to write these types of letters in a clear and concise way. Theywill also examine how the Internet has influenced this area of business.


• What are the advantages of quoting prices?

• For both the buyer and the supplier, what are the advantages of written quotations,versus quotations provided by phone?

• What is the next step once you have found the most convenient quotation?


• To inquire about and give quotations

• To send a purchase order and a cover letter

• To use grammar in context

• To look at ways to communicate inside and outside the office

• To focus on e-mail letter writing

• To read about and discuss e-shopping

Objectives

49

A quotation is a letter in which a supplier or seller states that he is willing to supply goods orservices at a given price and on the terms stated.

Introduction

unit eightSkills objectives

• To look for the important details of aninquiry in order to respond correctly

• To organise the information of a quotationor order into a concise list that is easy tofollow

• To infer information about the peoplewriting from their style and language theyhave used

Language focus

• Using common language and structuresused in quotation letters and order forms

• Informal writing styles of e-mails andInstant Messages

• Writing organised and easy-to-read letters• To choose the best quotation and place an

order

Key vocabulary

& structures

• Immediate delivery, from stock, quotation • In stock, out of stock, supply, export,

inquiry• COD, CIF, FOB, L/C• TIA!, ASAP, How R U?

Business tasks

• Inquire about products and prices• Respond to inquiries• Quote products, prices and shipping terms• Order by mail or e-mail• Use a form letter to write letters

Additional material




Book, page 56


Divide the class into small groups and assigneach either the inquiry or quotation letter. Givethe groups a few minutes to read the letters.Students first examine general aspects like: thestructures of their opening sentences, closingsentences and general tones and styles. Thenstudents take notes of the most importantinformation: what the letter is about, what thewriter wants to achieve with this letter. Finally,combine two groups so they can share theinformation they found about the inquiry orquotation letter they analysed. See Teacher’sfile.

Focus on Language

Quotations and inquiries have common openingand closing sentences. Quotations always include areference line. The most important line in an inquiryis its closing line. It sets the final tone of your letteras well as what your requirements are. Students canpersonalise the Glossary, Student’s Book, page 110,by copying and translating the words from thelesson in their notebooks.

Pairwork

In pairs, students write a quotation letter withthe information at the bottom of the page. SeeTeacher’s file.

Thank you for your inquiry of 2nd September.We are quoting:

Model Delivery Prices

BX214 In stock 18.20



BSS217 Not available until 13th October 10.50

Payment terms: 5% discount for paymentwithin 30 days

Credit period: 60 days.

We look forward to receiving your order.Sincerely,

Sample answer:

a

Student’s Book

a Students can write the quotation forthe inquiry on Student’s Book, page50 or write the inquiry to thequotation letter on the same page.

PairworkOne student can write the quotationletter and the other can write anorder based on the sameinformation.


1 Students use structures from the boxto complete the sentences. Are thesestructures used with inquiries orquotations?

PairworkStudents use structures from theFocus on Language box in theirStudents Books, page 50, tocomplete the inquiry letter.

2 This is a continuation of the previouspairwork activity. Student pairsexchange the inquiry letter theywrote earlier. They use the otherpair’s letter to write their quotationletter.

Teacher’s file

50


unit eight

Inquiries and quotations

Inquiries

Quotation inquiries specifically ask about the prices of certain products or services.• Clearly state the goods or services required.• Explain how you wish to pay and accept delivery.

Quotations

We give quotations when we answer a specific inquiry asking aboutthe price of goods. We write it as a letter, making sure to include: • The prices of discounts, delivery dates and terms of payment.• The period of time for which the quotation is valid.

Hughes & Hughes Co 20th July34 Walton St.GlasgowGL2 6DP

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please send me a quotation for 5 boxes of WhiteFanfold Paper, catalogue #16, size 9.5 x 11 and 10boxes of Personal Computer Diskettes catalogue #2.State delivery dates, and payment terms. We requiredelivery within two weeks of order.Yours faithfully,

Marion Swanson

Marion SwansonSales Department

focus Languageon

Opening sentencesPlease quote...Please send me a quotation for...Please send us your export prices for...Your quotation of… would be appreciated.

Closing sentencesWe would like to have the information by the end ofthe week.We expect to place a large order if your prices arecompetitive.We are looking forward to receiving this information.


Inquiries

focus Languageon


Quotation letters

15th August 2006Hamilton & Bradford Ltd.16 Av. North East9675 JamestownOklahoma, OK, 55500

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your inquiry of 20th July. We cansend shirts 10432 and ties 10433 immediately fromstock. However, we regret that we cannot supplythem in navy blue before July as they are out of stock.

We feel you may be interested in some of theother colours we have in stock. I enclose samples ofcolours available.

Shirts cost $15.20 each and ties $10.45 for ordersover 100 units. We look forward to receiving your order.

Yours faithfully

Opening sentencesThank you for your letter of...The prices of the articles you are interested in are as follows...Thank you for your letter dated...We are pleased to supply ... at the price of...With reference to you inquiry of ... and, as requested, we quote...

Closing sentencesWe look forward to receiving your order...We will be pleased to receive your order...

Pairwork

Create a quotation letter with the following information.

In stock Not available till 13th OctoberBX214 BSS 217BX215BX216Credit period: 60 days.5% additional discount for paymentwithin 30 days

52


unit eight

Inquiries and...


Focus on Language

When writing orders, include a reference line if youpreviously asked for information. Make sure toclearly specify what you are ordering (names ordescription of goods, models, brands, quantity, size,colours, materials, weight, prices, cataloguenumber). If you received a quotation letter beforeordering, refer to the date it was received and citeany terms of payment or discounts you were given.Also include the method of payment (FOB, CIF, CR,COD, L/C), any special shipping requirements youmay need as well as the shipping and billingaddresses. Students can personalise the Glossary,Student’s Book, page 110, by copying andtranslating the words from the lesson in theirnotebooks.

Focus on Language activities

Writing orders Write the opening and closing sentences in theFocus on Language box on strips of paper and givethem out to the class. In pairs, students create anorder letter to include the opening / closingsentence on their strip of paper.

Students use structures from the letters tocomplete the sentences in the activity. SeeTeacher’s file.

1 Please deliver the goods beforeSeptember 1st; 2 Payment will be made ondelivery; 3 The goods should be sent to theaddress above; 4 The invoice should be sent tomy usual address; 5 Please despatch the itemby next week.

Answers:

1

Inquiries and...

51


unit eight

focus Languageon

Opening sentencesThank you for your letter / quotations of...We enclose our order for...Please send the following articles...The prices quoted in your letter are satisfactory.Please arrange to deliver these products...Please inform us (when X will be in stock)

Closing sentencesWe would appreciate prompt delivery.Please confirm delivery by...We look forward to receiving...


Order letters

Writing orders

The order letter is the way customers purchase goods and services by post, e-mail or fax. If you send the purchaseorder by post or fax, you should accompany it with a cover letter.

James Winters

Friday, 5 August, 2006 16:18 pm

Burrows Chinaware

Order from Fall catalogue

Dear Sir,Thank you for your letter of 10th July 2006. I’d begrateful if you could send me the following itemslisted in the Fall catalogue:

Description Quantity Article Design Pricecups 2 dozen 9008 Florence $20 saucers 2 dozen 9009 Florence $20 dishes 3 dozen 8344 Venice $30 mugs 3 dozen 2942 Camping $15 Please send these items by air freight and sendthe invoice to my usual address.

James Winters Catering40 Holborn St.; London W6 9EL; UKTel /Fax: (020) 8563 3222

To: Messrs. Davis & Evans Ltd.75 Riverside Road Gloucester GL4 6YZ

Date: Aug. 1st, 2006Pages: 1 of 2

Dear Mr. Collins,We thank you for your quotation of 28 May and attachour purchase order for the stated items.Delivery is required by September 1st, 2006.Yours faithfully,James WintersGeneral Manager

FaxPurchase OrderTo: Davis and Evans Ltd. Att.:Peter Collins

No.: 75/1461Date: August 2006

Please supply:Quantity Item No. Model Price2 dozen 9008 Florence £20.002 dozen 9009 Florence £20.003 dozen 8344 Venice £30.00

Goods required by: Delivery address:Sept. 1st, 2006 40 Holborn St.

London W6 9ELUnited Kingdom

Payment Terms 10% discount COD

James Winters

James WintersGeneral ManagerPages: 2 of 2

Complete these sentences.

1 Please deliver the goods before...

2 Payment will be made...

3 The goods should be sent...

4 The invoice should be sent to...

5 Please despatch the item...

1


53


unit eight

Student’s Book

1 Turn this into an oral drill activity andask students to read one of theopening or closing phrases onStudent’s Book, pages 50 or 51. Theperson next to them completes thesentence and reads a different phrasefor the next student to complete.


Group workIn small groups, students look at thetwo quotations and then answer the

questions about them. The groupmust come to a consensus as towhich company they would orderfrom.

Additional practiceOnce they have decided thequotation they will answer, theywrite up an order fax and itscorresponding cover letter.


Teacher’s file


Form letters are letters that are pre-written with thetypical structures used in a particular type of letter(quotations, invoices...). Computers have helpedmake form letters easier to write. Any newinformation that is specific to a particular client isleft on the word processing document as a macro.The computer then fills in the macro cells with theinformation, usually from some other database orspreadsheet program.

When working in an office, there are differentsources of inter-office communication whichare often used when writing a letter: internal e-mails or memos, instant message chats,phone messages, personal notes... In thisexercise, students imagine they are thesecretary who needs to fill out the form letteron the computer screen. They use all theinformation on the page to write the quotationletter. See Teacher’s file.

Light Co.15 Hill St.

New York, NY 10017Tel: 718-330-3867 / Fax: 718-330-3870

Sept. 24th, 2006

Duncan Co.2 Hardy St.Boston, MA 01509

Our ref.: No. 51Your ref.: No. 43

Dear Mr. Taylor,With reference to your inquiry of 20 Sept., wequote these prices: […]

Answers:

1e

Student’s Book

1 In pairs, students can role-play theyare P. Bradley and his secretary. Theyuse the information from one of theirwritten correspondences (note, e-mail, IM chat) and turn it into aphone conversation. Let thempractise for a few minutes and walkaround listening to students’intonation and pronunciation as theyspeak.



1 Students complete the quotationexpressions with words from the box.


2 Students look for synonyms in theVocabulary box on the page.

3 Students match the words usedtogether in common quotationsstructures.

4 Students write four sentences usingeach of the words in the box.

Group workStudents define the words andexpressions in their own words.Encourage them to look at letters inthe unit to find their use in contextand help them think of similarmeanings.

5 Students look up words orabbreviations from the KeyVocabulary box they do not know inan English dictionary or on theInternet. e

e

Teacher’s file

52


unit eight

Filling in a form letter

Read all the information on this page. Then use the model form letter on the computer to write a quotation from P. Bradley.

1

Workbook, page 26.

Chris, Please change prices:Rose lamps are now 16 a pieceCarnation lamps price is 18.40NOT 17.20 .Also, prices are only valid now for30 days.Can U change accordingly?P.B

Light Co.15 Hill St.

New York, NY 10017Tel: 718-330-3867 / Fax: 718-330-3870

Sept. 24th, 2006<INSERT INSIDE ADDRESS>Our Ref.: No. 51Your Ref.: No. <INSERT NUMBER>Dear <INSERT NAME>,With reference to your inquiry of <INSERT DATE>, we quotethese prices:Catalogue No. Item Quantity Delivery Date Price# Rose 1 dozen Immediate 15.00/ea# Carnation# Lily

Prices are valid for 60 days. Allow at least 2 weeks for delivery. Delivery: CIF Buenos Aires Terms: COD

P. BradleySales Manager

Light Co.PB / cq

P. Bradley

C. Quincy

Duncan Co. order

Bad news! Michael just called. We can’t deliverthe Rose lamps until November 15th. (It’s out of stock right now). The other two canbe delivered immediately. Pls inform inquotation letter.Thnx,PB

CQ says: Can you confirm the prices of theLily and Carnation lamps?

PB says: How many do they want?CQ says: 5 dozen Lily and 4 doz. of the

Carnation.PB says: That would be 17.20 on the

Carnation and 14.15 for the Lily.CQ says: 14.15? I thought it was more?PB says: No, orders of 5 doz. and up get a

discount. CQ says: What about delivery? Can these be

immediate?PB says: I’ll have to ask Michael and get

back to you.

Telephone Message

• To: _____________________________________________

• From: ____________________________________________

• Message: ________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

P. BradleyH. Taylor

Please quote Mr. Taylor lamp prices for:Cat # 1 dozen Rose colourCat # 4 dozen CarnationCat # 5 dozen Lily

Send to Duncan Co., 2, Hardy Street,Boston, Mass. 01509

54


unit eight

Filling in a form letter


E-mail writing

Internet has completely changed the way the worlddoes business. In only a few short years, it hasbecome a major form of publicity, marketing, salesand communication. E-mails have completelyreplaced company telexes and are rapidly replacingfaxes as well. The immediate character of e-mails ischanging the style and format of traditional officeletters.

Debate

Students look back at Student’s Book, page 52 andlook at the style of the Instant Messages on thecomputer screen. Are they informal or formal?When should they use an informal style of writing?

Give students a few minutes to look at thethree e-mails. What do they notice about theirstyle? Are they internal or external e-mails? SeeTeacher’s file.

1 The e-mail from the ITdepartment is an internal e-mail (intranet) sentto everyone in the office, so it uses a formalstyle; 2 The formal e-mail from DavidCarpenter is probably internal since it dealswith a Financial Report; 3 Lisa’s e-mail toSheila is very informal since it uses emoticons,abbreviations and acronyms. This means theyprobably are of the same job position and worktogether often despite the fact that it is anexternal e-mail (Lisa is in New York and Sheila isin London).

Students look at the three e-mails morecarefully now and answer the questions. Thetask can be done in pairs, in small groups or asa large group task with the entire class.

1 In the United States because theycan avoid European closing times if they accessthe shared program in the afternoon; 2 Lisa isAmerican; 3 Thanks in advance!; 4 He worksfor the accounting or finance department;5 By the more formal language, Mr. Carpenterprobably has a lower job position than Mr.Riley, who is probably a departmental head.


Answers:

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Students use the internal e-mailingservice at work or at the centrewhere they are studying to write ane-mail to another student or to theteacher. They could also write a“general” e-mail for everyone inclass, as the IT e-mail example in theStudents’ Book. They print out theire-mails and present them to theteacher.

Additional practiceGive out at random the e-mails thatthe students wrote in the activityabove. In pairs, students write ananswer for the e-mail. Thenvolunteer pairs read the e-mail andthe answer to the class.


Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

53


unit eight

Let’s focus on…

E-mail writing

E-mail has revolutionised the office. Businesses use the Internet for external e-mails outside the office and sometimesthey use Instant messages or Intranet for internal e-mails. Regardless of the method, use the correct formal orinformal letter writing style you have already learned.

Look at the following e-mails. Decide if they are formal or informal, internal or external.1

Answer these questions about the e-mails.

1 In what country do you think the first e-mail was

probably written? Why?

2 Is Lisa British or American?

3 What do you think “TIA!” means? Look it up on the

Internet.

4 What department do you think David works for?

5 Do you think Mr. Riley is a colleague of David’s or

does he hold a higher position? What makes you

think so?

2

Debate

Look at the style used in the Instant messages on the previous page. Is it formal or informal?How do you know when to use this style?

IT Department

June 12, 2006

All departments

Inventory application errors

Greetings,There have been complaints about errors accessingour new Unix Inventory Application. The problem iswhen more than one user tries to access theapplication when it is already processing data fromanother subsidiary. Please keep in mind that ourother branches share this application and there arecertain target times when we all coincide online. We are currently trying to make changes to thesystem; in the meantime, we recommend you usethis application later in the afternoon to avoidcoinciding with European closing times.Thank you for your patience,IT Department

David Carpenter

January 10, 2006

Jonas Riley

December 2005 Financial Report

Attachment: Dec2005 report.xls

Dear Mr. Riley,I have attached an Excel document with the financialinformation you requested for the previous month ofDecember. You will also find, highlighted in yellow,supplementary information referring to the closeoutfor the entire fiscal year of 2005. I would be happyto supply you with any additional information.Sincerely,David Carpenter

Lisa Cummings

August 18, 2005

Sheila Foran

International catalogue

Hi Sheila, How’s the weather in London? It’s hot and muggyhere in NY. :’-( Can U send the Int’l version of the 2006 Wintercatalogue? I need a copy of the European referencenumbers. Send it First Air ASAP. TIA!Lisa


55


unit eight


This article deals with how Internet hasrevolutionised shopping. It has changed howbusinesses advertise themselves and their products.It has also changed how customers shop. Theoverall convenience and non-restrictive timeschedules allow people to shop 24 hours virtuallyanywhere on the planet. Besides using credit cards,many sites accept cheques, money orders, postalorders (Bankers Drafts) or even use their own pointssystem which you would pay for through youraccount or with your credit card.


Debate

Divide the class into small discussion groups. Givethem a few minutes to discuss the questions. Aftera few minutes, bring the smaller groups together asone large group. Each small group summariseswhat they discussed.


Students design a request letter to writeeither inside or outside of class. Then theyread their letters to the teacher one-by-one or compare them orally in smallgroups or pairs with their classmates’letters. Write the criteria the students mustfollow on the board:

You are the Manager of theTelecommunication Royal Company (NarrowStreet, San Diego, CA 95411). Design aquotation letter for: computer models,software applications, printers and cabinets.

Address it to the Attention of Mr. RobinsonCruise Jr., the purchase assistant for theDepartment of Classical Languages atClearview University.

Students pretend to “buy” something onthe Internet. They bring the followinginformation to class the next day todiscuss in small groups or pairs:

The name and address of the company, thename and price of the product, and methods of payment and delivery available.

Finally, students discuss which one is thebest offer and, together, write an order e-mail for that product.

2

1


Write the following information on the board:

Type of room: singleArrival time: after 11 p.m.Credit card number: 4516 8966 3345 6777

Tell your students that the receptionist atGolden Mile Hotel had some problems withthe fax that Patricia Elias sent on 17 June. Hecouldn’t read the type of room she needed,her arrival time nor her credit card number, sohe had to call her on her mobile. Studentsthink up the conversation between PatriciaElias and the receptionist.

Cultural awareness

54


unit eight

Cultural awareness

Which of the following advantages and disadvantages do you associate with this way of shopping?

a It’s safe.

b It’s quick.

c It’s cheaper.

d It’s time-saving.

e It’s trustworthy.

Don’t forget!• How to ask for quotations: Please quote...

Please send us your prices for...• How to quote prices: Thank you for your letter dated... The

prices of the articles you are interestedin are as follows:

• The meanings of shipping and payment vocabulary: COD,L/C, CIF

• How to place orders: We are enclosing our order for...

Please confirm delivery by...

f It’s more expensive.

g It’s tiresome.

h It’s dangerous.

i It’s fun.

j It’s always available.

Debate

Do you ever shop on theNet? Why? What are yourfavourite shopping sites?When was the last time youbought something? Whatdid you buy?

?

The way we shop has been one of the many changes the Internet has broughtabout during the last years. For people who work outside their homes,

shopping on the Internet has been a solution for buying not only groceriesfrom the supermarket but also clothes, presents, books, music andthousands of other things. There are websites that foresaw this increasingnecessity many years ago and are now consolidated businesses that selltheir products everywhere in the world. Other enterprises have little bylittle entered the e-market with enormous success while others are still

exploring and learning from the new e-buying habits of their customers.Although there have been some problems related to payment transactions,

it seems this way of shopping has come to stay and it will continue to improvein the future.

56


unit eight


9CVs and application letters

unit nine

Since the CV and application letter are the first step towards applying for a job, this entire unit isdedicated to writing them appropriately. A CV should be a short one-page document describingall the attributes a person has as a future employee. The application or cover letter accompaniesthe CV. It is more personalised and is specific to each job a person is applying for. Students will learn how to correctly organise and write these documents in order to createeffective tools in their job search.


• Have you ever applied for a job?

• What steps did you take?

• Have you ever applied for a job that you never got?

• What happened? Why do you think you weren’t chosen?


unit nine

• To read and understand job advertisements

• To write a Curriculum Vitae

• To write an application letter

• To focus on the past simple

• To discuss the importance of body language when communicating

Objectives

55

When you want to get a job or change your present job, the first step in most cases is to look atthe job advertisements in newspapers or on the Internet. Then you must apply for a job in writing.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To look for the important details andrequirements of a job advertisement

• To organise professional and educationalinformation into an informative one-pagerésumé

• To use style and language to personalise anapplication letter

Language focus

• Using common language and structuresused in application letters and CVs

• How to make your training and experienceseem more attractive to future employers

• The past simple in résumé writing• Body language and gestures around the

world

Key vocabulary

& structures

• category, benefits, salary, wages, schedule • required, a plus, relocation, Bachelor’s

Degree, attractive rates• Personal details, Education, Work

experience, Additional Information, Specialskills and interests

Business tasks

• Read and understand job adverts• Respond to job adverts with an application

cover letter• Correctly write a Curriculum Vitae

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages 99-100



Book, page 62


Companies place short ads about a job’srequirements in newspapers or with job serviceagencies and recruiters. The newest format is onjob search websites where both employers andfuture employees can post their characteristics anddetails. Many times the abbreviations used in thesetypes of ads are specific to that occupation(Information Technologies, Accounting...). It isanother way for advertisers to know the peopleanswering are qualified in that field.

Give students a few minutes to look at the adexcerpts. What do they refer to? (education,salary, wages, type of position, qualificationrequirements or preferences...) See Teacher’sfile.

Debate

Give students a few minutes to look at the threejob ads. Then students write the most importantdetails of each job in their notebooks: job title,schedule, salary, location, requirements. Now theycan compare and decide which is the mostappealing to them. As a large group, studentsdebate on the best job. Encourage them to uselanguage and structures learned in earlier units todefend their opinions or politely disagree: I don’tknow if I would prefer that. But would it bepossible to adapt easily to living in Florida? I wouldrather have a job that would challenge me more.

Once the class has agreed on a potential job,place them into small groups so they can planwhat their next line of action would be: write a letter requesting an interview that willaccompany a résumé or CV.

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Bring in examples of jobadvertisements either in the nativelanguage or in English or askstudents to bring them in. They cancome from Internet web sites,newspapers, magazines... Whatsimilarities and differences do theysee?


1 Students look at the ad and answerthe questions.

Group workStudents compare their answers insmall groups. Then they use these towrite an application letter respondingto the advert.

Additional practiceDo a similar activity with the examplejob ads that were brought in to class.Choose 5 or 6 ads. Students chooseone and write an application letter forit. Number them and post them onthe wall. Students match the lettersto their corresponding job ad (Letter1 / Job C). They can also do thisactivity in small groups. In this case,students read their application lettersto the rest of the group, who try toguess what job the letter refers to.

2 Based on the information in theapplication letter, students mustwrite the job advertisement it isapplying for.

Teacher’s file

Job advertisements

56


unit nine

Job advertisements

Workbook, page 27.

Companies use newspapers, job service agencies and recruiters or job search websites to post their job vacancies.Ads are short and concise.

Look at these excerpts from advertisements. What do they refer to?1

Once you have chosen a job, what do you donext? In groups, discuss the different steps tofollow.

2

Position Type: Full-Time EmployeeDate Posted: Dec. 10, 2006Relocation covered: No

Attractiverate!!

2 - 5 years experience req’d. $35 - 40k

per year

Firm offers a competitivesalary and benefits package.

Professional EngineeringRegistration a plus. EIT certification required.

Newoffers!

£12 to £13 per hour

Temporary position

INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

is looking for personnel

for its new branch in the

Middle East. If you are

qualified as an

accountant, a computer

operator, a bilingual

secretary or an

electrical engineer, we

are interested in you.

Send résumé, recent

photograph and salary

requirements to Mary Ann

Stewart, 58 Lincoln St.,

Southville, Florida

60176.

BILINGUAL SECRETARYMultinational seeks secretaries, male orfemale, to assist top executives workingin the Central and South America area.Applicants should be English-Spanishbilingual, with excellent writing skills inboth languages. Must be able to workwith computers and willing to travelmost of the time.Excellent salary and fringe benefits.

Send CV and recent

photograph to BilSecr., 5386

Prune Blvd.,

San Diego, CA 92115, USA or to

[email protected].

JOB DETAILS

LOCATION: London, UK

COMPANY: Kelly’s (Fashion Department)

RATE: Excellent hourly rate.

JOB TERM: Part-time

JOB CATEGORY: Sales Assistant.

SCHEDULE: Three days per week. Including Sundays.

BENEFITS: Clothing concessions and store discount.

START DATE: ASAP (neg.)

CONTACT: [email protected]

Debate

Look at these job ads. Which job is mostappealing to you in terms of schedule,salary or place of work. Why?

Bachelor’s degree inAccounting is required.

58


unit nine


When talking about a CV, it is important tonote how this term is used and in reference towhat country. Outside the United States theterms “curriculum vitae” or “CV” refer to a“résumé-like” document. In the US, the termCV refers to a special résumé format specificfor teaching at university level or for scientificcandidates. In this course, we will use theterms CV and résumé interchangeably.

Employers read many résumés and typicallytake less than half a minute to read one. Thisaffects how a CV is written in two ways:

• Do not use fonts smaller than 10 point(including the address block). They are hardto read and do not photocopy as well.

• CVs must be short, precise and include anyinformation that makes the person stand outas a candidate. To do this, it is best to createa job assessment worksheet before writingthe résumé. Try answering the followingquestions:

a In a particular job, what special things didyou do to set yourself apart?

b What did you do to make this job yourown? How did you take the initiative?How did you go above and beyond whatwas asked of you in your job description?

c Were you promoted? Rapid or frequentpromotions may be worth mentioning.

d How did the organisation benefit fromyour performance? How did you / will youleave this employer better off than beforeyou worked there?

Examine the CV on the page with the class.Which of the jobs on Student’s Book, page 56is this applicant qualified for? Is there anythingon his résumé that makes this candidate standout? See Teacher’s file.

He is an ideal candidate for theBilingual Secretary position because he is fluentin English and Spanish and has computer skills.His secondary school experience in Chile is anadditional asset applying for a job in Centraland South America.

Answers:

1

b

a

Student’s Book

1 Students change information in theCV to make Mr. Danes a bettercandidate for one of the other jobs.


1 Students use the information on thepage to complete the CV. They willneed to briefly describe the tasks foreach job.

Group workIn small groups, students discusswhich of the jobs on Student’s Book,page 56 is best for this person andwhy.

2 Using the style shown in theWorkbook or Student’s Book, thestudents write their own CV. If yourstudents do not have much workexperience, they can create a moreskills-oriented CV.

Additional practicePeer teaching: In small groups,students share their CVs with theirclassmates. The others offerconstructive criticism in how toimprove each other’s CVs. What areits strong points? Where is it weaker?What other information should theyinclude?

Teacher’s file

CVs and résumés

57


unit nine

CVs and résumés

Workbook, page 28.

The Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé is a written account of a person’s education and employment history. Theinformation must be brief but as complete as possible. A CV always includes a heading, an education section (mostrecent first), and a list of work experience (most recent first). If you have room, or it is relevant to the job, includeadditional information such as languages spoken, interests, references, special skills (computer programs, otherlanguages) or hobbies.

Read this CV and choose the best position for this person from the job ads on page 56. 1

Michael S. Danes325 Malcolm Rd, London, MDX 234 UK

Tel: 44813634544

Personal DetailsAge: 23Marital status: Single

EducationBeginner courses: Visual Basic HTML, XML, Javascript PresentAdvanced course in Windows XP 2003Microsoft Office for the Advanced Learner 2002General accounting 2001 Administration and Office Work at Clark Institute 2001

ExperienceSecretary Export Department Manager, Lester & Lester Inc. 2003-2005

Dealt with correspondence, transport, insurance services to Latin American countries. Direct contact with Latin American customers. Performed a turn-around of the South American operation.

Typist International Communication Enterprise, San Juan,Puerto Rico. 2002

Additional InformationLanguages Fluent in Spanish. Secondary School in Santiago, Chile.Interests Internet, reading, travelling.References Mr. Richard Burns (44 81 324 8675)

59


unit nine


The application or cover letter that accompanies arésumé must be different and specifically tailored foreach job. The cover letter reflects the applicant’scommunication skills, enthusiasm, intelligence andattention to detail. It should look attractive, well laidout, and be only a page long. It is also important thatit be typed on the same kind of paper as yourrésumé.

A cover letter should be addressed to the specificcompany and to the specific individual processing theapplications. Research or call the company to find outwho the letter should be addressed to. This alsoshows how much interest and effort you have putinto your application.

Cover letters follow a similar format and style. Theintroduction must include a reference line to the adit is answering and clearly state the job being appliedfor; the body needs to explain why the person isapplying and why the company should even considerhim / her as an applicant. Point to the résumé in someway: “As detailed in the enclosed CV...” and highlightimportant and relevant accomplishments, skills orexperience listed in the résumé; the closingparagraph should include a reference to the enclosedor attached CV and the request for an interview. Acandidate should also state where to be reached andwhen as well as express a willingness to supply anyfurther information. Close by thanking the reader forhis or her time and consideration.

Focus on Language

The closing is a way to add their own “personaltouch” by showing their enthusiasm. Ask studentsother possible sentences they could use. Studentscan personalise the Glossary, Student’s Book, page110, by copying and translating the words from thelesson in their notebooks.

Read the application letter with the class.Working individually or in small groups,students answer the questions in theirnotebooks. They can also do the task orally asa large class activity. See Teacher’s file.

