Dialogue

Ted — the manager of the purchasing department.

David — a student of economics and business.

David: Hello, Ted. How are you getting on?

Ted: Thanks, I’m fine and what about you?

David: Everything is all right. You know, I don’t know how to draft an order.

Ted: OK. I see. I have 10 minutes for you.

David: Last time I had a lot of problems. Could you help me?

Ted: Well, to make it clear, orders are simply the requests of one business organization for the goods or services, or both of another business organization. Orders may be either oral or written. Even when an order is oral it will usually be confirmed in writing at a later date.

David: Are there any rules that should be followed when preparing an order?

Ted: Sure, here are some of them. First, clearly state the exact quantity of the items you are ordering. Second, identify the catalogue number of the item. Third, list the catalogue price for the total price for the amount of goods ordered. Fourth, describe how the shipment is to be made.

David: Thank you for your information. It will be useful for me.

Ted: Not at all, David. I am always glad to help you.

Tasks Role play

Problem I

You are a manager of a firm. You want to make an appointment and have a business talk. Please, do it.

Problem II

You are a sales manager of «Sony» Company. Your firm sells high-quality TV-sets. You want to deliver TV sets. Discuss, please, the terms, the time and the guarantee period of delivery with representative of a big shop.

Problem III

You are a director of a shop. You don’t like the terms of delivery. Make an appointment to a sales manager and change the terms of the delivery.

8. ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES (GENERAL INFORMATION)

Great Britain and the USA (Geography)

Great Britain: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. It consists of 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England, Wales and Scotland occupy the territory of Great Britain. The western coast of GB is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. The population is over 57 million people. The capital of G.B. is London. The northern and western parts of the country are mountainous and are called the Highlands. All the rest: south, east and center are a vast plain, called the Lowlands. The mountains are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The most important of them are the Severn and the Thames. There are many beautiful lakes in Great Britain.

The weather in GB is very changeable. A fine morning can change into a wet afternoon and evening and the wrong side out. The best time of the year in GB is spring (of course, it rains in spring too). Summer months are rather cold and there can be a lot of rainy days.

The USA: There are fifty states in the United States of America. Two of these states, Alaska and Hawaii, are not connected to the other states. The USA covers an area of almost 9400000 square kilometres. The US are washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west, by the Atlantic Ocean in the east, by the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in the south. More than 250 million people live in the United States. The people of the United States are of different nationalities. The capital of the United States is Washington.

Great Britain and the USA (Education and Political System)

The USA: There are state public schools, private elementary schools and private secondary schools. Public schools are free and private schools are fee-paying.

Elementary education begins at the age of six or seven, when a child goes to the first grade (form). At the age of sixteen schoolchildren leave the elementary school and may continue their education at one of the secondary schools or high schools, as they call them. The programme of studies in the elementary school includes English, Arithmetic, Geography, History of the USA, Natural Sciences and, besides, Physical Training, Singing, Drawing, Wood or Metal Work, etc. Sometimes they learn a foreign language and general history. Beside giving general education some high schools teach subjects useful to those who hope to find jobs in industry and agriculture or who want to enter colleges or universities. After graduating from secondary schools a number of Americans go on to higher education. The students do not take the same courses. During the first two years they follow a basic programme. After the first two years every student can select subjects according to his professional interest. Students must pay a tuition fee. This creates a financial hardship for some people. Many students have to work to pay their expenses.

Great Britain: Schooling for children is compulsary from 5 to 16. The state school system is usually divided into 2 stages (primary and secondary).The majority of primary schools are subdivided into infant schools (ages 5 to 7), and junior schools (ages 7 to11). In junior schools pupils were often placed in A,B,C or D-streams, according to their abilities.

There are several types of schools in G.B. Grammar schools (For children who have the best results. They give pupils a high level of academic education which can lead to the university).Technical Schools offer a general education and serve those pupils who are more mechanically minded. Secondary modern schools were formed to provide a non-academic education for children of lesser attainment. The curriculum includes more practical subjects.

There are more than 60 universities in G.B. The leading universities are Cambridge, Oxford and London.

The USA: The USA is governed by Congress and by the President. Congress consists of the Senate (100 senators — 2 from each state) and the House of Representatives (435 Congressmen). The President, who is also the head of the government and the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces, is elected every four years.

Great Britain: The United Kingdom is a monarchy and the Queen is the head of the state. But in practice it is ruled by the government with a Parliament at the head.

Holidays

There is a number of holidays which are celebrated every year. Here are some of them.

The 1st of January is New Year's Day. People do not go to bed until after midnight on December 31. They like to see “the old year out and the new year in”. Many people give parties on New Year's Eve. (G.B., the USA)

In March there is Mother's Day. All the children and adults, come to their mothers on that day to express their love and gratitude. (G.B.,the USA)

In April there is Easter. At Easter children eat chocolate Easter eggs. Sometimes parents hide them in the house or in the garden and children have to look for them. (G.B.)

