Vocabulary

travel/to travela tripa journeya voyagea tour/to toura schedule/time-tabletravel arrangements a visitora hosta visiting carda travel agent/agencyan itinerarytravelling expensesto go on business/a business trip

to be on business/a business trip a non-stop/direct flight

to manage an appointment a flight with connections

a car rental a registration/check-in for a flight

a collision damage waiver a boarding for a flight

a boot a runway

a spareto renta car to dropa car off a booking/reservationa booking form to fill a form into make/change a reservationto (re)confirm a reservationa single (ticket) to ...a return/round (ticket) to …a booking-office/ticket-officean inquiry office/information bureauto book/reserve a ticket/a seat/a roomto collect a ticketto return a ticket for a refunda portera barrow/truck/trolleyto take one’s luggage/baggage toa luggage box/space/van/racka luggage receipt/a claim checka luggage-label/-ticketa left-luggage room/officea cloak/check room/officeexcess weight/overweightunderweighta conveyer belta waiting hall/a lounge(on) a planea right-hand/left-hand lane a gangway/laddera (non-)smoking section/seata window seat an aisle seata take-off/to take offa landing/to make a landing(on) a shipa cabina portholea berth/bunkSeasickness(on) a trainan attendant/conductora restaurant car/dining-carto change trainsarrival/to arrive (in/at)departure/to depart (from)(in) a car/taxito pick a visitor up at an airport/stationto set offto check into check into a hotelto sign a registerto see a visitor off at an airport/stationa roundaboutan interchangean exita junction(a set of) traffic lights

UNIT 4

DESCRIBING VISUALS

THEORY

An effective presentation/report is impossible without visuals. Visuals help to:

- focus the attention of your audience;

- illustrate points which are hard to visualise;

- reinforce your main ideas;

- involve and motivate the audience.

1. The different types of lines in graphs:

__________________ a solid line

——————— a broken line

… … … … … … … … a dotted line

2. The names for the axes in a graph:

The x axis is also called the horizontal axis. The y axis is also called the vertical axis.

Note: axis(sn) — axes(pl)

3. The different types of visuals:

a. a graph (see 2)

b. a flow chart

c. a pie chart d. a Gantt chart

e. bar charts

a vertical bar chart

a horizontal bar chart

f. a table

GNP/GDP% change Average‘91–‘99 ’03forecast ’05forecast

FranceGermanyItalyJapanUKUSA 121108391723 283231252625 303028153235

g. a plan

PRODUCTION STORES INGOODS OUT

ADMINISTRATION CANTEEN PARKING

h. a diagram i. a drawing (illustration)

4. Referring to visuals.

It is most important to introduce and integrate your visuals smoothly. In order to refer to the visuals, used in a presentation/report, and explain what they show the following expressions will be of great assistance:

- Now let’s look at the position for …

- Now I’ll show you …

- Let’s move on now and look at the figures for …

- If we now turn to ... /Now turning to …

- This information/data is/are presented in …

- The pie chart above shows …

- The table below illustrates …

- The following plan reveals …

- This chart compares …

- The upper part of the slide gives information about …

- You can see here the development of …

- As (is) shown in …, ...

- As (can be) seen in ..., …

Note:

The As-clauses given above have no subjects.

Here are some useful expressions to focus the audience’s attention on particular features on a visual:

- (As) you/we can see …

- What is interesting/important is …

- I’d like to draw your attention to …

- Notice/observe …

- It is interesting/important to notice that …

5. Describing visuals.

While describing visuals certain verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs are used.

1. Upward movements.

Verbs Nouns

Transitive Intransitive

increase increase increase

raise rise rise

put/push/step up go/be up growth

grow extension

extend expansion

expand expand boom (dramatic rise)

boom boost

boost

ease/edge up ease/edge up

firm firm

surge

jump surge

rally jump

escalate rally

rocketsoarclimbcreep up escalation

2. Downward movements.

Verbs Nouns

Transitive Intransitive

1 2 3

decrease decrease decrease

fall fall

drop drop drop

put/push down go/be down

decline decline

cut(back) cut

curb curb(on)

scale down/back

trimreduceplungeslashease/edge down collapseslumpplungeplummetslip(back)ease/edge down trimreductioncollapse (dramatic fall)slump (dramatic fall)plungeslashslip

Note:

After a transitive verb a direct object must be put.

e. g.: We have raised our prices twice this year in line with inflation.

After an intransitive verb a direct object cannot be put.

e.g.: Our turnover rose last year, but our profits dropped.

3. Stability.

Verbs Nouns

Transitive Intransitive

keep/hold … stable/

constantmaintain … (at the same level) remain stable/constantstay stable/constantstand atremain level stability

4. Other useful verbs.

5. Describing activity, the degree and the speed of change, accuracy.

If there has been little or no movement we can say

e.g. The market has been morose (slack, sluggish, gloomy, stagnant, steady).

If there has been more activity

e.g.: The market has been active (buoyant, firm).

The degree of change

The speed of change

Note:

Remember that a noun is modified with an adjective and a verb with an adverb.

e.g.: There has been a slight increase in the value of the dollar.(degree)

Share prices fell rapidly on the London stock exchange yesterday. (speed)

The following are the adverbs determining accuracy: wholly, totally, completely, fully, absolutely, entirely, precisely, fairly, nearly, almost, approximately, roughly.

6. Concluding from visuals.

Visuals are used in presentations to support some idea/viewpoint or to facilitate drawing a conclusion/conclusions.

Looking at this chart we can conclude …

The tendency/trend/pattern revealed by this graph suggests that/ gives us grounds to predict that …

From this table we can predict …

What becomes clear/evident from this pie chart is ...

PRACTICE

Task 1. Below is the extract from a presentation by a member of the Human Resources Department of the large American electronics company, Switch Electronics, on maternity leave, child benefit and other benefits in France where they have already set up a plant. Complete it making use of the slides and the words from the box.

MATERNITY LEAVE

FRANCE SWITCH ELECTRONICS