English for Geographers

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4. You are seeing your colleague off. You are at the airport. Make up a dialogue using the following phrases:

5. Role-play: Walk around and introduce yourself to other people in the group.

Greet someone you know. Practise introducing people and saying goodbye.

Managing a conversation

1. Introducing a topic:

We very often use questions as an invitation to someone to develop a conversation. For example:

Did anyone see the film on television last night? Have you heard about the change in plan?

We can also make an obvious statement such as:

You’ll never guess what happened to me yesterday.

2. Changing a topic:

If you want to change the direction of a conversation you can say:

By the way, Jim phoned. While I think of it, Jim phoned.

While we’re on the subject of motivation, what kind of incentives do you offer?

3. Attentive listening:

When listening to another speaker, we usually react to what is being said by using various noises and expressions of encouragement and co-

If we don’t respond like this, we give the impression that we are not listening or are bored and the speaker may ask a question to check that we are following.

4. Echoing:

Another way of showing that you are listening is to repeat a key word or phrase from what the other speaker has just said. For example:

A:So, anyway, I said that I couldn’t possible accept 5 %.

B:Five per cent?

A:Yeah, 5 %, it’s just not enough.

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A:…and I was going to phone her before she got back from the

meeting.

B:Before she got back?

A:Yeah, because I needed a decision quickly.

5.Following the conversation:

If we are having difficulty understanding, it is appropriate to ask for repetition or clarification:

Sorry, I don’t quite follow you. What was that again?

What was that you said about…? I didn’t get that bit about…

6. Keeping going:

In conversation we need time to plan what we are going to say. In order not to hesitate too much and allow other people to intervene before we want them to, we use short expressions to gain thinking time:

If we cannot think of a precise word and want to avoid hesitation, we use

7. Ending a conversation:

The end of a conversation has to be “negotiated” so that no one is left talking:

“Well, I think that’s all for now. I’d better be going”. “Right. So, I’ll see you on Wednesday, then”.

“OK. Yeah, Wednesday. Well, I’ll let you get back to what you were doing”.

“Right. OK, Have a good trip”. “Thanks. Bye”.

“Bye”.

Practice

1.Learn the following dialogue:

-Is there anything I can do? I’d like to help in some way if I can.

-I can’t think of anything at the moment.

-Well, maybe I could run errands or something.

-You could if I needed something.

-I feel so useless just hanging around with nothing to do.

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-Don’t worry. In a couple of days there’ll be too much to do. Then you’ll want to be back in these lazy days.

-I guess I’m just a workaholic. I never was very good at doing nothing.

-Maybe you should learn how to relax and enjoy yourself more.

2.Read the dialogue and fill in the gaps:

-Is there anything I …… do? I’d like to … in some way if … can.

-I can’t think ……… anything at the moment.

-……… , maybe I could run ……… or something.

-You could ……… I needed something.

-I ……… so useless just hanging ……… with nothing to do.

-.… worry. In a couple ……… days there’ll be too ……… to do. Then you’ll ……… to be back in ……… lazy days.

-I guess ……… just a workaholic. I ……… was very good at ………

nothing.

-Maybe you should ……… how to relax and ……… yourself more.

Words and expression

-To run errands – to go on a short trip in order to do something for someone else or to deliver a message

-To hang around – waste time in idleness

-Lazy days – leisurely days

-Workaholic – person who seemingly is unable to stop working or who works to excess, avoiding rest and leisure

Conversation in Context

-Who are the speakers?

-Why does one of the speakers feel useless?

-What advice is given to one of the speakers?

Personal application

-Are you a workaholic? If not, do you know one?

-In what ways do you prefer to relax?

-Do you ever have to run errands?

3.Introduce a topic of conversation that will elicit these answers:

1.………………………………………………………………………

Yeah, she told me yesterday.

2.………………………………………………………………………

No, I didn’t, but I heard that it was very good.

3.………………………………………………………………………

No, I haven’t. What’s happening?

4.………………………………………………………………………

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No. What went wrong?

4.Unscramble these fragments of two conversations:

A:And if you book before the end of the month you get a 10 %

reduction.

B:Well, I thought there was something wrong with the system.

A:Yeah, that’ s what it said on the leaflet.

B:Something wrong?

A:Before the end of the month?

B:Yeah, but it was working in the morning.

5.Look at the way sort of and kind of are used in the following speech extracts. Match them with the approximate “translations” (a, b, c) below:

1. … and I think you know when some people are speaking English it’s kind of like having a hot potato in your mouth…

2. … and if you didn’t agree with him he got kind of angry.

3. … er, no, it doesn’t take that long to get authorisation, er, it’s only sort of three of four months, I think.

4. … and she didn’t like living there and had a kind of nervous breakdown.

5. … and Management by Objectives is a technique which has sort of gone out of date.

a. about b. it seems

c. in a way

Unit 2

Telephoning

Making contact

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(She) isn’t here.

Leaving a message

Can I take a message?

… leave a message?

Could you take a message?

Could you ask … her to call … Mike Burd? … tell him that … Duncan Ross called?

Could you spell your name, please?

What’s the number, please?

Practice

1. Work in pairs. Practise this telephone conversation. Then change roles and practise the conversation again:

Receptionist Caller

Answer the phone

Ask who’s calling

Ask the caller to hold the line.

Offer to take a message.

Repeat the message.

Say goodbye.

2.Learn the following dialogue:

-Was that the telephone ringing?

-I didn’t hear anything.

-I thought I heard it ring two or three times.

-Sometimes when windows are open, you can hear the neighbours’ phone.

-Well, I’m expecting an important phone call, and I don’t want to miss it.

