AELA_E1002_SESI_SG

1.2.5 Exercise

Complete the telephone conversation by using the given words. John: Hi Neville, it’s John.

Neville: Hello, John.

John: What (do) _____________? Are you busy?

Neville: Well, actually I (prepare) _____________

for the meeting this afternoon.

John: Me too! I (finish) _____________ my report for it now. I am also (update) _____________the contacts list for everyone at the meeting. Do you remember Radhika Sharma? (work) _____________

she still _____________for ABC International?

Neville: No. I think she (sell) _____________for Zenith International these days.

John: Do you have her number?

Neville: I don’t, but Karen’s here. Let me ask her. Hold on a moment. She (find) _____________ just

_____________ it now. Here it is. It’s a mobile number. It’s 0987...

John: Great. Thanks Neville! See you later.

1.3 Socialising with Colleagues

1.3.1 Exercise

Two former colleagues, Lisa and Jake, meet at a hotel lobby.

Complete their conversation using the given words. Lisa: Hi, Jake. How are you?

Jake: Lisa! Good to see you. What ____ (you/ doing) here?

1.4 Strong and Weak Stress

1.4.1 Placing Stress on Words

When speaking, we place strong stress on syllables or words which carry the main meaning or focus. Other words have weak stress. In Present Simple and Present Continuous questions, the auxiliary verbs and pronouns normally have weak stress. However, in short questions and reply questions we change the stress.

Example: ‘And you?’

Listen to these short dialogues. The stressed words are highlighted.

a.Where do you work?

b.I work in New York. And you?

a.What do you do?

b. I‘m an artist.

1.4.2 Class Activity

Work in pairs. Listen to the dialogues. Underline the words which have the main stress in the following short dialogues. Exchange your sheets with your partner and practise asking and answering questions.

A.How often do you travel abroad?

B.About twice a month. And you?

A.Do you know bungee jumping?

B.No, I don’t. Do you?

A.Are you ill?

B.Yes I am. I have high fever.

A.Did you have a good vacation?

B.Yes, I did. And you?

A.What are you watching?

B.The basket ball game; I’m a big fan.

1.5 Communicating at Your Workplace

You can create a dynamic conversation by asking a lot of questions or by showing interest when listening by using short phrases like ‘OK’, ‘Great’ and so on.

1.5.1 Class Activity

Work in pairs. Read the dialogue between Lisa and Jake in exercise 1.3.1. Identify different questions and short phrases you can use to create a dynamic conversation. Exchange your dialogues with your partner.

1.5.2 Class Activity

You meet a former colleague at a common friend’s wedding reception. Start and maintain a short conversation by asking the questions about the following. Make notes about yourself and prepare questions to ask your partner before you start talking. Try to make the conversation dynamic.

Profile:

Current place of work: Job responsibilities: Projects:

Current situation of the business sector: Family:

Weather:

UNIT

Business Organisations 02

Objectives

The learner will be able to:

Discuss about business organisations.

Contact and leave messages over the phone.

2.1 Business Organisations

Yuan is a journalist working with the local news agency. She has just concluded an interview with the chairman of a leading oil company.

2.1.1 Exercise

Match Yuan’s questions with the answers. Yuan did not get enough time and therefore she could not ask some of the questions from her list. Hence, there might be some questions that do not have any answers.

Questions:

1.Tell us something about your organisation?

2.What is your role in the company?

3.How large is your company?

4.Today, you are one of the most influential companies in the petroleum industry. How has this happened?

5.What are your organisation’s guiding principles?

6.What are the future plans of your organisation?

Responses:

a.Much of our success can be attributed to our ability to strike a balance between being a stateowned entity and a full-fledged commercial organisation. As a state-owned entity, we are

responsible for the effective management of our country’s oil and gas resources. As a business entity, we conduct our operations in a prudent manner to compete effectively in the global business environment.

b.We were incorporated in 1974. Since then we have grown exponentially to be ranked today among the FORTUNE Global 100® largest corporations in the world. Over the years, we have gained unique experience and expertise in nation building and this, coupled with our technical and operational competencies have allowed us to be increasingly accepted as the preferred strategic partner by international companies and the host countries where we operate.

c.With annual revenues of over 70 billion dollars and profits of 17 million dollars, we are considered to be one of the most profitable companies in Asia. Employing over 40 thousand employees, we have business interests in over 35 countries today. We are quite a large organisation!

d.We have shared values such as loyalty, integrity, professionalism and cohesiveness which are embedded in our culture as the backbone of our business conduct. This reflects our sense of duty and responsibility in upholding our commitment towards contributing to the well-being of people and nations wherever we operate.