1 No, she is still working at Burnsand Jackson; 2 For four years; 3 She likes itbut feels her present job doesn’t use all of herskills; 4 No, she started working right away; 5 Because she has interest and experience inaccounting and foreign languages; 6 Yes. Sheshows her work is motivated by personalchallenges and not money.

Answers:

1e

Student’s Book



1 Students examine the two letters ofapplication and decide which is theleast well-written and why.

Group workStudents rewrite the letter they likethe least and compare it with otherstudents in their group. Which letterdid they choose? Did they makesimilar changes?

2 Students write a cover letter withinformation from their CVs to answerthe Internet job advert on Workbook,page 29.

Additional practiceBased on the information from boththe ad and their personal CVs,students take turns role-playing a jobinterview.

e

Teacher’s file

Letters of application

58


unit nine


Read the application letter and answer these questions.

1 Is Ms. Davis currently unemployed?

2 How long has she worked for Burns and Jackson?

3 Is she happy there?

4 Did it take Ms. Davis long to get her first job after finishing Secretarial School?

5 Why does she think she might be a good candidate for this new job?

6 Would you interview Ms. Davis? Say why or why not.

1

Workbook, page 29.

The first step in applying for a job is to send a CV (résumé) and letter of application (cover letter). The CV is amore “generic advertisement” for yourself. The letter of application is a way to tailor your application to each specificjob. You can use your résumé over and over again to apply for different jobs, but your letter of application must bespecific to each job you are applying for. The purpose of your CV and its cover letter is to give a prospectiveemployer all the information he or she needs to decide whether or not you will reach the next phase in theapplication process: the interview.

June 17th, 2005Mr. Dean Rogers Personnel Manager Canberra

Dear Mr. Rogers,

I read your advertisement in THE PRIME NEWS of June 15th for theposition of secretary in your Sales Department and I am interested in applyingfor the post.

I obtained my secretarial diploma at the International Academy forSecretaries in 2001 and began working with Burns and Jackson four years ago.

Although I have gained experience in office work and attending customers, Ido not use any of the foreign languages or accounting I have studied. Because ofmy interest and experience in these two areas, I believe I could make a directand immediate contribution to your Sales Department.

I have enclosed a copy of my CV, which details my qualifications andinterests. I hope you will consider me for an interview. Thank you for your timeand consideration.

Sincerely,

Mary Davis

BODY personal details, education,work experience, why you area good candidate for the job

CLOSING

INTRODUCTION

Closing sentences

Thank you for your timeand consideration.Looking forward tohearing from you soon.


focus Languageon

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unit nine


Focus on Grammar

The past simple is common in résumés since you areusually talking about jobs or past actions you havealready completed. Revise basic grammatical rulesin the past simple with the students so they canavoid making unnecessary mistakes in theirapplication letters and CVs. Remind them about theauxiliary verb “did” as well as irregular verbs. Referstudents to the Grammar and language reference,Student’s Book, pages 99-100.

Group work

Students take a few minutes to write questionsindividually in their notebooks. Then theycompare their questions in small groups.

1 How did you hear of thisvacancy? 2 Where did she study? 3 When didMr. Smith arrive? 4 Why did they go to theairport? 5 How long did the trip to theBahamas take?

Students read the e-mail and put the verbs inparentheses into the past simple. They cancomplete this task individually, in pairs or insmall groups. See Teacher’s file.

(find) found; (work) worked;(live) lived; ( study) studied; (improve)improved; (take ) took; (work) worked.

Pairwork

Students discuss which job from Student’sBook, page 56 is best for this candidate andwrite an application letter for it. See Teacher’sfile.

He is an excellent applicant for theBilingual Secretary position.


Answers:

Answers:

2e

Answers:

Student’s Book

2 Past-tense tennis: Divide the classinto two teams. One team names aword in the infinitive. The other teamhas two seconds to correctly answerthe past tense form. If they arecorrect, they “toss back” a verb inthe infinitive. If they are incorrect, itis a point for the first team (15-Love).


PairworkSample application letter:TO: [email protected]: Doug FairbainDear Mr. Smith,

I read your advertisement in my localnewspaper and I am interested inapplying for the Bilingual Secretaryposition.

I lived in Chile and Venezuela duringmy school years and I am bilingual inEnglish and Spanish.

As mentioned in the attached CV, I studied for a year at the BritishAcademy for Bilingual Secretarieswhere I learned business writing skillsin English and Spanish and tookcourses in Japanese.

I have worked as a secretary in aCanadian company where I set up anew computerised system for sharedaccounting files.

I enclose my CV which I hope will beof interest to you.

I look forward to hearing from yousoon,

Yours sincerely,

Doug Fairbain

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

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unit nine

Let’s focus on…

The past simple

Questions in the past use the past simple of the auxiliary do = did + the infinitive of the verb.Example: verb get: Question: Did you get my message?

Yes, I got the message.

Read the e-mail application letter and write thepast tense of the verbs in brackets in yournotebook.

2

The past simple

focus Grammaron

Regular verbs Irregular verbsarrive arrived find foundgraduate graduated get gotoffer offered read readstudy studied speak spokework worked think thought

Doug Fairbain

Wednesday 21 December 2006 11:56 a.m.

Alfred Jones

Job application

Dear Mr. Jones,

I (find) your listing on Greatjobs.com for anAssistant Director in your Advertising Department.

I am twenty-one years old and currently single. Sincemy parents (work) for an International organisation, I(live) in Chile and Venezuela during my school yearsand am bilingual in English and Spanish.

After graduation, I (study) for two semester in aBritish Academy for Bilingual Secretaries where I(improve) my business writing skills in English andSpanish and (take) courses in Japanese.

I (work) as a part-time secretary in a Canadiancompany and as an interpreter at various seminarsand conferences.

I am including my CV below and would be happy toprovide a Word or PDF version if you prefer.

Thank you,Doug Fairbain

Pairwork

Based on the information in Mr.Fairbain’s e-mail letter, which of thejobs posted on page 56 would be bestfor him? Write an application letter forthis new job.

Group work

Write a suitable question in the past for these answers.

1 I heard of this vacancy through the newspaper. (How... ?)

2 She studied at the Windsor Language School. (Where... ?)

3 Mr. Smith arrived this week (When... ?)

4 They went to the airport to meet the manager. (Why... ?)

5 The trip to the Bahamas took two hours. (How long... ?)



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unit nine


This article deals with body language. Bodylanguage is of particular importance during jobinterviews. It is also important when working orvisiting abroad. When in different countries,bilingual secretaries not only need to know thedifferences between the two spoken languages, butbetween physical expressions as well. The typical“O.K.” gesture with your fingers, for example, isconsidered obscene in some countries.


Debate

Students can look up what different gestures meanin different countries; the thumbs up, the V forvictory sign, the O.K. hand gesture, etc. Then theycan share what they have discovered with theirclassmates.

Pairwork

Students create a short role-play in pairs using onlybody gestures. The rest of the class tries to createdialogue for their actions.


Think of two positions you would like to have.Write adverts for them stating candidates’requirements, place, conditions of work, fringebenefits, etc. Compare with a partner. Choosethe best two adverts and exchange them withanother pair of students. You and your partnereach choose one of the new adverts and writean application letter for it. When you havefinished, return them to the other pair ofstudents along with their original ads. In smallgroups of four, discuss what you liked abouteach other’s adverts and if your applicationletters were appropriate or not. How couldyour letters improve? Was there anyinformation missing?

Students choose one of the job advertisementsfrom Student’s Book, page 56 and do a mockinterview applying for the job. They must keepbody gestures in mind as they speak.

2

1


Students imagine they have applied to studyfor a Masters at a British university. Theyprepare a short presentation, similar to theone they heard in CD-Rom activity 1. Studentsneed to mention the following information.Give them a few minutes to prepare.

Where they are from

What they want to do

Where they want to go

Why they want to do it

Cultural awareness

60


unit nine

Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• How to interpret job advertisements: full-time;

languages a plus...• How to write a CV: Responsible for... ; dealt with... ; direct

contact with; performed ... duties / tasks• How to write an application letter: I saw your advertisement

in (a newspaper) / at (website). Thank your for your time and consideration.

• The past simple: How did she send the quotation?We didn’t hear the news.I sat next to the Chairman.

Have you noticed how often people communicate through bodymovements or gestures? They are used as a complement orreplacement of verbal language depending on the situation or type

of relation we have with the other person. These gestures are part of whatis called “body language”, and although everyone is familiar with them,they may have different interpretations in different countries.

In some Arab communities, for example, stupidity can be signalledby touching the lower eyelid with the tip of the forefinger, while in othercultures the same action can mean alertness, mistrust, approval or evendanger. Looking someone in the eyes may be appropriate in certainsituations within some communities, but not in others. The use of thethumbs up, down or backwards can also have interesting interpretations indifferent cultures, so we must be careful about the use of body language orwe may get ourselves into serious trouble!

Body language

Pairwork

Work with a partner usingonly body language tocreate a role-play in frontof the class. Yourclassmates put your actionsinto words.

Debate

In groups investigate whatthe “thumbs up” gesturemeans in differentcommunities.

How many hand gestures can you think of right now? Explain two of them to the class.

How about facial expressions such as winking, blinking or licking your lips? Explain their

meaning in your community.

How important is body language in a working environment? ?

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unit nine


10Inter-office memos

unit ten

Memos are internal messages within an office. Although official “news” or company policies arestill usually written as traditional memorandums, they have been replaced with internal phonecalls or e-mails through Intranet.In this unit, students will learn how to correctly write and interpret inter-office communication.They will also recognise the influence of new technologies in this area.


• How do you communicate with your colleagues at school or at work?

• Do you use formal or informal language?

• Is there a common Intranet page where you can all connect and share files?


unit ten

• To interpret the structure of a memo

• To write inter-office memos

• To recognise what Intranet is

• To focus on cognates

• To look at the use of emoticons or smileys

Objectives

61

A memorandum (memo) is a written form of communication between people who worktogether. It can be inter-departmental, inter-office or inter-company. Memos are either sent onpaper or by Intranet. In multinational organisations, memos written from one subsidiary toanother are sent by e-mail.

Introduction

Skills objectives

• To analyse the structure of a memo• To interpret memos and put them in

chronological order• To politely ask people for something or to

do something

Language focus

• Using common language and structuresused in memos

• Using polite expressions in memos to askpeople for something or ask them to dothings

• Cognates and false cognates• Emoticons in informal e-mails and mobile

phone messages

Key vocabulary

& structures

• Contact me...; In response to your e-mail...;Please find enclosed / attached...

• Would it be possible to...?, Let me know ifyou can...

• Intranet (Internal network system); Internet(International network system); Emoticons(emotional icons)

Business tasks

• To interpret the structure of a memo• To write inter-office memos• To learn about Intranet and how companies

apply it to everyday business tasks

Additional material




Book, page 68


Give students a few minutes to look at the twomemos and decide what the purpose of eachwriter was. Which is a traditional memo andwhich is an e-mail? E-mail is extremely usefulwhen you have to send copies of the same e-mail to lots of people.

a b To ask for a prompt reply toanother person; b c To identify a list being sent in a separate file.

Memos: common expressions

Just like in letter-writing, there are key expressionsused in memos. They usually have references to aprevious communication or to something you areattaching or enclosing with the memo. Theexpressions on Student’s Book, pages 62 and 63 are common enclosure or reference statements.

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 111, by copying and translating thewords from the lesson in their notebooks.

Group work

Students brainstorm in five minutes as manydifferent ways as they can to finish thesesentences. Then the groups compare theiranswers with the rest of the class. SeeTeacher’s file.

1 Contact me as soon aspossible after you receive the samples. 2 Inresponse to your e-mail about last month’ssales report, I think we should meet to discussalternative sales tactics. 3 Let me know if youcan come to the meeting in Madrid next week.4 Please take a look at the chart before youanswer the marketing department and tell uswhat you think about it. 5 I received your e-mail about the conference in Amsterdam.6 Inform your Sales Representatives that theirfinancial presentations are due next Friday.

Sample answers:

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

Group work In small groups of three, studentsturn the activity into an oral drill task.One person reads the first part of thesentence and the next personcompletes it. Then he / she reads thenext phrase and the third personcompletes it, etc.


1 One of the most common uses ofmemos is to ask someone to dosomething. This activity is a writtenpractice of the most common politeexpressions.


2 Students complete the sentenceswith the verbs in the box.


Additional practiceAs a group activity, students choosethree phrases and incorporate theminto a dialogue they create. Givethem time to practise. The groupsread their dialogues from their seats.

e

e

Teacher’s file

Model memos

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unit ten

Model memos


Workbook, page 30.

Group work

Brainstorm ways to finish thesesentences.

1 Contact me as soon as possible after you

receive...

2 In response to your e-mail about...

3 Let me know if you can...

4 Please take a look at the ... before you ... and

tell us what you think about it.

5 I received your e-mail about...

6 Inform your Sales Representatives that...

Like all forms of inter-office communication, memos have different purposes: to make inquiries and requests, toprovide information, reminders, confirmations, to send enclosures or attachments... Although their content mayvary, electronic and “hard-copy” memos follow a similar style:

What is the writer’s purpose in memos a and b?

a To order some merchandise.

b To ask for a prompt reply to another person.

1c To identify a list being sent in a separate file.

d To send boxes to Australia.

From: Nicole BloomfieldDate: October 2nd, 2005To: Charles RichardsRe: Winter Exhibit Confirmation

Australian Leather Clothing Co.

Sydney – London – New York

Dear Charles,This is to remind you that you have to confirm our participation in the

XXII Winter Exhibit to be held here in London.Mrs. Eleanor James is now in charge of the organisation.You have to

decide on the items (7 max.) we’ll be displaying and send a detaileddescription of them.We have to send a letter in which we officially commitourselves to participating , along with the names of the people in charge,before the 30th, otherwise we’re out.

I’m sending a copy of her original letter dated September 15th.

Nicole BloomfieldNicole Bloomfield

cc: H. Houstonpage 1 of 2

Referring to previous communicationAs I mentioned on the phone, we...I received your memo about...In response to your memo dated...I received the copy of the project that you sent me...

Asking someone to do somethingContact me as soon as possible after you receive...Take a look at the ... and tell us what you think.Let me know if you can...Please note that I have received...Please inform your Sales Representatives that...Please check your...

Sender’s Name

Memo’s subject

Date

Salutation

Body

Closing (optional)

Signature

Copy notation

a

Addressee’s name

64


unit ten


Focus on Language

The most common memos are those where you askfor something or ask someone to do something.The terms listed on Student’s Book, pages 62 and63 are common expressions used in these types ofmemos. Students can personalise the Glossary,Student’s Book, page 111, by copying andtranslating the words from the lesson in theirnotebooks.

Give students a few minutes to carefully readthe two memos and answer the questions intheir notebooks.

Memo a: 1 False. She is in chargeof organising the XXII Winter Exhibit. 2 True;3 True; 4 False. It is in London this year.Memo b: 1 True; 2 False. It is a Worddocument. 3 False. Copies were sent to D.Jones and H. Lawson. 4 True.

Pairwork

Students use the expressions from the Focus onLanguage boxes on Student’s Book, pages 62and 63.

1 Could you fax me theinformation about the new laws applying tothe importation of cars in this country? 2 I’dbe grateful if you could send me the namesand addresses of the customer of that specificarea. 3 I’d like to request the two quotationsfor the supply of transport from port to HeadOffice? 4 Could you tell me what would be themost appropriate delivery dates for the ordersfrom Jackson and Sons? 5 Could you send methe forms by airmail?

Sample answers:

e

Answers:

2

Student’s Book



E-mail correspondence1 Students complete the e-mails with

the information they infer from theother e-mails. Then they must putthem in the correct order.

Additional practiceStudents use the e-mail service atwork or at the centre where they arestudying to exchange e-mails backand forth with a partner. They startout using a formal style and developa more informal style as they “work”together longer. They print up the e-mail correspondence and presentthem to the teacher.

DebateStudents look at the e-mails again andcomment on any changes they noticed inthe style used during the e-mailcorrespondence.

Writing memos1 Students complete the four memos

using the information on the page.

2 Students choose one of the subjectsin the exercise and write a memoabout it on a separate sheet ofpaper. Remind them to use thephrases on Students’ Book, pages 56and 57.

This activity can be reused later toevaluate student’s progress.

Additional practiceStudents give their memo fromWorkbook, page 32 to a partner.They write another memo answeringtheir partner’s memo.

e

e

Teacher’s file

More memos

63


unit ten

More memos

Workbook, page 31-32.

Say if these statements about the memos are true or false.

Memo1 Mrs. James is the President of Australian Leather Clothing Co.

2 Nicole wants Charles to confirm the company’s participation in the

Winter Exhibit.

3 Charles must choose the items that will be displayed in the Exhibit.

4 The Exhibit will take place in Sydney.

2

Mark Hartley

9-25-05

Robert Wise

Catalogue 2006

Lester & Lester Inc.Dear Bob,

I’m attaching the list of the models and colours availablefor the next season in a separate Word document. If thereare any other special requirements, please let us know assoon as possible.

Best wishes,Mark Hartley

cc: D. JonesH. Lawson

Memo1 Mark is sending a list for the 2006

catalogue.

2 Mark’s list is an attached pdf file.

3 No copies were sent with this e-mail.

4 Mark knows the person he is writing to.

Pairwork

Make polite requests using some of the common expressions from pages 62 and 63.

Example: Could you fax me the information about the new laws applying to the importation of cars in this country?

1 ...new laws applying to the importation of cars in this country.

2 ...the names and addresses of the customer of that specific area.

3 ...the two quotations for the supply of transport from port to Head Office.

4 ...the most appropriate delivery dates for the orders from Jackson and Sons.

5 ...you send me the forms by airmail.

b

a b

Attachment: models1.doc


Requesting somethingI’d be grateful / I would appreciate it if you could...I’d like to request forty copies of...We’d like to know how many people will beattending our...Could you fax me the information about... ?Would it be possible to get a copy of the... ?Could you tell me if... ?

Sending enclosureAttached is a copy of your original memo with...Please find attached a list of...See attached file.


focus Languageon

65


unit ten


Intranet

These days office workers can fill in forms andreceive and send information via their companyintranet. The Internet is an international network ofInformation. An Intranet is similar, but it worksinternally within a company or organisation.Companies use Intranets to share and access dailyinformation. Sometimes a company accesses itsIntranet through the Internet. This is especially trueof very large corporations or companies withsubsidiaries in other countries that need to shareinformation.

Pairwork

In pairs, students match the sections of theIntranet page to their purpose. See Teacher’sfile.

1a; 2g; 3h; 4b; 5e; 6f; 7i; 8c;9j; 10d.

Keep in mind

Most large corporations have an external companyprepare their Intranet pages. Smaller companiesmight have a program that they use in-house toprepare a common Intranet page for the people ina particular department. If this is the case, the threeitems mentioned in the Student’s Book help createan easy yet helpful Intranet page.

Keep in mind activities

Students examine different company websites onthe Internet. How are they similar to an Intranetpage? How are they different? Are there somepages on the web site that require a secret accesscode or PIN number? Might these pages be part ofthe company’s Intranet service?

Answers:

Student’s Book

PairworkYou might turn this activity into a groupwork activity. In groups of four,students design an Intranet page for aschool or company. They need toinclude all the sections that appear inthe pairwork activity in their Student’sBook.

Additional practicePeer teaching: Students exchangetheir Intranet pages with another groupand correct their partners’ work.Remind students how to giveconstructive criticism: I think if youincluded…, It would be better if…, whynot…

Teacher’s file

Filling in forms

64


unit ten

Filling in forms

Form-filling

An Intranet is an internal networkwithin an organization (or company).It uses Internet technologies to transferdata and send correspondence. AnIntranet helps in cutting costs, and it isan easy and fast way to access dailyinformation. Generally, an Intranet isdifferent from the Internet in that it is aclosed network within an organization,whereas the Internet is a publicworldwide network. You can use anIntranet Server and its externalapplications on the WWW or aninternal computing application such asLotus Notes. Companies use Intranetapplications for internal mail, sharingapplications and files and evenvideoconferences.

Pairwork

Match the section in theIntranet page above to itspurpose.

Example: 1 is a-to search thewww.

1 To search the WWW.

2 To add or change information on

the company calendar.

3 To view the departmental calendar.

4 The company name and logo.

5 To share documents with your

department.

6 To read a profile about a company

worker.

7 To contact fellow workers.

8 To access frequently used Internet

pages.

9 To read news or group

announcements.

10 To search for a client on the

company database.

j

i

h

g

f e d

c

b

a

Keep in mindIf you need to prepare an Intranet homepage, there are differentprograms that you can use to help you. Nevertheless, there arecertain questions your Intranet page needs to answer:

• What are the main needs of your co-workers?• What are the main areas of your company that need direct

and simple access?• How can you make it user friendly?

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unit ten


Cognates and false cognates

Cognates are words that have a similar form ormeaning in more than one language. This iscommon of words with Latin or Greek origin. Falsecognates are words that have a similar form but acompletely different meaning. What words at thetop of the page are similar in the students’ nativelanguage? Refer students to the Grammar andlanguage reference, Student’s Book, page 105.

Students read the text and write down all thecognates they can find in their notebooks.

census, languages, united, Tagalog,commonly, particular, usually, concentrate,California, population, million, Californians.

Group work

Students look at the words together andseparate them into lists of cognates and falsecognates. See Teacher’s file.

Cognates: figures (meaning“shape”), cancel, assist, economical; Falsecognates: figures (meaning “numbers”),actually, apply, attend, realise, success, succeed,invest, exit; False cognates from the text:according, usually, large.

Students complete the sentences with thewords from the group work. They cancomplete this task individually or stay in theirgroups. See Teacher’s file.

1 attend; 2 success; 3 economical;4 apply; 5 actually; 6 assist.

Debate

Students discuss if the Intranet page on page 64answers the questions listed on the “Keep in Mind”section of the same page. Ask them what type ofcompany could use this. It would probably be somesmall or medium-sized company.


Answers:

2e

Answers:

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

Group workStudents think of two other cognatesand two false cognates they know inEnglish. Then they write sentencesfor them.

2 Students write sentences for theother words not used in the activity.


Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

65


unit ten

Let’s focus on…

Cognates and false cognates

Read the text and see how many cognates youcan find.

1

Debate

Does the Intranet page on page 64 answer the questions in the ‘Keep in mind’ box?

What type of company do you think could use this type of Intranet page?

Group work

Look at these words. Are they cognates or false cognates in your language?

figures attend assist

cancel realise economical

actually success invest

apply succeed exit

Now look for false cognates in the text above.

Use words from above to complete these sentences in your notebook.

1 Do you ... your course regularly?

2 The program is a complete ... . The results are very promising.

3 I would like to have an ... car to go to work.

4 Will you ... for the job in Kenya.

5 He’s a very nice person...

6 Will you ... him if he has a problem?

2

According to the 2000 Census, 176 languages arespoken in the United States. Spanish, Chinese, French,German, and Tagalog are the most commonly spokenlanguages after English. Speakers of particular foreignlanguages usually concentrate in a few states; yet,California has the largest non-English speakingpopulation of the United States. More than 8 millionCalifornians speak Spanish, followed by over 800,000Chinese speakers and 600,000 people who speakTagalog. There are more people who speak French inthe states of Maine and Louisiana.

focus Languageon

Cognates are words whose form and meaning arethe same, or very similar, in English and in otherlanguages. Look at the words below. Are they similar to somewords in your language?

important differentuse papercommon simple

False cognates are English words that have a formthat is similar to another language, but that has adifferent meaning.



Cognates

67


unit ten


This article deals with emoticons. Emoticons are atextual way of expressing facial gestures or bodylanguage. The term is a combination of the words“emotion” and “icon”. It started as a part ofInternet chats and has spread to e-mails and mobiletext messages. It is considered to be very informaland they are only used in business when the personyou are writing to is a close co-worker or colleague.


Pairwork

Students write an e-mail to their partners usingemoticons.

Debate

Students can look up other emoticons on theInternet and share them with their classmates.


In groups, students choose a companydescription and create a user-friendly Intranetpage for it. They can use the Intranet page onStudent’s Book, page 64 as a model. Alsoremind them to follow the questions of theKeep in Mind section of the same page. Oncethey’ve completed their Intranet page, theygive an oral presentation, showing the rest ofthe class their page and explaining how it couldbe used.

a Small-medium sized company about 70 employeesDepartments: IT, Sales, Marketing, HumanResources, Accounting

b Large corporation: shoe retail about 1,500 corporate employeesmust connect headquarters, two warehousesand 4,000 independently owned franchisesin three different countries

c Small non-profit research organisation40 employees / researchers share andcompare health studies from Latin America,Southern Asia, Central Africa


Read the following definitions and synonymsof words and expressions from CD-Romactivity 2. Students guess the word.

1 short

2 very tiring

3 Now, to make a long story short

4 to be informed

5 I’m going

1 brief; 2 exhausting; 3 Anyway;4 To be up-to-date; 5 I’m off.Answers:

Cultural awareness

66


unit ten

Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• Memo structures: To:

From:Re:

• Typical phrases used in inter-office memos: I received the file you sent...I’d appreciate it if you could...Contact me ASAP about...

• The difference between Internet and Intranet:public WWW vs. internal communication

The daily use of the Internet for e-mails, chats, blogs andother forms of communication has brought about thepossibility of showing or expressing emotions of joy,sadness, love, humour, etc., in a very rapid and creative way,through signs sent together with the message.

These expressive signs are called emoticons or smileys, andthey can be understood by Internet users from anywhere inthe world. They are a combination of characters such as acolon, a comma, a parenthesis, a dash, that you can type onyour computer keyboard and in that way send an additionalcomment to your text.

Some of the most popular ones, and their meanings, are thefollowing::-) = you are joking, you are satisfied,-) = you are joking about something but you don’t mean it:-> = you use it after a sarcastic remark:-( = you are sad:< = you are very sad:-* = you are sending a kiss

Some websites have also created animated figures that aremore sophisticated forms of emoticons or smileys. They aresmall and colourful, and some of them are so cute that it isdifficult to resist their charm.

EmoticonsEmoticons

Debate

Share with your classmatesother emoticons you arefamiliar with. Which one isyour favourite?

How often do you use the internet to communicate with other people?

a never b every day c every week

d once a week e once a month f twice a month

Do you ever use emoticons or smileys when writing?

a almost never b usually c always

d sometimes e often f seldom ?Pairwork

Think up a short e-mail to afriend using emoticons.

68


unit ten


11Reading skills

unit eleven

Reading in our native language is often taken for granted until we need to transfer these skills to a foreign language. Reading in English can take very little time and practice if we work ondeveloping certain skills that we already have as readers in our native language and use thecontext and the general knowledge we have about a subject to help us understand the text.In this unit, students will learn how to apply reading skills like skimming and scanning tounderstand texts in English.


• What do you usually read? (Newspapers, magazines, books...)• Do all texts require an accurate reading from beginning to end? • What section of the newspaper is most interesting to you? Why?• When you read a letter, what do you concentrate on first? Do you leave any parts aside?

67

11Reading skills

When we learn to read as children in our native language, we rarely think of the value of this skill that willaccompany us for the rest of our lives. From then on, we take it for granted and we use it automatically and almost unconsciously. To read and understand what you read in English, you must develop certainreading skills and strategies.

unit eleven

Introduction

• To recognise the purpose of a text from its structure or format

• To skim and scan a text and understand its general content

• To use a dictionary as a useful reading tool

• To study the spread of English as an international language

Objectives

Skills objectives

• To recognise the purpose of a text from itsstructure or format

• To use a dictionary as a useful reading tool• To recognise words and their meanings

through context and language structure

Language focus

• To recognise the function and etymology ofwords

• To build words by adding suffixes • To study the history and spread of English

as an international language

Key vocabulary

& structures

• brochure, regulations, schedule, graffiti,recipe, postcard

• skim, scan, headline• dictionary entry, etymology, definition• Halloween, gram, Englisc (pre-English

language)

Business tasks

• To scan letters and articles for information• To skim letters and articles and understand

their general content and purpose

Additional material



Book, page 74


Students name the different types of texts theysee. See Teacher’s file.

a dictionary; b brochure; c biography; d airport schedule; e regulations;f fax; g telegram; h ad; i personal note.

Debate

In small groups, students compare the pairs of textsand organise them into different categories.Afterwards, they discuss their opinions as a largegroup.

You might start the debate as a large group activityand provide students with an example before theystart debating in small groups:

A textbook / a novelA textbook is big in format. The length depends onthe subject. Some textbooks are longer than others.The language they use is very clear and specific tothe subject. They are very clearly organised and theyinclude theory and practice. A textbook is notfiction although it can include fictional passages. A novel is usually smaller in format. It doesn’t havea specific length. The type of language depends onthe writer. Some novels use literary language, butthey can also use language specific to the type ofstory (detective, romance, adventure…). There is noset organisation for a novel. It also depends on thewriter, although it tends to be structured inchapters. A novel is, by definition, a fictional work.

Walk around the class correcting any problemareas.

Answers:

1e

Student’s Book

1 Students can bring in examples ofother types of texts (like catalogues,biographies, graffiti…). In their smallgroups, they can define what type oftext they are and classify themaccording to their form, style, lengthand type of language / organisation.

Aditional practiceIn pairs, students create a dialogue,basing it on one of the texts from thepage. Give them a few minutes toprepare their dialogues and practisethem before acting them out in frontof the class. Ask them to first identifythe text that inspired their dialogue.


Teacher’s file

Purpose

68

11Reading skills

unit eleven

Purpose

Look at the different texts and label them with a word from the list below.

catalogue complaints letter dictionary biography postcard fax agenda airport schedule

short story brochure regulations phone message telegram newpaper notice street sign graffitti

price list ad poem personal note

1

Texts have different forms and structures depending on their aim or purpose.

