Archive for November, 2007
BEP 74 ADV (Transcript & Exercises) - Idioms: Business is War (Part 2)
During the first business ESL podcast in this series, we studied many such war and military related idioms. We learned the meaning of “taking flak,” “reinforcing one’s position,” “laying low,” “making a move” and many others. In this podcast, we will continue exploring useful war idioms.
The dialog picks up where we left off at the Luminex management meeting. Jane has just explained that they need to think “strategically.” He explains that this means “laying low,” by which he means waiting to take action until the economy improves.
As you listen, pay attention to the war idioms Jane and her colleagues use. You may not understand them the first time. After you hear the debrief, go back and listen again, then things should be much clearer.
Listening Questions: BEP 74 ADV - Idioms: Business is War (Part 2)
1) What does Jane mean when she says their competitor, Meyers, is its own worst enemy?
BEP 73 ADV (Transcript & Exercises) - Idioms: Business is War (Part 1)
Business and war. War and business. It’s no accident that many business strategies and management techniques were first developed in the military. Actually, it’s quite natural that we think about business competition in terms of war. Companies fight each other for market share. We strategize about how to win the battle. You try to attack my market position, and I defend it. Business is full of such war idioms. Though it’s not the only way we think about business, it is certainly the main way we talk about it. Therefore, to communicate effectively in a business environment, we need to learn these war idioms.
That’s what we’ll be doing in this two-part series. In today’s dialog, the management at Luminex, a producer of LCD TVs, is discussing how to respond to a attack on their market position by a competitor, Meyers. Traditionally, Meyers has been strong in the premium (high value) market and Luminex has been strong in the mid-range market. Recently, however, Meyers has tried to take mid-range market share from Luminex.
Listening Questions: BEP 73 ADV - Idioms: Business is War (Part 1)
2) How does Jane’s point of view differ from the first two speakers?
BEP 72 INT (Transcript & Activities) - Telephoning: Leaving a Voicemail Message
Have you ever started to leave a message on someone’s voicemail, then when you heard the “beep” sound, you didn’t know what to say? When you’re speaking a foreign language, talking without preparation can be challenging, especially when you cannot see or hear the person you’re talking to. But with a little practice, you’ll be a voicemail pro.
That’s what we’ll be studying in this episode – useful phrases and language for voicemail messages, so that next time you here that “beep” you’ll know exactly what to say.
Key Language: Telephone Greetings, Reason for Calling & Leaving a Message
Listening Questions: BEP 72 INT - Telephoning: Leaving a Voicemail Message
1) What is Mark Rand hoping to talk to Sylvie about?
2) When will he be available to take Sylvie’s call?
3) How does Mark put a positive finish on the message?
BEP 71 ADV (Transcript & Exercises) - Mergers: Office Gossip and Reported Speech
This is the second in a three-part series that follows some of the internal discussions that take place in a company going through a merger.
Today’s episode focuses on casual office conversation and gossip. Office gossip is a type of informal conversation in which we tell secrets or rumors about other people or other departments. Gossip is often called water cooler chitchat, since the water cooler is where colleagues meet by chance and discuss things that are happening in the office. You might also want to review some of our previous shows on socializing for more language to use in these types of conversations.
For the listening today, we rejoin Jack at the guitar manufacturer headquarters, after his short but difficult chat with his boss Jim. Jack is in the cafeteria when a co-worker meets him there by chance.
Key Language: Informal Socializing & Reported Speech
Listening Questions: BEP 71 ADV - Mergers: Office Gossip & Reported Speech
1) What did Frances hear from Joanna?
2) Who did Michelle take off with?
3) Where does Frances tell Jack she has to go?
