2. Доброе утро, господа. Очень рад видеть вас в нашем офисе.

Позвольте мне рассказать вам о нашей фирме. Как вы знаете, мы производим технологическое оборудование. Наша фирма состоит из : отделов: производственный, торговый, экспортный, отдел кадров и отдел научно-исследовательских работ. Последний из них самый новый. Он был создан пять лет назад.

Наше руководство – это собрание акционеров и совет директоров. Ранее президентом фирмы был один из старших компаньонов, а теперь это, как вам известно, м-р Сандерс.

На фирме занято около 1600 человек. Наш оборот составляет более 500 млн фунтов. Мы экспортируем оборудование в 7 стран мира. Кроме того, у нас есть две дочерние фирмы в Голландии и Германии. Каждая из них имеет свое собственное название. Мы также ищем новых партнеров в Восточной Европе, поскольку мы хотели бы расширить сферу нашей деятельности.

Вот и все, что я хотел рассказать вам о нашей фирме. Благодарю за внимание. Если есть какие-либо вопросы, я охотно отвечу на них.

DISCUSSION

Task 1. Hold the round-table discussion ‘An Effective Presentation’. Dwell upon the following points:

1. Preparing a presentation: objectives, information (collecting, selecting, grouping, sequencing, linking).

7. The organization of the information: structure, content, level.

3. The delivery of the information: the speaker’s image, audience features, linguistic techniques, non- linguistic techniques, technical support.

4. The use of the language: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, fluency, speed.

5. The follow-up: questions, results.

Task 2. Discuss the following questions with your groupmates. Then read the extracts in which six business people are giving advice about presentation techniques. Match each extract with one of the questions. Do your answers to the questions coincide with the ones given in the extracts?

1. What is the purpose of any presentation?

2. What percentage of the success of a presentation is due to preparation?

3. What do you need to know about your audience?

4. If the content is good, the presentation will certainly go well. To what extent is this true?

5. What methods can you use to structure your presentation and to show this structure to your audience?

6. How can you avoid a presentation being a platform to show off how much you know about a certain subject?

a. “Most presentations would be so much better if they were prepared more thoroughly. You know, about 95% of how well your presentation goes is determined before you even start.”

b. “I think it’s extremely important to adapt the style of your presentation to your audience. You need to know not only why they’re there, but what knowledge they have, what they expect, how old they are, even what race they are. For example, in some countries it’s not so much the presentation in itself that counts, but what impression you make as a person.”

c. “It’s not a bad idea to have some kind of a route map which shows how you’re going to progress through the presentation and you can keep referring to that to show the audience where you’re up to. This will also help you to clarify your ideas while you’re actually preparing the presentation. And don’t be afraid to keep on summarizing what you’ve said. People tend to remember things better if they’ve been repeated a few times, though of course try to do this from different angles.”

d. “A common fault is to see a presentation merely as a means of disseminating information. What you’ve got to do is to gear people into acting on what you’ve said, on the message you’ve given them.ц e. ф I get to hear a lot of presentations. And frankly the majority of them I’d like to walk out of. The thing is it’s not the content that’s necessarily bad, but the way it’s delivered. If people spent as much time learning how to use their voice, their intonation, how to stress certain words, as they do in preparing their visuals, they’d give a whole lot better presentations.ц f. фA fundamental rule is to tell the audience what they need to know, not everything that you know.”

Task 3. Read the following paragraph and discuss the questions that follow.

Psychologists have plotted how the audience’s attention varies during a presentation. During a forty-minute presentation: it starts high, drops shallowly for the first ten minutes, then steeply until it reaches its lowest point after about thirty minutes, then it starts to rise steeply and is high again for the last five minutes.

1. What are the implications of the attention fluctuations?

2. How can you gain the audience’s immediate attention? Is a joke a good idea?

3. How can you keep the audience’s attention throughout?

Task 4. a) You are going to give a short presentation in English. What do you think will be most difficult? Discuss with your partner.

1 Finding enough time to prepare?

2 Putting your points in order?

3 Speaking clearly – with good pronunciation?

4 Speaking accurately – with no mistakes?

5 Speaking fluently – without hesitating?

6 Handling questions from the audience?

b) Choose a subject for your presentation from this list.

Why my company is better than our competitors.

The biggest problem facing my company at the moment.

What my company must do to stay competitive in the future.

c) Now prepare what you are going to say. You can only speak for a few minutes so you must be brief.

1. What is your message? Write down the key point you want to get across. Use a maximum of ten words.

2. Now make notes on what you plan to say. Don’t write sentences. Just write key words.

d) Give your presentation to your groupmates and answer their questions.

e) Evaluate your mini-presentation and give yourself a grade from A (excellent) to E (poor) for the following.

-Structure and organisation

-Pronunciation

-Grammatical accuracy

-Fluency

Task 5. Work in small groups, with each group member choosing a different role at the company, and brainstorm your ideas for a new leather product for Snark PLC to develop. Choose your best idea and work out the details of its design, target market, marketing, production etc., inventing any information you wish. Each group member should give part of the presentation.

Task 6. Choose or invent a company in one of the following product categories: food, sports goods, fashion, electrical products, health and beauty. As sales manager of that company, make a presentation to your sales force on the latest additions to your product range. Your presentation should cover the main features of each new product and emphasise their selling points. Your may invent any information you wish.

Task 7. As a member of the human resources department of a large multinational, you visit universities/ colleges making presentations to students on your company and the job opportunities it offers graduates. Choose or invent a company to represent. You may invent any information you wish. If you have time, you might like to contact the company’s PR depertment and ask for a copy of their annual report. This will give you a lot of information about the company’s main areas of business, financial performance, product range, future prospects etc., and provide you with some useful visual aids.

Task 8. Listen to each other’s presentations from Tasks 5, 6 and 7 and make notes as you listen. Now use the following chart to provide constructive feedback on each presentation.

