Unit 18 Making arrangements by telephone

Before you start

1. Work in pairs and discuss the questions.

1 Say these dates in English: a 10/09/02

b 24/03/03 c 01/11/99 d 14/07/87

2 Say these times in English. Say each time in two ways.

a 10.30 b 3.45 c 10.20 d 11.05

3 Which expressions do we use with in, at or on"?

a the weekend

b Wednesday

c the summer

d the afternoon

e 12.30

Reading

2. Two people are arranging a meeting. Read the phone call and complete Elana's meeting planner. (A = Michael, B = Elana).

A Hello, Michael Kennedy.

B Hello, Michael. It's Elana...

A Hello, Elana, how are you?

B I'm fine, thank you. And you?

A Very well, thanks. What can I do for you?

B I'd like to arrange a meeting with you.

A OK, no problem ...

B It's about the plans for the new employees' training week.

A Fine. When shall we meet?

B One day next week?

A OK. How about Tuesday in the afternoon? That's the 15th.

B No, I'm afraid I'm busy all day on Tuesday. What about Thursday or Friday?

A Sorry, I can't make Friday. I'm on a course. But Thursday is fine. Morning or afternoon?

B The afternoon is best for me.

A OK. Shall we say 2.30?

B Yes, that's fine. Where shall we meet?

A You've got a bigger office!

B OK. So that's half past two on Thursday 17th August, in my office.

A Right.

B Thanks, Michael. I'll look forward to seeing you then.

Meeting with:

Date:

Time:

Place:

Reason for meeting:

3. Read the call again. Find and underline one or more phrases which:

1. say you want a meeting

2. explain the reason for the meeting

3. suggest a day or time

4. agree to a day or time

5. say no and give a reason

6. ask about the place

7. confirm the details.

Speaking

4. Work in pairs. Read the phone call in Exercise 2 aloud. Take turns to be A and B.

5. Work on your own. This is your business diary page for next week. Write down at least four appointments on different days. Write the time and place.

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

6. Work in groups of four. You need to arrange a meeting at a time when you are all free. Decide the reason for the meeting and agree when and where it will take place.

Writing

7. Look back at the phone call in Exercise 2. Write a short e-mail from Elana to Michael to confirm the arrangement. Use these phrases:

Thank you for agreeing to a meeting to discuss...

This is to confirm the time and date of our meeting...

We will meet in... at... on...

I look forward to seeing you.

8. Now write another e-mail confirming the arrangements you made in Exercise

Unit 19 Preparing a presentation

Before you start

1. Have you ever had to speak in front of a large group of people? How did you feel?

2. Work in pairs. What is a presentation? Why do people make presentations? List some reasons.

Reading

3. Here are some 'rules' for preparing a presentation. Match the first sentence of each paragraph (1-6) with the paragraphs (a-f).

1. Decide what you want to say to your audience.

2. Choose the right equipment to help make your talk interesting.

3. Find out who you are talking to.

4. Practise your presentation in advance.

5. Make sure your presentation has a clear structure.

6. Find out about the room you are talking in.

a It's important to know your audience. How many people are there? Where are they from? What do they want to learn? How much do they already know?

b The venue is important too. If possible, visit it before your presentation. Where will the audience sit? Where will you stand? Where will you put your equipment?

c Make sure your objectives are clear. This will help you to prepare material that is interesting and informative. Remember, you want your audience to learn something they don't know. You also want them to enjoy your presentation.

d A well-organized presentation is easier to understand. Give it a beginning, a middle and an end. Make separate points and number them. This structure will help your audience to follow what you are saying.

e There are many different kinds of AV (audio­visual) aids. You can use a simple flip chart or show slides on an overhead projector. There is also computer software, like Microsoft Powerpoint™, which can make your presentation look professional. Choose AV aids that are appropriate for your audience. And make sure you know how they work.

f Make notes of the most important points. Make sure you speak to your audience -don't read to them. Practise giving your talk out loud and check how much time it takes. Ask a friend to listen and give you feedback.