2.1.2 Exercise

Read the responses from the previous interview and identify whether the following sentences are true or false about the organisation.

1.The company was incorporated in 1947. _________ (True/False)

2.It made profits of 70 billion dollars. _________ (True/False)

3.It is present in 35 countries. _________ (True/False)

4.It has around 70 thousand employees. _________ (True/False)

2.1.3 Exercise

Complete the blanks using the given words.

We are a business ________ in 1936. Having been in the pharmaceutical industry for over seven decades, we understand the importance of providing quality

________ to our ________.

________ in Germany, we are today present in over 50 countries ________. Our ________ is to make medicines easily accessible to our ________ by driving down ________

through optimisation in technology.

Today we are the ________ in the Medical Devices segment. Our Medevic ________ has been so successful that this year our annual ________ touched 200 Billion Dollars.

2.1.4 Exercise

Solve the following crossword: Across:

2Microsoft is a ______ leader in the operating systems space.

6Business contact details are on your business _______.

7The company was ______ in 1958.

8Market ______ is often measured as a percentage.

Down:

1 The Mac is an Apple ______.

3This company ______ staff.

4The company’s t_______ per annum is $150 billion.

5The income generated by a company.

6The ____ business is the primary business focus.

2.2Talking about Your Organisation

2.2.1 Class Activity

Talk about your organisation or any other organisation using at least 10 out of the following key words:

2.3 Contacting and Leaving Messages over the Phone

2.3.1 Conversation

Listen to the conversation.

John: Hello! This is John. How may I help you?

Jacob: Hi, this is Jacob here. I would like to speak to Mary Abbot please.

John: Mary is out of office right now. Can I take a message?

Jacob: Yes, please. Tell her to call me back as soon as she gets back.

John: Does she have your number? Jacob: Yes, she does.

2.3.2 Exercise

Listen to the phone conversation again and answer the following questions.

1.Who is making the call?

2.Who is taking the call?

3.Who does the caller want to talk to?

4.Does the caller get to speak to who he wanted to?

5.What does the caller finally do?

2.3.3 Exercise

1.Complete the message on the answering machine. The first letter of the word has been provided for you.

You have r______ the voicemail of Jackie Lee. Please l_____ am_______ after the tone and I will c____ you b_____ as soon as I can. Thank you!

2.Complete the following telephone conversation between Lydia and Peter. The first letter of the word has been provided for you.

Lydia: Hello! Lydia here. How may I help you? Peter: Hi, this is Peter. Can I s_____ to Lee please.

Lydia: Lee is out of office right now. Can I take a m_______?

Peter: Well I really needed to talk to someone from the marketing department. Is anyone else there?

Lydia: Richard is a_______. Can I put you t_______ to him? Peter: Yes, please.

Lydia: Please h_____ while I transfer the call to him.

3.Complete the message from a call centre. The first letter of the word has been provided for you.

Welcome to Beam Telecommunication. We are currently e______ a very busy period and all our operators are busy on other c____. Your call is important to us. Kindly h____ the line and an operator will be with you as soon as one becomes a________.

2.3.4 Class Activity

Enact the given scenarios with your partner. One person can play the role of the caller while the other answers the phone or plays the role of the automated response.

a.A person dials the telephone company’s customer care department and is kept on hold and is later asked to call back later.

b.A person dials his friend’s office. However the friend has gone out for lunch and so he leaves a message.

2.3.5 Opinion

What is the message that you would like to have on your personal answering machine?

UNIT

Visiting Places 03

Objectives

The learner will be able to:

Carry out a conversation to get information.Use phrases to talk about likes and dislikes.

3.1 Finding Your Way

Mei and Tony are from the US. They are in Dubai for the shopping festival.

3.1.1 Exercise

Choose the correct phrase according to the context of the conversation. Receptionist: Good evening! How may I help you?

Tony: _______________________. Receptionist: May I have your name, please? Tony: Tony Finley.

Receptionist: Your room preference Mr. Finley?