Debate

Compare the following types of texts. What differences or similarities do they have in theirform, length, type of language or organisation?

A textbook / a novel An ad / a manual A dictionary / a postcard

A brochure / a diary A magazine article / a novel A notice / a recipe

(sb): understudy (the role of) Ophelia* She understudied Judi Dench.

un-der-take /nd’teik/ v. (pt. undertook,p.p. under-taken) 1. (start to) makeoneself responsible for (sth.):undertake a mission, task, project, etc.* She undertook the organization ofthe whole scheme.

A

D

G

I

H

E F

B C

Jill, please tell Mr. Hicks I had

to go to the bank. I,ll be back

in ten minutes.

Thanks,

Pam

MEETING JULY 10TH CANCELLED.WOULD JULY 23RD BE O.K.?

JAMES O’BRIAN

• Visitors are allowed on Thursday andSunday from 15:00 p.m. to 17:00 p.m.

• Children under 10 are not permitted inthe wards.

• Visitors should refrain from eating,drinking and smoking in the wards.

741244 - Clock Radio Telephone• Pulse telephone with 20-digit dialing• 17-digit redialing capacity• mute key• auto redial• adjustable ringer• modular 14-ft.-cord• black, green, grey

$150

Maharis LTD.

TO: Paul Miller DATE: 08/23/05FAX No.: 2067 No. OF PAGES: 1REF.: Order

Please send us the following items as soon asposible:

Item Quant. Cod. No.K100 Camera 7 42017K500 Camera 3 42018Zoom Lens 4 5360Zoom Lens 12 5362

We’re mailing cheque No. 332451for $2,800.

B A 9 1 0 9 0 5 2 02 35DEPARTUREFLIGHT ARRIVAL

: :

K L M 4 5 2 1 1 3 1 07 27 : :

L A N 8 9 0 8 3 0 2 53 57 : :

A A 1 1 0 9 3 0 1 50 02 : :

To record and view a scrambled/unscrambled channel.1. Set the VCR/TV selector located on the front of VCR to ‘VCR’.2. Set the TV channel selector to the output channel of the

Cable Converter Box (e.g. channel 3)3. Select the channel to be recorded at the...

Domenikos Theotokopoulos wasborn in 1540 or 1541 in the city ofCandia, the capital of the island ofCrete. As a young man he moved toVenice where he studied withTitian until 1570. Then ...

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11Reading skills

unit eleven


Skimming is a reading technique used to quicklyidentify a text’s main ideas. It is usually done at aspeed three to four times faster than normalreading. People skim when they have lots ofmaterial to read in a limited amount of time: whenreading a newspaper, checking if an article is of usefor a research project, seeing if an Internet article isof interest or for reviewing graphs, tables, andcharts.

There are many skimming strategies: reading thefirst and last paragraphs, reading organisers(headings, summaries, titles, subtitles, subheadings,and illustrations). Although people can read andcomprehend at the same rate when reading off acomputer screen as when reading off paper,skimming on the computer is much slower.

Students read the questions for each article.Give students a few minutes to quickly skimthe two articles, keeping in mind the questionsthey read previously. Then they answer thequestions in their notebooks. See Teacher’s file.

Article A: 1 Halloween; 2 Toexplain about the customs of the holiday ofHalloween; 3 open practice; Article B: 1 Toorder products; 2 Using lists and shortparagraphs and sentences.

Remind students to use their skimming skills toquickly read the dictionary entry and answerthe questions in their notebooks. See Teacher’sfile.

1 3 different meanings; 2 3 (Reading something quickly); 3 Skimmed;4 Speaking.

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Skimming

69

11Reading skills

unit eleven

Skimming

Skim the texts quickly and answer the questions.1

Read this dictionary entry quickly and answer the questions.2

Skimming is a reading skill that allows us to quickly read through a text to get the gist or main idea.

Athens, November 2, 2005.

Mr William PhillipsSales ManagerT.C. Elmhurst

Dear Mr Phillips,

We have received your 2006 catalogue and wouldreally appreciate if you could send us the followingitems:

2 Typewriters LNM 78543091 Typewriter E - SM 5009335

Payment will be handled through the usualprocedure.

RegardsPeggy Smith

O ctober 31st is a very special holidayfor English-speaking children. Onthat day they dress up as ghosts,

witches or strange creatures and go fromhouse to house collecting candies andsweets. They knock on each door or ring thebell and when the door is opened they callout “Trick or treat!” The person answeringthe door puts treats into the paper bagsthey are carrying. It’s Halloween!

Some schools have costume parades onthat day, and later in the evening childrengo to parties where they eat cakes andcookies. They drink sweet apple cider andplay games. They tell frightening storiesabout ghosts and monsters and black cats!

1 What would be a good title for this text?

2 What’s the main purpose of the text?

3 Do you celebrate this holiday in your country? Do you

celebrate something similar?1 What is the purpose of this letter?

2 How is the letter organised to to make its purpose clear?

1 How many different definitions are there of the word

skim?

2 Which entry defines the activity you are doing now?

3 How do you spell the past simple of the verb skim?

4 Which of the following words would you NOT expect

to find in this definition?

book quickly speaking

headlines slowly reading

skim [�skim] 1. tv. to remove something from thesurface of a liquid. ♦ The cook skimmed the fat fromthe top of the gravy. ♦ John skimmed the bugs fromthe surface of the swimming pool. 2. tv. to glide overthe surface of something; to go over the surface ofsomething quickly ♦ The plane skimmed the treetopsbefore it crashed. ♦ The goose´s feet just skimmed thesurface of the lake as it landed. 3. tv. to scan readingmaterial; to read something quickly. ♦ The studentskimmed the reading assignment before class. ♦ Iskimmed the newspaper while eating breakfast.

Workbook, page 33.

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11Reading skills

unit eleven

Student’s Book

1 Students bring in different types oftext from home or from the Internet.In pairs, they write questions for theirchosen texts, using activity 1 as amodel. Then they exchange theirtexts and questions. Students quicklyskim the texts and answer theirpartners’ questions.

2 Students prepare similar questionsfor a word with multiple meanings,like words from Student’s Book, page68: ad, novel, manual, article, notice,letter, story, sign...

Teacher’s file


Scanning is a reading technique used to search forkey words or ideas. People scan when looking for aparticular answer to a question, looking up a wordin a telephone book or dictionary or for findingdates, names, or places.

There are many scanning strategies: seek specificwords and phrases by moving your eyes quicklydown the page. Look for organisers (like numbers,letters, steps, or the words first, second or next) orhighlighted words (in bold, italics or a differentfont, size or colour).

Students read the questions one by one,scanning the text each time for the answers.See Teacher’s file.

1 15 years; 2 Yes, he / she does; 3 Yes, he / she does; 4 Act as first link; handlelots of information; create good atmosphere;5 Used words like first, secondly, finally.

Students skim the letter first to gain an overallsense of the letter (type, style, purpose). Thenthey read each question and scan for theanswers.

1 Mathews Brown; 2 His faxreference number is 30021; 3 The quotation’sreference number is 2347; 4 The delivery dateis prior to January 30th; 5 The goods should bedelivered to the Bristol subsidiary.

Pairwork

Students find a short passage from theInternet, a book or magazines. Then theyprepare 4 questions for their partner to answer.

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 DebateIn small groups or as a large group,students discuss the article. Do theyagree with the writer? What do theythink is the most important functionof a secretary?


1 Students use either skimming orscanning skills to answer thequestions about the three texts.Students can do this activityindividually, in pairs or in groups ofthree (with each student working ona different text).

Teacher’s file

Scanning

Workbook, page 33.70

11Reading skills

unit eleven

Scanning

Read the questions below, then scan the text quickly in search of the answers.1

Scan the letter to answer the questions.2

When we scan an article, we quickly look for specific information.

...I have been working as asecretary for 15 years, and I mustsay it’s been a great experience. I have met so many interestingpeople and have made many friends.Not only do I enjoy my work, but I think it’s an important job, too.

Secretaries, either men or women,perform a very important functionin any kind of business. First, they

are often the first link orconnection between customers andthe company, and that first contactmay be the starting point of aprosperous business.

Secondly, they handle a lot ofinformation, which is anothercrucial element for succeeding inthe business field. If clients andsuppliers are properly informed, the

company will make a goodimpression on them from the verystart.

Finally, their work is alsoimportant because secretaries andoffice workers can create a good orbad atmosphere within thecompany; and we all know howimportant it is to feel good atwork...

Thorpe Corporation12 West Boulevard - Cambridge CB6 2LXTel.: 0223 64 1602

FAX No. 30021

To: Frank Kleiner Date: 1/13/2006

From: Mathews Brown No. Pages: 1

REF.: Quotation No. 2347

We accept your quotation No. 2347 on the terms stated. Goodsmust be sent to our subsidiary in Bristol.Would it be possible to have them delivered before the 30th?Looking forward to your confirmation.

Yours faithfully,

Mathews BrownChief Buyer

1 How long has the writer been a secretary?

2 Does the writer like being a secretary?

3 Does this writer think secretaries are important?

4 What are the three reasons the writer gives?

5 How does the writer help you quickly identify these

reasons?

1 Who is sending the fax?

2 What is his fax’s reference number?

3 What is the quotation’s reference

number?

4 When is the delivery date?

5 Where is the place of delivery?

Pairwork

Find a short reading passage inEnglish and prepare 4 questionsfor your partner to answer byscanning the text.

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unit eleven


Students identify the grammatical function ofthe word present in each sentence.

1 verb; 2 noun; 3 adjective; 4 adverb.

Students decide if the word in italics acts as anoun or a verb. Then they replace it with asimilar word or expression.

1 verb; buy a ticket for; 2 verb;hold; 3 verb; call / telephone; 4 noun;publication; 5 noun; gold band; 6 noun;home / cabin / cottage.

Group work

Students look at the words together anddecide what their meanings and functions are.They can use a dictionary to settle anydifferences of opinion.

1 a adverb: from that time; b conjunction: because; 2 a adverb: the sameas; b conjunction: in the same way that... 3 a verb: to tape; b noun: accomplishment; c noun: written evidence; d noun: plasticsound recording; e noun: list of actions.

Working with a dictionary

Students read each question and then scan thedictionary entries for their answers.

1 From the Italian word graffito; 2 A gram is 1/28 of an ounce; 3 A gram; 4 Itmeasures weight.

Pairwork

Students use the previous example as a modeland write four questions for a dictionary entrythey find in an English dictionary. See Teacher’sfile.


Answers:

1

Answers:

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

PairworkDictionaries are not only a useful toolfor finding multiple meanings ofwords or their function, but they canalso inform us of their pronunciation,etymology, common phrases or idiomsand even offer example sentences.Students write two more questionsreflecting these different areas.


Word-building

1 Once you know the grammaticalfunction of a word, you can usedifferent suffixes to create morewords. Students complete the chartswith the correct words.

2 Students examine the functions ofthe words in the sentences. They canuse the suffixes to decide if thewords are nouns or adjectives. Theyunderline the nouns and circle theadjectives.

Working with dictionaries

1 Students read the questions and skimor scan the dictionary entries for theanswers.

2 Students use the dictionary tocomplete the sentences.

PairworkStudents prepare similar questionsfor the word boomerang thatappears in the dictionary entry at thetop of the page. Then they exchangequestions with a partner and answerthe classmate’s questions.

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...


71

11Reading skills

unit eleven

Let’s focus on…

Grammatical structure in context


What is the grammatical function of theword in italics in each sentence? Choosefrom the box

adjective adverb verb noun

1 Will you present a new project?

2 The present you gave me is beautiful.

3 Melanie is not present now.

4 The manager is presently preparing the annual budget.

1

Read the dictionary definitions and answerthe questions.1 Where did the word graffiti come from?

2 What is the equivalent of a gram in ounces?

3 What is another way of saying 1/1,000 of a kilogram?

4 What does a gram measure?

Pairwork

Choose an entry from a good Englishdictionary and make up some questions toask your partner.

1

Decide if the word in italics acts as a nounor a verb and replace it with a similar wordor expression.1 Miss Hamilton, could you book a seat for me on the

next flight to Cardiff, please?

2 How many people can this institution house?

3 Will you ring me tonight?

4 Is the book as good as the movie?

5 He gave her a ring for her birthday.

6 Mrs. Wong bought a new stylish house this summer.

2

Knowledge of specific structures in English can help you understand a text when you read. When you come across aword you do not know, first look at its grammatical function. If you understand a word’s role in a certain context, itwill help you guess its meaning.

Working with a dictionaryIf you are unable to understand a word from its context, you will then need to look it up in a dictionary. Thedictionary tells us the grammatical function of a word, it’s meaning within this function, its pronunciation and itsetymology.

Group work

Look at the words in italics and discuss their uses and meanings. Use a dictionary if necessary.1 I have been studying English since September.

Since he never came to class, he failed the course.

2 He dressed up as a ghost for Halloween.

Do as I say!

3 Did you record the conversation?

That’s our best record.

Is there any record of the 2004 production costs?

Compact discs commercially replaced vinyl records in

the 1990’s.

The man had a very long criminal record.

graffiti [�rə�fi ti] 1. n. words, symbols or pictures thatare written, scatched or painted onto surfaces. (TheItalian plural of graffito. Treated as singular.) ♦ Thewalls of the subway station were covered withgraffiti. ♦ I covered the graffiti on my garage doorwith paint.

gram [��r�m] 1. n. the basic unit for measuring weightin the metric system, equal to 1/1,000 of a kilogram orabout 1/28 of an ounce. ♦ This tablet has half a gramof aspirins. ♦ This coin weighs about 5 grams.

73

11Reading skills

unit eleven


This article deals with the history of the Englishlanguage and its current international importance.It is used as an official language in over 60countries. Seventy-five per cent of the world’stechnological communication is in English. It is thelanguage of communication used by air-trafficcontrollers and pilots, maritime agencies andcomputer programming.


Survey

Students can look up the history of English on theInternet or in encyclopedias to find what otherlanguages influenced the creation of the Englishlanguage. They share their information with theirclassmates and write up their survey results into agraph.


Photocopy different types of shortnewspaper or Internet articles. In pairs or small groups, students prepare an oralpresentation of their articles.

First they must skim the article for:the general topicthe type of article (sports, current events,economy, tabloids...)

Then they must scan the article for:why the article is importantspecific details answering the 6 questions of journalism: (who?, what?, when?, why?,where? and how?)

Choose a narrative text. Students read a passage from it. Ask them three of thefollowing questions:

What type of story is it? (scary, romantic,funny...)

What is the writing style used? (formal,colloquial...)

What is the scene about?

Who are the main characters?

Which sentence was the most difficult for youto read? Why?

Which sentence did you like the most? Why?

From context, what do you think the word ...means?

Have you read this before in your nativelanguage?

2

1


Ask students the following questions aboutCD-Rom activity 1:

1 What do you use a warehouse for?

2 Can you define the word “headquarters”?

3 What is a branch?

4 How do you call a place where you can lookat products?

5 In what type of building are productsmanufactured?

1 to store products; 2 the main orprincipal office; 3 a secondary office or shop;4 a showroom; 5 in a factory.

Answers:

Cultural awareness

72

11Reading skills

unit eleven

Cultural awareness

When Julius Caesar landed inBritain about two thousand years ago,the English language did not exist. Avery small number of people probablyused a language called “Englisc” aboutfive hundred years after the Romans’arrival in the island of Great Britain. A thousand years later, around thesixteenth century, seven million Englishmen and women spoke English. It isnow the third-most spoken nativelanguage worldwide with over 380million speakers. Yet, more than 400

million people use English as a secondor foreign language!

Over the last few centuries, the rise of English has beenextraordinarily fast. Englishspeakers, including Scots, Irish,Welsh, Americans, and others havetaken their language and culture toalmost every corner of the worldthrough travel, technology and themedia. A recent study concluded thatthe English language is used as anofficial language in over 60

countries, more than any otherinternational language.

Without any doubt English is thelanguage of technology and business.Close to three quarters of the world’smail, e-mails and text messages andeighty percent of the informationstored in the world’s computers iswritten in English.

Don’t forget!• How to skim a text by reading the topic sentences of

paragraphs and organisational cues.

• How to scan a text by moving your eyes down the page

looking for key words or specific facts.

• How to use the grammatical function and context of

words to guess meaning: He estimated about 50 people

would attend the presentation. She sent the estimate by Fax.

• How to recognise the etymology of words

in a dictionary: < L (from Latin). <OF (from Old French)

In your country, is English used more as a second language or as a foreign language?

In what sectors is English used most in your country?

Why do you think English is so widely used today?

Look up the etymology of these words: essay budget freight ?Survey

Look up the history of the English language in an encyclopedia or on the Internet. What otherlanguages directly influenced the creation of the English language? List some words as examples.

74

11Reading skills

unit eleven


12Describing qualities

unit twelve

Descriptive adjectives are used in business to describe positions, people, places, products andservices. The larger a student’s vocabulary is, the more accurately he / she can explain his / herideas and opinions.In this unit, students will learn how to apply adjectives, connectors and reference elements toincrease their level of expression in English.


• Do you think there are personal qualities that are typical of certain professions?

• Can you name a few qualities for a good boss? What about a bad one?

• What qualities would you like or dislike in a spouse or boyfriend / girlfriend?

• What qualities would you like or dislike in a co-worker?

73


Do you think there are certain qualities that are typical of certain professions or activities? Businesses usespecific expressions and words to describe the people that work in their offices, the services they offer andthe products they create.

unit twelve

Introduction

• To describe people, places or products

• To use connecting words to unite ideas

• To revise skimming and scanning strategies

• To learn about the influence of other languages in the UK

• To discuss the influence of stereotypes

Objectives

Skills objectives

• To revise skimming and scanningtechniques to read articles and letters

• To organise information with mind maps,charts and Venn diagrams

• To recognise words and their meaningsthrough context and language structure

Language focus

• To use connecting words to unite ideas formore formal writing

• To use adjectives to describe people andplaces

• To use reference elements and recognisewhat they refer to

Key vocabulary

& structures

• trustworthy, fulfilled, reliable, ergonomic,light-weight, heavy-duty

• moody, nosy, fussy, dependable,predictable, available, believable

• profitable, affordable, disposable,advisable, understandable, workable

• flexi-hours, workplace, human resources• nevertheless, even though, whereas, while,

however

Business tasks

• To describe people, places or products• To learn about the influence of other

languages in the U.K.• To discuss the influence of stereotypes in

business

Additional material

• Grammar and language reference, pages101-102



Book, page 80


Students quickly skim the texts to answer thequestions.

1 A person; 2 Positive; 3 Outsidethe company.

Students read the questions and then scan thesame three articles for their answers. SeeTeacher’s file.

1 An administrative intern for theHuman Resources Department. 2 They needsomeone with initiative and integrity who isalso responsible and reliable. They must havewell-developed communication andorganisational skills, be bilingual in English andSpanish, know Word and Excel and be enrolledin an institute or university. 3 Potential clients.4 It is a comfortable working area; it has amodern “look”; it has a sturdy design. 5 Itsrevolutionary work atmosphere. 6 openpractice.

Focus on Grammar

Should is a modal verb used to give advice oropinions. Like other modal verbs, it does not changeand is the same for every subject (I, you, he, she...)Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, page 101.


Students make up 5 sentences about things theyusually find difficult to do. (eg. I find it difficult towake up early in the morning.)

In pairs, students exchange sentences. They taketurns to give advice to each other about theirproblems using sentences with should. (eg. Youshould go to bed early.)

Survey

Individually, students write a list of 5 qualities that asecretary should have. Then in small groups, theycompare these qualities and put them in order ofimportance. Afterwards, they answer the follow-upquestions either individually in their notebooks ororally as a class. See Teacher’s file.

Answers:

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

2 Students can bring in examples ofother types of texts. In pairs, studentsskim their partner’s article and talkabout what type of text it is, what itdescribes, if it is in a positive / negativeway, what it highlights, etc.


SurveyIf students answer the survey follow-upquestions in their notebooks, they canuse their answers as an outline forwriting an essay.

e

Teacher’s file

Descriptive words

74


unit twelve

Descriptive words

Quickly skim the texts to answer the questions below.1

Texts have different forms and structures depending on their aim or purpose.

Survey

In your notebook, write a list of five qualities that a secretaryshould have. Classmates organise them in order of importance.

What qualities did you agree on? Any differences?

How many positive qualities do you think you have?

How do you think you could develop the ones you don’t have?

MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION seeks intern forHuman Resources Department. Applicant must certifycurrent enrolment in accredited institute or university.Position requires student with initiative, integrity, andexcellent communication and organization skills. Candidatemust be responsible and reliable. Fluency in English andSpanish a must. Should also be interested in assisting othersand in learning about human resources issues. Knowledge ofWord and Excel a plus.Will work on various projects in orderto learn about and train in human resources operations andadministration.

A

B EETHSEN Ltd. is far from being a traditionalcorporation. The company’s owner himselfhas designed an unconventional uniform

which the staff proudly wear in representation of theircompany. The buildings, both at the headquarter andbranch levels, have colourful playgrounds, green areasand common social club areas. The key words for thiscompany are flexibile, trustworthy, and responsible, andthe atmosphere exudes the joy of working. Beethsen areagainst routine and traditional office hours. The workershave flexi-hours that allow them to work whenever they

like as long as they meet their assigned targets. For thisreason, it is common to find people at the workplace inthe evenings or at weekends. Some prefer to work athome via Internet and only go in to the office on thedays when specific tasks require it. Workers areencouraged to take dancing lessons, do sports, or otheroptional activities during traditional working hours. Theidea behind this company’s revolutionary workatmosphere is that if company workers feel happy andfulfilled at work, they will work better and faster and witha more positive attitude.

C

B

The new Plexismart workstation by Datanex Inc. is a remarkablenew desk designed to accommodate the modern office workerat his/her workstation. Its adjustable monitor stand, ergonomickeyboard and mouse rests provide a comfortable working areathat is adequate for any height. Its ultra-modern Plexiglas “look”makes it an interesting and attractive addition to your officedecoration. Despite its light-weight appearance, its sturdydesign makes it ideal for even the most heavy-duty computeruse. It also offers optional drawers to keep important files oroffice equipment organised and at-hand.

Now scan the texts for these answers.

1 What profession is article A describing?

2 What are the personal qualities they are looking for? And the professional skills?

3 Who do you think article B is aimed at?

4 What three things are highlighted about the product?

5 In article C what is the most remarkable thing about Beethsen?

6 Do you think this type of company would work well in real life? Why or why not?

2

1 Is article A describing a

person or a service?

2 Does article B talk about

the product in a positive or

negative way?

3 Is article C written by

someone inside or outside

the company?

Should

focus Grammaron

This modal verb usuallyimplies advisability.Examples:You should be more patient.She should improve herspelling.He should be more tolerant.Should I call him now?Should you be so rude?Should they accept their offer?You shouldn’t be late to work.He shouldn’t attend themeeting.We shouldn’t insist.


76


unit twelve


Many adjectives have a root word like a nounor a verb that helps us understand its meaning.Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, page 102. Thenstudents categorise the adjectives according towhether they describe people, things or both.Venn diagrams are useful tools for organisingthis type of information. See Teacher’s file.

People: nosy, bossy, moody,wealth, thirsty, fussy; Things: rainy, windy,sunny, cloudy, snowy, comfortable, profitable,affordable, disposable, advisable, workable,understandable; Both: lucky, dirty, worthy,remarkable, comparable, predictable, available,believable, reliable, dependable.

Students complete the sentences withadjectives from the chart. See Teacher’s file.

1 remarkable; 2 affordable; 3 understandable; 4 comfortable; sunny; 5 available; 6 profitable; 7 nosy / moody /bossy; 8 Wealthy; 9 Fussy; 10 snowy / windy.

Key Vocabulary

Workbook, page 36When we describe the qualities of a person orthing, we are often expressing a point of view. It isimportant to know how to agree or disagree withthe opinions of others in a polite way. Thestructures in the Key Vocabulary box are usefulwhen giving an opinion.


Ask students to make a list of topics they like totalk about (eg. music, their favourite film / book orsports…). In groups of four, students ask each otherquestions and give opinions about their favouritetopics, using the structures in the Key Vocabularybox.

Answers:

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Students organise information fromarticle C in page 74 into a Venndiagram (About the company: /About the workers: / Both:).



1 Students match each product to thebest adjective.

2 Students organise the adjectives inthe box into the correct column.

Additional practiceIn pairs, students take turnsinterviewing a partner about whattraits he / she might have. Then theywrite a short paragraph describingtheir partner using the adjectives thatcame up in the interview.

Students use the people traits todescribe a popular celebrity. In smallgroups, students try and guess whothe famous person is.

3 Students choose adjectives from thelists they created in activity 2 tocomplete the sentences.

DebateStudents discuss the questions in smallgroups or as the entire class. Referstudents to the Key Vocabulary box forstatements they can use to give theiropinions during the debate.

e

Teacher’s file

Adjectives

75


unit twelve

Adjectives

Adjectives sometimes only describe people or things. Other times they can describe both. In yournotebook, place the adjectives above into a Venn diagram like the one below.

1

Complete the sentences with an appropriate adjective from the chart above.

1 My boss is a ... man. He’s capable of doing anything he wants.

2 The trip is very attractive, but it isn’t ... for me. It’s too expensive.

3 Her attitude is ... but I don’t think it’s correct.

4 My new office is very ... . I have natural light almost all day, so it’s also very ... .

5 The goods were not ... at our usual supplier; consequently, we had to look for another one.

6 The business is not ... any longer, so we have to close down.

7 It was very difficult to work with her. She was ... and ....

8 ... customers do not worry about prices.

9 ... people are sometimes difficult to please.

10 The day was ... and ... so the flight had to be postponed.

2

Workbook, page 36.

Many adjectives have a root word that helps you understand its meaning. Sometimes the root words can be nounsand other times they are verbs.

NOUN

rain

wind

sun

boss

dirt

worth

mood

luck

wealth

thirst

cloud

snow

nose

fuss

adjective + able

comfortable

profitable

affordable

remarkable

comparable

disposable

advisable

understandable

predictable

available

believable

workable

reliable

dependable

VERB

comfort

profit

afford

remark

compare

dispose

advise

understand

predict

avail

believe

work

rely

depend

adjective + y

rainy

windy

sunny

bossy

dirty

worthy

moody

lucky

wealthy

thirsty

cloudy

snowy

nosy

fussy

People

lucky

nosyThingssnowy


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unit twelve


Students should skim the text quickly anddecide which concepts are covered in thearticle. See Teacher’s file.

b; d; e; f; i.

Students read each question and then go backand scan the text for the answers. SeeTeacher’s file.

1 United Kingdom of Great Britainand Northern Ireland; 2 It is made up ofEngland, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland;3 Scots, Welsh, English, Irish; 4 Gaelic, Welsh.5 German Angles, Saxons, Norman French; 6 Celts; 7 A small minority speaks Gaelic andonly 20% of the population speaks Welsh.

Languages in the U.K. nowadays

You might like to contrast the historical informationin the reading passage with the situation nowadaysin the U.K.

Tell the class that the number of languages spokenin the U.K. has increased dramatically over the lasthalf century. Mass immigration has brought peoplefrom all over the world to settle in the country.Recent research has found that around 300languages are now spoken in London.Ask students to research more information aboutthe main languages spoken in the U.K. Then theyshare the information they have found with the restof the class. Encourage students to talk about notonly the languages spoken but also in which partsof the U.K. they can be heard.

Answers:

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Students look up information aboutthe other concepts not mentioned inthe reading. Then they share thedata they have found in smallgroups.

2 DiscussionIn small groups or as a large group,students discuss the article. Did theylearn anything new about the U.K.?Do you think it is important to knowthe origin of the English language?Why might this be important topeople learning the language?

This activity can be reused later toevaluate student’s progress.


1 Reference elements are used to offerconnection between sentences

without repeating the actual wordsused previously. Students refer backto the text on the U.K. and writewhat the reference elements refer toin the text.

2 Students create a mind map aboutthe different cultures that lived in theBritish Islands. They use the text onpage 76 of their Student’s Books forthe details.

Group workStudents look for more informationon the Internet or in encyclopediasabout the Celts, the German Angles,the Saxons, the Norman French orthe Romans. They present theirinformation as a written essay or asan oral presentation.


e

Teacher’s file

Workbook, page 37.

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unit twelve

Languages in the UK

Although many people use the terms Great Britain or England when talkingabout this country, its true name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain andNorthern Ireland (or UK for short).

The island of Great Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland. TheNorth Channel separates Northern Ireland from Great Britain. At its closest point,Scotland is only 20 km away, which explains why more than 60% of NorthernIreland’s population descends from Scots who crossed over during the seventeenthcentury. The rest of the population is Irish in origin. The Isles of Scilly and the Isleof Wight, Anglesey, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are also part of the UK.

Foreigners usually refer to people from the U.K. as ‘English’; however, people fromScotland consider themselves Scots, those from Wales are called Welsh and peoplefrom Ireland are Irish. Their ancestors were Celts who arrived in the British Islandscenturies before the Roman invasion. The Germanic Angles and Saxons, who gaveEngland its name, conquered them in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. Later, in1066, the Norman French conquered them. The English people and the Englishlanguage came from this mixture of Anglo-Saxons and Norman conquerors.

A small minority in Scotland speak Gaelic, a Celtic language. The local language in Wales is still Welsh, also of Celtic origin;but despite efforts by the government to preserve the language, only 20% of the population speaks Welsh.

English is spoken throughout the UK, but there are many different accents. The English they speak in London, for example,‘sounds’ different from the English they speak in Edinburgh, Liverpool or Cardiff. Not only do speakers’ accents reflect theirsocial or educational background, but also the other languages spoken in their area.

