Английскй учебник

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BUSINESS ENGLISH

Within the past decades the popularity of Business English has increased enormously. There is hardly a specialist who can function effectively if he doesn’t know English; there is hardly a company that doesn’t use English as the language of business communication. A large number of international companies have set up their representative offices in our country, offering new positions and challenging opportunities. But Business English is used not only by specialists on the job; ordinary people often find themselves in different situations when it’s almost impossible to do without Business English.

What is Business English? Traditionally Business English was referred to English for Specific Purposes together with English for Academic Purposes and English for Science and Technology. Within this classification Business English was naturally viewed as the language for trade and commerce. This traditional understanding of the word “business” was and still is reflected in modern dictionaries, which define it first of all as “the activity of buying and selling goods and services”.

However, life changes and attitudes do too. In the first place these changes have affected the meaning of the word “business”. Thus computer dictionary ABBY Lingvo defines “business” as any occupation, trade or activity, which is opposed to “doing nothing, being idle”. This last definition proves that Business English may have a very wide sphere of application and people may use it not only at work where they have to communicate with foreign colleagues, partners and customers but out of work as well. Being an active member of a society and living according to its laws we always get involved into various situations which require from us a good command of Business English. We meet with different people, apply for a job, book tickets, order and buy overseas goods through the Internet, get and transfer money, arrange trips, go abroad on business or just have a rest. It is almost impossible to cope with these situations if you don’t have at least elementary business communication skills.

Traditionally Business English is divided into General Business English and Professional Business English. General Business English may be used both by professionals and nonprofessionals in various contexts and circumstances. As a rule people speaking General Business English use common words and word combinations but in a new business context. There are a lot of examples when familiar words acquire new meanings when we start using them for business communication. Thus, “to run a company” means to manage a company, “to be short of time or money” means not to have enough time or money.

Phrasal verbs are also rather frequent in the language of business communication. It is very important to learn and understand their meaning not to get into embarrassing situations. For example phrasal verb “to look forward to” which is often used in business correspondence, means that you’ll be happy to receive a reply; the verb “to get through”, which appears in telephone talks, means to reach somebody by phone. Prepositions having both lexical and grammar functions play a rather important part in Business English. Failure to use a correct preposition may not only mislead your partner but ruin the act of communication. For example, we say “to advise on” when we ask our partner to give us advice on a subject he or she knows very well (He advises us on tax matters). If we say “to advise of” we will mean that we want to inform somebody about something. (We’ll advise you of any changes in delivery).

The sphere of application of Professional Business English is usually narrower than of General Business English as it is used only by professionals who work in a particular area. The main peculiarity that differentiates Professional Business English from General one is the use of terms. Thus people who work in finance will definitely come across such expressions as interest rates or cash flow which may not be clear enough to an ordinary person. Professional legal English known as “legalese” employs a lot of Latin borrowings (e.g. actus reus, mens rea) which are also considered to be terms. All these examples prove that it’s impossible to be fluent in Professional Business English without being an expert in the particular sphere.

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10., “Business English” . * '

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1.I have put your name down on the list.

2.They have decided to put off the meeting till next week.

3.He has to put up with a lot of unfair criticism.

4.Hello, this is Mark from Finance department. Could you put me through to the Sales department, please?

5.It’s difficult to get on with our new Boss; he is so bad-tempered.

6.These talks are useless, let’s get down to business.

7.I’ m looking forward to seeing you soon.

8.I’ve looked through your report; some important information is missing.

9.I can’t make out what you are talking about. Could you speak up, please?

10.The wonderful food in the restaurant made up for the uncomfortable seats.

11.- Will you tell your boss about your plans?

– Only if the subject comes up in the conversation.

12.Recently I’ve come across someone who has done an almost identical study, so I have to come to the decision: do I want to go on making research on this subject or shall I choose anything else?

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1.Frank: I thought you were at the presentation yesterday.

Ken: I was intending to go, but right at the last minute something urgent __________.

2.The other day I have _________ some shocking fact about government corruption.

3.As soon as I saw the manager of the project I knew we were not going to ________ well.

4.We have too many urgent things to do. If we want to meet the deadline, we have to

______________ business immediately.

5.Since I sent my CV to this company I have been ___________ their reply.