-Is anything I should know about it?

-Not really. It has something to do with work and doesn’t affect us here at home.

-Well, why don’t you go ahead and do what you wanted to do outside. I’ll call you if the phone rings for you.

-Thanks. I think I will. I’ve been waiting so long now I’m getting nervous. I need to relax outdoors.

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3.Read the dialogue and fill in the gaps:

-Was that the telephone ……… ?

-I didn’t hear anything.

-……… thought I heard it ring ……… or three times.

-Sometimes ……… the windows are open, ……… can hear the neighbours’ ……… .

-Well, I’m expecting an ……… phone call, and I ……… want to miss it.

-……… it anything I should ……… about?

-Not really. It ……… something to do with ……… and doesn’t really affect ……… here at home.

-Well, ……… don’t you go ahead ……… do what you wanted

……… do outside. I’ll call ……… if the phone rings ……… you. -Thanks. I think I ……… . I’ve been waiting so ……… now I’m getting nervous. ……… need to relax outdoors.

Words and expressions

Go ahead –go onward, proceed

Outside – outdoors

Conversation in context

Are the speakers husband and wife?

Where does the conversation take place?

How does one speaker volunteer to help the other?

Why is one speaker nervous?

Personal application

Do you get nervous waiting for phone calls?

Where do you usually relax?

How important is the telephone in your country?

Unit 3

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Practice

1. Learn the following dialogue:

Dialogue 1

R – receptionist J – James

R: Good afternoon, can I help you?

J: Good afternoon. My name’s James Turner. I have an appointment with Richard Brown.

R: Oh, yes, Mr. Turner. Mr Brown is expecting you. Please take a seat and I’ll tell him you’re here… Mr Brown, I have Mr Turner in reception for you… OK. Mr Turner, Mr Brown will be with you in a moment.

2.James is in California on a visit. Read James’s conversation with the receptionist and answer the questions:

A. Who does James want to see? B. What does the receptionist ask him to do?

3.James is meeting Wayne Brown for the first time. Which of these topics do people often talk about when they meet professionally for the first time? Underline your choices:

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Dialogue 2

W – Wayne J – James

W: Hello, James! Welcome to California! It’s good to meet you. J: It’ s good to be here at last.

W: Did you have any problems finding us?

J: No. My friend gave me directions in London last week. I got a taxi

here.

W: Good. How was your flight?

J: There was a short delay in London, but the flight was fine. Fortunately, I slept on the plane, so I’m not very tired.

W: Glad to hear it. You’ve got a busy programme ahead. Let’s discuss it over lunch. I booked a table for one-thirty. Do you like Mexican food?

5.Read their conversation again. Tick the questions Wayne asks James:

1.How did you get here?

2.Did you have any problems finding us?

3.Did you have a good journey?

4.How was you flight?

5.What was the weather like in London?

6.Is this your first visit to California?

6.Which of the following do you think are important to make a good conversation?

Tick your choices and add suggestions:

To be good at conversation you need to:

1.listen carefully

2.give only “yes” or “no” answers

3.show interest and ask questions

4.both listen and talk

5.answer questions and add extra information

6.only ask questions if you are the host

7.………

8.………

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7. Here are some topics people often talk about in the first five minutes in a professional situation. Work in groups. Think of a few questions for each topic:

Conversation topics

8. Role-play. Work in pairs. One student is the host and the other student is the visitor. Choose from the topics in 5 and talk together for three minutes. Then change partners and roles.

Unit 4

Staying at a hotel

Booking a hotel

I’d like to book a single room for 4 April in your hotel

… double …

Arriving at a hotel

I have a reservation

What’s the charge for the room?

How much is this service?

How long are you planning to stay? I can offer you an outside room.

We can offer you a room facing the yard.

Making requests

Excuse me … (to get someone’s attention)

Could I have a room for two nights? – Certainly, sir. May I open the window? – Yes, of course.

Can I leave the meeting early? – I’m sorry, but … I’d like a room, please.

Could I have an early morning call, at 6.30? Could I have my bill, please?

Can I pay by credit card?

Could you confirm this in writing? – Yes, of course.

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Can you do that by tomorrow? – I’m afraid I can’t, because …

Practice

1.Learn the following dialogue:

-Why, Tom! What a nice surprise! What brings you out here?

-Oh, I had some time on my hands and thought I’d take a little drive in the country.

-And I wanted you to meet my friend, Richard.

-How do you do. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

-It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.

-Do come in, both of you. Can you stay for lunch?

-I’m afraid not. We want to see some other people this morning, so we can only stay for a few minutes.

-But you do have time for coffee, don’t you?

-That would be nice.

-Please, sit down while I go fix the coffee. I won’t be a minute.

2.Read the dialogue and fill in the gaps:

-Why, Tom! What a ……… surprise! What brings you ……… here?

-Oh, I had ……… time on my hands ……… thought I’d take a ...…. drive in the country. ……… , I wanted you to ……… my friend, Richard.

-How ……… you do. It’s a ……… to meet you.

-It’s ……… pleasure to meet you, ……… .

-Do come in, both ……… you. Can you stay ……… lunch?

-I’m afraid not. ……… want to see some ……… people this morning, so

……… can only stay for ……… few minutes.

-But you ……… have time for coffee, ……… you?

-That would be ……… .

-Please, sit down while ……… go fix the coffee. ……… won’t be a minute.

Words and expressions

-Time on my hands – leisure time; extra time

-Drive – short trip in an automobile

-Do come in – Please come in

-I’m afraid not – I don’t believe so.

-I won’t be a minute – I won’t delay long.

Conversation in Context

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