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Look at some of the different things you could say.





1. Could you slow down?

2. Sorry. I don't follow.

3. What do you mean by 'redesign'?

4. What does 'redesign ' mean?

5. Could you say it again more slowly?

6. Sorry. What was that?

7. Sorry. I'm not with you.

8. I didn't catch that.

9. You think we should what?

Sort them into groups. Which ones would you say if

a you didn't hear what they said?

b they spoke too fast?

c you didn't understand anything?

d you don't understand the word 'redesign'?

e you don't understand what they mean by 'redesign’?

 

Compare your answers with your group-mates. Some expressions may fit into

more than one group:

2. Practise the question forms in pairs. Take it in turns to give your opinions on one of the topics below. Your partner should interrupt, asking questions to check s/he understands:

· smoking in public places

· divorce

· increasing crime rates

· football hooligans

· racism

· privatization

3. When you are asking a question, it helps to be exact. Notice some of the phrases we use to ask very specific questions:

· I think we should reduce our staffing costs.

· Do you mean we shouldn't replace staff who resign?

· Or are you saying we should cut wages?

· Or are you suggesting we should make staff redundant?

 

4. Work with a partner. Think of some similar questions to ask about each of these proposals. Begin with the phrases in bold type in B-D above and invent your own endings:

1. We have to improve the staff's level of English.

2. I think we should improve the quality of our products.

3. We need to reduce our heating bills.

4. We ought to get larger discounts from our suppliers.

5. We must increase our market share.

6. We should employ fewer people at senior management level.

 

 

5. Summarizing is another way of checking you understand. In this exercise you will practise summarizing your group-mates’ views. Select a topic from the list below. Think of one point in favour of the topic and one point against it:



• military service • open-plan offices

• private schools • space travel research

working abroad jogging

 

6. Now work with a partner. Take it in turns to state your points. Your partner should listen carefully. When you have finished, they should give a brief summary of your views, checking they have understood correctly. Listen carefully and make sure their summary is 100% accurate.

 

 

Speaking

You are the directors of a small company that manufactures pet food. The recession has hit profits and you are looking for ways to cut costs and generate extra income.

 

You have each worked out different ways of finding some extra money. Explain your proposals, find out about your colleagues' proposals and then decide on the best course of action together.

Listening 2

1. Pre-listening questions:

a) Who usually takes the decision of the employees to be redundant?

b) How does it usually happen?

c) When and where does it usually take place?

d) Who announces the news?

 

The informal discussion you are going to hear takes place in an advertising agency and concerns Charles Drake, a copywriter who is to be made redundant. Frank Harrison, Account Director, Derek Jordan, Creative Director, and Jennifer Walton, Personnel Director, are meeting to decide when, where and how he should be told the news. Listen and note what they decide and why.

Tapescript

 

F-Frank / D-Derek / J-Jennifer

 

F Let's get started then. Erm, what we've got to do is, er, discuss how Derek's interview with Charlie should go. Jennifer can offer advice on how to go about this sort of thing, she's very experienced in this area, and I'm interested in knowing more about it, so I'd like to minute the meeting, if you don't mind, so we can use our discussion to draw up a procedure, erm, for doing this in the future.



D I've been thinking about it over the weekend and there're several areas I think we should cover. I need to know when I should tell him, er, where the interview should take place, and how to go about it and handle his reaction, OK? I mean, is there a time scale for this? Have you thought exactly as to when this might best be done?

J Well, I think it’s usually useful to break this kind of news midweek, rather than doing it on a Friday afternoon.

FCertainly, I absolutely agree.

D The other thing obviously which he'll be concerned about once he's bitten the bullet, swallowed the bad news as it were, is what is the time, when is this going to come into effect.

F Yes.

D Do you want me to try to deal with this, or is that going to be left to a later follow-up?

J I think that's something you and Frank could decide on a little later. There should be a package that we offer him, and quite a few details to sort out.

F Yes certainly. Erm, I think we ought to move on now, so the next question really is, erm, you know, how are we going to do it, and where? What do you think, Jennifer?

J Yes, this is where Derek can really help more than any of us, knowing him as you do. How you're going to do it would depend, to a certain extent, on what you know of him.

D Well, thinking about it, I mean, we have, you know, not a regular basis, gone off and had a game of squash after work. And I’m not, I mean I haven't really thought this through, but erm, I mean I think it might be better to do it outside the office in a sense.

J I'm afraid I don't agree with you. It needs to be you in your managerial role, not you in your role as a personal friend, in order tomake it clear to him that it's not you who's making him redundant. It's the company, and it's his role that's going. I certainly think it should be done, er, somewhere in the office, and preferably in his office rather than in yours. Then he can be left in his office after you've finished talking to him.

F I don't know, Jennifer. I'm not sure I . . .

D It's a little bit cold and clinical, that approach. I mean, I think the point you're making, that perhaps it would make the role issue a lot clearer both to myself and to him. But I . . . don't know, I mean it's the emotional aspect of this, I don't feel I can deal with it terribly well.

F Well how about a lunch, Derek, in a quiet pub or restaurant?

D So the in-between thing, it's a working lunch. It's work, but it’s not in the office. It could be a compromise, yes.