Skim the text quickly. Does the article about the United Kingdom talk about the followingconcepts or not?

a The Royal Family

b The geographical position of the country

c The form of government

d The definition of Great Britain

e Language(s) spoken in the country

f Member nations of the country

Scan the text and answer these questions in your notebooks.

1 What does the UK stand for?

2 What countries or regions make up the UK?

3 What are the people from these areas called?

4 What languages do some of them speak?

2

1

g Its constitution

h The functions of the Prime Minister

i English ancestors

j The Queen’s governmental functions

k The origin of the English flag

5 Who are the ancestors of the English?

6 What is the origin of the other three areas of the UK?

7 How many people still speak Welsh? And Gaelic?

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unit twelve

Languages in the UK


Connectors join parts of a sentence, sentences orparagraphs within a text.However and nevertheless join two sentences,and are used to contrast ideas: I worked very hardyesterday; however, I wasn’t tired. The meeting wasvery long; nevertheless, we managed to finish early. Although, though, even though, while andwhereas connect ideas within the same sentence.They are also used to contrast ideas: He came tovisit me, although he was very busy; Even thoughshe came early, we didn’t have time to finish ourproject.


Students look at the text on page 76, then usethe connectors to complete the sentences intheir notebooks. See Teacher’s file.

1 although many people use theterms Great Britain or England; 2 even thoughonly 20% of the population speaks it; 3 whileLiverpool is in England; 4 whereas Welsh is ofCeltic origin; 5 though many are Irish in origin;6 whereas the Welsh are from Wales; 7 thereare many different accents; 8 however, peoplefrom Scotland are called Scots.

Pairwork

Students interview a partner. Then they useconnectors to write sentences about him / her.See Teacher’s file.


Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 As a fun chain activity, make simplesentences and students connectthem with connectors. As soon asthe class can no longer continue thechain, start a new one. Teacher: Istayed home on Saturday... Student1: I stayed home on Saturdayalthough I was invited to a party.Student 2: I was invited to a party;however I decided not to go.Student 3: I decided not to gobecause....

Pairwork Peer teaching: Students answer thequestions themselves and write ashort essay about their travelinterests. Afterwards, they tradeessays with a partner. This is anopportunity to offer their classmates

constructive criticism using the politeexpressions learned earlier in thecourse. They should write a list of theerrors they have found and thenchoose only three or four of themore important ones to commenton.


1 Students choose the connector thatbest completes the meaning of eachsentence.

2 Students make a complete sentenceby matching the two expressions.

3 Students apply what they havelearned about connectors to thebusiness letter.


Teacher’s file

Connectors

Workbook, page 38.

77


unit twelve

Let’s focus on…

Connectors

Look at the text on page 76. Then use the connectors to complete these sentences in yournotebook.

1 The name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, although…

2 The authorities have taken measures to revive the use of the Welsh language, even though…

3 Cardiff is located in Wales while Liverpool…

4 The English language descends from the German tongue whereas Welsh…

5 Most of Northern Ireland’s population is of Scottish origin, though many…

6 Scots come from Scotland, whereas the Welsh…

7 Even though people all over England speak English, there are…

8 Foreigners usually refer to people from the UK as ‘English’; however, people from Scotland…

Pairwork

Interview a partner. Use the connectors above to write sentences about him / her in yournotebook.

a Have you ever travelled abroad?

What aspects of the country did you find interesting / different / similar to your country?

or

b Where would you like to travel? Why?

1

These words join parts of a sentence, sentences or paragraphs within a text.Examples:

however / nevertheless

although / though / even though

while / whereas

• During the last centuries, the powers of the government have been assigned directly to Ministers; however, thereare still important acts that require the Queen’s participation.

• England is predominantly a lowland country; nevertheless, there are upland regions in the northern part.

• Although Scotland is part of the U.K., its legal system differs in some aspects from those of England and Wales.• Even though the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK, they have a special relationship with it.• British people like outdoor activities, though the weather is cold and windy.

• Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland whereas Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.• Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak, is 978 m while Wales’ highest peak, Snowdown, is 1,085 m.• England is the most densely populated area while Scotland is the least populated.



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unit twelve


This article deals with international stereotypes.Often our misconceptions about a country and itspeople can affect the way we do business. Bothpositive and negative stereotypes can influence ourdecision-making and even our attitudes to foreignaffiliates.


Debate

Put students into small groups where they candiscuss their opinions about the two statements.After a few minutes, join the small groups togetherand give the new group a few minutes to discussthe two statements again. Continue until the classcan be divided into two teams (one in favour of onestatement and one in favour of the other.) Referthem to the Key Vocabulary box on Workbook,page 36 for opinion-giving structures.


In small groups or pairs, students compareone of the following, using adjectives theyhave learned in the unit:

• A popular singer and a writer.

• A teacher and a politician.

• Stereotypes of Mediterranean countries andNordic countries

Students prepare a publicity campaign foran item that can be found in the classroom.They can use adjectives they have learnedin the unit. Then, they give a publicitypresentation to the rest of the class.

2

1


In CD-Rom activities 1 and 2, students learnthe most powerful words in advertising. Inpairs, students make a list of the “words thatsell” that they remember from the activities.

easy, guarantee, proven,money, save, now, new, results, free, safe,health, fun…

Sample answers:

Cultural awareness

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unit twelve

Cultural awareness

All groups of people share distinctivecharacteristics that outsiders quickly perceive.Any group, community or country, has specificcustoms, ways of talking and behaving thatdistinguish them from the others. This isparticularly evident when we travel abroad andsee how people there behave or when we receivevisitors from other countries.

To the observer, some of thesecharacteristics may seem positive or negative.

They are often the source of popular beliefs andeven inspire ingenious jokes either aboutforeigners or our own selves. Here’s one: “Heaven is where the police are English, the cooksare French, the mechanics are German, the loversare Italian and it is all organised by the Swiss.Hell is where the police are German, the cooks areEnglish, the mechanics are French, the lovers areSwiss, and it is all organised by the Italians.”

Do you know any others?

STEREOTYPES

Don’t forget!• How to use adjectives to positively or negatively describe

people or things: disciplined, neat, efficient, careless, moody,

impersonal

• How to connect phrases or sentences: nevertheless,

although, however, while

• How other languages influenced the English language in

the UK: Germanic Angles, Saxons and Norman French.

Did you find the joke funny? Why or why not?

What other customs are considered to be typically English or German?

Are there any customs that are stereotypes in your country?

What stereotypes are there of the people from different regions in your country?

Are there stereotypes of the different people you study or work with? ?Debate

Which of the following statements do you agree with most?

“Attempts to categorise cultural characteristics often end up in cultural stereotypes that are unfair or misleading.”

“Stereotypes might possess some grain of truth.”

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unit twelve


13Office duties

unit thirteen

Office work entails many duties, skills and tasks. When applying for a job, it is important to recognisethe difference between the three: what you are expected to do, your own capability in achievingthese goals and what additional things you can do. In this unit, students will learn how to use theknowledge they acquire about office duties, skills and tasks towards a productive and engaginginterview. They will also examine how the use of connectors and relative clauses can make theirspeech more fluid as well as how gender may affect the jobs they are applying for.


• Have you ever applied for a job?

• What do you have to do when you apply for a job?

• Have you ever been interviewed for a job? By whom? What things did they ask? What did you do?

79

13Office duties

A secretary or an office worker has to perform certain activities daily, weekly or periodically, depending onthe type of organisation or company. This unit examines common tasks, duties and activities required bycertain office jobs.

unit thirteen

Introduction

• To distinguish between skills, tasks and duties

• To learn job interview strategies

• To revise connectors

• To read about English in the New World.

• To learn relative clauses

• To focus on nouns and nominal groups

• To discuss gender roles in the work place

Objectives

Skills objectives

• To revise skimming and scanningtechniques to read articles and letters

• To apply speaking strategies learned earlierin the course to group discussions andinterviews

• To recognise words and their meaningsthrough context and language structure

Language focus

• To revise sentence connectors• To learn about relative clauses• To correctly form nominal groups

Key vocabulary

& structures

• to earn, to spend, to afford, to purchase, topay, to invest

• to quit, to be dismissed / fired, to apply for,to be promoted

• salary, fringe benefits, in-service courses• furthermore, besides, moreover, so that

Business tasks

• To know the difference between skills,tasks and duties

• To learn useful interview strategies• To discuss gender roles in the workplace

Additional material


• Glossary, pages 111-112• Workbook, pages 39, 40 and 41• CD-Rom, Unit 13• Optional CD-Rom review, Teacher’s Book,


Book, page 86


Interview strategies. A résumé tells an employerwhat you have done. The interview is the next stepthat lets you tell the employer what you havelearned from your previous experience, as well asshow your interest in the company and in theposition you are applying for.

Create an interview discussion. Talk not onlyabout what you are expected to do, but of newprocedures you could help implement. Give theemployer the idea you are resourceful andenthusiastic and could help the company’sproductivity. Show him / her the skills you couldbring to the job.

Stay professional. Never make negativecomments about former employers.

Leave money issues aside. Let the employerbring up the topic first. If you are cited an amountthat you consider low, ask if it is a set figure or if itis negotiable. If it is not mentioned at all during theinterview, you can politely ask at the end, takingyour time to counter-offer if the salary is lower thanyou expected.

Asking questions. If an interviewer asks if youhave any questions, there are some you could askthat show the employer you are interested andmotivated; like asking if there is room foradvancement, if you are expected to work overtimeor who might be your immediate supervisor.

Send a follow-up letter. Write a short thank youletter for selecting you for an interview. This letternot only shows the are thoughtful and courteous,but it can even help the interviewer choose youover someone else if he / she is torn between whichcandidate to choose. It could even help later whennegotiating your salary and benefits once you havebeen chosen.

Students read the three job interviews onStudent’s Book, pages 80-81 and choose theirfavourite candidate. Based on the interviewstrategies mentioned earlier, students comparewhat the candidates did well and what theydid wrong during the interviews. This task canbe done in small groups or as a large group.See Teacher’s file.

Key Vocabulary

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, page 111, by copying and translating moneyverbs from the lesson in their notebooks.

1e

Student’s Book

1 Make a copy of the interviews andcut them up in strips of paper. Inpairs, students reconstruct one of theinterviews.

Additional practiceStudents practise the dialogue theyhave reconstructed with theirpartners. Walk around the class andlisten to their pronunciation andintonation.



Duties, tasks and skillsGroup work

Job tasks are specific activities youneed to accomplish. Job duties are

activities you are habitually in chargeof. Skills are abilities you have toaccomplish these tasks and duties. Ingroups, students discuss the list ofactivities and decide if they are skills,duties or tasks. Compare theiranswers as a large group.

PairworkStudents complete the description ofEnrico’s job. They use the list fromthe group work as an aid. Studentscan complete this task individually orin their previous groups.

Keep in MindThe –ing suffix is used for changingverbs into nouns or for verbs thatfollow like / dislike.

e

Teacher’s file

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13Office duties

unit thirteen

Job interview strategies

Read the situation below and then the three job interviews. Who is your favourite candidate?The Personnel Manager, Mr. Wells, has to fill the position of Secretary to the Finance Manager. Below you will find parts

of three interviews of people who are applying for the job. Read each interview and complete the exercises that follow.

1

A

W = Mr. Wells H = Mr. Parker

W: Mr. Parker, I understand you’re applying for

the position of secretary in our Finance

Department. Are you working at present?

P: No, sir. I quit.

W: What made you quit your job?

P: Well, Ms. Hales, my boss, wasn’t a very

nice person. She was too bossy, too

demanding... I didn’t like her. She asked

me to leave.

W: So, you didn’t quit. You were fired.

P: Yes, but... I was going to quit anyway.

W: Tell me about your duties. What exactly did

you do there?

P: I had to type letters and documents. I’m

very good at it; I type 150 words per

minute. I answered the phone and I was in

charge of the petty cash.

W: Do you have any experience with computers?

P: No, I prefer typewriters. I told you, my

typing speed is very good.

W: I see. And what about foreign languages?

P: What do you mean?

W: Do you speak a foreign language?

P: No, sir. I was never good at languages at

school, I’m afraid.

B

W = Mr. Wells H = Miss Hobson

W:Miss Hobson, how long have you been working as

a secretary at Cotton’s Manufacturers?

H: About a year, sir. Since I graduated.

W:Are you satisfied with your Job?

H: Very much, sir.

W:Then, why do you want to change?

H: Because I work in a small company and, obviously,

there aren’t many possibilities of being promoted.

Apart from the typical secretarial tasks such as

typing, filing and answering the phone, I’m in

charge of salaries, payments and taxes. I know

I can do more than that.

W:Do you speak any foreign languages?

H: Yes, I do. In fact, I have taken several French and

Spanish courses. The only problem is that I’ve had

few opportunities to practise them. I also speak a

bit of Portuguese.

W:And computers? Do you have any experience with

them?

H: Of course, where can you work now without

knowing how to use a computer? I’m not an

expert, but I can manage quite well with the word

processor and Excel or Lotus programs.

W:Miss Hobson, how important is salary to you?

H: Well, I think it is important, but it isn’t everything.

Besides, I’m very young, with little work

experience. I know I have to learn many things

and keep on studying so that I can get promotion

in the future.

KEY VOCABULARYVerbs related to money

to earnto make moneyto afford

to spendto receiveto invest

to cash a chequeto purchaseto pay

Glossary, page 111.

82

13Office duties

unit thirteen

Job interview...


Students complete the sentences about thethree interviews. See Teacher’s file.

1b; 2a; 3b; 4c.

Key Vocabulary

Students can personalise the Glossary, Student’sBook, pages 111-112, by copying and translatingjob-related terms from the lesson in theirnotebooks.

Pairwork

Students copy the chart and fill it in withinformation about the candidates.

Mr. ParkerYears of experience: doesn’t say; specialskills: fast typist; duties at previous job:typed letters and documents, answered phone,petty cash; strengths: experience as secretary;weaknesses: negative attitude, no computerskills, no languages.

Miss HobsonYears of experience: one year; special skills:accounting, languages, computer skills; dutiesat previous job: secretarial tasks, accountingtasks (salaries, payments, taxes); strengths:has initiative, computer literate, willing tolearn; weaknesses: little experience.

Mr. JamesYears of experience: four years; specialskills: finance, computers, languages; dutiesat previous job: secretarial tasks, shoe sales,assistant at a bank and a university;strengths: lots of languages, computer expert;weaknesses: arrogant, asks for high salary,over-experienced.

Debate

What is their opinion of Mr. James’ interview? Howdo they think Mr. James would have answered thelast question? How should he answer it?

How would they have improved other parts of Mr.James’ interview? What about the other twocandidates?

Answers:

Answers:

2

Student’s Book

2 In pairs, students choose one of thethree interviews and act it out for therest of the class.


Focus on GrammarWe use the connector but to indicatecontrast or opposition. It usually followsa comma.

The connectors besides / moreover /furthermore are very similar; theyshow addition. A period or a semicolonusually precedes these words and thenthey are followed by a comma. So is

usually used to introduce consequenceor result. Refer students to theGrammar and language reference,Student’s Book, page 102.

1 Students match the sentence halvesto create complete sentences.

2 Students use connectors to completethe sentences.


Additional practiceRefer students back to the threeinterviews on Student’s Book, pages80-81. Students find examples of theconnectors from Workbook, page 40in the interviews.

e

Teacher’s file

Job interview...

Related to jobs

KEY VOCABULARY

81

13Office duties

unit thirteen

Verbsto apply for to quitto interview for (a job)to fire / dismiss to be fired / dismissedto contract / hire to be contracted / hiredto be promotedto turn down anapplication

Nouns qualifications fringe benefitstaxesin-service courses salary

Glossary, page 111.

C

W = Mr. Wells H = Mr. James

W:Mr. James, it says here that you have worked in a shoe shop,

in a multinational company, a university, a bank and in two

other local institutions over the last four years.

J: Yes, my work experience covers very different areas.

W:Do you have any experience in finance?

J: Yes, of course. I worked in a bank. I took some in-service

courses while I worked there.

W:So, I suppose you have worked with computers.

J: Certainly. I’m an expert. I’ve got a good command of

Windows, Lotus, Excel, Word Perfect, etc.

W:And I suppose you also speak other languages.

J: Spanish, German, French and Japanese. I’m quite fluent.

W:Good. Mr. James, what about salary? How much do you

expect to earn?

J: Well, at least 20% over my last salary. It’s written there, in my

resumé.

W: I’m afraid that’s more than what we can afford for the position

you’re applying for.

J: But, considering my qualifications, I’m sure you can do

something about it, can’t you?

W:There are some fringe benefits that might interest you.

J: I don’t know...

W:Mr. James, let me ask you a question. Why have you changed

jobs so many times?

Pairwork

Imagine you are Mr. Wells. Copy and complete thischart, then choose the best candidate for the job.

Read the three interviews andchoose the best answer.

1 Mr. Wells was interested primarily in the

candidates’...

a age b special skills c studies

2 ... applicants spoke foreign languages.

a Two of the b None of the c All three

3 One of the candidates, ... , had only 1 year’s

work experience.

a Mr. Parker b Miss Hobson c Mr. James

4 ... was not computer literate.

a Mr. James b Miss Hobson c Mr. Parker

2

Candidate Years of Special Duties at Strengths Weaknessesexperience skills last job


Debate

The third interview ends with anunanswered question. Answer as ifyou were Mr. James. Then, answer asyou think he should have answered.

How could all the candidates haveimproved their interviews?

83

13Office duties

unit thirteen


Students skim the text quickly and decidewhich concepts are covered in the article.Based on these concepts, which would not bean appropriate title?

1a; 2b; 3b.

Students read each statement and then goback and scan the text to decide if they aretrue or false. See Teacher’s file.

1 False: The French worked theirway south through central United States andall the way down to Louisiana; 2 False: Itdoesn’t mention Africans; 3 True; 4 True; 5 False: Other Europeans such as Germans,Dutch and Swedes, also came and settled theareas of Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York;6 True; 7 True; 8 False: By the end of the 19th

century, the old immigration group, who feltthe newcomers were overcrowding their citiesand taking away their jobs, no longerwelcomed these new people; 9 True; 10 False:St. Patrick’s Day is a special holiday for Irishpeople in Chicago.

Keep in Mind

The terms emigrate and immigrate are commonlyconfused terms in most languages. Encouragestudents to think of some type of mnemonic deviceto help them distinguish the terms in English. Forexample: Emigrants exit their homelands.Immigrants import their customs when they come.

Answers:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

2 SurveyDivide students into small topic groupsdealing with the text. In their groups,students think up questions to ask therest of the class about their topic. Thenthey compile their information, drawconclusions about their topics andpresent everything visually and orallyto the rest of the class. Possible topicgroups: Stereotypes (eg: What doyou know about Americans orCanadians? Do you base your opinionson films, news...?) Generalknowledge of geography (eg: Howmany provinces / states do you know?How many rivers can you name?)General knowledge of history (eg:

When was the American Civil war?What important historical eventshappened in Canada?) Tourism (eg:Have you ever visited the country?Where would you like to go?)

Additional practiceStudents can investigate somethingmentioned in the article morethoroughly eg: Chinese immigrants inthe United States, The history ofQuebec, The French Quarter in NewOrleans, The history of Pennsylvania,French fur-trading in the New World,The Spanish colonisation of Florida...Then they write up a one or twopage report about it. Optionally, theycan read or present their article orallyto the rest of the class.

Teacher’s file

82

13Office duties

unit thirteen

English in the New World

Skim the text to find the answers to the questions.

1 The text is mainly about the history of:

a The United States and Canada

b Latin America

c The Caribbean

2 The text mainly discusses the time period of:

a The 20th century

b 15th-19th centuries

c the Pre-Colombian era

3 What would NOT be an appropriate title for this article?

a Cultural and linguistic diversity in North America

b Mistreatment of the Indians

c Canada and the U.S.: A common history.

Scan the text and answer True or False.

1 The French worked their way up to Northern Canada.

2 Africans emigrated from Africa in search of better living

conditions.

3 Most English colonists left their country for religious

reasons.

4 The East Coast was the first part of the U.S. territory that

settlers arrived at.

5 Germans never showed interest in immigrating to North

America.

6 People in Quebec are bilingual in French and English.

7 Anglo-Saxon Protestants became the leaders of the first

American colonies.

8 During this century, there has been hostility towards new

immigrants.

9 The English language has always played a decisive role in

the assimilation of immigrants into American and Canadian

society.

10 Valentine’s Day is a special holiday for Irish people in

Chicago.

2

1

Keep in mind

Two commonly confused words in English are

emigrate and immigrate:

• You emigrate from your country of origin. Emigrants

often leave their homes and families behind.

• You immigrate to your new country of residence.

Immigrants often have to learn a new language when

they arrive.

C anada and The United States of America are tworelatively new countries with a closely connectedhistory. Their inhabitants primarily speak English

and they are a part of the 38 countries and territoriesthat form the Americas or “New World”.

The French, who set up fur-trading settlements incentral Canada, worked their way south throughthe central United States and all the way down toLouisiana. The Spanish stayed in the areas ofFlorida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Baja California andthe West Coast of the United States.

Large numbers of colonists emigrated fromEngland in the 1600’s and 1700’s. Other Europeans,such as Germans, Dutch and Swedes, also cameand settled the areas of Pennsylvania, Delaware andNew York. Both in Canada and in the U.S.,immigrants had to learn to organise and governthemselves. This was not easy for people who camefrom different cultural backgrounds, spoke differentlanguages and suffered many hardships.

English colonists, white Anglo-Saxon Protestants,who were larger in number, soon became thedominant group, and the others, not wanting to feelseparate, began to adopt the English language andculture.

In the 1800’s, the Chinese also embarked for theAmericas and large numbers of Italians, Greeks,Russians, Poles, Hungarians and Rumanians soonfollowed them. By the end of the 19th century, theold immigration group, who felt the newcomerswere overcrowding their cities and taking awaytheir jobs, no longer welcomed these new people.The newcomers had to confront hostility andprejudice, forming ethnic neighbourhoods wherethey maintained their language and customs.

These customs and languages still prevail today. InCanada’s Quebec, both French and English arespoken. In fact, Montreal is one of the largestFrench-speaking cities today. Even the city ofOttawa, which is very close to the Quebec border,has a very strong French flavour. Similarly, theUnited States is famous for its ethnic heritages: NewOrleans’ French Quarter, Little Italy in New York orthe Irish St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Chicago.

Despite, or perhaps precisely because of, themarked diversity of the immigrants that moved tothese vast territories in search of freedom and wealth,the United States and Canada are two of the mostinfluential and powerful countries of modern times.

84

13Office duties

unit thirteen

English in the...


Focus on Grammar

Nominal groups are nouns acting as a nucleusthat are being described by adjectives. Referstudents to the Grammar and language reference,Student’s Book, page 102.

Group work

In their notebooks, students write as manynominal groups as they can from the English in the New World article on Student’s Book,page 82.

two relatively newcountries; closely connected history; fur-trading settlements; different culturalbackgrounds; the dominant group; theEnglish language; the old immigration group;ethnic neighbourhoods; one of the largestFrench-speaking cities; the Quebec border; avery strong French flavour; its ethnic heritages;two of the most influential and powerfulcountries.

Focus on Grammar

Relative clauses start with a defining or non-defining relative pronoun. They contain either extrainformation or information that is essential to themeaning of the sentence. Refer students to theGrammar and language reference, Student’s Book,page 103.

Pairwork

Students discuss the differences in meaningbetween the relative clauses.

a The relative clause specifieswhich document we are talking about. b Thefact that they signed the document is just extrainformation. c Only those who colonised theEast were hardworking people. d All Britishpeople were hardworking.

Students read the sentences and decide if theyare defining or non-defining. See Teacher’s file.

1 non-defining; 2 defining; 3 defining; 4 defining; 5 defining; 6 defining.


Answers:

1e

Answers:

Sample answers:

Student’s Book

1 DefinitionsIn pairs, students define objects andoccupations using relative clauses. Student 1: A doctor... Student 2: Adoctor is a person who cures sickpeople. A computer... Student 1: Acomputer is a device that processesdata and numbers...



1 Students combine the words tocreate nominal groups. Ask studentsto share their longest nominal group.

2 Students choose the best relativepronoun for each sentence.

3 Students combine the two sentencesby making non-defining clausesusing who or which. e

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

Workbook, page 41.

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Let’s focus on…

Nominal groups

Group work

In your notebook, write as many nominalgroups as you can from the article on page 82.


Nouns are often preceded by pre-modifiers that describe them. These pre-modifiers are usually adjectives, but they cansometimes be other nouns. This type of structure is called a nominal group. The noun being described is the nucleus.

Relative clauses

Relative clauses start with a relative pronoun; they can be ‘defining’ or ‘non-defining.’ Defining relative clausescontain information that is essential to the meaning of the sentence. Non-defining relative clauses contain additionalinformation which is usually separated by commas.

Identify the relative clauses in the following sentences. Are they defining or non-defining?

1 My curriculum vitae, which is very complete, needs some polishing.

2 The letter that arrived this morning is from Athens.

3 The hotel where they stayed during the conference was full.

4 The application forms that they handed in last month were turned down.

5 The person who was interviewed yesterday was fired from her previous job.

6 The shop that is on the corner sells some delicious pastries.

1

Relative clauses

focus Grammaron

Who or Whom a personThat a person, animal or thingWhich describes an animal or thing.Where a place.


focus Grammaron

Grammar reference, see Adjectives, page 102.

Pairwork

Discuss the differences in meaning betweenthese sentences.

a The document which they signed today was very

important.

b The document, which they signed today, was very

important.

c The British who colonised the East were hardworking.

d The British, who colonised the east, were hardworking.

TheirThe

OurFormerhumanworkers’

sevenfinanceEuropeanfreeBritishresourceseducational

employeesdepartmentcountriesassociationscoloniesdepartmentlevel

+ nucleuspre-modifiersNominal groups

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This article deals with gender roles in the workplace.The gender gap seems to be diminishing in certainfields, yet there are still some jobs that are typicallyassociated either with man or woman.

Changes in gender differences affect not only howwe live and work, but how we speak. In somelanguages, alternative words or endings have beenneeded either to describe these new professionalsor to make our speech more politically correct.


Debate

Put students into small groups where they candiscuss their opinions about the differentprofessions. After a few minutes, join the smallgroups together and give the new group a fewminutes to discuss the two statements. Why dothey think one gender may continue to work in aparticular profession over another: because ofstereotypes, tradition, lack of skills or opportunities?What does society in their country think abouthousewives? And “househusbands”?


Write the following list of jobs on the board:shop assistant computer engineer designertranslator marketing manager telephonistjournalist bank clerk chief buyer

Tell students to choose a job title from theboard. Their partners will interview themabout their duties and tasks: What are youresponsible for? Which do you like or dislikedoing? Remind students to try and use some ofthe connectors they have learned.

If students need help with a list of duties ortasks, they can use the group work activityfrom Workbook, page 39 or brainstormpossible activities for the jobs on the board.

(Eg. purchase stationery, supervise the work ofother people, plan advertising campaigns, workwith computers, travel to different places...)

Tell students to role play a job interview.Assign each a role:

Student 1: You are the employer. Define theposition you are offering and the qualities youneed in a candidate.

Student 2: You are the candidate. Decidewhat your abilities are and why you are leavingyour old job.

2

1


Tell your students that they also applied forthe job vacancy at Capricornia Products fromCD-Rom activity 1, and that they have just hadan interview with the head of The HumanResources department. Students think ofquestions to ask the interviewer. Give studentsa few minutes to prepare their questions. Thenvolunteers read their questions in front of theclass.

Cultural awareness

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Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• The difference between skills, tasks and duties: computer literacy,

send an order, be in charge of petty cash

• Different interview strategies: be polite, avoid making negative

comments

• To combine sentences using connectors: so, besides, but

• How to use relative clauses: Defining clauses for required information

Non-defining clauses for extra information

Can you think of gender neutral words in your language? Have you observed any changes?

Have you ever thought of working in an area that is traditionally associated with the opposite sex??Debate

What jobs do you usually associate with a particular gender? Discuss these examples. Can youthink of any others?

mechanic astronaut fortune-teller

computer programmer model baby-sitter

technician president gardener

band director maid bullfighter

When people think of soldiers, plumbers or electricians, they mostly think of men.On the other hand, jobs such as a nurse or a secretary are almost alwaysassociated with women. In the past, people believed that biology made thedifference and that there were jobs for men and jobs for women. This misconception has changed significantly since women joined the labour force.The gradual decrease of the gender gap in the labour market has alsoproduced changes in language. In English, words like postman, fireman orpoliceman have changed to ‘gender-neutral’ words such as mail carrier,firefighter and police officer. Some people believe gender conceptions arechanging and will eventually disappear as time passes. Perhaps then, bothmen and women will feel free to work in any field they wish and be judged fortheir good work and not their gender.

Gender roles in the workplace

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14Office equipment

unit fourteen

Technology has had a continual influence on how we do business, the machines we use toperform its tasks and the language it is conducted in.In this unit, students will learn how to use word collocation, like common phrasal verbs orprepositional phrases, as well as the passive voice to have a more natural, fluent and proficientwriting style. Students will also learn about common office equipment and supplies that make theiroffice work easier. They will be able to describe their features as well as explain how to use them.


• What is telecommunications?

• What services can you get through the telephone in your city / country?

• In your opinion, what are the two most valuable pieces of office equipment used in offices today?