6.You don’t have to read the whole description, you may ________ it _______ to get the general idea.

7.I can’t _________ why my computer won’t save this document.

8.We are late, so we have to work hard to ___________ the lost time.

9.I think people won’t __________ this policy any longer. They will take some measures soon.

10.If you don’t know his extension number, call directly to the company he works for and ask to _______ you__________.

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UNIT 2. TYPES OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

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Business

English

Non-verbal

Communication Cross-cultural

Communication

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Types of Business Communication

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TEXT

In the business world, communication is the oil that keeps corporate machines running. It is the glue that holds small businesses together. Business is all about building and maintaining relationships with partners, employees, or customers. Everything from employee satisfaction to productivity and efficiency relies on good communication. In business there is hardly any room for errors in communication. A miscommunication at high levels of a company can make a huge loss. That is why it is important for everyone from top management to the lowliest employee to understand how to communicate his or her ideas, instructions and expressions with the utmost clarity. There are some types of communication that are used in business.

Oral communication is probably the most important form of communication in business. Information is passed on, feedback is received and relationships are formed using spoken words. Spoken communication often combines verbal communication and non-verbal communication, such as tone of voice, body language, etc. Sometimes the meaning of what someone says can change completely when a different tone of voice is adopted. In customer relations, especially, it is important to be aware that tone of voice, intonation, and body language play an important part in communicating. In customer service, the words must be accurate, clear, leaving no room for ambiguity and the tone of voice, body language, and intonation need to communicate confidence and understanding. Oral communication is divided into face-to-face communication and communication by phone.

According to the survey conducted among business professional face-to-face communication is considered to be the most important and essential type of communication in business. Face- to-face meetings build stronger, more meaningful business relationships. It is also easier to read body language and facial expressions and interpret non-verbal communication signals. Respondents agreed that face-to-face communication is best for persuasion, engagement, inspiration, decisionmaking, and reaching a consensus.

When face-to face communication is impossible the easiest and the most convenient way to contact your business partner is by phone. But as telephone communication lacks the visual element present in face-to-face communication, the auditory element becomes the principal conveyor of meaning. For this reason, effective telephone use requires greater attention to speaking clearly and listening attentively than in case of face-to-face communication.

Business writing is a critical aspect of how people can share information with each other in an efficient, professional manner. Formality is an important element of how business writing is conducted today. In fact, each document is considered to be a legal document, which you can always refer to. There are a few types of business writing that people may come across at work: emails, letters sent by post, faxes, memos, minutes, taken at the meetings, summaries, etc. People use business writing to ask for a job, to make inquiries, to order some goods, to make complaints, etc. The main feature of business writing that unites all forms (memos, emails, letters, documents, etc.) together is the style. No matter what kinds of documents you are writing, you have to be concise, clear, and to convey information in an effective way.

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In my opinion – #

I think (believe) – # (#)

I’m sure that … – 6 , …

1.Non-verbal communication doesn’t play an important part in doing business.

2.Oral communication often combines elements of verbal and non-verbal communication.

3.Communication by phone is the best way of decision-making and reaching a consensus.

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4.The auditory element becomes the principal conveyor of meaning when it comes to telephone conversations.

5.There are two main features of business writing: formality and special style.

6.People may use business writing only if they work in the office.

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1.To express concern

A Can I help?

B Tell me about it.

C What's the problem?

D I hope nothing is wrong.

2.To express sympathy

A You need help. B I'd like to help. C That's not so bad.

D I'm sorry to hear that.

3.To encourage

A Cheer up.

B Don't be worried. C Just keep on trying.

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1.To bargain

A It's quite expensive.

B Do you offer a discount? C Can you reduce the price?

.To refuse

A The prices are fixed. B I'm afraid I can't.

C It's a very good price.

D I'm giving you a fair price.

.To suggest

A What about this one? B This model is smaller. C Do you like this one?

D I think you will like this one.

UNIT 3. MAKING CONTACTS

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1.Do you have any strategies for starting conversations with people you see for the first time?

2.Do you think it is possible to learn the skills of keeping the conversation going?

3.Which topics do you consider to be safe for the first conversation?

4.Which topics will you try to avoid not insulting or offending your partner?

