ta thuong mai

8/14/2019 TA thuong mai

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1 - Pleased to Meet You

In this episode you can learn how to make introductions in a business setting.Waiter hands drink to Victor.

VICTOR: Thankyou very much

SAM: Hello, I dont think weve met. Sam Eriks.VICTOR: Victor Tang. Pleased to meet you.

SAM: And what company are you from Mr Tang?

VICTOR: OceanWide. Im the sales representative for this region.

SAM: Ah yes. I know your company. Your business is expanding very rapidly at the moment.

VICTOR: Yes, were doing quite well. And yourself? Who do you work for?

SAM: Actually I work for myself. Im the C.E.O. of a small export and packaging company. Wespecialise in seafood.

VICTOR: Its a growing market.

SAM: Yes, but a very competitive one Mr Tang.

VICTOR: Please call me Victor.

SAM: Sam. Victor, let me introduce you to someone. Lin this is Victor Tang hes the regionalrep. for OceanWide. This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

LIN: How do you do Mr Tang?

VICTOR: Im very well thankyou. Nice to meet you Ms Chan.

LIN: And you.

VICTOR: Can I get you another drink?

LIN: Thankyou.

Let's look at introductions. First how did Sam introduce himself to Victor who he didn't know?

Hello, I dont think we've met.

Sam Eriks.

Victor Tang.

Pleased to meet you.


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Sam said hello. We can say hello in most situations. He also said I don't think we've met. This is agood phrase to use if you want to meet someone new. Practise saying Hello, I don't think we'vemet, and then say your name.

Hello. I don't think we've met

(your name)

Victor Tang.


Victor replied by saying his name and pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you is a good formalgreeting for most situations. After Sam introduces himself, say your name, and 'pleased to meetyou'.

Hello, I don't think we've met.

Sam Eriks.

(your name)


And the Western tradition is to shake hands when you meet someone. Usually, when we first meetsomeone in a business situation, we want to find out what they do - what their job, or position is.Let's see how Victor and Sam do this.

And what company are you from Mr Tang?

OceanWide. I'm the sales representative for this region.

Ah yes. I know your company.

Your business is expanding very rapidly at the moment.

Yes, we're doing quite well.

And yourself? Who do you work for?

Actually I work for myself. I'm the C.E.O. of a small export and packaging company. We

specialise in seafood.

Sam asks and what company are you from? There are a few different ways you could ask thisquestion: Let's try some of them:

What company are you from?

Which company do you represent?

What's your line of business?

Now you try answering Sam's question with your own answer, saying what company you are

from...And what company are you from?

I'm from ......

Ah yes, I know that company.


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And you can be more specific by asking about someone's job. Practise these...

And what's your position there?

And what do you do there?

Position means the same as job, but it's a more formal term. Listen to how both Sam and Victordescribe their positions:

I'm the sales representative for this region.

I'm the C.E.O. of a small export and packaging company.

We describe our job by saying I am or I'm and then naming the position. Notice that Sam says he isthe C.E.O. or Chief Executive Officer of his company. When someone asks who you work for, it

can be useful to also tell them what your job is. When meeting someone, it helps them if you offerinformation before they ask. This makes the conversation more relaxed. Now Sam is going to askyou who you work for and what your position is - answer his questions with your own answers:

And what company are you from?

Im from ......

Ah yes, I know that company.

And whats your position there?

Im the ......

Oh really. That's interesting.

Now, the business of names. Should we use formal titles, such as Mr, Mrs or Ms, or should we useinformal, more familiar names. Let's see how Victor solves this problem:

It's a growing market.

Yes, but a very competitive one Mr Tang.

Please call me Victor.

Sam.

Sam uses Victor's formal title - Mr Tang. But Victor says Please call me Victor. Now that they havemet, it's more comfortable for them to use each other's first names - at least in this less formalsituation. Practise saying Please call me, and your first name after Sam's statement.

Yes, but a very competitive one Mr Tang.

Please call me ......

Sam introduces Victor to someone else. Let's watch how he does this.

Victor, let me introduce you to someone.


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Lin - this is Victor Tang - he's the regional rep. for OceanWide.

This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

How do you do Mr Tang?

I'm very well thankyou.

Nice to meet you Ms Chan.

Sam says let me introduce you to someone. This is a very useful phrase. Practise saying it afterSam:

Let me introduce you to someone.

When Sam introduces Lin, he has four pieces of information. Listen carefully to what they are:

This is Victor Tang hes the regional rep. for OceanWide.

This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

Did you hear the four parts of Sam's introduction?

First, he told Lin Victor's full name. Second, he told her what Victor's position was and hiscompany name. Third, he introduced Lin using her full name, and finally he told Victor what Lin'sjob was. This way both Victor and Lin know enough about each other to start a conversation. Whenintroducing people at a function, it's important to try to make them feel comfortable.

Finally, listen again to how Lin and Victor greet each other:

How do you do Mr Tang?


Nice to meet you Ms Chan.

And you.

Lin uses the phrase how do you do. Practise this phrase:

How do you do?


How do you do is another formal phrase for introductions. Victor replies with a formal phrase tooI'm very well thankyou. Practise this after Lin's question.

How do you do Mr Tang?I'm very well thankyou.

If someone says How do you do? or How are you? we usually say I'm very well thankyou. And wecould ask them how they are, by saying How do you do? or How are you?


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rapidly (adv)

1. (tr) nhanh chng, mau lquickly

specialize (v)

1. (t) chuyn v; chuyn doanh; ni ting v...carry a certain kind of product

This shop specializes in fancy foods.2. (t) chuyn v; c chuyn mn v; tr thnh chuyn gia v...be an expert in something

CEO (abbr) Chief Executive Officer: Gim c iu hnh1. (vt) ngi lnh o cao nht trong mt cng ty hoc mt t chc, chu trch nhim thc hinhng ngy cc chnh sch ca Hi ng qun tr

sales manager (n)

1. (dt) ngi qun l cc nhn vin bn hngthe person in charge of other salespeople.E p i s o d e 2 - W h y d o n ' t y o u j o i n u s ?

In this episode you can learn how to make, accept and refuse invitations in a business setting.VICTOR: Well, it's been good to meet you Sam, and very interesting to hear about your business.SAM: Look, we are having a small dinner for some of our clients and friends after this. Why don'tyou join us?VICTOR: That's very kind of you. I'll just check with my associate whether they have otherarrangements for us.SAM: Your associate is most welcome to join us too.VICTOR: Thankyou - excuse me.WALTER: This is Sam Eriks from Eriks imports. He has very kindly invited us to a dinner.SAM: Yes, would you like to join us?WALTER: Unfortunately I have another engagement, but thankyou for the invitation.SAM: Well, perhaps you could join us after that for a drink?WALTER: Sounds great. I'd be happy to. Where shall we meet?

SAM: How about the lounge bar here. At about ten?WALTER: I'll see you then. Excuse meSAM: Lin. Victor's joining us for dinner.LIN: Oh wonderful.VICTOR: I hope you don't mind.LIN: Of course not, you're most welcome.SAM: Well, shall we make a move?LIN: Would you mind if I just say goodbye to a few people?

SAM: No problem - we'll see you outside in a few minutes.LIN: Okay.

Vocabulary

associate with (~)1. kt giao, quan h


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be in the company ofyou associate something with something else especially if something makes you think ofsomething else: I associate certain places with my childhood]You can tell he's a snob since he doesn't associate with people who aren't rich.associate (v)1. (t) kt giao, kt hp, lin hp, lin kt, cho gia nhp, cho cng tc

engagement (n)2. (dt) cuc hnan appointment with someoneI can't come because I have a previous engagement.

lounge (n)

1. (dt) bung i, phng khch, phng ngi chi(Brit) a living room of a private home; a public room or hall where someone can relaxThe departure lounge in an airport.

E p i s o d e 3 - G e t t i n g A c q u a i n t e dIn this episode we look at the things you can say to someone you've just met.

WAITER: Another drink sir?

WALTER: No thankyou.

SUE: Excuse me - is anyone sitting here?

WALTER: No - please have a seat.

SUE: That's better - my feet are killing me!

WALTER: Have you been here long?

SUE: No, but I just flew in this morning, and I haven't had a chance to sit down since then.

WALTER: Oh, where have you come from?

SUE: From Manila.

WALTER: Is this your first visit to Australia?

SUE: No, I have been once before, but it was a long time ago.

WALTER: And have you been to Sydney before?

SUE: No, it's an amazing city.WALTER: Yes, it has its points. But you're lucky to live in Manila. It's a fascinating city.