Aspects Points to consider Grade (1-5)

Planning evidence of careful preparation

Objectives clarity, appropriacy to audience/subject

Content extent, relevance, appropriacy, subjectknowledge, research

Approach message support and reinforcement,variety, humour

Organisation coherence, clarity, appropriacy

Visual aids appropriacy, clarity, handling

Delivery pace, enthusiasm, rapport/eye contact,intonation, confidence, body language

Language clarity, accuracy, fluency, appropriacy,pronunciation, signalling

Overall clarity of message, achievement of objectives,Interesting?enjoyable?informative?motivating?

Grade scale: 1 = unacceptable 2=poor 3=average 4=good 5=excellent (i.e. could not do better in the time available)

VOCABULARY

a speaker/presenter/transmitter attention fluctuations

a keynote speaker to signpost a presentation

an informative presentation to go over/run through

a persuasive presentation to move on to/ to turn to

visual aids/ visuals to relate the subject to

a pointer to reinforce a point

an overhead projector (OHT) to emphasise/highlight a (key) point

a whiteboard overhead transparency (OHT) to outline weaknesses/benefits/options

a felt-pen to refer smb to a handout

a slide projector to give a handout

podium to evade/ clarify/ handle a question

a handout/ handouts to disseminate informationto to welcome everyone

signposting/route-mapping to prepare visuals

a breakdown at such short notice

bar chart/ pie chart/ flipchart table/ figure/ graph

to provide constructive feedback to brainstorm your ideas

state/ outline a purpose

to involve/ persuade the audience

to build convincing arguments

to analyse the prospects

to review the performance

to invite questions

to introduce the subject of the presentation

UNIT 6

HOLDING NEGOTIATIONS/MEETINGS

THEORY

The essential elements of a negotiation/meeting are:

Elements Negotiation Meeting

1. Purpose Coming to an agreement, drawing up and signing a contract - problem-solving - idea-generating - training

2. Agenda Without the list of items (points) any negotiation/meeting will quickly go out of control and is most unlikely to be effective or efficient.

3. Members - the hosts- the visitors - the chairperson- the secretary- other participants

4. Result the contract signed the resolutions carried

5. Report the minutes the minutes

1. Opening a negotiation/ meeting.

At the beginning of a negotiation/meeting it is important for both sides/everyone to agree on the overall objectives and procedure. This will ensure that nothing is forgotten or left out, and that both sides/everyone have/has a clear idea of the agenda.

I. The presiding person opens a negotiation/meeting by welcoming:

Well, ladies and gentlemen,

I think we should start/get started/begin.

Perhaps we’d better get started/get down to business.

Right then, I think it’s about time we got started/going.

Right then, I think we should begin.

O.K., let’s begin/get going, shall we?

Shall we start?

II. The next stage is stating the purpose/objectives:

We are here today to consider firstly ... Secondly ... thirdly ...

The objective/purpose of the negotiation/meeting is to ...

I’ve called this meeting firstly to ... and secondly to ...

I’d like to reach ... decision on ... today.

The main objective of our negotiation/meeting is ...

1. Body.

The participants of the negotiation/meeting discuss the questions in the agenda, offer suggestions for solving them, accept or reject them.

I. Keeping the negotiation/meeting moving:

Would you like to open/begin the discussion?

Let’s look at the possible courses of action.

Shall we continue then?

Let’s move/pass on to ...

Let’s keep to the immediate subject which is ...

We’ve already discussed that.

Let’s not do over it again.

Let’s not jump too far ahead at this stage.

My own feeling is ...

Would you like to comment … ?

Sorry to interrupt you but I’d like to know if the others agree.

II. Asking for and giving opinions:

a. Asking for opinions.

Expressions to get someone’s opinions can be directed specifically at one person or they can be directed at a group of people in general.

To one person To a group of people

What are your views/feelings on/about … ?What do/would you think … ?What is your point of view/opinion … ?Perhaps you’d like to explain/tell us/give us ... Any reactions to that? Has anybody any strong feeling about/views on that? What’s the general view on/feeling about that? Has anybody any comments to make?

We can ask for opinions in a forceful(strong), neutral or tactful way.

Forceful Neutral Tactful

Do you really think that … ?Are you absolutely sure … ?Don’t you believe that … ? Do you think that … ?Do you believe/consider that … ? Am I right in thinking that … ?Would I be right in thinking that … ?

b. Giving opinions.

During the negotiation/meeting a number of people give opinions about the subject being discussed. An opinion can be expressed in a strong way, in a neutral way or tentatively (with some hesitation or reservation).

Strong Neutral Tentative

I’m sure/positive that ... I think/believe/consider/feel that ... It seems to me that ...

I’m convinced that …I feel quite sure that ... As I see it … The way I see it is that ... I’m inclined to think … My inclinations would be to ...

It’s perfectly clear to me that ...I strongly believe that ...I have absolutely no doubt that ... From ... point of view ...To my mind … In my opinion ... I tend to think ... I tend to favour the view that ...

III. Agreeing and disagreeing.

Agreeing with someone Agreeing to something

1. Agreement Strong:I fully/totally agree ... I completely/absolutely agree with you about/on ... I’m in total agreement with you ... Yes, definitely. Exactly! Precisely.Neutral:I agree with ...You’re right there. I think you are right. Strong:I totally accept that ... I fully agree to that ... I’m all in favour of ... Yes, definitely.Exactly!Precisely. Neutral: I support ... I agree to .... That’s true/right.

2. Partial agreement I agree with you up to a point/to a certain extent but ... I’d agree with you, but ... You may have something there, but ... You could/may be right, but ... I suppose you are right but ... Maybe, but ... I agree to that up to a point/to a certain extent ... I’d accept that, but ... That could/may be so, but ... That may/might be right, but ... I see your point but ...