5.What is a small talk? Why do you think it is important in business communication?

2.. / -

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TEXT

SMALL TALK

WHO makes small talk?

People with many different relationships use small talk. Though we often teach children not to talk to strangers, adults are expected to say at least a few words in certain situations. It is also common for people who are only acquaintances to use small talk. Other people who have short casual conversations are office employees who may not be good friends but work in the same department. Customer service representatives, waitresses, hairdressers and receptionists often make small talk with customers. If you happen to be outside when the mailman comes to your door you might make small talk with him too.

WHAT do people make small talk about?

There are certain "safe" topics that people usually make small talk about. The weather is probably the number one thing that people who do not know each other well discuss. Another topic that is generally safe is current events. As long as you are not discussing a controversial issue, such as a recent law concerning equal rights, it is usually safe to discuss the news. Sports news is a very common topic, especially if a local team or player is in a tournament or play-off or doing extremely well or badly. Entertainment news, such as a celebrity who is in town, is another good topic. If there is something that you and the other speaker have in common, that may also be acceptable to talk about. There are also some subjects that are not considered acceptable when making small talk. Discussing personal information such as salaries or a recent divorce is not done between people who do not know each other well. Compliments on clothing or hair are acceptable; however, you should never say something (good or bad) about a person's body. Negative comments about another person not involved in the conversation are also not acceptable. Also, it is not safe to discuss subjects that society deems controversial such as religion or politics. Lastly, it is not wise to continue talking about an issue that the other person does not seem comfortable with or interested in.

WHERE do people make small talk?

People make small talk just about anywhere, but there are certain places where it is very common. Most often, small talk occurs in places where people are waiting for something. For example, you might chat with another person who is waiting for the bus to arrive, or to the person beside you waiting to get on an airplane. People also make small talk in a doctor's or dentist's waiting room, or in queues at the grocery store. At the office, people make small talk in elevators or lunchrooms and even in restrooms, especially if there is a line-up. Some social events (such as a party) require small talk among guests who do not know each other very well.

WHEN do people make small talk?

The most common time for small talk to occur is the first time you see or meet someone on a given day. For example, if you see a co-worker in the lounge you might say hello and discuss the sports or weather. However, the next time you see each other you might just smile and say nothing. If there is very little noise that might be an indication that it is the right time to initiate a casual conversation. You should only spark up a conversation after someone smiles and acknowledges you. Do not interrupt two people in order to discuss something unimportant such as the weather. If someone is reading a book or writing a letter at the bus stop it is not appropriate to initiate a conversation either. Another good time to make small talk is during a break in a meeting or presentation when there is nothing important going on.

WHY do people make small talk?

There are a few different reasons why people use small talk. The first, and most obvious, is to break an uncomfortable silence. Another reason, however, is simply to fill time. That is why it is so common to make small talk when you are waiting for something. Some people make small talk in order to be polite. You may not feel like chatting with anyone at a party, but it is rude to just sit

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in a corner by yourself. After someone introduces you to another person, you do not know anything about him or her, so in order to show a polite interest in getting to know him or her better, you have to start with some small talk.

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1.It is common to use small talk when you are waiting in a long line-up.

a)True

b)False

2.Religion is a "safe" topic when making small talk.

a)True

b)False

3.It is rude for both children and adults not to make small talk with strangers.

a)True

b)False

4.It is inappropriate to make small talk with your mailman.

a)True

b)False

5.Sport is not a safe topic when making small talk.

a)True

b)False

6.One should never compliment another person's clothes in order to make small talk.

a)True

b)False

7.Politics is a controversial subject according to society.

a)True

b)False

8.It is common to discuss the weather in an elevator.

a)True

b)False

9.It is rude to interrupt a conversation in order to make small talk.

a)True

b)False

10.One reason people use small talk is to eliminate an uncomfortable silence.

a)True

b)False

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Entertainmentinvolvefriendweatherconversationpresentationanythingeventemployeestranger airplanechatreligionoccurrudeletterappropriatefeelcornerreachofficesalary.

5., “small talk” .

1.Any communication process between individuals that is intended to reach a compromise or an agreement to the satisfaction of both parties.

2.A conversation, such as one conducted by a reporter, in which facts or statements are elicited from another.

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