SUE: What about yourself? Do you live in Sydney?


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WALTER: No, I live in Melbourne. I'm just here for the conference.

SUE: I'm going to Melbourne later. What's the weather like there?

WALTER: Not too good in winter, but at the moment it should be okay.

So, how's your hotel?

SUE: It's good. Very convenient - just near the harbour.

WALTER: Have you seen the Opera House yet?

SUE: Yes, we flew right over it!

WALTER: Excuse me - there's someone I must talk to. (stands) It's been very nice to meet you.

I'm Walter by the way.

SUE: You too. I'm Sue. Perhaps we'll meet later.

WALTER: I hope so.-----------------------------------------

Today we're looking at a typical conversation you might have with someone you've only just met at a conference for example. What sort of thing can you talk about and what topics should beavoided? Let's look at how Walter and Sue get acquainted.Sue breaks the ice or starts the conversation.

Excuse me is anyone sitting here?

No please have a seat.

Thats better my feet are killing me!

We can tell from how Sue speaks to Walter, that they havent met before. She is very polite, and sois he. But then she says something more personal, and this is the icebreaker.Thats better. My feet are killing me.Sue is letting Walter know two things firstly that she is tired, and secondly that she is willing tohave a friendly conversation with him. By making a more personal, or casual remark, she isinviting him to respond.

Have you been here long?

No, but I just flew in this morning, and I havent had a chance to sit down since then.

Walter asks Have you been here long?

To start a conversation like this, its fairly safe to talk about what people have just done.

For this, we use the present perfect have. Practise with Walter some typical questions like this


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you could ask.


Have you been to Sydney before?

Have you seen the Opera House?

Have you tried any restaurants?

Questions that start with have you are yes/no questions, so they have a rising tone:


When answering these questions in a situation like this it is helpful to add some information, notjust say yes or no.

If you just say yes or no, people may think you dont really want to talk.


No.

Oh.

Instead notice how Sue helps the conversation along by giving some extra information.


No, but I just flew in this morning, and I havent had a chance to sit down since then.

Oh, where have you come from?

Sue has said that she flew in this morning. So this gives Walter an obvious next question.

Where have you come from.

This is a different type of question its asking for information.

Questions beginning with where, when, what, why, who are all questions asking forinformation. Notice the difference between Where have you come from? meaning where didyou fly from, and Where are you from? meaning what is your nationality.

Notice also the falling tone with these questions: Where have you come from?

This makes the question sound friendly. But be careful not to ask too many questions like this alltogether the other person may think youre being too nosy.

Where are you from?


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Manila.

What do you do?

Im an accountant.

Why are you here?

Im on business.

Who are you with?

My boss. Excuse me.

Where are you going?

Of course some questions like this are alright but try not to sound too inquisitive and offersome information or ideas yourself.

Is this your first visit to Australia?

No, I have been once before, but it was a long time ago.

And have you been to Sydney before?

No, its an amazing city.

Yes, it has its points. But youre lucky to live in Manila. Its a fascinating city.Sue doesnt just answer yes or no she adds some extra information. And Walter finds theopportunity to give his opinion, and to compliment the place Sue comes from. Now its Sues turnto ask a question.

What about yourself? Do you live in Sydney?

No, I live in Melbourne. Im just here for the conference.

Sue wants to ask Walter about himself this is showing interest. So she says What aboutyourself?

Practise some useful phrases to introduce a question.

And what about yourself?

And how about you?

These phrases should be followed by a question. Practise again, with the question to follow.

And what about yourself? Do you live in Sydney?


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And how about you? Have you been here before?

When meeting someone new on business, but in a social setting there are a few safe topics wecan talk about travel and accommodation, basic questions about the other person, about the cityyou are in, interesting sights to see, and of course, the weather.

Im going to Melbourne later. Whats the weather like there?

Not too good in winter, but at the moment it should be okay.

Finally, lets look at how Walter ends the conversation. He needs to make sure the other persondoesnt think he is bored.

Excuse me theres someone I must talk to. Its been very nice to meet you.

You too. Perhaps well meet later.

I hope so.

He gives a reason why he must go, then says Its been very nice to meet you. Practise some usefulphrases for ending a conversation, with Walter and Sue.

Well, its been very nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too.

Its been good to meet you.

You too.

I have enjoyed talking to you.

So have I.

I hope we can meet again.

So do I.

Perhaps well meet again.

I hope so.

In conversation, when asking questions remember to use a rising tone for yes/no questions such

as those starting with do you or are you.

Questions starting with Do you ask about regular actions, and about likes and dislikes, oropinions:


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Do you travel often?

Do you like the weather here?

Do you think this session will be interesting?

Questions starting with Are you are asking for personal information:

Are you from Manila?

or intentions:

Are you going to the dinner?

Questions starting with where, when, what, why or who are asking for information, and they oftenhave a falling tone:

Where do you come from?

When are you going back?

People from different cultures have different ideas about what are reasonable topics forconversation between strangers so at first, it is safest to stick to general topics such as travel,the weather, places, and of course the business you are in.

And remember, to keep the conversation going offer information, dont just ask questions.

Thats all today on the Business of English. See you next time.

Vocabularybreak the ice

do or say something at a party or meeting to help people feel relaxed

conference (n)1. (dt) hi ngha meeting for the purpose of discussing somethingconvenient (adj)

1. (tt) thun tinhelpful; making life easier

Amazing (adj)1. (tt) lm kinh ngc, lm sng st, lm ai ngcnhin ht scThe magician did the most amazing tricks.fascinating (adj)1. (tt) hp dn, li cun, quyn rIt's fascinating to watch a baby grow.harbour (n)1. (dt) bn tu , cng

a place where ships are safe; a portacquaint (v)1. (t) gii thiu, lm quengive informationE p i s o d e 4 - A n y O t h e r B u s i n e s s


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In this episode we look at how to chair a meeting. You can watch the video or just listen to theaudio.

DENISE: Has everybody got a copy of the agenda?Would you mind taking minutes John?

JOHN: Not at all.

DENISE: Good. Well, then lets get started.

First of all, thankyou everyone for attending at short notice.As you know, the objective of this meeting of the Capital Works Committee is to discuss a proposalfor some urgent building work at our Southside plant. As weve got to reach a decision which mayinvolve spending, well run it as a formal meeting.Now, youve read the proposal, so without further ado, Id like to open it up for discussion.Perhaps if we can start with you Tan whats your view?

TAN: Well, Im not convinced that the work is as urgent as this report suggests, so perhaps weshould

DENISE: So, to sum up I think we are all aware that some urgent work does need to be done,and we will need to work on a longer term plan for a major refit.

Well, if theres no more discussion well put it to a vote. Were recommending that tenders becalled for the urgent work needed. All those in favour?

All those against?

Then thats agreed.. Any other business?Then well close the meeting. Thankyou everyone. The next meeting will be in two weeks, at thesame time

Meetings. We love them or hate them but we have to have them. Of course there are manydifferent kinds of meetings from an informal chat, to a Board meeting, or even an Annual GeneralMeeting and some are more formal than others and so the language used in them changes.

Today were looking at a more formal meeting and in particular at the role of the chairperson orthe person who runs the meeting.

Our Chairperson is Denise. Lets look at how she starts things off.

Has everybody got a copy of the agenda?

Would you mind taking minutes John?

Not at all.

Good. Well, then lets get started.


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Denise first makes sure everyone has an agenda or a list of the items to be discussed at themeeting.

Then she asks someone to take minutes or keep a record of the meeting. Then she announces thestart of the meeting she officially begins it.

Lets practise some useful phrases for these three purposes

Has everybody got a copy of the agenda?

Does everyone have an agenda?

Everybody should have received an agenda.

Would you mind taking minutes John?

Could somebody take the minutes please?

Well, then lets get started.

What does the chairperson do after formally beginning the meeting?First of all, thankyou everyone for attending at short notice. As you know, we needed to convenethis meeting of the Capital Works committee to discuss a proposal for some urgent building work atour Southside plant. As weve got to reach a decision which may involve spending, well run it as aformal meeting.

Now, youve all read the proposal, so without further ado, Id like to open it up for discussion.Did you notice the different parts of that introduction by the chairperson?

First, she thanked people for attending the meeting. Even though it may be their job its goodpractice to thank people for attending.

First of all, thankyou everyone for attending at short notice.

Next, Denise states the objective of the meeting. Of course a meeting may have more than oneobjective, but often meetings have one main objective, or aim.

The Chair should state the objective of the meeting. In this case it is to discuss a proposal, and toreach a decision. A proposal is simply a more formal word for a suggestion but it is usually adetailed suggestion, in a written form.