3. Disagreement Strong: I completely/absolutely disagree with you ... On the contrary ... Of course not. Neutral: (I’m afraid) I can’t agree with you ... I don’t agree/disagree ... I think you are wrong ... Strong: I fully/totally disagree to that ... That’s out of the question. That’s ridiculous. Neutral: (I’m afraid) I can’t accept that ... I don’t accept that ... That’s not how I see it. I wouldn’t say that.

IV. Balancing advantages and disadvantages.

When the members of the meeting are prepared to listen to other opinion, they try to look at both sides of the problem balancing advantages and disadvantages.

On the one hand (part), the project would be very profitable. On the other hand, it would be bad for our image.

The research project is very interesting from a scientific point of view. However we wouldn’t be able to fund it.

V. Pointing out consequences.

Most of the speakers support their opinions by showing the consequences of different choices.

Taking the government project will create (entail) extra security problems. (certain consequence)

The Ministry of Defense project may lead to problems in the public relations field. (possible consequence)

VI. Advising and suggesting.

1. Suggestions involving the speaker Shall we }Why don’t we } discuss this now? Let’s }I suggest we }We should } vote on this point now.We ought to }

2. Suggestions to another person Why don’t you } get some outside advice?How about } doing a random study? I suggest you } survey the market. (I think) you should } – – . " I (would) advise you } to approach a reputableagency. It’s advisable } – – . " I (would) recommend} you to accept his offer.

3. Reported suggestion The consultant advised us } to review the operations. He recommended } that we (should) list our strengths He suggested } and weaknesses.

2. Summarizing and concluding.

I. Summarizing.

Before closing the negotiation/meeting the presiding person summarizes the main points.

So, we’ve discussed the problem of ... . And the decision we’ve reached is …

So, to summarize, there seem to be three main problems …

I think we’ve covered the three ways of ... . We’ve now got to decide on the best one.

Let’s summarize what we’ve decided so far ...

II. Concluding.

After summarizing the main points of the discussion the presiding person tries to come to a conclusion.

So, if there are no more objections I suggest …

If everyone is in favour I suggest …

If everyone is in agreement I propose …

Then I recommend that ... Do you all agree that … ?

III. Bringing the negotiation/meeting to an end.

Here the presiding person checks if everything has been covered and closes the negotiation/meeting.

Is there anything else we ought to consider now?

Right, if no one has anything else to add then we can draw the meeting to a close.

Does anyone have anything else to add … ? Right, then I think we can end the meeting at this point.

So, if that’s everything then we can stop here.

I’d like us to think about this after the meeting.

WRITING MINUTES

The careful recording of a meeting, i.e. the writing of minutes, is an essential part of a meeting though it involves time and expense even after the meeting has ended. There are no strict rules in writing minutes. Minutes may be written in detail or in brief depending on the anticipated readership. But the main elements are always the same (sometimes some of them are omitted):

1. Where and when a meeting took place;

2. Present, i.e. the names of the participants;

3. Apologies, i.e. the names of those absent;

4. Subject;

5. Minutes of the previous meeting;

6. Items on the agenda: the discussion held, the motions made, the resolutions carried (Proposer; Seconder; the results of the vote);

7. Any Other Business (AOB);

8. Date of the next meeting.

When writing the minutes of a meeting it is good practice to use a variety of verbs of speaking.

Minutes of the meeting held at the Head Office of Architech Consult on 7/2/03.

Present: Richard Harris (Chairperson) – RH

Amanda Bell (Chief Designer) – AB

Donald McGregor (Human Relations) – DM

Jonathon Coe (Accountant) – JC

Wendy Adam (Designer) – WA

Apologies: Peter Thornborough

Subject: Abidjan design project

The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed.

1. RH opened the meeting and underlined the importance of reaching a decision on the project.

2. Each person in attendance was invited to state his/her position concerning the feasibility of the work in Abidjan.

3. AB (the initiator of the project) pointed out that it would be a major contract and explained that it should be accepted for the following reasons:

the company would be able to expand into new areas;

it would enhance the company’s reputation;

it would broaden the expertise of the company’s specialists;

it would open up new international markets.

4. JC agreed that the project was viable for the following reasons:

the bankers were favourable and ready to provide finance;

raw materials were cheap and plentiful;

local labour was inexpensive;

the level of risk was within acceptable limits.

He claimed that estimates from local sub-contractors indicated that profit margins would be high.

5. DM stated that there would be difficulties in controlling the project from a distance. Staff would have to spend considerable time abroad supervising progress on site. He also mentioned the problems they had encountered with a similar venture in Togo.

6. WA outlined her reasons for opposing the scheme. In her view it had not been thought through sufficiently by the client. She emphasized that further research was needed before going ahead.

7. RH closed the meeting and announced that he would make the final decision himself after due consideration of the issues.

PRACTICE

Task 1. Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right.

1. AOB (ny other business)2. to adjourna3. agenda 4. casting vote5. consensus 6. to convene 7. minutes 8. motion 9. proxy a. a proxy vote is made on behalf of someone else (if permission has been obtained)b. the written record of a meetingc. permission to act on someone else’s behalfd. a list of points or items for discussione. items not originally include

10. power of attorney d on the agendaf. if there is a deadlock, e.g. three for and three against a motion, the chairperson may vote to ensure that a decision is madeg. to call a meetingh. general agreement on a subjecti. a proposal to be discussed and voted onj. to stop a meeting for a short period of time

Task 2. Complete the paragraph below using the words and phrases from T.1

Before the chairperson 1) ... a meeting he/she should circulate an 2) ... so that everyone knows what items are to be discussed. At the beginning of the meeting the 3) ... of the previous meeting are confirmed. Then those present discuss each 4) ... on the 5) ... and try to reach a 6) ... view. If an issue is important a vote may be taken; those absent may have given 7) ... to someone present and can therefore vote by 8) ... . In the event of a 9) ... the chairperson may record a 10) ... so that a decision is made.

Task 3. Here is an agenda for a visit to a chemical manufacturer, Oxwell Laboratories.