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14Office equipment

Offices have changed a lot during the last decades and will continue to do so in the future. Apart fromfurniture, illumination, air-conditioning, carpeting, etc., which have contributed to make them morecomfortable and functional, technology has modernised office tools and created new equipment.

unit fourteen

Introduction

• To learn the names of office equipment and materials

• To read about telecommunications

• To describe how to use certain equipment

• To examine the use of the passive voice

• To practise using prepositions and prepositional phrases

• To discuss the constant changes in office jargon

Objectives

Skills objectives

• To describe the process involved in using apiece of equipment: first, then, finally

• To define different supplies or the featuresof a machine

• Recognise and use common word groups(collocation)

Language focus

• Using common language and structuresused to describe office equipment andsupplies

• Using the passive voice in formal writtendocuments and letters

• Understanding the meaning of prepositionsand prepositional phrases through context

• Learning how technology has influencedmodern office jargon

• To make polite requests using phrasal verbs

Key vocabulary

& structures

• staples, stapler, cello tape, hole puncher,filing cabinet

• ink cartridge, toner, feed button, dial pad,speakerphone

• regardless of, in charge of, on behalf of,within, between, among

Business tasks

• To read about telecommunications• To explain how to use certain office

equipment• To know the names of office equipment

and supplies• To recognise the functions of common

features on office equipment

Additional material




Book, page 92


Students match the items in the list to thepicture. There are certain words that arecommonly said together, like: black and white,brand new, state of the art or cordlesstelephone. Refer students to the section onCollocation in the Grammar and LanguageReference, page 104. See Teacher’s file.

Students use words from the picture tocomplete the definitions. See Teacher’s file.

1 Air-conditioning unit; 2 In-tray;3 Liquid paper; 4 Highlighter; 5 Paper clips.

Pairwork

Using the model as an aid, students take turnsasking and answering questions about theitems in the illustration.

What can you type? / Youcan type letters; What can you put away? /You can put away folders in the filing cabinet;What can you run out of? / You can run out ofliquid paper or markers; What can you use torub out mistakes? / You can use liquid paper ora rubber; What can you do to fasten paperstogether? / You can use paper clips or staplesand a stapler. What can you use to highlightimportant parts of a document? / You can usea highlighter; What can you use to print adocument? / You can use a printer; Where canyou look something up? / You can looksomething up on the computer; What can youhand in? / You can hand in a report.

Sample answers:

Answers:

2

1

Student’s Book

1 Office equipment are machines thathelp us complete certain office tasks.Office supplies are consumablematerials we use for these tasks. Inpairs, students divide the materials inthe Student’s Book into officeequipment or office supplies.

2 In pairs, students write similardefinitions for other words not usedin the activity. They exchange themwith another pair of students andanswer each other’s definitions.Optionally, each pair takes turnsreading their definitions so that theother pair of students answers orally.


1 Students complete the sentenceswith the words in the box.


2 Students choose the best phrasalverb to complete the sentences withthe verbs in the box.


Additional practiceAs a group activity, students choose3 of the phrases and incorporatethem into a dialogue they create.Give them time to practise; thegroups read their dialogues fromtheir seats.

e

e

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Office equipment and materials

Match the items in the list to the picture.1

Use some of the words above to complete these definitions.1 Equipment that controls the humidity and temperature of the air in the room.

2 A shallow, open container for holding papers or documents.

3 A substance applied to paper in order to erase misspelt words or unwanted marks.

4 A marker that covers written words with transparent colouring in order to draw attention to them.

5 Metallic fasteners that hold papers together temporarily and which can be easily removed.

Pairwork

Ask your partner questions using the verbs below. Answer using items from the illustration.

Student A: What can I turn on or off? Student B: You can turn off the air-conditioning.

turn on / off type put away print use to (highlight) / (rub out) / (fasten) look up run out of hand in

2

staples and stapler

photocopier

paper clips

scissors

cordless telephone

markers

sellotape

rubber

hole puncher

calculator

highlighter

in-tray

air-conditioning unit

liquid paper

folder

filing cabinet

Workbook, page 42.

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Office equipment...


Key Vocabulary

There are common features and verbs we use inreference to office material. The term PAX refers toa 3-in-1 machine that acts as a phone, answeringmachine and fax. Students can personalise theGlossary, Student’s Book, page 112, by copying andtranslating the words from the lesson in theirnotebooks.


Illustration definitions: Define different featureson the PAX machine. Students name them as alarge group: 1 What you pick up and use to speakwith (handset); 2 What you push to dial a phone orfax number (dial pad); 3 AN LCD display that sayswho is calling (caller ID display); 4 Where you placethe paper for a FAX (paper tray); 5 You push thiswhen you want to send an incoming call tosomeone else’s phone (transfer button); 6 Youpush one of these for easy access to phonenumbers you use the most (memory pad); 7 Youpush this when you want to send a FAX or stop it(Send / stop button); 8 This is where you speakwhen you are not using the handset (microphone);9 These are red or green numbers that say howmany phone messages are on the answeringmachine (LED call display); 10 You push these to goforwards or backwards and listen to differentmessages on the answering machine (messagebuttons); 11 You push this button when you wantto speak without the handset (speakerphonebutton); 12 You push this button to call the phonenumber again that you had just dialled (redialbutton).

Pairwork

In pairs, students role-play the conversationbetween a receptionist and a technician thathas just installed a new PAX machine. Look atthe example dialogue with the class. Studentsuse the expressions from the Key Vocabularybox and illustration as an aid. Walk around asthey speak, checking for their intonation,pronunciation and general comprehensibility.

Group work

Students do a similar role play about a differentpiece of equipment. Give them a few minutesto write a short list of their most importantfeatures and their names in English. SeeTeacher’s file.

Student’s Book

PairworkIn pairs, students invent a newmachine (for example, a machine tohelp them with their homework).They have to think up the commonfeatures and explain how to use it.Volunteers present their machines tothe rest of the class.

Group work Students write simple definitions forthe features they wrote in their list.

Teacher’s file

Office equipment...

Equipment

KEY VOCABULARY

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Pairwork

Ask and answer questions about the PAXmachine. Use the illustration and languageboxes.

Student A: You are the receptionist in an accountant’s

office. You need to send faxes, transfer phone calls and

take down messages received on the new answering

machine. Use these questions to help you: How do I...?;

Where is the... ?; Where does the ... go?; Where do I... ?

Student B: You are a technician for a telecommunications

company. You have just installed a new phone system and

need to explain to the receptionist how to use the new

PAX machine.

Example:

Receptionist: How do I send a Fax?

Technician: First you insert the fax face down here.Then you dial the fax number. Finally, push the sendbutton.

common featuresstart button LED lightsink cartridge / toner paper trayLCD display feed button

common verbsto enlarge / reduce to pushto insert / place ... face down to holdto select to setto pick up to feed paper in

Glossary, page 112.

Group work

Imagine you are new at work. Choose apiece of office equipment and ask yourco-workers how to use it correctly.photocopier

mobile cellular phone

computer printer

transfer button

memory pad

microphone

LED call display

message buttonsspeakerphone button

send / stop buttons

handset

redial button

caller ID display paper tray

dial pad

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Students read the text on telecommunicationsand write a sentence that best summarises themain idea of each paragraph. Then they putthe paragraphs into the correct order.

A Regular phones inspired otherforms of communication. B Modern phoneshave many functions. C Phones have evolvedsine 1876. D What would Alexander GrahamBell think of today’s new gadgets? E Unliketoday’s telephones, the first models could onlywork over short distances. F Traditionaltelephony has branched out intotelecommunications.

Correct order: C, E, B, A, F, D.

The passive

The passive, although not common in spokenEnglish, is common in more formal written media:books, brochures, formal business or legal letters,manuals, laws and regulations... It is common whenwe do not know the “source” of the action: It wasbuilt in 1956. (We don’t know who the architect orbuilders were.) The agent doing the action can bementioned at the end of the sentence only if it isrelevant to complete the meaning of the message:The TV transmission will be controlled by satellites.(Active voice: The satellites will control the TVtransmission.)

Students decide if the sentences are in active orpassive voice. Then they translate the passivesentences into their native language. Comparetheir answers in class.

Pairwork

Students look for passive sentences in thetelecommunications text. See Teacher’s file.

One. (Paragraph F: Nowconferences and meetings taking place milesaway can be attended in just the blink of aneye.)

Answer:

2

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

PairworkStudents choose three active voicesentences from the text and putthem into the passive voice. They cando the task individually or in pairs.


Using the passive1 Students write the past participle of

the verbs. Then they decide whichones are regular and which onesirregular.

Additional practiceStudents copy the list of verbs intheir notebooks and add every newverb that they come across in thebook.

2 Students put the sentences into thepassive voice


Teacher’s file

Telecommunications

Workbook, page 43, activities 1-2.

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Telecommunications

The passive

Read the following text. In your notebook, write one sentence that summarises the main idea ofeach paragraph. Then, put the paragraphs in order.

1

The passive voice is not very common in spoken English, but is used as an “impersonal style” for some types ofwritten texts.

Decide if these sentences are written in active or in the passive voice. Translate those in thepassive voice into your native language.

1 Only Heads of Department can access classified documents.

2 Can you take a few notes for me, please?

3 Salaries will be paid on July 26th.

Pairwork

How many passive sentences can you find in the telecommunications text above?

2

4 The ringer has been set on low.

5 My boss received a visitor from Montreal.

6 The connection was interrupted several times.

AThese many phone functions led to the invention of otherdevices that have become an indispensable part of theoffice. Telex and fax machines simplified the process oforders and letters that otherwise had to be sent by mail.

BThe number of functions phones have now has alsochanged. You can keep numbers in a phone’s memory todial by just pushing a button. You can automatically giveand receive messages or transfer calls to other phonenumbers. Some models have screens that let you seeeither the number you are calling, or the ID of personcalling you.

CTelephones, since 1876 up to now, have experiencedenormous changes. Just consider the size, shape andfunction of the first phones compared to the ones we usenow. Not only have phones themselves evolved, but theyhave contributed to a revolution in communication over thepast four or five decades.

DAnd what comes next? New gadgets are on their way thatare even smaller, cheaper and faster. What would AlexanderGraham Bell say about how far his invention has gone?

EAt first, their main role was to allow two people to talktogether when they were in places not too far from oneanother. Nowadays, more than one person cancommunicate at a time. They may be in different countries,continents or hemispheres… even in outer space!

FNow if we combine traditional telephony with other formsof modern telecommunication such as cell phones,computers, scanners, printers, photocopying machines,satellites… the result is almost incredible and certainlyunimaginable for people who performed office duties fiftyor sixty years ago. Now conferences and meetings takingplace miles away can be attended in just the blink of aneye. Likewise, we can be in direct contact with banks,libraries, and information centres around the world.

Telecommunications

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Key Vocabulary

Sometimes prepositions can have more than onemeaning. This meaning is usually understoodthrough context.


Before going through the different meanings of thecommon prepositions listed in the box, brainstormthe prepositions the class already knows. Studentswrite them in their notebooks and think ofsentences to illustrate their meaning. Then theyshare their sentences with the rest of the class. Dothey know any preposition with more than onemeaning?

Sometimes prepositions can have more thanone meaning. This meaning is usuallyunderstood through context. Students read the sentences and decide, through its context,which definition is being used from the KeyVocabulary box. Then they can personalise theGlossary, Student’s Book, page 112, by copyingand translating the words from the lesson intheir notebooks.

1 a performer of an action; b performer of an action; c through the use or means of; d through the use or means of; e before a certain time; 2 a the job or functionof a person; b the job or function of a thing;3 a directly below; b less than.

Students complete the sentences with theprepositional phrases from the Key Vocabularybox.

1 regardless of; 2 regardless of; 3 on behalf of; 4 regardless of; 5 regardless of;6 in charge of; 7 on behalf of; 8 on behalf of;9 in charge of; 10 in charge of.


Answers:

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book



Prepositions and prepositionalphrases

1 Students fill in the chart with thecorrect words. They check theiranswers with a partner.

Additional practicePeer teaching: Students writesentences for 2 entries in eachcolumn. Then they exchange their 6sentences with a partner and correcteach other’s work.

2 Students complete the sentenceswith the prepositions andprepositional phrases in the KeyVocabulary box.


3 Students circle the correctpreposition.

4 Students complete the sentenceswith in, on or at.


e

e

Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...


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Let’s focus on…

Read the sentences and decide the use of the preposition in each case.

1 The phone call was made by the President of the Committee.

The communication was interrupted by a terrible noise.

The visitor came by bus.

They cancelled the meeting by phone.

Try to be here by nine o’ clock.

Choose the best prepositional phrase to complete each sentence.

1 They accepted him as a new member ... his economic situation.

2 I was given the same opportunity ... my lack of experience.

3 I’m writing ... the Secretary General.

4 They continued hiring new personnel ... the drop in sales.

5 The plane took off ... the weather conditions.

6 The Human Resources Manager is ... in-service courses.

7 They demanded higher salaries ... the union members.

8 They are purchasing new equipment ... their German client.

9 Who’s going to be ... the invitations?

10 Mr. Hamilton will not be ... the seminar.

2

12 He’s working as a clerk.

The system functions as a data base

3 Mr. Hall’s letter is under the folder you’ve got on your desk.

Employees under twenty had to take day shifts.

Prepositions and prepositional phrases

Common prepositions

KEY VOCABULARY

as the job or function of a person or thing at around or inside a building / a time of day / special times or holidaysby performer of an action / before a certain time / through the use or means ofin during a time period / inside a placeon situated at a large physical place / during a specific day under directly below / less thanwithin inside a place or group

Prepositional phrasesregardless of not considering, not taking into accountin charge of in control of.on behalf of in representation of, in the name of

Glossary, page 112.

Some prepositions that we commonly associate with placement have other meanings as well.


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This article deals with office jargon. Office jargon isaffected by the sectors that influence them themost. In the past, because of the high ratio of menversus women in this field, sports and militaryjargon was often used. This, however, has provento be quite “area-specific”, making it unpopular ininternational business where not everyone mightplay cricket or baseball. Technology has influencedoffice jargon enormously in the last decade. BothInternet and the increased amount of “every-day”international communication have madetechnological office jargon more homogeneous.


Debate

Students discuss the advantages and disadvantagesof office jargon. If possible, divide the students intotwo teams (pro and con). They create lists ofarguments in favour of their position and counter-arguments against what the other team might say.


In pairs, students write down as many pieces ofoffice equipment as they can. Then theycompare their lists with their partner’s. Finally,they define some of them to another pair ofstudents who will try and guess what they aredescribing.

Either individually or in pairs, ask studentsto explain how to do one of the following:

Send a faxMake a photocopyFile a letterLower the temperature of a roomTransfer a phone call

In small groups, students discuss what phoneswill be like in the future. What new practicalinnovations would they implement? Theydesign a futuristic phone and give apresentation of it to the rest of the class,explaining what it would look like and how itwould work.

3

2

1


Prepare flash cards with the followingprepositions and prepositional phrases. Showthe flash cards to the students one by one. Inturns, students say one sentence using thepreposition or prepositional phrase shown onthe flash card.

1 by (time) 2 by (agent in passive sentence)3 at 4 on 5 in 6 as 7 in charge of 8 onbehalf of 9 under 10 regardless of

Cultural awareness

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Cultural awareness

Don’t forget!• The names of office equipment and materials: hole punch, toner,

inbox

• How to explain the use of certain equipment: Place the page face

down on the glass. Put the lid down and press the start button.

• The passive voice: The invoice was sent by e-mail. She was promoted

by her boss.

• How to use certain prepositions and prepositional phrases: He’s in

charge of the accounting department. She stayed within the budget.

Is there any special jargon used in your work or class environment? Or in your circle of friends?

Give some examples.

Think of a profession. Write three words people in this profession typically use.

Can you guess what a CEO is? How about these actions: to table something at a meeting, to streamline,

to drop the ball... Where do you think they came from?

Look for websites to learn more about other office jargon. Share the information with your teacher and classmates.?Debate

What advantages do you think using office jargon might have? What disadvantages?

“Jargon” refers to terminology used bypeople within a specific activity orprofession. If you use jargon well, it shows ifyou are proficient in the subject or not;that is to say, if you are an insider or anoutsider. Many fields have influenced officejargon; but now, information technology andthe Internet have given rise to a new officejargon that is used not only in e-mails andother written forms but also at meetingsand in everyday language.New words, phrases or acronyms areintroduced continually. So when you hear

about something being 404, instead ofbeing lost or not found, it’s one of thosenew jargon words referring to thecommon Internet page error. New wordsor acronyms are also common, such ase-tailing for electronic retailing, or NRN(No Response Necessary).Some people seem to enjoy this form ofcommunication; others feel obliged to useit only to keep up with their colleagues.Regardless, sooner or later you are boundto come across these and thousands ofother such office expressions.

Technology and office jargon No need to reply, Miss

Jones, it’s an NRN.

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15Working with computers

unit fifteen

Computers have developed very quickly and their use in business has developed just as fast. Weuse them to send and share documents and files, to directly inquire about quotations and to placeorders immediately. The Internet has made simultaneous communication possible, making theinternational business world smaller, yet more competitive. In this unit, students will learn computer terminology used in the modern office. They will be ableto effectively compare products and services as well as identify those of outstanding qualities.


• How do computers influence your life?

• In what ways have computers contributed to simplifying work?

• In your opinion, in what areas are computers most effective?

• In what ways do you think computers have had a negative impact at work / on society?

91


Computers have developed at such an enormous rate in terms of capacity, efficiency and versatility that theyhave invaded almost every aspect of business. In a matter of seconds, we can communicate with co-workersfrom other subsidiaries. We can send and share documents and files with more than one person at the sametime. We can quickly and directly inquire about quotations and place orders almost instantly. One’s ownclients can receive immediate and personalised attention by accessing the company’s webpage. Computersare no longer a thing of the future; they are a definite reality in today’s business world.

unit fifteen

Introduction

• To identify computer software and hardware

• To learn about the development of cell phones

• To learn about the use of English in other countries

• To focus on the comparative and superlative forms

• To read about the use of Internet in business

Objectives

Skills objectives

• To revise skimming and scanningtechniques

• To understand the gist of an article• To look for specific details in an article• To compare things that are equal, unequal

or similar• To understand the meaning of words

through context

Language focus

• To learn about the use of English in othercountries

• To focus on the comparative andsuperlative forms

• To revise structures from previous units

Key vocabulary

& structures

• DVD burner, CD-Rom drive, monitor,keyboard, hard drive, USB port

• card reader, Smartphone, laptop, mobile /cell phone

• Commonwealth, throughout, better,worse, easiest

• payments, transfers, investments, hand-written

Business tasks

• To identify computer software andhardware

• To learn about the development of cellphones

• To read about the use of Internet inbusiness

Additional material




Book, page 98


Explain to the students the difference between theterms hardware (which refers to the physical andelectronic parts of a computer) and software(which refers to the instructions which control whatthe computer does; the programs).

In pairs, students draw a spidergram for the termcomputer hardware and complete it with 8 wordsthat they already know in English. Then they sharethe 8 words with the rest of the class.

Other hardware vocabulary: card reader,adapter, cooling fan, memory, modem, scanner,sound card, speaker, microphone, video card, USB/FireWire ports

Students use the words in the box to name theparts of the computer. Then they compare theiranswers with a partner. See Teacher’s file.

Students use words from the box to completethe sentences.

1 mouse; 2 monitors; 3 CD/DVD-Rom drive; 4 drive; 5 USB orFireWire.

Answers:

2e

1

Student’s Book

1 In small groups or pairs, students canlook up computer sites on theInternet to get information aboutother computer hardware that doesnot appear in the photograph. Whatare they called in English? What arethese terms called in their nativelanguage? Is this technologycommon in their country yet?



Computer hardware1 Students match the computer term

and its definition.

2 Students complete the sentenceswith the computer terms in the box.

Computer softwarePairwork

Students match the word processingterms to their definitions. When theyhave finished, they compare theiranswers with another pair ofstudents.


Group workIt is important for students to knowin English the computer programfeatures that they commonly use intheir native language. Studentscompare the terms in the menu barwith a word processing program intheir native language. Whatsimilarities are there? Whatdifferences?

e

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92


unit fifteen


Look at the desktop computer. Name the parts of the computer using the words below.1

mouse LCD monitor hard drive DVD burner CD/DVD-ROM drive

USB / FireWire ports cordless keyboard inkjet printer

Compare your answers with a partner.

Use words from above to complete the sentences.1 Highlight the item and right-click on your ... .

2 Older ... took up a lot of room on your desktop. These new LCD ones are much more compact.

3 When you want to save information on a DVD or CD, your computer needs a ... .

4 In the mid-1980’s, the first hard ... had a capacity of 40 MB, now they have more than 500 GB!

5 For fast connections to your PC, connect your peripheral to a ... or ... port.

2

Workbook, pages 45 and 46.

English is without a doubt the dominant language as far as computer technology is concerned.It is important to learn terminology for software and software applications.

94


unit fifteen


Computerhardware

LCD monitor

CD-RW / CD burner

hard drive

key board

CD/DVD-ROMdrive

mouse

printer

DVD burner


Students skim the article quickly and decide anappropriate title for it. See Teacher’s file.

c Mobile phones – a revolution.

Ask your students to work in groups of three.Each student in the group reads a differentcolumn of the article. Then they share theinformation they have read and try to work outwhat the article is about.

Pairwork

In pairs, students read each statement and scanthe article for the answers.

1 True; 2 False: India experiencedthe mobile phone boom in 1993; 3 False: InIndia today, anyone from lawyers to doctors, to chauffeurs, plumbers or even domesticmaids offer mobile phone numbers as acontact; 4 True; 5 True; 6 True.

Survey

Students do a survey about a particular country’scell phone industry. How many subscribers arethere? How many cell phone network companiesare there? Are they more common among youngpeople, or professionals...? Then, they share thisinformation with their classmates, recording theirdata on a class graph or table. See Teacher’s file.

Answers:

Answers:

1

Student’s Book

1 Class discussion: Students commentabout the following statements:

a “One out of every five people inthe world is a mobile phone user.”

b E-waste refers to old electronicproducts like PCs, TVs, phones,appliances or electronic toys.

”In the European Union, thegrowth of e-waste is three timesfaster than the growth of averagemunicipal waste.”

SurveyStudents write up a report about thestatistics the class has found. Remindthem to use the comparative andsuperlative whenever possible: Japanhas more subscribers than Spain.

Teacher’s file

Cell phones

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Choose from below the best title for this article.a Second generation mobile phones.

b Leaving the laptop behind.

Pairwork

Read the statements and decide if they are True or False.

1 Smartphones work like computers.

2 India was the first country to experience the mobile phone boom.

3 Cell phones are for the younger business generation.

4 You need a cellular network in order to use a mobile phone.

5 You don’t need a laptop if you have a 3G cell phone.

6 The latest cell phones transmit digitally.

1

Cell phones

Not only have cell or mobile phones changed our personal lives, but they have also changed the way we do business.

survey

Choose a country and findinformation about thenumber of cell phonesubscribers there. Share theinformation with classmatesand record the data on agraph or in a table.

c Mobile phones–a revolution.

d Business boom.

In January 2003, India had 10

million cell phone subscribers.

Every month, the country was

adding another 1.5 million

subscribers, up to the 28 million

registered a year later. "My business

has boomed since I started using this

cell phone, because I am available to

my clients twenty-fours a day, and I

can save on giving up the office space

can had earlier." In India today,

anyone from lawyers to doctors, to

chauffeurs, plumbers or even

domestic maids in metropolises such

as Delhi and Mumbai offer mobile

phone numbers as a contact.

The above example illustrates how

mobiles, or cell phones as many

prefer to call them, have been

responsible for the fastest

technological revolution in history.

The mobile phone communicates

via a cellular network of base stations,

also known as cell sites, which are in

turn linked to the conventional

telephone network.

The first cell phones, (1G) developed

in the 1980s, were analogue. Second

Generation phones (2G) were

introduced in the early 1990s and

transmitted digitally. Second and a Half

Generation (2.5 G) cell phones

operated using the same network, but

provided new services such as WAP

(Wireless Application Protocol) and

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service).

Finally, in the 21st century, Third

Generation Cellular phones (3G)

launched a new network protocol

which enables high-speed connection

to access data via Internet and allows

the user to exchange video calls.

The functions of the cell phone are

becoming more sophisticated and

more useful. Mobile phones are not

just for voice calls; they are now

frequently used for data

communications such as SMS

messages, browsing mobile websites,

and streaming audio and video files.

Smartphones have developed into

phones with an OS (Operating

System) that enables the

communication device to operate

like a mini computer. Users with

these phones can run word

processors, spread sheets and core

business applications. They can read

and send e-mails, inspect and make

changes to documents, review or

change orders, and even pull up

drawings to inspect with architects at

construction sites.

"People who access information

and respond to it from their phones,

are going to quickly find that they

don’t need their laptops." Even

people who write reports and do data

entry will find themselves leaving their

notebook computers behind.

Laptops, of course, may never

disappear; but thanks to a confluence

of technology trends (better

hardware, faster cellular networks,

more sophisticated software, and a

new ability to make them all work

together) more cell phone users will

be saying goodbye to the laptop.

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Students skim the topic sentences of eachparagraph to decide if the statements are trueor false.

1 True; 2 False; 3 False; 4 False; 5 False.

Students scan the article more closely to searchfor the answers to the questions. See Teacher’sfile.

1 around the world, world-wide; 2 English, British, United States of America,Commonwealth of Nations, Britain, BritishCommonwealth, British Empire, World Wars Iand II, Australia, Ireland, Hong Kong,Singapore, Nigeria, Philippines, Malaysia; 3 Fifteen per cent, three quarters, Eighty percent, more than half, one-third; 4 Nativelanguage, non-dominant language (also:mother tongue, dialect).

Group work

Students look up more information about theCommonwealth of Nations in encyclopedias oron the Internet. They share their informationwith other groups in class until everyone hasthe same information. See Teacher’s file.

a 53 sovereign states,including: Australia, Jamaica, Canada, India,Malta, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria, NewZealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the UnitedKingdom; b Its official language is BritishEnglish. It is run by a London-based Secretariatled by a Secretary General. The Queen ofEngland is the nominal head of theCommonwealth; c In the beginning, it hadmore economic implications for the membercountries; now they are more social andpolitical.

Sample answers:

Answers:

2e

Answers:

1

Student’s Book


Group workStudents write a report about theCommonwealth of Nations using theanswers to the group work activity asan outline.

Additional practiceStudents can write a more detailedreport about one specific member ofthe Commonwealth of Nations. Theygive a presentation about their memberstate in front of the rest of the class.Ask them to include information suchas: what continent it is on, its capital,the number of inhabitants, the racesthat live there, the languages theyspeak, their form of government, itscurrency and its flag.

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English in other countries

Scan the text carefully for the answers.

1 Find two other ways to say “throughout the world.”

2 Find six proper names.

3 Find three different terms referring to proportional

numbers.

4 Find two other ways to refer to someone’s “first

language”.

2

Skim the text quickly and answer True or False.

1 This article talks about the spread of English throughout the world.

2 The Commonwealth of Nations was previously called the United Nations.

3 English is not commonly used around the world.

4 The article says that Irish colonialism helped spread the English language world-wide.

5 This article talks about the history of the English language.

1

Group work

Find out more about the Commonwealth ofNations using encyclopedias or the Internet.

What countries are members?

Who is the head of the organisation?

What does this international association do?

English is the most

widespread language in the

world. Less than fifteen

percent of the world’s population

speaks English, but its importance

stems from what the language is

used for, not how many people

speak it. English is the major

language of information around the

world. Three quarters of the world’s

mail is written in English. Eighty

percent of the world’s electronically

stored information is in English, and

more than half of the newspapers

published in the world are in

English. It is the major language of

international business, diplomacy,

science, maritime communication

and international air traffic control.

One of the main reasons English

became so widespread was due to

British colonialism in the 19th

century. From around 1750 to 1950

the British Empire was one of the

most powerful empires in history.

Although the colonies gradually

freed themselves, about fifty

countries chose to keep a

connection with Britain by

belonging to the British

Commonwealth. Now called the

Commonwealth of Nations, it is a

voluntary “family” of fifty-three

nations, that brings together some

1.7 billion people of different faiths,

races, traditions and levels of

economic development. The

Commonwealth of Nations

represents almost one-third of the

world’s population, with English as

part of the common language

heritage.

The United States of America has

also played a leading role in the

spread of the English language.

After World Wars I and II, American

capitalism and technological

progress contributed to the rapid

world-wide spread of English

through films, popular music, new

inventions, and later, the Internet.

In some countries, such as

Australia or Ireland, English is the

dominant language, but it is widely

used in other countries. For

example, in Hong Kong, Singapore,

Nigeria, the Philippines and

Malaysia, English represents a

“neutral” means of communication

where many native languages are

spoken.

Historical colonialism and the

growing prosperity of many

English-speaking nations have

contributed to the further expansion

of English in the world today.

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English in other...


Focus on Grammar

We use comparatives and superlatives to comparepeople, places, objects or situations.

Refer students to the Grammar and languagereference, Student’s Book, pages 103-104.


Ask students to look up information about citiesaround the world. They have to look for specificdata about the city (i.e. population, climate,languages spoken, ethnic groups…) and pictures.Then, in pairs, they share the information theyfound and compare the two cities, using thecomparative and superlative structures. (Eg.Edinburgh is smaller than Tokyo; Tokyo is moremodern than Edinburgh.)

Pairwork

Students copy the chart into their notebooks.Then they read the sentences and decide thetype of comparison (equal or unequal), thenumber of elements being compared (two ormany), and the number of syllables theadjective has (one, two or more). See Teacher’sfile.

1 as complete as; equal; two; two;2 better; unequal; two; one (irregular); 3 morechallenging; unequal; two; three; 4 as far as;equal; two; one; 5 the smallest; unequal;many; one; 6 less common than; unequal;two; two; 7 faster than; unequal; two; one; 8 worse than; unequal; two; one (irregular); 9 noisier than; unequal; two; two; 10 the best;unequal; many; one (irregular).