Lets look at some different ways of stating the objective of a meetingThe objective of todays meeting is to discuss the proposal

Were here today to discuss a proposal

The purpose of our meeting today is to discuss the following proposal

The next job of the chair is to invite discussion. Lets look at how Denise does this


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Now, youve all read the proposal, so without further ado, Id like to open it up for discussion.

Perhaps if we can start with you Tan whats your view?

Denise says without further ado, Id like to open it up for discussion.

Without further ado just means without any more procedure. Were going to discuss it straightaway. Then she says Id like to open it up for discussion. it refers to the proposal she has justoutlined.

Try repeating this phrase after me:

Lets open it up for discussion.

Lets open it up for discussion

Okay now, you can open a topic for general discussion which means anyone can have a say.The Chairperson controls the discussion. Or, the Chairperson may invite particular people to speak.This is what Denise does watch again

Perhaps if we can start with you Tan whats your view?

Denise invites Tan to start the discussion. Lets practise a few phrases for asking someone tospeak

Whod like to start the discussion?

Whats your view Tan?

Lets hear from Tan.

Do you have a view on this Tan?

Another job for the Chair is to summarise the discussion that is, concisely state the main pointsmade during the meeting.So, to sum up I think we are all aware that some urgent work does need to be done, and we willneed to work on a longer term plan for a major refit.Denise summarises the main points from the discussion. To introduce this she could use variousphrases practise these:

To sum up

In summary

So the main points are

The outcome of a meeting might be a suggestion for an action. Depending on what kind of meetingit is, this could be called a motion, or a recommendation. In our example, Denise puts the


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recommendation of the meeting to a vote.Well, if theres no more discussion lets put the recommendation to a vote. Were recommendingtenders be called for the urgent work needed. All those in agreement?

Anyone against?

Then thats agreed.. Any other business?

Then well close the meeting. Thankyou everyone. The next meeting will be in two weeks, at

the same time.

Notice how Denise controls the meeting she doesnt say Is there any more discussion? She saysIf theres no more discussion well put it to a vote. She is controlling the meeting by moving on.She then reiterates, or re-states the recommendation and calls for votes by saying All those infavour that is those who agree, and All those against. Votes are only taken in a formal meetingprocedure in a less formal procedure, a decision can be taken by consensus by everyone

agreeing during the discussion.

Notice that after the vote, Denise says Then thats agreed. A meeting agrees, or doesnt agree to arecommendation. If its a more formal motion we say the motion is carried or not carried.

Often at the end of the meeting a chairperson will call for any other business, before theyofficially announce the meeting is closed, and announce the time for the next meeting.

E p i s o d e 5 - H e a r H e a r !

In this episode we look at how to keep to the point in meetings. You can watch the video or justlisten to the audio.

TAN: Well, I'm not convinced that the work is as urgent as this report suggests, so perhaps weshould

LIN: Oh come on - the building is practically falling down!

DENISE: Sorry Lin - I don't think Tan had finished. We'll get to you in a minute.

LIN: Sorry.

TAN: As I was saying, perhaps we should get a second opinion before we spend any money.

DENISE: Thankyou Tan. What's your opinion Walter?

WALTER: Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's a question of safety. So I think we should go ahead.

TAN: Are you suggesting that someone could get hurt?WALTER: In my opinion, yes. If you ask me, there is a serious risk of an accident. And it's not arecent problem


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TAN: Are you implying we should have done something earlier?

WALTER: Much earlier. It's a real concern.

LIN: Hear hear!

TAN: In that case, I agree - we should do something now.

JOHN: I think so too.

DENISE: Thankyou Walter. Well, if there's no

BARBARA: Excuse me Madame Chairperson.

DENISE: Yes Barbara.

BARBARA: What about the problem with parking? There were no places again this morning.

WALTER: Maybe if you got to work on time

DENISE: All comments through the chair if you don't mind Walter. Parking isn't on the agenda forthis meeting - perhaps you could suggest it for our next meeting Barbara. Well, if there's no morediscussion - we'll put it it to a vote.

JOHN: Hear hear!

Today we're looking again at meetings. In meetings, especially formal meetings, it's important tokeep the discussion relevant, and to the point. So we're looking at some words and phrases that aChairperson might use to stop irrelevant discussion and interruptions. We're also looking at ways ofstating an opinion, and agreeing or disagreeing.

First of all - notice how Tan states that he doesn't agree with the report.

Well, I'm not convinced that the work is as urgent as this report suggests.

Tan says 'I'm not convinced.' He means he disagrees with the report. But by saying he's 'notconvinced' - he is leaving himself open to another point of view.

Let's look at some phrases you can use to express disagreement.

I'm afraid I'm not convinced.

I don't entirely agree.

I'm not sure about that.

I can't agree with you there.

I don't think that's quite correct.


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Notice that all of these ways of disagreeing are polite. If you use stronger terms of disagreement - itcan sound rude, or argumentative.

Well, I'm not convinced that the work is as urgent as this report suggests, so perhaps...

Don't be ridiculous!

Excuse me?

When disagreeing, the speaker normally also gives a reason for their opinion, and may use anexpression showing that it is their opinion. Listen to Walter.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's a question of safety. So I think we should go ahead.

Are you suggesting that someone could get hurt?

In my opinion, yes.

Let's practise some phrases you can use to introduce your opinion about something.

In my opinion...

As far as Im concerned...

If you ask me...

The way I see it is this...

And of course you can simply state I think or I believe...

Notice that Tan asks for clarification of the point Walter makes. He wants to make sure heunderstands what Walter is saying.

Lets look at some ways of seeking clarification, and checking understanding. Practise these withTan.


Are you saying that someone could get hurt?

Do you mean someone could get hurt?

Are you implying that someone could get hurt?

One of the roles of the Chairperson is to make sure everyone gets to have their say. All discussionshould go through the chair - that is, people talk to the Chairperson, not to each other directly. Sothe Chairperson sometimes has to interrupt, or stop someone from speaking. Let's see how Denisedoes this.


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Well, I'm not convinced that the work is as urgent as this report suggests, so perhaps...

Oh come on - the building is practically falling down!

Sorry Lin - I don't think Tan had finished. We'll get to you in a minute.

Sorry.

By saying 'I don't think Tan had finished', Denise is politely telling Lin that she shouldn't interrupt,and Lin apologises. But what should you do if someone keeps trying to interrupt?

So perhaps...

Oh come on - the building is practically falling down!

Sorry Lin - I don't think Tan had finished. We'll get to you in a minute.

Well it's obvious...

Yes, but we do need to hear everyone's views on this...

Let's just vote on it

All in good time Lin. Please go on Tan...

Notice that the language the chairperson uses is always polite, but firm. She uses 'sorry' 'thankyou'and 'please' as a way of respecting the other members of the committee - although she is in charge.

On the other hand, there is a time factor - it may be necessary to cut people short.

...and furthermore, if we look more closely at some of the estimates, we can see...

Excuse me - sorry Tan, perhaps we should move on.

I'm nearly finished.

Yes but we do have to keep an eye on the time. Perhaps we can come back to that point later.

I think it's quite important.

It is important, but I think it's more important we hear everyone's views on this. Barbara?There were two key phrases used to stop Tan from sending everyone to sleep. The first one -'perhaps we should move on' is phrased as a suggestion - but it is said in a firm way - with a fallingintonation at the end.

Practise with me:

'Perhaps we should move on.'

Perhaps we should move on.


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This falling intonation makes it a more definite statement, rather than a suggestion.

The second one was put as a reason for moving on - that time is short - notice the emphasis on theword 'do', and practise after me:

'We do have to keep an eye on the time.'

We do have to keep an eye on the time.

Remember we said the discussion has to be relevant. What do we do if someone makes anirrelevant comment?

What about the problem with parking. There were no places again this morning.

Maybe if you got to work on time...

All comments through the chair if you don't mind Walter. Parking isn't on the agenda for thismeeting - perhaps you could suggest it for our next meeting Barbara.

When Walter makes a comment directly to Barbara, Denise says:

'All comments through the Chair if you don't mind'. This is a way of reminding Walter of correctmeeting procedure. 'All comments through the chair' means he must speak to the meeting, notdirectly to one person at the table. Denise suggests that 'Parking isn't on the agenda for thismeeting'. But so that Barbara doesn't feel bad - she suggests it could be discussed at another time.

Finally - we've looked at disagreeing, let's look at ways of agreeing with a point.

Are you implying we should have done something earlier?

Much earlier. It's a real concern.

Hear hear!

Well, in that case, I agree - we should do something now.