10.00 Welcome

10.15 Introduction: Presentation of Oxwell by Robin T. Robins, Vice President

10.45 Video: The Chemical Industry Market

11.15 Discussion

11.45 Tour of Plant led by Joanna P. Tarrant, Vice President, Production

13.00 Lunch

At the beginning of the meeting Sonny R. Spencer, Manager, Human Resources, introduces this programme. Fill in the spaces with appropriate verbs of senses.

“Welcome to Oxwell. Now I’d like to outline the programme for the morning. We’re going to 1) ... a presentation by our Vice President, Robin Robins. Then we’ll 2) ... a video about the chemical industry market. Then we’ll have an opportunity to talk about the video. After that at about 11.45 Joanna Tarrant will take us to 3) ... the plant. You’ll be able to 4) ... the production process in action. Then we’ll have lunch and I promise you’ll be able to 5) ... some local specialities.”

Task 4. Look at the internal memo concerning the discussions before the negotiations to fix an advertising contract. Use the verbs from the box to complete the spaces in the text.

take on clarify reach resolve tell agree discuss want be

MEMO

To: TR DATE: 14 May

FROM: SA RE: Advertising contract negotiations

It is going 1) ... difficult 2) … an agreement with Emmy over the advertising material. Their principal negotiator, Stella Ragione, appears 3) ... a large downpayment on the signature of a contract – probably near 50 per cent. We plan 4) ... her that this is impossible. We are happy 5) ... the possibility of an advance but personally I believe it would be a mistake 6) ... to anything above 20 per cent. 7) ... our position immediately could save our time. I suggest we inform Miss Ragione of our views on the matter. We should also make it clear that Morreille Partnership (Marseilles) are happy 8) ... the project and their reputation for high standards is as good as Emmy’s. We need 9) ... this very soon as time is short.

Task 5. Read the transcript of the talks at which the terms of payment and the date of delivery are discussed and answer the questions that follow.

Those present at the talks:

1. Mr. James Cramer (Mr. C), Import Department Manager (Canadian side)

2. Mr. Andrew Drown (Mr. D), Import Department Deputy Manager (C. Side)

3. Mr. Simon Garrington (Mr. G), Senior engineer (C. Side)

4. Mr. Mikhail Balashov (Mr. B), Sales Manager (Belarusian side)

5. Mr. Semen Antonov (Mr. A), Sales Manager Deputy (B. Side)

6. Mr. Leonid Petrov (Mr. P), Senior engineer (B. side)

Mr. C: Good morning, everybody.

All those present: Good morning.

Mr. C: Take your seats, please. Are all of you all right?

Mr. B: Yes, quite. What about you, Mr. Cramer?

Mr. C: I’m fine, thank you. Shall we carry on with our talks?

Mr. A: Yes. I suppose the terms of payment come next, or the date of delivery.

Mr. C: Shall we start with the date of delivery?

Mr. B: Suit yourself. When do you require the equipment?

Mr. C: The sooner, the better. To be more exact – in the first quarter of the year

Mr. A: That will be a bit difficult. Will you take part deliveries?

Mr. D: Yes, it’s all right with us.

Mr. A: What do you say to 4 shipments at the rate of 25 items each?

Mr. G: When could we expect the 1st consignment then?

Mr. B: Would you be satisfied to have it within the 2nd half of January?

Mr. G: What about the balance of the order?

Mr. B: We could ship the rest at the rate of one consignment per month.

Mr. C: Do you mean we’ll get the last consignment in April?

Mr. B: Exactly.

Mr. C: It’s a bit too late. We need the lot by the end of March at the latest. We have obligations to our regular customers, you know.

Mr. B: Let’s leave the matter open until tomorrow. I’ll be in touch with the plant tonight. Perhaps we’ll manage to complete deliveries in March.

Mr. C: That suits us. Shall we pass on to the terms of payment or would you like to have coffee or tea first?

Mr. B: Oh, that’s a good idea. Let’s have a break, shall we?

Mr. C: OK, let’s. (after a half an hour’s interval)

Mr. C: Here we are again. Shall we continue then?

Mr. A: Yes, let us not beat about the bush and take the bull by the horns. We want you to pay for the 1st shipment in advance and for the balance of the order ...

Mr. C: Just a minute, Mr. Antonov, not so fast, not so fast.

Mr. A: Are you against advance payment?

Mr. D: I didn’t say that. Are you going to grant us credit?

Mr. B: If you mean effecting payment by drafts, yes.

Mr. D: When will they fall due? I mean what kind of drafts will you draw on us?

Mr. B: We’ll draw on you two or three months’ drafts. Does that suit you?

Mr. C: We’d prefer drafts at 90 or more days.

Mr. B: You’re welcome. But you didn’t say anything about advance payment.

Mr. C: Argument is not worthwhile, is it?

Mr. B: Yes, it is not. But you are not going to lose anything, Mr. Cramer. The advance is only 10% of the total value and we’ll be giving you a Letter of Guarantee issued by the Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs to the effect that the advance money will be refunded in case of any failure on our part.

Mr. G: Will that be a separate document apart from the contract itself?

Mr. A: No, it’ll be an integral part of the contract in the form of its appendix.

Mr. G: That’s good.

Mr. B: Shall we consider the terms of payment settled then?

Mr. C: I think so. That was the last but not the least point for the today’s discussion, wasn’t it? And it is lunch time already. Could I invite you all to our canteen? It’s not bad at all, I can assure you ...

Questions:

1. Why do you think Mr. Cramer prefers to start the talks with the time of delivery?

2. Why doesn’t April delivery suit the Canadian side?

3. What terms of payment are being discussed?

4. What kind of drafts do the Canadian businessmen expect their Belarusian counterparts to draw on them and why?

5. Why will a Letter of Guarantee be given to them?

Task 6. Find English equivalents for the phrases in T.5.

