1 Vocabulary Company issues
Dialogue:
JOAN:So,I just had a short meeting with our CEO,David.
JOAN:I've been given the task of coming up with a plan of coordination between out two companies.I'll be flying out there on Monday.
HARRY:Congratulations!
JONA:Thank you,Harry.Now,as I was saying,it'll be my job to get the two companies working together smoothly.
JOAN:I'll probably be flying back and forth for the next few weeks.Todd will be in charge here whenever I'm at Sunset.
JOAN:That's going to involve a lot of planning,and I don't have much time,so,uh,let's conclude this meeting quickly.
JOAN:Now,where was I?Oh,yes,As a next step,in the week or so,please keep me informed about any problems that you're having with Sunset.
JOAN:Give me details.I'd really appreciate your input on this.
JOAN:Let me see.I'll,uh,follow up on the idea of team building,and I'll also send an email summarizing this meeting.
JOAN:Oh,and,uh,one more thing:This discussion is confidential.Nothing leave this room.
Todd:Yes,please.No talking about firing people at Sunset or flying them here.Those poor people have enough rumors to worry about already.
JOAN:Okay.That's it for now.Thank you all for coming.
JOAN:Uh,Todd and Simon.Could you stay behind?
task
coming up with
coordination
smoothly
back and forth
in charge
involve
conclude
keep me informed
rumors
Match the words that have the same or similar meanings. Connect the matching texts.
Move the text to the correct gaps.
KAREN: You wanted to see me, Mr. Barnes?
MR. BARNES: Yes, Karen. Please have a seat.
KAREN: Is everything OK?
MR. BARNES: Yes, yes. It's just that the coordination between our team here in London and our office in Shanghai isn't going very smoothly.
KAREN: That's too bad. To be honest, I have heard some rumors .
MR. BARNES: Yeah, I think everyone has, including the CEO and the rest of the New York office. Anyway, I'll be doing some back and forth between here and Shanghai. I'm sorry I have to get you involved , but when I'm out of the office, you'll be in charge . I'd like for us to talk at least once a day so you can keep me informed. I'm sure I'll have some other tasks for you as well.
KAREN: No problem. Anything I can do to help.
MR. BARNES: Thanks, Karen.
Listen and record what you hear.
We need to come up with a coordination plan.
The sooner we can conclude the deal, the better.
The meeting will involve a lot of different people.
I've informed the board about the merger rumors.
Who will be in charge while you're away?
She completed all of her tasks smoothly.
This back and forth between Paris and London is tough.
2 Grammar Review:future tenses
Review: future tenses
Review the different ways to talk about the future.
Use the simple future with will and its negative form won't to volunteer to do something, to make a promise or to make a prediction.
I'll help you.
I'll help you.
I promise I won't spread any rumors.
I promise I won't spread any rumors.
I'm sure that team coordination will improve.
I'm sure that team coordination will improve.
Use the simple future with be going to to talk about plans, or to make a prediction.
He is going to travel to Mexico City next week.
He is going to travel to Mexico City next week.
I believe we're going to have a merger.
I believe we're going to have a merger.
Use the future continuous tense with will, or be going to with the verb be and a present participle, to talk about a continuous action that will be happening in the future.
I'll be doing some back and forth between here and Mexico. I'll be doing some back and forth between here and Mexico.
She's going to be running the office while he's away. She's going to be running the office while he's away.
Use the future perfect with will or be going to, the verb have, and a past participle to talk about actions that will have been completed at a certain point in the future.
The meeting will have concluded by the time you return.
The meeting will have concluded by the time you return.
We won't have finished the project by next week.
We won't have finished the project by next week.
Move the text to the correct gaps.
Good afternoon, everyone. First, I'm going to give you all an agenda so we're all on the same page.
We will spend approximately 20 minutes on each item. I hope that you will all give us some suggestions and recommendations in the discussion.