In June there is Father's Day. On Father's Day children give or send their fathers and grandfathers cards and presents. (G.B.)

Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) is dedicated to those who fought in the War of Independence, in World War I or in World War II. (The USA)

The 4th of July is Independence Day. It is the biggest national holiday in the USA. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, when the American colonies were fighting for independence against England. (The USA)

On the 31st of October there is a Halloween. They say ghosts and witches come out on Halloween. People make lanterns out of pumpkins. Some people have Halloween parties and dress as witches and ghosts. (G.B.)

On the 11th of November there is Veteran's Day. It is I dedicated to those who fell in the two World Wars. (The USA)

Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November. In the autumn of 1621, the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated their first harvest festival in America and called it Thanksgiving Day. Since that time it has been celebrated every year. On this day there is a tradition to give food to the poor. (The USA)

Christmas is an annual festival, held on December 25, to celebrate the Nativity, or birth of Christ. People put Christmas trees in their houses and decorate them. There are beautiful Christmas decorations in the streets. On Christmas Eve everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Father Christmas puts presents into the stockings which children usually hang above their beds. The traditional Christmas meal is roasted turkey and Christmas pudding. People usually stay at home in Christmas time, and spend the day with their families. (G.B., the USA)

Saint Valentine's Day, a holiday honouring lovers, is celebrated on February 14. There is a custom of sending greeting cards or gifts to express affection. The cards, known as valentines, are often designed with hearts to symbolise love. (G.B., the USA)

1. ABBREVIATIONS

Abbreviation	Meaning	Example
ACC/ACCOM	Accommodation	PLS ARR HOTEL ACCOM IN CITY CENTRE
ADD	Addition/Additional	IN ADD PLS QUOTE FOR 200 PIECES
ADV	Advise	WILL TLX TOMORROW N ADV ETA
ARR	Arrive/Arriving	ARR LARNACA JUN2
ARR/ARRNG	Arrange /Arrangement/ Arranging	TNKS FOR ARRNG THE ITINERARY
APPROX	Approximate/ Approximately	CASES WILL BE APPROX 1M2M2M
ASAP	As soon as possible	PLS CFM ASAP
ATTN	Attention	ATTN MR JORGE URIBE
BFOR	Before	PLS REPLY BFOR TUESDAY
CLDU	Could you	CLD U FWD DOCS TO MILAN OFFICE
CFM	Confirm	PLS CFM THESE PRICES
CHNG	Change	PLS CHNG HOTEL RESERVATION
DEL	Deliver/Delivery	DEL WAS2 DAYS LATE
DEP	Departs/Departure	TRAIN DEP GARE DU NORD 14.25
DLY	Delay	RGT DLY IN REPLYING
DOCS	Documents	PLS FWD DOCS SOONEST
ETA	Estimated time of arrival	ETA IS12.30
FAO	For the attention of	FAO MR ANDREW TIFFANY
FLGT	Flight	FLGT DEP14.05
FWD	Forward (Send)	PLS FWD SAMPLES ASAP
INFO	Information	NEED MORE INFO BFOR WE CAN SUPPLY
INV	Invoice	RE YR INV NO24016
L/C	Letter of Credit	SENDING L/C TO BARCLAYS BANK
LST	Last	RE OUR MTG LST WK
LTR	Letter	RE YR LTR DATED JAN 9
MAX	Maximum	3000 IS MAX WE CAN SUPPLY
MIN	Minimum	THIS IS OUR MIN PRICE
MTG	Meeting	PLS CANCEL MTG
N	And	PLS SEND 2 QUOTES — ONE CIF N ONE FOB
NO	Number	REF NO29681
NXT	Next	SEE U NXT WK
OK	I agree/Agreement	CANNOT ORDER WITHOUT YOUR OK
OK?	Is this OK?	SEE U 3.30 FRIDAY, MILTON HOUSE, OK?
ORD	Order	REF YR ORD NO846
OURLET	Our letter	RE OURLET DATED NOV12
OURTECON	Our telephone call	RE OURTELCON YESTERDAY
PLS	Please	PLS RPLY SOONEST
POSS	Possible	ARRG MTG FOR FRIDAY IF POSS
RE/REF	About/Reference	RE YR TLX DATED JAN 16
REC	Received	REC YOUR QUOTATION. MANY TNKS
RGDS	Regards	BEST REGARDS
RGRT	Regret	RGRT MUST CANCEL OUR MTG
RPLY	Reply	PLS RPLY BY RETURN TLX
SOONEST	As soon as possible	PLS RPLY SOONEST
THKS-TNKS	Thanks	TNKS FOR THE SAMPLES
TLX	Telex	PLS TLX BY RETURN
U	You	CLD BOOK TICKETS
UR	Your	TNKS FOR UR HELP
VST	Visit	RE TRAINEES STUDY VST TO LISBON
WK	Week	ARR NXT WK
WLDU	Would you	WLDUPOSTPONE APPOINTMENT
YR	Your	TNKS FOR YR HELP