Answers:

Student’s Book

PairworkStudents use the chart to workbackwards and think of otheradjectives. For example, equal, two,two (as complex as, as careful as...)or unequal, two, three (more difficultthan, more independent than...).


1 Students use the comparative formof the adjective in parentheses tocomplete the sentences.


2 Students circle the correct adjective.


PairworkStudents apply their knowledge ofcomparative and superlative to thecomputer concepts they have learnedin the unit. Walk around checkingtheir pronunciation and correct usageof the main grammatical structures.

Additional practiceOnce students have discussed theitems in pairs, combine them withanother group of students. Then,combine another group and thenanother until you finally have twodebate teams. The class continuesdiscussing the same computerhardware items, until they come to ageneral consensus for each: Anoptical mouse is more durable than aball mouse. The best would be awheel one since it would allow youto easily scan computer web sites orwritten documents on the computer.

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Teacher’s file

Let’s focus on...

Workbook, page 47.

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unit fifteen

Let’s focus on…

When comparing people, places, objects or situations, the structures we use depend on:• the type of comparison• the number of elements we are comparing • the number of syllables the adjective has

1 His report is as complete as her report.

2 We asked for a better offer.

3 My job is more challenging now.

4 The bus station is not as far as the airport.

5 His office was the smallest.

6 The yellow form was less common than the blue one.

7 The fax is faster than airmail.

8 The new telephone system was worse than the old one.

9 Downtown streets are nosier than streets in the suburbs.

10 Her new proposal was the best.

Comparative and superlative

Comparative and Superlative

focus Grammaron

Comparing two equal elementsas + (adjective) as

Comparing two unequal elements(1-syllable adjective) + er + thanmore + (2-or-more-syllable adjective) + thannot as + (adjective) asless + (adjective) than

Comparing many elementsthe (1-syllable adjective) + estthe most + (2-or-more-syllable adjective)

Irregular adjectivesgood ➔ better ➔ bestbad ➔ worse ➔ worst


Pairwork

Copy the chart into your notebook, then complete it for each sentence below.

1 as complete as

2

comparison typeequal

number of elementstwo

number of syllablestwo

Keep in mind

Adjectives ending in /y/ change to /i/ when they

take –er or -est suffixes.

noisy ➔ noisier ➔ noisiest

easy ➔ easier ➔ easiest Try the CD-Rom activities, Unit 15.

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unit fifteen


This article deals with the influence of Internet inbusiness. Communication, vital for business, hasbecome immediate and faster than ever. We alsouse the Internet for banking purposes, job searches,job applications or financial data about companiesand potential investments.

The Internet gives companies a wealth of informationat their fingertips: consumer data, financial data andeven information about their competitors.

The obvious benefits of Internet are many. But italso has many not so obvious disadvantages.Business has become colder, more competitive andmore globalised.


Survey

Students make a list of what they use the Internet forand what their favourite web sites are. Then, in twoor three large groups, they compare them with otherclassmates. Once they have discussed, organised andcompiled all their information, they give a smallpresentation about their survey. Ask them to use abar graph format, titled Uses of the Internet.


In pairs, students role-play that one is a salesman / woman at a computer shop.The other student is interested in buying a computer with certain features. Givestudents a few minutes to prepare a short list of each computer hardware andsoftware. They can use their lists as verbalcues for this improvisational role play.

Individually or in pairs, students answerquestions about the spread of Englisharound the world:

Name two main reasons why English becameso widespread.

How did the United States aid in spreadingEnglish around the world?

Is English the most commonly spokenlanguage?

Name three sectors where the English languageis used.

What other countries use English as adominant or neutral language ofcommunication?

What is the Commonwealth of Nations andwhat does it do?

2

1


Read the following definitions of wordsrelated to telephoning from CD-Rom activity 1.Students guess the word.

1 a written promise that a company will repairor replace a product within a specific period oftime if anything goes wrong with it; 2 the partof a machine that has contact with the user; 3 a device which makes a mobile phone moveslightly in order to tell you that someone iscalling you; 4 using a telephone to send awritten message; 5 a person or companywhich buys and sells a particular product

1 warranty; 2 interface; 3vibrating alert; 4 text messaging; 5 dealer.Answers:

Cultural awareness

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unit fifteen

Cultural awareness

Business and the Internet

Don’t forget!• Parts of a computer: LCD monitor, DVD-Rom burner

• The importance of cell phones: Smartphones, cellular

network, analogue, digital

• The comparative: I like this one better. Her report was more

complete than his.

• The superlative: the worst year, the biggest sales

How has the Internet influenced daily activities?

Has it contributed to educational development in any way?

In your opinion, what are the disadvantages of this new means of communication??survey

Make a list of the things you do via the Internet. What are your favourite websites? Comparethem with other classmates. Organise the information you have compiled into a bar chart called“Uses of the Internet”.

There is no doubt the Internet hasrevolutionised our lives during thelast decade. As with the inventionof electricity, cars or penicillin, it isone of those advances that humanhistory experiences from time totime that radically changespeople’s lives. The Internet hasmade communication faster thanever, making it especially relevantin the area of business. Requests,purchase orders, complaints,offers, and so many otherbusiness affairs are done throughe-mails that take seconds to sendand receive.

The Internet also facilitates banktransactions: payments, transfers,investments, as well as consultingup-to-date accounts information.You can also search for jobsanywhere in the world and find allthe information you may need:requirements, job description,salary offered, workingconditions. Applications via theInternet have replaced hand-written job applications; and ifyou place your C.V. on the Web,potential employers can access itand may invite you for aninterview before long.

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99© McGraw-Hill photocopiable 2006

Fill in the blanks with the correct personal pronoun.<10 POINTS>

1 Mr. Hilton is from the U.K. ..................... is my new boss.

2 I work for an American company. ..................... hassubsidiaries all over the world.

3 Mrs. Kim Leads wants to talk to you. ..................... is asales representative.

4 There are two candidates for the job. ..................... speakfluent English.

5 There is something wrong with the telephone...................... is not working.

6 Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro are at the hotel now. .....................will be here in ten minutes.

7 My boss and I will fly to Mexico city next week...................... ‘ll be there on Monday morning.

8 The mail is from our headquarters in New York...................... arrived early this morning.

9 We sell electronic devices. ..................... are made inAsia.

10 Miss Smith and I are in charge of receiving visitors...................... meet people from different countries.

Complete the following questions. <10 POINTS>

1 Where ..........................................................................?

I’m from Morocco.

2 When ............................................................................?

He’ll be back in a second.

3 What ............................................................................?

My extension number is 437.

4 Who ..............................................................................?

Miss Sandra Miller is the new Sales Manager.

5 What ............................................................................?

I’m the General Manager’s secretary.

Match the following exchanges. <5 POINTS>

_ 1 Excuse me, can I see Mr. Phillips?

_ 2 Good morning, madam. May I speak to Miss Reed?

_ 3 This is Paul Seagal. May I speak to Mr. Dillon?

_ 4 My name is Sarah Harrison. I have a meeting with Mrs.Freeman.

_ 5 I’m calling from Lincolns Limited. Can you take amessage for Mr. Jackson?

a I’m sorry, sir. She’s not in.b Certainly, sir. Can you wait a second, please? I’ll take note

right away.c Just a moment, please. I’ll see if he’s available at the

moment.d Wait a moment, madam. Take a seat, please.e Hold on a moment. I’ll put you through to him.

Fill in the blanks with the corresponding possessiveadjective. <5 POINTS>

1 Mrs. Dillon is not available at the moment but......................... secretary can take a message.

2 I want to talk to Mr. Smith. May I have .........................cell phone number, please?

3 Maureen took the message, but .........................handwriting is not clear.

4 The fax machines have to be delivered next week. What is......................... new price?

5 Connie and I work at the Sales Department.......................... job is very stressful.

Complete the following sentences with the future withwill. <10 POINTS>

1 When .................................................? (he, be back)

2 ................................................. available tomorrowmorning? (Mr. Bricks, be)

3 We ................................................. the products untilJune 30th. (not deliver)

4 ................................................. his offer? (you, accept)

5 He ................................................. the contract nextweek. (sign)

Fill in the blanks with the present simple tense. <10 POINTS>

1 Where ........................................ from? (you, come)

2 Pauline is a lawyer. She ........................................ ourcompany in court. (represent)

3 He often ........................................ late. (arrive)

4 They usually ........................................ their invoices bypost. (send)

5 We ........................................ very busy right now. (be)

6 What time ........................................ in the afternoon?(you, leave)

7 The Personnel Manager …………………………… anappointment at 4:15. (have)

8 ........................................ her job? (she, like)

9 How often ........................................ abroad? (she,travel)

10 ........................................ their mail every day? (they,check)

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UNITS 3 & 4

Fill in the blanks with the correct object pronoun.<5 POINTS>

1 Tell Alice I rang.

Could you tell ............................. I rang?

2 Ask Mr. Stone to come back later.

Can you ask ............................. to come back later?

3 Confirm the prices.

Could you confirm ............................. please?

4 I don’t know the reasons she had.

I don’t know .............................

5 Postpone the meeting.

Can we postpone .............................

Put the following sentences into the past simple tense.<10 POINTS>

1 Mr. Brown ......................... twice this morning. (ring)

2 The clerks ......................... at the cafeteria. (be)

3 The Japanese executives ......................... last night.(leave)

4 The Personnel Manager ......................... six applicants(interview)

5 They ......................... they ......................... English andFrench. (say, speak)

6 The Director ......................... in a meeting with theManagers. (be)

7 She ......................... him about two years ago. (meet)

8 I ......................... a student at that time. (be)

9 He ......................... to ask you a question. (want)

10 ......................... the documents with him? (he, have)

Choose the alternative that best explains the meaningof the following sentences. <10 POINTS>

1 Can you go to the meeting?a My boss wanted me to be at the meeting.b My boss wants me to go to the meeting.c My boss wants to go to the meeting with me.

2 Could you book a room for me, please?a Mr. Jackson asked me to book a room for him.b Mr. Jackson wanted to have a room.c Mr. Jackson asked for a room for him.

3 Do you think we can meet after work?a The new employee would like to meet after work.b The new employee would like to gather around after

work.c The new employee would like us to join him after work.

4 Will you sign these documents, please?a I want to sign these documents.b I want these documents to be signed.c I want you to sign these documents.

Ask questions in the past simple. <10 POINTS>

1 What ............................................................................?

He wanted an agreement.

2 When ..........................................................................?

We delivered the merchandise last Friday.

3 Why ............................................................................?

I was late because I forgot to set the alarm.

4 Where ..........................................................................?

We waited for him at the subway station.

5 Where ..........................................................................?

They were at the airport.

6 How much ..................................................................?

I paid US $ 2,500 for that.

7 How often ....................................................................?

We met once a month.

8 How many ....................................................................?

There were more than two hundred people.

9 When ..........................................................................?

He left two days ago.

10 Who ............................................................................?

I called the Human Resources Manager.

Write the following numbers. <5 POINTS>

1 The computer cost me three thousand four hundred andeighty three.

2 I live at seventeen eighty three Estonia St.

3 The seminar in Brussels will cost one thousand twohundred and thirteen euros.

4 I was born in nineteen eighty one.

5 The ticket was one thousand one hundred thirty nine.

Ask questions about schedules. Use the present simple.<10 POINTS>

1 What time ..................................................? (shops,open)

2 What time ..................................................? (the lastflight, arrive)

3 What time ..................................................? (you, get towork)

4 What time ..................................................? (theseminar, start)

5 What time ..................................................? (classes,begin)

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Use the appropriate expressions to do the following.<10 POINTS>

1 Offer help

........................................................................................

2 Offer a cup of coffee

........................................................................................

3 Offer to take the visitor’s coat

........................................................................................

4 Ask your visitor about the flight

........................................................................................

5 Ask about the weather

........................................................................................

Fill in the blanks with the prepositions in the box. Useeach preposition only once. <5 POINTS>

1 The cafeteria is ................................. the reception andthe auditorium.

2 The photocopier is ................................. the lift.

3 Her desk is ................................. that door.

4 Our building is ................................. the park.

5 We are very ................................. the subway station.

Fill in the blanks with words from the box. <5 POINTS>

1 Good morning, how do you ......................................?

2 It’s very ...................................... to meet you.

3 What would you like ......................................?

4 Was it a ...................................... flight?

5 Go ...................................... It’s the first office to the right.

Complete the following questions. <10 POINTS>

1 The museum is two blocks from here.

How far ...............................................................?

2 It was very cold and windy.

What ...............................................................?

3 The ticket to Rio is 878.

How much ...............................................................?

4 There are three hundred people at the seminar.

How many ...............................................................?

5 I was at home yesterday at 8:00 p.m.

Where ...............................................................?

Match the following exchanges. <10 POINTS>

_ 1 How long does it take to get to the airport from here?

_ 2 What time does the LAN 704 arrive in Madrid?

_ 3 Do you want me to put you through to the HumanResources Manager?

_ 4 Do you have time for a cup of tea?

_ 5 Where can I find Mr. Thomson?

a Yes, please. Thank you.

b It arrives at 7:00 p.m.

c He’s in his office. It’s over there to the left.

d I’m afraid I don’t. I have to run to get a taxi.

e It takes about forty five minutes.

Fill in the blanks with the verbs in the past simpletense. <10 POINTS>

1 Last year we .................................... about two milliondollars. (lose)

2 .................................... a good trip? (you, have)

3 We .................................... a lot of money from the bank.

3 We .................................... a lot of money from thebank. (borrow)

4 The company .................................... in new productslast year. (not invest)

5 The Purchase Department .................................... theraw materials in three different countries. (quote)

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UNITS 1 TO 5END OF MODULE



UNITS 6 & 7

Mark the following statements True (T) or False (F). <5 POINTS>

When addressing envelopes to an English speaking country,

_ 1 the post code goes after the name of the country.

_ 2 the street number precedes the street name.

_ 3 the addressee’s name is preceded by the titles Mr.,Mrs. or Miss.

_ 4 the sender’s name and address are on the reverse sideof the envelope.

_ 5 the company’s name is specified immediately after theaddressee’s name.

Name the following form parts. <5 POINTS>

1 ................................... Johnson

2 ................................... male

3 ................................... widowed

4 ................................... [email protected]

5 ................................... 2784 M.S. Simpson Rd.

Put the following forms under the correct heading. <10 POINTS>

1 Dear Madam:

2 Dear Sirs,

3 Best regards

4 Cordially

5 19 August 1998

Complete the following requests. <10 POINTS>

1 ...................................................... a sample of your newSports magazine?

2 ...................................................... if you could inform usabout the next meeting in Geneva.

3 Please, ...................................................... an estimate ofthe current price to [email protected]

4 ...................................................... about the coursesyou advertised in Sunday’s paper.

5 ...................................................... the last software foradministration tasks you are displaying on your webpage. Can we get a sample copy?

Answer to requests. Complete the following openingsentences. <10 POINTS>

1 Thank ..............................................................................of June 30th.

2 We were ..........................................................................to receive your inquiry on our new Ipod parts.

3 ................................................................................ thecatalogue you asked on your mail dated 10 July.

4 ................................................................................ totell you that you will receive the first five issues of ourmagazine with no charge.

5 In reply ............................................................................we are sending you a demo disc we hope you enjoy.

Complete the following sentences with the presentcontinuous. <10 POINTS>

1 When ....................................................... us theinformation we asked? (you, send)

2 The sales reps ....................................................... aseminar in Easter Island. (attend)

3 We ....................................................... the informationyou need. (e-mail)

4 ....................................................... the budget? (you,prepare)

5 ....................................................... to Tokio tonight?(Mr. Yamura, fly)

6 I ....................................................... to meeting youagain. (look forward)

7 The treasurer ....................................................... thenew regulations. (write)

8 Who ....................................................... to? (you, talk)

9 We ....................................................... a new line ofservices. (offer)

10 The secretary is busy and can’t help you right now. She....................................................... the phone. (answer)

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Choose the correct alternative according to the type of writing. <5 POINTS>

1 Please send us your best price for 80 PM calculators.

a Order Letter b Quotation letterc Inquiry Letter d E-mail

2 Could U send a copy of the contract ASAP?


3 Please send the following articles…


4 We look forward to receiving your order.


5 Do we have 1,000 Webcams Code 6433 in stock? Need the answer NOW. :-* Nicole


Complete these sentences. <10 POINTS>

1 .......................................................... 18 October.

2 .......................................................... 45 GW Scanners.State delivery date.

3 .......................................................... when you candeliver the articles we ordered.

4 .......................................................... our order for: 37wooden desks.

5 .......................................................... quoted in yourletter are satisfactory.

State whether the following sentences are ‘Opening’ or ‘Closing’ sentences. Write an ‘O’ or a ‘C’ on the line. <5 POINTS>

_ 1 We would appreciate prompt delivery.

_ 2 We would like to have the information before the15th.

_ 3 Your quotation of 22 XP staplers would beappreciated.

_ 4 We are pleased to supply …

_ 5 We expect to place a large order if your prices arecompetitive.

Supply the corresponding job details. <10 POINTS>

1 .............................. Miller & Sons Ltd.

2 .............................. Full time.

3 .............................. Monday through Saturday.

4 .............................. shop assistant.

5 .............................. clothing, Christmas and holidaybonuses.

Ask questions in the past simple. <10 POINTS>

1 I flew to Montreal twice last year because we started a new business there.

Why ......................................................................?

2 She found a new job in Hong Kong.

Where ..................................................................?

3 The accounts department worked over time last night.

When ....................................................................?

4 The customer from Malaysia sent the Purchase Order byfax.

How ......................................................................?

5 The application process took about two months.

How long ..............................................................?

Complete the following sentences. <10 POINTS>

1 ................................................... your order Nº 839, wequote these prices.

2 We ................................................... to hearing from yousoon.

3 Do you ................................................... a discount forlarge quantities?

4 We are very sorry, but the lamp Code 44512 is................................................... We can’t deliver yourorder until next month.

5 ................................................... résumé with referencesof my former employers.

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Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________

50III



UNITS 6 TO 10END OF MODULE

Match the following items. <10 POINTS>

1 English a price list

2 shipping b employee

3 current c Representatives

4 a large d programs

5 messenger e skills

6 full-time f costs

7 writing g name

8 body h speaker

9 sales i order

10 addressee’s j language

Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the box. <5 POINTS>

1 Will our company ..................................... in SouthAmerica as planned?

2 I never ..................................... she was not telling thetruth.

3 I ..................................... don’t know where to startlooking.

4 Did they ..................................... the meeting thismorning?

5 There was a ..................................... package in front of her door.

Supply the meaning of the following acronyms andabbreviations. <5 POINTS>

1 CYO ...............................................

2 B/C ...............................................

3 BBL ...............................................

4 IMO ...............................................

5 ASAP ...............................................

Choose the correct verb to fill in the blanks. Use theirappropriate form. <10 POINTS>

1 I ............................. of this job in the local newspaper.

2 Could you ............................. for their visit?

3 Attached you ............................. the pdf file you askedme.

4 I ............................. my oral skills during my stay inSydney.

5 When was the last time you ............................. for a jobin this area?

6 My boss and I ............................. him at the airport lastnight.

7 I have to ............................. with Mr. Lee.

8 Can you ............................. a double room for MonsierJacomet, please?

9 She always ............................. money from other peoplein the office.

10 I ............................. to confirm my trip to Chicago onSeptember 12th.

Replace the underlined expressions. Choose wordsfrom the box. <10 POINTS>

1 Can you send me the goods by plane before the end ofthe week?

2 What is the present price?

3 I’m attaching a document with the correct numbers.

4 Will you please consider my application for the position?

5 I expect to get 2,000 a month.

Complete the following sentences. <10 POINTS>

1 I ………………………… from Saint Patrick’s College in2002.

2 I ………………………… to hear from you soon.

3 I ………………………… part-time as a receptionist.

4 Can I ………………………… your cell phone a minute?

5 ………………………… about the advert in TheGuardian.

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meet book improve borrow make an appointment make arrangements

hear like apply find

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WORKSHEET 6

Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________

50III



Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on theright. <10 POINTS>

1 profitable a hotel

2 expensive b manager

3 rude c secretary

4 efficient d attitude

5 frightening e diapers

6 bilingual f morning

7 foreign g language

8 authoritarian h job

9 disposable i business

10 foggy j stories

Scan the following text and answer the questions. <10 POINTS>

1 Why is Baroness Byron known?

2 How long was her program used?

3 When was Charles Babbage born?

4 Who was he?

5 What was the ‘analytical engine’?

6 How old was Grace Murray when she died?

7 What did she do?

8 What does ‘bug’ refer to in computing.

9 What does ‘it’ in Line 3 refer to?

10 What does ‘she’ in Line 9 refer to?

Form adjectives from the following words. <10 POINTS>

State whether the words in bold are functioning asNouns (N), Adjectives (A) or Verbs (V). <5 POINTS>

1 Oil prices boomed again. .............................

2 The secretary will book four single rooms for next week..............................

3 It’s advisable not to accept their terms for now..............................

4 According to our record losses amount to one million..............................

5 He gave me a ring late last night. .............................

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate connector. <10 POINTS>

1 My partner wants to borrow money from the bank tostart a new business; ...................................., I think wehave to wait to see how the market behaves.

2 .................................... she doesn’t like her boss; sheadmits he is very smart and efficient.

3 I should travel by plane; ...................................., I preferto travel by train.

4 .................................... things get really difficult heresometimes, I love my job.

5 My husband and I went to Scotland on holidays.................................... my parents preferred Italy.

State what word or words the reference elements inbold refer to. <5 POINTS>

1 Your handwriting is awful. You should improve it.

2 The goods must be sent to our warehouse in Liverpool.Can you deliver them before the 27th?

3 Mrs. Briggs is very demanding. She is difficult to please.

4 Apple Computer released software that allows its latestMacintosh computers to run Microsoft Windows. Itsshare prices boomed.

5 Even though the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man arenot part of the U.K., they have a special relationship withit.

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though however while althoughnevertheless whereas even though

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1 afford

2 compare

3 avail

4 economy

5 success

III

Did you know that the first computer program waswritten by a woman? The English baroness Augusta Ada Byron (poet LordByron’s daughter) is known to be the person who wrotethe very first computer program. It was written for amechanical computing machine called the ‘analyticalengine’ which was developed by Charles Babbage(1792–1871), an English mathematician, whounfortunately did not complete the engine, so theprogram was never tested.The interesting thing is that more than a hundred yearslater, another woman, Grace Murray Hopper(1906–1992), an admiral of the US Navy, wrote aprogram for the Mark I computer, the first fullyautomatic calculator developed in 1944. Besides, shedirected the project that created COBOL (CommonBusiness Oriented Language), one of the most widelyused computer programming languages. She is alsocredited with coining the term ‘bug’ to refer to computerprogram errors.

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Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________

50III



UNITS 13 & 14

Write sentences with relative clauses. Use who orwhich. <10 POINTS>

1 Queen Victoria ruled for the longest period in Englishhistory.was the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.

2 Wellington is the country’s second largest city.is the capital of New Zealand.

3 Chile is a South American country.is 6,171 km long.

4 The observations were unjustified.you made.

5 The e-mails I receive daily.are screened by a central computer system.

Put the underlined noun groups into your nativelanguage. <5 POINTS>

1 Montreal is one of the largest French-speaking citiestoday.

2 Both Canada and the USA have a closely connectedhistory.

3 Please confirm current shipping and delivery charges.

4 Our new models have wider screen capacity.

5 You should improve your business writing skills in English.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate connector. <5 POINTS>

1 They asked you to leave, ......................... you were fired.

2 The last applicant I interviewed was not qualified for thejob. ........................., she was rather rude.

3 I liked the job, ......................... the salary was very low.

4 I’m afraid we can’t afford the salary you expect to earn.......................... you don’t speak French and that’s amust for this position.

5 Our company is very large. We have branches in differentparts of the world, ......................... you should be willingto travel not only within Europe but also to Asia andAmerica. What do you think?

Put the following words under the right heading. <10 POINTS>

Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition.<10 POINTS>

1 ........................................ of what the Human ResourcesManager suggested, Miss Harris was hired as a SalesRepresentative.

2 This new position requires a lot of traveling........................................ the western region.

3 Spain is ........................................ Portugal.

4 The average age was ........................................ 34.

5 Mr. Simpson gave a long speech........................................ of the company workers.

6 The waste basket is ........................................ my desk.

7 The state of Kansas is ........................................Colorado and Missouri.

8 They arrived ........................................ Hamburg late lastnight.

9 I was ........................................ school when I met him.

10 We usually meet ........................................ Mondaymorning.

Write the following sentences in the passive voice. <10 POINTS>

1 They will sign the contract in November.

......................................................................................

2 We handed in the report last week.

......................................................................................

3 They speak English as the official language in more than45 countries.

......................................................................................

4 In 1776 Thomas Jefferson writes the Declaration ofIndependence.

......................................................................................

5 Between 1347 and 1350 the Black Death killed one thirdof Europe’s population

......................................................................................

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within on behalf of in between in charge of beside under

at regardless of on

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giving and receiving messages bilingual computerilliterate punctual send a package careless

filing hard-working book a ticket good memory

IV

besides so but

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WORKSHEET 8

Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________

50III

DUTIES TASKS STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES



Fill in the blanks with who, that, which, or where. <10 POINTS>

1 Miss Brown is the person ........................... is in charge ofthe marketing of our new product.

2 The hotel ........................... we stayed in Kuala Lumpurwas superb.

3 This is the place ........................... I chose.

4 I don’t think ........................... you have to resign now.

5 Most of the people ........................... moved to Americain the 1800’s never came back.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the two-word verbs in the box. <10 POINTS>

1 Was your application form .................................?

2 Did you ................................. the documents on time?

3 The local people thought they ................................. theirjobs.

4 We ................................. ink and we have lots ofprintouts left.

5 Don’t forget to ................................. the photocopier,please.

6 We have to ................................. the visitors fromSingapore at 7 p.m.

7 The French ................................. fur-trading settlementsin central Canada.

8 ..................... the paper work ...................... and let’s talkfor a while.

9 The plane ................................. in spite of the storm.

10 Can you ................................. his name in the phonebook, please?

Compare the following unequal elements with theadjectives given. <5 POINTS>

1 The old fax machine was ................................ than thenew one we bought. (good)

2 Travelling by plane is ................................ than going bytrain. (fast)

3 Last generation cell phones have ................................technology than most laptops. (sophisticated)

4 Speaking a foreign language may be................................ than reading it. (difficult)

5 Old planes were ................................ than the new ones.(noisy)

Complete these sentences with the superlative.<5 POINTS>

1 This is our ..................................... branch. (profitable)

2 Who is ..................................... one in your group?(bossy)

3 What is ..................................... book you have read?(bad)

4 Mr. Grant is known to be ..................................... manon earth. (wealthy)

5 My former boss is ..................................... person I’veever met. (tolerant)

Replace the words in bold by synonymous expressions.<10 POINTS>

1 Thomas was fired about a month ago. .....................

2 The Personnel Manager refused to contract peoplewithout some knowledge of computing. .....................

3 We have to purchase new equipment for the laboratoryroom. .....................

4 I’m not fluent in English; however, I can make myselfunderstood. .....................

5 My co-worker is quiet and disciplined, while I am noisyand disorganised. .....................

Fill in the blanks with the correct computer relatedterm. <10 POINTS>

1 Click on ............................. when you make a mistakeand you want your previous text back.

2 When you want to copy a text or an image you have to............................. it first.

3 It’s advisable to ............................. the information youneed to keep safe.

4 The CPU is the .............................

5 The amount of memory available for programs to run isthe .............................

6 ............................. sometimes happen at the leastopportune moment and you either get stuck or loseeverything you have done.

7 The ............................. is a useful device usuallyconnected to the computer.

8 The word ‘secretary’ has nine .............................

9 Once you finish your work you shouldn’t forget to makea ............................. copy.

10 Let’s make some ............................. and hand them outamong the people attending the meeting.

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hand in take away run out of turn down take off look up set up turn off

put away pick up

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UNITS 11 TO 15END OF MODULEWORKSHEET 9

Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________

50III


Listening & Speaking module

1 He; 2 It; 3 She; 4 They; 5 It; 6 They; 7 We; 8 It; 9 They; 10 We

1 Where are you from?2 When will he be back?3 What is your extension number?4 Who is the new Sales Manager?5 What position do you hold? / What’s your job title? / What

do you do?

1c; 2a; 3e; 4d; 5b

1 her; 2 his; 3 her; 4 their; 5 our

1 will he be back; 2 Will Mr. Bricks be; 3 will not / won’tdeliver; 4 Will you accept; 5 will sign

1 do you come; 2 represents; 3 arrives; 4 send; 5 are; 6 do you leave; 7 has; 8 Does she like; 9 does she travel abroad; 10 Do they check

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Worksheet 1

Worksheets Answer Key


1 her; 2 him; 3 them; 4 them; 5 it

1 rang; 2 were; 3 left; 4 interviewed; 5 said; spoke; 6 was; 7 met; 8 was; 9 wanted; 10 Did he have

1b; 2a; 3c; 4c

1 What did he want?2 When did you deliver the merchandise?3 Why were you late?4 Where did you wait for him?5 Where were they?6 How much did you pay for that?

7 How often did you meet?8 How many people were there?9 When did he leave?10 Who did you call?

1 3,483; 2 1783; 3 E1,213; 4 1981; 5 1,139

1 What time do shops open?2 What time does the last flight arrive?3 What time do y ou get to work?4 What time does the seminar start?5 What time do classes begin?

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Worksheet 2

1 May I help you?2 Would you like a cup of coffee?3 May I take your coat?4 How was the flight?5 What was the weather like?