I think so too.

Agreeing is simpler than disagreeing, as you don't have to state a reason. Repeat these phrases afterme:

I agree

I agree

In that case, I agree.

In that case, I agree.

I'll go along with you.I'll go along with you.

I couldn't agree more.

I couldn't agree more.

That's right.


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That's right.

I concur.

I concur.

Absolutely!

Absolutely!

Let's review some of the other important expressions we've looked at in today's episode.

I'm afraid I'm not convinced.


I can't quite agree with you there.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a question of safety.

Perhaps we should move on.

We do have to keep an eye on the time.

When giving opinions in a meeting, it's important to use phrases such as 'in my opinion'; 'From mypoint of view' or 'I think' - instead of just stating your opinions as facts. This is respectful of otherpeople who may have different views.

But when you strongly agree with something someone else says - you can say 'Hear Hear!'

That's all for today - see you next time on The Business of English.Vocabulary

convince (v)

1. (t) lm cho tin; lm cho nghe theo; thuyt phcmake someone believe or do something by giving reasons; persuade

concerned (adj)1. (tt) lo u, bn khon

worriedHe is very concerned about his health.as far as

1. xa bng, khng xa hnno less farThe bus station is as far as the train station from here.2. khng xa hn nano fartherThis is as far as the bus goes, you have to change buses to go farther.3. ti mc, ti mt chng mcto the extent that

go ahead(v)1. (t) tin hnh; bt u lm ci g khng do dstart to do something; do it
http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=convinced&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=concerned&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=as%20far%20as&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=go%20ahead&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=concerned&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=as%20far%20as&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=go%20ahead&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=convinced&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0


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risk(n)1. (dt) mi him ho, s nguy hima danger that you take on yourself

imply (v)

1. (t) gi gin tip, ni bng gi, ng

suggest; hint at

Chairperson(n)1. (dt) ch to, ch tch (t ny dng cho c nam v n)the person in charge of a meeting or at the head of a committee.

E p i s o d e 6 - W h a t a r e t h e O p t i o n s ?

In this episode we look at the options or choices that have to be made. You can watch the video orjust listen to the audio.

DENISE: Now we're looking at the options for handling our on-line orders. They're going throughthe roof and frankly the lead-time for delivery is blowing out. We need to improve our performancein this area. Any suggestions?

TAN: Well, as I see it, we have three options. The obvious one is to employ more people to do thejob. Another alternative is to automate the system more - cut down on the physical handling.

JOHN: And the third option?

TAN: We could outsource.

DENISE: What are the pros and cons?

BARBARA: Well, looking at increasing staff versus automation, we have to consider the cost.Automating has a higher capital cost than putting on more staff. On the other hand, employingmore people is more expensive over a long term. If we keep growing, it'll cost more in the longrun.

DENISE: How likely is it that we'll see continued growth?TAN: I'd say it's a certainty.

JOHN: I'd say a high probability. Nothing's certain in business.

DENISE: So what about the third option?

TAN: Outsourcing? Well, it does take the problem off our hands. But we lose contact with ourcustomers.

DENISE: What about the bottom line?

BARBARA: Outsourcing is the cheapest option, and the easiest - in the short term. But if we wantto keep the operation in-house, the best option is automating our system. The only down side is,
http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=risk%20&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=imply&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=Chairperson&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=risk%20&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=imply&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0http://edo.hanu.vn/hanu/Runtime/Dictionary/WDFrames.asp?wd_Word=Chairperson&wd_Language=1&wd_History=0


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we're taking a risk that our business will keep growing.

JOHN: Which we hope it will.

DENISE: We certainly do.

We've looked before at formal meetings. Today's meeting is a more informal one, to discuss a

specific issue. The discussion is more free-flowing, or uncontrolled. Let's look first at some of thelanguage used by Denise when she introduces the problem.

Now we're looking at the options for handling our on-line orders. They're going through the

roof and frankly the lead-time for delivery is blowing out. We need to improve our

performance in this area.

Denise says 'we're looking at the options'.

'Options' are different solutions, or answers, to a problem. What is the problem? 'On-line orders aregoing through the roof'.

'On-line orders' are orders for goods received through the internet, and if they're 'going through theroof', they are increasing in number very rapidly.

The 'lead-time' for delivery is the amount of time it takes from when the order is received to whenit's delivered, and if it's 'blowing out' - that time is becoming too long. We use the expression'blowing out' for something which is becoming too great, in a bad way.

So to 'improve our performance' means, in this case, to shorten the time it takes to deliver goods.

Let's look at Tan's suggested options.

Well, as I see it, we have three options. The obvious one is to employ more people to do the

job. Another alternative is to automate the system more - cut down on the physical handling.

And the third option?

We could outsource.

Tan describes three options. First he lets us know that this is his opinion, by saying 'As I see it'.

Practise with Tan some different ways of letting someone know that what you're stating is youropinion.

As I see it, there are three options.

In my opinion there are three options.

From my point of view there are three options.

As far as I'm concerned, there are three options.


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The three options are: employ more people, automate, and outsource.

To 'outsource' means to use an outside company. When presenting different options, we can orderthem by numbers, like this. Firstly, we could employ more people, secondly we could automate,and thirdly we could outsource.

We can also use phrases, such as 'one option is to' and 'another option is to...'We can also use linking words, such as 'or' and 'alternatively'.Or, we can use a combination of these methods.

Now let's look at the language used to discuss these options.

Well, looking at increasing staff versus automation, we have to consider the cost. Automating

has a higher capital cost than putting on more staff. On the other hand, employing more

people is more expensive over a long term.

When considering two options, we are comparing them. Barbara talks about increasing staff versusautomation. She is saying that she is going to compare these two things. Another phrase she coulduse is 'as against'. Practise with her.

Let's look at increased staff versus automation.

Let's look at increased staff as against automation.

When comparing two things, we use comparative adjectives.

Listen to Barbara again, and see if you can hear the two comparative adjectives.

Automating has a higher capital cost than putting on more staff. On the other hand,

employing more people is more expensive over a long term.

She says automating has a higher capital cost than putting on more staff. 'Higher' is a comparativeadjective.

We often use 'than' for the option that is being compared. Remember for words of longer than twosyllables, we use 'more' for the comparative. Employing more people is 'more expensive'. BecauseBarbara has already said what the second option is, automating, she doesn't need to say 'employingmore people is more expensive than automating'.

Notice that she uses the phrase 'on the other hand'. This is used to introduce another side to anargument. Practise this with Barbara.

On the one hand automation is expensive.

On the other hand it's more efficient.

Another way of comparing two ideas is to use linking words such as 'but' ,'although' and 'however'.Automation is expensive, but it's more efficient.

Although automation is expensive, it's more efficient.


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Automation is expensive, however it's more efficient.

Now listen to the discussion about the likelihood of continued growth.

How likely is it that we'll see continued growth?

I'd say it's a certainty.

I'd say a high probability. Nothing's certain in business.

Denise asks how likely continued growth is. In looking at words to describe likelihood, we can usethese words:

unlikely

Possible

Probable

Certain

So we can say:

It's unlikely

It's possible

And so on.

We can also qualify these with words such as 'very' 'quite', 'highly' or reasonably

'It's very unlikely'

It's quite possible'

"Its highly probable'

'It's reasonably certain

And in a different kind of sentence, we can use them as nouns:

It's a certainty

It's a possibility

There's a probability

There's a high likelihood

But we don't say 'there's an unlikelihood. We say 'There's no likelihood.'

Finally, look at what happens when we compare more than two options.Outsourcing is the cheapest option, and the easiest - in the short term. But if we want to keep theoperation in-house, the best option is automating our system.Did you hear the superlative adjectives used to compare more than two things.

Listen again. There are three.

Outsourcing is the cheapest option, and the easiest - in the short term. But if we want to keep theoperation in-house, the best option is automating our system.Well our bottom line is that that's all we have time for today - so I hope it's quite certain I'll see younext time for The Business of English.

Vocabulary


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handle (n)

1. (dt) cn, tay cm, mc, quaithe part of a thing that you hold in your handI can't drink hot coffee from this cup, the handle is broken.handle (v)

1. (t) cm, s, mtouch something with your handsPlease don't handle anything on this desk.2. (t) vn dng, s dng, iu khin (bng tay)manage; deal with; controlThe teacher can't handle this class. Please let me handle my own problems.3. (t) qun ltake care of[handled, handling]

Who handles the correspondence in this office?

blow out (~)

1. thi ttput a fire out with air

performance

3. (dt) thnh tch(no plural) how well you do something

option (n)1. (dt) s la chna choiceYou don't have any option - you must do it.

pros and cons (~)

1. (~) nhng l l tn thnh v phn i(plural) the good points (pros) and the bad points (cons, from contrary)They discussed the pros and cons of moving to another city.

versus (prep)

1. (gt) chng, chng li, u vi (nht l trong thi u th thaoagainst

bottom line (n)1. (dt) im mu cht,im ct yuthe most important point or resultSo, what's the bottom line?

