商务英语视听说-Unit-4

Unitfour

AtaMeeting1/19

LearningObjectives

ComprehendbasicvocabularyrelatedtomeetingsIdentifyandunderstandbasicaspectsofmeetingplanningDevelopcommunicationskillsto:a.chairameetingb.askforandgiveopinionsc.agreeanddisagreewithanidead.makesuggestions

2/19

BusinessProfile

Basicsofmeetings

Businesspeoplespendquitealotoftimeonmeetings,andmeetingscomeinallshapesandsizes,rangingfromformalcommitteemeetingstoinformalone-to-onemeetings.

Thereareseveralreasonswhymeetingsareheld:1.Reachingdecisionsinameetingmeansthatalltheparticipantscanfeelmorecommittedtothedecision.2.Informationisavailabletomorepeople.3.Differentandunexpectedideascanbecontributed.4.Meetingscanleadtomoreimaginativeandinformeddecisions---oftenmorecourageousdecisionsthanonepersonmightfeelbraveenoughtomake.3/19

Someofthedrawbacksofmeetingsare:

1.Moretimeisrequiredthanifonepersonmakesthedecision.2.there’smoretalk(andthisissometimesirrelevantrepetitive).3.There’smoregrouppressure.

4/19

SampleBoardofDirectorsMeetingAgendaActivityActionMinutefromPreviousMeetingApprovalChiefExecutive’sReportDiscussionFinanceCommittee’sReportApprovalofBudgetChangesDevelopmentCommittee’sReportApprovalofFundraisingPlanBoardDevelopmentCommitteeApprovalofPlansforRetreatOtherBusiness(Old,New,Announcements)Round-tableEvaluationofMeetingReviewofActionsfromMeeting5/19

SampleoftheMinutesofaManagementMeeting

Present:DavidBrown,AlexLee,TinaJohnson,AnnaM.SwansonProceedings:Tina:Reportonovertimework.Agreed:needtoreducetheamountofovertimework.Alex:Peoplearemissingdeadlines.David:Absenteeismandlatenessareproblemsinsomeplants.Davidtoreviewabsenteeism/latenesspoliceswithplantmanagers.Annatoworkoutrealistictargetsandproposedeadlinestoachievethem.Otherbusiness:Tinaannouncedthatshehadrecentlyhiredanewsecretary,KarlaBaldini.6/19

PartI:Warm-upSomeSsrecallsomemeetingsthey’veattended.TaskIFormalandInformalmeetings

Key:Omitted

7/19

Task2HowtotakemeetingminutesHints:

Ininformalmeetings,thepresentermaybeginwithexpressionslike“OK”or“Right”,whereasinformalmeetings,“Goodmorning/afternoon”isoftenusedforgreetingandthepresenterusuallyopensthemeetingwithexpressionslike“Iwouldliketo…”,“Welcometo…”,“It’sapleasureto…”,etc.tostartthemeeting.Furthermore,ininformalmeetings,thetoneofthepresentercanbecasualandrelaxed.8/19

PartIIILanguageFocusDividetheclassintogroups,withonechairpersonineachgroupSsrole-playthemeetingaccordingtothesituation,referringtotheoutline.Agrouprole-playthemeetinginclassOtherSscommentontheirperformanceandgivesuggestionsforimprovement.9/19

LanguageExpansion:Interrupting:MayIhaveaword?Excusemeforinterrupting.GivingopinionsIfeelthat…Ifyouaskme,Itendtothinkthat…10/19

CommentingonotheropinionsIneverthoughtaboutitthatwaybefore.Iseewhatyoumean.

AgreeingwithotheropinionsThat’sthewayIfeel.Ihavetoagreewith…

11/19Disagreewithotheropinions

UptoapointIagreewithyou,but…Iseewhatyoumean,butifwedothat…

Clarifying

HaveImadthatclear?Letmeputthisanotherway…I’djustliketoreportthat…RequestinginformationWouldyoumind…?Iwonderifyoucould12/19

Askforrepetition

Imissedthat.Couldyousayitagain?Askforclarification

Couldyouexplainmehowthatisgoingtowork?Idon’tseewhatyoumean.Couldwehavesomemoredetails,please?13/19

Askforverification

Doyoumeanthat…?Isittruethat…?Invitingopinions

Whatdoyouthinkaboutthisproposal?Arethereanymorecomments?CorrectinginformationI’mafraidyoudon’tunderstandwhatI’msaying.That’snotwhatImeant.14/19

Keepingthemeetingontime

I’mafraidwe’verunoutoftime.There’snotmuchtimeleft.Couldyoupleasebebrief?We’llhavetoleavethatforanothermeeting.Ithinkwe’dbetterleavethattoanothermeeting.Arewereadytomakeadecision?Ifnobodywantstoaddanything,wecandrawthemeetingtoaclose.15/19

PartIV:ViewingandSpeakingVideo1:Whyarewehere?Hints:1.Beforethemeeting,Iwouldcollectthestatisticsoftherecentsales.Theobjectivesofthemeetingandtheagendashouldbeset.Moreover,Iwouldinformtheparticipantsofthedate,place,time,agendaandobjectivesofthemeetingandprepareallthefilesthatneedtobedistributedtotheattendees.16/19

PartIV:ViewingandSpeakingVideo1:Whyarewehere?Hints:2.Duringthemeeting,Iwouldfirstpresentthepurposeofthemeeting.