I'm going to ask you for ideas if I have to. This is a group effort. By the end of the meeting, I hope we will have come up with some creative ways to improve communication between our teams. Please speak freely.
This will be a brainstorming session. There are no bad ideas.
Jack is going to be writing down all of our ideas so we won't lose anything. OK, let's get started.
Select the correct answer.
3 Expressions Starting or returning to a topic
Now, as I was saying ...
Now, where was I? Oh, yes.
Let me see.
Oh, and one more thing ...
Starting or returning to a point in a discussion
Use these expressions when starting a new point in a discussion. Expressions like let me see can give you a moment to gather your thoughts.
Let me see. The next point of discussion is challenges in the coming year.
Let me see. The next point of discussion is challenges in the coming year.
The next item on the agenda is an update from our CFO.
The next item on the agenda is an update from our CFO.
Moving on, let's discuss the plan to expand overseas.
Moving on, let's discuss the plan to expand overseas.
Oh, and one more thing: we need to discuss a change in employee insurance.
Oh, and one more thing. We need to discuss a change in employee insurance.
Sometimes a discussion will move off the subject. Use these expressions to return to the main topic after an interruption:
Now, as I was saying, our competitive situation in Europe has changed.
Now, as I was saying, our competitive situation in Europe has changed.
Now, where was I? Oh, yes – the sales figures for last quarter.
Now, where was I? Oh, yes – the sales figures for last quarter.
Getting back to my point, I think a merger is not an option.
Getting back to my point, I think a merger is not an option.
Put the text in the correct order.
Connect the matching texts.
4 Expressions Closing a meeting
Let's conclude this meeting quickly.
As a next step ...
I'll follow up on the idea of ...
I'll also send an email.
This discussion is confidential.
Nothing leaves this room.
Okay, that's it for now.
Thank you all for coming.
Could you stay behind?
Let's wrap things up.
让我们总结一下。
Closing a meeting
To bring a meeting to a close, people often first indicate that the meeting is ending. Then they discuss the next tasks that everyone should complete. These are called next steps. Finally, the person leading the meeting will thank everyone for coming.
Use these expressions to state that a meeting is coming to an end:
OK, I know we're all busy, so let's conclude this meeting quickly.
OK, I know we're all busy, so let's conclude this meeting quickly.
I think that's about it. Let's wrap things up.
I think that's about it. Let's wrap things up.
Unless anyone has anything else, I think we're ready to talk about next steps.
Unless anyone has anything else, I think we're ready to talk about next steps.
Use these expressions to talk about next steps. When people volunteer for future tasks, they use the word will.
I'll follow up on finding a better location for the office.
I'll follow up on finding a better location for the office.
Moving forward, we will need to learn more about our competition.
Moving forward, we will need to learn more about our competition.
When giving an indirect order regarding next steps, a manager may use let's.
As a next step, let's all think about ways to improve communication. As a next step, let's all think about ways to improve communication.
Use these expressions to discuss confidentiality:
confidentiality 保密性;机密性
I just want to say again that this discussion is confidential.
I just want to say again that this discussion is confidential.
Nothing we've discussed here leaves this room.
Nothing we've discussed here leaves this room.
Use these expressions to conclude the meeting and thank the participants:
OK, that's it for now. Thank you all for coming.
OK, that's it for now. Thank you all for coming.
I think we're finished here. Thanks very much to you all.
I think we're finished here. Thanks very much to you all.
This has been a very productive meeting. I appreciate all of you being here.
This has been a very productive meeting. I appreciate all of you being here.
Listen and record what you hear.
I think we're ready to talk about next steps.
Unless anyone has anything else, I think we're done.
As a next step, I'll follow up with a company report.
Nothing we've discussed here leaves this room.
I want to thank you all for a very productive meeting.
Everything we've discussed is strictly confidential.
5 Final Task Concluding
You are concluding a meeting about your company's budget for next year.
One topic was a possible hiring freeze.
Talk about next steps, discuss confidentiality, and then close the meeting. Listen and record the correct response.