2. (dt) lng tin k c li hay l sau mt phi v ti chnhthe amount of money, either profit or loss, at the end of a financial statement.E p i s o d e 7 - A R e p o r t o n P r o g r e s s

Today's focus is on the verb tenses used in reports. You can watch the video or just listen to theaudio.


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DENISE: Today we're looking at our new widget plant being built at Southside. I've asked Barbarato report on progress and bring us up to date and up to speed. Barbara?

BARBARA: Thanks Denise. I'll just outline the process we've been through, identify someproblems, and give you an estimate on completion time and the outcome financially.

JOHN: Is it good news or bad news?

BARBARA: Bear with me. Now, if you recall, after a feasibility study, we put the project out totender eighteen months ago, and selected Ezybuild as our project manager.Work commenced about fifteen months ago, and it's been progressing to schedule until recently.

DENISE: What's the problem?

BARBARA: Unfortunately there are three: Firstly, there's been a delay in materials - specifically

steel because of industrial issues at the suppliers. Secondly, we've lost days due to the weather. Andfinally, there's been a resulting cost blowout.

JOHN: So what are we going to do?

BARBARA: Well, they've managed to get another supplier now. I suggested moving thecompletion date back. That way, there's no penalty, and they agreed to re-deploy their workers untilbuilding can start again.

JOHN: Smart thinking.

BARBARA: We've been waiting for the rain to stop - but we can't control the weather!

DENISE: And the cost?

BARBARA: At this stage, just a small overage. But I'll be watching it very closely over the nextfew months. With no more delays, we're expecting to complete the project just one month behindschedule.

DENISE: Good work Barbara.

JOHN: Humph

Today's episode is a focussed meeting with a specific purpose. Barbara has been asked to report onthe progress of a project. Our focus today is on the verb tenses she uses to report. Firstly, let's lookat how Denise asks for Barbara's report.

Today we're looking today at our new widget plant being built at Southside. I've asked

Barbara to report on progress and bring us all up to date and up to speed.

Denise says 'Today we're looking at our new widget plant'.

She uses the present continuous tense.


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'We're looking' or 'We are looking' - because she's telling them what they are doing, and what theyare going to do at the meeting now.

She doesn't use the simple present 'we look', because that is used for regular actions.

Then she says 'I've asked Barbara to report'.

She uses the present perfect tense: 'I have asked' because she asked Barbara to report before themeeting, and Baraba is about to give her report

We'll look more at present perfect later.

And she wants Barbara to bring them 'up to date' and 'up to speed'.

These are common expressions - to bring someone 'up to date' is to tell them what has happened up

to the present. And to bring someone 'up to speed' is to make sure they know all the relevant facts.

How does Barbara respond?

Thanks Denise. I'll just outline the process we've been through, identify some problems, and

give you an estimate on completion time and the outcome financially.

She says 'I'll just outline the process"

She uses the future tense: I will, because she's talking about something she's going to do in the nextfew minutes. Notice that the 'will' is not repeated, but it applies to all three of the things she saysshe is going to do.

Let's see how Barbara reports on progress.

Now, if you recall, after a feasibility study, we put the project out to tender eighteen months

ago, and selected Ezybuild as our project manager.

Because Barbara is describing events in the past, she uses the simple past tense.We put the project out to tender.

We selected Ezybuild as the project manager.

These events happened in the past, and they are finished.Work commenced about fifteen months ago, and it's been progressing to schedule until recently.Again we see the simple past in the phrase: Work commenced about fifteen months ago. The workstarted at a particular time in the past. But look at the next phrase: "It's been progressing toschedule"When we look at continuous events - things that happen over a period of time, we use a continuous

tense. The work started in the past, and it has continued until the present. This is called the presentperfect continuous tense. 'It's' here is short for 'It has'. Try some other examples with Barbara.

Work's been going on since last year.


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Here we see some examples of continuous tenses to help meaning.We've been waiting - we have been waiting for the rain to stop, and we are still waiting.

I'll be watching - I will be watching in the future over a long time.

We're expecting - we are expecting at the moment, and we will continue to expect in the future.

Notice also how Denise asks a question.

but we can't control the weather! And the cost?

She says 'and the cost?' The upward inflection in her voice - 'and the cost?' tells us this is aquestion, although it's not a complete sentence. The complete sentence would be - 'What will itcost?' In spoken English, this is very common.Practise some examples with Denise.

And the cost?

And the result?

And the reason?

Today we looked at reporting back. Remember, first summarise what you are going to report on.We also focussed on the different verb tenses, which help exact meaning.

That's all we have time for today, so I hope we'll be seeing you next time for The Business ofEnglish.VocabularyT Vng:

bring up (~)

1. nui dng, gio dc, dy dtake care of and educate children until they are grown upHis grandmother brought him up after his parents died.

2. nu (vn ), lu v( vn )mention something

feasibility (n)

1. (dt) tnh c th thi hnh c, tnh kh thia feasibility study.

E p i s o d e 8 - G r a p h s a n d T r e n d s

Today we're looking at presenting information using charts and graphs. You can watch the video orjust listen to the audio.

TAN: Now, I'd like to refer to the first graph - as you can see this is a bar graph measuring net salesover the first ten months of the year.You'll notice that sales rose steadily in the first few months, then there was a marked increase inApril. They peaked in May at around 3.2 million, and levelled off, then there was a dramatic drop


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in the following month, followed by a significant increase in August, and this trend has continuedup until the present.

JOHN: What was the reason for the sudden drop in July?

TAN: This was mainly due to a drop off in air conditioner sales - so it's a seasonal effect.

DENISE: Could it be a consequence of the negative effect of the interest rate rise?

TAN: Possibly. Now, if I could draw your attention to this next diagram. This is a line graph ofsales - the blue line represents air conditioner sales, the red line shows heaters. As you'll note, airconditioner sales dropped steadily from January to July, bottoming out then, while heater salesexperienced a sharp increase from March to June, then dropped markedly from June to July, thendeclined through to September, with a pronounced drop in October.

JOHN: Does this explain the fluctuation in total sales?

TAN: Largely - if we look at this pie diagram, you can see that air conditioners and heaterstogether represent more than half of our total sales - but they vary seasonally, while otherappliances are fairly steady through the year.JOHN: Well, we can't sell air conditioners when it's cold. What's the solution?

TAN: Export to Europe and America!

DENISE: Easier said than done.

Today we're looking at presenting information using charts and graphs. We saw three types ofdiagram:A bar or column graphA line graphAnd a pie chart.Look at how Tan introduced his presentation

Now, I'd like to refer to the first graph - as you can see this is a bar graph measuring net sales

over the first nine months of the year.

Tan says 'I'd like to refer to the first graph.'

When referring to a diagram or graph, first direct your audience's attention to that diagram. Practisewith Tan some phrases to use for this.I'd like to refer to the first graph...

If we have a look at this graph...

If I could direct your attention to the graph.

Looking at the graph on the screen...Let's look at the language Tan uses to describe what the graph shows.You'll notice that sales rose steadily in the first few months, then there was a marked increase inApril. They peaked in May at around 3.2 million, and levelled off, then there was a dramatic drop


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in the following month, followed by a significant increase n August, and this trend has continuedup until the present.Here's our graph.Tan said the sales rose steadily at first, then there was a marked increase in April.

This levelled off, then there was a dramatic drop, and then a significant increase.

In describing trends, we use two words - one of those words is a noun or verb.

For example we may talk about an increase, or a decrease in numbers. Other words for an increaseare rise, climb, improvement, upturn.

Most of these words can also be used as a verb: to increase; to rise; to climb; to improve.

Other words for a decrease are fall, decline, worsening, downturn.

These also have verbs from them: to decrease; to fall; to decline; to worsen.

So we say - there was an improvement in the figures for April, or the figures for April haveimproved.

There has been a decline in sales since June, or sales since June have declined.

But we often add more descriptive words -adjectives and adverbs. Remember adjectives go beforenouns, and adverbs go after verbs.

These describe the change in figures - was it big or small, fast or slow?

Other words for a big change are significant, marked, massive, pronounced, substantial.

