12. Work in pairs and role-play the following situations:

Situation 1. Ticket reservation

One of you is a traveler making a business trip to another country. You call a travel agent to reserve a plane ticket. The other one is a travel agent making reservations. You should discuss the following: place of destination, ticket type, departure time, class, flying time, and ticket price.

Situation 2. Booking a hotel room

One of you is a traveler booking a room at a hotel. The other one is a receptionist at this hotel. You should discuss the following: check-in and check-out dates, room type and location, price per night.

Situation 3. Checking in at the airport

One of you is a traveler checking in at the airport. The other one is a ticket inspector at the check-in counter. The ticket inspector should ask the traveler to show his/her ticket and ask what seat on the plane he/she prefers, tell him/her what gate number he/she has and wish him/her a good trip. The traveler should give the officer appropriate information.

Situation 4. On board a plane.

One of you is a traveler who has just boarded the plane. The other one is a stewardess. The stewardess should ask the traveler what she can do for him/her and offer him/her some food and drinks. The traveler should order something and then thank the stewardess for her service.

Situation 5. At the customs

One of you is a traveler passing passport and customs control. The other one is a customs officer. The officer should ask the traveler to show his/her passport, ask if he/she has something to declare and wish him/her a good stay in the country. The traveler should give the officer appropriate information.

Unit 6

1. Read the following international words and give their Russian equivalents:

Client, restaurant, menu, service, detail, discussion, comment, dominate, hobby, religious, financial, ethnic.

2. Study the following text:

Socializing

Socializing is the art of meeting and engaging people. Mastering socialization skills will not only help you in developing better relationships, but will also increase your business One of the most important parts of socializing is an invitation of your business clients to a restaurant. To make the socializing process successful you are to follow some of rules of the business dining etiquette.

If possible, find out whether your guest(s) likes or dislikes certain cuisine. Ask when extending the invitation or call an assistant to get the answer. You could also give your guest a choice of two or three restaurants. If hosting a group, choose a restaurant with a diverse menu.

Invite well in advance. You or your assistant should arrange any business meal at least a week in advance.

Choose a restaurant you know. If possible, pick one restaurant and frequent it. This will pay special rewards in terms of your being recognized when you walk in, and it will probably result in better service. Also keep in mind that if anyone is going to travel fairly far to reach the restaurant, it should be you and not your guest.

Make it clear that you are the host. Tell your guest what to expect to allow your guest to prepare and bring any pertinent materials. Confirm the time and place and repeat the details of the invitation later in the conversation. Reserve a table ahead of time. If you have a preference for seating (a spot that’s quiet) tell the person taking the reservation. Reconfirm with your guest. Call on the morning of a lunch or dinner; if you've scheduled breakfast, call the day before.

Good dining etiquette and the impression you make on your business lunch companions starts when you first arrive at the restaurant. Don’t be late. It’s appropriate that this is the first rule of dining etiquette. Arriving even five or ten minutes late leaves a bad impression; any later than that sends a clear message of carelessness and thoughtlessness. Dress appropriately. Call the restaurant to see if they have a dress code. When you arrive at the restaurant and your host hasn’t arrived, etiquette dictates that you wait in the lobby or waiting area for him or her. Don’t go to the table and wait there. Remember that the person who extends the invitation pays the bill in a restaurant.

Not discussing business at a business lunch is not necessarily congenial; it is a waste of time and may put off a busy, organized person. Generally, the host initiates the business discussion. Business, if not urgent, is often discussed toward the end of the meal or over coffee. Don’t wait too long, though, or you won’t have time to accomplish your objective.

If you are the junior member of a party, don’t dominate the discussion, but make comments and ask questions. When the table isn’t involved in a general discussion, be a good conversationalist with the people seated on either side of you. If you are the host, it's your job to steer the conversation, to suggest topics for discussion, and to make sure that everyone at the table is given the opportunity to be part of the general conversation. A good conversationalist has many qualities: he/she is knowledgeable about a variety of topics, has a sense of humor that enables his/her to entertain others, can laugh at herself, has many interests and is able to vary conversation topics to fit the person or audience she is speaking to. A good conversationalist never talks down to his/her listeners, he/she is also a very good listener and is truly interested in what others have to say. Listening is probably the most important quality. The ability to listen to others even when we’re bored or uninterested is the greatest skill we can develop. Listen attentively to all information. It will amaze you how many times it will be information you will need in the future.

If you’re discussing business over dinner with colleagues, then you may need to make small talk and discuss trivial matters for about a half an hour before business dominates the remainder of the conversation.

The conversations at dinner parties in people’s homes and at restaurants vary widely, depending upon the nature of the guests and the reason for the dinner.

One good place to start is to think of common interests. If the other guests are people you see occasionally or associate with regularly, you can ask about recent developments in their lives or about what they’ve been doing since you last spoke. If you’re going to be meeting many people at the dinner for the first time, get ready to make small talk. Small talk can be a life saver in many situations. It fills the voids in conversations, helps ease tense moments, sets others at ease, and helps us get acquainted with others. There are two ways to make initiating small talk a little easier. The first is to be well-informed, as all good conversationalists are. This means being able to discuss topics such as current best-selling books, news events, famous people, medical and technological advances, travel, and sports. These are all appropriate small talk subjects.

The second way to ease into small talk is by asking others about themselves, their family, work, or hobby. If you know one of your guests or the host is particularly knowledgeable about wines or has wines as a hobby, you might steer conversation to that area. Asking a person generally about himself is acceptable. However, asking very personal or intimate questions is off-limits. Do not ask about: religious beliefs, financial situation, various illnesses, details about a divorce or an affair, someone's weight, height, shoe size, age or mental health.

Exceptions are people who are best friends or who are absolutely comfortable discussing these subjects with one another. Also avoid: harmful gossip; and telling racial, ethnic, and sexually oriented jokes; don’t discuss money matters.