Exercises

1. Answer the questions:

1. Why are meetings necessary? 2. What are they held for? 3. What is the difference between an organized meeting and a disorganized one? 4. What are meetings often seen as? 5. What are meetings in fact? On what condition? 6. What do the words “conducted effectively” mean? 7. What’s essential? What should the coordinator identify? In what way should the problems be arranged? Which items should be given priority? 8. What is the chairperson concerned with? 9. What should the chairperson give attention to? What skills should s/he use? 10. Why is it necessary to keep the discussion relevant to the items being discussed and to the overall purpose of the meeting? 11. What is not allowed for the participants at the meeting? What should the chairperson do after each item has been discussed? At the end of the meeting? 12. Who is responsible for contributions from the speakers? How should the chairperson make sure that everyone with a contribution to make makes it? 13. Why is a meeting to be always held on time? 14. What is the best way of getting a meeting going from the very beginning? How should questions be addressed? 15. Which is the most effective form of leadership? 16. Which is the best way of treating questions addressed to the chairperson? 17. When must disagreement be refused? What is the way of doing it? 18. What is essential if new ideas are to be generated? 19. How should the shy be encouraged? How should the over-talkative be treated? What is likely to be the best way of getting a full attendance at future meetings? 20. What does an agenda inform people about? How is it designed? 21. What can the chairperson of a meeting ensure by following an agenda closely? 22.What must any agenda include? 23. What may the agenda for a short in-house meeting list? 24. What kind of agenda may be broken into days and hours? What may this agenda include as well? 25. What is called “the minutes of a meeting”? 26. In which way do some companies keep the minutes of their meetings? 27. Who do most meetings rely on to record all events and decisions? 28. What are the rules for the most successful minutes keeping? 29. How should the minutes recorded at the meeting be transcribed? How many drafts should be completed? 30. Who must have a copy of the minutes? Where should a copy of the minutes be kept? 31. What was the purpose of the Welfare Committee meeting? 32. Who represents the men employees on the Committee? 33. Who represents the women working on the shop floor? Who speaks for the clerical staff? 34. Who is the Chairman of the Committee? 35. Which member of the Committee was unable to be present at the meeting? Why? 36. What items were there on the agenda? 37. Were there any additions or amendments to the agenda or was it adopted as it stood? 38. Who made the report on the first item? 39. What regulations as to procedure were adopted? 40. Did the majority or minority vote for the first motion? 41. What was the second item on the agenda? 42. Who made the report? 43. What kind of suggestion was made? Why was it made? Did all the employees second the suggestion? Who was against it? Why? 44. Why was the chairman forced to call the meeting to order? 45. What did the chairman suggest concerning the solution to the problem? 46. What was the A. O. B. part about? 47. What was Mr. Briggs’ opinion on the item? 48. Did Miss Prince agree with his point of view? What about Miss Tappett’s opinion? 49. How was the problem with the sports facilities solved? 50. Was any resolution worked out at the meeting? 51. What kind of resolution was drawn up later that day? 50. When will the resolution be adopted as a whole? 51. Are trade union meetings closed or public? 52. What was the purpose of the trade union meeting described in the text? 53. What kinds of delegates were present at the meeting? 54. How many nominees were there on the list? 55. What questions were they asked? 56. How was the secret ballot taken? 57. Who was elected shop steward?

2. Give Russian equivalents to the following:

Agenda; an item on the agenda; addition; amendment; agenda as it stands; to adopt an agenda; a chairperson; a speaker; regulations as to procedure; debate; to debate; a motion; to object to; to second a motion; to put a matter to the vote; to vote; by show of hands; to take ballot; to vote down a motion; minutes; matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting; overrule; a closing statement; the chair moves; resolution; to adjourn; to pass on to the next item; to abstain from voting; A. O. B.; carried; majority(simple, overwhelming); minority (strong, small, insignificant); to resume; a draft copy; wording; to delete; a roll-call vote; a delegate with full rights; an advisory vote; a meeting in camera; a private session; a brainstorming meeting; unanimously.