Most adjectives can also be made into adverbs, just by adding 'ly' or 'lee'. There is no adverb for'big', but informally we say 'a lot'.

Other words for small are slight, insignificant, and their adverbs slightly, insignifanctly.

Other words for a fast or quick change are sharp, dramatic, sudden, and again we add 'ly' for theadverbs.

And for a slow or medium change, we can use steady or moderate, and the adverbs steadily andmoderately

Now - try changing the phrases from noun phrases into verb phrases - for example - if Tan says'There was a dramatic increase in sales' - you say 'Sales increased dramatically.'

Have a try.There was a steady rise in sales.

Sales rose steadily.


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There was a significant fall in sales.

Sales fell significantly.

There was a slight recovery in sales.

Sales recovered slightly.

Now let's look at how Tan handles a question about the graph.What was the reason for this sudden drop in July?

This was mainly due to the drop off in air conditioner sales - so it's a seasonal effect.

Could it be a consequence of the negative effect of the interest rate rise?Here are four useful phrases for describing causes:Due toThe drop in sales is due to an interest rate rise.

A consequence ofThe drop in sales is a consequence of an interest rate rise.

Because ofThe drop in sales is because of an interest rate rise.

A result ofThe drop in sales is a result of an interest rate rise.

How does Tan explain his next diagram?This is a line graph of sales - the blue line represents air conditioner sales, the red line showsheaters. As you'll note, air conditioner sales dropped steadily from January to July, bottoming outthen, while heater sales experienced a sharp increase from March to June, then dropped markedlyfrom June to July, then declined through to September, with a pronounced drop in October.He says air conditioner sales 'bottomed out' in July. This means they reached their lowest level.

Then he says they 'experienced a sharp increase'. And he says there was a 'pronounced' drop inheater sales in October. 'Pronounced' here means significant, or large. Finally, look at how Tan talksabout his pie diagram....if we look at this pie diagram, you can see that air conditioners and heater sales togetherrepresent more than half of our total sales - but they vary seasonally, while other appliances arefairly steady through the year.Tan says air conditioners and heaters 'represent' more than half of sales. This means they accountfor more than half of the sales. We could put this another way:More than half of sales are represented by air conditioners and heaters.We could say washing machines represent 15% of sales.Washing machines account for 15% of sales.

Washing machines make up 15% of sales.

And that's accounted for our time today in the Business of English. See you next time.Vocabulary


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graph (n)

1. (dt) tha chart with lines that shows the connection between different things

trend (n)

1. (dt) xu hng, khuynh hngsomething that is temporarily fashionable

a new fashion trend.2. (dt) phng hng, chiu hnga direction in which something is moving

peak (n)1. (dt) nh, chm, chp (ni)the top of a mountainThe peak of the mountain was covered with snow.2. (dt) tt nh, cao im

the top point of somethingHe is at the peak of his career.peak (v)1. (t) (lm cho) t ti nh cao nhtreach a high point

level (v)

1. (t) san bng, ph sp, ph destroy buildings or other structures

consequence (n)1. (dt) kt qu; hu qua result

fluctuation (n)1. (dt) s dao ng, s ln xung, s thay i tht thnga fluctuation in temperatures.E p i s o d e 9 - A C u s t o m e r S u r v e y

We look again at presentations. You can watch the video or just listen to the audio............TAN: Today Im going to look at the results of our customer survey. First Ill go through thesurvey questions, then summarise the results, and finally Ill outline the conclusions. After that,therell be time for questions and discussion. So, lets start with the survey questions...

Turning to the results, as you can see from the diagram, most people decided what to buy whenthey saw the product at the showroom. About one third made their decision based on what thesalesperson said. The others knew what they wanted to buy already. Most of those made theirdecision on the recommendation of a friend. Only a few said they relied on advertising...

Lets move on to the conclusions.The first one is that its very important that salespeople on thefloor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical. People who experiencegood after-sales service are more likely to recommend a brand.And finally, advertising itsexpensive, so we need to make sure were getting results.


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In today's program, we look again at a presentation. Tan is presenting the results of a survey. Let'ssee how he does it. How does Tan start his presentation?Today I'm going to look at the results of our customer survey.When giving a presentation it's important to state clearly what you are going to talk about at thebeginning. What is your topic?

For this, Tan uses the future tense 'I'm going to'. He could also have said 'I will'

And instead of 'look at' he could have used other words:examine,

analyse,

review,

discuss.

After introducing the topic, what does Tan do next?

First I'll go through the survey questions, then summarise the results, and finally I'll outlinethe conclusions.

After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion.

Tan outlines the structure of his presentation. There were three parts. Notice how he signals this byusing sequencing words:first, then, and finally.

The structure of his talk is:Introduction, then part 1, survey questions; part 2, survey results; part 3 survey conclusions.

There's one more sequencing signal in his introduction. Did you hear it?After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion.Even though Tan said 'finally' he would talk about conclusions, he has something 'after that'. This isbecause the questions are not part of his presentation. He's telling his audience that after he's talkedabout conclusions, it will be time to ask questions.

So sequencing words are very useful - they tell your audience how many parts are in your talk -and they can signal when you are moving from one topic to the next one. Sequencing words arewords like firstly, secondly, thirdly, then, next, finally, after that, following that, and later on.Another type of signal can be used to show you are moving from one part of your talk to another.

Here are three that Tan uses - practise them with him.So, let's start with the questions...

Turning to the results...

Let's move on to the conclusions.When we speak in English, pauses and intonation are as important as the words we use - because

they help people understand. Listen.Let's move on to the conclusions. The first one is that it's very important that salespeople on thefloor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical.Without pauses or intonation, it's much harder to understand - and it sounds boring. Let's addpauses.


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Under a third.

Finally, let's look at Tan's conclusions.The first one is that it's important that salespeople on the floor know about our products. Another isthat after-sales service is critical. People who experience good after-sales service are more likely torecommend a brand. And finally, advertising - it's expensive, so we need to make sure we'reVocabularysurvey: kho st, iu tra, nghin cusummarise:tm tt, tng ktoutline: phc thoconclusion: kt lundiagram : biu salesperson: ngi bn hngcritical: thi im quyt nh, then cht

E p i s o d e 1 0 - W r a p p i n g i t u p

Today were looking at how to end a presentation, and how to deal with questions. You can watchthe video or just listen to the audio.

BARBARA: So, I'd like to end with a summary of what I've looked at today, and somerecommendations.The figures show that sales are strongly seasonal, and that customers depend on good informationon the showroom floor. So I'd like to recommend we concentrate on discounting in the off-seasons,and spend more time on briefing our sales representatives.That's all I have for now. Are there any questions?

DENISE: You mentioned that the sales figures may also reflect economic trends. Can you expandon that?

BARBARA: Well, we are always going to depend on the economy. As I understand it, we can lookforward to an improvement this year. Does that answer your question?

TAN: Are you saying we're in for a period of growth?

BARBARA: Well, I'm afraid that's a bit outside my area of expertise, but that's what the papers aresuggesting.

JOHN: If you believe it.

DENISE: You suggested that we might be spending too much on advertising. Can you clarify that?

BARBARA: It's hard to quantify without better data.

TAN: Sorry. Could you repeat that?

BARBARA: We don't have the figures to really know how effective our advertising is.

DENISE: In my experience you can't do without advertising.


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BARBARA: Time for one last question.

JOHN: I have one.

BARBARA: Yes John?

JOHN: Is it time for coffee?

BARBARA: Okay, we'll wrap up now. Thankyou for your input everyone.

DENISE: Thankyou.

Today we're looking at how to end a presentation, and how to deal with questions. Let's look first athow Barbara concludes, or finishes her presentation.I'd like to end with a summary of what I've looked at today, and some recommendations.

Barbara says she'd like to end with a summary, and some recommendations.

When ending a presentation or a talk, you may do this with a summary - this is a short statement ofyour main points - with a conclusion, which is a result of all the information you've presented, orrecommendations, which are things you think should be done. In all cases, they should be clear andconcise, or not too long.

Practise with Barbara some phrases you can use to introduce your final points.I'd like to end with some recommendations

I'll finish with a summary...

What can we conclude from all this?Listen to the difference between the summary and the recommendations.The figures show that sales are strongly seasonal, and that customers depend on good informationon the showroom floor. So I'd like to recommend we concentrate on discounting in the off-seasons,and spend more time on briefing our sales representatives.Her summary consists of the main points from her talk about sales figures. There are two points.Her recommendations are what she thinks the company should do in the future, and there are twoof these as well. Here are some phrases you can use to introduce a summary and recommendations.In summary...

To summarise...

