Effective Presentations = Эффективные презентации. Практикум

Exercise 29. Fill in the missing words or phrases in the following ending.

So, …………, we’ve ………… the reasons why we need to improve our capacity, the three ways we could do this and their cost implications and, …………, it seems to me that the best solution to our problem is the third option — that of finding partners. Thank you for ………… and if you ………… further questions, I’d ………… to try and ………… them.

2.6. Questions14

Handling the session

Okay, could we start with the question from the gentleman/lady at the back. Yes, you.

[Interruptingsomeone]Sorry,firstcouldwejusthearfromthiswoman/ man at the front.

Do you mind just repeating the question because I don’t think the people at the back heard you.

I think we have time for just one more question.

Paraphrasing the question

If I’ve understand your question correctly, you’re saying … . So, what you’re asking is … .

Well, the question is … . Is that right?

Let me just check that I’ve understood your question. You’re asking … .

Getting the questioner to rephrase

Sorry. I’m not quite with you. Could you repeat that? I’m afraid I don’t quite see what you mean.

What to say when you don’t understand a question from the

audience

Sorry, could you repeat the question more slowly please? Sorry, could you speak up please?

14 Comfort J. Effective Presentations. — Oxford University Press, 2000; Goodale M. Professional Presentations. A video-based course. — Cambridge University Press, 1998.

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Sorry, I didn’t hear the first/last part of your question.

Sorry, I still don’t understand — would you mind asking me the question again in the break?

Postponing an answer

I’ll be dealing with that a little later on, so if you don’t mind I’d rather answer the question then.

I’ll be coming to that, so if you don’t mind

I won’t answer your question straightaway. But I won’t forget.

Answering questions — by admitting ignorance

I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that one. Perhaps someone here can help us out?

I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to that, but what I will do is find out and send (give) you an answer before the end of the week.

Answering questions — by saying you are not the right person to ask

I’m afraid that’s not my field, but I’m sure Mr. White will be able to answer you.

I’m afraid I don’t have that information, but I can ask our Sales department to send you the details.

Avoiding difficult questions

I’m not familiar with the details regarding that question. I can’t give you an exact answer on that, I am afraid.

That’s a very interesting question and my answer is simply I really don’t know!

That’s a good question and I wish I had a ready answer, but I am afraid

Idon’t.

Iam sorry but I am not in a position to comment on that.

Commenting on audience questions

I know exactly what you mean but the thing is … .

I take your point but in my experience I have found that … .

You’re quite right and it is something that I am actually working on now.

Coming back to the point

Sorry, perhaps I’m not making myself clear.

Let me put it another way.

What I was trying to say was … .

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Exercises

Exercise 30. Choose a possible answer from the list of answers for the situations. There is not always time to think of a ″perfect″ answer while you are giving your presentation. This list provides you with a few basic phrases to use in these situations.

Situations.

Amember of the audience:

1. asks a question about something you are going to be dealing with later in your presentation

2. asks a very long and unclear question that you just can’t understand 3. starts by saying: ″I have three questions…″

4. asks a question that requires a very long and complicated answer

5.doesn’t ask a question, but strongly disagrees with you

6.asks a question that has nothing to do with the subject of your presentation

7. doesn’t ask a question, but expresses his view which agrees with yours.

List of answers

a. I’m sorry, I don’t quite see what you mean.

b. I think everyone’s had a chance to hear my view and your views, so we’ll just have to agree to differ.

c.That’s quite a difficult question to answer briefly. Perhaps we, and anyone else who’s interested, could discuss that after my presentation.

d.Well, thank you for your comment.

e.I’ll be coming to that, so if you don’t mind I won’t answer your questions straightaway.

f.Sorry to interrupt, but could I take one question at a time? Thank you.

g.That’s not really the subject of my presentation today, but I’ll be happy to talk to you about that after we’re finished here.

Exercise31.Placethefivequestions/commentsintoeitherCategory

Aor B.

A.Requests for further information or a clarification.

B.Traps, attacks, or a way of getting the or spotlight, of saying ″I’m here and I know a lot about this too″.

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1.I’m sorry I’m not quite clear about what you mean by … ?

2.The problem of finance was not mentioned in your presentation and I was wondering why. It seems to me to be of the utmost importance. Would you care to say something about it?

3.I found your comments on … most interesting and I was wondering if you could elaborate on them.

4.I don’t agree with your conclusions about … . When I studied this problem, I found that … .

5.I would just like to say that whenever I have come across this sort of problem, I have always followed.

6.Drucker’s advice, which is very similar to yours in many ways. It has always worked for me. Do you agree with his theory?

Exercise32.Therhetoricalquestionsbelowcanbeusedindifferent situations. Complete each of them using the following pairs of words:

1.For the fifth year running we’ve managed to increase sales volume. So, … did we … it?

2.The opportunities in Eastern Europe are better now than they’ve ever been.

So, … are we … for?

3.We’ve lost ground to the Swedes both Scandinavia and at home. So, … do we … from here?

4.We’ve spent the best part of a year ploughing money back into R&D.

So, … can we expect to start … results?

5.This is the third time we’ve launched a new product, only to have to withdraw it within the first six months.