Остальная часть заказа; пожалуйста (поступайте, как считаете нужным); поставить первую партию товара; нам нужна вся партия (объем, количество) не позднее конца марта; обязательства по отношению к постоянным клиентам; отложить решение вопроса до; частичная поставка; ходить вокруг да около; брать быка за рога; авансовый платеж; подлежать оплате; тратты со сроком платежа в 90 дней; спорить ведь не имеет смысла; о том, что; составная часть контракта; несоблюдение условий контракта с нашей стороны.

Task 7. Put the following phrases from negotiations in the correct order. The first phrase is shown.

I.

1: Yes, that’s a good idea. And while we’re on that subject, I’d also like to talk about delivery costs. Does it fit in with your plans?

2: Certainly.

3: Fine. We’ll make that the third item then.

4: Right. Well, what’s most important for us is the question of quality control, so I think we should start by discussing that. Would you go along with that?

5: We’d then like to talk about delivery schedules. Does that sound OK?

6: OK. So we could spend the first half hour on that topic. Is that OK with you?

7: Could we now agree on the order in which we want to talk about things? (1)

8: That’s fine with us.

9: Yes, indeed. We’ve just introduced new quality control procedures, so that’s very relevant.

II.

1: We could then move on to a presentation of our family of aircraft and our range of customer services. Does that sound OK?

2: Certainly.

3: Yes, it suits us perfectly.

4: Certainly. We were thinking of taking you to visit our production and test facilities tomorrow. Does that seem acceptable to you?

5: Good. We seem to have broad agreement on objectives. Could we now agree on the order in which to talk about things? (1)

6: Well, I think we should start by looking at your situation and your needs. Would you go along with that?

7: Yes, indeed. We’d also be very interested in visiting your factory at an early stage of the proceedings, if possible.

8: Yes, that’s fine. We’d be happy to start with that.

III.

1: Sorry, I’d just like to go over those locations again. You said Italy, Spain, Britain and Ireland.

2: That’s right.

3: That’s correct. At present the production of this plant is relatively low, but we have plans for major investment and expansion.

4: Right, I see. And then, as I recall, you said you’re also interested in finding a second supplier for the American market, but that is of lesser importance as you already have an American supplier with whom you are quite satisfied.

5: Maybe at this stage you could tell me a bit more about Italchimica. (1)

6: Good, well I think we should be able to help you. As you probably know, we’re one of the largest producers of titanium dioxide in Europe. We’re also the most geographically diverse, with plants in the UK, Holland and Spain, as well as Italy. We’ve recently purchased a small producer in Ohio so we’ll soon be in a position to service the US market too.

7: I see. Well, this seems very promising.

8: Sure. Perhaps I could just recap on your main points first and then I can tell you how I think Italchimica might be able to help you.

9: Experience, yes, but even more important is the question of access to suppliers.

10:No, not Ireland. Holland. The plant is just outside Rotterdam.

11:Fine – good idea.

12:Yeah, that’s the situation.

13:Ah, right. And you’ve just bought a plant in Ohio?

14: ... and our main interest is in finding a supplier of titanium dioxide who has experience of the European market.

15: So, as I understand it, H M Griggs is planning an expansion into Europe, partly through acquisitions …

IV.

1: Can I just move onto another question? What emphasis do you place on quality in relation to price?

2: Around 1,000 tonnes in total from a number of suppliers.

3: Roughly what percentage of your annual requirement is for premium coffee?

4: Yes, of course.

5: I see. When you say a number of suppliers, do you mean a fixed number of regular suppliers?

6: It depends on which target group we’re aiming at. Quality is our top priority if we’re buying for the premium coffee market.

7: Can I just ask you about your buying policy? (1)

8: In the region of 10 per cent.

9: Roughly how much coffee do you buy per year?

10: No, but there are some which we do use regularly.

V.

1: In that case, I’d propose guaranteed orders worth ‡250,000 over two years. How does that sound to you?

2: We couldn’t possibly guarantee that much in the first year, but we’d be prepared to guarantee minimum orders worth ‡200,000 in the first two years.

3: OK, we’ll agree to ‡275,000 of guaranteed orders in the first two years provided that you allow our quality control engineers to inspect the new equipment when it’s been installed.

4: Look at it from our point of view. You’re asking us to invest nearly half a million Irish pounds in new production equipment and training in order to meet your specifications. We’d only be prepared to spend that kind of money if you guaranteed us orders worth around ‡200,000 in the first year. (1)

5: Yes, I think we could go along with that.

6: I’m afraid that wouldn’t make our investment worthwhile. However, if you’re prepared to negotiate on the basis of two years’ guaranteed orders, I may be able to get the Board to agree to the investment.

7: If you increased that to ‡275,000, I think we’d have a deal.

VI.

1: Good. So, there are a couple of outstanding points. The question of the Irish contribution to the training programme remains to be clarified. In order to do this, we’ll set up a meeting for you with the representatives of the government training authority, so that by our next meeting, you’ll have worked out the joint programme and we’ll then be able to make a final offer on the training grant.

2: Fine. So, we’ll discuss the questions of training, recruitment and also the trade union in greater detail at our next meeting on the third of February. Have I covered everything?

3: Yes, we’re very satisfied with the results of that negotiation.

4: Yes, that seems to be all.

5: Perhaps I could just summarise our conclusions so far. You’ve agreed to purchase a factory building of 3,000 sq m in the freeport area and to employ 500 people in this factory starting in October of the next year. (1)

6: Yes, that seems like a good idea. Thank you.

7: That’s correct, yes.

8: Yes, that would be very helpful. One other thing – we haven’t talked in any detail about recruitment so far. Can you offer any help with that?

9: Well, in that case, let’s go and have a drink together before lunch.

10: Fine. And from our side, we’ve agreed to give you a capital grant of 45 per cent towards the purchase of the factory. As we agreed, we’ll take care of the infrastructure, and the factory will be fully serviced with telecommunications, electricity, water and so on. We’re also pleased to note that you’ve reached a separate agreement with Irish Electrical Systems for the supply of components.