I'd like to recommend that...

My recommendations are...Let's look at how Barbara finishes her talk, and asks for questions.

That's all I have for now. Are there any questions?Here's Barbara with some useful phrases for you to practise if asking for questions.Are there any questions?

I'll answer any questions now.


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Does anyone have any questions?At the end of a talk, you may ask for questions, or for comments, or for a general discussion. Youneed to let your audience know what you want them to do...

like this: Are there any comments?

I'd like to open it up for discussion.

Let's look at how Denise asks a question.You mentioned that the sales figures may also reflect economic trends. Can you expand on that?Denise does two things - first she re-states something Barbara said, then she asks her to 'expand' onit, or say more about it. It's a good idea when asking a question to state what you think the speakersaid - so everyone knows what the question is about...You might sayYou mentioned that...

You suggested that...You stated that...

In the question you can ask the speaker to respond in different ways. Denise asks her to expand, butshe could also clarify (or make clearer), or explain further. Practise some phrases you can use forthis:Can you expand on that?

Can you clarify that?

Could you explain that a bit further?Listen to how Barbara answers Denise's question.Well, we are always going to depend on the economy. As I understand it, we can look forward to animprovement this year. Does that answer your question?In her answer Barbara uses the phrase 'As I understand it'. By using this phrase she is signallingthat this is not really her area of expertise. She is getting her information from somewhere else.You could also use phrases like:'As far as I know'or'My information is that'

Notice that she also checks whether Denise is satisfied with her answer by saying:'Does that answer your question?'

If she wanted to, Denise could ask a further question, but Tan does it for her.Are you saying we're in for a period of growth?

Well, I'm afraid that's a bit outside my area of expertise, but that's what the papers are suggesting.

Tan is asking for clarification. He wants Barbara to say more about her point. He does this bychecking that he has understood her.

Practise with Tan some phrases you can use to ask for clarification.Are you saying..?


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So you're saying that...

So, are you suggesting that..?

If I follow you, you're suggesting that...Let's look at some more questions now.

You suggested that we might be spending too much on advertising. Can you clarify that?

It's hard to quantify without better data.

Sorry. Could you repeat that?

We don't have the figures to really know how effective our advertising is.Notice that, as before, Denise restates what she thinks Barbara said, by saying 'You suggestedthat' then asks her to clarify, by saying 'Can you clarify that? And Tan asks her to repeat

something simply by asking 'Could you repeat that?' Notice too that when Barbara answers Tan,she uses different words. If someone asks you to repeat, or clarify, it's better to rephrase, thansimply say the same thing again. Notice how Denise puts in her own comment.In my experience you can't do without advertising.This is Denise's comment, or opinion, not a question. She shows this by starting 'in my experience'.She could also have said 'in my opinion', or 'As I understand it,...'.

Let's see now how Barbara finishes her presentation.Time for one last question.

I have one.

Yes John?

Is it time for coffee?

Okay, we'll wrap up now. Thankyou for your input everyone.

Thankyou.The person giving the talk is in control, so she needs to signal that she is finished. She does this bysaying 'Time for one last question.'

Practise some phrases you could use to end a presentation.Time for one last question...

Are there any more questions?

I think we'll wrap it up now.

So remember - after a talk, give a summary and perhaps some recommendations or conclusions.Ask for questions or comments. When asking questions, state what you understood from thespeaker first, and then say what you want them to do - clarify, or explain, or expand. Well, thatabout wraps us up for today. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time on The Business ofEnglish.


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WILSON: Yes certainly. How about Thursday about two-thirty.

LIN: That would be fine.

WILSON: Okay, I look forward to seeing you then.

LIN: Thursday, 2.30. See you then.

Goodbye.

WILSON: Goodbye

When we use the phone we can't see the other person, so we have to listen carefully and speakclearly. Often we deal with a switchboard operator or personal assistant, but the language we useon the phone follows conventions.Wilson & Wilson, can I help you?

Yes, this is Lin Chan from Acme Appliances. I'd like to speak to Mr Wilson if he's available please?When answering the phone, a switchboard operator will usually say the name of the company, then'can I help you?' or 'How can I help you?'

Or they may not say anything after the name of the company. In any case, the caller normally saystheir name, by saying 'this is' and their name, then the name of their company after the words 'from'or 'of', and then who they would like to speak to.

Don't wait to be asked, but offer the information. On the phone, unless you know the other party

personally, always use polite, formal language.Wilson & Wilson. What do you want?

Lin Chan here. Put me through to Wilson.

He doesn't want to speak to you.Mr Wilson might not want to speak to Lin - but it's not polite to say this. Notice that Lin says shewants to speak to Mr Wilson 'if he's available'.

Often it's not convenient to speak to someone straight away. 'If he's available' really means, 'If hewants to speak to me at the moment.' Here's some useful phrases for asking for someone on thephone:Is Mr Wilson available please?

Could I speak to Mr Wilson if he's available?

Could you put me through to Mr Wilson?'

I'd like to speak to Mr Wilson if possible please.

So we can say:'I'd like to speak to Mr Wilson'Or 'Could I speak to Mr Wilson?'< And'If he's available', or


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'If possible'

And you always add 'please'.

And another phrase is:'Could you put me through please?'

The receptionist says:'I'll just see if he's available', then 'hold the line please'.

But Mr Wilson isn't available, so this is what she says:I'm sorry, Mr Wilson's in a meeting at the moment.'In a meeting' is code for it's not convenient for him to talk at the moment'. He may be in a meeting,but he could also be out, or doing something else. Here's some phrases to practise, that can be usedfor this situation.I'm sorry, he's in a meeting at the moment.

I'm sorry, he's not available at present.

I'm sorry, he's out of the office at the moment.And here's one not to use.I'm sorry, he's busy.

Too busy to talk to me obviously.To say someone can't talk because they're busy, suggests that your call is not important. But thereceptionist knows what to say, and to ask if there's a message.May I take a message?

Yes, could you ask him to phone me please. My number's 23115654.It's best to keep messages simple and to the point.

Here are a few simple phrases to use when leaving a message. Practise them with Lin.Could you ask him to phone me please.

Could you get him to return my call please.

If he could call me back, that would be great.Of course the important detail here is the actual phone number. It's important to pronounce eachnumber carefully.Two three, double one, five six five four.

In America they would probably say:Two three one one, five six five four. Try saying these numbers:04146831

oh four one four, six eight three one

9882 6776nine double eight two, six double seven sixor


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nine eight eight two, six seven seven six.And the receptionist must also make sure she has all the details correct.

Here are some phrases you can use to check details.I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.

Could you just repeat the number please?

Could I have your number again please?

Would you mind repeating that?When Tom Wilson returns her call, Lin answers like this...Ah yes, Mr Wilson. Thanks for calling back. I wanted to set up a meeting with you to discuss yourrequirements for next year.

Yes certainly. How about Thursday at two-thirty.

That would be fine.

Okay, I look forward to seeing you then.

Thursday, 2.30. See you then.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.First Lin thanks him for calling back. She says 'Thanks for calling back'. She could also say,'Thankyou for returning my call.' Then she states the purpose of her call, and they make thearrangements for the meeting. Because she wants the meeting, Lin lets Wilson suggest a time. Thisis polite, because he is the customer in this situation. Then he says 'I look forward to seeing youthen.'

Again, this is a polite way of ending a conversation - as well as being a signal that there is no moreto say.

Notice too, that Lin repeats the day and time of the meeting so that both people are sure about it.

Let's now just review the key phrases for phone calls when calling someone, and making anarrangement.

Repeat them with the receptionist and Lin.Wilson & Wilson, can I help you?

I'll just see if he's available.

Would you mind holding the line?

Would you like to leave a message?


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Sorry, I didn't quite catch your name.

I'd like to speak to Mr Wilson

Could you put me through to Mr Wilson?

This is Lin Chan returning your call.

Thanks for returning my call.

I look forward to seeing you then.The key points when using the phone are to speak clearly and give essential information. Don'tspeak too fast, and check that the other person has understood. If not, you may need to rephrase.Use polite, formal language - these conventional phrases are signals for the other person. We needto respond in the right way, or the conversation could be quite short.Acme Applicances, Lin Chan speaking.

This is Tom Wilson returning your call.

Ah yes, Mr Wilson. Thankyou for calling me back.

That's alright. Goodbye.And it's goodbye from The Business of English for today. See you next time.Vocabularyavailable: c ri gp

hold the line: gi mycatchset up: thnh lp, t chcrequirement: nhu cu, yu cuE p i s o d e 1 2 - N e g o t i a t i n g p a r t 1

We look at negotiating. You can watch the video or just listen to the audio.