J Well, could I just come in here please? I tend to think it might be better if you did it in the office. That you could do it. . . it's going to have to be fairly brief, rather than beating about the bush. Because, you've got to remember, Derek, how you're going to feel about this. You're going to...



D Yes.

F I mean, Jennifer, you've had a lot of experience of this. How do people react when they...

J People tend to be rather shocked, they tend to be angry, but rather briefly, and they do tend to . . .

D In other words, they're not able to formulate an immediate and rational response. It is an emotional . . .

F Uh huh.

D The effect it has on them.

F In which case, a lunch might not be a good idea. I don't know.

D Well, I see what you're saying. It's just ...

J Sometimes, although you may not believe this, people go away not really being sure whether or not they've been made redundant because the person breaking the news finds it so hard to ...

D To put it bluntly. (laughs)

F You think you're being promoted yes. (laughs)

J You may think a variety of things. (laughs)

D In communication, I mean there is a certain degree of directness required here, I think I appreciate that. You know, it's bad news, but it's better to be short and brief and clear about it, rather than beating around the bush.

FYes, it's worth, er, bearing this in mind.

D Well, I mean, taking Jennifer's expert advice on this, I mean, I suppose I am convinced in a sense that I might just follow it up in the evening with a phone call or something at home.

F Yeah. J I think that would be a very nice thing to do. Yeah. So recapping then. Erm . . . Derek will break the news . . .

F Have we discussed how he breaks it, I mean, are you just going to come out with it?

D Well, I will contextualize it to a certain extent. You know, saying, 'well as you're aware, you know, the business has not been doing as well, as good as it was last year, and particularly certain areas have fallen away, and unfortunately the areas that are most affected seem to be the areas that you've been dealing with, and so the company has reached, you know, the sort of decision which it's had to make with deep regret, but ...' I think really that's the kind of…

F Give him the background.

D Yes, I mean, but briefly. You're saying that I should get to the point and say, 'You know, Charlie, it has been decided, that, basically, you are being made redundant, and the normal terms and conditions of our contract will apply, and that's it'.

J So be brief and specific. And move straight on to talk about the package you're offering him.

F OK, so . . . Let's recap. I think we've agreed, Derek, that you will, you will actually be telling Charles . . .

D Yes.

F And that you'll do it, er, inside the company, and you'll do it probably in your office. Right?

D No, in his office.

F Sorry, I do apologize. Yes, in his office. And you'll give him the background, and the reasons why we have to do this.

D Mmm.

F And you'll make it fairly short, and to the point. And you'll phone him in the evening.

D Yes, and I'll leave that a little depending on the reaction I get from the initial one, but that's . . . some kind of follow-up that evening, whether it be going out after work or whether it be a phone call after I've got back.

F OK.

 

Language practice

 

Match each item on the left with the correct description on the right. Then use each phrase once only to complete the excerpts from Listening 2. When you have finished, listen again and check your answers.

 

I’m afraid I don’t agree with you. making a suggestion

Could I just come in here...? reformulating

In other words… moving to a new point

I absolutely agree. giving an opinion

I think… setting objectives

Let's recap. asking for an opinion

How about...? interrupting

What do you think...? disagreeing

What we've got to do... summarizing

We ought to move on... agreeing

Frank: Let's get started then. (1) ..............................….... is, er, discuss how Derek's interview with Charlie should go...

Jennifer: Well, I think it's usually useful to break this kind of news midweek, rather than doing it on a Friday afternoon.

Frank: Certainly, (2).....................................

Jennifer: ... There should be a package we offer him, and quite a few details to sort out.

Frank: Yes certainly. Erm, I think (3)..................................... now, so the next question is, erm, you know, how are we going to do it, and where? (4) ................................... , Jennifer? ...

Derek: ... I haven't really thought this through, but, erm, I mean, (5).................................... it might be better to do it outside the office in a sense.

Jennifer:(6) ..................................... . It needs to be you in your managerial role, not you in your role as a personal friend. ... I certainly think it should be done, er, somewhere in the office, and preferably in his office rather than in yours ....

Frank: Well, (7) ..................................... a lunch, Derek, in a quiet pub or restaurant?

Derek: So, the in-between thing, it's a working lunch. It's work, but it's not in the office. It could be a compromise, yes.

Jennifer: Well, (8) …...…........................... please? I tend to think it might be better if you did do it in the office...

Frank: I mean, Jennifer, you've had a lot of experience of this. How do people react when they...

Jennifer: People tend to be rather shocked, they tend to be angry, but rather briefly, and they do tend to...

Derek:(9) ..................…............... they're not able to formulate an immediate and rational response . . .

Frank: Give him the background.

Derek: Yes, I mean but briefly, you're saying that I should get to the point and say 'you know, Charlie, it has been decided that, basically, you are being made redundant, and the normal terms and conditions of our contract will apply’ ...

Frank: Ok, so (10) ..................................... I think we're agreed, Derek, that you will actually be telling Charles...

Derek: Yes.

Frank: And that you'll do it, er, inside the company, and you'll do it probably in your office. Right?

 

Writing 2

 

 








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