11: That’s a good point. I could also arrange a meeting for you with the staff at the Regional Technical College where young technicians are trained. In fact, it might be a good idea if you had a talk with them before you met the government training experts. Shall I arrange that?

Task 8. The following is a part of a discussion about the procedures followed by air traffic controllers. The opinions are expressed very strongly and asked for very forcefully. Change the discussion using the weaker and more tactful forms given in brackets.

Arne: Are you absolutely convinced that the job is done badly? (Think)

Bob: I’m sure that the procedures are regularly contravened. (Inclined)

Arne: Do you mean to say our controllers do not follow standard procedures? (Consider)

Bob: I’m convinced they don’t. (Tend)

Chris: I definitely think this is most serious. (See)

Delia: I really feel that accidents can be caused by not following the ICAO guidelines. (Opinion)

Bob: I have absolutely no doubt that that is true. (feel) Look at Tenerife. I’m sure that the disaster occurred there because the rules were broken. (View)

Task 9. A group of three editors working for a publishing company has a meeting. They are discussing two possible designs for the cover of an economics textbook. The discussion is as follows. Step 1 and Step 2 are described in detail with the examples of what Chris and Karin say. You should produce Steps 3-5.

1.Chris asks Karin for her opinion.

Chris: Am I right in thinking that you prefer the second design, Karin?

2. Karin answers explaining that she strongly prefers the second version.

Karin: I really do think that, yes. It’s much clearer – I strongly prefer the more minimalist design. I really believe that the title is clearer and I have absolutely no doubts that the author’s name doesn’t need to be so big. I definitely think that the illustrations look better than all these formulae and graphs. I’m positive that the tints are better too – you can read the title easily, the printing is very good.

3. Chris asks for Jean’s opinion.

4. Jean argues (neutrally and weakly) for the first design mentioning the following points:

it is stronger;

the title is clearer;

the author’s name is very important;

the formulae and graphs say more about what is in the book;

the tints are better.

5. Finally Chris argues (neutrally and weakly) for the second design claiming:

agrees with Karin;

the author’s name is not so important;

the illustrations are clearer than the formulae and graphs;

he prefers the tints in the second design and the characters in the title are clear enough;

easier to read.

Task 10. Match the phrase on the left with an acceptable continuation from the list on the right.

1. You may be right up to a point.2. I can’t agree with you.3. I’m in complete agreement.4. I agree with the first part of what you say. 5. I agree with most of your analysis. a. There’s just one detail I would question.b. But I can’t agree with your conclusion.c. But we need to consider another question too.d. I see it totally differently.e. As you say, there is clearly no alter native.

Task 11. Provide responses to the following statements using the prompts given and then select the best ending from the choices given in the list on the right.

e.g.: The price of oil is too high. (disagree strongly) / It’s a price arrived at by market forces.

I can’t go along with that. It’s a price arrived at by market forces.

1. If a major producer decides to leave OPEC it has a severe impact on world oil markets. (Agree)2. In the short term demand for oil will remain stable but in the long term it should recover. (Partially agree) 3. A large fall – to below $10 a barrel – is unthinkable. (Disagree) 4. A stable price between $25 and $30 is fine. (Agree)5. Political factors have a huge impact. (Agree) a. It’s a comfortable price for both producer and consumer.b. Many countries use their oil power to extract advantages in other respects.c. However, it’s always difficult to make long-term forecasts.d. In fact any departure has quite an effect.e. The price has fallen to below this figure in the past.

Task 12. Match the first part of the sentence on the left with an acceptable continuation from the list on the right inserting an appropriate verb. Follow the prompts.

e.g.: If rates are down again /we ... look at new investments. (certain consequence) If rates are down again, we can look at new investments.

1. If we do our own research project,2. If we concentrate all our energies in that direction,3. We can’t concentrate all our attention on this contract,4. If there is a change in the company policy, a. not only ... it result in a lot of extra work but it ... also give us bad image. (certain consequence)b. it ... give rise to new strikes. (possible consequence) c. it ... cause financial problems. (possible consequence) d. we ... not have either resources or money to pursue our own projects. (certain consequence)

5. If the checks continue, e. we ... have to be prepared for unimpressive profits. (certain consequence)

Task 13. Each sentence below contains a mistake. Correct the sentences.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10. He suggested me to go to Kiev as soon as possible.How about to have a meeting next month?I recommend you give a brief overview.Why we don’t stop now and continue tomorrow?We should to think about this in more detail.It is suggested to improve fire precautions.I suggest to commission an independent report. How is about reviewing the company’s operation?First you ought look at your current staffing needs. I advise you file a patent application immediately.

Task 14. Chairing a meeting or a discussion may involve advising and making a lot of suggestions. Use the prompts below to write suitable sentences for chairing a discussion.

1. Everyone has arrived and everyone is talking. It’s 10 a.m., time to start the meeting. What do you say?

2. You want to start with Item 1, Research and Development Update. What do you say?

3. You know that Michelle has a report on this. Ask her to start.

4. Henri asks a question – but there is no time to answer it now. You know that another person, Joelle, could help him. What do you say to him?

5. The meeting decides that more money is needed to sponsor research into a new type of security camera. You know that a sister company is involved in some related research. Recommend contacting them.

6. It’s 11.30 a.m. Time for coffee. What do you say?

7. During the coffee break a colleague, Karen, has a good idea. Suggest that she tell the meeting about it when you start again.

8. The meeting restarts. Recently an outside consultant has reported that a small team of three specialists should be set up to investigate ways to improve the image on night-time photography. Report his suggestion.

9. Suggest that John should write a letter to the Chicago Institute of the Visual Image.

10. Suggest ending the meeting and having another one in four weeks.

WRITING MINUTES

Task 1. These are the minutes of a meeting. Some parts have been left out. Choosing from the words in the box complete the minutes.