LIN: Hello, Lin Chan, Sales Manager for National Sugar - and my associate John Martin.

VICTOR: Very pleased to meet you. I'm Victor Tang, and this is my legal adviser Sue Panay.

JOHN: I hope you had a pleasant flight over.

SUE: Yes, we did thanks.

JOHN: Are you staying for a few days?

VICTOR: Unfortunately we need to get back to Manila tomorrow.LIN: Well, we'd better get down to business. Mr Tang, to start off with, I just want to say webelieve we can offer you a very good deal and come up with a win-win result.

VICTOR: Well, from our point of view, we see it as an exploratory talk - testing the water you


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might say.

SUE: We don't intend to reach any agreements at this meeting - in any case we would need to run itpast our board first.

JOHN: You haven't heard our terms yet - you may find them hard to resist!(Victor and Sue exchange a raised eyebrow)

LIN: Of course we understand you need time to consider any offer. My first priority is to keep thenegotiations open.

VICTOR: What's your proposal Ms Chan?

LIN: We're prepared to offer a very attractive price for a minimum sale, in exchange for a two-yearcontract. John will clarify the terms.A negotiation is a discussion that should result in an agreement or business contract. The discussion

is usually between two parties - or organisations - trying to reach an agreement satisfactory to both.

In a negotiation, we need to reach a position that it is not too difficult for either side to accept, sothe language we use is important - and it's also important to listen carefully.

When starting a negotiation, begin with a greeting, and what we call 'small-talk' - something to'break the ice', or make the meeting a friendly one.Hello, Lin Chan, Sales Manager for National Sugar - and my associate John Martin.

Very pleased to meet you. I'm Victor Tang, and this is my legal adviser Sue Panay.

I hope you had a pleasant flight over.

Yes, we did thanks.

Are you staying for a few days?

Unfortunately we need to get back to Manila tomorrow.Lin starts by introducing herself and her associate. It's important that everyone at the meetingknows their roles, so Victor also introduces Sue by telling them her job.

Before they start the negotiations, John asks about their journey. He says 'I hope you had a pleasantflight', and asks how long they are staying. This way, the negotiation starts in a relaxed and friendlyatmosphere.

Here are a few phrases you could use to put the other party at ease.I hope you had a pleasant flight.

Are you enjoying Sydney?

How is your hotel?In some cultures, it is usual not to talk about business straight away, but in others, it is expectedthat you will get down to business quickly. You just have to judge the situation, and feel your own


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way.

How does Lin signal that it is time to start the negotiation?Well, we'd better get down to business.Lin says 'we'd better get down to business'. Notice that she makes it a suggestion. She is suggestingthey should talk business.

Practise some phrases for suggesting it's time to talk business.Well, we'd better get down to business.

Shall we get down to business?

Well, how about we get down to business?The next thing Lin does is make an opening statement. An opening statement should tell the otherperson what you are expecting to get out of the meeting. The opening statement would normally bemade by the person who requested the meeting.

Mr Tang, to start off with, I just want to say we believe we can offer you a very good deal andcome up with a win-win result.Lin says 'to start off with', and then she states what she wants to achieve. She says she is going tooffer 'a very good deal', and that she wants to achieve a 'win-win' result. She is signalling to theother party that she wants both of them to be happy with the outcome. Practise, with Lin, somephrases to introduce an opening statement.Let me start off by saying...

I'd like to begin by saying...

Let me kick things off by saying...To 'kick things off' is to start a discussion. How do Victor and Sue respond?Well, from our point of view, we see it as an exploratory talk - testing the water you might say.

Sue: We don't intend to reach any agreements at this meeting - in any case we would need to run itpast our board first.Victor says 'from our point of view', and Lin says 'we don't intend'. They use the words 'our' and'we', instead of 'my' and 'I' because they are talking as representatives of the company, not asindividuals. If Victor was on his own, he might use 'I' and 'my' - especially as the C.E.O. of thecompany. Here are some other phrases Victor could use to state their point of view:'From our perspective...''Our position is that...''As far as we're concerned...'

Victor says they see it as an 'exploratory talk'. He means they are 'exploring options', or finding outwhat Lin has to offer. He is suggesting by this that they aren't going to make a decision at thismeeting - and he is letting Lin know this. He describes this in another way by saying they are'testing the water'.

Notice too that Sue reinforces this. She says 'we don't intend to reach any agreements at thismeeting.' She is stating clearly the outcome that they are expecting from the meeting. She says theywould have to 'run past the board' any proposals made. A proposal is a formal offer or suggestionmade by one business to another, and to 'run something past the board' means to get the board's


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approval or feedback. In a negotiation, each party needs to respond to what the other says for thenegotiation to proceed.

How does Lin respond to Victor and Sue's statement.Of course we understand you need time to consider any offer. My first priority is to keep thenegotiations open.She says she understands they are not going to agree at this meeting. She says 'My first priority is

to keep the negotiations open.' A priority is an important goal. A first priority is your mostimportant goal.

Notice the reaction when John speaks.We don't intend to reach any agreements at this meeting - in any case we would need to run it pastour board first.

You haven't heard our terms yet - you may find them hard to resist! (Victor and Sue exchange araised eyebrow)

John hasn't listened to what Victor and Sue have said, and they don't like it. But Lin makes aconciliatory statement. That is, she makes a concession. She backs down from her first position.When negotiating, you usually need to make some concessions to reach an agreement. If nobodymakes a concession, the negotiation can't proceed...like this...I just want to say we believe we can offer you a very good deal and come up with a win-win result.

Well, from our point of view, we see it as an exploratory talk - testing the water you might say.

I'm sure we'll be able to resolve everything today.

We need to run anything past our board first.

Why bother the board? We can settle this deal right now!

I'm afraid that won't be possible.(silence around the table)If we don't listen carefully to what the other party is signalling, negotiations can break down veryquickly. Now that each side has made their position clear, they can talk about the details of theproposal.What's your proposal Ms Chan?

We're prepared to offer a very attractive price for a minimum sale, in exchange for a two-yearcontract. John will clarify the terms.Let's review the main points from today. In negotiations, begin with introductions and then someinformal talk. Then each side makes an opening statement -this should state clearly what they wantto achieve.

Then, whichever party called the meeting begins the negotiation by giving an opening proposal.

And remember - it's important to listen to signals and the opening statements carefully, otherwisethe negotiation can quickly go in the wrong direction.


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He doesn't say 'we agree to your offer', he says 'we're prepared to consider your offer'.

He is signalling to the other side that there is a chance for agreement by using the word 'consider',which means 'think about'.

He then makes this conditional by saying 'if you can accept some conditions'. In English, using the

word 'if' in this way is called a conditional.Victor is saying 'We can consider your offer if you can accept some conditions.' One part of thesentence is conditional on, or depending on the other.The negative is also true. If they can't accept the conditions, Victor can't consider the offer.

Notice that Sue adds: 'subject to consideration by the board'. 'Subject to' is another type ofconditional phrase. She means 'We can agree if the board agrees.' 'Subject to' is a legal phrasemeaning 'only if', or 'only after'. There are a number of expressions you can use when giving acondition. Try them after me:

...subject to the board's agreement.

...conditional on the board's agreement.

...providing that the board agrees.

...as long as the board agrees.

...on condition that the board agrees.Let's look now at Victor's first condition.Firstly the price you're proposing. Would that be variable depending on currency fluctuations? Theissue is that we're in an unstable environment at the moment - the exchange rate could affect usnegatively.When Victor is talking about conditions - he is exploring various scenarios - or things that couldhappen.

Notice that he explains what the problem is... He says 'The issue is that we're in an unstableenvironment.'

'The issue' means the problem, or the thing that needs discussing.

Practise with Victor some ways of introducing a problem.The issue is the exchange rate.

The problem is the exchange rate.

The difficulty we have is with the exchange rate.

One thing that could happen is that the exchange rate, the amount of money you can exchange inone currency for another, may change. Notice that Victor uses the words 'would' and 'could'.

'Would' is like a conditional. One thing might result in another thing happening.


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The exchange rate might change.

Victor is talking about the price for their product. He asks 'would that be variable depending oncurrency fluctuations'. 'Fluctuations' are changes. We can express this another way: 'If the currencychanges, will the price change?' 'Could' is used to express a possibility - something that mighthappen.

Victor says 'the exchange rate could affect us negatively'. Notice that you can say something willaffect you negatively - it will have a negative, or bad effect, or positively - it will have a positive ,or good effect.

What is Lin's response to this first conditi

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