1 between; 2 next to; 3 behind; 4 opposite; 5 near

1 do; 2 nice; 3 to drink; 4 direct; 5 upstairs

1 How far is the museum?2 What was the weather like?3 How much is the ticket to Rio?4 How many people are there at the seminar?5 Where were you yesterday at 8:00 p.m.?

1e; 2b; 3a; 4d; 5c

1 lost; 2 Did you have; 3 borrowed; 4 did not invest; 5 quoted

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Worksheet 3



Writing module


1F; 2T; 3F; 4F; 5T

1 Surname; 2 Sex; 3 Marital status; 4 E-mail; 5 Address

1 American; 2 British; 3 British; 4 American; 5 British

1 Could you send me / us; 2 I / We would be grateful; 3 mailus; 4 I / We would like to know; 5 I am / We are interested

1 you for the letter; 2 pleased; 3 We are enclosing / We aresending you; 4 We are pleased; 5 to your letter / mail /inquiry

1 are you sending; 2 are attending; 3 are e-mailing; 4 Are you preparing; 5 Is Mr. Yamura flying; 6 ‘m lookingforward to; 7 is writing; 8 are you talking; 9 are offering;10 is answering

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Worksheet 4

1b; 2d; 3a; 4b; 5d

1 Thank you for your letter of / dated; 2 Please send me / usa quotation for; 3 Please inform us; 4 We enclose; 5 The prices

1C; 2C; 3O; 4O; 5C

1 Company; 2 Job Term; 3 Schedule; 4 Job category; 5 Benefits

1 Why did you fly to Montreal?2 Where did she find a new job?3 When did the accounts department work over time?4 How did the customer from Malaysia send the Purchase

Order?5 How long did the application process take?

1 With reference to; 2 We look forward to; 3 Do you offer;4 out of stock / sold out; 5 I’m enclosing

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Worksheet 5

1h; 2f; 3a; 4j; 5d; 6b; 7e; 8j; 9c; 10g

1 invest; 2 realised; 3 actually; 4 attend; 5 large

1 See you on line; 2 Because; 3 Be back later; 4 In my opinion; 5 As soon as possible

1 heard; 2 make arrangements; 3 will find; 4 improved; 5 applied; 6 met; 7 make an appointment; 8 book; 9 borrows; 10 would like / ‘d like

1 products; 2 current; 3 figures; 4 job; 5 earn

1 graduated; 2 hope; 3 I’m working; 4 borrow; 5 I’m writing

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Worksheet 6




1j; 2a; 3d / b / c; 4b / c; 5j; 6c; 7g; 8b / c / d; 9e; 10f

1 Because she wrote the first computer program; 2 It wasnever tested, so it was never used; 3 In 1792; 4 An Englishmathematician; 5 A mechanical computing machine; 6 86years old; 7 She was an admiral of the US Navy; 8 It refersto computing program errors; 9 It refers to the firstcomputing program; 10 She refers to Grace Murray Hopper

1 affordable; 2 comparable; 3 available; 4 economic /economical; 5 successful

1V; 2V; 3A; 4N; 5N

1 however / nevertheless; 2 Although / Even though; 3 however / nevertheless; 4 Even though / Although; 5 whereas / while

1 handwriting; 2 the goods; 3 Mrs. Briggs; 4 AppleComputer; Apple Computer; 5 The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man; The U.K.

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Worksheet 7

1 Queen Victoria, who was the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, ruled for the longest period in English history. / Queen Victoria, who ruled for the longest period inEnglish history, was the Queen of Great Britain andIreland.

2 Wellington, which is the capital of New Zealand, is thecountry’s second largest city. / Wellington, which is thecountry’s second largest city, is the capital of New Zealand.

3 Chile, which is a South American country, is 6,171 kmlong.

4 The observations which you made were unjustified.5 The e-mails which I receive daily are screened by a central

computer system.

Answers may vary.

1 so; 2 Besides; 3 but; 4 Besides; 5 so

Duties: filing, giving and receiving messagesTasks: send a package, book a ticket Strengths: bilingual, hardworking, good memory, punctualWeaknesses: computer illiterate, careless

1 Regardless of; 2 within; 3 beside; 4 under; 5 on behalfof; 6 under; 7 between; 8 in; 9 at; 10 on

1 The contract will be signed in November.2 The report was handed in last week.3 English is spoken as the official language in more than 45

countries.4 The Declaration of Independence is written in 1776 (by

Thomas Jefferson)5 One third of Europe’s population was killed by the Black

Death between 1347 and 1350.

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Worksheet 8

1 Who; 2 where; 3 which / that; 4 that; 5 who

1 turned down; 2 hand in; 3 were taking away; 4 arerunning out of; 5 turn off; 6 pick up; 7 set up; 8 Put …away; 9 took off; 10 look up

1 better; 2 faster; 3 more sophisticated; 4 more difficult; 5 noisier

1 most profitable; 2 the bossiest; 3 the worst; 4 thewealthiest; 5 the most tolerant

1 was dismissed; 2 to hire; 3 to buy; 4 nevertheless; 5 whereas

1 undo; 2 highlight; 3 save; 4 Central Processing Unit; 5 RAM (Random Access Memory); 6 bugs; 7 printer; 8 characters; 9 backup; 10 print outs

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Worksheet 9

Reading module


Speaking Evaluation Chart


Course: ....................... Student: .................................................................................

1

2

3

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6

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9

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15

Notes

UNITS

SCORE

(20)

SCORE

(20)

SCORE

(20)

Accu

racy

Co

mp

rehen

sibility

Fluen

cy

Pron

un

ciation

Accu

racy

Co

mp

rehen

sibility

Fluen

cy

Pron

un

ciation

Accu

racy

Co

mp

rehen

sibility

Fluen

cy

Pron

un

ciation

(5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5) (5)


Workbook Answer Key


Unit 1

Asking and answering questions

A Good afternoon; Your name; just a moment; right nowB May I speak; away on business; will he be; Can I take

MMT Company Limited; Philadelphia; Mr. Dennis Jenkins;He’ll call back on Tuesday

1 at; 2 on; 3 through; 4 in; 5 at; 6 on; 7 on

1 Will his secretary confirm the meeting?2 Will the flight arrive before 9:00?3 Will Miss Harris be here tomorrow morning?4 Will you accept his proposal?5 Will the two companies sign the contract?6 Will she be fired?

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 I’m afraid he’s not available at the moment.2 I’m sorry, sir. She’s out for lunch.3 I’m sorry, sir. She is away on a business trip.4 I’m afraid she is busy at the moment.

S: good morning; C: speak to Mr Henderson?; S: calling?;S: busy; He is; Can I take; C: I’ll call back

Acronyms

Pairworka United Nationsb European Communityc North American Free Trade Agreementd Free on Boarde Cost, Insurance and Freightf Federal Reserve Bankg Federal Bureau of Investigationh Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Question words

1 What’s your telephone number?2 When is the meeting?3 Where is your office?4 When is your appointment?5 Who is the President of the company?6 What’s our 2007 budget?7 Where is her hotel?8 How much is the ticket to Rio?

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 The meeting was at 5:00.2 I was in the office.3 It was Mr Henderson.4 He was away on a business trip.5 I was in England.6 She was at her desk.

2

1

6

5

4

3

2

1

1 Wyoming; where?; 2 Mr. Tim Harrison; who? 3 Germany;where?; 4 Plaza Hotel; where?; 5 Jenny Hopps; who?;6 Tuesday; when?

Open practice.

Unit 2

Jobs

1b; 2e; 3f; 4d; 5c; 6a

1 Information about Miss Helen Morris; 2 The receptionist;3 No, she doesn’t; 4 No, he doesn’t; 5 No, it isn’t. He isvery rude; 6 Open answer.

Indefinite articles

1 an; 2 an; 3 a; 4 a; 5 a; 6 an; 7 a

Pairworka What does your mother do?

She is a lawyer.b What do you do?

I’m a psychiatrist.c What do Mr. and Mrs. Smith do?

They are mathematiciansd What does George Clooney do?

He is an actor.e What do those people do?

They are technicians.f What does Miss Danielson do?

She is an agent.

Present simple

Paulina; Tokyo; Istanbul; flies; three times; Eastern; does;fly; Turkey

1 doesn’t repair; has to; 2 Do you like; 3 has; 4 take; 5 goes; 6 do you make; 7 doesn’t fly; 8 Does he like; 9 Does … work; 10 Does … take

1 We travel to Moscow twice a year.2 He sends price lists once a month.3 They meet once a fortnight.4 I update files every week.5 I get holidays three times a year.6 I go abroad every two years.

Talking about frequency

Do you ever have to look up phone numbers?1 Do you ever fill in forms?2 Does Mrs. Seagal ever arrive late?3 Does your boss ever send invitations?4 Does the accountant ever use the photocopier?5 Does the receptionist ever do paperwork?6 Does the Sales Manager ever work outside the office?

1

3

2

1

1

2

1

4

3

17-EFS-TB-ANSWER KEY 22/5/06 23:07 Página 112

Workbook Answer Key

Yes, I often have to look up phone numbers.1 Yes, I often fill in forms.2 Yes, she sometimes arrives late.3 Yes, my boss usually sends invitations.4 No, he almost never uses the photocopier.5 No, he seldom does paperwork.6 Yes, he sometimes works outside the office.

Frequency adverbs

Answers may vary. Sample answers:a sometimes; b never; c often; d rarely; e usually; f often;g always

Answers may vary. Sample answers:a A Director often travels abroad.b A secretary sometimes looks up phone numbers and

addresses.c The Personnel Manager rarely fills in forms.d An applicant never distributes correspondence.e Technicians sometimes repair the air-conditioning system.f Clerks usually file letters and documents.g The Head of the Marketing Department often attends

meetings.h The receptionist never summons meetings.

Unit 3

Listening for numbers

Numbers in context: 1 245 536; 2 874 590 22; 3 2451;4 1053; 5 4059; 6 415Money: 1 $98,000; 2 42,000 bucks; 3 $1,200; 4 £38;5 $2,302,500; 6 $873Time: 1 at 8 p.m.; 2 at a quarter to eight; 3 at 7:30; 4 at8:30Dates: 1 on September 14th; 2 for January 5th; 3 on May13th, 1994; 4 on 4th of March

a 2 44 06 22; 107. b $1,859, plus tax; ZW371. c BA 913;96 30 22 839. d 1 25 67 88; 665 30 80

Asking for numbers

Answers may vary. Sample answers:a It takes twenty minutes to get to the Head Office.b It takes forty minutes to get to the airport.c It takes twelve hours to get to Mexico city.d It takes 5 minutes to type a one-page report.

Open practice.

Asking questions

1 How many documents without his signature are there?2 How much is the printer?3 How much is this service?4 How many visitors from abroad are there?5 How much is the ticket to Rio?6 How much is the VAT in some countries?

1

2

1

2

1

4

3

2 May I speak to Mr. Riggs, please?; Brian Lee, from Mr.Reed’s office; Brian Lee. B-R-I-A-N L-E-E; Yes, madam. Myphone number is 632 6081, extension 249.

Group workOpen practice.

Tuesday; Friday; 8:50; 3:45; 10:50; 5:45; £200

PairworkAnswers may vary. Sample answers:How much does the ticket cost?When does the plane leave?How long does it take to get there?When do the flights arrive in Morocco?

Money issues

1 borrow; 2 amount to; 3 lose; 4 increase; 5 deals with;6 refuses

a rate; b funds; c fringe benefits; d budget; e fee; f bonus; g tax; h salary

Italy, Germany and Spain: euro; Japan: yen; Chile: peso;USA: dollar; UK: poundAnswers may vary. Sample answers:The yen is a very strong currency.The dollar isn’t as expensive as the dollar at present.Is the pound a strong currency?


Unit 4

Listening for information

A Someone from Mr. Fillmore’s office; Mr. Dean Jenkins; Date / time; He / she wants to confirm an appointment for 7/3/2007 at 8:15.

B Mrs. Johnson; David Holschtein; 330 90 77; Lifeinsurance; Urgent matter. Call in the evening.

A To: Mr. Finch; From: Peter Craig; Message: call back until 6 p.m. to discuss the new advertising campaign

B To: Mr. Spencer; From: James Brown; Telephoned;please call back; urgent; Message: problem with theprice increase. Tel. No. 23 514 222

PairworkOpen practice.

Passing on information

Pairwork1 wants you to / ‘d like you to send2 wants you to / ‘d like you to sign3 wants you to / ‘d like you to deliver4 wants you to / ‘d like you to put off5 wants you to / ‘d like you to meet

2

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3

2

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2



Workbook Answer Key


Speaking in the past

& a sent b was c advertised d thought; was e suited f checked

Answers may vary. Sample answers:I met Henry at the reception this morning.Mr. Smith bought a new fax machine.I cancelled the meeting with Mr. SpencerShe signed all the documents.Miss Parker’s secretary gave me an appointment.Erik sent the tickets to the hotel.

Answering machines

Open practice.

Message 1Aldo Pacino / Confirm appointment / Friday 16th at 10:15

Message 2Tom Hunt / From Boston / Fax contracts signed by Mr Cooperand him / Urgent / Staying at usual hotel

Message 3 Iguazú Travel Agency / Mr. and Mrs. Monroe’s tickets toRome available / Contact Paula Simms / Phone 233 6059,extension 907

Unit 5

Greeting and talking to clients

1 Nice to meet you too, Mr. Billings.2 How do you do?3 Pleased to meet you.4 Good to meet you too, Mr. Drysdale.

1b; 2e; 3f; 4a; 5d; 6c; 7g

A 1 Brussels; 2 Paul O’Sullivan; 3 It was raining heavily; 4 A cup of tea; 5 Yes, he did.

B 1 No, she didn’t; 2 Vancouver; 3 Mr. Higgins; 4 Mr. Higgins is with a costumer; 5 No, she doesn’t. She prefers cold weather.

Giving directions

Open practice.

a Take the lift to the second floor. His office is on the right.b Walk straight ahead. The Ladies’ room is on the left, next

to the Credit Department.c It’s on the first floor; opposite Reception.d It’s on the first floor; between the cafeteria and reception.e It’s on the first floor. The cafeteria is on the right, next to

the Auditorium.f Take the lift to the second floor. His office is on the left,

opposite Mr. Hutchinson’s office.

2

1

3

2

1

2

1

3

21

Talking to clients

1 I come from Manchester.2 At the end of the hall. To the right.3 Not too good, I’m afraid.4 Very cold and windy.5 No, this is my first visit.6 For three weeks.7 A cup of tea, please.

1 Where are you staying?2 Where do you come from?3 How long are you going to stay?4 What was the weather like in Canberra?5 Would you like something to drink?6 What’s the hotel like?

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 Does he want anything to drink?2 Where is he from?3 Did he travel by plane?4 How long did it take him to get there?


Unit 6

Business envelopes and letters

Mr. Frank WilsonDean of the Faculty of EconomicsPacific University San Francisco, CA 95616 U.S.A.

d Charles Jackson12 Holborn RoadCambridge CB2 1RPU.K.

Attn.: The DeanThe Faculty of Economics 293 Nelson Street Jefferson City, MO 10156

c Albert Wayne 24 31st StreetNew York, N.Y. 10017

Richard Murray248 Riverside Southampton SO1 1ZBU.K.

b Home Service Inc. 456 Madison Avenue New York, N.Y. 10014

The Neon Light Co. 292 Queen’s RoadLondon W1 3TF

a James Hall28 Temple StreetKent TN1 1LQ

Sample Copy

1

3

2

1


Workbook Answer Key


Answers may vary. Sample answer:Sarah Parker25 Malet StreetLiverpool L7 8TSNovember 5th, 2006

Personnel Department 25 Nelson St.London NW1 2LJ

Dear Sir or Madam,

I read your advertisement of November 4th for the positionof secretary and am interested in applying for the post.I have relevant experience and am a responsible worker. I would be grateful if you could send me an application formto the above address.I have enclosed a copy of my CV, which details myqualifications and interests.I hope you will consider me for an interview. Thank you foryour time and consideration.

Sincerely yours,Sarah Parker

Filling in forms

Full name; Date of birth; Sex; Profession; Permanentaddress; Place of birth; Marital status; Telephone number


Unit 7

Making requests

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 the products; 2 Could you please send me…; 3 the newproduct; 4 you could inform me; 5 I would also like details

catalogue; grateful; could send; items; please; information;Yours truly

Open practice.

Responding to requests

1 for; letter; 2 receive; about; 3 pleased; further; 4 am;order; 5 deal; with; 6 enclosing

1

3

2

1

1

Personnel Department 25 Nelson St.London NW1 2LJ

Sarah Parker25 Malet StreetLiverpool L7 8TS

2 Informal business e-mail

PairworkElias; Thanks; Can; ((A))SAP; send; your; Regards,

Present continuous

1 is; 2 are; 3 Are; 4 Is; 5 is; 6 am; am

1 Is Dr. Clark presenting the project now?2 Are you doing the exercises now?3 The boss is attending the meeting at the moment.4 The manager is analysing the budget at present.5 She is speaking on the telephone and typing the letters.6 He isn’t talking to the lawyer right now.

are sending; are manufacturing; (and) exporting; are buying;are becoming; are selling; are looking forward

Unit 8

Writing inquiries and quotations

1 With reference to; 2 We will be pleased; 3 We are pleasedto supply; 4 We hope; 5 We cannot send item XD20

PairworkFrom: Open / To: Leather Inc. / Sent: 20 March 2005 /Subject: openWe are interested in the following items:

Please, send us full details of your prices, payment terms andearliest delivery dates.

Yours faithfully

Open practice.

Placing an order

Group work1 Office Equipment Ltd has cheaper prices (despite no discount)and delivery is included; 2 The second quote is the better choicefor its better prices. If it is a question of being in a hurry, then thefirst quote because quote 2 has a delay in one of the deliveries.

Quotation expressions

1 require; 2 for your letter; 3 We are pleased; 4 We lookforward; 5 quote; 6 discount; 7 our terms convenient; 8 In reply; 9 are sending; 10 stock; sold out; 11 samples

most convenient; supply; reply; inquiry; out of stock

1 immediate delivery; 2 most convenient prices; 3 out ofstock goods; 4 CFR export terms; 5 A 30 days payment; 6 Please enclose samples

3

2

1

2

a Bootsb low heel shoesc high heel shoesd hiking boots

12 pairsopenopenopen

openopen openopen

1

3

2

1


Workbook Answer Key


Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 The model requested is out of stock.2 Could you please send samples of your product?3 I’m writing in reply to your letter of 6 June.4 We supply products at a convenient price.


FOB Free on Board; CFR (C&F) Code of Federal Regulations(Cost & Freight); L/C Letter of Credit; COD Call of Duty

Unit 9

Job advertisements

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 Languages, university studies in accounting, international

economics, marketing.2 Responsible, polite, pleasant, out-going, organised, able

to delegate tasks...3 Develope and manage marketing and promotional

materials: catalogue, media packs, house advertising.Coordinate marketing team to ensure all projects areperformed correctly, accurately and on time. Maintainrelationships with clients.

Answers may vary. Sample answers:PLAZA HOTELPart-time receptionist needed for Los Angeles hotelLanguages a plus.Send résumé to:Bill Barrister; 2220 Whitfiled; Los Angeles, CA 90272


Organising a CV or résumé

Personal details: Address: 233 East Street / London 481 7887Marital status: MarriedAge: 26

Work experience: Full-time Sales Representative at Denise Clothing Company /2004-PresentCoordinate fashion shows and exhibits at textile fairs. Workdirectly with large departments stores in London. Shop Assistant at MC’s Department Store / 2000-2003In charge of cash register. Placed orders with retailers.Responsible for monthly accounting and work time-tables.

Education: Fashion Design Course / 2002Sales training Course at Benson’s Institute / 2000Johnson’s High School / 1996-1999

1

2

1

5

4 Languages: Spanish (Advanced level: speaking and writing)German (Beginner level: speaking and writing)

Group workAnswers may vary. Sample answer:Sales Assistant at Kelly’s (Fashion Department), because she isqualified for the job. She has done courses on fashion designand sales and she has relevant experience.

Open practice.


Answers may vary. Sample answer:Michael Lane’s letter is less well-written. The style is toodirect and it doesn’t give proper information aboutqualifications / experience.


Open practice.

Unit 10

Polite expressions

1 Would it be possible to; 2 Could you; 3 Could you; 4 Can you; 5 I’d appreciate it if; 6 I’d be grateful if;7 May I; 8 Could you; 9 Can you; 10 I’d like to

1 work; 2 lend; 3 inform; 4 use; 5 make arrangements;6 tell; 7 ask; 8 collect

E-mail correspondence

Order: d; a; c; b

Writing memos

1 To: Mrs. Hudson From: AnneThis is to confirm we have picked up the package at theairport. It was sent that morning to our New York office.

1

d From: Javier SevillaTo: Melisa LloydDate: October 16Re: Figure corrections

Ms; find

c From: Javier SevillaTo: Melisa LloydDate: October 24Re: Conference

confirmationMelisa; schedule

b From: Melisa LloydTo: Javier SevillaDate: October 25Re: Reservation

ConfirmationJavier ; 16th; 17th

a From: Melisa LloydTo: Javier SevillaDate: October 23Re: Corrections and

Nov. conferenceSevilla; dates

1

2

1

2

1

2


Workbook Answer Key


2 To: Mr. Adams From: Susan TaylorIn response to your memo about the brochure, I gave thedetails you mentioned to the designer so she could startworking on them ASAP.

3 To: Louise Brown From: Patrick FordCould you inform the workers about the new flexibleschedules that are available? I have attached a list ofalternative schedules.

4 To: Mr. Burns From: George SandersI am sending you the last month’s sales report. Could youcheck the figures and analyse the sudden sales decrease.We will discuss this at next week’s meeting.

Open practice.

Unit 11

Skimming and scanning

1 A flier; 2 To provide information about courses; 3 Tostudents / young professionals; 4 Spanish, German, French,and Japanese; 5 20 Hamstead Rd., London, NW2

1 A catalogue listing; 2 To sell products; 3 It’s a wholesaler;4 5000; 5 polished chrome or brass body

1 A letter; 2 Book a hotel room; 3 Michael Sutton and hiswife; 4 September 9th, 10th and 11th; 5 Book a doubleroom with shower and send confirmation by fax.

Word-building

-ion: education; decide; invention-ity: productivity; prosperous; simple-cy: democratic; privacy

1 The productivity of the system is reflected in thediversity of it’s functions and in the number of users it has.2 It was decision to start a career as a

programmer. Undoubtedly her capacity and efficiency willallow her to achieve goal.

3 There are styles of writing that are more formal thanothers. In your opinion, which style suits functions?

Working with dictionaries

1 To sell illegal goods or contraband; 2 3; verb, noun andadjective; 3 /�bum/; 4 3

1 bootleg; 2 boom; 3 boomeranged; 4 boom


2

1

secretarial

any

newher

private2

1

1

2

Unit 12

Adjectives

1g; 2i; 3a; 4f; 5d; 6b; 7e; 8h; 9c

Positive: creative, disciplined, easy-going, efficient, friendly,hard-working, honest, imaginative, loyal, mature, polite,methodical, organised, punctual, reliable, sociable, tidy,tolerant, well-dressed

Negative: arrogant, authoritarian, bossy, careless, cheeky,forgetful, fussy, humourless, messy, moody, nosy, rude,snobbish

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 tolerant, friendly, organised, polite; 2 authoritarian,rude; 3 efficient, reliable, organised; 4 honest, creative,reliable

Languages in the UK

1 The U.K. 2 Scotland’s; 3 Scots; 4 Scottish, Welsh andIrish people’s; 5 Celts; 6 Germanic Angles and Saxons; 7 Celts; 8 Germanic Angles and Saxons; 9 the speakers’;10 the speakers’

Celts; Romans; German Angles; Saxons; Norman French


Connectors

1 While; 2 however; 3 whereas; 4 Though; 5 however; 6 Although

1c; 2d; 3e; 4b; 5a

Although; however; Nevertheless; nevertheless

Unit 13

Duties, tasks and skills

Group work1S; 2T; 3T; 4S; 5D; 6D; 7T; 8S; 9D; 10D; 11D; 12D; 13D;14S; 15T; 16S; 17D; 18T; 19S; 20T

PairworkAnswers may vary. Sample answers:faxing documents and letters; sending packages;photocopying and filing documents and letters; keep a recordof the correspondence; give and receive messages; typedocuments, envelopes or letters; am in charge of the pettycash; book air tickets and tables at restaurants; beingpunctual with deadlines.

3

2

1

2

1

3

2

1


Workbook Answer Key


Talking about jobs

1d: so; 2e: although; 3a: but; 4b: even though; 5f: however; 6c: besides

1 however; 2 moreover; 3 so; 4 Although; 5 but;6 furthermore; 7 so; 8 in fact; 9 Although; 10 nevertheless

Nominal groups and relative clauses

Answers may vary. Sample answers:1 two permanent organisms; a voluntary human rights

association; a voluntary association of independent states

1 which; 2 who; 3 which; 4 where; 5 that; 6 who / that; 7 which

1 Thanksgiving day, which is a national holiday in the U.S.,commemorates the first successful harvest of the earlysettlers; 2 Giovanni Caboto, who is also known as JohnCabot, discovered Canada; 3 Philadelphia, which was thecapital of the USA between 1790 and 1800, is the fourthlargest city of the country; 4 Quebec city, which is the oldestwalled city in the New World, is one of the world’s largestFrench-speaking cities.

Unit 14

Equipment and materials

1 folder; 2 in-tray; out-tray; 3 stationery; 4 cell phone;5 organiser; 6 pad; 7 fax paper; 8 typewriter; 9 calendar;10 file

1 look up; 2 put away; 3 hand in; 4 jotted down; 5 Turnon; 6 run out of

Using the passive

attended; explained; given; paid; received; sent; spoken;stolen; taken; written

1 The letter was opened; 2 The candidate was interviewedby the President; 3 The job wasn’t finished; 4 The call wasreceived on Friday; 5 The suitcase was stolen; 6 Pizza wasintroduced to the US; 7 The radio was invented by Marconi;8 The meeting was attended by a hundred workers; 9 Thebill was paid in January; 10 The problem was explained tothe committee.

Prepositions and prepositionalphrases

in: Rome; Australia; the East; 2008; the station; the cinema;Palm Street (UK); August; winter; the bank on: the corner; Palm Street (US); Tuesday; July 10th; thecoast; weekends (US) at: the station; the cinema; the bank; midday; university;home; 6:30; weekends (UK); night

1

2

1

2

1

3

2

1

2

1

1 in charge of; 2 on behalf of; 3 within; 4 next to; 5 as; 6 regardless of; 7 in charge of; 8 in charge of; 9 on behalfof; 10 on behalf of

1 in, at; 2 at; 3 in; 4 at; 5 on; 6 at; 7 at; 8 in; 9 among; 10 between

1 on; 2 in; 3 on; 4 at; 5 at; 6 at; 7 in; 8 in / on; 9 at, on;10 in

Unit 15

Computer hardware

1a; 2f; 3j; 4e; 5h; 6i; 7b; 8d; 9g; 10c

1 message; 2 characters; 3 icon; 4 print outs; 5 file; 6 back up; 7 cursor; 8 screen

Computer software

Pairwork1c (preview); 2h (undo); 3e (cut); 4a (new); 5g (paste); 6b (save); 7i (copy); 8f (open); 9d (print).


Comparatives and superlatives

1 more stimulating; 2 warmer than; 3 faster than; 4 slowerthan; 5 better; 6 cheaper than; 7 smaller than; 8 friendlierthan; 9 longer than; 10 earlier than; 11 larger than

1 best; 2 longer than; 3 most interesting; 4 as tactful; 5 quickest; 6 better; 7 the worst; 8 as short as; 9 noisiest;10 worse than

PairworkAnswers may vary. Sample answers:a A Plasma monitor is more expensive than the CRT monitor.

The LCD is the most expensive.b A CD/DVD-ROM has more memory than a floppy drive. The

hard drive has the most memory.c A USB port is faster than a serial port. A FireWire port is the

fastest.d An inkjet printer has better resolution than a dot-matrix

printer. The laser has the best resolution.e A cordless keyboard is more comfortable to use than a folding

keyboard. The ergonomic keyboard is the most comfortableto use.

2

1

2

1

4

3

2


Unit 1

1.1A Visitor: Good morning. My name is Paul Phillips. May I speak

to Mr. William Smith? Receptionist: I’m sorry, sir. Mr. Smith isn’t in. What can I dofor you?

B Receptionist: Collins Electronics. Good afternoon. Client: Good afternoon. Mrs. Doris Robinson, please. Receptionist: Name, please? Client: Henry Higgins. I’m her lawyer. Receptionist: Hold on a moment, Mr. Higgins. I’ll put youthrough.

C Client: Good morning. May I speak to the PersonnelManager?Receptionist: Who’s calling, please?Client: It’s Tim Harrison, from K&S Corporation.Receptionist: Just a moment, please. I’ll see if he’s availableat the moment.

D Visitor: Excuse me. Could I see Mr. Johnson?Receptionist: May I have your name, please?Visitor: Tom Blackburn. From New Instant Technology. Receptionist: Please sit down. He’ll see you in a minute.

1.21 A: May I speak to Mr. William Johnson?

B: I’m sorry, sir. He isn’t in.