Minutes of the last meeting Present subcommittee

Any Other Business Seconder chairperson

Proposer Action Members

Date of the next meeting Apologies chaired

(1) ... : Mr. Jones (chairperson) Ms Perkins Ms Carson

Mr. Smith Ms Trueman (secretary)

(2) ... : Ms Green and Mr. Brown were unable to attend and sent their apologies

(3) ... : No business remained from the last meeting

Membership of the Committee

It was agreed that the Production Manager should be invited to become a member of this Committee.

Proposer: Ms Perkins

(4) ... : Mr. Smith

Carried unanimously

2004: Development of European markets

A (5) ... is to be set up to consider the ways in which the company can meet the challenge. (6) ... should be drawn from the Sales, Publicity and Marketing departments; Mr. Jones will be the (7) ... of this.

Other developments

After some discussion it was agreed that Ms Perkins should look into the possibilities of moving some manufacturing operations to Kenya.

(8) ... : Mr. Jones

Seconder: Ms Carson

Carried unanimously

Next year’s promotional budget

The heads of the Design, Promotion, Sales and Marketing departments are to form a committee to work on this. The committee will be (9) а by Mr. Jones and he will notify the people concerned.

(10) ... : Mr. Jones

(11) .... : Since there was nothing further, the meeting was adjourned.

(12) ... : The next meeting will be held on 6 March.

Task 2. The following is a transcript of what was said at a meeting. Read it through and then complete the minutes appropriately.

John Morton: Now the first item on the agenda is the projected sales of our Newlook line on the UK market. Jennifer, could you tell us what you think?

Jennifer Adams: Well, everybody I’ve spoken to feels the whole Newlook range is market-tired and needs a whole new marketing approach. What do you think?

Lucy Poole: I agree. Take the Gem mixer, most people consider it to be out of date. In my opinion we should launch a fully integrated food processor which can function as a juice extractor, slicer, sauce maker and so on.

Peter Moss: Good idea.

John Morton: Yes, I think so too. And I recommend we package the whole thing attractively and advertise it heavily in women’s magazines and so on. But first of all, we should test it out on the market to judge consumer reaction.

Jennifer Adams: Who by?

John Morton: Oh, the Starspot agency is reliable.

Jennifer Adams: OK, so I’ll produce a package design before the end of the month and I’ll present a full report to the MD of what we’ve discussed when he gets back from Germany.

Jennifer Adams presented reactions to the Newlook line. In general 1) ... that the range was market-tired and a new 2) ... .

In particular, the Gem mixer 3) ... . After some discussion 4) а that a fully integrated food processor 5) ... .

6) а that the equipment 7) а and 8) а in women’s magazines after appropriate test marketing.

9) а that this 10) а by Starspot. Finally, a new package design 11) а by the end of June. A full report 12) а on his return from Germany.

Task 3. This is the transcript of the meeting held to discuss the possible purchase of a piece of land on which to build a warehouse. Write suitable minutes for circulation to all concerned.

Mr. Todd: Well, thank you ladies and gentlemen for being able to attend this meeting at such short notice. Unfortunately, Alison Moore couldn’t make it because she’s still in Taiwan.

I’m sure we all appreciate that we need to come to an agreement on this matter as soon as possible. Perhaps you could start, Charles, by reminding us of the options open to us.

Mr. Green: Yes, we’ve investigated four sites in all and the p osition now is that we’ve narrowed down the number of the suitable sites to two, one near Burnsley, the other near Whitly. The others were either too small or too expensive. Both the Burnsley and the Whitly sites are very similar in surface area though the price of the Whitly site is considerably lower.

Mr. Marsh: Well, that is probably because the Whitly site is not so advantageous as far as communications are concerned. In my opinion, access to rail and road routes is too restricted to make it a viable choice.

Mrs. Grant: I’m sorry but I think that the Burnsley site is out of the question. I’ve actually visited the place myself and the amount of work that would be needed before construction would make it even more expensive. It needs levelling and compacting, it’s not enclosed and the surface is unstable.

Mr. Green: Are you sure? I thought it could be resurfaced quite easily.

Mrs. Grant: Not according to the advice I’ve been given. And there’s another thing. There are plans to build a motorway extension to Whitly within the next five years so in fact there won’t be a problem in terms of road transport. Quite the opposite.

Mr. Marsh: Except that it’s much farther north. And that would mean extra transportation costs.

Mr. Todd: Well look, I think the next thing is for us to commission a proper survey of the sites and particularly check Sheila’s impressions of the Burnsley site. Then the next stage will be to contact a number of contractors and get tenders from themа

TRANSLATION

Task 1. Translate into English.

1. Перед тем как созвать собрание председатель должен раздать участникам повестку дня, чтобы все знали, какие вопросы будут обсуждаться.

2. В начале собрания утверждается протокол предыдущего собрания.

3. Затем присутствующие обсуждают каждый пункт повестки дня.

4. Если вопрос важный, он может быть поставлен на голосование.

5. Перед проведением голосования необходимо внести предложения и обсудить их.

6. Председатель должен быть уверен, что присутствующие точно знают, за что они голосуют. Он обязан всегда зачитывать предложение, прежде чем ставить его на голосование.

7. Термин ‘предложение’ применяется по отношению к идее, выдвинутой на рассмотрение собрания.

8. Голос председателя является решающим, когда количество голосов, поданных за и против резолюции, одинаково.

9. Резолюция была принята единогласно. Принятие данной резолюции повлечет за собой снижение количества прогулов и опозданий.

10. Следующим пунктом повестки дня является покупка участка земли для постройки склада.

Task 2. Translate into English.

1)

- Итак, г-н Браун, мы изучили Ваши предложения и хотели бы возобновить переговоры.

- С чего бы Вы хотели начать?

- Собственно говоря, у нас два вопроса. Во-первых, комиссионное вознаграждение, которое Вы просите, представляется нас слишком высоким. Что именно сюда входит?

