Acquaintance

1. Introduce yourself to the people on either side of you like in a first meeting. How would you greet these people? What would you say? What would you do, e.g. shake hands, hug them?

• a friend see often

• a relative you haven’t seen for a while

• a visitor from another country

2. Match the pairs of sentences. Put the correct letters in the boxes.

1

2

3

4

5

1. How do you do.

2. How are you?

3. This is Anna.

4. Come in.

5. Can I help you?

1. Pleased to meet you.

2. Thank you.

3. Fine, thanks. And you?

4. Yes, please. How much is this?

5. How do you do.

3. “How do you do” is formal and now quite rare. It is being replaced by “Pleased/Nice to meet you”.

“How are you?” is not used for first meeting, only for greeting someone you already know.

Think of possible replies to these introductions. It is the first meeting.

1. Pleased to meet you. My name is Doktor Strauss.

2. Hello, my name’s Susan – Susan Atkins.

3. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.

4. Rita (R) is meeting a visitor (V) at the airport (Pic. 1). Match Rita’s sentences with the replies.

Pic. 1

1. Welcome to Russia.

2. Excuse me. Are you Mr. Miller?

3. Hello. Nice to meet you.

4. Let me help you with your luggage.

5. Is this your first visit to Russia?

6. Did your have a good flight?

7. 1. Yes, thank you.

   2. No, I was here last year.

   3. Thank you. It’s nice to be here.

   4. Yes, that’s right.

   5. Thank you.

   6. Nice to meet you, too.

5. Put the conversation in a logical order.

6. Work in pairs. Read the dialogue aloud. Take turns to be A and B.

7. Find and underline phrases in the dialogue that have a similar meaning to phrases 1 – 4 below.

1. How was your journey?

2. Pleased to meet you.

3. Have you been here before?

4. Can I give you a hand?

8. Victor Pavlov meets a client at the airport. Complete the conversation using these words: in call from trip a do way get bags abroad kind

Victor: Hello, I’m Victor Pavlov (0) from the Siberian Automobile and Highway Academy.

Susanne: Hello, my name’s Susanne Moore.

Victor: Did you have a good (1)……..?

Susanne: The flight was long but not too bad.

Victor: Can I help you with your (2)……..?

Susanne: Thanks? That’s very(3)……..?

Victor: Do you travel (4)…….. a lot, Susanne?

Susanne: No, about twice (5)……..year. How do we (6)……..to your office, Mr. Pavlov?

Victor: Oh, please (7)……..me Victor. We can get a taxi. This (8)……..!

Susanne: So, what do you (9)……..at the Academy, Victor?

Victor: I work (10)……..the information technology department.

9. Susanne is at the New Year party at the Academy. She’s talking to some students and teachers. Complete her responses using the sentences in the bubbles.

Hello, I’m Nicolay. Hello, I’m Susanne. Nice to meet you.

Have you been to Omsk before? No,…………

Have you met Natasha before? Yes,…………

How are you? Pretty good thanks………….

Would you like a cocktail? Yes, please………….

Thank you for coming today. Not at all………….

Hello, Susanne. Nice to see you again. Nice to see you too…………

10. In the dialogue below there are three people. The host knows both Student B and Student C and introduces them to each other. Practise a similar dialogue, using your real names and jobs.

Host: Student B, have you met Student C?

Student B: No, I don’t think so.

Host: I know Student C from school. We’ve done a lot of work together.

Student B: Really? Nice to meet you, Student C.

Student C: Nice to meet you too.

Student B: So, Student C, what faculty do you study at?

Student C: I study at the Automobile Transport Faculty. And you?

Student B: ______________________________________________________

11. Walk around. Introduce yourself to other people and introduce people to each other.

12. When a visitor comes to your office you introduce yourselves then make some ‘small talk’ to create a friendly atmosphere. Write replies to the questions below. Add an example of your own.

1. May I take your coat? Please, have a seat. – Oh, thanks.

2. Would you like a drink? - …………

3. White or black? - …………

4. Did you have any problems getting here? - …………

5. So, how was the weather in …? - …………

6. Is this your first visit to …? - …………

7. How long are you here for? - …………

8. ………………………………………...

13. Work with a new partner: decide who is the host and who is the visitor. The visitor has just arrived from his/her country and knocks on the host’s office door. Make small talk together and stop when the business discussion begins:

Host: Shall we get down to business?

Visitor: As you know, I’m here because ....

14. When you start a conversation try to reply in a way that develops the conversation.

1. How are you? – Fine thanks. And you? You’re looking well.

2. Nice to see you again. – Nice to see you too. How are you?

3. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? – Yes, I think we last met two years ago in Manila.

4. Nice weather today, isn’t it. – Yes, lovely. I hope it stays like this for the weekend.

5. Terrible weather isn’t it. – Yes, awful. I think it’s rained every day since I arrived.

6. That’s a nice shirt/blouse. – Thanks. I bought it from Harrods.

7. This coffee’s a bit weak. – Yes, it is. Not like the coffee you get in Italy.

8. Did you get that report I sent you? – Yes, I did, thanks. It was very useful.