2 A: Excuse me, could I talk to Miss Robinson? B: I’m afraid she’s busy right now.

3 A: Good morning. Can I see Mr. Harrison? B: I’m sorry, madam. He’s abroad on business.

4 A: Excuse me, I’d like to talk to Mrs. Hamilton. B: Wait a moment, please. I’ll see if she’s in.

5 A: Good afternoon. May I speak to Mr. Johnson? B: Just a moment, please. He’ll see you in a minute.

6 A: This is Mary Smith. May I speak to Mrs. Hills?B: Hold on a moment, please. I’ll see if she’s available now.

1.3Receiver: Morris and Sons Company, good morning.Caller: Hello, my name’s Paul Smith. Could I talk to Miss Johnson?Receiver: I’m afraid she’s busy at this moment, sir. Any message? Caller: No, thank you. I’ll call back later.

1.4Receiver: International Airlines. Sheila speaking.Caller: Hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Walter Halls, please.Receiver: Mr. Halls is away on business, sir. Who’s calling? Caller: Mr. Willis.Receiver: Mr. Wells?Caller: No, Madam. Mr. Willis. W-I-L-L-I-S.

1.5A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X,Y, Z

1.61 M-O-N-T-R-E-A-L2 E-D-I-N-B-U-R-G-H3 S-U-S-A-N F-I-N-N-L-E-Y4 P-A-U-L P-H-I-L-L-I-P-S5 M-A-H-O-N-E-Y R-O-A-D6 M-E-L G-I-B-S-O-N

1.7

Unit 2

2.1A Receptionist: Thornton & Thiennes Associates. Good

morning.Client: Good morning. I’d like to speak to someone aboutthe... MCM machine, please.Receptionist: Hold on a moment, sir. I’ll put you through tothe sales department.Client: Could I have the name of the Sales Manager?Receptionist: It’s Mr. Phillips.

B Receptionist: Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?Visitor: Good morning! I work for Printer Manufacturers...a... Canadian Company. Could I have an appointment withthe Purchasing Manager?Receptionist: You have to ask his secretary, Miss Jones. She’supstairs, in office number 6.

it

in

Mr.

little

finish

office

Willis

six

fifth

sit down

his

list

Mrs.

sister

visit

business

Phillips

sixty

sixth

Mrs. Willis

Miss

big

million

minute

busy

this

Miller

sixty-six

give

in a minute

It’s busy

It’s on his list

It’s ringing

It’s open

It’s a pity

He isn’t in

He’s in is

office

His sister is in

Mr. William

Phillips

It’s sixty-six

119

Student’s Book Transcripts

18-EFS-TB-TRANSCRIPTIONS 22/5/06 23:09 Página 119

Visitor: May I have the name of the Manager, please?Receptionist: Certainly! It’s Mr. Rogers. Robert Rogers.Visitor: Thank you very much.

C Receptionist: Computer Service. Good afternoon.Client: I’m interested in renting some equipment. Who may I speak to, madam?Receptionist: Mr. Simpson, from the Rental Department. I’llput you through to his Secretary. Her extension is busy. Canyou hold on a moment?Client: Yes. I’ll hold on.

2.21 What do you do?

I’m Mr. Thornton’s secretary. I work in the Finance Department.

2 What does Miss Hill do?She’s a receptionist. She greets visitors and answers the phone.

3 What do they do?They‘re sales representatives. They have to travel a lot.

4 What do you do?We’re clerks. We work in the Credit Department.

5 What does Mr. Lee do?He’s an accountant. He deals with accounts and taxes.

6 What does he do?He’s an engineer. He supervises the Production Department.

7 What position does Elaine hold in the company?She’s a lawyer. She represents the company in Court.

2.3Example: An auditor / What does your boss do? / He’s an auditor.a What do you do?

I’m a typist.

b What does Mr. Freeman do?He’s an engineer.

c What do Mr. and Mrs. Reed do?They’re doctors.

d What does Miss Lee do?She’s an air traffic controller.

e What do those people do?They’re clerks.

f What does Mrs. Newman do?She’s a Union leader.

Now ask questions.Example: Your boss / What does your boss do?a You

What do you do?

b Mr. FreemanWhat does Mr. Freeman do?

c Mr. and Mrs. Reed What do Mr. and Mrs. Reed do?

d Miss LeeWhat does Miss Lee do?

e Those people What do those people do?

f Mrs. Newman What does Mrs. Newman do?

2.4• May I talk to Mr. Willis? • Could I speak to Mr. Smith?• Can I see the General Manager, please?• Could you spell that, please?• Would you like to wait?• Will you call back?• Will they arrive tomorrow morning?• Is your boss in?• Are the letters ready?• Is she available now?• Are you busy?• Who’s at reception?• What’s his name?• Where’s the meeting?

2.51 Does your office close on Saturdays?2 Do you have to type letters every day?3 Do you practise English with your classmates?4 Does Mr. Smith travel abroad every month?5 Do they send the invoices by post?6 Do they have to type in the numbers in the computer?7 Does the order specify the delivery date?

2.6

repeat

seat

three

fourteen

deal

speak

Dean

see

free

receive

meeting

leader

keep

leave

we

overseas

beeper

increase

colleague

brief

achieve

Leeds

Tennessee

New Zealand

believe

employee

e-mail

cheap

read

East

Could you repeat that, please?

Mr. Read is on his leave.

Take a seat, please.

What do you mean?

The meeting is at three.

I see!

Are you free?

Our deals with the East increased.

Who’s the leader of the team?

Let’s meet in New Zealand.

My colleagues are in Leeds.

We’ll see them in Tennessee.


120


Unit 3

3.1A Client: Is this 373 44 60?

Receptionist: Yes, madam. Client: Can I speak to Mr. Freeman? Receptionist: I’m sorry, madam. There isn’t a Mr. Freemanhere.

B Receptionist: Sanders & Sanders Limited. Good morning.Client: May I speak to Miss Patricia Lee, please?Receptionist: Do you know her extension number?Client: I think it’s 2266. Receptionist: Hold on, please. I’ll put you through.

C Receptionist: Whiett Corporation. Good afternoon.Client: Mrs. Rose Adams, please.Receptionist: I’m afraid she isn’t in. Do you want to leave amessage?Client: Yes, please. Tell her to call Mr. John Matthews, at 34809 12, extension 506 as soon as she gets in.Receptionist: Could you repeat the number, please?Client: 348 09 12, extension 506.Receptionist: Thank you, sir. I’ll give her your message.

3.2

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

eleven

twelve

thirteen

fourteen

fifteen

sixteen

seventeen

eighteen

nineteen

twenty

twenty-one

thirty

thirty-one

forty

fifty

sixty

seventy

eighty

ninety

one hundred

one hundred and one

one hundred and six

one hundred and thirty

one hundred and seventy-four

two hundred

two hundred and one

three hundred

four hundred

one thousand

one thousand and one

one thousand and eight

one thousand and forty

ten thousand

one hundred thousand

one million

one billion

3.3

3.41 Flight STS 915 from Sidney, arriving at 6:25.2 Flight CAN 803 to Boston announces its departure at 9:05.3 This is International Airlines. Flight 517 to Stockholm’s been

cancelled due to bad weather conditions.4 Passengers to Miami flight 915, please board through Gate 23.5 Flight SSK 509 from Lisbon, arriving at 10 p.m.6 PAN 901 announces its departure at 5:15.

3.5

three

thirteen

thirty

three hundred

three thousand

thank you

Thursday

thirsty

through

third

thirteenth

fifth

think

thought

thing

twentieth

theatre

unthinkable

Matthew Thornton

enthusiastic

first

second

third

fourth

fifth

sixth

seventh

eighth

ninth

tenth

eleventh

twelfth

thirteenth

fourteenth

fifteenth

sixteenth

seventeenth

eighteenth

nineteenth

twentieth

twenty-first

twenty-second

thirtieth

thirty-first

fortieth

forty-first

one hundredth

one thousandth

121



3.61 583 2 36 3 1,030 4 7,889 5 1957 6 1992 7 1989 8 1997 9 32.87 10 10.95 11 5.35 12 69.25

Unit 4

4.1A Receptionist: Miss Jones is out for lunch, madam. Would

you like to leave a message?Caller: Could you tell her to ring me back when she getsback?Receptionist: May I have your name and phone number,please?Caller: Paula Kleiner, my phone number is 737 22 50.

B Receptionist: Mr. Costner isn’t in, I’m afraid. Can I take a message?Caller: Would you tell him I called?Receptionist: Certainly. Your name, please?Caller: Alan Hamilton, from Georgia.

C Receptionist: The Manager is busy at the moment. May I take a message?Caller: Tell him I sent the invoice by mail, please.Receptionist: Where are you calling from, sir?Caller: From Johnson and Johnson Ltd.

D Receptionist: Mrs. Moore’s at a meeting now. Do you wantto leave a message, sir?Caller: This is Mr. Hutchinson. Tell her I received the samplesshe sent me.Receptionist: Sorry? Could you spell your name, please?Caller: H-U-T-C-H-I-N-S-O-N

throw

Thanksgiving

birthday

truth

thriller

Agatha

parenthesis

Heathrow Airport

therapy

thorough

Is that Matthew Thornton?

When is your birthday?

Thanksgiving is a holiday.

He wasn’t very enthusiastic about it.

Classes start on Thursday.

It’s three hundred and three.

Thank you, sir.

Could you put me through to Mr. Thiennes?

Have you ever read Agatha Christie?

The price is three thousand dollars.

4.2Example: Would you like to leave a message?

Tell Mr. Clifton Mr. Harris called, please.

1 Would you like to leave a message?Tell Miss Jackson Mr. Brown called, please.

2 Would you like to leave a message?Tell Mrs. Jones Mr. Hall signed the contract, please.

3 Would you like to leave a message?Tell him I picked up the documents yesterday evening.

4 Would you like to leave a message?Tell him Mr. Thomas left for Paris this morning.

5 Would you like to leave a message?Tell Dr. Lane we postponed the meeting.

6 Would you like to leave a message?Tell Mr. Dawson the lawyer accepted our offer.

4.3Example: Mr Clifton is busy at the moment

Could you tell him I’ll call him back this afternoon?

1 Miss Jackson’s at a meeting.Could you tell her I’ll ring tomorrow morning?

2 Mrs. Jones is outCould you tell her I’ll arrange another meeting next week?

3 He’s at the airportCould you tell him I’ll meet him at the bank at 11.15 a.m.?

4 She’s having lunch with a customerCould you tell her I’ll see the Director on Friday?

5 Dr. Lane is in his office with a patientCould you tell him I’ll interview him again next week?

6 Mr. Dawson’s on holidayCould you tell him I’ll confirm the prices?

4.4Example: Miss Lee, the Production Manager, wants you to ring

him tomorrow morning.

1 Mr. Burrows, the firm lawyer wants you to ring him tomorrowmorning.

2 Dr. Lawrence, Mr. Maugham wants you to arrange anotherappointment for next week.

3 Miss Marshall, your husband wants you to meet him at thebank at 11:15 a.m.

4 Mr. Duffy, Mr. Berkeley wants you to see the Director on Friday.5 Mrs. Frazier, the Personnel Manager wants you to interview

the applicant again next week.6 Miss Nicholls, the Chief Buyer wants you to confirm the prices.

4.5A Secretary: Mr. Hamilton is on the line, sir. He’d like you to

attend a meeting in Brussels next Tuesday. Is that all right withyou?Boss: Could you check my diary? Am I free on Tuesday nextweek?Secretary: Yes, sir. Tuesday’s fine.Boss: O.K. Tell him I’ll be there at 8 o’clock.


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B Secretary: Mr. Hussein’s secretary called this morning, sir. Mr.Hussein wants us to give him a 5% discount on his lastquotation. Do you want me to call him back?Boss: Let me talk to the Sales Manager first.Secretary: Yes, sir. Do you want me to put you through tohim?Boss: Yes, please.

C Secretary: The General Manager called. He wants you tocancel the Purchase Order he signed this morning. Would thatbe possible?Boss: I don’t think so. I sent it by fax this morning.Secretary: Shall I call him back and let him know?Boss: No, No; I’ll do it. Pass me to through to him, please.

D Secretary: Mr. Stuart is calling from MacPherson’s. He’d likeyou to join them for a meeting. Would it be possible?Boss: Let’s see... What time is it?Secretary: It’s ten past twelve, sir.Boss: O.K. Tell him I’ll be there in twenty minutes.

4.6Listen and repeat after the speaker. If the verb ends insounds such as /s/, /f/, /k/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /p/, the -ed is pronouncedas /t/.Pass-passed Laugh-laughedAsk-asked Like-likedWork-worked Finish-finished

If the verb ends in vowel sounds, or in sounds such as /z/,/m/, /l/, /r/, /n/, the -ed is pronounced as /d/.Try-tried Call-calledPrepare- prepared Deliver-deliveredPropose-proposed Phone-phoned

If the verb ends in /d/ or in /t/, the -ed is pronounced as/id/.End-ended Rent-rentedAttend-attended Interrupt-interruptedRecommend-recommended Want-wanted

4.7A 1 Did you pass the call on to Mr. Spencer?

I passed it on a few minutes ago, sir.2 Did he like the new furniture?

Yes, he liked it very much.3 When did you finish?

I finished yesterday morning.4 What did he ask for?

He asked for the new price list.

B 1 When did they deliver the goods?They delivered them last Friday.

2 Who did you call?I called the Manager.

3 Who did he phone?He phoned the safety equipment supplier.

4 What did she prepare?She prepared the annual budget.

C 1 What did they want?They wanted a salary raise.

2 When did it end?It ended last semester.

3 What did you attend?We attended a seminar.

4 What did you rent?I rented a car.

Unit 5

5.1A Visitor: Good morning. My name’s Richard Dale.

Secretary: Mr. Dale? How do you do? I’m Mr. Jensen’s secretary.Visitor: How do you do?Secretary: Could you wait a few seconds, please? I’ll tell Mr.Jensen you’re here.

B Visitor: Good morning. I’m Marcelo Simone. I have anappointment with Mr. Norton.Secretary: It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Simone. I’m Mr.Norton’s secretary.Visitor: Nice to meet you, too.Secretary: Come on in, please. Mr. Norton, this is Mr. Simone.Mr. Norton: How do you do?Visitor: How do you do?

C Visitor: Good afternoon. I’m Pamela Harrison. I have anappointment with Mr. Hall.Secretary: Good afternoon, Miss Harrison. Mr. Hall will seeyou in a minute. Can I take your coat?Visitor: Yes, please. Thank you.

D Visitor: Good morning. I’m Paul Fitzgerald. Mr. Hall is waitingfor me.Secretary: I’m afraid Mr. Hall is in a meeting at this moment,but it won’t take long. Take a seat, please.Visitor: Thank you.Secretary: Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?Visitor: I’d love one! Thank you.

5.21 What would you like to drink?

A cup of tea, please.2 May I offer you something to drink?

A cup of coffee for me, please. With a dash of milk.3 How about a cup of tea, while you wait?

Only if it’s not too much trouble for you. 4 Would you like a cup of coffee?

I’d love one. 5 Can I get you something to drink?

No, thank you.

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5.3Secretary: How do you do, Miss Lane? How was the flight?Visitor: Fine. Secretary: Was it a direct flight?Visitor: Yes. I usually travel direct.

5.4A Secretary: And what was the weather like when you left?

Visitor: Sunny, but windy.Secretary: Was it cold?Visitor: Yes, a bit colder than here.

B Secretary: Are you in mid winter there?Visitor: Yes. And this winter has been extremely cold.Secretary: Does it snow?Visitor: Quite a lot!

5.51 I’m Peter Wise. How do you do?2 Good morning. May I see Mrs. Hamilton?3 My name’s Susan Wells. Nice to meet you.4 Excuse me Mr. Smith’s office, please?5 Where can I find the Production Manager, please?6 Excuse me… The ladies’ room, please?

1 I’m Peter Wise. How do you do?How do you do?

2 Good morning. May I see Mrs. Hamilton?I’m sorry, sir. She’s at a meeting at this moment.

3 My name’s Susan Wells. Nice to meet you.Nice to meet you, too.

4 Excuse me Mr. Smith’s office, please?It’s over there. Behind the glass door.

5 Where can I find the Production Manager, please?His office is on the second floor, to the right.

6 Excuse me… The ladies’ room, please?It’s over there. Next to the auditorium.

5.6A Visitor: Good morning. I’m Alexis Mouskori. How do you do?

Secretary: How do you do?

B Visitor: My name’s Harold Hackman, from Montreal.Secretary: Mr. Hackman! Nice to meet you.Visitor: Nice to meet you too.

C Visitor: Good morning. I’m Patricia Nichols. Secretary: Miss Nichols! Oh, we’ve talked on the phone somany times. Pleased to meet you. I’m Sarah Lee.Visitor: Pleased to meet you too, Miss Lee.

5.71 I’m Maureen. How do you do?

How do you do?2 Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

3 Can I take your coat?Yes, please.

4 What would you like to drink? A cup of coffee, please.

5 Can I get you something to drink?Only if it’s not too much trouble.

6 How was the flight?Fine, thank you.

7 Where are you from?From Salzburg.

8 What is it like? It’s a beautiful city.

9 Where are you staying?At the Plaza’s.

10 Are you planning to stay here long?No, I’m leaving tomorrow.

5.8a Where do you come from?b Excuse me. Where’s the General Manager’s office?c What's the best season to visit your city?d I'm Pamela. How do you do?e What is your country like at this time of the year?f Would you like a cup of coffee?


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Unit 1

1.1A Visitor: Good afternoon. I’d like to see Miss Geraldine

Robinson.Secretary: Your name, please? Visitor: Albert Morrison.Secretary: Just a moment, Mr. Morrison. I’ll see if she can seeyou right now.

B Receptionist: K & S Corporation. Good morning.Client: May I speak to Mr. Finns?Receptionist: I’m afraid he’s away on business, sir.Client: When will he be back?Receptionist: Next Monday. Can I take a message?

1.2A: MMT Company Limited. Good morning.B: Good morning. Could I speak to Mr. Dennis Jenkins, please?A: I’m afraid he’s not available at the moment, sir. May I have

your name?B: Jim Hill. From Philadelphia.A: Would you like to leave a message?B: Yes, please. Tell him I’ll call back on Tuesday.

1.31 The meeting will take place in Wyoming.2 Mr. Tim Harrison will lead the discussion.3 I’m calling from Germany.4 I can be reached at the Plaza Hotel, room 202.5 Could you tell him Jenny Hopps called?6 The sales meeting starts next Tuesday.

Unit 2

2.1Receptionist: Sienna Hotel. Maureen speaking.Caller: Good morning. I’m calling from Stella’s DepartmentStore. Could I have some information about Miss Helen Morris?Receptionist: What kind of information?Caller: Her job there. What does she do?Receptionist: You have to talk to the Personnel Manager. May I have your name and phone number? He’ll call you back.Caller: Can’t you give me the information? It’s very simple. I needto know if she really works there and her job title. That’s all!Receptionist: I’m sorry. I’m not permitted to give that kind ofinformation.

2.2Secretary: Antaris Airlines. Paulina speaking.Caller: Good morning. Could you give me some informationabout your flights to the East?Secretary: Yes, sir. What do you want to know?Caller: How often do you fly to Tokyo?Secretary: Three times a week. On Tuesdays, Thursdays andSundays. Always in the morning.Caller: And what about Istanbul? How often do you fly to Istanbul?Secretary: To Seoul?Caller: No, madam. Istanbul.Secretary: Could you spell that for me, please?Caller: Certainly. I-s-t-a-n-b-u-l. It’s in Turkey.Secretary: Oh, I see! Istanbul. I’m sorry, sir. We don’t fly to Turkey.

2.31 Twice a year

We travel to Moscow twice a year.2 Once a month

He sends price lists once a month.3 Once a fortnight

They meet once a fortnight.4 Every week

I update files every week.5 Three times a year

I get holidays three times a year.6 Every two years

I go abroad every two years.

2.4Example: You / Have to look up phone numbers

Do you ever have to look up phone numbers?1 You / fill in forms

Do you ever fill in forms?2 Mrs. Seagal / arrive late

Does Mrs. Seagal ever arrive late?3 Your boss / send invitations

Does your boss ever send invitations?4 The accountant / use the photocopier

Does the accountant ever use the photocopier?5 The receptionist / do paperwork

Does the receptionist ever do paperwork?6 The Sales Manager / work outside the office

Does the Sales Manager ever work outside the office?

2.5Example: Often

Yes, I often have to look up phone numbers.1 Often

Yes, I often fill in forms.2 Sometimes

Yes, she sometimes arrives late.3 Usually

Yes, my boss usually sends invitations.

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4 Almost neverNo, he almost never uses the photocopier.

5 SeldomNo, he seldom does paperwork.

6 SometimesYes, he sometimes works outside the office.

Unit 3

3.1Numbers in context1 Will you fax me the price list at 24 5536?2 My passport number is 874 590 22.3 Their invoice number is 2451.4 The order number is 1053.5 Her present address is 4059, East Lake Road.6 His flight number is 415.

Money1 His salary amounts to $98,000.2 The answering machine is 42,000 bucks.3 The ticket to Sydney is $1,200.4 The electricity bill is around £38.5 Our budget for next year is $2,302,500.6 The lawyer’s fee was $873.

Time1 She was at home at 8 p.m.2 The office opens at a quarter to eight.3 The shop closes at 7:30.4 The plane arrives in Heathrow a t 8:30.

Dates1 The classes begin on September 14th.2 The reservation is for January 5th.3 My first job was on May 13th, 1994.4 The contract was signed on 4th of March.

3.2A A: He’s at the bank now. Do you want to leave any message?

B: Yes, please. Could you tell him to phone me on 2 44 06 22?A: Certainly. And your extension number?B: It’s 107.

B A: What’s the price of the computer?B: What model, sir?A: The ZW371. How much is it?B: That’s $1,859, plus tax.A: OK. Thank you.

C A: Is Mr. Smith coming to the meeting?B: Yes, madam.A: Do you have his flight number?B: BA 913. From Vienna.A: May I have his passport number, please?B: It’s 96 30 22 839.

D A: Could you fax me the order, please?B: Of course, sir. What’s your fax number?A: 1 25 67 88 or 665 30 80.B: Can you repeat the last number, please?A: 665 30 80.

3.3Receptionist: Master Studio. Paula speaking.Caller: May I speak to Mr. Riggs, please?Receptionist: I’m sorry, sir. Mr. Riggs is away on business.Who’s calling?Caller: Brian Lee, from Mr. Reed’s office.Receptionist: I’m afraid this is a bad connection. Could youspell your name, please?Caller: Brian Lee. B-R-I-A-N L-E-E.Receptionist: May I have your phone number, so that Mr. Riggscan call you back?Caller: Yes, madam. My phone number is 632 6081, extension 249.

3.4Receptionist: GB Airways, Marianne speaking.Caller: Good morning. I need information about your flights toMorocco.Receptionist: What exactly do you want to know, madam?Caller: About your schedule. Receptionist: We have flights at 8:50 a.m. or 3:45 p.m. onTuesday and on Friday.Caller: And how long does it take to get there? Receptionist: About two hours.Caller: I see... And how much is the ticket?Receptionist: £200, madam.

Unit 4

4.1A Receptionist: Southern Mississippi Corporation. Good morning.

Caller: Good morning. Mr. Dean Jenkins, please?Receptionist: I’m sorry madam, Mr. Jenkins’s not in. Wouldyou like to leave a message?Caller: Yes, please. Tell him I’m calling from Mr. Fillmore’soffice, to confirm the appointment for tomorrow at 8:15 a.m.Receptionist: Could you repeat the time, please?Caller: Tomorrow morning at 8:15.Receptionist: All right, madam. I’ll tell Mr. Jenkins as soon ashe arrives.

B Receptionist: Good afternoon, sir. May I help you?Visitor: I’d like to talk to Mrs. Johnson, please.Receptionist: What is it about, sir?Visitor: About her Life Insurance.Receptionist: I’m afraid she’s busy at the moment, sir. May I haveyour name and phone number? She’ll call you later in the evening.


Visitor: David Holschtein, from F & F Insurance Ltd.Receptionist: Could you spell your surname, sir?Visitor: H-O-L-S-C-H-T-E-I-N; Holschtein.Receptionist: And your phone number?Visitor: 330 90 77.Receptionist: 330 90 77. Is that correct?Visitor: Yes, madam. Please, tell her it’s an urgent matter.

4.2A Caller: Good morning, Susan. Peter Craig speaking. Is Mr.

Finch busy right now?Receptionist: Good morning, Mr. Craig. Mr. Finch isattending a meeting. I can take your message if you like.Caller: Yes, please. I’d like to know if we can get togethersome time tomorrow to discuss the new advertising campaign.I’ll be at the office until 6 p.m. Tell him to call me back.

B Caller: Good morning. This is James Brown. Could I speak toMr. Spencer?Receptionist: I’m afraid Mr. Spencer is not in. Would you liketo leave a message?Caller: Yes. Tell him there’s a problem with the price increase. I need to talk to him as soon as possible. I’ll be at 23 514 222.

4.3Caller: Good morning. I’m calling from Insurance Service. Is thisMr. Alessi’s office?Secretary: Yes, madam. Mr. Alessi’s secretary speaking.Caller: I’d like to know if you received a fax we sent you this morning. Secretary: No, madam, I’m afraid we haven’t received any faxfrom your office this morning.Caller: I thought so! The fax machine was not working properly.I’ll have to send it again.Secretary: I’ll let you know when it gets here.Caller: Thank you very much.

4.4A This is Thomas Ferguson. I’m not in the office ... or at home ...

at the moment. Please leave your message after the signal.

B Flight information. This is Southern Airways. Flight 507, fromBoston, is arriving at 17:35; flight 930 from Athens, arriving at 13:55; flight 321, leaving for Florence, at 14:45; flight 878,leaving for Buenos Aires, at 4:50. If you want any furtherinformation, please dial 201. Thank you for calling us.

C This is S.C. Chemicals. If you know the extension number,please dial it after the beep. If you do not know the extensionnumber you’re calling, wait on the line for the operator. She’llbe with you in a minute.

4.5Example: I’m calling from S.C. Chemicals. Order No. 7433 wasshipped this morning. Item No. 242710 is not available in ourwarehouse at the moment. It will be sent to you by plane in twoweeks’ time. Thank you.

Message 1: Dr. Jones, this is Aldo Pacino. I’d like to confirmthe appointment for Friday 16th, at 10:15.

Message 2: Betty, I’m Tom Hunt. I’m calling from Boston.Please fax me the contracts Mr. Cooper and I signed lastweek. It’s urgent. I’m staying at the usual hotel. Thank you.

Message 3: I’m calling from Iguazú Travel Agency. Mr. andMrs. Monroe’s tickets to Rome are available at our centraloffice downtown. Please contact Paula Simms, phone 2336059, extension 907.

Unit 5

5.1Example: A I’m John Harris. How do you do?

B How do you do?

1 A: My name’s Tom Billings. It’s nice to meet you. B: Nice to meet you too, Mr. Billings.

2 A: How do you do? B: How do you do?

3 A: I’m Elaine Marple. I’m pleased to meet you. B: Pleased to meet you.

4 A: I’m Mr. Drysdale. Good to meet you.B: Good to meet you too, Mr. Drysdale.

5.2A Mr. O’Sullivan has a meeting with Mr. Sherman. Mr.

Sherman’s secretary is receiving him.Mr. O’Sullivan: I’m Paul O’Sullivan. I have an appointmentwith Mr. Sherman. Secretary: Mr. O’Sullivan. Please take a sit. Mr. Sherman willbe down in a minute.Mr. O’Sullivan: Thank you very much.Secretary: It’s a bit cold today. Would you like a cup of tea?Mr. O’Sullivan: Yes please, I’d love one.Secretary: And what was the weather like in Brussels whenyou left this morning?Mr. O’Sullivan: It was raining, very heavily.

B Miss Brown: I’m Louise Brown. May I talk to Mr. Higgins,please?Secretary: Do you have an appointment, Miss Brown?Miss Brown: No. But we talked on the phone this morning.He’s waiting for me.Secretary: I’m afraid he’s with a customer at the moment.Can you wait a moment, please?Miss Brown: Yes, certainly. Secretary: Where are you from, Miss Brown?Miss Brown: From Vancouver.Secretary: They say it’s a very nice place. Is it cold?Miss Brown: Yes. But for me it’s the perfect weather.Secretary: Do you prefer cold to heat?Miss Brown: Definitely.

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5.3A Visitor: Excuse me, Mr. Hall’s Office, please?

Secretary: You have to go upstairs, sir. It’s the second officeto the left.Visitor: Thanks.Secretary: You’re welcome.

B Visitor: Good morning. Where can I find Mrs. Harrison?Secretary: Keep on walking straight, then turn left. Her officeis next to the photocopy machine.Visitor: Thank you very much.Secretary: You’re welcome.

C Visitor: Excuse me. I need to photocopy these documents.Where is the photocopier?Secretary: It’s right behind the glass door over there.Visitor: Thank you.Secretary: Don’t mention it.

5.4Example: A: What would you like to drink?

B: A soda, please.1 A: Where do you come from?

B: I come from Manchester.

2 A: Where’s the restroom?B: At the end of the hall. To the right.

3 A: How was the flight?B: Not too good, I’m afraid.

4 A: What was the weather like in New York when you left?B: Very cold and windy.

5 A: Have you been here before?B: No, this is my first visit.

6 A: How long are you going to stay?B: For three weeks.

7 A: May I offer you something to drink?B: A cup of tea, please.

5.5 & 5.6A: Good morning. I’m Arthur Maine. I have an appointment

with Mr. Jones.B: Good morning, Mr. Maine. Take a seat, please. Mr. Jones will

see you in a minute.A: Thank you.B: May I offer you something to drink?A: Only if it’s not too much trouble.B: Not at all. Would you like a cup of coffee?A: I’d prefer a cup of tea, please.B: I understand you are coming from Saint Victoria. How was

the flight?A: I came by bus, actually. I don’t like travelling by plane.B: Oh! And how long did it take you to get here?A: About nine hours.


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