So, … do we have to go on … the same mistakes?

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Part 3. SKILLS FOCUS

3.1. Vocabulary Exercises

Task 1. Make a checklist of points you should remember.

•for beginning your presentation

•about Language to use in a presentation

•about VisualAids

•about Body Language

•about Ending a presentation

•about the question time of a presentation

Task 2.Think of any questions the audience could ask.Write these questions and practice answering these questions.

Task 3. Change this text into more natural spoken English. Start like this: I’d like to talk today about…

Introduction

This subject of this paper is a cost-benefit analysis of introducing job sharing. The aim is to provide the necessary information for a decision to be made within the next two months. The subject will be looked at under the following headings: financial implications, working practices, and social effects.

Financial implications

A detailed study of personnel and associated costs has been carried out. From a payroll point of view, 10 % of staff choosing to l.

Job share will mean no actual increase in direct salary costs. However, there will be additional costs incurred in the administration of sales.

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Task 4. Change these texts into more natural spoken English. Then practice giving these short extracts from two presentations.

1. Customer type

This paper will analyze a broad range of customer types within the retail sector. The objective is to identify the buying habits of major customer groups in order for making campaigns to be better targeted in the future. The subject will be broken down into descriptions of the major customer types, their buying habits, and available marketing tools.

Major types

A detailed analysis of customer buying our products has been carried out. The following three types have been identified. The first is aged between 45 and 60, normally women who shop during the week and have relatively low spending power. The second is aged between 30 and 45 and is also mainly women: this group was found to shop during the lunch hour and at weekends. They were principally interested in product availability; price was less important. The final group is made up of young people between the ages of 15 and 20, who have low spending power but who are extremely fashion conscious.

2. Company training policy in the EU

This paper will attempt to provide a detailed explanation of current human resources development programmes in companies throughout the EU, in which the training needs of members of staff in a variety of industries, at all levels from secretarial up to senior mana­ gement, are constantly being assessed, and appropriate action will be recommended.Researchshowsthattrainingprogrammesareprovided in a wide range of skill areas, directly related to the profes­sional­ requirements of the individuals concerned. These fall into four very broad and interrelated categories: language training, personal deve­ lopment, technical training, and development of management skills.

Language training

Language training is an increasingly important aspect of human resources development; it is also a highly popular choice for many employees who see it as means by which they can significantly

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improve prospects. In an increasingly competitive international environment, corporate personnel at most levels, no matter what their mother tongue, are finding that the acquisition of operational capacity in a second language is a significant advantage, not only in fulfilling their current role, but also in enhancing their value to their employer, and thereby securing their future with that company.

3. The impact of the time of the day on performance

The subject concerns the impact of the time of the day on the performance of office staff.Astudy has been carried out using closedcircuit video to monitor performance over a complete working day from 08.00 to 18.00.The results of this study will be presented in three time periods: morning from 08.00 to 11.00, midday from 11.00 to 14.00, and afternoon from 14.00 to 18.00. This will be followed by some conclusions and recommendations.

Morning (08.00–11.00)

It was found that this was the most productive part of the day for 55 % of the staff, for 35 % there was no discernible difference between this time and the afternoons, and for 10 % there was a markedly poorer performance for this first part of the day. Attention span in particular seemed to be longer, and the majority of the staff were less likely to seek distractions.

4.Air pollution and health

This paper will deal with the increasing problem of air pollution, and its effect on the health of people living and working in densely populated urban areas. It will focus in particular on danger to health of tiny airborne particles, produced principally by diesel-engined vehicles. Recent studies carried out in a number of European cities have revealed that the concentration of particles in urban air pollution is not only much higher than previously thought, but may also be a crucial factor in the rise in the number of lung problems in cities with high levels of smog.

Types of pollutants

A recent report by the Department of Environmental Medicine at a leading British University demonstrated that the number of airborne

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particles in even relatively ״clean״ air is far higher than previously estimated. The data comes from extensive studies of PM10s, particles which are less than 10 micrometres in diameter and which are emitted by diesel engines. These particles are highly acidic, and are able to penetrate into buildings where they persist for long periods of time. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that PM10s in high concentrations may be responsible for as many as 10,000 deaths in the UK each year, particularly among people already suffering from heart andlungdisorders.InsomecitiesintheEuropeanUnion,concentrations of PM10s have reached levels in excess of 100,000 parts per milliliter of air.

Task 5. Read the following information and do the task.

Pretex, a light manufacturing company employing 850 staff, has decided to change its manufacturing and operational structure. There are currently nine levels of management between the Managing Director and the shopfloor workers. The company proposes to reduce this to four levels, and to change from production line operations to work cells.

Task:

Look at the arguments for and against the proposed changes. Choose one set of arguments, and prepare to put them across. First, do this strongly, with the use of suitable expressions and body language to emphasize your points. Then, do it tentatively, using suitable expressions and body language to minimize your arguments and recognize different points of view.

For

•Employees will feel alienated from top management.

•Fewer levels mean decisions can be made more quickly.

•Employees can feel more involved in decision making.

•Work cells inspire teamwork, are more motivating and provide more variety.

Against

• Some more traditional managers may find it difficult to adjust.

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