- Демонстрационные залы, полное обслуживание заказчика в течение гарантийного периода и часть расходов по импорту. Когда это все вычтется, уверяю Вас, остаток не будет очень велик.

- И тем не менее, мне кажется, что он довольно велик. Мы считаем, что Вам следует или сократить комиссионное вознаграждение на 2%, или оплатить рекламные издержки.

- Разрешите мне подумать. У Вас есть какие-либо публикации по Вашему оборудованию?

- Да, конечно. Я могу дать Вам полный комплект.

- Спасибо. Мы должны будем изучить его, прежде чем дать Вам окончательный ответ.

- Конечно. Теперь второй вопрос. Скажите, пожалуйста, какие марки пользуются спросом на английском рынке?

- Да, мы составили их список. Вот, пожалуйста.

- Благодарю Вас. Я передам его экспертам, и, я надеюсь, мы сможем подписать соглашение.

2)

- Итак, г-н Попов, мы можем продолжить наши переговоры.

- Да, конечно, г-н Райт.

- Я бы хотел взглянуть на Ваши общие условия купли. Они у Вас с собой?

- Да, конечно. Вот они. Вас интересует какое-либо конкретное положение?

- Да, я бы хотел выяснить положение относительно задержки поставки. Мне не совсем понятно, когда ответственность за это ложиться на продавца.

- Видите ли, г-н Райт, если покупатель полностью выполняет свои обязательства, но товары по какой-либо причине не поставлены в установленное время, продавец несет ответственность за задержку и должен выплатить покупателю штраф.

- Каков его размер?

- Мы обычно требуем выплаты 0,5% от стоимости непоставленных товаров за первую неделю задержки.

- Это довольно много.

- Это еще не все. Кроме того, покупатель сохраняет за собой право отказаться от товара, если он задержан более, чем на 6 недель.

- В этом случае продавец не платит штраф, не так ли?

- Нет, платит.

- В таком случае мы бы хотели сначала это обдумать. Прежде чем мы подпишем договор, мы должны согласовать положение о штрафе.

- Это вполне справедливо.

DISCUSSION

Task 1. Look at these problems and decide the best way of dealing with each problem. Which would be best:

- a one-to-one meeting of two of the people involved,

- a meeting of four or five of the people involved,

- a meeting of about ten of the people involved,

- or should just one person decide what to do and then inform everyone by phoning or sending a memo?

1. A large, influential customer continually pays late. Your sales manager and credit controller have politely and repeatedly complained but this hasn’t made any difference. The time has come to decide what to do about this.

2. In a small factory the older workers are ignoring safety rules and encouraging the younger ones to do the same. Some of these rules may be excessively cautious and the older workers’ production rates are very good.

3. In a medium-size factory groups of workers operate as teams. One group has been getting poorer results than the other teams and verbal warnings have had no effect.

4. The firm is having a bad year and it will probably be necessary to make five members of the office staff redundant. The normal policy is ‘last in – first out’.

5. Someone has been leaking information about your firm’s products to your competitor. It may be a member of your staff or one of your preferred suppliers.

6. The board requires a report on your department’s long-term plans over the next ten years.

7. The territories covered by your sales force have been unchanged for ten years. A revision of the boundaries might make the team more efficient.

8. There is to be a company picnic next month and everything has to be planned and organized.

Discuss the alternatives like this:

If you had a meeting of four people, the others might feel that ...

If the manager sent everyone a letter, everyone might ...

Task 2. Roleplay the meeting. You are the members of the committee of the tennis club ‘Victoria’. Below is the agenda for your next meeting. State your opinions on the questions raised. Express some views strongly, others less strongly. Suggest your alternatives. Agree or disagree to your colleagues’ ideas. Come to a single conclusion on all the questions.

AGENDA

1. Welcome to the newly elected members of the committee

2. Raising the membership fees by 10% (already raised by 7% last year; the current inflation rate is 2%)

3. The kit rules (the grass courts are damaged by the people not wearing correct shoes)

4. The problem of noise (the club’s neighbours are complaining about shouting on the courts)

5. The admission of children (no children under 12 from now on)

6. The procedure of booking the courts (people don’t book 72 hours in advance by phone as they should; someone suggests a new Internet-based booking system)

7. Elect someone to organise the club’s summer tournament (organising this competition takes a lot of time)

Task 3. Roleplay the meeting. One half of the group are traditional shopkeepers in the town’s high street: butchers, bakers, greengrocers, opticians, etc. The other half are the representatives of the town council. You are having the meeting to discuss some of the latest proposals. Below is the list of these proposals.

AGENDA

1. The pedestrianisation of the street and the installation of parking meters

2. The road works that will last 6 months

3. Raising local taxes by 10% (the current inflation rate is 3%)

4. Stricter health inspections of food shops and restaurants

5. A ban on cafes putting tables and chairs on pavements

6. A ban on neon signs in the street

Task 4. Roleplay the negotiations. Use invented names and organisations.

1) Women’s summer dresses

Role A: a department store buyer

You want 10,000 dresses: no more, no less.

Unit price: 45 to 50 euros per dress.

You are an experienced buyer and know how many you are likely to sell. You have never dealt with this manufacturer before and you say that there may be more big orders in the future if this collection of dresses sells well.

You know there are rumours about the financial state of the store but they are just rumours. As far as you know the store is in a good financial condition.

Payment: 60 days. This is a standard condition that can only be varied with great difficulty by consulting the head office.

Role B: a dress manufacturer salesperson

You want to try to sell more than 10,000 dresses.

Unit price: 50 to 55 euros for 10,000 but you could offer a price below 50 euros if the order is for more than 10, 000 items.

You have never dealt with this store before. You’re not sure about the promises of future orders as there are rumours that the store has financial difficulties.

Payment: as soon as possible, preferably on the receipt of an invoice. You’re very nervous about waiting 60 days considering the store’s financial difficulties.